Cataclysm Chapter 106: The Dragon’s Prison 04

Chapter 106: The Dragon’s Prison 04

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

The group sat together, each holding porcelain cups filled with one of Sichuan’s famous teas, Bamboo Leaf Green. The vibrant green tea against the white porcelain created a charming and delightful contrast. In front of everyone were sunflower seeds and chilled cakes. After finishing the cakes, they sipped the tea; after the tea, they cracked seeds, and when thirst struck again, they went back to the tea. The sound of seeds being cracked echoed as everyone stared unblinkingly at Ma Shanfeng.

“Uncle Ma, we’re waiting for you to start,” someone urged.

Ma Shanfeng carefully rolled up his sleeves, two neat folds, and picked up his teacup to clear his throat. After a sip, he sighed and began:

“Over twenty years ago, I had just completed my apprenticeship. I traveled far and wide, earning a name for myself and eventually catching the government’s attention. Back then, the Daoist Association wasn’t as prosperous or regulated as it is now. It had just gone through a major crisis. Young people didn’t believe in this stuff anymore, and many traditions were on the brink of disappearing. But in those days, if you were granted the title of Tianshi, it meant you truly had the skills.”

Zhang Qiudao put down his phone. “Uncle Ma, young people like us today have real skills, too.” Chen Yang and Kou Xuanling, also part of the younger generation, nodded along.

Ma Shanfeng let out a dismissive snort. “Not like the Tianshis of my time. Back then, a Tianshi dared to take on missions above their rank and complete them solo. Now? It takes two or three of you just to handle tasks at your own level.”

Zhang Qiudao rubbed his nose. Honestly, of all the Tianshis present, he was the only one who fit Ma Shanfeng’s description. Chen Yang could take on tasks above his rank, and Kou Xuanling could handle his level solo.

Ma Shanfeng continued, “Nobody’s pushing you. You’ve got more talent and better conditions than we ever had, but you don’t put in the effort—are you still playing games?” He glared angrily at Zhang Qiudao.

Ma’s wife playfully slapped his arm. “It’s not as dangerous now. Let the young ones enjoy themselves. Isn’t it nice they even have games to play?”

Ma Shanfeng chuckled. “Just wait until Mao Xiaoli surpasses him. Let’s see if he cries then.”

Zhang Qiudao grimaced. Way to hit a nerve, old Ma. Silently, he put away his phone and paid attention.

Chen Yang laughed. “Qiudao’s studying for the Five Thunder Tianshi exam. I bet he’ll pass by next March. By then, he’ll be one of the elites in our circle. He and Xiaoli are both so talented. Who knows? Maybe one day they’ll hit it off, and we’ll need Uncle Ma and Auntie Ma to pick a wedding date for them.”

Ma Shanfeng snorted. “The Zhangs and the Maos have plenty of elders to do that. It won’t come down to me.”

“Why not?” Auntie Ma playfully smacked him harder this time. “Don’t get cocky just because they flatter you. Stay on topic and tell us about the dragon horn theft.”

Ma Shanfeng didn’t dare argue with his wife and reluctantly began.

“It wasn’t until I got on the plane that I found out the dragon horn had been stolen, and we were tasked with recovering it. As for why Tianshis were needed instead of special forces, it was because international relations were tense back then, making it hard to send troops abroad. Also, the thieves included an illusionist from Japan, a voodoo sorcerer from Southeast Asia, and a magician skilled in deception and ruthless as they come. They’d kill anyone without hesitation and were capable of anything to get the dragon horn.”

He paused, lost in thought, as if recalling something deeply unpleasant.

“Back then, it wasn’t just us. Two other teams of Tianshis were deployed. The fact that the government sent three teams shows how important the dragon horn was. But one of those teams didn’t make it. Every member died horribly.”

A collective gasp echoed around the room. The group struggled to imagine how powerful the thieves must have been to defeat a team entrusted with such a critical mission.

Ma Shanfeng’s expression darkened. “They weren’t necessarily that strong. They exploited the kindness of the Tianshis, trapping them at every turn. In one instance, a Japanese illusionist controlled a little girl and strapped a bomb to her. To save the child, one of us was lost. That Tianshi wasn’t even of age yet. He was young, naive, but incredibly gifted. Given time, he could’ve become a Shangqing Tianshi. Such a pity…”

The room fell silent, weighed down by the story. After a long pause, Chen Yang asked, “What happened after that?”

