Changing his mind he instead patted the loong's horns and said "I won't hurt you, but you should make the water recede quickly to avoid flooding the crops in the fields." The little loong nodded, rolled on the ground and the water on the shore immediately disappeared.

Seeing this Nezha said happily "little loong, you are so obedient! Let's be friends instead, okay? My father forbids me from leaving our home so I don't have any friends.

Why don't you come play with me at our residence just this once, I'll teach you how to use the halberd of the square sky." The little loong wiggled his head and tail to show his willingness.

Nezha says "Loongs can transform, can you change to a smaller size so I can take you with me?" With a puff the little loong changed into the form of a small green snake and Nezha picked him up and hid him in his sleeve.

A while passes and the servant came back and said "what a heavy flood! The farmers are busy draining the water and have no time to carry the fish." Nesha answers "Let it be!" and returned to Chengtang Pass with the servant.

Nezha's actions frightened the watery troops in the river. The shrimp soldiers dropped their sword and spears; the crab general's legs went limp; the jellyfish hurriedly rolled dup their flags and umbrellas;

the turtle general whipped the sea lion under his legs and they galloped back to the Crystal Palace. "My king! Disaster has struck! The Third Prince has been taken alive! The young man who took him must have been a snake charmer with knowledge of magic.

He turned the Third Prince into a snake and took him to the street to perform tricks!"

At this the loong king beat his chest, stamped his feet and cried "My son is a loong, destined to govern the cloud and the rain! Who would be so bold as to capture him and turn him into a plaything? I shell find him and reason with his father!"

Chapter VIII: The Three Crimes The Loong King, appearing as an old Taoist rode a white cloud to Chengtang Pass to find Li Jing. It so happens Li Jing was not at the wall but resting at home, so he invited him in and asked him "where are you from, Master Taoist?"

The Loong King was in no mood for pleasantry. "General Li, I am Ao Guang, the Loong King of the East Sea, I come to question about your education of your son." Surprised, Li Jing asked "How could my son have offended the king?"

"Don't play dumb with me", said the Loong King "you son went to the Jiuwan River to take a bath. With some strange magic he dyed the river red and shook the water, the nine bends of the river have become eighteen, breaking thousand year old rule governing its flow.

This was his first crime. I sent a patrolling Yaksha to investigate, without letting him getting a word in your son beat him to death, that was his second crime. I then sent my Third Prince to question him, but by magical means he captured him and I fear for his life.

These are the three crimes, do you admit to them?" The more Li Jing listened the more confused he became. "Your Majesty, you must have mistaken my son for someone else? I have three sons, the two older ones are not at Chengtang Pass, the only one here with me is the youngest...

...Nezha. He's only seven this year and just a kid. Besides he has never been outside the house, how could he have caused such trouble?" The Loong King sneered and said "you are still protecting you son.

Were it not for the innocent people who would be implicated I would've already flooded this place under ten feet of water with a single sneeze. Do you dare to call him out so I can question him in person?"

Li Jing answered "Of course" and asked the household servants to fetch Nezha.

Chapter IX: A Non-human on the Stairs Shortly, Nezha came jumping and skipping. The Loong King pointed a finger at the boy and changed him with the three crimes one by one. To which Nezha simplified replied "I did" each time. "You, you... you brute..." Li Jing said with fear.

"Daddy, don't blame me! First of all I was taking a bath in the river, how was I to know that would cause the mountain and the earth to tremble? Secondly his Yaksha came to scold me and then tried to hit me with an axe, I killed him in self defence so the onus was on him.

Lastly, the Third Prince was a little loong, we fought and he suffered some small cuts. I took pity on him and bought him home. He is recovering in our goldfish pond and we are good friends now!"

The Loong King shook his head and said "even disregarding those first two, that third explanation was surely bullshit! My son is a deity who controls the cloud and the rain, he would've never become friend with a mortal like you...

You must have murdered him and made up this cover story!" With those words he reached out and grabbed Nezha. Nezha struggled to free himself and slapped him under the armpit. Misjudging with his strength he torn off two of the Loong King's scale with a scrunching sound.

The Loong King grimaced in pain and then roared "Rebellion! Rebellion!". Rubbing his nose he reared up for a sneeze that would flood Chentang Pass.

At that moment, a figure ran up the stairs and shouted "Father, I'm here!" The Loong King turned around and was relieved, before him was the Third Prince Ao Bing.

Chapter X: Two Loongs in the Sky The Third Prince Ao Bing flew to his father. The Loong King looked at his son up and down and could not find any signs of injury. Overjoyed he asked "My child, you are still alive! Your mother is worried sick! Didn't you say you were injured?"

Ao Bing said "It was just a little scratch, nothing serious. Nezha has already applied golden medicine on me. Father, everything Nezha said is true, please don't blame him."

The Loong King said "that Yaksha has always lusted after other people's gold, he should have been killed long ago. Besides he is only an eighth-rank official, the Jade Emperor would never think of him."

With the issue resolved the Loong King called the Third Prince "Come, follow me back tot he Crystal Palace." Ao Bing was reluctant to part with Nezha, but Nezha persuaded him to go back to see his mother, adding the comforting words...

"next time I go bath in the river I'll come play with you again." Ao Bing panicked and waved his hands "you must not! The Crystal Palace cannot take any more tremors!

From now on if you want to see me, just speak the phrase 'Little Loong, Little Loong, don't forget your good friend!' to any running body of water and I'll come find you, for all water eventually flows into the East Sea and carries your voice to me."