Chapter 51: An Unforeseen Calamity Descends

All these thoughts flashed through Ye Chen’s mind in an instant, but he had no time to ponder the true reason behind it all. The black flood dragon appeared ferocious as it swooped toward him, but Ye Chen did not flee. Why should he run? After all, there was no way he would be killed.

If he couldn’t withstand it, the worst outcome would be to be bound by the fate of the black flood dragon, swayed by its luck, perhaps causing him to act recklessly in the future, courting disaster with wanton behavior. But on the other hand, there were quite a few benefits to be gained. It wasn’t that Ye Chen was overly eager for quick results—it was just that the calculations and schemes of the ancestors of the Bamboo Tribe would not simply be invalidated because of his reluctance.

That simply wasn’t possible. Ye Chen knew he had better not be ungrateful. What, should he refuse the black flood dragon’s fate and let the sorcerer take it? That was out of the question.

Even if the black flood dragon’s fate would eventually bring about backlash and dire consequences, he would at least taste the meat before suffering the pain. It was better than gaining nothing and inviting trouble for nothing.

Before any backlash, his luck would be at its peak. If the sorcerer seized the black flood dragon’s fate, he might see through Ye Chen’s schemes, and the flaws left in his twisted memories would become glaring.

If that happened, wouldn’t Ye Chen be in for a disaster he couldn’t bear? Those days would be hard indeed. If he left hidden dangers within the Bamboo Tribe, he would be the ultimate fool.

Clearly, that was not an option. Ye Chen could only force himself to accept it. If he truly couldn’t handle the black flood dragon, he’d simply lie down and let it rampage—surely it wouldn’t devour its host entirely?

With a thunderous roar, the black flood dragon swept across the sky, bringing with it a surging tide of darkness that turned heaven and earth upside down. That endless, boundless black light poured forth in torrents, as though someone with a heavy hand was painting upon the world, composing an epic of grandeur and magnificence.

Ye Chen was fortunate enough to become a part of this epic. As the black flood dragon pounced, it stirred wind and rain; in an instant, mountains roared and seas surged, as if heaven’s thunder were crashing down. With a crack, black lightning rolled back the sky, forging the four corners of the world and seemingly freezing time and space.

Ye Chen faced this threat head-on—it was terrifying to the extreme, like a demon of legend, choosing its prey to devour.

Even if he didn’t wish to retreat, a surge of fear welled up in his heart, a premonition rising from the depths of his soul, frantically warning him.

Another thunderous boom erupted as the Void Realm descended, charging at the black flood dragon.

Even if there was little hope, Ye Chen would never simply wait to be killed. That was not his style—what if the black flood dragon was merely a showy threat with no substance?

The Void Realm shuddered. At this moment, it appeared as if the black flood dragon was bearing the weight of an entire great realm, so terrifying was the scene.

For a moment, the Void Realm came to a halt, unable to advance even an inch.

A pang shot through Ye Chen’s heart; he even saw a startling crack suddenly appear in the sky above the Void Realm.

The crack was faint, but it chilled Ye Chen to the core.

“Black flood dragon?” Ning Peachblossom’s voice carried a trace of doubt. “It’s neither here nor there—not a true physical form. So this is the manifestation of a fate?”

Ning Peachblossom was deeply shaken. “Such a technique? With just the people of the Bamboo Tribe? Impossible.”

“This dried-up well truly is extraordinary.”

She muttered to herself, “So, it’s about seizing heavenly fortune and changing fate against the tide. What a clever trick. I wonder if this sleight of hand can really deceive the heavens.”

“So this is how the Bamboo Tribe became a key node in fate? It seems it wasn’t favored by heaven, but was instead artificially created into the Black Flood Dragon’s fate.”

“If this is exposed, the consequences will be dire; there’ll be no escape when the time comes.”

Despite her words, Ning Peachblossom grew somewhat excited, not the least bit afraid.

“If not for such measures, how could I hope to escape my destined death? Now, there’s at least some hope.”

In truth, Ning Peachblossom had always been somewhat pessimistic in her heart; some things could only be fought for with all one’s might.

She was not one to wait passively for death—if she had been that resigned, she would never have survived until now.

“Why shouldn’t I seize the black flood dragon’s fate for myself?”

Suddenly, a thought arose in Ning Peachblossom’s mind.

“If that spirit butterfly gains it, bathed in great fortune, who knows if she’ll turn against me?”

She did not trust Ye Chen much; any closeness she showed was only for her own gain.

But if some things could be grasped by her own hands, why rely on another?

Ning Peachblossom hesitated. “Will the black flood dragon’s fate give me a chance to transform into a dragon?”

At this, she couldn’t help but tremble. “In the end, I am just struggling to survive, and it’s not easy to accomplish anything at all.”

“If not, I’d have no need to hide in this dream realm—taking the stage myself might not yield a better outcome.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Ning Peachblossom gave a bitter smile and had to suppress her surging greed.

“What a pity. What I need is enough variables to push me off the track of certain death, but the luck represented by the black flood dragon’s fate means little to me in itself.”

“Luck is relative. For a mortal, such fortune would be enough to alter destiny and escape their original fate. But for me, it’s a drop in the ocean.”

“What I truly covet is that spark—enough to ignite the embers left beneath the old world, to grind away the decayed and cursed fate imposed by heaven and earth, and in doing so, exchange it for a new life.”

“But I was too simplistic. To turn against the spirit butterfly would be an all-or-nothing gamble. That won’t do. Simple hostility is one thing, but in truth, I still covet the unknowns she brings.”

“The spirit butterfly’s influence is small now, but as time passes, it will inevitably grow. To eliminate her now would be a waste.”

Lost in hesitation, Ning Peachblossom suddenly sensed danger. Unbeknownst to her, the black flood dragon had broken into the Void Realm.

Heaven and earth trembled; all vegetation withered. Amidst the surging waves, the black flood dragon glared at Ning Peachblossom with wide, round eyes, clearly harboring ill intent.

Within the Void Realm, a small peach tree shed its blossoms, perfuming the air as a rain of petals fell.

Ning Peachblossom’s heart raced with alarm.

“This is bad—why is the black flood dragon’s malice toward me so obvious?”

“Could it be that it has detected my intentions against it? That shouldn’t be possible. I’m not the only one coveting its fate.”

Fleeing in haste, she called out to Ye Chen in a deep voice, “Why did you bring the black flood dragon in here? With its chaos turning everything upside down, aren’t you afraid this dream realm will be utterly shattered and useless thereafter?”

“This place is like a great realm in itself. Though weak now, it has promise for the future. If you destroy it, you’ll regret it eventually.”

Ye Chen, hearing this, gave a wry smile. “What could I do? With my abilities, even if I wanted to move the black flood dragon elsewhere, it would have to be willing to listen.”

Ning Peachblossom was nearly beside herself with anger—she didn’t believe Ye Chen’s words at all.

To trap the black flood dragon within the Void Realm, Ye Chen might not have the power, but to release it from the Void Realm would be as easy as lifting a hand—a trivial matter. It was obvious Ye Chen simply didn’t want to.

Ning Peachblossom even knew why he did this—he was treating her as free labor. Outrageous.

She was in a foul mood. Damn it, what nerve! Watching this disaster descend upon her, she was nearly exploding with rage, but there was no time to think further—she could only throw herself wholeheartedly into her struggle against the black flood dragon.