Chapter 198: Plans after a Disaster
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Let's backtrack to the time before Yu regulated the rivers and watercourses, when the Human Tribe was afflicted by an even more terrible flood for the second time. Caught off guard without any preparation, they naturally suffered a great loss.
Such a catastrophe definitely shocked the Holy Land of the Human Tribe, but the martial arts and immortal cultivators were helpless against natural disasters. They could only report it to the Human Ancestors, hoping that they would have a solution.
When he found out, Suiren-s.h.i.+ immediately summoned Youchao-s.h.i.+, Ziyi-s.h.i.+, Cangjie, f.u.xi, the G.o.d Farmer, Xuanyuan, Zhuanxu, Emperor Ku, and Emperor Yao. Since Musen was still in his Closed Door Meditation, saying he had some enlightenment, he didn't bother him. After all, he couldn't ask for Musen's help for every little thing.
The gathering of the four Human Ancestors, three Sovereigns and three of the Five Emperors was a gathering of Sages-to-be. Perhaps only the Human Tribe was capable of summoning so Sages-to-be in the Untainted Land. For the other tribes, it would be good enough if they could call for one or two.
When everyone was here, Suiren-s.h.i.+ said, "Our Human Tribe is now afflicted by flood, and the Human Sovereign Shun has no solution. Do you have any ideas to tackle this flood?" Since six of them used to be the human sovereigns and had experience of ruling the Human Tribe, he naturally hoped that they would come up with a solution.
f.u.xi closed his eyes and counted on his fingers. He said after awhile, "I found out this is a natural disaster and not a flood caused by human. I'm afraid the Way of Heaven is testing the last of the Five Emperors and whoever who manages to regulate the rivers and watercourses will be the next Human Sovereign."
Suiren-s.h.i.+ believed his words, for f.u.xi was famous for his Way of Prediction in the Untainted Land. However, he was still unwilling to see his tribesmen outside suffering. "Even so, I'm grieved to see our tribesmen suffering. Does any of you have any solution?"
Cangjie replied, "This flood is a test for the last Human Sovereign. If we forcefully solve it, the last Human Sovereign will find it hard to fulfill his Merits. But we can stop the rain so the flood won't be aggravated and the losses will be reduced."
Suiren-s.h.i.+ nodded in agreement. This flood involved the final Human Sovereign, so he couldn't interfere too much. However, stopping the rain would prevent the flood from worsening and the Human Tribe could seize this chance to restore their lives.
But humans weren't good at controlling the weather. What was worse, it rained everywhere in the Human Tribe. Even if someone in the Human Tribe knew how to control the weather, it would merely be a drop in the bucket. They still needed the help of the Dragon Tribe to stop the rain thoroughly.
Unfortunately, the relations.h.i.+p between the two tribes hadn't recovered since their conflict the last time. Suiren-s.h.i.+ worried that the Dragon Tribe wouldn't help even if they begged them to, but they still had to give it a try.
After some consideration, Suiren-s.h.i.+ sent Xu Bo, an elder of the Realm of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal to the East Sea. Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea was the current leader of the Dragon Tribe, ruling all the clans in the Four Seas. If they could convince him, everything else would be easy to handle.
Xu Bo paid his respects to Ao Guang after arriving at the Crystal Palace. "Your Majesty, I'm an Elder from the Human Tribe. I came here under the orders from Human Ancestor to seek for your help. Can you please help us end the rain?"
Sitting on his crystal throne, Ao Guang narrowed his eyes at Xu Bo. His smile was mocking and that naturally didn't escape Xu Bo's attention, but he didn't say anything for he needed Ao Guang's help.
Ao Guang sneered. The Human Tribe once forced his tribe to surrender their descendants but now they wanted his help to solve their problems? No way in h.e.l.l. Thus, he replied, "It's not that I don't want to help, but there's nothing I can do. I dare not change the weather without the consent of the Heavenly Court. Why don't you come back when you get an imperial edict from the Heavenly Court?"
Xu Bo knew he wouldn't be able to convince Ao Guang this time, so he could only excuse himself helplessly. Ao Guang smiled grimly. There was no way Xu Bo would be able to get an imperial edict from the Jade Emperor, for the Human Tribe had offended him as well in their previous conflict.
