Chapter 6

Where is the Huai River? She has never been there. On the way, she encountered a white egret that clarified the direction for her, and she landed at the foot of Turtle Mountain in a flash of lightning with sparks.

The Dragon God Gengchen smiled and said, "During the Battle of Zhuolu ten thousand years ago, I fought with such fervor that I lost a string of copper bells. Those bells are very important to me, and I have been searching for them ever since. It was only three days ago that I received news of their whereabouts. I should have retrieved them myself, but I have been too busy with flood control and truly cannot spare the time. I wonder if you would be willing to run an errand for me and retrieve that string of bells?"

A group of mountain spirits jumped out from the opposite Snake Mountain, chattering excitedly: "This is terrible, a deity has let Wu Zhiqi escape!"

Long-lasting affection arises from having spent a considerable time in the world, and sometimes thoughts may not be entirely pure. When the Dragon God mentioned the bell, she immediately thought of the Myanmar bell. Such items are not uncommon in the harem; there is one under the pillow of the Zhaozhi. Together with Mr. Huanjiao, they are referred to as the 'Two Treasures.' Stealing a glance at him, she felt she had already understood and clasped her hands, saying: "Fellow Daoist, your regard for me truly astonishes me. However, I wonder where this bell is now"

The lingering sense of frustration rose from her feet to the top of her head, yet for the sake of the youth in the abyss, she decided to continue her persuasion. "When a person makes a mistake, they should always be given a chance to correct it. Moreover, there are no great villains among the aquatic creatures in the abyss, just small fish and shrimp; not even a single snake has been seen. Time can dilute everything. Some matters that may have greatly angered you, when looked back upon after a few hundred years, are hardly worth mentioning. It has been a long time since you visited the Nine Provinces, hasn't it? If you have time, why not come to my place for a visit? I can have the emperor host a banquet in your honor, how does that sound?"

Changqing suddenly saw hope, "Then, fellow cultivator, could you fulfill my wish?"

With a long sigh of embarrassment, he said, "The revered one has misunderstood; it is not a reunion, but merely returning his freedom. I will go now, and the revered one should await my good news."

Lowering his head and covering his face with his sleeve, he was just about to take advantage of the chaos to escape when the leader of the group of demons shouted from across the mountain: "Divine One, do not hide! The moment you appear, you bring with you an aura of immortality. We are merely less skilled in our cultivation, and we are not blind."

After the defeat in the first battle, the face of the Yaksha became increasingly fierce and menacing. They raised clouds of dust, turning the river water into a murky mess. In the chaos, a large hammer flew through the air and struck Changqing's left shoulder. She inhaled sharply, faintly hearing the sound of her bones cracking. When a person is injured, their temper can become quite foul, and certain aspects of their character, even those they were previously unaware of, can be forced to the surface. Amidst the turbulent waves, her eyes turned blood red; her left hand formed a seal while her right hand controlled the sword. A clear shout shattered the valley, and the tangible airflow surged like a dragon, sweeping through with the force to sweep away a thousand troops—those two Yakshas vanished, whether they were dead or had fled, even Changqing herself did not know. When a person is injured, their temper can become quite foul, and certain aspects of their character, even those they were previously unaware of, can be forced to the surface. Amidst the turbulent waves, her eyes turned blood red; her left hand formed a seal while her right hand controlled the sword. A clear shout shattered the valley, and the tangible airflow surged like a dragon, sweeping through with the force to sweep away a thousand troops—those two Yakshas vanished, whether they were dead or had fled, even Changqing herself did not know.

Longing, hesitant and unwilling to speak, feeling very anxious inside; the best course of action now is to ask Geng Chen to clarify the matter.

The Mountain Lord of Snake Mountain said, "Indeed, the River Patrol Night Demons have been on duty in shifts at Wuzhiqi for many years without incident. I never expected that today someone would attempt a prison break. However, I must say, the Divine Being is truly formidable. May I ask which esteemed individual the Divine Being is, and where do you currently hold office?"

Longqing was taken aback, anxiously looking around, "Where are the immortals?"

At last, there was some movement inside; the palace gate opened a narrow crack, and a young boy peeked out, lifting his head and speaking in a childish voice: "My master has been invited by the Lord of the Southern Underworld to a banquet and has not returned for three days. The deity has matters to attend to, so please come again another day"

The copper bell has shrunk, lying in the palm of her hand. Beneath the water, it seems a monster has emerged, letting out a terrifying roar, its back leaping into view, quickly disappearing at the end of the river channel

Longing and unwillingness, taking a bronze bell to strike, "The task entrusted by the deity has been accomplished by me, please come forth to meet me, O deity."

