Chapter 292 – Stealing the Black River's Power: Black River Dragon Lord?

Regarding the purpose of the Secluded Black River, Mu Lin pondered for a while. However, due to the lack of information, he ultimately came up with nothing.

At the same time, his arrival was noticed by a group of people waiting by the riverbank.

For him, who had brought an army with him, there was no mockery—only reverence.

They clearly understood how costly it was to march with an army in this anomalous Grave Lord’s Tomb.

They also knew how rare it was to bring an entire army here intact.

Because of this, some approached Mu Lin, intending to befriend him and travel together.

They wanted to ride Mu Lin’s coattails to cross the river.

“Esteemed brother, my name is Yu Fa. I see you’ve just arrived and may not be familiar with the matters of the Secluded Black River. I arrived a bit earlier and have some understanding of this place. Would you like me to explain?”

“Then I’ll trouble Brother Yu.”

Since others were willing to explain, Mu Lin was naturally pleased.

At Mu Lin’s gesture, Yu Fa soon began to speak.

From his words, Mu Lin learned that this Black River was an extremely terrifying cursed river. Not only could it not be crossed by flight, but even a feather could not float on its surface.

Only three small boats could travel back and forth across the entire Black River.

Hearing this, Mu Lin raised an eyebrow:

“Is everyone waiting for the boats?”

“Not just that—we’re also waiting for people… Although the boats can cross the river, the dangers of this Black River go far beyond the inability to fly or float. Countless wandering souls, Malevolent Ghosts, and Evil Aberrations are submerged in this Black River. During the journey, we will be attacked by these anomalies and face countless risks.”

“Previously, some have been completely wiped out, all sinking into the Black River.”

“Given such peril, those on the same boat must work together to cross. That’s why we all want to team up with strong and trustworthy individuals.”

Hearing this, Mu Lin nodded in agreement.

When sharing a boat under such dangerous circumstances, having stronger teammates and greater unity indeed ensured better safety.

If given the choice, Mu Lin would also opt to team up with the strong.

Seeing Mu Lin nod in agreement, Yu Fa’s expression brightened with joy. “Does Brother Mu agree? I’ve already invited two others. If Brother Mu joins, our group of four will be complete.”

As he spoke, he tried to lead Mu Lin to meet the other two, but Mu Lin stopped him.

“Not so fast. Let me try first.”

Crossing the river concerned his life, so Mu Lin naturally wouldn’t rely solely on others’ words. Only after testing it himself would he decide on a method to cross.

Yu Fa wasn’t angered by this. Instead, he smiled and nodded, gesturing casually:

“Of course, Brother Mu, please.”

After their conversation, Mu Lin’s Main Body remained seated in the carriage without moving, while a Substitute Paper Figure casually leaped out of the carriage.

Strolling to the edge of the Black River, the Paper Figure hesitated almost not at all before stepping into the water.

This scene drew the attention of many.

Outside, people also discussed Mu Lin’s actions.

“Another one unwilling to accept it.”

“A waste of effort.”

“But he has the capital to waste effort… Using a Substitute Paper Figure to investigate dangers allows him to identify threats without endangering his Main Body. Honestly, such a convenient ability makes me consider switching to the Paper Artisan Lineage.”

These words stirred the hearts of many.

The power of the Paper Artisan was vividly demonstrated in Mu Lin’s hands, and it was also extremely safe. This method of sitting high while sending Clone Paper Figures to tread through danger greatly appealed to some noble Young Masters, who genuinely considered switching their cultivation path.

Unfortunately, such talk was immediately interrupted with scornful laughter.

“Foolish. The Paper Artisan Lineage has never been powerful. Their Paper Figures fear fire, thunder, and water, easily destroyed—they possess no such might.”

“Mu Lin’s Paper Figures are strong because he himself is strong. If you switch paths, you’ll merely be imitating others without gaining anything.”

“…”

Such words silenced many.

