Xie Shuci's words seemed to have touched a nerve with him.
The little water god's expression was gloomy, and a chilling killing intent surged in his eyes. As his emotions fluctuated, the lake gradually became no longer calm, as if some enormous creature in the water was awakening. The water surface was like boiling water, bubbling and splashing, and the white fish seemed to be fleeing for their lives, jumping out of the water one after another.
Xie Shuci was startled by this scene, and the other three also looked warily at the water.
"Ah!" the little water god warned, and with a wave of his arm, a stream of water leaped up from the water, forcefully pushing the boat backward.
The ship rocked violently, and Xie Shuci steadied himself by holding onto the gunwale.
Judging from the behavior of the little water god, he should know about Chunsheng Mountain.
His reaction was so strong that this matter might be related to him.
After regaining his balance, Xie Shuci explained, "We mean no harm. We just want to find someone who will leave immediately."
However, the little water god's emotions did not ease because of Xie Shuci's words. He remained standing on the water, his previous timid and shy nature gone, and he glared fiercely at Xie Shuci from the water.
The current gradually lifted the boat up, as if trying to capsize it completely. Xie Shuci clung tightly to the gunwale, thinking to himself, "What the hell is this about a water god?"
The boat tilted backward continuously. Xie Shuci glanced back and called out, "Are you all alright?"
Xie An leaned against the wooden plank of the cabin, seemingly unaffected, while Sikong Xin looked grave, clearly having noticed something amiss from the little water god's reaction.
Liu Dazhuang, with his fiery temper, couldn't stand being wronged. Seeing that the little water god wanted to kill them at the slightest disagreement, he drew his axe from his waist and jumped onto the ship's side, intending to go down and discuss the mysteries of martial arts with the little water god.
"Don't be impulsive!" Xie Shuci grabbed his clothes. "He should know something."
Liu Dazhuang looked like a bear. Upon seeing him, the little water god's emotions fluctuated even more. He tightened his pale lips, and in just one glance, the storm brewing underwater completely erupted, forming a huge water whirlwind that lifted their boat into the air.
Xie Shuci suddenly lost his balance and fell backward with Liu Dazhuang.
Liu Dazhuang reacted quickly, landing in a bent-over position outside the cabin, while Xie Shuci slid all the way to the back and was caught by Xie An.
"Is he or she alright?"
Xie Shuci shook his head, still shaken.
The water whirlwind lifted them into the air; if it were an ordinary boat, it would probably have fallen apart long ago.
"What should we do?" Xie Shuci shouted.
Sikong said, "Let's retreat first."
Xie Shuci said with a bitter face, "How can we retreat now?"
Sikong Xin didn't speak. He simply put two fingers together in front of his chest, a wisp of spiritual power swirling around his fingertips. He then propelled the divine ship beneath his feet, condensing the energy into water, and rode the water whirlwind to fly into the sky.
The tilted ship regained its balance, and Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief.
"I just asked Chun Shengshan why he was so angry." Xie Shuci was completely baffled. They had been having so much fun together last night, so why did he suddenly turn on her like that?
Just then, a mischievous voice sounded beside Xie Shuci: "Are you still going to play with him?"
Xie Shuci: "..."
What I'm saying is, little blind man, aren't you a little bit petty?
Of course, Xie Shuci would never say this aloud.
Xie Shuci said, "There must be some reason for this. He's really not like this usually."
"So you know him quite well," Xie An said vaguely.
Xie Shuci pouted; his words sounded sarcastic and unsettling, so he didn't dare to reply.
As the boat rose higher, Xie Shuci couldn't help but sigh. He leaned over the gunwale and looked down. The pearl had fallen into the water, and the lake had returned to calm. The little water god still stood in the water, quietly watching Xie Shuci. On the boundless water, which resembled a vast ocean, the little water god was as small as a leaf, resting on the surface, appearing extremely silent and lonely.
He didn't seem to have any intention of pursuing them.
