Chapter 103: Solo Expedition into the Trench, the Conspiracy of the Demonic Horde

Roar!

A cry of a dragon surged from beneath the sea’s surface, laden with agonizing grief and fury, then fell silent.

The flagship sank beneath the waves, and the other vessels in the trench lit signal fires in unison. The entire sea trench fleet turned their rudders, retreating toward the deep ocean.

Upon reaching the coastal defenses, Commander Zhang slumped to the ground, dumbfounded, speechless for a long moment.

The soldiers all stared wide-eyed at the retreating enemy ships in the trench, still doubting whether this was real.

“General Han... General Han, what kind of divine weapon did you unleash to wield such terrifying power? Am I dreaming?”

“That was a rare treasure—Heavenly Thunder Seed. But I only had that one. Had that beast called the Dragon Spirit not appeared, and the situation not been so dire, I would never have used it.”

Han Chong thought privately how regrettable it was to expend such a devastating weapon so soon. Judging by the anguished wail from the depths, the Dragon Spirit must have suffered grievous injuries.

The red-helmeted general should still be alive; otherwise, the system would have indicated a kill.

“Lord Zhang, please hasten preparations for the coastal defense of Hangu County. I expect the Eastern Yi Kingdom’s warships will return. I shall dive into the trench to investigate.”

“Into the trench!” Zhang swallowed hard. Though a master of the Heavenly Realm, he was wary of the sea.

The deep ocean teemed with sea monsters, and the crushing pressure was incomparable to rivers. One false move could mean drowning in the abyss.

“General Han, please be careful. I will do everything to restore our coastal defenses.”

Han Chong leapt into the cerulean waves and vanished.

...

The trench sloped shallow on the west and deep on the east. Han Chong descended to a depth of one hundred zhang before barely touching the seabed, still uncertain where the Dragon Spirit’s aquatic palace lay.

In view were reefs bursting with jagged rocks, countless strange fish, shrimp, and crabs, many of whom had cultivated into demons. Han Chong swam with water-cultivation techniques, cloaked in invisibility, and made his way unimpeded eastward.

After two hours, he finally spotted a coral palace shimmering with myriad colors nestled in a hollow, guarded by over a dozen burly demon soldiers patrolling vigilantly. Powerful demon commanders occasionally darted in from afar.

Among them, coincidentally, was the Dragon Fish Commander Han had encountered outside the Heavenly Sword Manor—this beast sat drowsily in a gilded carriage drawn by four sea horse demons, exuding uncommon grandeur.

Han Chong followed the procession discreetly into the palace. Inside, the air was dry and fresh, sealed from seawater, but a strong stench of blood permeated, accompanied by agonized moans echoing from the inner chamber.

The Dragon Fish Commander dismounted and entered the main hall, where three other demon commanders whispered among themselves, frequently glancing toward the inner sanctum.

Upon seeing the Dragon Fish’s arrival, the three bowed and greeted him with respectful smiles and hushed words.

The Dragon Fish’s expression was strange as he returned their courtesy with a faint smile and inquired about recent events.

Han Chong listened from the hall’s edge.

“Commanders, it seems the Dragon Spirit has suffered serious injuries this time,” murmured a monkey-headed, human-bodied demon in a hoarse voice.

“Indeed. At the time, I, Old Wolf, was inside the palace when a tremendous roar shook the sea surface as if heaven and earth collapsed. The Dragon Palace trembled relentlessly; the trench’s deep waters stirred dangerous currents, sand and stones swirling. Our demon soldiers suffered heavy casualties!” recalled a silver wolf-headed demon, shuddering at the memory.

“I see. I was napping then, startled awake instantly. Do you know what caused that explosion?” the Dragon Fish inquired.

“Who could say? That blow was likely divine wrath. More than one Eastern Yi flagship shattered and sank. The Dragon Spirit and the Eastern Yi general were both gravely wounded, retreating to the inner sanctum and not emerging since. Judging by their pained groans, their foundations were severely damaged!” the wolf-headed commander said solemnly.

“Alas, what was meant as a cunning plan to kill by proxy ended with such an outcome,” the Dragon Fish sighed, shaking his head.

“Say, brothers, are any of you interested in making a big move?” the monkey-headed demon’s eyes narrowed as he smiled slyly.

The other three body-shook, their eyes gleaming. They exchanged glances.

“Dragon Fish Commander, though the Dragon Spirit is strong, your power is no less. You should have been promoted to one of the Nine Great Vengeful Spirits long ago. Over the past century, the Dragon Spirit’s temper has grown more violent, often bullying us. Now, badly wounded, this is a rare opportunity. If we join forces to kill him, will you become our leader?” proposed the wolf-headed commander.

Upon hearing this, the water monkey and the ribbon-fish demon both revealed fierce glints in their eyes.

“No, if I take his place, how will the Lord treat us? We do not know. If His Majesty’s wrath falls upon us, we may all be wiped out,” the Dragon Fish replied, calming his temper. He was naturally indifferent and rarely cared about such matters.

“That’s mistaken thinking. Among our kind, the strong rule. With the Dragon Spirit gravely injured, unless a miracle occurs, recovery is unlikely. Even if he heals, he won’t regain his former strength. It would be better for Brother Dragon Fish to take his place. Once the deed is done, His Majesty will not blame us too harshly. After all, our four great sea trenches are the most crucial border waters of the Great Feng Dynasty. The Lord will not easily abandon our power base.”

“Just like the fallen Iron Shark Commander—when alive, he was the Dragon Spirit’s confidant, ruling the Iron Shark Gang with great prestige. Now, dead, the Dragon Spirit has immediately seized their wealth and treated the Iron Shark clan like trash,” the wolf-headed commander said, eyes reflecting worldly cynicism.

The Dragon Fish’s skin crawled; his lazy demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold sharpness.

Han Chong heard this conspiracy with quiet satisfaction. Before he even acted, internal strife brewed among the sea demons.

This made the formidable sea demon force, previously nearly invincible, vulnerable to collapse.

Yet these commanders lacked resolve, easily subdued by the Dragon Spirit’s lingering influence. If so, Han Chong was more than willing to push this along.

He circled the hall and approached the tightly sealed inner sanctum door, then slipped underground to enter.

Inside, seven or eight dragon clan guards stood on either side. After navigating a nearly twenty-zhang winding corridor, he reached the inner chamber.

There lay a green dragon upon the dragon bed, nearly half his scales shattered, green blood staining the bedding. The dragon head rested weakly on the pillow.

On a throne sat the red-helmeted general, battered and breathing heavily, applying medicinal powder to his wounds.

“Dragon Spirit, you seem to recognize that sword-riding youth. Who is he? How does he possess such a weapon to sink my flagship and severely wound both of us in a single strike?” the red-helmeted general asked in halting Central Plains speech.

“I do not know him either. But the Dragon Fish Commander mentioned encountering this youth outside Heavenly Sword Manor. His strength is truly formidable—no wonder he defeated my Iron Shark Commander and routed the Dragon Fish. The dreadful weapon he wielded is beyond imagination. I never thought such a deadly tool existed in the world. Even His Majesty could not withstand it!” the Dragon Spirit hissed through clenched teeth.

“Allow me to recover here in your Dragon Palace, regroup, and fight again. I vow to capture Qiongzhou.

“However, our Eastern Yi sustained heavy losses this time. When we plunder treasures and women, you’d better share a tenth with me.”