https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-56-My-Expertise-in-Slaying-Demons/12940934/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-58-Supporting-Authors-Please-Help-with-a-Follow-Read/12940936/
Chapter 57: The River God
Chapter 57: The River God
Linjiang Prefecture, Shuiyun Township.
In this land of rivers, the fish market along the river was bustling with activity.
The carriage slowly came to a stop, and Li Xiao'er stepped out to lead the horse, heading towards the local government office.
Shen Yi stood between two rows of fish baskets, breathing in the pungent, damp air. The fishermen around her had their pants rolled up, chatting and laughing as if nothing was out of the ordinary, completely oblivious to the presence of the Demon Suppressing Bureau's captains.
It might have been a trick of the mind, but occasionally, someone would glance over with a hint of hidden hostility in their eyes.
"In a place like this, there's no need for disguises," Liu Xiuje smiled and said, "When people encounter demons elsewhere, their first instinct is to seek help from the government office. But here, they'd rather worship the River God."
"Worship a god?" Shen Yi couldn't help but think of the dilapidated and incomplete statue in Liulimiao Village.
Li Mujin yawned and teased, "Demons that don't want to be on the wanted list or hide in the mountains naturally give themselves fancy names."
"Four hundred years ago, when Shuiyun Township was just a fishing village, they relied on the River God for their livelihood."
Liu Xiuje sighed, "The small sacrifice in June and the grand sacrifice every three years have long become customs. For the small sacrifice, they offer livestock and grains, and for the grand sacrifice, they offer young boys and girls. It's never stopped."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yi clenched her palms slightly and spoke softly, "Isn't anyone doing anything about this?"
Although her expression was calm, her heart unconsciously stirred with a hint of discomfort.
"How can you stop them? If you dare to speak out, these villagers will dare to attack Qingzhou City with fishing spears tonight. Can you kill them all?"
Liu Xiuje shrugged, "We can only send a few captains to watch during their grand sacrifice, to intimidate the River God and let it know that the Demon Suppressing Bureau is still keeping an eye on it, so it doesn't get too out of hand."
"Even with that, they still guard against us like thieves."
Led by Li Xinhan, the group left the fish market and soon arrived at the riverside village.
In this remote area, it was even livelier than the city they had just left. Expensive silk fabrics were cut into sections and hung on poles, and bamboo-made River God statues adorned the eaves of every household. Occasionally, the sound of firecrackers could be heard, creating a festive atmosphere like the New Year.
As the group approached, an old man in a white robe leaned on a cane at the village entrance, his smile not reaching his eyes as he asked, "Are you here to observe the sacrifice, sirs?"
"The village elder in charge of the grand sacrifice. When he speaks, even the Shuiyun Township government office treats him with respect," Ma Tao introduced in a low voice.
Li Xinhan surveyed the village and slowly withdrew his gaze, "Where are the captains from the Demon Suppressing Bureau who came earlier?"
Upon hearing this, the village elder turned around in surprise, "Aren't you the ones observing the sacrifice this year? I was wondering why you were so late."
Seeing his reaction, a coldness flashed in Li Mujin's eyes.
She took a step forward and smiled, "Let me remind you, you can worship whatever you like, but if you dare to lay a hand on the captains of the Demon Suppressing Bureau, you should know what the consequences will be."
"You're joking, sir."
The village elder bowed his head and leaned on his cane, forcing a smile, "We wouldn't dare. Moreover, how could we rely on a few broken fishing spears?"
Li Mujin did not respond but quietly walked into the village.
The young men on both sides, holding fishing spears, stared at her voluptuous figure with cold eyes, licking their lips.
"..."
Shen Yi indifferently took in the scene before her.
It was hard to equate these villagers with the numb-faced villagers from the outskirts of Baiyun County.
In Liulimiao Village, those people had no hope, huddling together in fear, without even the thought of escape.
But here, these ordinary people openly displayed their greed towards the officials of the Demon Suppressing Bureau.
This absurd contrast seemed to stem from the 'god' giving them courage.
For a moment, Shen Yi's heart wavered.