What made it worse was that the speaker’s argument held considerable merit. The Paper Artisan Lineage was indeed not a particularly powerful method, being countered by many Mystical Arts.

Over thousands of years, few supreme experts had emerged from it. Mu Lin’s strength came from himself.

Although the speaker was correct, being contradicted always left a sour taste. Thus, someone stubbornly retorted, “So what if Mu Lin is strong? Can he cross the river by himself?”

This was pure contrarianism for the sake of argument, so the one who had said “Mu Lin is strong because of himself” didn’t even bother to refute it.

However, this very statement revealed that even those who acknowledged Mu Lin’s strength believed he couldn’t cross the river alone.

Fortunately, earlier, Mingling Zi, Drunken Wanderer, and the others had also crossed by boat, so Mu Lin’s inability to cross alone didn’t matter much.

…

Because of Mu Lin, a minor stir arose outside, but it didn’t affect his actions in the slightest.

With no risk to his Main Body and over a hundred backups available, Mu Lin commanded his Substitute Paper Figure to enter the river without the slightest hesitation.

The moment it entered the water, Mu Lin felt the terror of this “river.”

“Hum…”

Heavy, weighty—this was Mu Lin’s first sensation upon entering the river.

He discovered that the river water shared some characteristics of Three-Origin Heavy Water, each drop incredibly dense. Submerged in such water, Mu Lin felt as if pressed down by mountains, threatening to sink him straight to the riverbed.

Vast, boundless, endless, abyssal… this was Mu Lin’s second impression.

From the shore, the Black River hadn’t seemed particularly wide, only about a hundred meters across. But once inside, Mu Lin was shocked to find the river’s width was wrong.

“Compared to the observation from the shore, the river surface is now at least a hundred times wider, if not more. Spatial expansion?… The danger here exceeds my expectations.”

After the sensations of weight and vastness, what struck Mu Lin next was the terrifying corrosive power of the Blackwater.

Mu Lin had always believed his defenses were exceptionally high. Setting aside the immovable Central Wuji Sha, one thing alone gave him great confidence in his defenses—the Source Rune ‘Stabilize.’

Engraved between his brows, the character ‘Stabilize’ allowed Mu Lin to slightly Fixate his state. External corrosion could hardly invade his body unless it breached the Source Rune ‘Stabilize.’

In the past, this ability had withstood countless assaults.

But now, barely three breaths after entering the water, his Substitute Paper Figure rapidly deteriorated from a lifelike human into a crumpled Paper Figure.

And the Paper Figure’s condition continued to worsen.

“Only able to last three breaths? The corrosive power of this Black River is quite intense… But I haven’t lost yet.”

Thinking this, Mu Lin focused his will and suddenly channeled a massive amount of Mana into the Substitute Paper Figure that had entered the river.

“Hum!”

With Mu Lin’s action, the Substitute Paper Figure let out a fierce roar and activated one of its abilities—Jiao Dragon Transformation.

“Roar!”

After the intense Dragon Roar, within the Black River, Mu Lin’s Substitute Paper Figure rapidly transformed from a human form into a Jiao Dragon Body. In the next moment, it further unleashed an over-limit burst: Heroic Soul – Ancestral Descent.

“Boom!”

The activation of this ability allowed the source of Mu Lin’s Jiao Dragon Blood—the slain Evil Jiao—to possess Mu Lin’s Jiao Dragon Body. This move greatly enhanced the strength and status of Mu Lin’s Substitute Paper Figure.

As is well known, dragons are naturally capable of summoning wind and rain and are the undisputed rulers of water.

Their manipulation of water flows is as natural to them as eating and drinking is to humans.

Now, after transforming into a Jiao Dragon—specifically an ink Jiao capable of controlling Three-Origin Heavy Water—Mu Lin discovered that he could barely resist the heavy force of the Black River’s water by relying on the Jiao Dragon’s innate abilities. This gave Mu Lin’s Substitute Paper Figure—the Ink Jiao—a tendency to rise.

“It can be done!”

The scene at the riverbed filled Mu Lin’s heart with joy.