Ma Shanfeng said, “This tactic of using innocent children, women, and elderly people was used many times, and it always succeeded. Moreover, the illusionists from the island nation and the gu masters from Southeast Asia were highly skilled, ruthless, and sinister. The former were insidious and cunning, exploiting the innocent, while the latter used gu poison that was nearly impossible to defend against. If you were hit, you’d die a terrible death. Although the process was difficult, we eventually succeeded in retrieving the dragon horn.”

Chen Yang asked, “What about that small piece of the dragon horn that was auctioned off?”

“We didn’t fail in our mission; we returned the dragon horn to the state. However, before we could properly honor the spirits of those who had sacrificed their lives, news spread of the auctioned piece. It turned out that one of the magicians in our team had secretly chipped off a small fragment of the horn, fled to Europe, and successfully sold it at auction.” Because of this, Ma Shanfeng and the Tianshis who had participated in the mission were left with deep regret—the dragon horn couldn’t be fully recovered, and the spirits of the fallen couldn’t rest in peace.

Kui Xuan pouted while holding her doll and exclaimed, “So frustrating!” Her doll echoed in a soft voice, “So frustrating!” The sight of the two little ones puffing up their cheeks and pouting instantly dispelled Ma Shanfeng’s feelings of regret and sadness. He and his wife couldn’t help but tease them with affection.

Chen Yang asked, “Where was the stolen dragon horn originally obtained from?”

Ma Shanfeng froze for a moment before shaking his head. “I honestly don’t know where the dragon horn came from.”

“I do.” Elder Yi spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention. She took a sip of tea, savoring it before continuing. “Have you heard of the term zoulong (the dragon’s journey)?”

Chen Yang nodded. “There’s a folk legend that speaks of a jiaolong (flood dragon) ascending to the sea to transform into a true dragon. Most jiaolong are said to hide in the Yangtze River or remote mountain forests to cultivate. When the day comes for them to ascend, they either seek humanity’s blessing or enter the sea to complete their transformation. Unlike true dragons, which can appear and disappear at will, jiaolong are massive creatures. Their journey from land to sea often stirs up floods, using the water as cover to reach the ocean. However, the areas they pass through remain oddly untouched by the destruction typically associated with floods, which is why it’s called zoulong—the dragon’s journey.”

Elder Yi’s eyes glimmered with a hint of appreciation as she smiled slightly. “That’s correct. Another point is that when a jiaolong encounters a bridge during its journey, it often refuses to pass beneath it, causing the waters to rise and destroy the structure. To prevent this, people would sometimes forge bronze swords to place under the bridge to intimidate the dragon. Also, causing floods and harming the innocent made jiaolong vulnerable to lightning strikes. During their journey, they faced countless dangers. If they reached the sea safely, they could transform into true dragons. Otherwise, centuries of cultivation would vanish in an instant, leaving them to perish in ashes.”

Kui Xuan curiously asked, “Then why do people say dragons need to seek blessings from humans?” She recounted stories she’d heard about dragons petitioning for titles to Elder Yi.

Elder Yi chuckled. “Petitioning for titles is a riskier option. It involves entrusting their cultivation to humans. The dragon’s journey, on the other hand, relies solely on its own abilities to survive tribulation. Either way, both paths lead to a jiaolong transforming into a true dragon.”

Chen Yang asked, “So, what does this have to do with the dragon horn?”

Elder Yi’s smile faded. “Many years ago, a jiaolong attempted its journey, causing severe floods along the Yellow River’s banks. Farmlands and homes were devastated, and countless lives were lost. Then, thunderclouds gathered, and it became clear that heaven intended to strike the young jiaolong down with lightning. The jiaolong sought refuge in the Yellow River, but unfortunately, the lightning struck a true dragon that lived there instead, breaking off one of its horns. A dragon without horns cannot ascend to heaven.”

The group fell silent for a long moment before Chen Yang spoke. “So, the dragon horn belonged to a true dragon that was struck by lightning by mistake?”

Elder Yi couldn’t help but add with a touch of humor, “Yes, it was quite the unlucky dragon. Imagine just minding its own business at home, only to be hit by lightning from above.”

Kou Xuanling chimed in, “It needs a blessing talisman.”

Elder Yi said, “After the dragon’s horn was struck off, its cultivation level dropped. The horn disappeared, and it wasn’t until a time of great chaos and then eventual peace that the dragon horn reappeared. It was stolen, recovered, and preserved. Only then did the matter come to a close.”

Chen Yang asked, “Is that dragon still hiding under the Yellow River?”

