He gripped the whip handle, charging wildly and thrashing.

The violent force blinded Zhang Liuma, tearing apart his throat.

Blood spurted out, instantly flowing into the rain.

However, the crimson blood that flowed into the rain did not get washed away or diluted; instead, it mysteriously gathered into a lump as if it were alive.

Then, this clustered blood flew upward against the driving rain.

Whistling, it rushed against the wind and rain toward the giant monstrous fish roaring in the Yuan Cang River!

The roar of the monstrous fish was earth-shattering, yet carried an indescribable ancient sorrow.

Strangely, along with its thunderous roar, came a soft, gentle, yet sorrowful female voice.

The woman's voice seemed low but was actually high, echoing hauntingly in the wild storm.

It sounded intermittent, distant and small, yet it resonated clearly in the ears of every living being.

"The world is full of fears, where is there no suffering? Among all beings, where is there no sorrow?"

The female voice lamented and complained, "I am Xie Jiang, daughter of Xie Huaizheng, the imperial envoy for flood control in Celestial South Dao ten years ago.

My father worked tirelessly for the country and the people, exhausted himself for river management and pestilence control; he rescued disaster victims, how many among the surviving people were not beneficiaries of his grace?

My father conducted himself in life not reaching the heavens, but still honorable to stand with head held high!

He was wholeheartedly for the people, yet how did heaven and earth, all beings repay him?

The people are ignorant, easily manipulated, I do not blame them.

But I wish to ascend to the heavenly palace, in Jade Capital, to ask the Emperor why he doesn't execute treacherous ministers and instead kills meritorious officials?

I also wish to ask for the numerous people of Celestial South Dao, why does the riverbank of the Yuan Cang River frequently collapse?

Is river management truly so arduous?

Is it more difficult than the Emperor sitting comfortably in the Imperial Palace in Jade Capital Celestial City, adorned in finery, feasting, building grand palaces, and levying exorbitant taxes?

Is it more difficult than the corrupt officials running rampant, the high and mighty nobility usurping land, oppressing people, having multiple wives and filling their houses with riches?

For decades, even centuries, hasn't Celestial South Dao had bountiful years?

Yet even in times of abundance, how many farmers can fill their stomachs?

Have you not heard, it's often said among the people, the poem 'Pity the Farmer' is sung.

I heard that poem was composed by a young prodigy from our Celestial South Dao, it says:

'In spring, a single seed is sown, in autumn, a thousand grains are harvested.

Across the seas, there is no idle land, yet the farmer still starves to death.'

The female voice accused while tenderly speaking.

Her voice nearly penetrated all barriers of the mundane world in the storm, reaching every sentient being within several hundred, even over a thousand miles.

She recited the poem filled with deep emotion, and after reciting, said:

"Across the seas, there is no idle land, yet the farmer still starves to death... Such a world, falsely called prosperous.

I do not wish to harm the people today, only ask those with bitterness in their hearts to follow me to Jade Capital Celestial City.

Help me succeed today in transforming my son into a dragon!

If this dragon is born, it will not be my personal dragon, but the dragon of thousands upon thousands of people in Celestial South Dao, of all beings.

Let us leap over the dragon gate together and go to Jade Capital.

To ask the Emperor, to question heaven and earth!

Dear folks, do you wish to join me?"

Her lament was sorrowful yet powerful.

Finally, it touched the hearts of countless sentient beings.

Someone couldn't help but say: "Indeed, it should be so, I wish to go with you…"

Before the voice fell, that person who responded already opened his mouth wide, suddenly spitting blood.

The blood surged out ferociously, and in an instant, the person spat out every drop of blood from their body.

Thus, the living person died, the body withered.

But the soul of the deceased rose from the top of the withered body, dazed yet resolute, and though transformed into a ghost, it still flew towards the Yuan Cang River, towards the direction of the monstrous fish in the river!

The monstrous fish roared, ascending higher and higher.

On either side of its elongated body, more and more blood gathered, flocking towards it like swallows into the woods.

At the same time, countless vengeful spirits crowded and gathered, piling up around it.

Some had already merged into its body, making its body grow even larger.

Yet others still gathered outside its body, fiercely charging at its body.

