Chapter 646

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Chapter 646: Meeting the Water Deity of Huai and Wo

Time rolled back slightly, to the late evening of a sunset.

Before leaving Huaishui, Bai Wei left behind a special puppet in the palace.

Once he left on a bamboo raft, the special puppet remained nearby.

Xue Hanlei lifted her hand to poke the puppet, a curious item she had transported before. Wondering about its purpose, she poked it with her finger and attempted to lift its bronze mask.

"Useless," the puppet said. I can’t take off this mask.

Xue Hanlei was shocked, "Wow, what’s going on, you can talk?"

The four-phase puppet lowered its hands, "Puppets are lifeless, they don’t talk. I am the one speaking."

"Bai Wei?"

"Yes, my soul imprint is left here, and I can control it remotely in a divine form." Bai Wei explained simply, "The principles don’t matter, I left the four-phase puppet here and will operate it from two directions."

Xue Hanlei asked, "Operating from two directions? You’re about to engage in a life and death duel, and you’re splitting your attention?"

"It’s nothing much, just a mere dragon king." Bai Wei shrugged, "But time is indeed short, so let’s make the most of it."

He took Xue Hanlei’s hand and walked directly into the dragon palace. After explaining to Xue Zhengli briefly, they once again arrived at the cave where Xue Hanlei’s mother was, still conscious.

"Is there something wrong?" a soft voice asked. She might have realized something, forced herself to stay alert, left her sickbed, and sat in front of the dressing table, applying makeup to herself.

"Mother." Xue Hanlei hurriedly said. How come you’re awake?

"At a time like this, how can I sleep peacefully?" Huai looked at her reflection in the mirror, picked up some rouge and lightly applied it on her pale cheeks, "I am also your mother, how can I turn a blind eye when my own daughter is suffering outside?"

"But…" Xue Hanlei looked at Xue Zhengli, she couldn’t persuade him, only he could do it.

Longjun stood silently, saying, "Once Huai has made up her mind, there’s nothing I can do."

Xue Hanlei looked sorrowful.

"Enough." Bai Wei interrupted, "Don’t make such a bitter face, I didn’t come here to watch a family drama, do you really think I’ve waited this long just to see a sad farewell scene?"

He spoke seriously, "I came here for three things – to cure the illness, provide water, and slay the dragon."

He said plainly, "You all know the current situation in Huaishui, in order to free the people from their resentment, we need the collective will and approval. If you want to break free from Hongze’s control, Huaishui must be liberated from being a tributary of the Yangtze River… These two things are essentially the same, Aunt Huai, I need you to take me to the ancient ritual site in Huaishui."

Huai asked softly, "Where do you want to go?"

"Under Turtle Mountain."

The goddess Huaishui’s eyes slightly moved, she said softly, "It’s not there anymore."

"I know, but since it has left and Huaishui has a new water god, it means it has left all its power behind," Bai Wei said.

"Are you going to take its power?" Huaishui frowned, "That’s too dangerous."

"I can," Bai Wei said calmly, "and only I can do it, please allow me."

Huaishui remained silent for a while, she pressed against the dressing table, stood up, and water vapor hovered around her, turning into vortex water wheels behind her like a fairy cloak swirling elegantly, returning to the divine pose of the water god, and said. I permit it!

As soon as she finished speaking, the entire stone room suddenly closed.

A stone wall rose where Bai Wei was, and in the next moment, a violent rush of water poured into the room, carrying an ancient chain. Bai Wei disappeared in the blink of an eye, being led all the way to the mysterious source of ancient Huaishui.

"Mother!" Xue Hanlei exclaimed in shock.

"He was confident, so I allowed him to try, as there was no better choice."

Her eyes sparkled with shiny dots, the poison of public grievances flowing like dark veins on her neck. Familiar with the pain, she said. If he doesn’t return within half an hour, there’s no need to wait anymore. Our family of three hasn’t traveled far for a long time. Let’s go together this time.

The Dragon Lord smiled gently and said. As you wish.

He reached out his hand and embraced his wife and daughter.

This couple had already considered ending their lives, unwilling to burden their daughter any longer.

…

Huaishui, Turtle Mountain.

Beneath this great mountain, there was a dilapidated ancient Dragon Palace. It was impossible to enter the deepest part of the mountain in the usual way; one had to follow a special path to pass through the mystery and reach the ancient place.