“According to the previous shaman, she saw a hornless dragon in the Dragon’s Prison when she was young.”

“Oh.” Chen Yang leaned against Du Shuo, deep in thought. “I think I dreamt about that hornless dragon two or three hours ago. It suddenly emerged from a deep pool, unable to ascend to the heavens because it had no horns. Do you think it’s trying to reach out to me?”

“Most awakened spirits will enter dreams to send a message when they need help,” Elder Yi replied after sipping her tea. “It probably wants you to help it leave the deep pool. The doll told me that the Yin-Yang Ghost Butterfly needs dragon meat to hatch. That suggests the butterfly can lead us to the dragon.”

Zhang Qiudao asked, “Didn’t you say the dragon was seen in the Dragon’s Prison?”

Elder Yi explained, “The Dragon’s Prison stretches beyond the horizon. It’s an enormous, steep, jagged mountain that towers into the clouds. Streams and torrents surround the base, and only a single suspension bridge connects to it. That bridge is treacherous—one misstep, and you’d be swept away by the rapids in an instant. The Wu tribe has always warned villagers to stay away from the Dragon’s Prison because it’s far too dangerous. Even if you make it there, finding where the dragon is hiding would be nearly impossible. As for why, you’ll see for yourselves tomorrow.”

Chen Yang nodded. “If that’s the case, then we’ll head to the Dragon’s Prison tomorrow. Everyone should get some rest for now. Kui Xuan and the doll, you both need to go to bed. Kids shouldn’t stay up late—off to sleep with you.”

Ma Shanfeng and his wife led Kui Xuan and the doll back to their rooms to tuck them in. Since the doll had its own room, it invited its good friend Kui Xuan to sleep there as well. The rest of the group had already been assigned rooms and went off to settle in. The house was built into the mountainside, so every room had windows that drew light from the rocky walls.

Chen Yang’s room was on the topmost level. When he opened the window, he had a panoramic view of the entire shaman village. The village was surrounded by mountains, with only one entrance at the base of the mountain in the front. The villagers’ homes were built into the mountainside, and the open space encircled by the peaks was neatly planned with roads and marketplaces. Looking out further, the layered mountains stretched gracefully into the distance, their green-blue hues shrouded in a thin, misty veil, like the ethereal peaks in a traditional landscape painting. The air was fresh and humid, and just breathing it in made Chen Yang feel invigorated.

Chen Yang sighed in admiration. “The Wu village has such a great environment—it’s perfect for living in seclusion. The only downside is the inconvenient transportation. Everything else is ideal.”

Du Shuo, hearing this, paused as he was unbuttoning his shirt and said, “Fengdu looks even better and is more suited for seclusion.”

Chen Yang turned to him, puzzled. “Isn’t Fengdu the legendary ghost city? Dark and eerie, filled with spirits and monsters? Are you sure it’s good for seclusion?”

Feeling his tastes were being questioned, the emperor frowned with a stern expression. “Fengdu has two areas. One is the administrative center, which has to be grim and imposing to intimidate wicked spirits. The other is my personal residence, where most ghost officials and underworld workers also live. In the mortal world, it’s referred to as the ghost kingdom, named after me as Du Shuo Mountain. The mountain is filled with peachwood trees, and peach blossoms bloom all year round.”

“Peach blossoms for thousands of years?” Chen Yang raised an eyebrow.

The emperor replied simply, “Mn.”

“Aren’t you sick of seeing them by now?” Chen Yang teased.

The emperor fell silent, his expression unreadable.

Du Shuo’s lips were tightly pressed as he stayed silent, saying nothing. With his back turned to Chen Yang, he unbuttoned his shirt and changed clothes before heading into the bathroom to shower. Chen Yang smirked mischievously, and as soon as he heard the sound of water rushing in the bathroom, he tiptoed forward and quietly opened the door to sneak inside.

The bathroom was filled with steam, the shower head fixed to the wall spraying hot water. However, no one was standing beneath it.

Chen Yang, puzzled, pulled back the curtain, only to find the bathtub empty as well. Just as he was about to turn around, he was ambushed. A figure suddenly pounced on him, pushing him toward the bathtub and pinning him against the wall. Before he could react, a sharp pain shot through his neck as he was bitten.

“Ah! Easy, that hurts,” he hissed.

Du Shuo’s raspy voice sounded near his ear, “Pain’s good—it helps you remember.”

Chen Yang chuckled, saying, “When did I ever forget? Stop leaning on me—it’s uncomfortable.”

