Song Chengan rested for a while, then rose and walked toward the fish demon.
The fish demon's corpse was over ten feet long, covered in green scales. A single horn grew from its head, and two raised whiskers protruded above its lips.
"It already bore the likeness of a Flood Dragon. I never expected it to be a descendant with Flood Dragon blood."
"Its ancestors had once known glory too."
Song Chengan shook his head, took a small knife from his robes, and began cutting open the fish's belly.
The fishy stench made Song Chengan want to vomit, but he forced himself to endure it.
Before long.
A smile appeared on his face.
Inside the fish's belly, he found a bead the size of a fingernail.
It gave off a fishy smell.
Song Chengan did not mind it in the slightest and carefully tucked it into his robes.
A Demon Core!
Any demon that embarked upon the path of cultivation would condense a Demon Core.
It contained the essence of a Monster's entire strength.
It was something valuable!
"Immortal Master!"
After Song Chengan finished dealing with everything, a fire dragon appeared in the distance.
It was the people of Zhao Family Village, carrying torches.
Many people had come.
Men and women, young and old, all had come.
"Is that the Monster?"
"This Immortal Master is incredible!"
"The Grand Sorcerer is here too!"
"The Grand Sorcerer and the Immortal Master must have subdued the Monster together!"
"I think the Immortal Master killed the Monster alone. That Grand Sorcerer was nearly beaten to death earlier!"
"Shut your mouths, all of you!" Seeing the crowd grow more outrageous with every word, Old Village Chief Zhao hurriedly roared.
Though he looked frail with age, his voice was thunderously loud.
These ignorant fools.
That was a master from Xuanqing Temple. Careful, or disaster would come spilling from their mouths.
"Immortal Master, how should this Monster be dealt with?"
The Old Village Chief walked up to Song Chengan, who wore a bamboo hat, and asked.
"Burn it." Song Chengan waved a hand indifferently.
"Immortal Master, why not divide the Monster up and let everyone eat it? There's so much meat!"
"Sister-in-law Shuisheng, keep your child under control. Don't speak nonsense before the Immortal Master."
"Zhao Quan, take some young men to gather firewood!"
After saying that, the Old Village Chief looked at Song Chengan somewhat apologetically. "Immortal Master, please do not take offense. The child does not understand."
He feared the child's careless words would displease Song Chengan.
Song Chengan smiled. "It is nothing."
He picked up the child. "After Monsters cultivate, Killing Intent will arise within their bodies, especially in demons like these that have committed evil."
"Demonic beasts can eat the flesh and blood of demonic beasts without issue, and cultivators with high cultivation can suppress it as well. But if ordinary people eat it, they can easily turn monstrous."
"So everyone cannot eat it!"
Song Chengan said this to the child.
But he was also saying it to everyone else.
As a torch was thrown onto it, the fish demon's corpse immediately caught fire.
"Master Ciren, Immortal Master, please come into the village. I have already ordered wine and dishes prepared!"
"No need. I still have matters to attend to."
"Please invite Master Ciren instead."
Song Chengan waved his hand.
How was he supposed to drink wine while wearing a bamboo hat?
"I will not go either. I also have matters to attend to and must leave first." Upon hearing this, Yu Changfu, who was pretending to be a monk from Xuanqing Temple, hurriedly waved his hands.
"This... very well."
"This way, please." The Old Village Chief led the two of them to a quieter spot nearby.
"Bring them over..."
At once, someone brought over two trays.
"Master Ciren!"
The Old Village Chief walked over to the monk.
"Old Village Chief Zhao!"
"This is a small token of appreciation. Please accept it!"
"Many thanks, Old Village Chief!"
Yu Changfu hesitated for a moment.
In the end, he accepted the silver, then cupped his fists. "Old Village Chief, I shall take my leave."
After saying that, he left directly.
How could he not know that the Old Village Chief had given him silver first because the amounts given to the two of them were different?
If he continued to stay, he would be failing to read the room.
"Immortal Master, this is the silver promised at the beginning."
Song Chengan accepted it.
It was rather heavy.
He had never seen so much silver in either life!
"Oh, right, Old Village Chief."
Song Chengan took out some silver.
"Does your village have a butcher? Please buy some things for me."
"What does the Immortal Master require?"
"Cow heads, sheep heads, and pig heads. They must be pure in color!"
