Lanke Chess Edge-Chapter 338: To Echo One Another

Because the fog had completely dispersed, visibility was excellent. Moreover, Ji Yuan had flown directly overhead, not too high above the fleet, and General Giant Whale emerging from the sea had caused a massive stir. The scene of the giant whale bearing the immortal away was witnessed by virtually all the crew members on the decks of every ship.
With Ji Yuan’s departure, a difficult decision fell upon Qiao Yong and the entire fleet. However, even before Qiao Yong could summon the key personnel from each ship, nearby vessels were already repeatedly signaling or using simple gestures to inquire.
Qiao Yong gazed into the distance, then looked glanced around.
“Do you want to go home? ”
The adjutants and crew members by his side all looked at him. Not one of them answered, yet the yearning in their eyes was palpable.
“Alright, gather the captains. Prepare to discuss our return. If there’s truly responsibility to bear, I will shoulder it! All of you, go! ”
“Your subordinates obey your command! ”
The adjutants beside him responded with excitement.
Originally, returning like this would have condemned the entire fleet, but now, with the help of that immortal surnamed Ji, it was highly likely they could be spared punishment, or at least limit the consequences.
Qiao Yong’s gaze swept towards the southwest. They had circled the seas for a long time overseas, but with the compass and constant charting, they knew the general direction to go in to head back. In this direction, to the southwest, should be the legendary Eastern Cloud Continent, though how far away it still was remained unknown.
…
On the back of the General Giant Whale, Ying Ruoli turned her head to look at the distant fleet.
“Uncle Ji, they just believed it like that? Mortals’ desires are very strong — even if it’s not their own desire, they fear the desire of an emperor.”
Of course, the Dragon Daughter wasn’t doubting Uncle Ji’s credibility. It was just that for something they had sought bitterly for eight years at immense cost, how could it be so easily dismissed by a single sentence, even if they had seen an immortal?
Ji Yuan didn’t look back, merely stating calmly.
“When I first left, they were about fifty percent convinced. After they gathered their important officials to discuss the matter, they would be about seventy percent convinced. When those officials return to their respective ships and the news spreads throughout the fleet, they will be a hundred percent convinced.
“As for what happens afterward, it’s actually not hard to predict. If the old emperor isn’t dead, given his desires, he wouldn’t do anything to them upon learning this news. If the old emperor has died, the new emperor will likely show leniency to these wandering subjects, especially with that Imperial Preceptor there. ”
Ying Ruoli merely thought for a moment, then smiled and stopped worrying. Instead, she tapped her foot on General Giant Whale.
“You’ve been swimming for almost two months already, how much longer? ”
“Lady Ruoli, don’t fret, don’t fret. We’ll be out of the Eastern Sea soon. However, once we pass the Desolate Sea, the ocean will become even wilder. The aquatic races there, without the restraints placed on them by the True Dragons of the Four Seas, will be equally wild. Please be cautious, Your Highness and Mr. Ji.”
Ying Ruoli acknowledged his words calmly.
“Do you think I have never been to the Desolate Sea? As for Uncle Ji, you needn’t worry about him at all. ”
“Yes, yes! ”
General Giant Whale swam with all his might, his speed increasing even more than before.
After another ten days or so, the color of the seawater began to subtly change, appearing a bit murkier. The waves, indeed, grew more tumultuous, with strong winds raging almost constantly. Sometimes, even a wild gale would sweep down a low altitude above the sea surface, causing monstrous waves to surge.
This was merely the state of the oceans on the surface. Although the seabed appeared much more stable, and fish and shrimp were abundant, the spiritual water energy also seemed to change, swirling through the turbulent currents like underwater winds. If one didn’t find a calm spot, it was not easy to cultivate with it.
General Giant Whale clearly struggled to swim here. Wild gusts of wind raged in places with towering waves, and whenever this happened, the General Giant Whale would dive to the depths, using his swimming ability to navigate underwater.
What had originally been a smooth journey now became extraordinarily bumpy. Any ordinary person on the whale’s back would have felt dizzy and nauseous.
There were still some calm places, but General Giant Whale said such places were likely favored by the demon races of the Desolate Sea, and it was best to avoid trouble and simply bypass them.
