Guarding the Prison for 100 Years, I Emerge to Overwhelm the Demon Venerable

Beneath the boundless rain.

Two fishermen, who had luckily managed to crawl onto a remote islet, were terrified. The small fishing boat that had carried them had long since been overturned by the roaring waves.

It had been smashed into countless splinters.

If not for their good fortune in grabbing a piece of driftwood and floating all the way to the islet, they would have long been lost to the boundless, surging water.

Now, they knelt on the ground, which was on the verge of being swallowed by the tide. They looked out at the apocalyptic scene before them.

Fear was etched on their faces, and their bodies trembled.

The howling of the wind filled their ears, and the shriek of the rain hammered down from above.

Shivering uncontrollably, they kowtowed desperately toward the heavens, endlessly chanting, "We beg the Dragon King to quell his anger! Dragon King, quell your anger..."

They had no idea how many times they shouted.

At a certain moment, perhaps their sincere cries had truly worked.

The storm and raging waves before them actually began to subside, little by little.

But before the two could even breathe a sigh of relief...

In the next moment, they witnessed a sight they would never forget for the rest of their lives!

There, between the endless dark clouds and the churning waves...

Two colossal beasts emerged, slowly swimming out from the infinite gloom of the clouds.

They had deer antlers, ox-like heads, long, churning whiskers, serpentine bodies covered in fish scales, and four sharp claws.

Their draconic eyes were downcast as they spoke in human tongue. The booming sound of their voices was like crashing thunder, shaking heaven and earth.

"Leaving the Dayu Immortal Dynasty to come to this remote corner..."

"We’re finally free from the constraints of the dynasty’s Immortal Techniques. We can perform Cloud Formation and Rainfall as we please, stir up endless waves, and no longer have to worry about what those Water Department Immortal Officials think."

"How exhilarating!"

"I finally understand why that kid, Ao Yuan, stole that thing and ran off to this backwater."

"A remote place has its remote advantages, haha..."

"We shouldn’t be in a hurry to return. We finally got a chance to come out, so we have to enjoy ourselves to the fullest!"

"Indeed."

Against the dim, endless sky, two massive dragons—one pure black, one pure white—conversed with each other.

BUZZ!

In an instant, the two giant dragons transformed, becoming two imposing young men with sharp features and upright postures. They slowly strode toward the shore.

The two fishermen, kneeling on the muddy ground of the islet, were already dumbstruck. They remained frozen in place, not daring to move.

Of the two young men the dragons had become, the one in black glanced at the two fishermen. Immediately, a massive wave surged up and swallowed them whole.

"Haaaah..."

After doing this, the black-robed young man seemed utterly satisfied. He let out a long breath, black mist swirling from his nostrils, and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

"This is what it feels like to be a True Dragon Species, an Upper-Rank Race."

"Back in the Dayu Immortal Dynasty, you have to be careful even when you sneeze, afraid you might drown a few commoners. There’s no freedom to speak of."

"The eyes and ears of the Immortal Gods are everywhere. The slightest misstep gets secretly recorded as a transgression, and a complaint is filed against you."

"A light offense means a deduction of resources and salary. A serious one gets you sent to prison and bound by an Immortal Lock. It’s truly infuriating."

The white-robed young man at his side spoke calmly, "Although Emperor Yu reveres the Celestial Dao, he values the Human Dao as the foundation. Now that our Dragon Race is in decline, there’s nothing to be done about it."

"If this were ancient times, our Dragon Race would rule the world. No matter how strong the Human Race became, they could never compare to us."

"In ancient times, the Human Race also had Great Divine Power Users. There were many powerful individuals."

The two continued their idle chatter.

A moment later, the white-robed young man took out a silver Jade Plate from his robes and frowned.

"Strange! Why can’t I sense the Dragon Bead’s location now that we’re here?"

"Perhaps someone has stored it away," the black-robed young man beside him said with an indifferent shrug. "In any case, we’re already here. It’s not like the Dragon Bead can run off on its own."

"Let’s find Ao Yuan first."

"He was the one who stole the Dragon Bead. As long as we find him and ask a few questions, we’ll naturally learn where it is."

"Mm."

The white-robed young man put away the Jade Plate and nodded lightly. "So, we’ll go find Ao Yuan now?"

"No rush."

A somewhat savage grin appeared on the black-robed young man’s face. "First, let’s find a city and feast for three days and three nights."

Then, he added with an ominous gleam in his eyes,

"Ever since Emperor Yu forced us into Divine Positions in the Water Department, we haven’t tasted fresh blood and flesh for nearly a thousand years."

"That is acceptable."

As soon as he finished speaking.

The two transformed into streaks of black and white light, shooting into the distance and vanishing over the horizon in an instant.

...

Inside Xia Imperial City, Su Bai and a few of his colleagues from the Prison Suppression Bureau left Biyun Pavilion after eating and drinking their fill. They were on their way back to the prison.

At this time, the streets were lined with all sorts of cheerful shouts and calls, each one louder than the last.

