CHAPTER 546: CHAPTER 544: RIVER GOD

Luo Siyuan said slowly with a stern face, "Huang Silang, who sold the Dog-headed Gold, no longer had to man boats and fish, dragging his family to endure hunger and cold. But humans are never content. He secretly bound homeless beggars from all places and threw them into the river to exchange for the River God’s blessing. No one knows why, but Huang Silang, who frequently made offerings, somehow became increasingly wealthy. Since starting his business, his household thrived, and he lived in luxury. He acquired manors and farmlands, as well as shops on the street, becoming a wealthy gentry of Fu County. He even believed his white hair had turned black again, regaining his youth.

"When beggars were not enough, he asked Ya Hang to find mentally handicapped individuals from all around, deceiving them by saying Huang Silang was kind and willing to offer them jobs as servants. In reality, he also sank them to the bottom of the river, turning them into lost souls. In the end, Huang Silang even felt that he had grown blue fish scales on his back, believing he himself could, like the River God, be worshipped and become immortal. This ledger is the evidence of his crimes, confiscated from Huang Silang’s household by the constables of Fu County."

He pulled out a tattered ledger from his bosom, flipped it open, pointed to a page, and read, "On March 17th, entrusted a Nightmare Technique Magician to kidnap a nine-year-old girl from Lou County, clipped her toes, pricked iron needles into her wounds, soaked her in boiling lime water until she was disabled, and threw her into the Ling Shui River; on the first day of April, kidnapped children in Nanxun, consumed their flesh and processed their bones, then threw the bone pellets into the Ling Shui River; on May 13th, kidnapped a child, inserted heated iron needles into his ankles, severed his tendons, and threw him into the Ling Shui River; on the fourth day of July, in Suzhou outside Qimen, abducted a child, annoyed by its crying, he crushed its bones and threw it into the Ling Shui River...."

Luo Siyuan shook his head, closed the ledger with a thud, and said gravely, "Huang Silang found those skilled in the Nightmare Technique, kidnapped children everywhere, and tortured them cruelly while making offerings to himself and the River God. Xu Wen Cai, the merchant from Nan County, was the ’merchandise’ he prepared to offer to the River God in a dream. The deaths of the Xu brothers were also his doing. Fearing the arrival of Cultivators and the exposure of his deeds, he instructed his evil servants to start the fire at the inn. Upon hearing Huang Silang’s confession, the furious people of Fu County stormed into the Yamen and beat Huang and his son to death in the courtroom. The other vile servants were also executed according to the law by decapitation and dismemberment. However, the supposed River God of the Ling Shui River has yet to be brought down."

"HMM."

General Du Tinghuai nodded and said in a heavy voice, "The Fish Demon has consumed hundreds of people; its sins are unforgivable. Although these three ships are well-built and armed with powerful weapons capable of hunting monsters, the Ling Shui River is turbid and swift, with treacherous undercurrents, making it difficult to pinpoint the Fish Demon’s location. It is hoped that everyone will work together for the sake of the people along the river, to collectively eradicate this demon...."

General Du Tinghuai, full of eager anticipation, began to describe how to lure out and kill the Fish Demon.

Scholar Zhu clasped his fingers together, his eyelids lowered, silently contemplating something.

「After a moment, the plan was discussed and finalized.」

General Du Tinghuai stepped out of the cabin, with the other Cultivators following.

The breeze on the river swelled the sails, making the waves shimmer. The sky was cloudless, with an occasional egret flying by.

「They had arrived at the Fish Demon’s location.」

The three ships dropped their anchors, forming a triangular formation, and stopped. Soldiers led a blindfolded ox from the cabin. Wielding a Hammer, they ended the ox’s life cleanly and painlessly. Then they smeared a strange-smelling ointment onto the dead ox, slashed open its back with a broadsword, and lowered a fierce-looking iron hook attached to a steel chain from a steel bracket on the ship’s bow. They inserted the hook through the back wound into the ox’s belly.

The Martial Guards were experienced in hunting river and sea demons. This time, according to Huang Silang’s confession, they had even specially added some spices to the ointment that could please the demon of the Ling Shui River.

Once the iron hook was in place, General Du Tinghuai gave the command. Sailors turned the winch and slowly lowered the whole ox, serving as bait, into the river. Rich blood surged from the wound on the ox’s back, slowly spreading in the river water.

