Volume Two: Mountains and Rivers Block the Way Chapter Twenty: The Predicament

Where the dragon hides, the golden sun thins the clouds,
For whom does the lotus bloom, reflecting the moon?
Before the other shore’s flower, there is no wealth or glory,
Within a dream of the mortal world, I come for you.
—From the “Lanling Poetry Collection”

Lan Sheng could no longer remember how many times they had repelled the attacks of the three-headed old sharks. Gasping for breath, he forced himself to control his posture in midair, willing his strength to recover a little during the brief lulls between onslaughts. The supply of Solar Essence Jades that Lan Shan had brought was nearly depleted; Lan Sheng squeezed the last piece in his palm, debating whether to use it in the next assault from the three-headed sharks or to give it to Lan Shan for her escape.

Lan Shan cast an anxious glance around, unable to see the golden sun above and thus unable to estimate the hour. She guessed the Lantern of Tranquility had been alight for most of the day; even if the Cloud Palace’s constellation guards set out immediately, they would not arrive before tomorrow afternoon. Their present circumstances, however, were such that they might not even withstand the sharks’ next attack. A thought began to surface in her mind: perhaps she could search the waters below for a large fish to possess and escape in spirit form. But such an action would severely damage her soul; though better than total annihilation, as at least her consciousness would survive, how much of her cultivation would remain was left to fate. Shaking her head, she banished the thought, refocusing her scattered gaze and steeling her resolve to remain by Lan Sheng’s side, standing firm to await rescue.

Lan Sheng glanced back at Lan Shan, who sheltered behind him, and said, “Sister, when they come at us again, you must dodge their first wave with me. If their lightning tears a gap in the Wind Barrier, you must seize the chance to escape—I’ll cover your retreat.”

Lan Shan shook her head. “My strength is nearly spent, and the Solar Essence Jades are exhausted. How far could I get even if I fled? I would rather stay here with you and wait for the Cloud Palace reinforcements.”

Lan Sheng nodded, vowing inwardly never to let any harm befall the young woman.

As they spoke, a sphere of lightning shot from the storm clouds above, hurtling straight toward them.

Lan Sheng’s brow furrowed. Pinching the central hole of the Jade between two fingers, he summoned what little energy he could, and the artifact burst forth with a brilliant light, enveloping both himself and Lan Shan.

The radiance flashed and faded; both could muster enough strength to act. Lan Sheng punched twice in rapid succession, blocking the ball of lightning just as it neared him.

The orb’s momentum was somewhat diminished, but it still hovered threateningly in the air, refusing to fall.

At that moment, Lan Shan unleashed two blades of energy from behind, which cleaved through the orb with a whooshing sound. The lightning shattered into fragments, flickered, and vanished.

No sooner had they repelled this assault than the trident-shaped lightning of the Wind God Sharks descended. The searing bolts boiled the surrounding sea, the heat scorching their hair and brows, filling the air with the stench of burning.

Lan Sheng spun aside to the right, shoving Lan Shan with him. The lightning narrowly missed the pair, but it set Lan Sheng’s robe ablaze. He landed with a rolling somersault and hastily patted out the flames.

At that moment, three ferocious faces broke through the layers of storm clouds, once again confronting the beleaguered pair.

A sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked fellow spoke with a sinister tone: “Big brother, they’re almost done for. If we hit them with the Three-Shark Gale Thunder Curse just once, these two will surely surrender.”

The one addressed as “big brother,” a square-faced brute with a booming voice, replied, “They’re already at their limit. Why waste our precious energy on the Gale Thunder Curse?”

Beside him, a feminine-faced companion piped up in a shrill voice, “Big brother, second brother is right. Even if they’re helpless now, if we don’t use a heavy hand, how will we force them to reveal their treasures?”

Big brother pondered, then nodded. “Third brother speaks sense. Our aim here isn’t to kill the boy—the Crystal Raiment is what matters.”

Lan Shan now called out loudly to the trio: “Elder Three Sharks, you were once disciples of Xuanhuang, now honored as immortals of the Cloud Palace—why must you torment your juniors on the waves of Lingbo Ocean?”