His previous actions had been quite spectacular. The impassioned Dragon Roar and the now-boiling Black River water startled the Cultivators waiting on the riverbank.

“Such commotion… Could he really withstand the corrosion in the water by himself?”

“Impossible. Drunken Wanderer and Mingling Zi both crossed by ferry.”

“…Is it possible that Mingling Zi and the others could also cross using their own abilities, but they chose not to in order to save time?”

Mu Lin’s actions sparked lively discussions among those by the river. Among them, Prince Liang’s daughter, Ji Lingsha, gazed at Mu Lin with an indescribably complex expression.

However, Mu Lin paid no attention to such looks, nor did he have the time to care.

The corrosive power of the Black River water was still immense. To resist this erosion, Mu Lin needed to channel Mana with his full concentration.

This transmission lasted for several breaths. Just as Mu Lin thought everything was progressing steadily and favorably, a sudden change occurred.

“Hmm?!”

“This is…”

The Jiao Dragon’s disturbance in the Black River activated the river’s countermeasures. Detecting Mu Lin’s unusual movements, a large number of Specters and Malevolent Ghosts surged toward Mu Lin’s Substitute Paper Figure—the Ink Jiao.

“Splash, splash…”

They stretched out their hands, firmly grasping the body of Mu Lin’s Jiao Dragon Body. Relying on their overwhelming numbers, they forcibly dragged the Jiao Dragon Body down to the riverbed.

“Crackle, crackle!”

“Boom, rumble!”

During this process, it wasn’t that Mu Lin didn’t resist. Countless Thunder and Lightning erupted from the Jiao Dragon’s body, attempting to annihilate all those water ghosts and evil spirits.

Unfortunately, it was futile.

The terrifying Black River suppressed all foreign powers. As soon as Mu Lin’s Thunder and Lightning burst forth, they were largely dissipated by the Black River’s water.

The remaining power was utterly incapable of dealing with the Specters and ghosts clinging to him.

Thus, in the end, Mu Lin’s Substitute Paper Figure—Ink Flood Dragon—was dragged into the pitch-black river by countless malevolent spirits. And when the Substitute Paper Figure—Ink Flood Dragon—sank to a certain depth, its connection with Mu Lin… was severed.

“Bang!”

The severed connection also caused Mu Lin in the carriage to abruptly open his eyes.

At this moment, his expression was extremely grim, and he even slammed his palm fiercely against the Yin-Spirit Carriage.

This scene was noticed by Yu Fa, who had been standing nearby all along.

“Did it fail, Brother Mu? Don’t be too angry. You’re not the only cultivator who tried to cross the river without a ferry, and you’re not the only one who failed. Before you, Mingling Zi, Drunken Wanderer, Little Overlord… all of them were experts of Gang Sha Unity, yet none succeeded. It’s only natural that you couldn’t make it.”

He was comforting Mu Lin, and Mu Lin… accepted this reality.

However, just as Mu Lin was about to agree and prepare to cross the river with Yu Fa and the others using the ferry, he suddenly sensed something.

This faint connection made Mu Lin narrow his eyes and abruptly turn his head toward the direction of the Black River.

Then, he discovered a bizarre, half-dragon, half-human monster on the river’s surface, staring fixedly at him.

Clearly, it was the Substitute Paper Figure that had been dragged underwater.

Somehow corrupted by the Black River, Mu Lin’s Substitute Paper Figure had ultimately been completely controlled by it, becoming its subordinate.

And now, this Substitute Paper Figure was staring intently at Mu Lin, regarding him as an enemy.

This sight also stirred unrest among the cultivators on the shore.

“Damn it!”

“Another monster.”

“Fuck, why did you have to show off? The Black River was already hard enough to cross. Now, with another enemy, it’s even more difficult.”

Discovering another monster in the river—a half-human, half-dragon creature radiating terrifying Resentment—and seeing how formidable it appeared, the group preparing to cross the river grew increasingly restless.

