The next moment, Chen Fan realized what was wrong.
Zhang Tianshou brought her long sword down. Red light surged across the sky, and sword qi cut through the air.
"Crimson Cloud Slash!"
Zhang Tianshou gave a sharp cry as her sword qi fell, and the wind howled.
In an instant, the once-calm Clear Water River churned, its surface splitting apart.
"Holy crap, is this for real?!"
Chen Fan's mouth twitched as he pulled a red jade token from his robes.
Chen Fan finally understood why Zhang Tianshou's token could make gods and ghosts jump.
This wasn't the might of the Zhang Clan of Qinghe at all. It was Zhang Tianshou's threat!
A scene appeared in Chen Fan's mind.
Zhang Tianshou stood in midair with her long sword in hand, while gods and ghosts trembled beneath her sword light!
See my token? Either you listen to him, or you listen to my sword!
Xiao Zhuang swallowed with difficulty, tugged at Dazhuang's waistband, and whispered,
"Gulp. Brother, is she really Brother Fan's wife?"
Dazhuang had already seen Zhang Tianshou send her sword across thirty zhang of sky, so he'd built up some immunity.
He suppressed his shock, gave Xiao Zhuang a reassuring look, and muttered,
"Don't worry. You know Ah Fan—he's got more tricks up his sleeve than a beehive has holes.
You've gotta trust Ah Fan. He can definitely keep her in check!"
Dazhuang and Xiao Zhuang hadn't spoken loudly, and with the river roaring, Chen Fan naturally didn't hear them.
But Zhang Tianshou and Zhang Tianxian both heard, and Zhang Tianshou's ears instantly turned red.
Zhang Tianxian furrowed her brow, glaring at Dazhuang and Xiao Zhuang with displeasure.
"You two, what nonsense are you talking about?!"
"Huh?"
Chen Fan dug at his ear. It was still ringing, and he thought Zhang Tianxian was talking to him.
Seeing Chen Fan's bewildered expression, a dangerous glint flashed in Zhang Tianxian's eyes.
So, he was trying to get with her eldest sister—and now he was playing dumb, too.
Just as Zhang Tianxian was about to make a move, a furious roar came from the Clear Water River.
"Roar! Who was it? Who destroyed my Water God Palace?!"
Everyone was drawn by the roar and turned to look.
A black catfish and seven or eight water demons burst out from the ruins on the riverbed.
Calling the ruins a palace was generous; they were really just a cave built from irregularly stacked stones.
The three crooked characters "Water God Palace" were written on a pitch-black signboard.
Though it was quite a distance away, Chen Fan still felt a faint sense of familiarity.
I feel like I've seen those characters on the sign somewhere before!
But seeing the enraged River God, Chen Fan didn't have time to dwell on that familiar feeling.
He braced himself, stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said politely,
"Greetings, River Lord. I'm Chen Fan from Zhao Family Village. I called you here today because I have something important to discuss with you!"
The already-black face of the catfish River God darkened even further.
A flash of light passed over the catfish River God, and a fish-headed man with scales on his face appeared.
Then the fish-headed man turned to look at his cave, battered and scattered by the returning floodwaters.
His eyes fixed on Chen Fan grew bloodshot.
He didn't need to say a word. Chen Fan already understood what he meant.
Chen Fan: "..."
"Ah, well, River Lord, don't worry about the little details.
I came here today to discuss something important with you!"
Looking at Chen Fan's earnest expression, the Fish Head River God bared his fangs in a feral grin.
A loach demon beside the River God leaped forward, pointing a steel fork at Chen Fan's forehead.
"Something important? The only important thing you'll be doing today is offering up your flesh to fill our king's belly!"
The river surged, its waters propelling the Loach Spirit toward Chen Fan.
Zhang Tianshou's brows shot up, and killing intent flashed in her eyes.
"How dare you disrespect my lord! Die!"
A streak of rosy light flashed by, and a sword rang out.
Chen Fan saw a flash of cold light before his eyes, and the Loach Spirit was sliced cleanly in two.
Fresh blood mixed with entrails spilled out, plopping into the river.
For a moment, the entire Clear Water River fell silent.
The small demons trailing behind the River God all shrank back in fear.
River God Backs Down, the Gluttonous Princess!
"Gulp. My king, what should we do?"
A Turtle Spirit hunched its neck and cautiously asked the Fish Head River God.
As the brains of this stretch of the Clear Water River, the Turtle Spirit understood one thing very well.
Zhang Tianshou was not to be trifled with.
The Loach Spirit was one of the top three demons under the Fish Head River God.
Even the Fish Head River God would have to put in quite a bit of effort to deal with the Loach Spirit.
But Zhang Tianshou had dispatched the Loach Spirit with a casual swing of her sword.
And there was no way to know whether Zhang Tianshou had killed the Loach Spirit with one sword because that was all she could manage,
or because killing the Loach Spirit took at least one sword.
"Hey, hey, don't let it go to waste! This is demonic beast meat.
I'll make you all loach soup when we get back. It'll be so delicious your eyebrows will fall off!"
Countless fish and shrimp in the river were drawn by the demon's blood, swarming in to fight over the Loach Spirit's entrails and blood.
Chen Fan pointed at the Loach Spirit's two halves and gave his orders.
At his words, Zhang Tianxian's expression remained cool, but her hands moved without the slightest delay.
A blue silk handkerchief flew out and scooped up the loach in an instant.
Then she tossed it in front of Dazhuang and Xiao Zhuang, put away the handkerchief, and acted as though none of it had anything to do with her.
"Dazhuang, hurry and get the meat ready. We'll take it back later.
Don't keep Fifth Young Lady waiting. But one bowl of loach soup won't be enough.
Fifth Young Lady, would you like fish head with chopped chilies? We can make sauerkraut fish with the body.
Two dishes from one fish. I'll make you a few plates of vegetables, too. It'll be so good you'll swallow your own tongue!"
Chen Fan spoke with a cheerful grin, though his heart was pounding violently.
But he knew he absolutely couldn't back down now.
His face showed no hint of panic. Instead, he looked utterly confident.
Zhang Tianxian's eyes lit up at Chen Fan's words.
Her face remained cool, but the bob of her throat gave away her gluttonous nature.
A pair of flowing blue sleeves slowly slid from Zhang Tianxian's sleeves.
A fierce aura locked onto the Fish Head River God, making him break out in a cold sweat.
"Y-you, don't come any closer! I'm an official River God, appointed by the Heavenly Court.
If you dare lay a hand on me, the Heavenly Court won't let you get away with it!"
The Fish Head River God's scaly face was now covered in panic.
Who else gets it, guys?!
Before you continue