Though Taiyi Zhenren was filled with bitter resentment, he understood well enough that thinking too much now was pointless. In the eyes of the Eastern Sea Dragon King, he was nothing more than an insignificant ant—like meat on a butcher's block, waiting to be sliced apart.
It was a feeling that stung deeply, yet he had no choice but to accept it.
Ever since he became one of the Twelve Golden Immortals under Yuanshi Tianzun, Taiyi had been revered wherever he went. Deities and cultivators alike bowed before him, flattered him—no one dared cross him. And now, he had run headfirst into a monstrous foe like the Eastern Sea Dragon King.
Still, he remained confident. Yuanshi Tianzun wouldn't sit idly by. If the Dragon Clan grew too powerful, it would destabilize the entire mythic order.
Back in the day, when the Ancestral Dragon ruled, the entire Primordial World trembled beneath his might. Even Saints didn't dare provoke him. Should the Dragon Clan rise again, it would be a terrifying reality for all.
As Taiyi Zhenren pondered this, the deeply troubled Li Jing and Madam Yin were about to speak—but Ao Qing's calm voice interrupted them. The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea smiled faintly, gazing down at the three suppressed figures.
"Just now, Li Jing asked why the Dragon Clan came to settle accounts with Chentang Pass. The answer is simple. I have come only to demand justice."
"Let's not even talk about Ao Bing for now. Just your time at Chentang Pass—you've slaughtered countless members of our Dragon Clan. And yet, none of them ever harmed a single citizen of Chentang Pass. Yes, some powerful demons enjoy devouring humans—but those are other races. My Dragon Clan has never harmed a mortal, not once."
"On top of that, we command the rains and bring water to your lands. We ensure your crops grow and your rivers flow. And yet, instead of gratitude, your human race chooses to exterminate us. Why?"
His words were calm, but they resounded across all of Chentang Pass, spreading like ripples through the sky. Every elder and soldier of the Dragon Clan teared up. Some were already on the verge of crying.
Indeed—they had committed no crimes, harmed no one, yet were hunted down as evil. Why? Simply because they were labeled 'monsters'?
Ao Bing let out a cold snort. "Humans always control the narrative. They claim demons are evil—but who's truly evil here?"
The mortals of Chentang Pass were struck silent. No one could offer a retort. The logic was undeniable.
Taiyi Zhenren and the others could only grit their teeth in silence. Li Jing and his wife were red in the face.
How many demons had Li Jing killed over the years? Hundreds? Thousands? Many of them had never even touched a human. The righteousness he had stood upon suddenly felt hollow.
"But... but even so, you shouldn't have killed our son, Nezha!" Madam Yin finally snapped.
Ao Qing chuckled coldly. "As for that... I believe the one beside you, Taiyi Zhenren, knows the answer far better than I."
In truth, Ao Qing deeply resented the Saints of this world—their constant plotting and scheming, always manipulating from the shadows. The Twelve Golden Immortals were no exception.
"You... how could you possibly know about Nezha's fate?" Taiyi Zhenren stumbled, nearly falling.
He knew the plans of Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Laojun, and Tongtian Jiaozhu—the great saints who had devised the Investiture of the Gods. Nezha was one of the destined generals, fated to kill Ao Bing, overcome tribulation, and be reborn through a lotus body.
Nezha had literally been meant to step on the Dragon Clan to reach the heavens. But somehow, Ao Qing knew.
"Why must our Dragon Clan be your stepping stone?" Ao Qing's voice rang out in fury.
Ao Bing stared at him, moved beyond words. He didn't know how or why, but he could feel it—Ao Qing had just saved his life.
Taiyi Zhenren was silent.
Saints often trampled the weak for their own agendas—like the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan, like King Zhou. As long as they achieved their ends, they never cared about the corpses left behind.
They claimed King Zhou was cruel, but in truth, all he did was offend Nüwa. For that, he had to lose his entire kingdom, his entire family.
"You know far too much. That won't end well for you," Taiyi muttered darkly, eyes flickering with cold wisdom. He was no fool.
Ao Qing ignored the threat. "Anyone who treats my Dragon Clan as a stepping stone—I will annihilate them."
He turned to Turtle Prime Minister. "Take them back to the Eastern Sea. I have use for them."
Then Ao Qing's eyes flashed red. A golden light burst forth, enveloping Taiyi Zhenren. Moments later, a scroll appeared in Ao Qing's hand.
"The Mountains and Rivers State Map... at last."
A faint chill emanated from the scroll. Ao Qing grinned and tucked it away.
Don't underestimate this artifact. In the 'Birth of the Demon Child' film, the Mountains and Rivers State Map never revealed its true power. But in the mythos, this was a divine treasure once wielded by the goddess Nüwa—an innate spiritual treasure.
Even the mighty Yuan Hong, the white ape who absorbed moon and sun essence and defeated countless masters, was subdued with this very artifact.
And now—it belonged to Ao Qing.
As he admired the scroll, more golden lights flashed in the air—
The Fire-Tipped Spear, the Cosmic Ribbon, the Wind-Fire Wheels—all of Nezha's divine treasures flew to Ao Qing, obediently landing in his hand.