After several days of rest and settling the affairs in the city, late autumn arrived in the blink of an eye. The morning mist over Xinyehad not yet dispersed, but the atmosphere in the council hall was already solemn. Liu Bei (styled Xuan De), dressed in a brocade robe, sat calmly on the main seat. An old yellowed map was spread out on the table; his fingertips rested on the location of Wolong Mountain in Longzhong, his gaze firm. Guan Yu's phoenix eyes were narrowed slightly, a touch of solemnity on his red face, and his broadsword leaned obliquely beside him, the patterns on the scabbard exuding a faint chill in the morning light. Zhang Fei (styled Yi De), unable to contain his impatience, planted his hands on his hips, his leopard-like head and round eyes wide open, and said in a rough voice: "Elder Brother! Isn't he just a reclusive scholar? Why all this solemnity! Let me, Zhang Fei, take a team of men, charge directly to Woyun Cottage, tie that Zhuge Liang up and bring him to Xinye—see if he dares to refuse to assist you!"
"Third Brother, don't talk nonsense!" Liu Bei suddenly slammed the table and stood up, scolding sharply. "Mr. Kong Ming is an unparalleled genius who cares about the world; he can only be moved by sincerity. Back then, even Yuanzhi required me to invite him repeatedly, let alone a noble man like Mr. Kong Ming? If you dare to use force, you will not only fail to invite him but also ruin our great cause of reviving the Han Dynasty!"
Guan Yu quickly stepped forward to mediate: "Third Brother, what Elder Brother said is absolutely correct. Mr. Kong Ming is renowned far and wide; he must have extraordinary abilities and deserves to be treated with courtesy. Since we are eager for talented people, we should show full sincerity—how can we act so recklessly?"
Zhao Yun (styled Zi Long) also cupped his hands and said: "General Zhang, the terrain of Wolong Mountain is complex, and Mr. Kong Ming must have close friends to assist him. Leading men there by force may lead to unexpected changes. My Lord treats others with sincerity, which can highlight your reputation for benevolence and virtue—only in this way can you move Mr. Kong Ming."
Zhang Fei was scolded by Liu Bei and persuaded by Guan Yu and Zhao Yun. Although he was unconvinced, he knew he was in the wrong and said reluctantly: "Fine, fine! I'll listen to Elder Brother! But traveling back and forth like this will waste so much time!"
Seeing that Zhang Fei no longer insisted, Liu Bei's expression softened. He sighed and said: "To invite Mr. Kong Ming to leave the mountain, even thousands of difficulties and dangers are worth it. We will set off tomorrow, prepare rich gifts, and personally visit Longzhong."
Early the next morning, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei packed up and prepared several boxes of gifts. The most precious one was a steed carved from a single piece of Hetian suet jade, warm and translucent. There were also dozens of bolts of high-quality fine silk fabrics, bright in color and soft in texture—an extremely rare cloth in the local area.
After careful consideration, Liu Bei decided to take the water route through Yunmeng Marsh to Longzhong. On the one hand, transporting gifts by water was faster; on the other hand, it could avoid bandits and Cao Jun's spies along the way. The accompanying ship was not an ordinary cargo ship, but the "Xuanjia Ark" specially built by Liu Bei for skilled craftsmen.
This ship was more than three zhang long and one zhang wide. The hull was made of thousand-year-old catalpa wood from the south, as hard as iron, impervious to fire and water. The ship's side was equipped with three layers of protective armor, and the armor plates were carved with Bagua runes (ancient Chinese divination symbols) that could resist evil spirits. At the bow, there was a bronze armor-piercing ship crossbow that could fire ten arrows in succession, with infinite power. The stern was equipped with a special rotating wheel that could flexibly adjust the direction, enabling stable navigation even in turbulent currents. The cabin was also stocked with dry rations, fresh water, first-aid medicine, and several defensive weapons—truly combining offense and defense.
The group boarded the Xuanjia Ark. The boatman untied the mooring rope, and the ship slowly sailed into Yunmeng Marsh. Since ancient times, Yunmeng Marsh had been a world-famous large marsh, spanning several commanderies in Jingzhou and Xiangyang , with vast waters, mist-shrouded all year round, and mysterious beyond measure. Ancient records stated that Yunmeng Marsh was "nine hundred li square, where the sun and moon rise and set within it." Legend had it that this was the place where the Yellow Emperor met Leizu, and also a habitat for ancient immortals.