Who didn't know that the Jade Emperor Haotian was an ambitious person with his heart set on expanding the Heavenly Court and make it the biggest force in the Untainted Land? Based on Haotian's character, he definitely wouldn't agree to help. Even if he did, the Human Tribe would be paying quite the steep price.
Xu Bo relayed Ao Guang's words to Suiren-s.h.i.+ after returning to the Holy Land of Human Tribe. Suiren-s.h.i.+ frowned, knowing that Ao Guang was just finding excuses, but he couldn't refute all the same time. The Dragon Tribe was, after all, under the governance of the Heavenly Court with their laws of heaven. Without Haotian's imperial edict, the Human Tribe had no way of asking for help from the Dragon Tribe.
But the Human Tribe had greatly offended Haotian last time. Now that they wanted to ask his help, he wouldn't agree to their request that easily. However, Suiren-s.h.i.+ knew they had to try because it was the only way to solve the flooding problem.
Thus, Xu Bo set out again and soon arrived at the Southern Gate outside the Heavenly Court. The gatekeeper stopped him, shouting, "Who are you? How dare you enter the Heavenly Court uninvited! Don't you know it's a capital offense?"
Xu Bo looked at the gatekeeper, a mere Golden Immortal. Under normal circ.u.mstances, he wouldn't even pay attention to this person but he was asking for help this time, so he replied politely, "I'm an Elder from the Human Tribe, Xu Bo. I'm here with a request for the Jade Emperor. Please help me inform him."
The gatekeeper was shocked because an Elder from the Human Tribe meant he was at the Realm of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. It was foolish of him as a Golden Immortal to reproach a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. Fortunately for him, Xu Bo didn't appear angry. He replied respectfully, "Please wait here for a moment. I'll inform the Jade Emperor right away."
Soon, the gatekeeper returned in a rush. He said awkwardly, "The Jade Emperor is in his Closed Door Meditation. The Queen Mother says you should come here another time."
Xu Bo looked dejected. Considering the gatekeeper's expression, he knew the Jade Emperor had just made an excuse not to see him. But he couldn't very well expose him, so he could only return to the Holy Land of Human Tribe.
...
On the fairyland of the Jasper Lake, Haotian and Yao Chi were watching the Haotian Mirror showing the scene of Xu Bo. Yao Chi noticed Haotian's smile and wondered out loud, "Haotian, why aren't you meeting the emissary from the Human Tribe? They're here to ask a favor from us. It's a great opportunity for the Heavenly Court to establish prestige in the Human Tribe."
Haotian replied with a smile, "The Human Tribe is suffering greatly from the flood and the rainstorms. It's them who should feel the urgency, not us. Though they want our help, they only sent an Elder here. Did they think anyone can enter the Heavenly Court? Besides, it's not up to a mere Elder to decide the affairs of the Human Tribe."
Yao Chi naturally understood his meaning. So many clans of the Sages were preaching in the Human Tribe recently, resulting in the gradual diminis.h.i.+ng prestige of the Heavenly Court. Now that the Human Tribe was seeking for their help, Haotian intended to take this opportunity to seek greater benefits from the Human Tribe.
In the Holy Land of the Human Tribe, Suiren-s.h.i.+ was disappointed to hear Xu Bo's report. He knew Haotian wanted to threaten the Human Tribe with this disaster to seek even more benefits. The Human Tribe was at an abyss of suffering due to the flood and rainstorms. There wasn't any more time to be wasted, so he had no choice but to visit the Heavenly Court in person to convince Haotian.
Just then, Musen had come out of his Closed Door Meditation. He noticed Suiren-s.h.i.+'s anxiety and asked, "Brother, what makes you so worried? Tell me. Perhaps I happen to have a solution." Suiren-s.h.i.+ then told him what was going on outside.
Musen sneered. "How dare the Dragon Tribe and Haotian threaten our Human Tribe with this stuff? Very well! I'm going to to take drastic measures to deal with them and see what they can do then." He continued, "Don't worry. I'll now head to the Blood Sea. I'm going to ask Minghe to prepare an ultimate weapon for us."
Suiren-s.h.i.+ was relieved for he was always content with Musen's methods. Moreover, there was the enigmatic Ancestor Minghe backing them. Though Minghe had never openly helped the Human Tribe, they had only come this far with his support. For this, Suiren-s.h.i.+ was grateful from the bottom of his heart.