There was silence on the ship. Scholar Zhu and his companions leaned against the handrails, watching the water surface where the chain was sinking, just like the other Cultivators.

Suddenly, the wind stopped. The entire stretch of the river became calm like a mirror, and the sagging sails fell slowly. Birds in the sky hurriedly flew away from this area. Groups of mandarin ducks playing in the distance also seemed to sense something, letting out shrill cries as they fled to shore.

In the far distance, V-shaped waves suddenly rose on the surface, as if a tremendous creature below was slowly approaching.

It was a massive bluish-black shadow hidden beneath the river’s surface, almost comparable in size to the towering ships that resembled moving castles.

The soldiers aboard swallowed hard and silently rotated the Crossbow Guns, aiming their muzzles at the underwater shadow.

The shadow seemed to wonder why the ships offering tribute this time were several times larger than before. It circled the three towering ships over and over again, and ultimately, unable to resist the allure of blood, it swam over quickly and swallowed the submerged ox carcass in one gulp.

CLANG—

The iron chains, thicker than a man’s arm, instantly tensed. The front half of the towering ship even sank a few inches towards the water’s surface. General Du Tinghuai’s eyes bulged as he bellowed, "Fire the cannons!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

All the Crossbow Arrows and cannons fired at once. Arrows and bullets pierced the water’s surface, striking towards the shadow.

A burst of crimson swiftly rose to the surface. The underwater shadow, having suffered a heavy blow, immediately tried to sink into the river’s depths. But it was too greedy and hungry; it had swallowed the ox carcass whole just moments before. The iron hook hidden inside the ox’s stomach had perfectly caught in its throat. As it struggled, the barbed hook only embedded deeper.

SPLASH—

The violently struggling underwater shadow whipped up waves towering tens of feet high. Water surged onto the deck, drenching all the soldiers like drowned rats.

Also drenched by the river water, General Du paid no mind to his appearance as he commanded his subordinates to pull up the iron chains. Over twenty burly men formed a circle, using all their strength to turn the massive capstan. The capstan and chains, made of refined iron, emitted a grating creak amid the contest of brute force.

The other two towering ships quickly closed the distance, their Crossbow Arrows and cannons continuously firing, pounding the frantically fleeing underwater shadow, as if to flatten and crush the entire river surface.

"Allow me to act first."

Luo Siyuan turned to address the many Cultivators with a calm expression. With a wave of his horsetail whisk, the river water rose as if alive, lifting the underwater shadow out of the water and revealing the Fish Demon’s true form to everyone.

This was a giant fish, comparable in size to the towering ships and black overall. The front part of its body was cylindrical while the rear was laterally compressed. It had a long head, a short, blunt snout, and a gaping mouth filled with sharp fangs. Its pale fish eyes reflected the figures of everyone present.

The Fish Demon, hoisted by the turbulent water, had half of its body exposed above the surface. Even as blood flowed from its mouth, reddening its gills, it still ferociously gnawed at the iron chain in its throat. Simultaneously, its tail thrashed, raising waves that nearly capsized the towering ships.

A Gale suddenly arose, and the sky became covered with thick black clouds. Lightning streaked and thunder boomed deafeningly from within them.

Luo Siyuan’s hands clenched the horsetail whisk tightly, struggling to maintain the currents of water that held the Fish Demon aloft. Veins bulged on his face, his usual gentleness and calm gone. "I ask that you all join me in slaying the Fish Demon!"

The Cultivators didn’t hesitate and struck out together. Flames, flying swords, frost, and electric sparks danced in the sky, blasting open the black fish’s skin. It roared furiously in pain, emitting long, wailing cries.

Amidst the roar of cannons and a flurry of Spells, after a long while and accompanied by pouring rain, the Fish Demon gradually ceased its struggle. Its body hung from the fishhook, dangling above the river’s surface.

Exuberant cheers erupted from the three towering ships. General Du Tinghuai laughed heartily, slapping Luo Siyuan on the shoulder as he leaned against the railing, gasping for breath. The Cultivators also put away their magical treasures, smiling as they savored the moment of victory.

BOOM—

A flash of lightning streaked by.

Scholar Zhu, his face wet with rain, looked at the mountain-like fish corpse and sighed deeply. There was no joy on his face, only a deep sorrow.

"It’s starting...."