Volume 1: Unsayable – Chapter 36: The Sea Dragon

The evil dragon continued:
“On the day I was born, I could speak, which astonished everyone in my clan. By the age of two or three, I could stir up storms, and my parents considered me extraordinary. In just over a decade, everyone in the Northern Sea knew of me. They called me the dragon among dragons—what glory that was!”
Wukong couldn’t help but laugh. “What an arrogant claim! If everyone knew of you, where was the Dragon King?”
The evil dragon sneered, “There was no Dragon King in those days across the four seas; it was a time of freedom.”
Wukong was skeptical and asked, “Though the Dragon Kings of the four seas didn’t exist from ancient times, they have ruled for ten thousand years. How old are you, then, to speak such boldly?”
The evil dragon replied, “If counted carefully, I’m over ten thousand years old.”
Wukong delved deeper into the matter and asked, “Could the disaster that befall your clan be related to the Dragon Kings of the four seas?”
The evil dragon gave Wukong a meaningful look and said, “You’re quite clever, but you’re wrong this time. The dragons of the four seas are all of the same clan. You must know the dragon race is already rare—how could they harm themselves?” He sighed deeply and said, “This disaster actually stems from the Queen Mother in the Heavenly Court.”
Wukong was even more puzzled. The Queen Mother lived in the heavens—how could she have a deep grudge against the dragons in the deep sea?
The evil dragon said, “That year, the Jade Emperor appointed Dragon Kings for the four seas, and thus the seas came under governance. Though we were dissatisfied, it was fortunate that the rulers of the seas were still of the sea creatures, so we didn’t cause trouble.”
“One day, I was enjoying myself stirring up waves in the sea when a beautiful cloud drifted by. On it sat a graceful woman on a jade throne, surrounded by many gods and heavenly generals. I paid her no attention—she could go her way; what did it concern me? But then a heavenly general came and ordered me to make way. The world is vast—why should I give way just because of him? Of course, I refused and even cursed him. Those generals joined forces against me, and a fight was inevitable. But those generals were weaklings; I dealt with them in no time. Naturally, the gods came to help them. I fought against those gods too. After killing a few, they fled, and I didn’t chase after them.”
Wukong laughed and asked, “Do you regret not killing them all back then?”
The evil dragon replied, “Now that I think about it, I do feel some regret. But a few of them were extremely powerful; I’m afraid I couldn’t have killed them.”

“This battle was truly exhilarating. Back in the sea, I sensed signs of breaking through my limits. My true form appeared, and I discovered another dragon claw had grown on my abdomen, filling me with anxiety. It is said in our clan that a five-clawed dragon brings great disaster. With no other choice, I transformed into human form, but this hindered my cultivation.”

“Within just three days, the heavens sent troops to the North Sea, setting up a tight net to force the dragon clan to hand me over. It was then that I learned the beautiful girl was actually the Queen Mother in disguise, come to enjoy the sea’s beauty.”

“Our clan has always been stubborn and refused to hand anyone over. Thus, a great battle ensued. Though the dragon clan was strong, they were few in number and could not compare to the thousands of elite heavenly soldiers. After fierce fighting, few of them remained. In my rage, I revealed my true form and fought them, but the leader, a general named Li Jing, saw my fifth claw.”

“Li Jing immediately reported to the heavens. Upon hearing of the emergence of the five-clawed dragon, even more troops were sent, sealing off the North Sea completely. Seeing the critical situation, my father dragged me underwater and scolded me, asking why I hadn’t told him sooner that I had a fifth claw.”

Wukong was surprised and asked, “At such a time, how could he still have the leisure to scold you?”

The evil dragon laughed bitterly and said, “You don’t know everything. The dragon clan has a highly secret hiding place, prepared specifically for the five-clawed dragon. Even the Supreme Golden Immortal would struggle to survive in the Eye of the North Sea; only the five-clawed dragon can hide there.”

Wukong asked, “Why is that?”

The evil dragon replied, “The Eye of the North Sea exists because it is close to the North Sea. In fact, it should be the entrance to the four seas—water from the east, west, south, and north all flow out through this eye, though no one knows where it goes. The pressure here is immense, and only I can survive there.”

Wukong thought, “So that’s why. The day I entered the celestial water veil, it was this five-clawed dragon creating a realm in the deep sea.”

