Chapter 132: Fierce Without, Weak Within

"Look out!" A voice came flying from afar, arriving right beside the descending dragon-head seal, accompanied by a thunderous roar.

The Great Flood Dragon had felt as though its end was near, much like a dying person wishing to fulfill one final obsession and complete its last task.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out in its ear. Realizing the words were addressed to it, and clutching at this straw of hope, it cried out to the sky, "Many thanks, Brother Leopard!"

With that, it rallied its remaining strength and sprang fiercely to the side. A youth clad in black materialized in mid-air, wielding a soul-devouring spike, and thrust it directly against the massive dragon-head seal hanging in the sky.

*Screech!* The violent collision sounded like metal scraping against porcelain, and the intense shockwave destabilized the surrounding holy spirits, causing those already wounded to tumble directly to the ground.

The youth who had arrived was none other than the Leopard of the Dipper, who, sensing that something was amiss, had rushed over from Dragon God Island. He had not anticipated that the Dragon Lord would move with such speed, arriving even before him. Seeing the Dragon Lord strike with lethal intent right from the start, leaving no room for negotiation, he had flown over in haste to intercept the dragon-head seal with his most ferocious blow.

Although the seal was blocked, the tremendous recoil sent the Leopard of the Dipper hurtling backward several yards. A dark figure descended from the sky, and with a wave of his hand, the seal flew back into his grasp.

The Dragon Lord had hurried over immediately after handling affairs on Dragon God Island. At this moment, a faint, bloody light flickered in his eyes, and his entire aura had turned utterly bizarre. Holding the dragon-head seal in his palm and surveying the current state of the water palace, he let out an eerie laugh and said, "Heaven truly aids me! I never expected the young master of Mount Ji to be here as well."

"Hahahaha!" He let out a loud laugh, turning to the Leopard of the Dipper, who had been pushed back several yards by the recoil, and said, "Earlier, I thought I could merely take Taixuan Lake, but it seems Mount Ji will fall into my hands as well today."

Furious, the Leopard of the Dipper pointed his soul-devouring spike at the Dragon Lord and shouted, "You are tyrannical and lawless! I will never let you have your way."

"Everyone knows how dearly the Leopard King's wife dudgeons and spoils you," the Dragon Lord said indifferently. "As long as I capture you and shatter the Leopard King's wife's state of mind, Mount Ji will also fall easily into my grasp."

The Great Flood Dragon of Taixuan Lake stared at the transformed Dragon Lord, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and said, "Have you lost your mind to inner demons? By the looks of you, there is no saving you anymore. Even if you kill us all here, you will not succeed."

The Dragon Lord smiled as he looked at the Great Flood Dragon, feeling immensely gratified. Seeing it was like seeing Taixuan Lake itself. Then he glanced at the Leopard of the Dipper, finding him more pleasing to the eye the more he looked. "Whether I succeed or not is something you will never live to see. In the end, all of you must die."

His gaze then shifted to the golden dragon standing nearby, his eyes shining brightly. "And you, little golden dragon, quite slippery aren't you? I never expected you to walk right into the trap yourself. It seems I am about to enjoy a triple blessing today."

The golden dragon stepped back a few paces, looking nervously at the Dragon Lord, yet the starlight flickering within his spiritual platform lent him confidence. He no longer felt the urge to flee at the mere sight of the Dragon Lord as he once did.

In the past, the gap between them had been vast, leaving him virtually defenseless. But now, even if he was still no match and his cultivation had been suppressed to the realm of demons, he could still withstand a few blows from the Dragon Lord. Coupled with the Divine Lord standing behind him, he felt no fear.

Meeting the Dragon Lord's gaze, the golden dragon spoke up, "It is far too early to say who lives and who dies today. Don't celebrate just yet—beware lest excessive joy turns to sorrow."

"Hahaha!" The Dragon Lord found this utterly laughable. He looked at the golden dragon, the Great Flood Dragon, and the Leopard of the Dipper, and said, "With just the three of you? You are hardly qualified. Today, no one can save you."

Then, with a fierce expression, he roared, "If gods block me, I will slay the gods! If Buddhas block me, I will slaughter the Buddhas!"

"Is that so?" A soft voice drifted out from one of the palaces. Though quiet, it was heard distinctly by everyone present.