Under Xie Shuci's gaze, he slowly lowered his body.
Upon entering the water, it lay on its back as before, only its pale face visible. It calmly gazed at the starry night sky, seemingly playing with the air, and spat out a mouthful of water.
For some reason, Xie Shuci felt a pang in his heart, an indescribable sadness.
They traveled on the water for several days, and there was no land or human habitation in sight. Even if they traveled with the wind, they would not be discovered by anyone.
A gentle breeze caressed her cheeks, and Xie Shuci felt inexplicably melancholy.
Sikong Xin said to the group, "Do you still remember what I said before?"
Xie Shuci asked, "What did you say?"
Liu Dazhuang also looked puzzled.
Sikong Xin's expression was grave. "I once told you about the origin of the cursed mountain. The one who trapped those villagers in the mountain was 'water'."
Xie Shuci was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Sikong said, "Becoming a water god is not so easy. First, the water must recognize him before he can control it. What kind of opportunity would a seven or eight-year-old child have to not be reincarnated after death and instead become a water god?"
Xie Shuci understood what he meant, a look of shock flashing across her face, "You mean, he might be..."
Sikong Xin glanced at Xie Shuci and nodded solemnly. "His reaction after hearing that our goal was Chunsheng Mountain was too strange. I simply do not believe that this matter has nothing to do with him."
Xie Shuci was stunned. If the Little Water God was... it seemed that everything made perfect sense.
Liu Dazhuang was clearly not quite there yet, and looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression: "Who's who? What kind of riddles are you two talking about?"
Sikong Xin glanced at him and said, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you."
Xie Shuci nodded in agreement.
Liu Dazhuang: "..."
"You discriminate against me??"
“No, no, no, we know you,” Xie Shuci said.
Liu Dazhuang glared at Xie Shuci with wide eyes, looking indignant.
Xie Shuci curled his lip and said, "Brother Sikong means that the Little Water God is very likely a member of the Banxia clan."
"The Banxia clan?" Liu Dazhuang frowned in suspicion.
Sikong Xin nodded and said, "He was skilled in water manipulation during his lifetime, and he loved and was good at water. Water loved and was good at water, so it's not surprising that he cultivated into a water god after his death. In that case, the reason why the water wouldn't let the villagers go down the mountain is also understandable."
After hearing this, Liu Dazhuang was dumbfounded and said, "My goodness, wasn't the Banxia clan wiped out ten thousand years ago? He..."
Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci could not hide his sorrow and said, "He was only seven or eight years old when he died, and he hid in the water for tens of thousands of years."
Xie Shuci found it hard to imagine how he had managed to survive all these years alone if he had truly been a member of the Banxia clan during his lifetime.
All his clansmen perished in the fire. Perhaps, like Xia Yin, their souls were trapped in their own sea of consciousness after death. However, he was too young and had not yet cultivated his sea of consciousness. At the cost of never being able to speak again, his soul merged into the water, forever guarding Chun Sheng Mountain and preventing the descendants of humans who killed his clansmen from leaving Chun Sheng Mountain.
"Then what should we do?" Xie Shuci sighed.
"It's impossible to get Chun Shengshan's whereabouts from him, so we'll have to use other methods. He followed us all the way here, so perhaps this place wasn't far from Chun Shengshan to begin with."
Xie Shuci frowned upon hearing this, "What methods?"
Sikong Xin looked at him and said in a low voice, "The Banxia clan fears fire. They are good at controlling water, but they died in a sea of fire, which shows that fire can affect their cultivation to a certain extent."
“But…” Xie Shuci hesitated, he didn’t want to hurt the little water god.
Sikong Xin said, "If it really was him who manipulated the water flow to trap the villagers in the mountains, then he was also the one who caused the flood that killed countless innocent people. Moreover, we need to find the Water God as soon as possible, open the Dragon Tooth Secret Realm, and rescue the cultivators inside. Brother Shuci, do not pity him."
After hearing Sikong Xin's words, Xie Shuci fell silent.