Du Shuo released him, allowing Chen Yang to turn around in his embrace. Now facing each other, Chen Yang wrapped his arms around Du Shuo’s shoulders. “Next time, take me to Du Shuo Mountain?”

Du Shuo hesitated before replying, “…Alright.”

***

The Dragon’s Prison was located in Dragon Gorge, where the rapids of a Yangtze River tributary rushed through the steep terrain. The gorge itself was far from the Wu Clan’s territory but closer to a neighboring scenic area. Because of this, the formation guarding Dragon Gorge had been broken, and someone had trespassed into the Dragon’s Prison, drowning in the pool there before the Wu Clan could arrive to prevent it.

Yi Wuchang led Chen Yang and the others to stand by a suspension bridge, pointing to a towering, steep mountain on the other side. “That’s the Dragon’s Prison. Legend has it that an evil dragon once overturned the mountains, causing floods and altering the courses of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, which brought devastation to the land. Later, a celestial god killed the dragon and used its corpse to block the raging waters, redirecting the floods. The dragon’s body turned into this mountain. Fearing the dragon’s vengeful spirit might still cause harm, the god built a divine altar to seal its soul here. That’s how it came to be called the Dragon’s Prison.”

Kui Xuan asked, “Really?”

Yi Wuchang glanced at him and softened her tone. “It’s a myth passed down for centuries. There’s no way to verify if it’s true.”

Chen Yang looked over at Du Shuo, whose expression remained indifferent as he stared at the Dragon’s Prison, his emotions unclear. “What do you see?” Chen Yang asked.

Du Shuo smiled faintly. “A mountain.”

Chen Yang grabbed Du Shuo’s large hand, idly tracing patterns with his fingers. “Fine, don’t tell me then.”

Du Shuo pulled his hand away and pressed it against the back of Chen Yang’s neck. “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

Chen Yang snorted and turned to avoid Du Shuo’s hand, accidentally bumping into someone coming up behind him. The man immediately shouted in annoyance, “Do you even have eyes?!”

Chen Yang turned to see a short man, no taller than five foot three, glaring at him furiously. The man’s gaze was venomous, and even though Chen Yang apologized, he continued cursing, unwilling to let the matter go.

From the group behind the short man, a foreigner called out to him, prompting him to begrudgingly stop. Before leaving, however, he muttered a slur under his breath.

Chen Yang’s brow furrowed, and he glanced at Yi Wuchang and Ma Shanfeng, who both looked equally displeased. Yi Wuchang immediately marched over to the tour guide and sternly reprimanded her. “Who allowed you to bring them here?”

The guide flinched, startled, but then noticed the group behind Yi Wuchang and assumed she was just another guide sneaking visitors in to see Dragon Gorge. Relaxing, the guide said, “Aren’t you doing the same thing? Don’t try to act all self-righteous.”

Yi Wuchang’s voice grew colder. “Are you a guide from the neighboring scenic area?”

The guide pulled out her credentials. “That’s right.” She glanced at Yi Wuchang’s chest and, noticing she wasn’t wearing any staff or tour guide identification, smirked maliciously. “You’re not a guide, are you?”

At her words, Yi Wuchang’s tone turned harsher. “As a guide from the neighboring area, you should know that Dragon Gorge isn’t part of the scenic spots and is strictly off-limits to visitors. The area prohibits tourists from crossing the suspension bridge to prevent accidents. Don’t you know that?”

The tour guide was visibly guilty. She knew the rules, but she had brought the group of foreign tourists here because they were generous with their money. Flustered, she stammered, “You… you’re doing the same thing, so what gives you the right to criticize me?”

Elder Yi’s piercing gaze swept over her like a blade, silencing the guide instantly.

The group of tourists, clearly not from Huaguo, observed Chen Yang and the others while overhearing the conversation. One of them, a European man with a kind appearance, stepped forward and spoke in Chinese, “Everyone seems curious about that mountain. Why don’t we go take a look together?”

Elder Yi responded with a cold, cutting tone, “I’m afraid you won’t live to see it.”

The foreign group was visibly angered by her sharp, unyielding attitude and exchanged words in a foreign language. The European man who had spoken earlier retreated to their group, conversing with the others as though no one else existed.

Chen Yang asked, “What language is that? Can anyone tell?”

Lu Xiuzhi replied, “It’s an obscure dialect from a tiny, uncharted country. From what I can gather, they think we’re in the way and suggested killing us and tossing us into the stream in Dragon Gorge. That European man told them not to make a scene, saying it would attract trouble with the ‘Wu.’ The ‘Wu’ must mean the Wu Clan. These people are a dragon-slaying death squad.”

