CHINK!
A sound that went unnoticed at first. After all, the Dragon Qi of luck was so massive that a small crack would barely register in the minds of most immortals.
Below the golden-purple dragon, people were still in a celebratory spirit. Drinks were thrown around, people laughing and cheering for the Dragon Sovereign.
A minute crack on the tail end of this dragon was simply too small and too far away. As such for a time it went unnoticed.
CHINK!
Then the crack grew bigger. Then it got even bigger. Like a spider web crack, the cracks began spreading on the dragon.
Starting from the base end of the tail, the cracks travelled along the body. It started small and slow but then began picking up speed. In a small span of time, the cracks spread along the tail and closed in on the base of the dragon's rear.
That was when Zulong opened his eyes. He had been resting after his declaration, content to revel in his new status. The recognition of heaven had elevated him to even further beyond his previous power level.
The power of karmic luck was extremely beneficial to cultivation. It reveals the hidden intricacies of Dao and bolsters foundations. With the extreme amount Zulong attained, he was able to begin some small breakthroughs.
Besides him, all the higher ups and even low ranking officials received the benefits from karmic luck. They too began gaining new insight into their cultivation.
As such, even the normally very observant Zulong failed to notice his Dragon Qi of luck's damages. That was until it became too big and his concentration was disturbed.
CHINK!
'What the?' Zulong was immediately alarmed. His eyes pierced through the ocean surface unto the sky. The entire dragon was fully visible to him.
The Qi Dragon of luck floated completely still. However, its face contorted in a slight expression of pained discomfort. Zulong's scan immediately took him to the sight of the damage.
'What? How?' In the span of 0.0001 second, Zulong's mind raced through all sorts of possibilities. The Qi Dragon of luck was the strongest construct of destiny. Manifestation of the dragon's destiny in this world. It should not've been damaged.
The only way such an event was to happen was if his empire was steeped in sin. If his people were degenerates indulging in cruel behaviour, if his court was bathed in corruption, if his people were suffering from the government's rule. Only in such an event would his Qi Dragon of luck become damaged.
No, even in such an event, Zulong wagered that it will be a degrading process. What was occurring to his Qi Dragon appeared like a direct attack.
CHINK!
A loud puffing sound echoes across the world as bits of golden light leaked from the Qi Dragon.
BOOM!
Zulong's armrest exploded from his arms slamming down as his rose to his feat.
"WHO DARES?" He roared. His voice travelled across the entire ocean quaking Kailong Chen and the surrounding islands in a massive radiation of visible rage.
Experts around the world instantly caught on to the dragon's anger. They too began noticing the changes in the Qi Dragon of luck.
The reason for the Dragon Sovereign's rage was instantly extrapolated. This wasn't the degradation of destiny, this was an attack.
"Come out this instant!" Zulong commanded flashing high up above the ocean surface. He scanned around the east sea but didn't see any results.
His divine sense washed over this entire region of the primitive world to the limits of what he could accomplish. His desperation could also be seen on his face.
In the time he began thoroughly searching and demanding. The cracks had grown tremendously. The Qi Dragon of luck had lost its previous luster and was littered in cracks from its chest to its tail.
Golden gas clouds leaked out non stop. The very foundation of the dragon empire's destiny was leaving.
"Stop!" Zulong flew forward. He tried to grab hold of the leaking golden gas clouds. His hands glowed with supernatural power as he held back a large volume of golden light. However, even more Luck leaked through.
"Brother/Your majesty!" Several more mighty figures appeared in the sky.
The mighty Chaos Immortals of the dragon empire appeared to support Zulong. Their reactions were slower but they nevertheless displayed their loyalty.
"What the hell is happening?" Qinglong roared in rage. The fruit of their hard work was disappearing before their very eyes. The Qi Dragon of luck roared in pain.
"Who is doing this?" Zulong demanded though none can give him an answer. Such a thing, to strike at the destiny of an empire shouldn't be possible.
"Brother, the luck, it's escaping," Yinglong pointed urgently.
Getting his bearings together, Zulong did not hesitate to bring out his treasures. Dozens upon dozens of magical swords, axes, bowls, clams, and bells appeared. Xiantian spiritual treasures of lower ranking.
In Zulong's left and right hands, a string of twenty four beads appeared along with a single large azure pearl. These were the Twenty Four Sea Calming Pearls and the Dragon Pearl.
Zulong threw both top grade xiantian spiritual treasures out. They impacted the now massive cloud of luck Qi. Their suppression force immediately took effect acting to hold back the Qi.
A massive azure pearl with the icon of the coiling celestial dragon formed out of the dragon pearl. It pressed down upon the Qi Dragon of luck.
Twenty four interlocking universes appeared from the Twenty Four Sea Calming Pearls. They acted as chains to prevent the dragon from breaking apart, utilising their strength to add a level of stability.
"Use your treasures, do not let them escape," Zulong commanded.
"Yes your majesty," the ministers of the four seas obeyed. Suddenly, nearly a hundred low grade xiantian spiritual treasure flew in the open air. They lent support to the two top grade treasures Zulong used.
Whatever help was appreciated. Even as Zulong fought on, hundreds to thousands of experts appeared to lend support.
However, Zulong did not have time to dwell on them. The bigger issue of leaking luck Qi was progressing badly. The cloud had grown larger, even with Zulong holding them back, he could feel the luck Qi driving against him.
By now, tens of thousands of Golden Immortals and above experts appeared above the ocean surface. Many, hoping to gain favour with the Dragon Sovereign, willingly lent their aid. However, the higher-ups couldn't help but feel betrayed that more hadn't shown up.
"What the fuck are you doing? I am your sovereign," he called out to no avail. His arms strained beneath the pressure. "Damn it, I can't let my nation fall."
