Chapter 97: Water Song

The River Suppressing Beast traveled downstream for seven or eight hundred miles. Qin Mu was slightly surprised when he saw a village by the river, built next to a temple. On the plaque of the dilapidated temple sat a little girl with three braids.

Qin Mu immediately told the River Suppressing Beast to stop by the river. He left the white fox behind and went ashore himself.

He arrived at the village. He noticed that the villagers lived prosperous and contented lives. Several old women were just going to the temple to offer incense, their offerings included half a pig.

When Qin Mu reached the temple entrance, the little girl saw him, quickly jumped down, and hid inside the temple.

"Wu Nv, I see you. Why are you hiding from me?" Qin Mu chuckled.

The little girl emerged from the temple, smiling. "I wasn't hiding from you. I was waiting for you to come into the temple, burn incense, and say things like you've been weak and kidney-deficient since childhood. Then I could make fun of you!"

Qin Mu was speechless, a mix of amusement and exasperation. He looked around and saw that the temple was spotless, without a speck of dust. Only the incense burner in the courtyard was still burning, fragrant. He walked to the deity statue enshrined in the temple. He saw that the statue was of a little girl, resembling Xian Qing'er, the form Wu Nv had taken.

Qin Mu went behind the statue and, finding no bones, felt relieved. He walked out of the temple and asked curiously, "Why are you living here?"

Wu Nv said proudly, "I'm earning merit here! I protect this village, and the villagers provide for me. I help them drive away wild beasts, and sometimes I move river water to irrigate their land and bring rain. When there's too much rain, I help them disperse the dark clouds. When there's no wind, I create it for them, and when a storm comes, I disperse the wind. Before, I used to run around, catching people and beasts to eat, but then that old bald monk caught and suppressed me. Now I've become a 'Buddha' or 'ancestor' in this temple, with people providing for me, and I'm earning merit!"

Qin Mu chuckled, "Weren't you going upstream? How did you end up here?"

"That day, after you and I broke the ice dam, I wandered around. I encountered the monks from Little Thunderclap Temple, fought with them, but couldn't defeat them, so I fled. I then escaped here and hid in this temple. Coincidentally, mountain bandits invaded, and I ate them. When the villagers saw me, they thought I was a deity manifesting from the temple, so they offered cattle and sheep and burned incense for me. Since I received their benefits, I felt a bit awkward, so I started doing things for them."

Wu Nv jumped back onto the plaque, swinging her feet. "They became even kinder to me, which made me even more uncomfortable, so I just settled down here."

Qin Mu burst out laughing, "Doing good unintentionally, yet it's a good deed. You're going to become a Buddha!" With that, he turned and left.

Wu Nv watched him walk away, murmuring, "I don't want to become a monk. What's the fun in eating vegetarian food every day..."

Qin Mu returned to the back of the River Suppressing Beast. The colossal beast with a blue back slowly swam out of the shallow water, gradually picking up speed as it headed downstream. Qin Mu looked back at the ancient temple, where the little girl's braids swayed as she accepted the villagers' incense and offerings.

The Surging River flowed mightily, waves churning.

Upon reaching the shipyard of Xianglong City, Qin Mu and Fox Ling'er disembarked and entered the city.

This city had already fallen into the hands of the Heavenly Devil Cult. Although Grandma Si hadn't appeared as Fu Yundi these past few days, nothing unusual had occurred. After all, Fu Yundi often went into seclusion for cultivation.

Qin Mu went to an inn, called the innkeeper, and said, "Incense Master, is there a way to avoid the scrying mirrors and enter Eternal Peace Empire?"

The innkeeper replied, "There are two passes nearby to enter Eternal Peace Empire: Yanbian Pass and Mishui Pass. Both Yanbian and Mishui passes are heavily garrisoned, with scrying mirrors hanging on their gatehouses. Any abandoned people from the Great Ruins will be detected and either shot dead or sent as slaves to the mines. Crossing the mountains is even more dangerous. The Great Ruins and Eternal Peace are connected by the Divine Severance Mountain Range, which is inherently treacherous and formidable, impassable even for birds. To guard against the unruly populace of the Great Ruins, Eternal Peace Empire has ambushed these mountains with Profound Mechanism Crossbows. Anyone attempting to cross the mountains will be shot down by these crossbows."

Qin Mu frowned, "Is there no way to enter Eternal Peace Empire then?"

The innkeeper chuckled, "Others might not, but our Sacred Cult has plenty of ways. Before trade commenced, our Sacred Cult secretly sabotaged two Profound Mechanism Crossbows in the Divine Severance Mountain Range to smuggle goods. We would cross the Divine Severance Mountains, traverse the Dry Desolation Ridge Canyon, and then enter the Great Ruins. Now that the Great Ruins and Eternal Peace trade with each other, this path has been abandoned because entering Eternal Peace has become easier. If young master wishes to enter Eternal Peace, you can use Mishui Pass. Many of the garrison commanders at Mishui Pass are our Sacred Cult members."