Chen Yang smirked, “Seems like they don’t know who Elder Yi is.”

A soft, childlike voice murmured near his ear, “The ones negotiating with the Wu Clan aren’t here, so they wouldn’t recognize the elder.”

Failing to reach a resolution, the foreigners left reluctantly. However, the short man from the island nation, whom Chen Yang had accidentally bumped into earlier, turned back. His venomous gaze locked onto Kui Xuan in the crowd. Kui Xuan suddenly lifted her head, meeting his stare.

The man gestured with his hand, silently chanting a spell to compel Kui Xuan to jump into the rushing stream below in front of everyone.

But Kui Xuan only smiled. Her eyes turned blood-red, her skin took on a greenish hue, and sharp fangs emerged as her face twisted into a terrifyingly monstrous appearance. The sight frightened the short man so much he stumbled and fell. Kui Xuan’s expression immediately returned to a sweet, innocent smile.

The European man stepped forward, frowning as he asked the short man, “What’s wrong with you?”

The short man from the island nation pointed at Kui Xuan, “She—” He blinked, staring in disbelief. The once terrifying monster had transformed into a sweet, obedient little girl. He shook his head, darkening his expression, “It’s nothing.” The man got up and followed the group down the mountain, but his mind lingered on Kui Xuan’s appearance. He didn’t think he had been mistaken— the only explanation was that Kui Xuan truly was a demon.

The island man mulled it over a few times, then decided he would capture Kui Xuan. His familiar still needed a small demon, and this one seemed like it could catch the attention of many influential people due to her looks.

Halfway down the mountain, the South Asian necromancer, who had been silent with his eyes closed the entire time, suddenly opened his eyes. “I’ve placed insect curses on them. Tonight, I’ll send a demon to kill them.” The necromancer was the most conniving of the dragon-slaying death squad; even a careless word could lead to death.

The European man, a magician, spoke lightly, “Don’t make a scene.” It was clear he didn’t care much about human life.

At the summit, Elder Yi suddenly clapped his hands and called out, “Doll.” The Doll responded loudly, moving so quickly she left only an afterimage. After touching the ears of everyone except Du Shuo and Lu Xiuzhi, she jumped to the ground, striking a dramatic pose and spreading her hands. “Look! Seven—wait, only five insect curses?”

Everyone focused, noticing that the Doll’s palms held five wriggling transparent insects, about the size of a fingernail. The fact that they had been pulled from behind her ears made everyone’s skin crawl.

Chen Yang instinctively touched behind his ears. Du Shuo showed him the insects he had caught on his fingers. “It didn’t come near you.” It turned out that when the South Asian necromancer had placed the insect curses, Du Shuo had already caught two insects that were about to affect him and Chen Yang.

Chen Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Lu Xiuzhi had informed Kou Xuanling about the two insect curses he had caught. Only then did the Doll understand why she had caught only five insects. She looked up at Elder Yi with longing eyes. Elder Yi, with a cold face, said, “After we finish tonight, I’ll let you eat.”

The Doll cheered happily and swallowed the five insects, then Du Shuo and Lu Xiuzhi each handed her two more insects to eat. She patted her stomach, looking content and as if she were holding a treasure, her entire little body radiating joy. “I’ll keep them in my belly for now, and eat them later after we’ve handled things.”

Elder Yi explained, “The Doll grows by eating the insect curses. They’re very nourishing for her. One of the tourists earlier was a South Asian necromancer skilled in curses. He placed a curse on each of us, and by midnight, he plans to send a demon to kill us.”

The South Asian necromancer’s curses were similar to the Miaojiang insect sorcery, but no one could rival Elder Yi in terms of expertise in curses.

Zhang Qiudao asked, “A demon made of a severed head and a child’s spirit?”

“Yes, a little demon.”

The South Asian necromancer often used little demons, but these demons could be made in many different ways, with various names depending on their nature. In this case, using insects to lure the demon, the little demon summoned to kill the necromancer’s enemies was called a “severed head and child’s spirit.”

 

Author’s Note: 

Reader’s Anger: Let’s get rid of those dragon-slaying thieves. 

Dragon: Huh? Dragon’s horns? Oh, I got struck by lightning. Hahahaha, even if the dragon was in such a miserable state, there’s no way a few foreign thieves could sever its horns! Is the dragon not concerned about its reputation? …emmm, getting struck by lightning also seems pretty shameful.

 

 

 

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