Chapter 79 The Riverbed Monster Rises Again

Chapter 79: The Riverbed Beast Turns Over Again

Ji Shi Clinic.

“Have you found out?” Zhao Qingmei asked in a condensed voice.

A second-rank master, tracking an ordinary person, actually lost him. There’s something a bit strange about that.”

Li Fuzhou said in a deep voice, “Mazi Alley has a complicated terrain. Huo Zhongyun was a bit careless and lost his way after entering Mazi Alley.”

“Lost his way!?”

Zhao Qingmei laughed upon hearing this. “A Human Sect master actually lost his way one day.”

Human Sect masters are skilled at investigation and tracking, yet they lost their way. This is simply too ridiculous. Could Mazi Alley be an underground labyrinth?

Li Fuzhou frowned and said, “I also find this matter strange. Although Huo Zhongyun is not as cautious as Shui Zhongyue, he is by no means such a careless person.”

This matter revealed a hint of strangeness.

“Deal with it according to the sect rules,” Zhao Qingmei waved her hand.

“Yes, this subordinate understands.”

Li Fuzhou nodded, but a knot formed in his heart.

Mazi Alley.

Three days later, outside Yu Prefecture City, Qinghe Ferry.

The cool water flowed slowly, and ships were docked at the ferry.

“Quick, Young Master said these goods must be delivered to the designated shops tonight!” A burly man shouted loudly.

There were also many merchant ships at the ferry outside the city. Most of these goods were prohibited items in Great Yan. Yu Prefecture’s waterways were well-developed, which also made water inspections strict. Due to its relationship with the Cao Gang, the Su Family had a poor relationship with the Yu Prefecture Water Transport Commissioner, which meant most prohibited items could only be transported by land.

Even so, the Su Family’s cargo ships were occasionally lost or plundered.

One should not think that the Four Great Families of Jiangnan Province could rest easy. On these vast waterways, even they feared those monsters and demons that might suddenly appear, plunder a haul, and then disappear.

Especially recently, the Three Lakes Gang and the Cao Gang’s territories began to overlap, and friction started to appear between the two forces. Even though they had been very restrained, a scent of gunpowder still permeated the waterways.

Once the situation becomes complicated, it is inevitable that some people will want to fish in troubled waters, stir up trouble, and thus seek profit. This is an unchanging truth throughout the ages.

Early autumn was already a bit chilly. The Cao Gang members, carrying goods, were arranged neatly like ants, emitting a pungent smell of sweat.

“If any of you are not nimble, watch your hides.”

A Su Family Guest Elder holding a long whip said sternly.

The Cao Gang members were all terrified upon hearing this, burying their heads and not daring to breathe loudly.

Last month, a Cao Gang member damaged a special vase from Qingyuan Workshop and was beaten to death by an enraged Su Family Guest Elder. This was something they had witnessed with their own eyes.

These Cao Gang members worked themselves to death for seven hours a day, only earning eighty to a hundred copper coins.

Currently, a pound of pork in the market cost twenty-six copper coins, a jar of vinegar five copper coins, and a bolt of brocade one hundred and fifty copper coins.

Working hard all day, the Cao Gang members could barely make ends meet for a family of three.

“He Ping, how is San Niang?”

He Ping was carrying goods when a nearby Cao Gang member asked.

He had been at home taking care of his wife for the past two days. He had originally wanted to take care of her for a few more days, but there wasn’t much money left at home, so he had to come out to work.

He Ping wiped his sweat with the cloth hanging around his neck and replied, “Dr. An looked at her and prescribed a dose of medicine. She should be fine.”

“Dr. An? The Dr. An from Ji Shi Clinic by the Yuzhou River? You found the right person with him. His herbal medicine is cheaper than other pharmacies.”

“That’s right, Dr. An is not only skilled in medicine but also kind-hearted. This time, he didn’t charge me for the medicine.”

He Ping then sighed and said, “He was right. If you’re sick, you should seek medical attention promptly. If you’re stingy about it, you’ll suffer greatly in the future.”

“You few over there, what are you talking about? Hurry up, hurry up!”

Just then, the Su Family Guest Elder in the distance shouted loudly.

He Ping and the others immediately fell silent, diligently resuming their work.

The river water was already icy cold, flowing slowly from north to south.

At the deep fissures on the riverbed, it was more than thirty zhang deep.

It was bottomless here, without any sound, only darkness and dead silence.

A Millennial Black Serpent was in deep slumber. Its body was enormous, about ten zhang long if one looked closely. Its huge snake head had two fleshy lumps like giant bird wings.

Just lying there, it gave off a suffocating sense of fear. How terrifying would it be once this Millennial Black Serpent awakened?

“Gulp!” “Gulp!”

Suddenly, strange sounds came from the Millennial Black Serpent’s mouth, and the surrounding river water surged madly towards its mouth.

Just then, the large fleshy lumps on both sides of its head flapped.

“Splash!” “Splash!”

The river water on both sides was fanned by these huge fleshy lumps, rushing away to the distant sides with a roar, as if forming circles of waves.

After the fleshy lumps pulsed, the Millennial Black Serpent’s body actually began to twist, as if it was about to awaken from its slumber.

The entire riverbed and river water began to churn. Its massive body crashed against the riverbed, making a huge sound, but it was all covered by the bottomless water.

The Millennial Black Serpent merely turned over, then lay back down on the riverbed and continued to sleep.

At the ferry, people came and went. Besides the Su Family’s cargo ships, there were also some passenger ships docked.

