Chapter 117: The Dongting Water Palace

As the Emperor of the mortal realm, the sovereign of the Great Liang possesses the mandate of heaven, capable of deifying subjects with a single word. Although the Great Liang’s imperial fortune has been waning significantly, the Emperor remains the supreme representative of the earthly state. Thus, his edict triggered a ripple effect, a classic case of pulling a single hair to move the entire body.

The resulting chain reactions were far-reaching, affecting the entire world and truly intensifying existing conflicts among all parties. Yet, regardless of these shifts, everyone continued their duties, merely making adjustments to ensure their own survival.

Wang Yuanfeng and his associates, having secured their share of the benefits, proceeded to Lake Dongting to attend to their own affairs. Wang Yuanfeng and the Golden Dragon stood before an ancient palace beneath the water. The palace featured a complete array of pavilions and towers, with ancient seal characters inscribed on the exterior reading "Dongting Water Mansion"—what commoners refer to as a Dragon Palace.

"Wasn't it said the Dragon King was marrying off his daughter? Why are there so few people here?" Wang Yuanfeng asked the Golden Dragon beside him, observing the vast underwater palace, which, despite its lack of festive decorations, appeared heavily guarded despite some apparent vulnerabilities in its perimeter.

The Golden Dragon understood Wang Yuanfeng’s confusion and replied, "The rumor of the Dragon King’s daughter’s wedding is said to take place at the Dragon Palace, but in reality, it is held on the Divine Dragon Island above."

"Then what is this place?" Wang Yuanfeng pointed to the underwater palace.

The Golden Dragon smiled. "This is the Dragon King’s true lair. This secret underwater passage leads directly here."

Wang Yuanfeng mused, "I wonder if the dragon vein of Lake Dongting is inside?"

"It is, in the Dragon Lord’s private chambers," the Golden Dragon answered truthfully.

"Good," Wang Yuanfeng declared. "Opportunity waits for no one. Let’s head to the Dragon Palace. We shall drain the dragon vein, and while we are at it, we’ll see what treasures we can loot; if we can’t take them, we’ll smash them."

The Golden Dragon expressed concern: "I suspect the Dragon Lord is currently consolidating his power and gathering fortune. If we wait until he has greatly increased his cultivation, won't we be in danger? Should we go up and intervene first?"

Wang Yuanfeng chuckled. "You worry too much, Golden Dragon. While one’s cultivation grows rapidly upon first obtaining such fortune, the effect is limited. The key lies in its sustained, long-term impact."

Seeing the Golden Dragon still looked puzzled, he continued, "You are also a bearer of this fortune. Feel it—is your mind not clearer and your spiritual power more vibrant than before?"

The Golden Dragon closed his eyes and sensed his internal state. Matters that had previously eluded him were now suddenly clear; his mind felt purified, and his vital energy flowed without the slightest obstruction. Though he had heard of the benefits of imperial fortune, he was still exploring its specific functions. After a moment, he opened his eyes, delighted. "It is true! I feel that my future cultivation speed will be at least three times faster than before."

"Three times?" Wang Yuanfeng nodded. "Not bad. But the fortune of a Star God is far more than that. This is just the initial effect. You must continue to meditate on it to maximize its potential. If you think this is enough or ignore it, your achievements will likely be limited to this."

The Golden Dragon suddenly realized that obtaining fortune was not a shortcut to instant enlightenment; it required integration. "Then does that mean he will have to go into seclusion to improve his cultivation?"

"Exactly," Wang Yuanfeng said. "Furthermore, given the current situation, the Dragon Lord has little time. To establish a foothold in this world, he must solidify his divine status; otherwise, he will be the first to perish."

"So he is forced to go into seclusion to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible," the Golden Dragon added. "And the most likely place for his seclusion is this Dongting Water Mansion."

"Correct." Wang Yuanfeng nodded, noting the Golden Dragon’s quick wit. He looked toward the water mansion and said, "He has operated here for hundreds of years, and most of his preparations are kept within these walls. By destroying his lair, we eliminate the possibility of him stabilizing his fortune in the near future."

With that, the two set off toward the water mansion.

The guards at the mansion were few, as most had been deployed elsewhere. Because the location was hidden and rarely known, the remaining shrimp soldiers and crab generals stood watch with extreme laxity, as if they had no fear of any external threat. They had not encountered an enemy in many years, and the Dragon Lord, preoccupied with his own schemes, had delegated supervision to an ancient tortoise who had lived for countless ages. Known as Chancellor Tortoise, he was an old scoundrel, an expert at bluffing and shirking responsibility.

At that moment, Chancellor Tortoise was in a study, reviewing reports from all the water gods of Lake Dongting. The Dragon Lord found these matters tedious, so he left everything to the Chancellor, only demanding to be informed of matters the Chancellor could not resolve himself.

Having served as the Chancellor of the Dongting Water Mansion for hundreds of years, the tortoise was accustomed to this routine. He picked up several reports submitted recently regarding the movements of the Marquis of Wu'an's army. After analyzing the information, he picked up a *hu* tablet—a board held when addressing a monarch, made of jade or bamboo. He wrote on the back of the tablet, where he kept his notes for reporting.

Though discipline in the water mansion was incredibly lax, the Chancellor had performed his duties with unwavering consistency for centuries, which was the very reason he had survived so long. On the tablet, which was already nearly covered in dense text, he found a blank space and wrote: "Marquis of Wu'an, strategy, encirclement of Lake Dongting."

He nodded; these few words were enough for his report. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he prepared to head to the Dragon Lord. But he sighed, remembering that the Dragon Lord held him in contempt. He was a chancellor in name, but in reality, he was merely a clerk with no real power or standing. For years, every time he tried to report something, he was either turned away at the door or dismissed before he could even finish his presentation.

Still, he felt duty-bound to warn the Dragon Lord so that Lake Dongting could prepare. He knew the Dragon Lord would likely ignore him for days or even weeks, but the matter was too critical to remain silent. "Someone come!" he called out.

The exterior remained silent. He sensed that the guards—two shrimp soldiers—were still there, but they were busy drinking. The Chancellor didn't lose his temper; he simply called out again, "Someone come!"