After sailing into the marsh, the surrounding scenery became increasingly bizarre. The water was calm without a ripple, yet it glowed with a faint blue-black hue, and huge shadows could be vaguely seen swimming underwater. The reeds on both banks were several zhang tall, impenetrable; when the wind blew through the reed marshes, it made a whimpering sound. The air was filled with a damp fishy smell, mixed with the scent of plants, making people dizzy. Many exotic aquatic plants grew in the marsh: some had leaves as big as umbrellas, covering half the water surface; some had flowers as red as blood, emitting an attractive fragrance but hiding deadly poison; others had water plants dozens of zhang long, with intertwined roots like a net underwater.
Talking about the history of Yunmeng Marsh, Guan Yu couldn't help but think of the legend of Dayu controlling the floods. According to legend, in ancient times, floods raged, submerging the nine provinces, and the area around Yunmeng Marsh suffered particularly severe flooding. Several river systems ran amok here, and the people were displaced. Dayu was ordered to control the floods, and after thirteen years of hard work, he passed his home three times without entering. He traveled through all the southern provinces, surveyed the terrain in detail, and finally decided to divert several surrounding river systems, including tributaries of the Huaihe and Yangtze Rivers, into Yunmeng Marsh to form a huge flood storage area, thereby calming the floods.
During the flood control, Dayu encountered many water monsters that caused chaos. Among them were the mysterious tortoise that could swallow clouds and mist, the nine-headed Xiangliu, and the powerful Kui dragon. With extraordinary wisdom and courage, Dayu united immortals from all walks of life, went through countless hardships, and finally subdued these water monsters one by one. To prevent them from harming the world again, Dayu set up a Bagua seal in the center of Yunmeng Marsh, trapping the water monsters here. Thousands of years passed, these water monsters multiplied in the marsh, and often fought fiercely with each other for territory and food, making the situation in Yunmeng Marsh even more dangerous.
At this moment, Guan Yu stood at the bow, his phoenix eyes fixed tightly on the surrounding environment, his brows furrowed, a faint unease in his heart. He had studied geography and river systems since childhood, and also heard many bizarre legends about Yunmeng Marsh. Now, experiencing it personally, he only felt that the aura here was extremely yin and evil—definitely not a good place.
"Elder Brother, this Yunmeng Marsh is too bizarre, shrouded in mist, blocking our vision. If there is an ambush, we will be hard-pressed to defend ourselves. It's better to turn around and take the land route. Although it's slower, it's much safer." Guan Yu said in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei snorted disdainfully: "Second Brother, you're being too cautious! They're just some water monsters and loaches—what can they do to me? Am I, Zhang Fei, afraid of dealing with them? We are determined to invite Mr. Kong Ming to leave the mountain—how can we back down because of such a trivial matter?"
Liu Bei looked at the direction of Wolong Mountain, shrouded in mist in the distance, his expression firm: "What Second Brother said makes sense, but time is pressing. Cao Jun may march south again at any time, and Xinye City is in imminent danger. If we take the land route, it will take at least a few more days—I really can't wait. Although Yunmeng Marsh is dangerous, with Yunchang and Yide to assist me, and the protection of the Xuanjia Ark, I think we can pass safely." With that, he ordered the boatman to speed up and continue forward.
When the ship sailed to the central area of Yunmeng Marsh, the originally calm water suddenly rippled slightly, and the sky gradually darkened. A strong wind suddenly arose, causing the ship to shake violently. The reed marshes were blown sideways, making a harsh sound. Bean-sized raindrops fell without warning, hitting the deck with a crackling sound, and the vision instantly became blurred.
"Not good! There's something wrong!" Zhang Fei shouted loudly, quickly jumping to the bow, staring vigilantly at the water.
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a deafening "boom"—the water suddenly exploded into a huge splash, and a green flood dragon jumped out of the water, opening its blood-red mouth and pouncing at the Xuanjia Ark. This flood dragon was more than ten zhang long, with a body as thick as a water bucket. Its scales were blue-black, as hard as iron, shining with a cold luster. It had a pair of curved sharp horns on its head, like sharp blades. Its eyes were as red as blood, exuding a ferocious aura. Its four limbs were strong and powerful, with claws sharp enough to easily tear gold and stone.
"You came just in time—let you taste the power of my spear!" Zhang Fei roared, holding his spear, jumping up and stabbing fiercely at the flood dragon's head. The spear whizzed through the air, unstoppable, but was bounced off by the flood dragon's scales, leaving only a faint white mark.
Hurt by the blow, the flood dragon let out a deafening roar, and its tail suddenly swung, slamming heavily at the ship. With a "crack", the side of the Xuanjia Ark was dented, wood chips flew everywhere, and the ship shook violently, almost capsizing.