She rose with the wind, and before leaving, she looked down for a moment. Geng Chen was gazing up at her, and their eyes met; he kindly waved his hand.

The palace gate of the shrine has closed again, and Changqing stands there, the copper bell in his hand has become a hot potato.

In any case, Lord Yuanhai has hope of coming ashore. Gengchen is the war god of ancient times; the barrier he has drawn may be unsolvable by anyone in this world except for the Heavenly Emperor Shaocang. The aquatic race, having cultivated into human form, must eventually come out of the water to enjoy the breeze and bask in the sun. There are no girls he likes underwater, and when he is able to move around freely in the future, he may encounter someone truly suitable.

Geng Chen was clearly uninterested in such a small bribe. He turned off the umbrella and shook it vigorously, causing droplets of water to scatter. With a look of utter boredom, he glanced at her and said, "If I am not mistaken, a certain fish or shrimp in the abyss must have a significant connection with you, otherwise, as a deity, you would not have come to my Xiong Li Hill to plead for no reason"

With a long-lasting joy, and with the water-repellent beads by her side, she did not even think twice and jumped straight down

In this contemplation, Changqing feels quite pleased, thus Yuanhai Jun mentioned that it was she who saved him five hundred years ago. Upon reflection, it may indeed be true. She genuinely enjoys being concerned about others, consciously treating them well, and voluntarily taking the initiative to handle matters.

In fact, the Dragon God is quite decent, always thinking of love while flying. Aside from being a bit talkative, he does not have much of an ego. He engages in fair exchanges without ambiguity, which is far better than those who speak empty pleasantries yet make you feel discouraged.

Geng Chen raised his hand and pointed east, "At the foot of Turtle Mountain by the Huai River, suspended between the two caves. Fellow Daoist, go ahead, and when you bring it back, I will lift the barrier of the abyss and let that little fish come ashore to reunite with you"

The mountain spirits collectively shrugged, "Which side are you really on, Divine One? If you have come on orders, why did you kill the river patrol demon?"

Open the door! She struck the door knocker forcefully, Please grant me the honor of your presence.

With a loud bang, her eardrums nearly burst. Fortunately, she spotted the string of copper bells, which were much larger than she had imagined. Half of the copper rings were buried in the mud and sand, spanning across the underwater cave like an arch bridge over a chasm. She reached out to grasp them, but just as she was about to touch them, two monstrous creatures resembling night demons suddenly appeared from nowhere, wielding large hammers and without a word, swung them towards her.

The Hill of the Fierce Plow is quiet, her voice echoes at the edge of the vast wilderness, yet like a stone thrown into water, it sinks down, and the slight ripple soon disappears.

In fact, it is not without reason; they are the legitimate deities, and breaking their own rules is a very disgraceful matter. The higher the status, the more they value their reputation. After several hundred years, it is already quite commendable that they have not taken the initiative to reinforce things; what gives them the right to withdraw just like that

Even the smallest task from the great deity is unlikely to be trivial. Changqing said cautiously: "Although I am known as the Dragon Source Deity, I have only a thousand years of cultivation. The dragon veins from before the Qin and Han dynasties were not observed by me; I am merely a successor. If the deity assigns a task, I will certainly do my utmost to fulfill it, but my abilities are limited, and I fear I may fall short of the deity's expectations"

Changqing has also given up, as a young deity, she does not understand much and still needs to consult the locals here, "Who exactly is that Wuzhiqi?"

The mountain lord of Snake Mountain exclaimed, "Does the Supreme Deity not know about Wuzhiqi? He is the Water Lord of the Huai River. Back in the day, when the Divine Lord Dayu was managing the waters, he stirred up winds and waves, disrupting the progress. He was locked at the foot of Turtle Mountain by the Dragon God Gengchen. Look, the divine bell in your hand is what was pierced through his nose to suppress him. Now that the divine bell has been removed, the Huai River will no longer flow into the East Sea. Supreme Deity, you have caused a great disaster; think about how to handle the aftermath."

Geng Chen said it is possible, but before that, my friend, you must help me with a small favor

This sounds like a statement, Geng Chen nodded and said, "I prefer to deal with honest people; being straightforward shows much more sincerity."

However, this bell is a bit large, and it takes a great deal of effort to carry it to the Fierce Plow Hill. She walked over, took a couple of deep breaths, grasped the copper ring with one hand on each side, and pulled upward with all her strength. The copper ring seemed to be rooted in place; although it was pulled out, it also dragged out a patch of ink-like black mud.