The autumn sun, warm and pleasant, shone upon the sparkling river surface.

“Here, put all the goods here.”

“Brother He, where are you off to?”

“To Faxi Temple to offer incense. I’ve long wanted to visit this thousand-year-old temple.”

“That’s a good place, said to have come from the Western Regions…”

“What’s going on!?”

“The river water!”

Just then, the originally calm river surface began to shake frantically, as if about to stir up giant waves.

The ships docked by the shore began to sway with the waves, and some people standing on the boats directly lost their footing and fell into the river.

“Splash!” “Splash!”

At the same time, the surging river water rushed towards the shore, and those standing by the river also suffered an unexpected disaster, being hit by the waves.

“Quick! Protect the goods!”

The Su Family Guest Elder shouted quickly. He leaped forward, his Internal Energy frantically circulating as he met the wave.

The wave crashed down. The Cao Gang members looked in astonishment at the surging waves. After hearing the Su Family Guest Elder’s words, they quickly reacted and used their bodies to shield the goods.

“Splash!” “Splash!”

The giant wave came quickly and left just as quickly.

Before long, the river surface gradually returned to calm, but Qinghe Ferry was a mess, as if after a flood.

“Quick, check if there are any missing goods!” The Su Family Guest Elder shouted quickly.

“Yes!”

The managers and Cao Gang members quickly checked the goods, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

“What… what on earth happened?”

The Su Family Guest Elder looked at the gradually calming river surface, saying with lingering fear.

A single leaf falling signals the arrival of autumn; a cold wind blowing withers all trees.

The autumn killing has arrived, and the chill is growing.

The howling north wind came rustling, blowing down a carpet of withered leaves.

An Jing held a broom, sweeping the fallen leaves in front of Ji Shi Clinic.

Now that his cultivation had entered the Peak of Earth Flower Realm, to advance further, he had to condense the Earth Flower. Although it was only one step, it seemed it wouldn’t be achieved in a short time.

The Earth Scroll indicated that the Opportunity was that wisp of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Since it was a green-level Opportunity, it must be a treasure surpassing the bodhi pearl, certainly more than enough to help him reach the Earth Flower Realm.

“This Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, I, Zhou, am determined to get it.”

An Jing glanced in the direction of Sanmiao Mountain and muttered, then hummed a little tune.

“Young Master-in-law.”

Tan Yun trotted out, with Xiao Heizi grunting behind her.

“What’s wrong?”

An Jing asked while sweeping.

Tan Yun said with a giggle, “Didn’t you say you’d accompany Young Miss to the night market to buy rouge today? My rouge is also used up.”

“If yours is used up, then buy it.”

An Jing paused his movements.

Recently, that Old Man Li Fuzhou went to the Brothel to listen to music and had already cost him two taels of silver. Since marrying Zhao Qingmei, he had stopped going out to borrow money, so where would he have extra silver?

“Young Master-in-law.”

A hint of dissatisfaction appeared in Tan Yun’s eyes. “Aren’t you going to buy it for me?”

“Tan Yun, how can your Young Master-in-law help you buy rouge and powder?” An Jing secretly glanced at the magnificent expanse of Tan Yun’s chest and pondered, “You’ve grown up, you can go buy it yourself.”

“I don’t have money.”

“Then why do you think I would?”

“Young Master-in-law, I don’t care. I’ve been He Ping you with odd jobs at the clinic for several months, and you haven’t given me any silver.”

Tan Yun snorted lightly and said, “You’re exploiting me, oppressing me.”

Tan Yun’s eyes were large and round, and at this moment, her willow-like brows were slightly furrowed, giving her an indescribable cuteness.

An Jing raised an eyebrow and retorted, “Who said that? Haven’t you eaten it all? Last night, you ate three plum cakes in one go. A box has seven. You eat my food, drink my drinks, sleep in my house. Sooner or later, you’ll eat me poor. You’re clearly exploiting me, oppressing me.”

Old Man Li comes to me for money, and I can’t handle him, but I can’t handle a little girl like you?

Today, no matter what, it’s two words: no money.

“I don’t care, Young Master-in-law, you have to give me money.”

“No.”

Hearing this, Tan Yun immediately said with a wronged expression, “Young Master-in-law, you’re being unreasonable. Did I work for you for nothing all this time?”

Worked for me for nothing…?

An Jing was slightly stunned and quickly said, “What do you mean worked for me for nothing? I didn’t. You’re making things up, talking nonsense, utter rubbish.”

“Also, you eat my food and drink my drinks, which of those doesn’t cost money?”

“You give me silver, I don’t care, I just want silver. If there’s no silver, then I worked for you for nothing.” Tan Yun held out her small hand.

“Alright, alright, I’ll give it, I’ll give it, isn’t that enough?”

Upon hearing this, An Jing, fearing that Tan Yun would say more outrageous things, quickly took out two taels of silver from his purse.

“Here you go.”

“Only two taels of silver!?”

Tan Yun said with some dissatisfaction, “I’ve been working for Young Master-in-law for almost three months…”

“Look, there’s only two taels left. This is all I have.”

An Jing helplessly shook his purse.

“Never mind, then let’s talk about it when Young Master-in-law has money.”

Seeing this, Tan Yun could only reluctantly accept the two taels of silver, then walked towards the backyard with cheerful steps.

An Jing sighed heavily. That old fellow Li Fuzhou had him completely cornered, and he didn’t expect to be outmaneuvered by Tan Yun as well. Perhaps the day he would be rich was still far off.