"The three sacrificial animals?" The Old Village Chief was somewhat puzzled, not knowing why the Immortal Master wanted these things.
"This is the matter: I received the help of a deity from this region before I could subdue this Monster. According to the rules, I must return the favor and offer sacrifice to this deity!"
"Does your village have a venerable elder of great virtue and prestige who can help me compose a Prayer?"
"What difficulty is there in that?"
"When all is said and done, this was still for the sake of Zhao Family Village."
"Immortal Master, take this silver back."
"Very well. Then when the time comes, we shall count it as a joint sacrifice."
Song Chengan thought for a moment before speaking.
The deity he had invited possessed such vast Water Magic. It would be good if the people of Zhao Family Village could form a good karmic bond with him.
Song Chengan had not expected the Old Village Chief to be such a sincere man.
The moment he heard it was a sacrifice to the River God.
He immediately ordered people to slaughter cattle and sheep.
By daybreak.
Everyone in Zhao Family Village knelt beside the Tong Sheng River.
Song Chengan unfolded the sacrificial text in his hand:
"Burning incense, we respectfully invite: Song Chengan and all devout believers of Zhao Family Village humbly report to the honored deity who aided us in eliminating the demon..."
After Song Chengan finished reading the sacrificial text, everyone bowed three times.
"This matter is now concluded. Old Village Chief, farewell!"
After saying this, Song Chengan left directly.
As he departed, a gust of wind swept across the riverbank.
In a daze, Song Chengan seemed to hear several soft laughs.
Or perhaps it had merely been an illusion.
"Uncle, the Immortal Master has gone far away." Zhao Quan saw the Old Village Chief still watching Song Chengan's departing back and spoke.
"What a deity of vast divine powers!"
The Old Village Chief sighed.
"I just do not know why he would not touch wine or meat."
Zhao Quan said, "He is probably a lofty Quanzhen cultivator. I heard that Quanzhen masters, like the masters of Xuanqing Temple, must observe their precepts."
"That makes sense."
At this point, Zhao Quan hesitated before speaking. "I wonder where Uncle invited Master Ciren from."
"Judging by his bearing, he does not seem like a master from Xuanqing Temple."
"I have been to Xuanqing Temple. Those masters did not bear themselves like ordinary people."
Hearing this, the Old Village Chief nodded as well. "That man was not invited by us."
"He came on his own, claiming to be a master from Xuanqing Temple."
"He said he had come to help us eliminate the demon, and he displayed supernatural abilities, so we did not doubt him."
"Only after the Monster heavily injured him did I come to my senses. I fear he merely used a trick to deceive us."
"Then why did you not expose him, Elder?"
"You..." The Old Village Chief said helplessly. "Think about it. We, with our mortal eyes and common flesh, could see through it. Could the Immortal Master not?"
"Since the Immortal Master did not expose him, he must have had deeper considerations. We absolutely must not draw legs on a snake."
"Besides, who knows whether that man is some villain? If we decent folk provoke him, trouble may arise. Better to spend some silver and send him away."
"Uncle truly considered everything thoroughly."
"Speaking of which, we owe this time to you for inviting the real Immortal Master. Otherwise, that Monster would likely have come seeking revenge again."
"Oh, right. In a while, have everyone get busy. The whole village, old and young, should come. I, Zhao Da, will pay to let everyone improve their meals."
"Also, invite the Yin Yang Master and arrange the funerals for those few as well."
"For those households without a livelihood, find them one. For those with young children, the clan will support them until they marry."
"I must discuss this with everyone and see whether we can gather some money for those families."
"Additionally, you must make a trip to the Government Office, find the officials from the Demon Suppression Division, and inform them of this matter. The yamen must place it on record."
Now, as Song Chengan traveled home.
He had been walking along just fine when he suddenly began to feel sleepy.
At first, he did not pay it any mind.
But later, the drowsiness grew heavier and heavier.
In the end, unable to endure it, he fell asleep beneath a tree by the roadside.
Yet when he opened his eyes again, he found himself hazily arriving in a strange and wondrous place.
It was a palace beneath the water.
Crystal formed its walls, and gemstones paved its paths.
Coral served as adornment, while glazed glass became its lamps.
Where was this?
Song Chengan was aghast.
Had some evil spirit hooked away his soul?
Before you continue