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The Qi Dragon of luck groaned in pain. Its previously majestic draconic face was cracked. Its colours were shifting, losing its golden hue and returning to pure purple. It had also shrunk in size as more luck Qi. Leaked out.
"Your majesty," Chenghuang called out. He stood at the ocean surface raising his voice for the first time in history.
"What?" Zulong growled back in irritation.
"Seafloor," Chenghuang pointed downwards with a panicked look in his eyes.
Zulong's attention followed along to the ocean floor. He gasped in shock and terror.
A maelstrom had formed. He was so focused on the Qi Dragon of luck that he didn't even notice the chaos going on below. This wasn't a single assault, this was a two pronged attack.
On the east sea's ocean floor, very close to Kailong Chen in fact, a massive gap in the earth opened up. It was circular in appearance resembling a gaping eye. It was like a maw swallowing trillions upon trillions of litres of water.
It was also sucking in nearby living beings. It was in fact so strong that Heavenly Immortals were helpless. Zulong could only gape in shock a few hundred single crown Heavenly Immortals fell in and perished.
"What is that?" He uttered in disbelief.
Now he could also see the activation go Kailong Chen's defensive formation. Billions of living beings were funnelled in with Gui Daiyu at the helm. She and a few dragon elders had taken command of the city formation to save as many as they could.
With so many experts busy in the sky, very few remained to deal with this Sea Eye. Zulong felt a pit in his stomach just looking at the hole. It was as if he was watching the foulest thing in existence.
The newly formed Sea Eye wasn't just swallowing everything. It was also deeply drenched in sin. There was so much negative karma oozing out of it that it wasn't even funny.
'How, how, how, how, how, how, how!' Zulong was desperate for answers. But as soon as he loosened his hold on the Qi Dragon, a strong force of Qi immediately threatened to blow him away.
The maw that was the Sea Eye groaned. It was so contaminated with the dark force of sin that its malevolent intent frightened the strongest of individuals.
This was a construct threatening to swallow the world. It was the manifestation of divine punishment for indulging in all the evils of the world.
'Fuck, why is everything going so wrong?' He cursed in this mind. 'I did everything right, why is this happening. Why is this happening? Who betrayed me?'
Zulong's conclusion was such. Someone must've been corrupting his work without his notice. Someone who did so much wrong that divine retribution was called forth. The Heavenly Dao's automated punishment system was set down upon the dragon empire. The only thing missing was punishment lightning striking down.
For the first time in a very long time. Zulong felt uncertainty. Zulong felt fear. Zulong was panicked. The current him was vastly different from the past. He was invincible in this world, how could a tribulation like this have happened.
"Where is this negative karma coming from?" He cursed. He could see how much struggle everyone was putting in. "Was it my arrogance? Was I too confident?" He questioned. "Was I wrong?"
"Master already warned me, yet I still didn't see this coming," he felt as if he was on the verge of tears. The worst of all possibilities has occurred
Yinglong and Qinglong along with dozens of other Chaos Immortals cried out as they lost their footing. Many were blown back though some held their ground.
Two gargantuan dragons appeared along with an enormous tortoise with a snake for a tail, a white tiger, a massive great white shark, a plesiosaur etc. the core fighting force of the dragons were putting their all in.
ROAR!
The Qi Dragon of luck lurched its head back and roared in pain. The bindings of the Twenty Four Sea Calming Pearls threatened to snap at any time. The Dragon Pearl was being pushed up despite its best efforts.
Down below, Kailong Chen had sealed its gates. The defence formation formed nine pillars of light and a massive spiritual dragon. It fought against the ocean tides threatening to swallow them.
Trillions had made it in and now crowded the city. They sat down crosslegged and in a team effort never seen before, lent aid to the formation.
Gui Daiyu wearing a phoenix crown supported by six of the seven moth fairies accompanied by hundreds of dragon elders desperately tried to operate the city's formation. But without the presence of a Chaos Immortals, it became extremely difficult.
However, trillions that were left outside didn't have this protection. The power of sin rolled over them and they were swallowed by the Sea Eye.
…
"Master! Somethings going on with senior brother!" Yi Fei'e bursted into Da Hai's personal chamber. She appeared frantic and very stressed.
Da Hai had locked down Yingzhou preventing anyone from getting in or out without notice. Though Yi Fei'e didn't argue against it, the current situation was different.
She could feel the bone chilling air of sin even from Yingzhou's alternate universe. It was a deeply uncomfortably evil feeling that made even the most evil individuals shiver.
As such Yi Fei'e did not hesitate busting Da Hai's door down. She frowned when she saw Da Hai sitting crossed legged with a long staff on his lap.
"You're refining a treasure? Now of all times?" Yi Fei'e screamed in anger. "Do you have any idea what's happening? Do you care at all?"
"I just need another moment," Da Hai's strained voice answered her. It was then that she noticed trails of sweat streaming down Da Hai's face.
His palms gripped the ends of the staff tightly. Rays of immortal light streamed down the staff breaking away excess wood and smoothening out the process. The room crackled in lightning as Da Hai worked.
A suffocating presence was felt by Yi Fei'e as she watched the process up close.
"Have faith in me," Da Hai begged. "I will not fail Zulong. I refuse to."
"Please hurry," Yi Fei'e urged. A few moments passed in silence. Every second felt like an eternity. Yi Fei'e felt both helpless and useless. In the end, a Great Unity Golden Immortal turned out to be nothing but a small fry. Even Chaos Immortals were proving to be useless.
"Just one more moment," Da Hai said gritting his teeth. "The wood, so tough," he groaned. His palms at the ends of the staff dug in deep. His nails cracked and his palms drew blood like Dao essence.
Ten minutes passed before a burst of golden power washed over Yingzhou.