Could it be that for the common folk, demons were more tolerable than the Demon Suppressing Bureau?
...
The River God Temple stood in the center of the village.
Inside the spacious hall, a gilded statue stood, depicting a woman in her thirties or forties with a kind expression, wearing a water-wave-patterned long skirt, and holding her palms to her heart.
On either side, a child with a fish basket and another with a flower basket in hand, their innocent smiles were captivating.
"This statue is not right."
Matao shook his head, and under the watchful eyes of the others, he extended his hand and coldly laughed, "A pair is sent every three years, and in four hundred years, how can there only be two children? There should be a line extending all the way outside the village."
Li Xinhan withdrew his gaze, "You think those outside are fools, truly believing in sacrificing their children to the River God as attendants. They understand more than you; they're just after the benefits."
Li Mujin sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, feigning sleep.
Soon, the waiter returned from the government office, his face grim, "No news. They all say they haven't seen them, and the identity tokens weren't delivered to Linjiang Prefecture by them. Could it be that those officers were really intercepted by demons on the way?"
"The people from Linjiang Prefecture said that as soon as it got light, the identity tokens were placed at the government office's entrance. It's unlikely that demons would dare to provoke us by delivering them." Li Xinhan furrowed his brows.
Li Mujin opened her eyes and glanced at the silent Shen Yi standing in front of the statue, then spoke softly, "The Spring River is too turbulent. If you could gather the fish together beneath it and cast a net, you'd return with a full catch, and they would also revere you like a deity."
"Some things are best left uninvolved."
She keenly sensed a faint dissatisfaction beneath the youth's seemingly indifferent exterior.
She was just curious; shouldn't he have grown up in a poor environment and be used to such things by now? Why would he feel uncomfortable about this?
Time passed quickly.
Twilight arrived.
Everyone fell silent, and according to custom, the Demon Suppressing Bureau would come to observe the sacrifice, and the River God would appear.
But even now, there was no sign of them.
"It's possible they were killed by other demons," Li Xinhan suggested, raising his eyes.
Generally, each demon has a strong sense of territoriality. With the River God here, as long as they don't want to be on the demon wanted list, they wouldn't dare cause trouble easily. They could also deter passing demons.
"If that's the case, then it should have left too," Li Mujin smiled, "Otherwise, how could we stay here comfortably?"
According to records, three hundred years ago, the River God was an Initial Realm Jade Dew Realm demon. After so much time, even though demons cultivate much slower than martial artists, they should at least have reached the Late Jade Dew Realm by now.
Moreover, being a water demon, the vastness of the Spring River gives them an advantage. Even if a demon has a higher cultivation level, they can't do much to them once they dive into the river.
"Ladies and gentlemen."
The village elder, leaning on a cane, arrived at the entrance, "We've been preparing for the Great Sacrifice these days and don't have any spare rooms. Why don't you all choose a suitable house to rest in?"
Liu Xiuje rolled his eyes.
Only in such places would they dare to let the Demon Suppressing Bureau's people go and sleep with others.
Fortunately, none of them cared much about these trivial matters, and they all got up and headed outside, entering the villagers' houses in pairs.
Li Er, the waiter, had been Li Xinhan's personal attendant since childhood, and Liu and Matao were long-time brothers-in-arms.
Li Mujin was also welcomed by a woman, who invited, "When you're out and about, don't worry about minor details. Come on in."
"I'll just stroll around."
Shen Yi intentionally lingered at the back, strolling leisurely through the village.
He wasn't particularly tired, just a faint restlessness in his heart.
He wasn't exactly furious; after all, it was just a few casual words whispered in his ear, and he had endured far more nauseating stories in his past life.
During the years of chaos and famine, there were even rumors of child cannibalism. In this demon-plagued world, survival was already a challenge, and demanding high moral standards from ordinary people was just asking for trouble.
Just then, a faint sound of argument reached his ears.
"Where the hell do you think you're touching? If you dare to touch me again, I'll gut you!"
Shen Yi raised his eyes, curious, and looked in the direction of the commotion.
(End of Chapter)
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