Chapter Thirty: Dragon Droppings!

As soon as the topic of poisoning came up, Jiang Yuan's interest was instantly piqued. He looked at the system with anticipation and asked, “What kind of poison are we going to use?”

“Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder,” the system replied with an answer that sounded anything but reliable.

Jiang Yuan frowned upon hearing this. What on earth was that? Was this damn system playing games with him?

“Are you messing with me? Brother, this is the world of Deification, not a martial arts story! What the hell is Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder?” Jiang Yuan complained.

“The system is aware. Host, you needn’t worry about the name of the poison—just know that this Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder will work on Ao Qin,” the system insisted on its chosen name.

Jiang Yuan was speechless, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. What kind of system was this? Could it really take such liberties with everything?

“Then tell me, what exactly does this Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder do?” Jiang Yuan asked, frowning.

The system’s voice turned evasive and ambiguous. “Don’t worry about what it does. All you need to know is that it will be effective against the Dragon King of the South Sea.”

Jiang Yuan was completely at a loss with this damn system. He’d thought the system was just a fixed program running in a set pattern, but now it seemed to have developed its own ideas.

How was Jiang Yuan, as the host, supposed to eat in peace with this going on?

“Just tell me—how many Tyrant Points are you going to extort from me this time?”

Jiang Yuan asked resignedly. The South Sea was already in chaos; Nezha and Yin Jiao were locked in fierce battle, and their glances kept darting toward the battlefield between Zhang Kui and Ao Qin, eyes gleaming with intent.

Jiang Yuan knew these two reckless youths would surely try to join the fray between Zhang Kui and Ao Qin. If the battle wasn’t ended soon, things would only escalate. Nezha, after all, was the treasured disciple of the Celestial Master Taiyi.

If anything happened to Nezha, and Taiyi was provoked, what then? Jiang Yuan knew full well he was in no position to face the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect.

Those were all at least Great Luo Golden Immortals! And Celestial Master Taiyi’s ranking among them was far from low.

Though Yin Jiao’s master, Guang Chengzi, was ranked even higher, what did that have to do with him?

“The system plans to charge the host 150 Tyrant Points!”

Once again, Jiang Yuan’s impression of the system bottomed out. Was it not even going to pretend anymore?

The system seemed to realize its slip and quickly corrected itself. “Host, please don’t malign the system. The system has always conducted business with absolute fairness and honesty—when has it ever cheated you out of even half a Tyrant Point? This bottle of Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder is a friendship price for you. Nowhere else could you get it for only 150 Tyrant Points!”

“Oh? Then tell me where ‘else’ is, and I’ll go take a look,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

“Sorry, Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder is exclusive to this store; there is nowhere else,” the system replied with a trace of smugness.

Jiang Yuan’s face darkened. He hated monopolies with a passion!

“So what are we waiting for? Either way, I’m getting fleeced, so I might as well get it over with. Let’s make the deal now!” Jiang Yuan said through gritted teeth.

Although Zhang Kui could endure for a while longer, Jiang Yuan didn’t want any accidents. Yin Jiao and Nezha’s battlefield was drawing ever closer.

“Host, you’re not going to haggle?” This time, the system sounded surprised.

Was this the attitude of a nouveau riche?

“Would it make any difference if I did? How much of a discount would the system give?” Jiang Yuan’s eyes brightened hopefully.

But the system immediately dashed his hopes. “Haggling is useless. The system offers no discounts.”

“Damn you!” Jiang Yuan wished he could shut off the system’s voice entirely.

“Let’s proceed with the transaction!”

“Ding! Transaction successful. Host has spent 150 Tyrant Points to obtain Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder. Current Tyrant Points: 205.”

“Does the host need any other services?”

Jiang Yuan replied with a blank face, “I need you to get lost!”

“Ding! Transaction successful. The system will now get lost. Five Tyrant Points deducted. Current Tyrant Points: 200.”

What the—?!

Did the system think his Tyrant Points grew on trees? Was it really so shameless as to fleece him for that as well?

Jiang Yuan couldn’t be bothered to curse at the system any further; dealing with the problem before him was more important.

A white jade bottle decorated with blue patterns appeared out of thin air in his hand. Without expression, Jiang Yuan uncapped the bottle and peered inside—it was filled with fine white powder.

He’d been about to sniff the Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder to see what it smelled like, but remembering the system’s confidence in this concoction, he decided against it. Nothing good ever came of such things.

Once prepared, Jiang Yuan called out to Zhang Kui, who was fighting fiercely, “General Zhang, I have a plan to subdue this foe. Stand ready to cooperate with me!”

Zhang Kui hesitated when he heard Jiang Yuan intended to join the fight. The Dragon King of the South Sea was no weakling; if something happened to the king, could Zhang Kui bear that responsibility?

“My king, if you have a plan, you need only instruct me. There’s no need for you to personally join the battle.”

“No matter. I have my own arrangements,” Jiang Yuan replied, wondering if Zhang Kui underestimated him. Did he think Jiang Yuan was completely helpless? Although, compared to Zhang Kui, his own strength was indeed not much better than that of a cripple...

“Then please, my king, be careful in all things,” Zhang Kui urged repeatedly.

Jiang Yuan was touched. If Zhang Kui were a woman, he’d have already brought him into his harem.

“Keep restraining Ao Qin. I’ll strike at the right moment,” Jiang Yuan said coolly, though in his heart he was thinking, I’ll strike at the right moment—with the poison.

