MTLNOVEL Chapter 6: The Bet
"I am now serving as a Teacher at the Jing River Dragon Palace, if you seek me, that is where you will find me," Lu Yu said with a smile.
These words, however, greatly startled Yuan Shoucheng. He looked at Lu Yu with surprise and asked with great concern, "Teacher, what are you planning to do?"
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Seeing Yuan Shoucheng's expression, Lu Yu naturally understood that the man thought he was up to something, so he said with a smile, "I am not foolish. The Old Dragon reaps what he has sown; why would Lu need to be villainous? Set your mind at ease, I am merely fulfilling a request to ensure the safety of his family."
Yuan Shoucheng quietly breathed a sigh of relief. All he wanted now was to complete his mission peacefully, without becoming involved in the struggles of these powerful beings.
Watching Lu Yu's receding figure, he discreetly wiped the sweat from his forehead. Indeed, he had been a little frightened just a moment ago.
The people around, however, were as clueless as monks feeling an elephant, unable to comprehend the situation. They saw these two individuals speaking, their lips moving, but heard no sound, which was truly strange. Yet, they dared not ask too many questions, because after all, the highly skilled often have peculiar tempers, and it is unwise to offend them.
Lu Yu did not stay long in Changan City, returning to the Crystal Palace. As he entered through the palace gates, he saw the Jing River Old Dragon King already waiting anxiously in the main hall.
"Teacher, have you confirmed it?" the Dragon King asked with great delight upon seeing Lu Yu.
At this moment, the Old Dragon was feeling nervous. He was prepared to calmly accept his fate, but he also feared unforeseen changes, which was why he entrusted Lu Yu with the task of investigating whether the fortune-telling master who had appeared was truly a subordinate of that supreme being; otherwise, it would be like casting amorous glances at a blind man.
"Of course. How could there be a mistake in such a crucial matter that concerns heaven and earth? Your worry comes from a restless mind," Lu Yu reassured him.
"Alas! Matters of life and death cannot be taken lightly. I confess that my mental state is indeed unbalanced and difficult to control," the Old Dragon King sighed.
All Lu Yu could do was sigh softly. Not everyone has the courage to face death with equanimity; the fact that the Jing River Dragon King could do so was remarkable enough.
"As the moment draws near, I entrust my entire family to you, Teacher. Once the turmoil subsides, the supreme one will naturally send someone to receive my children. Their futures have already been set; only this Seventh Prince is unruly and unmanageable. I ask you to take extra care of him," the Jing River Dragon King said, bowing deeply, his words filled with earnest supplication.
"To be trusted with a task is to be loyal to one's duty. Dragon King, be at ease. I shall spare no effort to protect your family's safety," Lu Yu responded.
A few days later, a patrolling Yaksha rushed in to report, "Disaster! Disaster!"
"What disaster?" the Dragon King inquired. The Yaksha said, "My liege, as I was patrolling the river, I overheard two fishermen conversing. Their parting words were of great consequence. One fisherman said: 'There's a fortune teller on West Street in Changan City who is the most accurate. Every day I bring him a carp, and in exchange, he gives me lessons that ensure success every time.
If his predictions are indeed so precise, won't it mean calamity for the Aquatic Tribes? How then can we expect to bolster the magnificence of the Water Mansion, or aid the Great King in his mighty power, with waves surging and billowing?'"
The Dragon King's face darkened upon hearing this. He scrutinized the patrolling Yaksha closely but did not speak. Lu Yu, too, was secretly shocked. The hand of that supreme being reigning above the Nine Heavens was formidable; without this incident, who would have imagined that such an inconsequential would actually be his subordinate.
"You're going too far. I will go find that Fortune Teller myself," the Dragon King said in feigned anger, knowing this Yaksha was merely reminding him that the time had come, and naturally, he had to act according to the script.
The Dragon Son and minions like the Shrimp Minister, Crab Officer, Hilsa Military Advisor, Carp Prime Minister, and Steward Carp in the Dragon Palace exchanged glances. They could not fathom why the usually mild-tempered Jing River Dragon King would show such a volatile side, ready to fight to the death on just one side's account.
They all came out to persuade, saying, "Great King, please calm your anger. As the saying goes, 'Hearsay shouldn't be believed.' If you go now, clouds will surely follow, and rain will assist, possibly alarming the people of Changan and incurring blame from the heavens.
As they say, 'Seeing is believing, hearing is deceptive.' Why not transform into a common human and go see for yourself before making a decision?"
The Jing River Dragon King then composed himself and, after pondering for a moment, said, "My dear officials speak wisely. There's a saying among the human race: 'To execute without teaching is tyranny.' Let me go and find out the truth before I make a decision."
He then nodded discreetly to Lu Yu and his own wife before swiftly leaving the Crystal Palace.
The Dragon Queen, watching her husband decisively depart, had a tear trickle from the corner of her eye. She knew that her husband was going to seek his own death, and for the sake of the Dragon Clan's dignity and the laws of the Heavenly Court, they could only perform such a drama to sacrifice themselves to the Ancestral Dragon legitimately.
The Dragon Sons also began to disperse, but the Seventh Prince, Lao Qi, said in confusion, "I feel like something's off with Father today. With his temperament, he would never call for the death of that Fortune Teller so readily."
"Don't overthink it, Lao Qi. I think that Yaksha has a point. If that Fortune Teller really has such abilities, how can we Aquatic Tribes continue to exist? Father is the king of the Aquatic Tribes and naturally has to consider the myriad creatures of the Jing River waters," another countered.
This conversation temporarily quelled the Seventh Prince's doubts, but he still felt something was amiss and said no more.
In less than half an hour, the Jing River Dragon King had returned to the Crystal Palace and laid bare the matter of his wager with Yuan Shoucheng. Everyone laughed, saying, "The Great King is the Chief Steward of the Eight Rivers, the Grand Dragon God of Rain. Whether there's rain or not, how could you not know? That Fortune Teller is undoubtedly doomed to lose."
Just then, a gold-robed strongman arrived, bearing the Jade Emperor's celestial edict, and headed straight for the Water Mansion. Standing before it, he proclaimed, "The Jing River Dragon King is to receive the edict."
Everyone quickly set up an incense table and knelt on the ground to receive the Jade Emperor's will, which turned out to be an order for the Jing River Dragon King to bring clouds and rain. However, this time, unlike before, the edict specified not just to cause rain but announced the exact time and quantity of the rainfall.
After the strongman had been escorted away, some queried, "In the past, we were simply asked to bring rain to nourish Changan City. Why such detail this time?"
"Maybe the Heavenly Court has changed its rules," someone speculated.
The Old Dragon King dramatically exclaimed, "Such divine beings exist in the mortal realm! The time and amount he predicted match precisely what he said. What can we do now? Could it be that the divine beings of the Heavenly Court will harm all our living creatures?"
A voice from a Hilsa Military Advisor came forth, "Great King, what's so hard about winning? If the rain is off by a time frame, or the amount is less, that would prove his divination inaccurate, and we can then expel him from Changan City."
The Old Dragon King looked at the Hilsa Military Advisor in astonishment, filled with fear inside. This was an old retainer that had followed him for so long, and unbeknownst to him, he had become a subordinate of the Heavenly Court. If it weren't for this event, he would still be in the dark. A chill suddenly surged in his heart, unsure of what the supreme beings above really intended to do.