He understood that Sikong Xin was absolutely right; the easiest way to find Chunsheng Mountain was to have the Little Water God tell them its location. However, judging from the Little Water God's firm attitude upon hearing about Chunsheng Mountain's actions, it wasn't hard to see that...
They did not want any outsiders to approach Chunsheng Mountain, so they had to resort to forceful measures.
However, Xie Shuci truly couldn't distinguish right from wrong. Moreover, ultimately, the ones who were wrong were the villagers of the Banxia clan who were burned to death. Furthermore, Banxia Yin had saved them all in the Dragon Fang Secret Realm. But those innocent civilians weren't wrong either, nor were the cultivators trapped in the Dragon Fang Secret Realm.
At this moment, Xie Shuci felt truly powerless. This world is so cruel, always forcing him to make choices, yet there is no absolute good or evil.
A person like Xie Shuci living in such a world would only feel endless torment.
Perhaps sensing his emotions, Xie An gently placed his hand on the back of Xie Shuci's hand and said softly, "Xie Shuci, you are actually quite right. Bixie is not necessarily absolutely evil, and the water god is not necessarily absolutely good. I know you can't make a choice, nor do you need to make a choice, but there is no such thing as having it all in this world. You can't have your cake and eat it too."
Hearing the little blind man's words of comfort, Xie Shuci didn't feel much better.
You can't have your cake and eat it too, but good and evil seem to be able to coexist.
Good and evil...
Xie An suddenly remembered something.
The path of slaughter is extremely evil. How can an extremely evil person distinguish between good and evil?
Fish and bear's paw? Could it be referring to his evil... and Xie Shuci?
Going mad... suppressing bloodlust...
Xie An seemed to understand something.
The sky gradually brightened.
Initially, they planned to head south, hoping to find the remaining spiritual power of the Water God to pinpoint the location of Chunsheng Mountain. However, along the way, they found no remaining spiritual power, and the King did not smell any trace of Ban Xiayin's aura.
In the end, they decided to try to get the information out of the little water god.
At high altitudes, such as on the water's surface, the temperature is much lower. Xie Shuci and Sikong Xin can use their spiritual energy to keep warm without much harm, but the little blind man cannot.
Xie Shuci locked the man in the cabin, covered him with several blankets, and even placed a stove next to the bed, afraid that he would get cold.
Helpless and having no reason to persuade Xie Shuci, Xie An could only listen to him and lean against the headboard.
Xie Shuci also sat on the bed, but he didn't cover himself with a blanket because he felt hot. He rested his chin on Xie An's chest through the cotton quilt, seemingly deep in thought.
Xie An sat up slightly, and Xie Shuci's chin slid down to his lower abdomen.
"What are you thinking about?"
"It's nothing." Xie Shuci shook her head and said, "Don't sit up. It's cold up there. What if you catch a cold?"
Xie An said helplessly, "With a fire in the furnace, it's fine."
Xie Shuci wrapped her arms around his waist, pressed her cheek against his lower abdomen, and mumbled, "Where exactly is Chunsheng Mountain?"
They were high in the air with a very wide view, but apart from the endless water in the distance, they couldn't see any mountains or even a single green tree.
According to Sikong Xin, they have reached the southernmost part of Huaizhou. If they go any further, they can only travel by water to the next prefecture.
Logically speaking, Chunsheng Mountain should be in the vicinity, but they haven't even seen a trace of it.
Xie An said, "I can find out with just one question."
At this point, this is the only way.
After the sun rose into the sky, the temperature on the ship also rose. Seeing that the water was calm, Sikong Xin maneuvered the ship back to the water.
Sikong Xin said to the group, "We can't go any further. If we go any further, we'll be leaving the Huaizhou region."
Xie Shuci couldn't help but ask, "But we haven't seen any mountains along the way. Could Chunsheng Mountain not be in the south?"