The murky water gradually became clear, and her left hand, clenched into a fist, trembled uncontrollably. This was the first time in her life that she had engaged in a real battle, and even now she felt somewhat dazed, but she knew she had emerged victorious, having defeated those two night demons, and she could reclaim the Dragon God's bronze bell from them.

"Withdrawn?" The expression of Long Shen Geng Chen seemed quite surprised, "Since I have drawn the barrier, there is naturally a reason for it. To draw it myself and then withdraw it myself, my friend, you are asking too much of me."

She shivered, and now she really needs to think about where to seek refuge

Geng Chen furrowed his brows as he scrutinized her, "I do not particularly appreciate those who speak evasively before accomplishing anything. Fellow Daoist, you are a deity after all; such trivial matters should not pose a challenge to you"

Longing, he said, "This is indeed very good. What exactly is the matter? Please, fellow cultivator, speak."

Changqing has never been skilled in fighting, but she will not sit idly by in critical moments. She raised her hand and conjured the Dawn Sword, its cold light appearing somewhat dazzling even in the water. At the moment when the two Yakshas were momentarily distracted, a tremendous force descended, and the sword's edge swept like a flower brushing against willows, striking down with several clangs, severing the large hammers from their hands

Anticipating that the situation was dire, she decided to conceal her identity for the time being. She simply could not understand how there could be any fault in acting on behalf of the Dragon God, who was a deity of great stature.

It has been three days without a reply, so who is the person with the umbrella that I encountered today? Could it be that someone wishes to use her hand to release the unbridled Qi?

The persistent buzzing in my mind made me think repeatedly that it was impossible. "This bell is a treasure lost by the Dragon God in the Huai River, and he sent me to retrieve it..."

Longing was dazzled, she turned her head to avoid it, and suddenly felt the ground shaking beneath her feet. Although the Huai River flows swiftly, it is still an inland river and cannot create large waves. However, when she leaped out of the water and looked down from the air, she discovered that the river's surface had taken on the grandeur of the ocean. Countless whirlpools and endless giant waves. In almost an instant, the direction of the water's flow suddenly ceased, becoming as calm as a stagnant pool, no longer flowing eastward.

Guishan is not large, but its shape indeed resembles that of a giant turtle. The vegetation on it is sparse, and the rocks are jaggedly arranged, appearing from a distance like the cracks on the turtle's back. This giant turtle lies on the riverbank, while the vast river water at the foot of the mountain surges tumultuously towards the distance. Under the twilight sky, it transforms into a scene that evokes a sense of dread.

She blinked twice and asked, "What is it?"

River patrol ... ? ... Yaksha ? Changqing suddenly turned around and looked, "Are those two aquatic beings from the river patrol ?"

She hurriedly rushed to the Hill of Fierce Plow, where the stars filled the night sky and distant mountains and waters were separated by clouds. She ran across the grassland, and with each step, her injured left shoulder throbbed painfully. After much effort, she arrived at the front of the divine palace, but the palace gate was tightly closed, with only the moonlight illuminating the carved dragon patterns, casting a sharp, cold light.

Changqing opened his mouth and said, "Friend, you truly are... remarkably perceptive. Inside, there is a fish that I saved hundreds of years ago. I cannot bear to see it trapped for eternity, so I have come to ask you to show some mercy."

Geng Chen only mentioned that the copper bell was located beneath Turtle Mountain, but did not specify the exact position. Chang Qing stood there in contemplation, recalling that he had mentioned it was suspended between two caves, so she deliberately sought the mountain caves. She circled around Turtle Mountain twice but found nothing. As the sky gradually darkened, the north wind began to howl, and the wilderness was filled with spirits. Although Chang Qing was a deity, she was often afraid of ghosts. A crescent moon hung in the sky, illuminating her as she sat on the unfamiliar mountaintop, arms crossed in a daze. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a golden flash beneath the water and hurriedly leaned forward to look. At the foot of the mountain, near the water's edge, clusters of light points were gathering. The sky gradually darkened, the north wind began to howl, and the wilderness was filled with spirits. Although Chang Qing was a deity, she was often afraid of ghosts. A crescent moon hung in the sky, illuminating her as she sat on the unfamiliar mountaintop, arms crossed in a daze. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a golden flash beneath the water and hurriedly leaned forward to look. At the foot of the mountain, near the water's edge, clusters of light points were gathering. Those light points slowly rippled with the water, illuminating the bottom of the water. She finally saw clearly that there was a mystery beneath the water; perhaps due to the depth, there were shadows on both the left and right, corresponding to Geng Chen's mention of the two caves.