I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 419 - 322: The Conquest of the Dragon Palace

Granted!

The Heavenly Emperor immediately approved.

He decreed that the Demon-Subduing Marshal would muster a hundred thousand celestial soldiers, in collaboration with the dragon-subduing imperial envoy, to lay siege to Shang Shui and intimidate the dragon clan into submission!

The marshal received the decree and immediately mustered the celestial soldiers.

Aside from the Demon-Subduing Marshal, the army consisted of a second-rank vice marshal, third-rank chief commander, vanguard general, and guard commander amongst a total of nine Heavenly Monarchs, with hundreds of deities of the fourth, fifth, and sixth ranks.

Each commanded their own soldiers, standing high above the clouds.

Boundless and endless, they obscured the sun and covered the sky.

Not counting the lesser deities guarding the palaces and gates, the number of a hundred thousand was the limit for the Heavenly Court, and it was the first time since its establishment that they had all gathered together.

It was high noon.

A multicolored celestial cloud rose into the sky, revealing Zhou Yi riding on a yellow ox at the front of the formation.

The Demon-Subduing Marshal stepped forward and bowed, "Greetings, Imperial Envoy."

"Greetings, Imperial Envoy."

The remaining Heavenly Monarchs and hundred thousand celestial soldiers shouted in unison, their commanding presence shaking the heavens.

Since its foundation, the Heavenly Court governed the military with the civil, and though the Demon-Subduing Marshal was a first-rank official, magnificent in his bearing, he still had to address a minister from the Ministry of War as a superior. There were two reasons: he was a Loose Cultivator without any backing, and only a minister had the authority to deploy troops.

Zhou Yi, appointed as the imperial envoy, wielded the Heavenly Emperor’s Jade Decree and the Ministry of War’s documents to command the hundred thousand celestial soldiers, so the Demon-Subduing Marshal dared not show the slightest defiance.

Indeed, in the face of battle, to execute a general on the pretext of setting an example would at most result in a reprimand from the Heavenly Court!

Though the identity of a Heavenly Master was loathed by man and ghost alike, it carried great righteousness, and with few exceptions in the ranks of the Heavenly Court’s powerhouses, ordinary deities might scorn and ridicule but dared not truly provoke one.

"Move out, troops!"

Zhou Yi did not belabor the point and, with a gentle pat on the ox’s horn, the auspicious multicolored cloud flew westward.

The hundred thousand celestial soldiers followed closely behind, the green cloud spanning the firmament and moving with great haste under the empowerment of the military formation.

Several days later.

That same night, three Heavenly Monarchs set out.

The chief commander went to the east side of Zhouxi Mountain, brandishing a flying sword to split the mountain, directing the celestial soldiers to excavate a thousand miles to the north.

The vanguard general flew to the side of Rao Mountain, the divine light falling and cutting the mountain in two, instructing the celestial soldiers to dig the river channel to the north.

The guard commander flew north to Yang Mountain, kneading and adjusting the earth’s veins east and west, with the celestial soldiers casting spells to excavate, connecting the new river channels from east to west.

Over the course of the night.

Shang Shui diverted its course from Zhouxi Mountain to the north, turning east at Yang Mountain, flowing southward after a thousand miles to join Rao Mountain, and continuing to flow into the Eastern Sea through the old river channel.

Key parts of the water flow were stabilized with spells, ensuring no breaches of the riverbanks.

Once Shang Shui flowed for a hundred years, the new river channel would be completely stable, no longer requiring the River God’s protection.

...

At dawn.

In the Dragon Palace.

The Hall of True Dragons.

The Shangshui Dragon Lord Ao Tu sat at the head, smiling as he watched the clam spirit dance.

Gathered on either side were various mythical beasts and demons—dragons, phoenixes, qilins, Bai Ze, Zhongming, and so on—all with noble lineage and profound auras.

One creature, with the head of a bird and the body of a dragon, raised its cup and laughed, "That despicable Heavenly Master leads a hundred thousand celestial soldiers, yet doesn’t dare set foot inside the Dragon Palace. This is truly a boost to the prestige of our demon clan!"

This Demon God was known as the Dragon Bird, whose descendants occupied Qi Wu Mountain and were killed by disciples of Severing Heaven Sect.

Dragon Bird dared not harbor resentment towards Severing Heaven Sect, let alone defy the top disciples of the Three Sects, and could only hold back its grudge. Now, learning of Zhou Yi’s downfall, it immediately thought of seeking revenge.

"Dear brother, the reason that Heavenly Master encircles without attacking is that he dares not attack!"

Ao Tu confidently declared, "The Dragon Palace has the formations and prohibitions set by our ancestors. We are secure and have nothing to worry about. Let us feast and be merry to our hearts’ content. Could it be that the cur really intends to starve us out?"

The qilin next to him agreed, "With the hundred thousand celestial soldiers unable to break through for so long, they will lose face and eventually will have to send emissaries to negotiate!"

"It should have been this way from the start!"

Bai Ze said with resentment, "That Heavenly Emperor really is good for nothing, accepting enormous benefits from our demon clan yet saying he can do nothing in return."