Seeing this, Guan Yu's phoenix eyes narrowed sharply. He held his broadsword, jumped to the ship's side, and slashed at the flood dragon's tail. The blade flashed with a cold light, and with a "squelch", he cut off a section of the flood dragon's tail. Blood gushed out, dyeing a large area of the water red.
The flood dragon became even more furious. It turned around and pounced at Guan Yu, opening its mouth and spitting out a stream of black venom, which smelled extremely fishy and rotten. Guan Yu had been on guard; he waved his sword to cut off the venom and jumped up at the same time to avoid the flood dragon's attack.
Liu Bei stood on the top of the cabin, his expression calm, holding the rudder tightly with both hands, and ordered the boatman to activate the armor-piercing ship crossbow at the same time. "Whoosh whoosh whoosh"—ten iron arrows whizzed through the air, shooting at the flood dragon's eyes. Although the flood dragon was fierce, it also feared the power of this repeating crossbow. It quickly turned its head to dodge, but one iron arrow still hit its left eye.
"Ow—" The flood dragon let out a shrill scream, blood gushing from its left eye, impairing its vision. It twisted its body frantically, stirring up huge waves. The Xuanjia Ark was like a leaf in the waves, about to be swallowed at any moment.
"Elder Brother, this flood dragon is too fierce—ordinary attacks can't hurt it!" Guan Yu shouted loudly, slashing at the flood dragon again with his sword.
A thought struck Liu Bei; his gaze fell on a paddle lever in the cabin. This paddle lever was made of hard oak, with a thousand-jin iron anvil mounted on the top, possessing infinite power. Liu Bei immediately ordered to lift the paddle lever and aim it at the flood dragon's head.
The boatmen worked together to turn the rotating wheel. The paddle lever slowly rose, then slammed down. With a loud "boom", the iron anvil hit the flood dragon's head hard. The flood dragon's rock-like scales were shattered, its head caved in, and blood splattered everywhere.
Seriously injured, the flood dragon's aura instantly weakened, but its body began to undergo strange changes. Its body swelled rapidly, its scales turned blue-gold, the sharp horns on its head became thicker, a silver sword-tooth dragon spine grew on its back, and its eyes turned golden, emitting a majestic light. It turned out that this green flood dragon was no ordinary creature, but a flood dragon sealed here by Dayu in ancient times. Having absorbed the spiritual energy of Yunmeng Marsh, it had long possessed the potential to transform into a dragon. Now, seriously injured, it forcibly broke the seal and transformed into a green dragon form!
The green dragon let out an earth-shaking dragon roar, flapped its wings, stirred up towering waves, and launched a more violent attack on the Xuanjia Ark. Its claws grabbed at the ship; with a "crack", several big holes were torn in the deck of the Xuanjia Ark, and seawater began to pour into the cabin.
The green dragon flapped its wings again, and the towering waves almost capsized the Xuanjia Ark. As the ship shook violently, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei could barely stand on the deck. They could only hold tightly to their weapons and fight to the death with this ancient spiritual creature.
Guan Yu's phoenix eyes turned red, his red face purple from exerting force. The broadsword in his hand spun like a flywheel, the blade reflecting thunder and lightning, slashing out cold lights several zhang long. He seized the gap when the green dragon dived, jumped more than a zhang high, held the sword with both hands, and slashed fiercely at the green dragon's neck with the momentum of the "dragging sword technique"—this sword gathered his lifelong skill, having cut off the weapons of countless powerful generals. But at this moment, there was only a loud "clang"—the blade struck the blue-gold scales and bounced back more than three chi, sparks flying everywhere. Guan Yu only felt his palms numb, his arms trembling faintly. Looking at the green dragon's neck, there was only a shallow white mark left, and the scales were still indestructible.
"What a tough shell, you monster!" Zhang Fei roared, his leopard-like head and round eyes wide open. His eight-zhang spear stabbed out like a spirit snake, repeatedly attacking the green dragon's eyes, armpits, and other vital parts. The tip of the spear was quenched with fire, extremely sharp, but every time it stabbed the scales, it was like poking at fine steel. Not only could it not pierce, but it was also shaken by the rebound force of the scales, making his arms numb. Annoyed by the entanglement of the two, the green dragon shook its huge head, its blood-red giant eyes fixed on Zhang Fei, opened its mouth wide, and spat out a stream of scorching dragon breath, with a sulfur-like stench. In an instant, the deck in front of Zhang Fei was scorched black. Zhang Fei quickly stepped back, the hem of his battle robe burned by the dragon breath, his face burning with pain, and his heart filled with shock!
