Chapter Thirty-Six: The Dragon Clan

The journey to the sea was far from smooth. It wasn’t until a week later that news finally arrived from the Allied Qi Path Sect: everything was ready. The plan was to depart from the Yangtze River estuary, enter the Pacific Ocean, and travel underwater by submarine to the vicinity of Australia, then slowly approach their destination.

Australia, the sixth largest country in the world by land area, is the only nation to occupy an entire continent, and the largest country in Oceania. Its southeastern border is near Zealand, its northwest near Nesia, and to the north it is close to Papua New Guinea, West Papua, and East Timor. The Australian continent is the oldest on Earth, the largest island and the only single-country continent, with a total area of 7,692,000 square kilometers. Yet now, it had fallen to become a colony of extraterrestrials, a fate that had lasted nearly half a century.

On their way to rendezvous, inside a long black limousine, Hua Feng asked about the personnel involved in this mission. “Hall Master Shen Qiu, our Farmstead is only sending myself and Yunmeng, and your Shennong Hall and Kui Kui Hall are each sending five people, including Wang Yue. That makes just twelve of us. Isn’t that a bit too few?”

“Boss, it’s not too few. There are only about fifty people taking part in this mission altogether. Too many would only complicate things. We’re here to scout, not launch an all-out assault,” Shen Qiu explained.

“That’s right, boss—well, that’s such a mouthful. I’d better keep calling you Brother Hua Feng,” Wang Yue said, ignoring Yunmeng’s annoyed glare and continuing in a teasing tone. “I’ve heard that the Dragon Clan, who haven’t shown themselves in ages, are also lending a hand this time. Dan Qiusheng went to great lengths to persuade all the Xuanmen sects and the elders of the Six Sages’ Tombs to invite such powerful outside aid.”

“Dragon Clan? What Dragon Clan?” Hua Feng felt overwhelmed by the flood of information, but with all he had experienced, nothing could surprise him much anymore.

“Don’t worry, brother, let me explain slowly.” Wang Yue brushed her hair aside and continued, “You probably know that the totem of Huaxia is the Divine Dragon. The Dragon Clan was deeply connected to the Emperors Yan and Huang. After helping them defeat Chiyou, the dragons withdrew to the East Sea and have lived in seclusion ever since. The world thinks dragons are just the ancestors’ imagination, but in reality, they truly exist.”

“I find it almost unbelievable. What kind of strength does the Dragon Clan possess?” Hua Feng asked, keeping his tone as calm as possible.

“I don’t know their exact strength; you can’t rank dragons by our human standards of vital energy cultivation. It’s better if I show you the information I’ve collected. Shen Qiu, could you move over so I can project the materials?” Shen Qiu obliged, shifting to the other side. Wang Yue operated her personal computer on her wrist, projecting the information:

Azure Dragon: One of the “Four Saints,” “Four Symbols” (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise), and “Four Celestial Spirits.” Also known as Canglong, it represents the East and the color blue-green, hence called the Eastern Azure Dragon.

Yinglong: Also called the Flying Dragon or Yellow Dragon, it has wings. According to “Records of Strange Beasts”: “A jiao after a thousand years becomes a dragon; after five hundred years a dragon becomes a Horned Dragon, and after another thousand years, a Yinglong.” Legend says Emperor Xuanyuan had a famous general who was a Yinglong, credited with slaying Chiyou and Kuafu.

Hui: According to “Records of Strange Beasts,” “A hui becomes a jiao after five hundred years; a jiao becomes a dragon after a thousand years.” This is the juvenile stage of a dragon.

Qiu: The Qiu Dragon is a small dragon with horns in ancient legend, though some say it is a hornless young dragon. “Shuowen Jiezi” explains: “A dragon without horns.” Some versions refer to it as a dragon child with horns, but there is much confusion over the terminology.

Chi: A serpentine, dragon-like spirit without horns, yellow in color and called by some “earth mole” in the north.

Jiao: Generally refers to a scaled dragon capable of causing floods.

Horned Dragon: A dragon with horns. “Records of Strange Beasts” states: “A jiao after a thousand years becomes a dragon; after five hundred years a dragon becomes a Horned Dragon.”

Fire Dragon: According to “History of the Qing Dynasty,” “A dragon flew from Mount Fu into a building, which soon caught fire and burned down. On the 27th day of the fifth month of the twenty-sixth year, a red dragon was seen in Jiazhou, and on the seventh day of the sixth month, a fire dragon was seen in Shimocun, Gaoping. In the fifty-sixth year, a red dragon appeared in Longwangyu, Juzhou; the larger one was followed by a smaller, several meters long, and everything it passed was scorched.”

Coiling Dragon: Refers to a dragon coiled on the ground, not yet ascending to the heavens. In ancient Chinese architecture, dragons twisting around columns or decorating beams and ceilings are called Coiling Dragons.

Traveling Dragon: Legend says a carp transforms into a jiao, a jiao into a dragon, and when a dragon reaches a certain realm, it becomes a Traveling Dragon.

Fish-Dragon: A dragon with a dragon’s head and fish’s body, a form of mutual transformation between fish and dragon. This motif has existed since ancient times. “Shuo Yuan” records, “Once a white dragon descended into a cold abyss and became a fish.” The folk tale of the carp leaping over the dragon’s gate tells of this relationship.

Shen Dragon: The shen dwells at coasts or river mouths, resembling a jiao. It is said to possess the marvelous ability to breathe out vapor, from which various illusions can be seen.

“Records of Strange Beasts” also notes: “A jiao after a thousand years becomes a dragon; after five hundred years, a dragon becomes a Horned Dragon; after a thousand years, a Yinglong.”

Jiao: Generally refers to a scaled dragon capable of causing floods.

Horned Dragon: A dragon with horns, the elders among dragons.

Yinglong: A dragon with wings, the elite among dragons. It is said that Yinglong was Emperor Huang’s divine dragon, who obeyed orders to fight against Chiyou, killed him, and became a hero. During Yu’s flood control, the divine dragon swept the land with its tail to guide the waters and earned merit, known also as Huanglong, or Yellow Dragon. Thus, Yinglong was also a hero in Yu’s time.

In terms of classification, there are the Teng Snake, which can fly without feet (“Xunzi: Encouragement of Learning”); the Jiao Dragon, which is scaled; the Chi Dragon, which is hornless; the Qiu Dragon, which is horned—all referenced in “Li Sao” and “Guangya.” The Yinglong, with wings, is explained in “Heavenly Questions” with Wang’s commentary. Jiao, Chi, Qiu, and Yinglong are not considered orthodox dragons; the true orthodox dragon is the Canglong.

Hua Feng’s eyes quickly scanned the introduction. “According to this hierarchy, it’s Jiao—Dragon—Horned Dragon—Yinglong—Canglong.”

“So, here’s the question, Sister Wang Yue, after all this, just what kind of dragon from the Dragon Clan is joining us on this mission?” Yunmeng asked with a slightly hostile tone.

“As far as I know, it should be a thousand-year-old Yinglong,” Shen Qiu, who had been silent, spoke up.

Hua Feng stretched lazily, handed Yunmeng a peeled orange, and turned, saying, “A Yinglong, is it? Now this is interesting. It seems our journey to Australia will be anything but smooth sailing. Let’s get some rest—we still have a way to go before we arrive.”