I was just making up techniques... how did all of you become Emperors?

Chapter 238: Golden-Winged Eagle King — What Kind of Decent Person Shows Up at Midnight?

Night had fallen over all of Linjiang City.

It was already deep into the night, yet many cultivators in the city remained wide awake.

The events that occurred during the Dragon King Sacrifice earlier in the day still lingered in everyone's minds. People throughout the city were speculating which expert from Wendao Academy the white-robed man belonged to.

But after discussing all night, no one could reach a conclusion.

After all, among the known powerhouses of Wendao Academy, none were Confucian cultivators.

To manifest law with a single word—to subdue an enemy with just one character—that was the hallmark of a Confucian path cultivator. And to suppress a Nirvana-stage expert so easily meant, at the very least, he was a Half-Saint.

Inside a private courtyard at the inn, it was unusually quiet.

A cold wind brushed past.

Chen Qianqian, still in a dream, smiled sweetly in her sleep, as if she were dreaming of something pleasant.

Elder Bing and the Golden-Winged Eagle King, who had been cultivating, opened their eyes at the same time and instantly spread their divine senses across the entire compound.

Chu Feng, lying on the bed, turned over. Sensing movement outside, he immediately sat up.

Before long, an aged voice came from outside the door.

"Bailong humbly requests an audience with my benefactor. I beg your pardon for disturbing you so late at night."

Hearing this voice, a look of confusion crossed Chu Feng's face. He reached out and tapped the nearby oil lamp. At once, Blastoise understood and lit the entire room as bright as day.

"Come in."

At his word, the door slowly opened, and a pale-faced flood dragon appeared at the threshold—or more precisely, a flood dragon's soul.

Unlike the one-horned flood dragon from earlier that radiated a fierce demonic aura, this soul carried a sacred, benevolent presence.

"Thank you, benefactor."

Bailong bowed deeply to Chu Feng.

Chu Feng asked, "Are you the Dragon King of Linjiang?"

Bailong nodded slightly. "I do not dare claim the title of 'Dragon King.' I am merely a flood dragon and have not yet attained a marquis rank. Otherwise, I would not have been defeated by that one-horned marquis, nor would my soul have been imprisoned.

"If not for your intervention in slaying that creature, I would have perished within three years."

Chu Feng responded calmly, "So you're here to repay me?"

"Exactly."

Bailong continued, "I know that you are one of the world's top experts, and ordinary gifts would not be worthy of you. That's why I've come to ask if you would accompany me to the Water God's palace beneath the Linjiang River. There is a remnant left behind by a True God. I succeeded in becoming a flood dragon thanks to one of the treasures there."

"Oh?"

Chu Feng's interest was instantly piqued. "In that case, I'll go take a look."

"Please, this way."

Bailong made a gesture of invitation, and Chu Feng followed him out.

The moment he stepped through the door, he ran into Elder Bing and the Golden-Winged Eagle King. Upon seeing the eagle king, Bailong's soul visibly trembled. Though the other party didn't threaten him directly, the innate pressure was overwhelming and irresistible.

"Master," Elder Bing said, keeping her gaze locked on Bailong, "this flood dragon's origins are unclear. Don't trust him so easily."

The Golden-Winged Eagle King nodded in agreement. "Sister-in-law's right. What kind of decent person shows up at someone's door in the middle of the night?"

Bailong: "..."

I'm not even a person. I'm just a soul. If I came out during the day, I'd scare the children half to death.

Chu Feng chuckled. "Alright, no need to worry. Tell me—without Saints in the world, who could possibly stop me?"

His voice was calm, but in Bailong's ears, it sounded like thunder. How many people in this world dared to speak with such confidence?

Bailong bowed once more. "Might I ask benefactor's name?"

Chu Feng smiled faintly. "Chu Feng of Wendao Academy."

Hiss…

Bailong sucked in a breath, then said, "So it's Half-Saint Chu in person. No wonder you were able to slay the flood dragon with a single word. I'm in awe, truly."

Chu Feng cut him off. "Enough. Let's go."

"Yes, sir."

With that, Bailong led Chu Feng into the night. The two figures vanished into the darkness.

Elder Bing and the Golden-Winged Eagle King exchanged a glance, then returned to their rooms and resumed cultivation.

Moments later—

Chu Feng arrived at the riverbank with Bailong.

Upon landing, Bailong waved his hand. The waters of the Linjiang parted smoothly, revealing a clear stone path stretching forward.

Chu Feng didn't speak. He simply followed quietly behind him.

As they walked, the river behind them slowly closed in, returning to its original state.

After several hundred steps, they arrived at a submerged palace deep within the river.

Outside the palace, a glowing barrier pulsed faintly. Bailong stepped forward and formed a hand seal, activating the defensive formation.

A gate of light appeared, and the massive palace doors slowly opened.

"Half-Saint, this is the Water Palace. Please, come inside."

"Lead the way."

Chu Feng stepped in behind him. The moment he entered, a rush of spiritual energy hit him in the face. While not as pure as Wendao Academy's cultivation grounds, it was still a rare spiritual haven.

The palace resembled a miniature royal complex—gilded walls, carved jade pillars, luminous stones embedded everywhere. It was dazzling from every angle.

But despite its grandeur, it was eerily empty. Not a single being stirred—not even a trace of a soul.

"Do you live here alone?" Chu Feng asked.

Bailong gave an awkward smile. "To be honest, no."

"Originally, this palace housed thousands of shrimp soldiers and hundreds of fish generals. But after I fought that one-horned marquis… most of my elite forces died."

"The rest fled when danger struck. I've been alone here ever since."

"I see." Chu Feng glanced around. "So who was that marquis, really? Why did he come here?"

Bailong's tone turned grim. "That one-horned marquis is from the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains. He's one of the demon marquises—and the sworn brother of the Centipede King."

He paused, then continued, "I heard the Centipede King is close to breaking through to the Half-Saint realm. To do that, he needs incense power to purify his demonic aura."

"So he sent six of his sworn brothers to hunt down sources of incense. I've guarded the Linjiang for centuries and gathered quite a bit of incense power… so they came for me."

"Centipede King again…"

Chu Feng muttered under his breath.

That reaction made Bailong's heart jump. He quickly asked, "Did the Centipede King offend you in the past?"

Chu Feng chuckled. "Does someone like that even qualify to offend me? I just ran into one of his ignorant underlings."

"Of course…"

Bailong felt a bit disappointed. He'd hoped Chu Feng might take action against the Centipede King—but he knew better than to ask for such a favor.

Slaying the one-horned marquis was already an immense grace.

Man and spirit continued walking through several empty courtyards until they reached a secluded shrine.

Bailong stopped and said, "We're here. This is where the ancient ruin begins."

Chu Feng smiled. "Didn't expect you to be the worshipping type."

Bailong replied seriously, "A small favor deserves a spring of repayment. Besides, I received my inheritance from this very place."

"To honor the True God who left it behind as my ancestral master—that's only natural."

As he spoke, he opened the shrine's heavy doors, walked to a stone statue, and bowed three times before it.

Then he raised his hand, formed a seal, and shouted, "Open!"

A circular portal shimmered into view, revealing the entrance to a teleportation array—right in front of Chu Feng.

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