https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-48-Lei-Jun-Tribulation-is-Risky-/12586224/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-50-The-Old-General-on-the-Opera-Stage/12586245/
Chapter 49: Qin Taotao
Chapter 49: Qin Taotao
"Uh..."
Qin Tao's lips twitched, but he couldn't bring himself to speak for a long moment.
The other party's expression was so sincere that he suddenly felt uncertain if he was being mocked.
Qin Tao observed Lei Jun closely.
Lei Jun's face was filled with emotion, and his eyes held a hint of fearful bewilderment, as if he truly feared the torment of death that awaited him.
"Brother Lei, you're still young, don't be so disheartened," Qin Tao forced a laugh and said reluctantly.
Lei Jun nodded, "Brother Qin is right."
After finishing his meal, he cleaned up and left.
Waiting for death? Well, then go ahead and face the tribulation of the Triple Heaven's abyss. What awaits you is death... Qin Tao's lips twitched as he watched Lei Jun's retreating figure.
With Qin Tao gone, Lei Jun temporarily put aside his worries and focused on his cultivation and the birth of the Water Marrow Yin Fish.
However, as summer approached, the flood season was drawing near.
In addition to the Xin River in the south, there were numerous rivers, streams, and lakes in the Yunxiao Mountain Range.
Both the Purple Xia Sect and the Green Xia Temple had to begin their annual flood control efforts to prevent water disasters from affecting the surrounding areas.
Even people from the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion came to help.
"Brother Luo?" Lei Jun was slightly surprised. "You're here too?"
Luo Hanran and several of his fellow disciples greeted Ru Zhaoqing, Qin Tao, and the others from the Green Xia Sect before coming over to greet Lei Jun.
"I was involved in setting up the formation for the hydraulic engineering project at Green Xia Lake last year, so I don't need to make any major moves this year. I'm just here to inspect and reinforce the structures," Luo Hanran replied with a smile.
The group chatted as they hadn't seen each other for a few months.
During their conversation, someone brought up an incident that had occurred on their journey there.
They had encountered a flood on the Xin River and rescued a few people, who turned out to be from the Jingxiang Fang clan.
In this world, most floods were unusual.
The disturbance of the heavenly spirit energy, combined with the floodwaters, often resulted in terrifying chaotic spirit energy.
Cultivators who were caught in it might even be reduced to bones and ashes, just like Li Ming, who had died at the bottom of the Yunhai Immortal Pool.
The Jingxiang Fang clan was one of the most prominent and influential clans, and they had a relatively amicable relationship with the Celestial Master's Mansion. It was not surprising that disciples from the mansion would lend a helping hand when someone from the Fang clan was in danger.
However, the problem was...
"Fang Mingyuan?" Lei Jun turned to Luo Hanran upon hearing this.
Luo Hanran was not one to boast about his accomplishments, so he had remained quiet earlier, sitting quietly by the side. Hearing Lei Jun's question, he nodded, "I didn't know it was him before I went underwater, but since we encountered them, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
Back then, at the mountain gate, he injured Zhang Yuan, but he also received a severe injury from me and was punished as he should have been."
"And then?" Lei Jun asked.
"After the Fang clan members expressed their gratitude, they headed downstream," Luo Hanran replied.
Lei Jun thought for a moment before speaking, "Brother Luo, there's a Confucian saying that goes, 'A gentleman can be deceived by his methods.'"
Luo Hanran nodded, understanding Lei Jun's implication, "You're right, Brother Lei. We must be vigilant. I'll keep an eye out."
The group chatted a while longer before retiring for the night.
The next morning, they dispersed to inspect the hydraulic engineering projects, control the floods, and prevent water disasters that could trigger chaotic spirit energy.
However, as the saying goes, what you fear is what you attract.
"The embankment of Green Xia Lake has burst, and the formation has been damaged! Immediate repairs are needed!"
The lake was the most important reservoir near Green Xia Valley, and a flood there would affect the nearby valleys, villages, and towns.
Ru Zhaoqing, the master of Green Xia Pavilion, and Qin Tao, the supervisor, had no choice but to join forces and rush to Green Xia Lake to support Luo Hanran, who had already gone ahead.
"The formation at Green Xia Lake is new, so it shouldn't have failed so quickly," Lei Jun frowned slightly. "Was it shoddy work, or is there another reason?"
Around the summer season, Lei Jun had done some research.
As long as there was no major flood in the Green Xia Lake area, the few cold springs deep in the mountains would not be affected.
However, if the embankment burst and the lake flooded, releasing a large volume of water, the cold springs might be inundated, which would impact the birth of the Water Marrow Yin Fish.
For the public, there were quite a few civilians living in the nearby areas.
For his personal reasons, the cold springs and the Yin Fish were at stake.
Unfortunately, his master, Yuan Mobai, was not around at the moment...
After some consideration, Lei Jun decided to join Ru Zhaoqing and Qin Tao as they headed towards Green Xia Lake.