Qin Mu's expression stirred slightly. The power of the Heavenly Devil Cult was truly immense; it certainly lived up to its reputation as the largest demonic sect!

He thought for a moment and said, "Go prepare a map of Eternal Peace. I'll study it on the way to familiarize myself with the geography of Eternal Peace Empire."

"Yes."

The innkeeper withdrew. Qin Mu and Fox Ling'er had dinner, bathed, and went to bed.

The next day, the innkeeper brought a stack of thick documents, including a geographical map of the entire Eternal Peace Empire and detailed maps of its prefectures and counties. Qin Mu put the maps in his satchel and asked, "Who will take me to Mishui Pass?"

The innkeeper chuckled, "Please don't worry, young master. Your meal is ready; please partake. At the riverside, brothers from the Sacred Cult will naturally guide you."

After breakfast, Qin Mu and Fox Ling'er arrived at the Surging River. They saw a multistory boat docked by the shore, and a young woman in green stood on board, gracefully bowing and speaking softly, "This humble servant greets the young master. Please step aboard."

"No need for formalities."

Qin Mu, with Fox Ling'er, boarded the boat and asked the young woman in green, "Sister, can you take me into the city and evade the scrying mirrors?"

The young woman in green chuckled, "This humble servant naturally cannot evade the scrying mirrors. However, I am Feng Xiuyun, a Chiliarch of Mishui Pass, responsible for inspecting those entering and exiting the city gate. So, I can naturally bring the young master into the city, or out of it."

Qin Mu was greatly surprised that this young woman, who didn't look very old, was already a Chiliarch guarding the border pass. He immediately said, "Thank you for your trouble, Sister Feng."

Beneath the multistory boat, a giant beast surfaced and pulled the boat downstream. After traveling an unknown distance, the river widened and gradually became foggy.

As soon as the multistory boat entered the fog, the giant beast pulling the boat became restless and its speed gradually slowed. It seemed as if something underwater was terrifying it.

Feng Xiuyun wondered, "Why is this fellow suddenly acting up and refusing to pull the boat?"

Fox Ling'er also suddenly tensed up and whispered, "Young master, I sense an aura approaching us, a very cold aura..."

At this moment, Qin Mu suddenly felt faintly that something was watching him. Behind him, the fish-dragon leaped out, opening its mouth to spit out half of the Young Protector Sword.

Feng Xiuyun's expression became solemn, and she quickly moved to shield Qin Mu. Suddenly, bubbles began to rise from under the water, more and more bubbles, and the fog also grew thicker.

Other than that, there was nothing else unusual.

Qin Mu composed himself. The river was too wide, and the white fog gradually intensified, making it impossible for them to discern directions. The little white fox cast a spell, trying to summon a demonic wind, but the wind was entirely useless and couldn't even stir the fog.

Feng Xiuyun took out a fan and shook its surface. The fan suddenly grew to be taller than a person. The young woman swung the fan forward, immediately generating a fierce gale, stronger than any demonic wind. But she couldn't move the white fog in the slightest.

The river current gently carried the multistory boat downstream. The giant beast pulling the boat had already hidden beneath the hull, trembling and not daring to come out. The boat could only proceed, carried by the flowing river.

Feng Xiuyun was extremely nervous. Just then, a song drifted from the water, melodious and gentle. It sounded like a lullaby a mother would sing to soothe a baby to sleep, with only the melody and no lyrics.

Qin Mu paused, startled. In his daze, he felt the song sounded somewhat familiar.

"I've heard this tune before!"

He stood and looked down. He saw a long-haired woman in white beneath the water, drifting downstream alongside the multistory boat.

The boat continued forward. The woman in the water followed like a shadow. The singing seemed to emanate from her mouth.

"I really have heard this tune before. But the one Grandma Si used to sing to me when putting me to sleep wasn't this one..."

Hearing the song from the water, Qin Mu felt a strange sense of familiarity and disquiet within him. It was as if some deeply buried memory was trying to surface in his mind.

He suddenly leaped from the multistory boat and landed on the water surface. Feng Xiuyun reached out but failed to grab him. Fox Ling'er also jumped out, and upon seeing the woman in the water, she was terrified, quickly following him with bounces and jumps. The little fox scurried across the water, leaving ripples in her wake.

"Young master, slow down! I'm scared..."

The singing continued. No matter how fast he moved, he couldn't catch up to the woman in the water.

Qin Mu's heart grew increasingly turbulent. Just as he was about to return to the boat, he suddenly noticed the jade pendant on his chest gently floating upwards.

Qin Mu stood stunned, stopping in his tracks. He looked at the woman's face in the water.

The woman in the water also stopped. It seemed as if Qin Mu wasn't chasing her, but rather she was chasing him.

A soft splash.

The young man from Disabled Elderly Village knelt on the water's surface. His hand trembled as he reached out, wanting to touch the woman's face in the water. Tears streamed from his eyes, falling onto the calm river surface.

"Is it you? Did you send me to Disabled Elderly Village...?"