The two were originally unparalleled fierce generals; ordinary enemy troops were like weeds in front of them. But facing this green dragon that had broken the seal, they gradually felt powerless. Guan Yu's sword was so sharp that the blade curled; the tip of Zhang Fei's spear also chipped. Veins bulged on their foreheads, sweat rolled down their cheeks, soaking their battle robes, and their breathing became heavy. The green dragon's attacks became more and more fierce; its giant claws grabbed the ship again and again. Every impact made the Xuanjia Ark tremble violently, the deck cracked, and wood chips flew everywhere. When its long tail swept across, the railings and weapon racks on the deck were smashed to pieces. Several boatmen who couldn't dodge in time were swept hit, their bones broken instantly, and they fell into the water.
"Activate the catapults to fire with all your strength!" Liu Bei stood on the top of the cabin, shouting at the top of his lungs. The soldiers on the ship were already pale with fear, but they still forced themselves to overcome their fear and struggled to operate the heavy weapons. Three catapults were activated at the same time; stone blocks the size of millstones were thrown into the air by the winch, whizzing toward the green dragon. The green dragon flapped its wings, and the huge air current pushed two stones aside. The third stone hit its back hard with a dull "boom". The stone shattered instantly, but only a deep dent was left on the green dragon's back.
The armor-piercing ship crossbow at the bow was operated by the soldiers in turns; arrows shot at the green dragon like a rainstorm, with iron arrows and fire arrows fired alternately, densely nailed to the green dragon's scales. But these arrows were either bounced off by the scales or only slightly embedded in the gaps between the scales, unable to hurt the inside at all. When the fire arrows fell on the scales, not even a spark could ignite before being extinguished by the water vapor emitted by the green dragon. The giant paddle lever on the ship fell again; the thousand-jin iron anvil hit the green dragon's head hard. This blow had previously smashed the flood dragon's brains out, but now it only made the green dragon let out an angry dragon roar, tilt its head slightly, and the iron anvil was bounced off, hitting the ship's side and smashing a big hole.
The green dragon was enraged by these "ant-like" attacks. Its body suddenly coiled around the Xuanjia Ark; the scales rubbed against the deck, making a harsh "creaking" sound. The ship was gradually deformed by the strangulation; the beams in the cabin broke one after another, and seawater poured into the cabin frantically through the cracks. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were shaken back repeatedly by the huge force of the dragon's body, almost unable to hold their weapons. An unprecedented sense of powerlessness surged in their hearts—the green dragon's physical body was extremely strong; the heavy weapons on the ship were like tickling, unable to cause fatal damage. If this continued, not only would the ship sink, but everyone would die in the belly of the fish.
Just as everyone was trapped in a desperate situation, a bamboo raft sailed from the distant water. The bamboo raft was made of several huge green bamboos, all green, emitting a faint spiritual energy. A man dressed in a plain Taoist robe stood on the bamboo raft—it was Cui Zhouping. He held a fly-whisk in his hand, his expression calm, chanting a water-avoiding spell in his mouth. He stepped on the bamboo raft, walking steadily in the waves as if strolling in a courtyard.
"Heaven will not abandon me, Liu Bei! A god has really come to save us!" Liu Bei did not recognize Cui Zhouping. Seeing someone come to assist, he was both shocked and happy, and quickly shouted for help.
Cui Zhouping smiled slightly, raised his hand and waved. The fly-whisk turned into a white light and shot at the green dragon. Seeing this, the green dragon roared and spit out a stream of fire, trying to block the white light. But the white light passed through the fire and hit the green dragon's head. The green dragon stiffened all over, its movements slowing down.
Cui Zhouping chanted incantations, formed seals with his hands, and shot a spell at the green dragon. The spell turned into a golden chain, tightly binding the green dragon. The green dragon struggled desperately, but could not break free from the chain's restraint.
Seeing this, Guan Yu seized the opportunity, held his broadsword, jumped up, and slashed fiercely at the green dragon's neck. With a "squelch", a big gash was instantly cut in the green dragon's throat, and blood gushed out, dyeing the entire sky red.
The green dragon's body fell into the water, gradually turning into dots of golden light, rising slowly and merging into the clouds. Where its body disappeared, the dragon horn on its head fell into the water, glowing faintly with golden light and emitting a strong spiritual energy.