Zhang Kui understood. Ao Qin, the Dragon King of the South Sea, saw the murderer of his son so blatantly plotting with others against himself and was further enraged.

His dragon eyes burned all the brighter, his fury mounting.

Ignoring Zhang Kui’s attacks—taking several blows head-on—Ao Qin charged toward Jiang Yuan. But Jiang Yuan wasn’t entirely defenseless.

The Divine Art of Creation and Destruction was no ordinary technique; Jiang Yuan’s magic power was robust, his body resilient. Even taking a hit or two from Ao Qin left him largely unscathed.

But seeing Jiang Yuan get struck, Zhang Kui was not content. Wasn’t this a slap in the face?

“Beast! Your life ends here!” Zhang Kui roared, re-engaging Ao Qin.

With Zhang Kui’s strength, Ao Qin couldn’t afford to spare any more attention for Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan grumbled to himself—so I killed your son, big deal; it’s not like I slept with your wife!

Still, after suffering a minor setback, he knew better than to stay too close to the battlefield. He stood at a safe distance, waiting for the right opportunity.

After a short wait, Jiang Yuan saw his chance.

“General Zhang, fall back!” he shouted.

In a flash, Jiang Yuan darted to the edge of the battlefield between Ao Qin and Zhang Kui. Zhang Kui, hearing the command, instinctively retreated.

He soon regretted it—wasn’t he abandoning the king? Quickly, he moved to rush back to Jiang Yuan’s side, but by then Jiang Yuan had already acted.

Jiang Yuan infused a wisp of magic power into the jade bottle and hurled it at Ao Qin, who opened his mouth in a furious roar.

What’s this? Trying to scare me with tricks?

Blinded by hatred, Ao Qin had forgotten all caution. He opened his mouth wide, intending to swallow the jade bottle—just as Jiang Yuan had hoped.

Bang!

The jade bottle exploded, releasing the white powder inside, which immediately turned into a green mist upon contact with the air.

The green mist rapidly expanded, engulfing Ao Qin.

Zhang Kui watched in confusion. Jiang Yuan had no time to explain; as the green mist drifted his way, he shouted, “General Zhang, retreat with me!”

Without waiting to see if Zhang Kui followed, Jiang Yuan beat a hasty retreat—better his friend than himself, after all.

Once he reached what he deemed a safe distance, he found Zhang Kui already there, waiting.

Zhang Kui, be honest with me—was all your loyalty just an act? How did you outrun me?

“My king, what was that bottle you just threw?” Zhang Kui asked curiously.

That was actually a good question. The stuff was called Heartbreak Soul-Scattering Powder, but as for what it actually did, Jiang Yuan was clueless. The damn system had been so secretive!

“Just wait and see. The result will reveal itself soon,” Jiang Yuan replied with an air of mystery.

In truth, he was nervous, watching the green mist intently. Would this dubious powder actually work? Surely the system hadn’t just scammed him?

Once the mist cleared, Zhang Kui moved to stand protectively in front of Jiang Yuan, his face resolute.

This reassured Jiang Yuan—so long as his brother was there to take a hit for him, he could rest easy.

But Ao Qin, shrouded in green mist, showed no odd symptoms. On the contrary, his eyes seemed even clearer.

Seeing this, Jiang Yuan cursed inwardly. Damn system, are you screwing with me? I spent real Tyrant Points on this!

“My king?” Zhang Kui looked at Jiang Yuan again, as if to ask whether to resume the fight.

Jiang Yuan forced himself to remain calm. “No hurry. Let’s wait—perhaps the medicine takes a while to work.”

Zhang Kui suddenly realized—so the king had poisoned Ao Qin.

Ao Qin, now clear-headed, no longer rushed at Jiang Yuan for vengeance. Instead, he glared angrily and demanded, “Who are you? Why did you kill my son? Unless you give me an explanation today, no one will leave the South Sea alive!”

Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow and sneered, “You dare call yourself ‘king’ in front of me?”

“You’re King Zhou?” Ao Qin realized.

“Indeed. Now you understand why Ao Xi deserved to die? And I’ll tell you—Ao Xi wasn’t the only one. You, Ao Qin, deserve death as well! So many of my subjects in Great Shang have died from famine for lack of rain—your entire South Sea is responsible!” Jiang Yuan said angrily.

Ao Qin, hearing this, actually seemed relieved and laughed. “Ridiculous! You tyrant, do you not realize disaster is about to befall you? Disrespecting the sages—you deserve death!”

“Oh? So you’re taking orders from someone else?”

Ao Qin, realizing he’d said too much, didn’t bother to explain. Instead, he roared at Jiang Yuan, “Tyrant, prepare to die!”

Jiang Yuan was genuinely surprised—was there really someone bold enough to try to kill the Human Sovereign head-on? What promises had the sages made to Ao Qin?

Seeing Ao Qin fully alert, Jiang Yuan grew anxious.

“Damn system, what kind of poison did you give me? Why isn’t it doing anything?”

“Patience. Let the medicine seep in a bit longer,” the system replied calmly.

“How dare you speak to the king that way!” Zhang Kui, enraged, prepared to charge at Ao Qin once more.

But suddenly, as Ao Qin barreled toward them, his body froze. His expression grew odd—then, a loud noise erupted from him.

The dragon had farted! A cloud of green mist burst from behind Ao Qin’s dragon form.

High above the South Sea, Ao Qin let loose a torrential deluge! Jiang Yuan and Zhang Kui stared in stunned silence at the filth raining down into the sea.

So this was dragon dung? It wasn’t as remarkable as one might have thought.