Ji Yuan and Ying Ruoli also agreed on this point, so, after traversing this small stretch of the Desolate Sea for a few days, they finally entered the relatively calmer Four Seas once more. This time, it was the Northern Sea.
The Eastern Sea and Northern Sea actually only shared a small stretch of border. A significant portion of their borders were separated by the Desolate Sea, though they weren’t too far apart. Now that they had reached the Northern Sea, General Giant Whale breathed a sigh of relief.
Gazing out at the distant ocean, General Giant Whale spoke with a hint of excitement.
“If we swim northeast for two or three more days at most, we will be at the Dragon Mother’s Dragon Rock Island! ”
Hearing this, Ying Ruoli also visibly grew agitated. Ji Yuan could see her instinctively clenching the hem of her skirt.
“Now we should think about that evil flood dragon. You only know he’s from the Desolate Sea, but you know nothing about whether he’s made any friends or powerful connections. We still need to ask your Dragon Mother about this. ”
“Yes, Mr. Ji is right! ”
Though the General Giant Whale agreed obediently, he was inwardly very excited. That evil flood dragon was doomed for sure, bound to die no matter what!
Though already exhausted, General Giant Whale paid no mind to his condition, instead accelerating once more, swimming furiously towards Dragon Rock Island.
Two days later, the utterly exhausted General Giant Whale sank to the seabed, opening his maw wide to frantically suck in large schools of fish, shrimp, and crabs to replenish his strength.
Once the General Giant Whale had recovered slightly, he dragged Ji Yuan and Ying Ruoli forward for another half-day, until an island shrouded in dark clouds appeared in their sight, lightning occasionally striking its surface.
“Dragon Rock Island? Why are the thunderclouds not dispersing? ”
Ying Ruoli was half excited, half confused.
“It’s alright, it’s alright. Your Highness Lady Ruoli, please rest assured. Seeing these dark clouds means everything is fine. The Dragon Mother has been vexed beyond endurance by the disturbances these past years, always brooding in anger. When she gets angry, thunderclouds gather above Dragon Rock Island. They only thunder, without rain! ”
Ji Yuan looked at General Giant Whale beneath his feet. To conjure thunder out of anger, she certainly could not be weak among those of the dragon lineage, could she?
“Your Dragon Mother seems quite formidable. Why doesn’t she deal with that harassing evil flood dragon herself? ”
“Mr. Ji, the Dragon Mother is indeed formidable, but that evil flood dragon is no slouch either. By the rules of the dragon lineage, if…”
Ying Ruoli, knowing Ji Yuan was unfamiliar with such matters, blushed slightly as she spoke.
“According to the ancient rules passed down among flood dragons and those of the dragon lineage, in such entangling circumstances, if Mother were to personally fight that evil flood dragon, everything would be fine if she won, but if she were to lose… then…”
Ji Yuan quickly raised a hand to stop the Dragon Daughter from continuing.
“I understand, I understand. Wait… then you came here to fight that evil flood dragon? ”
Ying Ruoli quickly waved her hand and shook her head, her head bobbing like a rattle drum.
1
“I’m different, I’m different! I’m essentially here for revenge, completely unrelated to the ancient rules. At most, if I lost, it would mean my death. And I won’t lose! Not to mention, with Uncle Ji’s Green Vine Sword, even with my own cultivation alone, I’m still unbeatable! ”
The Dragon Daughter gradually calmed down. Her words were extremely confident, but she indeed had the skills to back such confidence.
“Let’s go see my mother first! ”
“Yes! ”
The General Giant Whale dove underwater and swam towards the base of Dragon Rock Island. Before even approaching the island, they discovered a small group of oddly shaped aquatic spirits blocking their path. The leader was covered in fish scales but had a human-like appearance, with a long tail stretching behind his back, clearly having already refined his horizontal bone.
“Halt! This is Dragon Rock Island, where my Master and Mistress reside. Do not approach!”
Before the General Giant Whale could speak, Ying Ruoli narrowed her eyes, reached out, and instantly grabbed the creature who had spoken, gripping him by the neck and coldly questioning him.
“Your Master? What’s his name? Where is he? ”
“Ah… you, aah, how dare. . . My Master is… Dragon Hua…”
Seeing that Ying Ruoli was about to strangle the creature in anger, Ji Yuan quickly guided a wisp of Sword Qi, flicking his finger to shoot it into the spirit monster’s nape. The latter cried out in pain, its eyes rolled back, and it fainted.