Guan Yu jumped into the water, dived down, and fished out the dragon horn. This dragon horn was about three chi long, blue-gold in color, hard in texture, covered with fine dragon patterns on the surface, and there was a faint flow of dragon energy. Touching it with his hand, it was warm as jade; a vast spiritual energy poured into his body along his fingertips, making him refreshed. Legend had it that the dragon horn was the essence of the divine dragon, containing infinite power—it was not only a rare treasure but also an excellent material for refining magic weapons.
Liu Bei and the others quickly thanked Cui Zhouping: "Thank you for saving us, sir! Otherwise, we would have died here today. May I ask your honored name?"
Cui Zhouping waved his hand and smiled: "Lord Xuande, no need to thank me. My name is Cui Zhouping, a close friend of Kong Ming. Mr. Zhuge has long calculated that you would be in danger on this trip, so he specially sent me to assist you. Mr. cares about the world and also knows that Lord Xuande is a benevolent lord. If you can get Mr.'s assistance, you will surely be able to help the world and stabilize the people, and revive the Han Dynasty."
With that, Cui Zhouping tapped the bamboo raft with his foot. The bamboo raft turned into a green light and drifted away, leaving only a sentence: "Although Lord Xuande did not meet Mr. on this trip, you have gained an opportunity. We will meet again in the future!" which disappeared into the mist.
Before the treasures on the water sank to the bottom, they were smelled by the water monsters deep in Yunmeng Marsh. The first to rush out of the water were a group of green-faced, fanged water apes. They were covered in wet black fur, with arms as thick as apes, roaring and pouncing at the Hetian jade bi. The warm white light of the jade bi reflected their ferocious faces even more grim. Several water apes fought over the jade bi, their sharp claws tearing each other's fur. Black blood mixed with lake water splashed, but none of them were willing to let go.
Following closely behind, a mysterious tortoise the size of a millstone broke through the waves, its carapace covered with moss and cracks. It stretched out its neck, opened its big mouth, and was about to swallow the Nanhai sandalwood into its belly, but was entangled by two jet-black squid monsters. The squid monsters sprayed thick black ink, instantly dyeing an area of water black, and competed for the fine silk fabrics under the cover. The soft fine silk fabrics were torn into pieces, and the silk threads floated on the water mixed with ink, like scattered black mist. Several crab monsters with giant pincers rushed around frantically; as their giant pincers opened and closed, pearls were crushed, agates collided with a crisp sound, but soon submerged by the roars of the water monsters.
The water monsters fought unscrupulously with each other for the treasures. The light of the treasures became more and more dazzling in the chaos; the luster intertwined, reflecting the ferocious faces and fighting figures of the water monsters. The lake water was stirred up like a boiling pot, and the fishy wind mixed with the exotic fragrance of the treasures.
Liu Bei and the others lay on the floating planks, watching the carefully prepared rich gifts being scrambled and destroyed by the water monsters, but they were helpless. Those carefully prepared treasures had now become bait that triggered disasters, gradually shattering and sinking under the bites of the water monsters, leaving only a messy water surface and the endless roars.
"Elder Brother, the ship is about to sink—let's leave here quickly!" Zhang Fei shouted loudly, throwing several planks to Liu Bei as he spoke.
Guan Yu also persuaded: "Elder Brother, as long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. Things have come to this pass today; if we persist, we may lose our lives. It's better to return to Xinye first and make plans later."
Liu Bei looked at the distant Yunmeng Marsh; the afterglow of the setting sun had gradually faded, and the reed marshes stretched endlessly. His heart was full of regret. He had come with full sincerity this time, but failed to meet Zhuge Liang, and instead encountered this danger, losing all his gifts. But he thought again: Zhuge Liang had actually calculated in advance that he would be in danger and sent Cui Zhouping to assist him—this was enough to show his extraordinary foresight. His admiration for Zhuge Liang grew even stronger.
"Fine~~" Liu Bei sighed. "Failing to meet Mr. Kong Ming this time is the will of heaven. Let's return to Xinye first."
No longer hesitating, everyone jumped into the water and swam to the shore. The water monsters were only focused on snatching the gifts and did not chase them. After going through many hardships, Liu Bei and the others finally boarded the shore, exhausted and embarrassed, but they had escaped with their lives.
The mist over Yunmeng Marsh gradually dispersed, revealing the calm water surface. Liu Bei and the others looked at the direction of Wolong Mountain with reluctance. Liu Bei secretly vowed in his heart that he would definitely meet Mr. Zhuge next time and earnestly request him to leave the mountain to assist him.