The second old shark laughed harshly. “Little girl, enough of that Xuanhuang nonsense, or your deaths will be all the worse.”

The third old shark snarled, “All you Cloud Palace types are hypocrites—always preaching chivalry and virtue, while committing countless vile deeds!”

Infuriated at their insults, Lan Sheng was about to retort, but Lan Shan restrained him.

The third old shark saw Lan Sheng’s defiant glare and sneered, “What? Still not convinced? Go ask the Dragon Palace how their clans were driven from mountaintops into the sunless abyss!”

The eldest shark snorted, cutting off his sibling. “Hear this—you two. We have burned the golden regalia of Cloud Palace and renounced our titles as the so-called Sovereigns of the Lingbo Sharks.”

Lan Sheng could contain himself no longer and roared, “You have betrayed the Cloud Palace—this is treason, a crime that dooms your kind!”

The three shark spirits exchanged wicked grins, their laughter rumbling like thunder. The third clutched his belly, breathless with mirth. “Treason! Let’s see if your Cloud Palace survives this calamity before you come for us. Who knows who will be exterminated in the end?”

The second shark added with a chuckle, “Do you really think the Cloud Palace of today is what it was in the ancient wars?”

After their laughter subsided, the eldest shark’s voice grew low and grave. “Where is your Lanling Immortal? I hear your Primordial Lord does nothing but sleep, leaving all affairs to a few palace masters—what kind of Cloud Palace is that, but an empty shell?”

Suddenly, the laughter died. The second shark barked, “Brothers, enough talk. Prepare the formation.”

The second and third sharks hovered to either side, with the eldest above, forming a triad. Together, they summoned their energy, and at once, tempests howled and lightning converged as if endowed with life, swirling toward them.

These three sharks were descended from ancient giant sharks, born as triplets and dwelling for countless millennia in these storm-racked seas. Over time, they mastered the arts of wind and lightning, and, having once studied the Xuanhuang methods in the Cloud Palace, they rose to the rank of immortals through relentless cultivation, though they were later expelled for vengeance. During their years dominating the Lingbo Ocean, they somehow chanced upon the Three-Shark Gale Thunder Curse: a combined technique that allowed the three of them, as immortals, to contend even with a deity. As they often boasted, whether facing one foe or ten thousand, the three brothers always acted as one.

Suddenly, the storm around them spun faster and faster, lightning lacing ever denser through the air. Gathering their might, the three sharks unleashed a hurricane, bristling with dozens of trident-shaped bolts, which crashed toward Lan Sheng and Lan Shan with overwhelming force.

At that moment, Lan Sheng looked back at the terrified Lan Shan and said, “Sister, tell the Primordial Lord I am sorry. Tell him Lan Sheng failed, unable to fulfill his trust. In the next life, I shall return to serve at his side in Cloud Palace. But in this life—all that remains is regret…”

Lan Shan cried out, “What are you going to do?” But before she could finish, a translucent crystalline wall appeared before her, gossamer-thin yet enveloping her completely. A cool serenity flooded her heart, soothing nerves that had been drawn taut for so long. In a daze, Lan Shan realized this was the Xuanhuang treasure, the sacred artifact of the Tian clan—the Crystal Raiment—that the third shark had coveted so dearly.

She saw Lan Sheng, eyes closed, arms outstretched before her, shielding her from the impending cataclysm.

With a thunderous crash, the waters of Lingbo Ocean were flung dozens of yards high, the raging storm hurling fish and shrimp hundreds of fathoms into the sky, raining them down in a bizarre, pelting shower.

As the steam dispersed, Lan Sheng and Lan Shan remained unchanged, untouched. The three sharks exchanged baffled glances.

Encircling Lan Shan and Lan Sheng was a great bell of golden, translucent light. Atop the bell stood a figure in simple white robes, long hair flowing—the Star Lord of Azure Dragon Palace, Jiaomu Jiao Linbai.

Linbai summoned his energy, his voice booming like thunder at the three shark spirits: “A Star Lord of Cloud Palace stands here—will you not submit to your execution?”