Among the people, whether "voluntarily dead" or killed due to conflict, those who died in the storm, regardless of how they died, ultimately had both body and soul stirred.

Blood flew towards the monstrous fish, and so did the souls.

In the blink of an eye, it was not just wind and rain and waves that filled the sky?

There are still countless civilians' blood and souls!

In such chaos, naturally, there are some cultivation masters who see the crisis and have their own responses.

A portion of the garrison troops staying behind frantically asked, "General, what should we do?"

The so-called general is a deputy general of the garrison.

What can the deputy general do?

But suddenly he rolled his eyes, his body fell backward, and shouted loudly, "How dare you be so rampant, ah... A thief has ambushed me, I'm so hateful!"

Bang!

His entire body slammed straight towards the city gate.

Falling onto the bluestone tiles beneath the inner city gate and city wall.

Instantly, a great pool of blood overflowed.

The city gate garrison thus fell into complete chaos.

The river surge rushed into the city, utter chaos reigned.

A woman's voice continued to speak softly:

"Spring planting a grain of millet, autumn harvest ten thousand seeds.

No idle fields in the four seas, yet the farmer starves to death!

What a year of everlasting glory, falsely called a prosperous age, yet the common people starve to death one after another, I refuse to accept this, how can I accept this?

Fellow villagers, do you accept this?"

Only to hear an earth-shaking response from somewhere gathered within the city: "We refuse to accept it too!"

"We refuse to accept it too..."

Crash!

The storm grew stronger, waves surged into the city.

Some grit their teeth and resist desperately, climbing rooftops with determination, trying every means to survive and endure.

Some rely on their cultivation and attempt to break through Pingyang City and flee farther away.

Others, similarly relying on their cultivation, instead defy the storm, wielding various weapons, rushing toward the source of all current havoc—

The Yuan Cang River, where the dragon is being bred.

Among these is Yunqi.

Yunqi speeds forward with his sword, striding on waves in the storm, Cui Fu leads the guards in pursuit from behind.

"Young Master, Young Master, please wait for me! Young Master, you must not do this..."

Cui Fu urgently shouted.

However, Yunqi did not listen.

Cui Fu could only clench his teeth and say, "Young Master, this is extremely dangerous, your cultivation is lacking, could it be you intend to confront the evil dragon?"

Yunqi raised his voice, "And what if I do?"

Cui Fu was truly anxious, unable to help but speak harshly:

"But Young Master, even if you confront it, who can you possibly overcome? It'd be better to retreat with us temporarily, preserving yourself, perhaps you'll be able to rescue some civilians!"

Yet they heard the aristocratic youth ahead, amidst the storm, speak loudly:

"Cui Fu, I know your intention is to advise me to protect myself. But have you heard that evil path chant?

She speaks of no idle fields in the four seas, yet the farmer starves to death. She's actually using this poem to incite the people into madness and suicide!

Brother Chen originally wrote the poem to soothe the hearts of resentful spirits, intended to pity the farmer, a true heart full of compassion.

Yet today, at this moment, this evil path uses Brother Chen's poem to commit slaughter, and since I'm here, how can I stand by?

Brother Chen wrote more than just this one poem 'Pity the Farmer,' there's 'Knight's Journey,' hasn't it touched people's hearts deeply?

Ten steps kill one, leaving no trace, departing with a wave, hiding oneself and name deeply...

Three cups and promises flow, five mountains lighter than a vow, dying with heroic bones fragrant, not ashamed of the world's heroes!

I've read 'Knight's Journey' thoroughly, my favorite is 'Knight's Journey,' today I'm going to emulate the knight in the poem, knowing it's impossible yet doing it.

Dying with heroic bones fragrant, not ashamed of the world's heroes.

It's merely death!

I want that evil path to know, in this world, there are those like her who resent heaven and earth, though famed for vengeance, but first harm the civilians, such as the evildoer.

And there are people like me, Yunqi, who, despite endless difficulties, willing to go forward even at the risk of life and death!"

Dying with heroic bones fragrant, not ashamed of the world's heroes.

It's merely death!

I want that evil path to know, in this world, there are those like her who resent heaven and earth, though famed for vengeance, but first harm the civilians, such as the evildoer.

And there are people like me, Yunqi, who, despite endless difficulties, willing to go forward even at the risk of life and death!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.