“Keep him to lead the way. Deal with the rest. ”
As Ji Yuan’s words fell, the General Giant Whale chuckled, and opened his colossal maw, inhaling fiercely once more.
The spirit monsters, still in a daze, flailed wildly in the water, trying to escape, but ultimately all fell into the giant whale’s mouth. A sound of bones being crushed echoed, signaling that they had become nourishment for the General Giant Whale.
Beneath Dragon Rock Island was an underwater palace, mostly hidden within hollow stone caverns beneath the island. The arrival of the General Giant Whale brought the the aquatic creatures of Dragon Rock Island immense joy. Two fish maids, delighted, rushed outside Dragon Mother’s pavilion.
“ing to Her Majesty the Dragon Mother, General Giant Whale has returned! ”
Inside the dwelling, a woman in blue robes also rose from the side of the bed.
“Did he really contact Mo Rong? ”
“We haven’t seen Master Mo, Dragon Mother. We will know if we go out and see!”
The fish maid’s voice was filled with joy, yet it also caused a slight unease in the woman’s heart. Had that fellow truly arrived?
As she stepped out of the palace in the stone cave, she saw General Giant Whale’s massive body laying prostrate on the seabed. Standing before him was a man and a woman. The man was unfamiliar, but the woman, from her demeanor and her appearance, bore many similarities to herself.
Both mother and daughter were stunned for a while.
“You are… Ruoli? ”
“Mother! I am indeed Ruoli, I’ve come…”
Ying Ruoli spoke in a low voice, her steps hesitant as she approached the Dragon Mother.
“Mother… how have you been these past two hundred years? ”
“You’ve truly grown… Where is your brother? How have you both been? ”
Ying Ruoli was overjoyed. Her mother cared about her and her brother, indicating she wasn’t truly heartless. She quickly took a few steps closer, wanting to grasp the Dragon Mother’s hand. The latter instinctively flinched, but the Dragon Daughter disregarded it and directly embraced her mother.
“We’ve been very well, but we’ve missed Mother dearly! ”
At this, the Dragon Mother’s hands hovered at her sides, unsure of whether or not to lift them. Finally, she too embraced Ying Ruoli.
From the side, Ji Yuan saw that although the Dragon Daughter’s head was lowered, she was clearly smiling very happily. This single embrace, perhaps, made the entire journey worthwhile for her.
“Please rest assured, Mother. As long as that evil flood dragon dares to appear, I will cut him down. If he doesn’t appear, I will seek him out and deal with him properly! ”
Just as the Dragon Mother was about to speak, the Dragon Daughter continued.
“Your daughter is not one to be ungrateful. Besides having confidence in my own cultivation, I’ve also brought help. This here is Uncle Ji, my father’s close friend, a Taoist immortal of profound spiritual power and a deep understanding of the Tao. If I borrow Uncle Ji’s immortal sword, no evil flood dragon can stand in my way! ”
“A friend of Ying Hong’s? ”
Only then did the Dragon Mother turn her solemn gaze to Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan also found it awkward to address her as Madame Ying, in case she took offense. Calling her by name directly also seemed inappropriate. He could only bow with cupped hands in greeting.
“Indeed, I am Ji Yuan! ”
Ji Yuan possessed neither the aura of an immortal or that of a demon, as if he were merely a mortal. Yet, his very presence standing in the seabed under the water was abnormal, indicating his profound cultivation.
“Did Ying Hong send you? ”
Ji Yuan smiled.
“Naturally, it was Old Master Ying who requested it. He himself actually wished to come, but feared you wouldn’t welcome him, so he held back. But he worried Ruoli wouldn’t succeed, so he specifically asked me to come and assist! ”
Ying Ruoli turned her head slightly to look at Ji Yuan in surprise, only to find her Uncle Ji raising a subtle eyebrow at her.
“Yes, yes, yes! That’s exactly it. Uncle Ji is incredibly powerful and loves to travel the world. My influence couldn’t possibly be that great. It was entirely because Father stepped forward that Uncle Ji agreed to take cation! ”
“Hmph! ”
The Dragon Mother gave a cold snort and said nothing further.
T/n: still can’t tell if the two dragons are divorced or just estranged… Anyway happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate!
Also called pellet drums