The Sea-Covering Dragon continued, “My father told me that the day this Five-Clawed Dragon is born will be the day of our clan’s destruction, but also the beginning of its revival. In terms of precedence, our dragon clan is the ancestor of the current dragon race. Yet, because we acted recklessly and our nature was indulgent, our bloodline weakened, leading to a decline in our numbers. Now, I can only endure humiliation and wait for the right moment to rise again.”
Wukong exclaimed, “So, is there only you left of all the dragon clans in the world?”
The Sea-Covering Dragon replied, “Not exactly. There are countless dragons in the world, but now they either live in rivers or hide at the bottom of deep seas, too afraid to return to the sea. As for purest bloodline, it undoubtedly belongs to me.”
Wukong nodded and sighed, “Such a fate shows how arrogant and domineering the Heavenly Court is, truly chilling to all people. Since that’s the case, with just you alone and weak, how can you confront the Heavenly Court? Today’s incident was just a misunderstanding. Since we share the same enemy, why not become allies? If we meet the Heavenly Court again in the future, we can support each other— Wouldn’t that be better?”
The Sea-Covering Dragon showed joy at the idea of becoming allies, as it was a far better status than being a slave. But after thinking for a while and glancing at Wu Zhiqi, he said in a low voice, “Since I’ve been defeated, I’m at their mercy. What’s the use of allies or anything else?”
Wu Zhiqi laughed, “It was just a small bet. Why take it seriously? The four of us are connected by blood, so whatever anyone says, it’s the same for us.”
The Sea-Covering Dragon’s expression darkened. “If only my parents and brothers could be revived, I wouldn’t cause such a great disaster.”
Wukong laughed heartily. “Delusional! If you don’t provoke others, will they not provoke you? The path ahead is dangerous. Without strength, you’ll die without even a place to be buried. At a time like this, if you don’t think of revenge and still feel regret, how can that be the behavior of a man?”
The Sea-Covering Dragon’s body trembled. He had always been reclusive, and probably hadn’t spoken as much as he had today in ten thousand years. Usually, the weaker aquatic creatures would only show respect and fear toward him, even approaching him with trepidation. No one had ever relieved his burdens. Hearing Wukong’s earnest words, warmth arose in his heart. He then said solemnly, “Well said! I won’t be indecisive. If you can help me avenge myself, I’ll be at your disposal!”
Wukong replied, “Brother Dragon, you’re too kind. Those who are together are brothers. Only by staying together and working together can we succeed in the long run, right?”
Seeing Wukong’s sincere tone, the Sea-Covering Dragon was deeply moved. “Good. Then let’s become brothers. From today onward, we’ll live and die together— How about that?”

“Very good!” Wukong clapped his hands and laughed. “Seeing how desolate the Northern Sea is, I’ll set off right away to find a sacred place for you. How does that sound?”
The Sea-Submerging Dragon naturally had no choice but to agree. He had little foundation here, and aside from his Sea-Submerging Whip, he had nothing else he was reluctant to part with. So the five of them resumed their journey across the blue waves, soaring into the clouds, and returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain.
Upon arriving at Flower-Fruit Mountain, Wukong summoned the Bull Demon King and explained the whole situation. The Bull Demon King, being a generous man, readily agreed. Thus, the six of them held a banquet, burned incense, and formally became brothers in this blessed land. Needless to say, there was much drinking and merrymaking.
The next day, Wukong chose a place near the Eastern Sea on Flower-Fruit Mountain as a hiding spot for the Sea-Submerging Dragon. Though it wasn’t as good as the area near the Sea Eye, since the dragon had come here, he no longer needed to hide or flee. Even if the Eastern Sea Dragon King Ao Guang found out, he would be too angry to say anything.
Wukong had gained another powerful ally, which filled him with joy. Over the next few days, he held numerous banquets, enjoying a carefree life.
One morning, as the first light appeared, Wukong, having spent the night in meditation and feeling refreshed, stepped out of Water Curtain Cave. He saw a peach tree in the distance that was ripe, its large pink peaches looking tempting. He leaped over to pick some, when a little monkey under the tree said, “Your Majesty, the peaches on this tree aren’t very big.”
Wukong looked down and recognized the little monkey—it was Afei, the one who had called him “Stone Monkey” when he first emerged from the magical stone.