C21 He Was Worshipped as a God

Lee Erhei was on the brink of tears, feeling utterly betrayed by the villagers. When he had led the charge, they cheered louder than anyone. But now, as trouble arose, they were quick to pin the blame squarely on him.

Lin Xiaoqiang glanced at Lee Erhei, gently set Zhang Li and the child on the ground, and advanced toward him, step by measured step.

"Lee Erhei, I warned you there'd come a day when I'd demand answers from you. We had no bad blood before, but after what you've done, how could I possibly let you off the hook?" Lin Xiaoqiang's voice was firm as he reached out to grab Lee Erhei by the collar.

However, Lee Erhei, with surprising agility, spun out of Lin Xiaoqiang's grasp. In the next instant, a puff of black smoke billowed into the air, and a massive black snake soared skyward.

Startled, Lin Xiaoqiang stumbled backward, drawing the Azure Dragon Blade in one fluid motion. The little azure dragon within the blade, upon witnessing the serpent's aerial dance, churned and tumbled like blood coursing through veins.

The villagers, witnessing the transformation of the once familiar Lee Erhei into a colossal snake, scrambled in panic to take refuge behind Lin Xiaoqiang.

It was only then that they realized the Lee Erhei they had known was long gone, replaced by this serpent that had been manipulating him for who knows how long. They lamented their gullibility, having made life difficult for Lin Xiaoqiang based on Lee Erhei's deceit, causing Lin Xiaoqiang's partner to endure hardship alongside him.

Wracked with remorse, the villagers hoped for an opportunity to make amends and show their gratitude to Lin Xiaoqiang someday.

As the great serpent issued a thunderous roar and charged at Lin Xiaoqiang, he met its advance with a scornful gaze and executed a White Tiger Leap. This leap was unlike any before – a red glow from the blade's edge cleaved the sky in two, sending chilling shadows of the blade slicing through the air toward the onyx serpent.

Then came a resounding explosion and a streak of gold across the sky. Lin Xiaoqiang, staring upwards, was momentarily dumbfounded.

The serpent had withstood the White Tiger Leap from his Azure Dragon Blade? What in the world was happening? What kind of formidable creature was this snake?

Before Lin Xiaoqiang could even register what was happening, the massive black snake launched a sweeping strike that viciously lashed across his waist, sending him flying over ten meters.

Thankfully, Lin Xiaoqiang had consistently enhanced his strength attribute from head to toe, rendering his body exceptionally robust.

Even with the red energy ball's aid, the blow left Lin Xiaoqiang feeling as though his bones had been shattered. Nevertheless, within seconds, he managed to slowly rise to his feet.

The snake, taken aback by this, couldn't believe its eyes. Its powerful strike, which could incapacitate even a deity, let alone a mere mortal, should have caused severe injury. Yet, there stood Lin Xiaoqiang, seemingly unscathed.

Realizing he was up against a formidable foe, Lin Xiaoqiang knew simple tactics wouldn't suffice. Instinctively, he caressed the Azure Dragon Blade and called out, "Brother Azure Dragon, why are you just watching? Come out and lend me a hand—I can't defeat him on my own."

No sooner had he spoken than the blade emitted a red glow, and the Azure Dragon soared into the sky. The once meter-long dragon expanded into an immense beast, dozens of meters in length.

The once imposing black snake, sensing danger, coiled up, ready to flee at the sight of the colossal dragon.

The Azure Dragon was relentless, clamping down on the snake's vital spot. Just as it was about to deliver a fatal bite, the sky darkened with ominous clouds, and a bolt of lightning struck the dragon squarely on the forehead.

With a thunderous crack, the Azure Dragon released its grip, and the snake seized the moment to slip away.

Amidst the thunder and lightning, a Taoist priest clad in black descended from the heavens, his face obscured by a bull-headed mask, his true appearance a mystery.

Pointing at the Azure Dragon, he declared, "Azure Dragon, it's been a while. You can still recognize my voice, can't you?"

The dragon, previously poised to attack, now circled warily in the sky, its eyes betraying a hint of fear at the arrival of this new adversary.

Hearing the voice echoing through the sky, the Azure Dragon circled a few times before assuming a defensive stance once again. However, Lin Xiaoqiang could see clear as day that the previously fierce and spirited eyes of the Azure Dragon were now filled with fear of the newcomer.

The voice spoke again, "Black Snake is my disciple. He acted on his own and disrupted the fairness of this event. However, it also provided an opportunity for your master to train, so let's call it even. You should stay out of this; I'll take care of educating my own disciple."

After finishing his words, the Taoist glanced at Lin Xiaoqiang, who was gaping at him, and added, "It seems you do possess some strength, but don't get too pleased with yourself. Your life's hardships are still ahead. We'll take it slow. Who knows, maybe one day we'll meet again."

With that, the man stepped onto the black cloud and, in a flash of golden light, vanished into the spot where the lightning had struck, taking the black snake with him.

The Azure Dragon, now somewhat dispirited, slithered back into the Azure Dragon Blade. Lin Xiaoqiang, still in a daze, stared up at the sky, unsure of who he was, where he was, or what he should be doing.

The villagers' calls of gratitude snapped Lin Xiaoqiang back to reality. "Savior, please accept our deepest bows. Protect us, and we will honor you as our guardian deity from this day forth."

Hundreds of villagers behind him chanted as they bowed deeply to Lin Xiaoqiang.

Lin Xiaoqiang turned around, his face etched with urgency, and implored, "What are you doing? Please, stand up!"

The village leader, kneeling and looking up with fists clasped, pleaded, "Benefactor, we implore you to promise to keep us safe. We realize our mistake. From now on, you are our village's deity. Each household will burn incense and pray for your blessing daily."

Lin Xiaoqiang blinked, a look of resignation on his face as he regarded the villagers. He reflected, "The common folk at the bottom of society truly have it hard. Born weak, they trample on those weaker than themselves, yet they grovel before the powerful with the utmost devotion. Today is no different."

Lin Xiaoqiang knew that as the Ice Lord's chosen, he didn't need to be overly courteous with these people. His politeness had been mistaken for weakness in the past, which is why they had been so easily swayed by his family.

In the past, Lee Laohu and his family had bullied and scorned the entire village, who never dared to resist. That was the crux of it.

Lin Xiaoqiang gestured for everyone to rise and assured them, "Stand up, everyone. I promise to protect you from now on."

High above in the Eternal Heaven, the Abyssal Lord watched everything unfold below, stroking his beard and nodding in approval.

"Zijin, the candidate you've put forward appears to be quite resilient. Nonetheless, he's misplaced our Kylin, and there must be consequences for that. See to it that the appropriate measures are taken immediately."