Here stood a huge underwater palace building, now desolate and decayed, overgrown with water plants. Massive chains crossed the palace, suspending it in a deep pool, where all chains converged at one place, a center.

A figure is tied up with iron chains, hanging its head low as if nodding off to sleep, its illusionary body fading like a bubble, disappearing like a mirage.

It’s not a real physical form, but a dream left behind here, an obsession.

It sits here, immersed in a dream.

It once ruled over one of the Four River Bends, starting from Mount Tongbai, connecting the waters of the Yunmeng Marsh, flowing through the Xiang River, and reaching the East Sea.

Across the vast land, the river waters flow freely, rushing into the sea, claiming all they pass as its territory, its subjects.

It controls mountain spirits and wild creatures, proclaiming itself as the king, the ruler of Huaishui, a natural deity.

Clang, clang… The iron chains made a slight sound.

The figure with its head hanging low lifted its head, and golden light shone from the dark and mysterious palace, the icy gold glow coming from its eyes.

It wakes up from the dream.

Looking straight ahead, reflecting in its golden eyes, was a somewhat delicate and even weak figure.

"After waiting for so long, finally came someone decent."

The ruler of Huaishui, whose hands and feet were bound by iron chains, let out a soft chuckle.

Bai Wei gazed at it, sensing the ancient and mysterious era where humans and gods coexisted buried long ago.

With white hair, a green body, fiery eyes, golden pupils, and teeth like snow, creating wind and thunder together.

The ruler of Huaishui, Wuzhiqi.

It is also the prototype of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King in Journey to the West, also known as Water Monkey.

As the ruler of Huaishui, causing trouble during the mythical era, defeated during the water management by Dayu, suppressed, sealed at the bottom of Turtle Mountain for thousands of years.

But it eventually escaped, what remained here was not Wuzhiqi, but a thought of it, or perhaps after being suppressed for thousands of years, the lingering obsession itself. This ancient innate deity possessed such mysterious and powerful force that the lingering obsession emanated a terrifying aura. Perhaps it was Wuzhiqi’s twisted sense of humor, leaving most of Huaishui’s essence within this obsession. Only by unraveling the phantom of the obsession could one take away the authority it left behind.

Bai Wei learned all about Wuzhiqi from Chao Lu’s Bai Ze legacy, so he came here to take away this power.

This is not an easy task at all. In the past, Huai must have tried, maybe even the Dragon Lord, but they all failed.

"Can you just give it to me?" asked Bai Wei calmly.

"If you want it, come and get it yourself." The monkey grinned, laughing loudly like thunder.

"Alright, then I’ll come and get it myself." Bai Wei took a step forward and immediately felt the water pressure increasing.

Wuzhiqi’s body was locked up and unable to break free, but it still had absolute control over the water element. Flowing water was its power source, and with just a thought, the water spirit would obey its command.

After just five steps, Bai Wei began to feel that progress was becoming increasingly difficult.

"You can still give up now, it’s not too late," Wuzhiqi said, grinning.

"Give up?" Bai Wei raised his hand to his mask. "Water Monkey, have you forgotten who locked you up here all those years ago?"

Wuzhiqi heard this, looked unhappy. It used to be a troublemaker and had a bad temper. Being confronted with its dark past made it furious.

With a cold snort, the water spirit vortex army swept towards Bai Wei’s location, like millions of tons of seawater overwhelming everything. It could easily crush a Titanic-level super cruise ship.

Suddenly, the flowing water stopped, and the water spirit disappeared.

Bai Wei opened his eyes, and the bronze mask on his face slowly transformed, melting away like bubbles, revealing the face hidden underneath. It looked just like Bai Wei, but more noble and handsome.

Seeing this face, Wuzhiqi stood up abruptly, chains rattling, the underwater palace rumbling. It gritted its teeth, ecstatic, "It’s you!"

Bai Wei replied, "It’s me."

Four-phase puppet, dragon appearance.

When Da Yu governed the Huaishui River, he didn’t rely solely on his own strength. Da Yu was also a king who wouldn’t easily go into battle himself. In fact, it was the Martial God from West Kunlun, Geng Chen, who subdued Wuzhiqi!