The sounds of children laughing and playing mingled with the boasting and idle chatter of tavern patrons, rising and falling in a lively chorus.

A joyous atmosphere filled the entire Imperial City.

’It seems Jiang Guanshui has truly grasped something of the art of governance.’

Su Bai mused to himself as he took in the city’s jubilant mood.

As the saying goes, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

Clearly, Jiang Guanshui understood this principle. That was why he had recently issued a series of edicts to develop waterways, roads, and stone bridges, open up major thoroughfares, suppress bandits, and reduce taxes.

As a result of these measures...

The city now enjoyed such a prosperous air.

Thinking about it, Su Bai grew curious. ’How is Jiang Guanshui doing now?’

So, he spread out his Divine Thoughts, which quickly enveloped the entire Imperial City.

Naturally, he also saw Jiang Guanshui sitting in the Emperor’s Hall.

「Inside the Emperor’s Hall.」

Jiang Guanshui was sitting upright on the Jade Lean, diligently reviewing memorials.

His Cultivation had already broken through to the Innate Realm. It had to be said that such talent for cultivation was truly worthy of the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox’s reputation.

After a long while, he finally finished reviewing the memorials, his exhaustion evident between his brows.

’In three days at most, the eighteen rebel factions that started this turmoil will be completely suppressed,’

he thought to himself, a faint smile appearing on his face.

He knew that his measures would certainly provoke some of the local tyrants who preyed on the common people like leeches. He had also anticipated that these factions had a high probability of rebelling.

Therefore, he had secretly dispatched troops early on to suppress several of the most powerful factions at the first opportunity.

This minimized the impact of the turmoil.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard the sound of steady footsteps behind him.

Jiang Guanshui looked up and saw Emperor Xia, who was smiling at him.

"Father!"

Jiang Guanshui quickly stood up and spoke respectfully, with a hint of delight.

"Guan Shui, guess what good news I’ve brought for you this time?"

"What news?"

Jiang Guanshui looked puzzled.

Emperor Xia’s gaze was gentle as he laughed heartily and said, "The Immortal Fox Lineage from the Dayu Immortal Dynasty—that is, Immortal Fox Mountain."

"They have learned that you were born with nine tails, a sign of a Nine-tailed Celestial Fox’s potential. In the future, you have a chance to reach the Returning Void realm, or even become Feathered."

"They have decided to send an envoy to bring you to Immortal Fox Mountain to cultivate."

"The Immortal Fox Lineage?"

Jiang Guanshui frowned. "Father, what is the difference between this Immortal Fox Lineage and the Celestial Fox?"

Emperor Xia explained, "The Immortal Fox Lineage is the ancestral line for all Spiritual Foxes in the world, and the Celestial Fox is an important branch of the Immortal Fox Lineage."

"You could say that place is the Ancestral Land for all of the Fox Race in heaven and earth."

Then, he paused, his expression turning solemn.

"Moreover, there is a Fox Immortal on Immortal Fox Mountain!"

"If you go to Immortal Fox Mountain, your Martial Arts Cultivation will surely advance by leaps and bounds."

Upon hearing that he would have to leave the Great Xia Dynasty and go to the unfamiliar Immortal Fox Mountain, Jiang Guanshui’s expression darkened slightly.

Emperor Xia saw the look on his face.

He then let out a hearty laugh, stepped forward, and patted Jiang Guanshui on the shoulder, reassuring him with a smile.

"Guan Shui, if you don’t want to go, I certainly won’t force you. When the envoy arrives..."

"I will handle it and politely refuse on your behalf."

Because he was a Half-Demon, Jiang Guanshui had been locked away by him in the depths of the prison since childhood, never seeing the light of day.

Compared to the hope of seeing his son succeed, what he felt more was a deep sense of guilt toward him.

Therefore, he would not force him.

After that, seeing Jiang Guanshui remain silent for a long time, he seemed to want to offer more words of comfort.

But before he could speak...

Jiang Guanshui suddenly raised his head, his spirits lifted, and said with a solemn expression:

"Father, I am willing to go to Immortal Fox Mountain!"

"Why?"

This sudden change of heart made Emperor Xia curious, and he asked in surprise.

"I want to raise my Cultivation as quickly as possible,"

Jiang Guanshui said in a deep voice.

He knew full well that while edicts that benefited the country and its people were important...

...only formidable strength was the true foundation upon which prosperity was built.

Without strength, even the most prosperous era was like sand slipping through one’s fingers.

Gone in an instant!

"Haha!"

"My son truly has the makings of an Immortal Emperor!"

Emperor Xia was slightly taken aback at his words, then burst into loud laughter.

His eyes were filled with profound relief and admiration.

...

Back on the street, Su Bai retracted his Divine Thoughts, a hint of joy also appearing on his face.

Seeing that the Jiang Guanshui of today had completely shed his immaturity, and had grown significantly in both temperament and understanding...

Su Bai felt an inexplicable sense of relief, like a father seeing his son finally grow up.

After the group returned to the prison...

...it was time for Su Bai and the others to get back to work.