Emerging from the palace was a young man endowed with profound destiny, as if he were one with heaven and earth, his gaze as sharp as a drawn sword. Following closely beside him was a tortoise spirit. These two were none other than Wang Yuanfeng and Prime Minister Turtle, who had been inside deliberating on how to rescue the dragon maiden.

Ever since the Dragon Lord's arrival, Wang Yuanfeng had used the method of blending sword qi with nature, merging his aura seamlessly with the surroundings. Consequently, the Dragon Lord had failed to notice him at all. Normally, such a presence might have been sensed, but at that moment, overwhelming murderous intent had clouded his spiritual platform, dulling his perceptive faculties.

As for Prime Minister Turtle, his tortoise-breathing technique was profoundly deep, boasting over a millennium of cultivation and a natural aptitude for concealment. It was entirely normal that his presence went undetected.

A shock ran through the Dragon Lord's heart; he had not expected anyone else to be lurking here. But this realization was immediately followed by a surge of anger, as if he had been deceived.

At this moment, the Leopard of the Dipper chuckled at the Dragon Lord and said, "It seems the eyesight of the Dragon Lord of Dongting Lake isn't all that remarkable after all. He can only manage to see three people."

The Dragon Lord's murderous aura surged as he glared at the Leopard of the Dipper, but a gentle voice whispered in his ear.

"I have heard that those who lose their peace of mind never truly know what they are doing. Sometimes, they have no idea what actions they are performing, while a voice deep within their hearts constantly tells them how empty they are." Wang Yuanfeng spoke softly as he observed the Dragon Lord's condition, his voice seeming to emerge from the void.

The Dragon Lord's mind was snared by the sound. He suddenly felt as though he truly had no idea what he was doing, and that everything he had done ran contrary to his original intentions.

Seeing that his approach was working, Wang Yuanfeng continued, "In truth, he wishes to cast aside all burdens and live as a free and untethered soul, soaring through the sky and roaming the boundless sea..."

"Puff!" Jolted out of his trance by these words, a sudden sense of shackles manifested in the Dragon Lord's mind. Snapping back to reality, he bit the tip of his tongue, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and gasped, "The Art of Zhuyou!"

Looking frantically around, he located Wang Yuanfeng. Meeting Wang Yuanfeng's eyes, which seemed to pierce straight into the soul, felt like a sudden, sharp pain deep within his heart, and he involuntarily averted his gaze.

Yet, sensing something was amiss, a ferocious expression once again twisted his features. But this ferocity lacked its previous imposing momentum; he no longer resembled a majestic Dragon Lord, but rather a helpless young creature howling wildly, merely crying out for some internal anchor to lean upon.

Although the swordsmanship Wang Yuanfeng practiced did not rely on formal spellcraft, many sword immortal techniques were designed to strike directly at the human heart, particularly in mental warfare. Sword immortals did not cultivate magic power, but solely sword qi, originating from the sword of the heart—which accounted for this miraculous effect.

The Art of Zhuyou mentioned by the Dragon Lord was indeed a fitting description. Taoist heritage truly traced its roots back to antiquity, and the Art of Zhuyou was a branch of it—akin to hypnosis, yet far more advanced, instantaneous, and potent, achieving its effect in a single step.

Wang Yuanfeng smiled as he looked at the black dragon. A tranquil aura radiated from his body, while an overwhelming, heaven-reaching sword qi surged behind him.

Seeing this, though the Dragon Lord wished to kill, he was deeply deterred by that terrifying sword qi and dared not act rashly. The two sides remained locked in a bizarre stalemate.

After a moment, Wang Yuanfeng withdrew his aura, returning to a calm and unreadable state. He looked at the Dragon Lord, smiled lightly, and said, "This humble cultivator, the Huntian Divine Lord, greets you."

Driven by some inexplicable impulse, the Dragon Lord cupped his fists in return and said, "I am, unworthily, the Dragon Lord of Dongting Lake. I greet the Huntian Divine Lord."

Seeming completely unaware of his own actions, the Dragon Lord nodded as Wang Yuanfeng continued, "Passing by this place, I gained enlightenment into the fundamental principles of the Dao of Divinity. I was hoping to find a fellow practitioner to exchange insights on cultivation, and hearing that the Dragon Lord belongs to the lineage of water deities, I have come to seek your guidance."