Geng Chen was a great general under the Yellow Emperor’s command, who defeated Kua Fu, killed Chi You, assisted Da Yu in controlling water, and subdued Wuzhiqi… Therefore, two of the four phases of the puppet are Kua Fu phase and Chi You phase, but these are all illusions covering up the last phase – the dragon appearance!

When the puppet took off the bronze mask, revealing its true self, Geng Chen reappeared.

The dragon defeated Wuzhiqi, it was meant to be.

Only Bai Wei could do this, he took the authority left by Wuzhiqi, as expected.

Perhaps, this was what he was supposed to do.

It seemed fated that he came to Huaishui, not by chance, but by necessity.

Whether he met Xue Hanlei or not, he would come here, and eventually reunite with Wuzhiqi.

A lifetime of a hundred generations.

Old people, old things, old scenery, all have a beginning and an end.

Bai Wei felt a bit emotional, even though he didn’t know the water monkey in front of him, its strong reaction proved that Geng Chen under the bronze mask was himself in a past life.

Wuzhiqi’s arms were tight, pulling on the iron chains, roaring, "Geng Chen! Fight me!"

Bai Wei said. Alright, as you wish. If I win, you have to give it to me!

The water monkey grinned, thoughts of fantasy, illusion, dreams, and bubbles fleeting in its eyes.

It exerted immense strength, turning water into a staff, raising it high and fiercely smashing it down at the dragon.

"Take this! Eat my staff!"

The ground shook.

…

Fifteen minutes later.

Bai Wei lowered his hands, "One hundred and ninety-seven… out of energy? Or after being sealed for thousands of years, a few hits are enough to cool down?"

"Get lost!" The water monkey angrily said with a sneer, "Don’t think I can’t tell, you’re not Geng Chen at all!"

"I am," said Bai Wei, "but not really."

"Humph, I can’t be bothered with your reincarnation nonsense. After smashing so many sticks, I have gained enlightenment." The water monkey held a heavy water stick and talked about gaining enlightenment, but was still planning to hit him when the opportunity arose.

"Enough fuss, just leave." Bai Wei said. I’m running out of time, anyway your true self has long escaped, what’s left here is just a dream, perhaps he is no longer in this realm, why do you need to stay here.

"Huh?" The water monkey sneered, "You’re rushing me, so I’m not leaving."

Bai Wei said. After Huaishui turned into a tributary of the Yangtze River for so many years, you can’t leave, but you should have some understanding deep down.

Wuzhiqi fell silent for a moment, then said. You need to patrol the river.

"Cause and effect…" Bai Wei was about to explain.

"Take it." Wuzhiqi let go, the water stick disappeared. The monkey sneered, showing its white teeth, its golden eyes shimmering with a cold light, "After hundreds of years of accumulation, Huaishui should return to the East Sea."

It unexpectedly behaved rationally, Bai Wei reached out his hand and the monkey grabbed it.

"Geng Chen." Wuzhiqi gritted his teeth, regretting not being present, "Power can be yours, let me handle things beautifully… Otherwise, I, Water Prince Huaiwo, can’t afford to lose face."

Bai Wei simply asked, "Do you like to see blood flowing like a river?"

Upon hearing this, Wuzhiqi laughed heartily, "Hahaha, very well, let me accompany you then!"

The figure of Water Prince Huaiwo gradually faded away, illusions returned to illusions. Perhaps it couldn’t bear to leave its Huai Shui, so even after departing, it left behind a lingering obsession here.

It dissipated, leaving Bai Wei with an ancient bronze mask, resembling a monkey with white teeth and green fur. This was the authority left behind by Wuzhiqi, a face that blended in seamlessly with the face of the four-phase puppet.

Bai Wei placed the mask on the face of the four-phase puppet, merging without any hindrance, the puppet now having an additional aspect.

The aspect of Water Prince.

The eyes turned golden, a different kind of gold from the Golden Power, a profound and ancient gold infused with divine power, a remnant of the Water Prince’s deity.

The puppet’s outer clothing changed into a blue-white robe with flowing long sleeves, looking majestic without a crown.

"Let’s go."

"Go to the East Sea!"

Bai Wei spoke to the empty palace, but no one could hear him.

Only the long-dormant water spirit of Huaishui was listening and waiting.

Then, a riot began.

– By the order of Lord of the Water!