https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-149-Leaving-Tingyang-County-to-Find-Chen-Qianka/12554193/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-151-Slaying-Three-Flood-Dragons-as-a-Greeting-Gift/12554199/
Chapter 150: I'll Count to Three (Thanks to Alliance Leader Kaixin Boom Brother)
Chapter 150: I'll Count to Three (Thanks to Alliance Leader Kaixin Boom Brother)
In Qingzhou, Linjiang County, the streets bustled with activity as peddlers and commoners went about their daily lives, seemingly unchanged from any other day.
In the teahouses, storytellers enthralled an unusually large crowd, shouting themselves hoarse in hopes of earning a few extra coppers. However, while there were many listeners, those willing to pay were few.
The common folk, unaware of the underlying tensions, could only piece together snippets of information about the conflict between the experts of Qingzhou and the demons from exaggerated rumors.
Yet, they possessed a keen sense of danger, an instinct necessary for their survival.
When they noticed the constables sighing during their patrols or spotted unfamiliar, grim-faced martial artists in town, they would replace the coarse rice in their pots with bran, substitute their meager portions of oily bean curd with cheap, dark-colored pickles, and use the money they saved to buy extra rations, hiding them in inconspicuous places within their homes.
A horse-drawn carriage slowly made its way down the long street and came to a stop outside the slightly dilapidated Demon Suppression General's Manor. It seemed that many years had passed since the manor had last been renovated.
An elderly man with trembling hands was sweeping fallen leaves in front of the manor.
He seemed a bit hard of hearing, for it was only after the coachman pulled on the reins to halt the demonic horse and shouted several times that the old man looked up in confusion and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
The next moment, the figure who emerged from the carriage caused him to instinctively drop his broom. He straightened his hunched back as much as he could, cupped his hands, and shouted, "Huang Jian pays his respects to the personal attendant of the general!"
The young man before him had his hair tied with a hollow, black-gold crown, and he wore a large cloak depicting a ferocious wolf swallowing the moon. The collar of his garment was embroidered with a yin-yang fish pattern, and at his waist hung a precious jade ornament. Slung across his back was a three-foot-long black blade.
All of these signified that this person was the master of Linjiang County, their esteemed superior.
However, the young man's clean and youthful face filled Huang Jian with embarrassment and self-reproach. No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't recall the young man's name. Old age had truly taken its toll on his memory!
The young man gently nodded his chin and spoke in a gentle tone, "Shen Yi has something to report to General Chen Qiankun. Please inform him of my arrival."
"Yes, yes, please wait a moment, Shen... er... I mean, esteemed master. I'll go inform him right away!" Huang Jian seemed a bit flustered and overawed by the situation. He turned and gave his head a hard slap, as if to jolt his memory.
He turned back and said, "Esteemed master, General Chen is not currently in the manor."
It seemed that Huang Jian's earlier shouting had attracted attention from within, for soon after, several young military officers rushed out. When they saw Shen Yi's attire, they paused momentarily, and then one of them seemed to recall something, "You're Shen Yi from Qingfeng Mountain... Please come in quickly!"
The young officers quickly remembered the prohibition. The matter of slaying the dragon was top secret; one of them had only overheard half a sentence when two of the general's attendants were chatting and had subsequently been whipped three times and ordered to leave the tent.
"I never thought that General Chen would even invite you back."
The officers ushered Shen Yi into the manor, asking with concern, "Are you heading to Shuiyun Village?"
"What happened?" Shen Yi paused in his tracks.
The officers exchanged glances and sighed, "We don't know what happened, but the three princes of the Yangchun River aquatic tribe suddenly left the river and started attacking people. Most of the demon catchers have come to capture them, and General Chen is keeping watch over the old dragon...
"The Yangchun River stretches for over four thousand li, with both ends even extending beyond Qingzhou. It's impossible to guard such a long stretch."
"Never mind, you should hurry over there."
The officers dared not speak the truth—the Yangchun River dragon tribe was clearly trying to wear out the old general. The old dragon would not appear unless General Chen was exhausted.
The other attendants patrolled along the riverbank, utilizing the demon catchers' skills in tracking to search for the three dragon princes and ensure their swift capture.
However, the External Demon Core still lay empty, and the White Deer's demon core remained untouched. After all, the Fifth Shedding had taken nearly three and a half centuries, and his current demonic lifespan was still somewhat lacking.
"Then, what are you doing, sir?" The military officers were bewildered.
Shen Yi took out the Silver Bell and transmitted a message into it. Soon, the nearby demon catchers pointed him in the right direction.
Under everyone's gaze, the young man's eyes sparkled, like a divine eagle gazing into the distance. Suddenly, he soared into the air and transformed into a gentle wind, sweeping across the sky.
The officers had never seen a personal attendant of a general display such means before; they stood rooted to the spot in astonishment.
...
Linjiang County, Qi County.
During this tumultuous time, a wealthy local family funded the construction of a new temple.
It was said that the Yangchun River River God could ensure favorable weather, abundant harvests, and protection from evil spirits. He could also grant blessings for marriage and childbirth.
Whether this was true or not remained unknown.
However, Qi County was quite large and not as remote as Shuiyun Village.
Building a small shrine by the river was entirely different from building one in the county, but strangely, the Demon Suppression Office didn't say much. They only sent two officers to take a look and then left it alone.
They probably realized that the common people were overly anxious and needed something to believe in.
As a result, this newly built temple thrived, attracting devotees from far and wide. A long line of worshippers waited to offer incense.
Inside the temple, a solemn statue sat with its hands resting on its knees. It wore a luxurious flowing cloud cloak, and a straight treasure dagger was strapped to its waist. The sculpture was predominantly ink-colored, exuding a sense of majesty and a hint of murderous intent.
One by one, the devotees knelt on the prayer mats, whispering their wishes. As news of deaths spread, their prayers shifted from wishing for healthy and robust children to praying for the safety and well-being of their families.
However, two things stood out as extremely incongruous in this scene.
First, outside the waist-high temple on the mountainside, a long line had formed, consisting of dozens of people from all walks of life in the martial arts world. Occasionally, they would reach towards their waistbands, as if touching a hidden bell.
Second, inside the temple, there was a tall figure who neither offered incense nor prayed.
"Yangchun River River God?"
The middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, noticing that the statue seemed to gaze down at him indifferently. A smile curved his lips.
The smile on his face grew more and more exaggerated.
Until he couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Heh... Ha!"
"To dare call yourself a god in front of me, the Fifth Prince of the Flood Dragon?"
The Fifth Prince of the Flood Dragon, Wang Ye, laughed without restraint, arousing the displeasure of the devotees, who frowned and glared at him.
In an instant, he suddenly glared back.
His eyes, bloodshot and murderous, caused the hearts of the devotees to tremble. Those with weaker constitutions had already soiled themselves.
"What's the matter? Don't I deserve to comment on your wild god?"
"How about this, then."
The Fifth Prince seemed to relish this appetizer before the main course. He retracted his malevolent aura and smiled indifferently, "Now, I plan to eat all of you. I'll count to three, and we'll see if your river god will..."
Before he could even raise a finger, the Fifth Prince suddenly realized that the devotees were all staring at him with wide eyes.
The next moment, he heard a soft sound by his ear.
Upon closer inspection, he found a pale hand, streaked with blood, reaching out from his throat.
As the hand withdrew, he turned his head with a tremble and saw a swaying black robe.
The young man stood with his body turned slightly to the side, one hand resting on his sword sheath, his expression indifferent as he stared at the Fifth Prince.
(End of Chapter)
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