If the monster in the river weren’t so powerful and terrifying, someone would surely have openly blamed Mu Lin instead of merely complaining quietly.

—They couldn’t afford to provoke the monster in the river, and considering the monster’s nature and the fact that it had been under Mu Lin’s control before its corruption, they didn’t dare provoke Mu Lin either.

…

Mu Lin naturally paid no heed to the complaints of others. At this moment, he was staring intently at the monster in the river—the fallen Substitute Paper Figure, Ink Flood Dragon.

His intense gaze prompted Yu Fa beside him to cough and speak up: “Brother Mu, don’t take it to heart. When testing the waters, some losses are inevitable…”

He was trying to comfort Mu Lin, but before he could finish, Mu Lin… suddenly burst into laughter.

He laughed heartily, uproariously.

“Angry? Upset? Of course I’m not feeling any of that.”

“I just find it amusing, truly amusing, hahaha!!”

After his wild laughter, Mu Lin’s eyes narrowed sharply, and a terrifying aura emanated from him.

“However, using my Paper Figure against me—did you ever ask for my permission?”

As he spoke, flames seemed to flicker in Mu Lin’s eyes.

This was no illusion. The Vow Power Heart Flame—the Flame of Command and Domination—was indeed burning within his eyes.

To be honest, if the Ink Flood Dragon Paper Figure had remained submerged at the river’s bottom, separated by layers of obstacles and dense, obstructive forces, Mu Lin would have truly been powerless against it.

However, by actively rising to the river’s edge and deliberately provoking Mu Lin through their previous connection, it gave Mu Lin an opportunity.

Previously, the special link between Mu Lin and the Substitute Paper Figure allowed the transformed evil spirit anomaly, the Substitute Paper Figure·Ink Jiao, to lock its killing intent in Mu Lin’s direction.

It also enabled Mu Lin, through this connection, to use the Vow Power Heart Flame·Dominating Flame to reignite the Substitute Paper Figure’s consciousness and vie for control over it.

“Submit to me!”

With Mu Lin’s roar, his eyes seemed to shoot out flames.

This furious shout also caused the Substitute Paper Figure·Ink Jiao to regain clarity for an instant.

Unfortunately, it was only for a moment. The next instant, the Substitute Paper Figure·Ink Jiao returned to its baleful qi-filled appearance, its eyes fixed on Mu Lin with extreme malice, as if resenting Mu Lin for abandoning it and casting it into the river.

This scene… did not cause Mu Lin’s expression to change, nor did it stir any anger in him. Instead, a faint trace of delight surfaced in his heart.

“10%—I’ve gained control over one-tenth of it.”

Such control might seem ineffective, as only by reaching 50% could Mu Lin make the fallen Evil Jiao act somewhat according to his will.

More importantly, Mu Lin’s control came with conditions.

Currently, the Evil Jiao was not submerged at the riverbed but was facing Mu Lin on the water’s surface. With this prerequisite, Mu Lin could barely use the Vow Power Heart Flame to gain one-tenth of its domination and control. If it sank into the river, even just a few meters deep, Mu Lin’s control over it would be completely lost.

Such an uncontrollable, undominable, and easily lost Substitute Paper Figure·Evil Jiao seemed useless to Mu Lin.

But in reality, that was not the case.

Do not forget one thing: due to his many past acts of arrogance, Mu Lin’s Vow-Power Heart Lamp had long advanced to the Master Realm.

And as is well known, the Master Realm of a Heavenly Grade Cultivation Method is equivalent to the Grandmaster Realm of an Earth Grade Cultivation Method.

Thus, in a certain sense, the Royal Crown Mu Lin obtained was no less valuable than a Substitute Paper Figure capable of substituting death three to five hundred times.

And now, this ability played a significant role.

Through the Royal Crown, Mu Lin touched the corrupted Substitute Paper Figure·Ink Jiao and also touched the power of the Black River.

As a result, he had the opportunity to steal and control the power of the Black River.

(End of Chapter)