With their shortage of manpower, his help was most welcome.
As they approached the area near Qingxiaohu Lake, they found that the mountains had turned into river valleys, with floods spreading everywhere.
The floods were mixed with chaotic spiritual energy, forcing Lei Jun and the others to proceed with caution, lest they be trapped within it.
Luo Hanran, who had arrived earlier, was struggling to maintain the formation on the damaged lake embankment.
Numerous spirit talismans lit up, curbing the flood and chaotic spiritual energy, but there was a huge gap that needed to be addressed.
Lei Jun, Ru Zhaoqing, and Qin Tao didn't hesitate and immediately joined forces with Luo Hanran to plug the leak, each of them offering several water-avoiding talismans to help.
With only the four of them, it wasn't enough to counter the mighty flood.
The only option was to repair and manipulate the remnants of the formation.
Finally, a delicate but fragile balance was achieved between the formation and the flood, and the water no longer raged out of control.
However, what lay before Lei Jun and the others was a terrifyingly massive hanging lake. The formation's power temporarily held back the floodwaters, suspending them in mid-air like an upside-down ocean hanging in the sky.
The surrounding mountains were obscured by the hanging lake, their peaks submerged.
Lei Jun and the others, along with the Qingxiaohu formation, seemed to be situated in an underwater world, with a temporary cavity formed underwater.
Beyond this cavity, there were still abundant floodwaters, but they were being pulled and wrapped by the formation's radiant power, prevented from surging and spreading outward.
Most of the mountains were still ravaged by the floods, leaving only two mountain passes that provided a way out.
It was only at this moment that Lei Jun and his companions could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Lu Zhaqing looked at Luo Hanran and Lei Jun, "Both of you arrived just in time. If we had been one person short, Qingxiaohu and Qingxiaoguan would have been doomed today!"
The current balance was extremely fragile.
If their side lost even a fraction of their strength, the remaining formation would collapse.
Without the formation, the flood before them would be an unstoppable force, at least not something they could handle with their numbers.
Regardless of Qin Tao's opinion of Lei Jun, he nodded in agreement, "Indeed!"
Lei Jun replied, "Master Lu and Senior Brother Qin, your words are too heavy. I dare not take such credit."
"For now, we're just barely holding on. We must immediately contact our sect and Zixiao Sect to send more people for support," Luo Hanran said worriedly.
Lu Zhaqing said, "We can't afford to leave this place unattended, but fortunately, the situation has temporarily stabilized. Let's split into two groups. One group will stay and guard while the other goes to seek reinforcements."
Forcing their way through the hanging lake above would likely result in being swallowed by the chaotic spiritual energy.
He looked towards the distant mountains.
Fortunately, there were still passable routes through the northern and western mountain ranges.
At this moment, the glowing sphere in Lei Jun's mind suddenly flashed, and words appeared:
"Amidst heavenly disasters and calamities, hidden dangers lurk on multiple paths. Stay calm and vigilant, and you shall pass without peril."
Three divination sticks then flew out:
"Middle sign: Stay at Qingxiaohu Lake to reinforce the formation. Be cautious and meticulous, turning danger into safety. There will be an opportunity to obtain a sixth-grade and a seventh-grade opportunity, but there may be hidden troubles in the future, so be cautious. (Neutral)."
"Lower-middle sign: Leave Qingxiaohu Lake and head west to escape towards Zixiao Sect for help, but you will encounter dangers along the way, struggling to survive. The outcome is uncertain, ominous."
"Lower sign: Leave Qingxiaohu Lake and head north to escape towards Zixiao Sect for help, but you will encounter an uncontrollable danger, resulting in certain death. Highly ominous!"
It seemed that none of these divination results were favorable.
Fortunately, there was one middle sign that could help them avoid the other two pitfalls.
However...
Staying to face the flood seemed dangerous, but it was relatively safer.
Leaving to seek reinforcements seemed like escaping from peril, but it was actually more dangerous, with either an ominous or highly ominous outcome?
Lei Jun's eyes flickered as he looked at the divination results.
"I'll stay," Luo Hanran said without hesitation. "Reinforcing the formation is what I'm best suited for."
Lu Zhaqing looked at Lei Jun, who was standing beside him, and said after a moment of thought, "Then it's up to you, Lei..."
Lei Jun said, "I'm not familiar with the roads and terrain, so if I go to deliver the message, I might end up wasting more time. It's better if I stay and help."
Lu Zhaqing was surprised, while Qin Tao was delighted but dared not show it.
Lu Zhaqing thought for a moment, not giving Lei Jun much time to hesitate, and made a decisive decision, "In that case, I'll stay here with Luo and Lei. Qin, you go and make the liaison. Be careful on your way."
Qin Tao took a deep breath and said, "Yes, Master. Qin Tao will definitely live up to your expectations!"
Lei Jun watched as Qin Tao ran towards the mountains.
(End of Chapter)
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