Sikong Xin pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Senior Tang also mentioned the area south of Huaizhou, so it shouldn't be just hearsay. However, so many years have passed, and the waterways may have changed. To find out the location of Chunsheng Mountain, we can only ask the Little Water God."
This is indeed their only option at the moment.
Liu Dazhuang said, "That thing is clearly hostile to us. How can we lure it out?"
"Use fire to force him out," Sikong Xin said.
"Isn't he afraid of fire? Why doesn't he run away when he sees fire?"
"Why are you even out here? Why are you so far away?" Liu Dazhuang asked, puzzled.
Xie Shuci shared the same curiosity.
Sikong Xin stroked the purple snake coiled on his wrist, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He said with a hint of certainty, "He is a member of the Banxia clan. It's natural for him to feel fear when he sees the thing that caused his and his clansmen to die, but more than that, he feels hatred."
Hearing his words, Xie Shuci lowered his eyes, his feelings complicated.
The Shenzhou slowly glided back along the route it had taken. Sikong Xin asked Xie Shuci to take out the things he had looted from the disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect, picked out a few useless items, and then returned them to Xie Shuci.
The items Deng Linyin gave him were all shape-shifting and easy to carry, including several ordinary small boats.
Sikong Xin reduced the boat to its original size, threw it onto the water, took some flammable materials from the boat, piled them all on the boat, and then set the boat on fire.
Flames instantly rose up, and the flames quickly engulfed several small boats and the flammable items on them.
The blazing firelight reflected on the shimmering water, like the glow of dusk.
"Be careful," Sikong Xin said solemnly.
Xie Shuci grabbed Xie An, nervously watching the water. He thought to himself that the little water god could send them to heaven at the slightest provocation. Now, they were deliberately reopening old wounds on someone else's territory. Wasn't that courting death? What if the little water god, in a fit of anger, caused another great flood?
Just as Xie Shuci was extremely nervous and worried that the little water god would be furious and attack them, a small ripple suddenly appeared on the water. Everyone immediately straightened up, held their breath, and stared intently at the water.
As for Xie An, it would be incredibly easy for the Little Water God to kill this little good-for-nothing. Perhaps it's because he has nothing to lose and can't run away anyway, so he remained very calm.
"Pfft—"
Just then, the burning boat was suddenly capsized by the water. The flames were extinguished instantly by the flowing water, and the surface of the water became calm in an instant. The boat, with its burnt bottom exposed, floated on the water, surrounded by some black charred debris.
Xie Shuci was stunned. He was just... just wiped out so easily?
Where is the fear? Where is the hatred?
Seeing this, Xie Shuci couldn't help but glance at Sikong Xin.
Sikong Xin's solemn and confident expression froze on his face.
He looked up and met Xie Shuci's gaze. Xie Shuci was afraid that he would overthink things and think that he was questioning his guess, so he quickly turned his head to the side.
It's like they're trying to hide something they don't really know.
Xie Shuci at least knew to give him some face, but Liu Dazhuang, who was not very smart and had no emotional intelligence at all, asked directly, "Brother Sikong, are you sure this thing is really afraid of fire?"
Sikong Xin: "..."
Recalling his earlier "mischievous smile" and "determined" tone, Sikong Xin felt a little embarrassed. He forced himself to say, "Perhaps it's just the wind."
Xie Shuci: "..."
Good grief, so you're one of those people who can lie through your teeth too.
Liu Dazhuang, completely oblivious to his predicament, said suspiciously, "Just that little gust of wind? It's not even as good as me blowing a breath."
"Shut up!" Sikong Xin couldn't take it anymore and glared fiercely at the idiot.
At the same time, a gurgling sound suddenly came from the water.
Everyone was startled and turned to look at the water.
Amidst the charred black slag, a pale face appeared out of nowhere. He looked at Xie Shuci and the others, spat into the air, and then made some kind of movement in the water. A stream of water swirled up the slag on the surface, rapidly spinning several times in the air, its expression unmistakably mocking.
"Tsk, he's not afraid at all!" Liu Dazhuang was still marveling at this, completely unaware that the little water god's behavior was actually a contempt for their intelligence.
Sikong Xin: "..."
Okay, I know you're not afraid anymore, so how about you give me some face?
The little water god manipulated the water flow, hurling the debris of the small boat at them. Liu Dazhuang reacted quickly, drawing his axe and cleaving the flying boat wreckage in two.
"I can't cure this little thing."
he? "
Liu Dazhuang leaped into the water, and the little water god nimbly rolled around in the water before spraying a mouthful of water onto Liu Dazhuang's face.
"Pfft..." Liu Dazhuang's face was covered in water, and he flew back across the water. "Why is he spitting at people like a little kid?!"
Xie Shuci shrugged. "He wasn't that old to begin with."
"Bullshit! He's lived for ten thousand years!"
"To correct you, it's been dead for ten thousand years."
Actually, Xie Shuci felt much more relaxed after seeing the little water god again, because the little water god did not show any strong hostility towards them, and his behavior was more like playing and frolicking with them.
Xie Shuci walked to the ship's side, smiled at him, and said, "I'm sorry, did I offend you yesterday?"
When the little water god saw Xie Shuci, he raised his head slightly, paused for a moment, and then lowered his eyes again.
"Pfft—" He suddenly spat out some saliva, then looked at Xie Shuci expectantly.
Xie Shuci looked at him, and felt a slight prick in his heart. The feeling he got from the little water god was that he had been lonely for too long, entertaining himself by himself. He had finally met a playmate, and even though he didn't like the playmate's purpose, he still wanted to play with Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci lowered his eyes. "I can't spray water."
Undeterred, the little water ghost blew another bubble at him.
"I haven't learned how to blow bubbles either."
The little water ghost looked somewhat disappointed, then opened its mouth towards Xie Shuci, revealing its oral cavity with only half a tongue remaining.
The others looked at Xie Shuci and him with puzzlement.
Xie Shuci sighed and said, "We're out of candied fruit too."
The little water ghost seemed to only know these three games. Upon hearing Xie Shuci's words, he submerged his head in the water, revealing his eyes, which were lowered sadly, as if he intended to leave.
Just then, Liu Dazhuang said awkwardly, "Don't go yet." His eyes were still a little dry and red.
Xie Shuci looked at him in surprise. This guy seemed big and rough, but sometimes he was very sensitive and a very emotional person.
After saying that, he looked at Xie Shuci and asked, "How do you make a bamboo dragonfly again?"
Xie Shuci: "..."
The little water god heard their conversation and surfaced again, staring intently at them.
As luck would have it, when I was a kid, I watched a certain anime and Xie Shuci was particularly interested in the bamboo dragonfly that could fly around when you stuck it in your hair, and I actually made one myself.
So he said to the little water god, "Don't go yet, I'll make you a bamboo dragonfly to play with."
The little water god looked at him, neither nodding nor smiling. Xie Shuci knew he wouldn't leave, so he led Liu Dazhuang into the cabin.
Sikong Xin stared intently at the little water god. This might be a good opportunity. No matter what means he used, he should try to extract the whereabouts of Chunsheng Mountain from the little water god...
Just as he was thinking this, Xie An suddenly glanced at him, as if warning or reminding him, and said, "Don't do anything unnecessary."
Sikong Xin: "..."
Since you've said that, how could he dare to do it?
Sikong Xin was too lazy to bother, so he stretched, turned around, and sat down leisurely.
Xie Shuci led Liu Dazhuang to remove a bamboo stool, made it into a bamboo dragonfly, and came to the outside of the cabin.
The little water god waited quietly for them in the water. When Xie Shuci appeared, his eyes lit up as he looked at the strange-looking thing in Xie Shuci's hand.
"Look carefully." Xie Shuci waved the crudely made bamboo dragonfly in his hand. He put his hands together, rubbed the wooden stick in his palms a few times, and then put the bamboo dragonfly into the air.
The bamboo dragonfly spun its wings and flew into the air. The little water god watched the dragonfly spinning in the air intently, looking somewhat bewildered. When he saw the bamboo dragonfly lose momentum and gradually fall from the air, he quickly swam in the direction where the bamboo dragonfly was falling and finally caught the falling bamboo dragonfly with his beak.
"ah……"
He spat out the bamboo dragonfly, letting a stream of water lift it up and return it to Xie Shuci, signaling him to continue flying.
Xie Shuci chuckled, took the bamboo dragonfly, and caught a glimpse of his body out of the corner of his eye.
Xie An was standing nearby.
Xie An leaned against the gunwale, his expression indifferent. The water was calm and the breeze gently stirred his sleeves and dark hair.
Last night, the king was thrown under the deck by Xie Shuci to keep the cranes company. Now it has also jumped out and is lying under the ship's side, curiously pawing at Xie Shuci's leg with its paws, wanting Xie Shuci to show it to it.
Liu Dazhuang, a burly man, sat on the gunwale and urged Xie Shuci to release the bamboo dragonfly quickly;
Sikong Xin lay half-reclined on the deck behind the group, squinting in the sun.
The little water god waited in the water for Xie Shuci to continue playing with him.
Xie Shuci suddenly felt a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, including admiration and awe). This kind of life, simple yet fulfilling, was exactly the kind of life Xie Shuci liked.
Xie Shuci placed the bamboo dragonfly in his palm, rubbed it vigorously a few times, and then released it into the air.
He released a wisp of spiritual energy, holding the bamboo dragonfly, and circled around the little blind man. Xie An smiled faintly.
The spiritual power carried the bamboo dragonfly to the king again. The king roared and tried to touch the bamboo dragonfly with its claws, but Xie Shuci managed to get it to escape from the king's claws in time.
The bamboo dragonfly slowly flew to Liu Dazhuang's side. Liu Dazhuang suddenly blew a breath at it, blowing it towards Sikong Xin's side.
The tiny bamboo dragonfly seemed to possess magic, flying past the group of people by the boat before heading towards the little water god in the water.
The king wanted to give chase, so he jumped onto the ship's side, leaned forward, and scratched twice in mid-air with his claws.
"Hold out your hand," Xie Shuci said.
The little water god was a little confused, but he still listened to him and slowly stretched his hand out of the water. The bamboo dragonfly flew to his side and gradually fell into his palm.
"I can't blow bubbles, so I'll give you this. Next time, let's play with bamboo dragonflies together." Xie Shuci leaned down, resting on the gunwale, and looked at the little water god with a smile.
Xie An lowered his eyes, looking at Xie Shuci who was laughing unrestrainedly, and a gentle smile appeared in his eyes.
Xie Shuci always does what he can. He doesn't care about status, right or wrong, or reward. Such a clear-headed yet shallow person can always be seen through at a glance.
It is precisely because he is so easily seen through that so many people gradually gather around him, like him, and trust him.
The little water god stared blankly at the ugly bamboo dragonfly in his palm. Curious and clumsy, he imitated Xie Shuci's posture, placing it in his palm, rubbing it gently a couple of times, and then releasing it. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough strength, and the bamboo dragonfly fell down after flying only a couple of times. However, the little water god seemed very happy.
He held the bamboo dragonfly with obvious delight, poked half his body out of the water, looked at Xie Shuci, and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.
"Ah, ah." He could only make a hoarse sound, unable to form a single word.
Xie Shuci said, "You have something you want to say to me?"
"Ah." The little water god nodded.
Xie Shuci said, "Then just say it like that, without making a sound."
The little water god opened his mouth and tried to speak without making a sound. Although it was very difficult, he still tried.
Xie Shuci watched his mouth movements and read, "You guys?"
The little water god stared blankly at Xie Shuci, his expression utterly dazed.
In all the years since he lost his ability to speak, Xie Shuci was probably the only person who knew what he was saying and could communicate with him.
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