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He Qinglan watched those gray eyes press almost to the tip of his nose and reached out to push him back.

"At least for now, you're still the one on the bottom. Stay away from me, unless you're looking for a beating."

Xia Youyu pushed up his glasses beside them, then pushed them up again.

Then he lowered his eyes expressionlessly.

There was clearly nothing wrong with this scene or conversation, yet the more he thought about it, the more every part of it seemed ripe for mockery.

This insistence on determining who was on top and who was on the bottom... it really wasn't the kind of top and bottom he was thinking of, was it?

Xia Youyu swiftly stopped himself from thinking any further and explained his situation to Shui Wuyuan again. He was not asking for help, merely clarifying what had happened.

From Shui Wuyuan's words and attitude just now, Xia Youyu could tell that Huazhou's richest man had no intention of helping him. Shui Wuyuan was here only because the object of his faith was here.

So Xia Youyu knew perfectly well whom he ought to follow. From their conversation, he had also gathered that He Qinglan did not seem to be in very good condition.

But what did that matter? As long as someone possessed the strength to deal with that Monster Bird, he did not care who was stronger.

And in the end, the one who had given him hope was only that man whose brows and eyes were gentle as water.

"I'll help you with the Monster Bird and Linhe Village." He Qinglan looked at Xia Youyu. "When it comes to hoping the Qinglan River will become clear again, we share the same goal."

"Stay with me these next few days. When that Monster Bird you described—impossible to stop and impossible to kill—appears, I'll see what exactly it is."

"And... you've seen both his power and mine." He Qinglan thought for a moment. "To make it easier for you to accept, you can think of us as... spokespeople."

He Qinglan pointed toward the Qinglan River beneath the moon. "The river cannot speak, but I can."

"The rain is the same."

Xia Youyu's eyes slowly widened. First, he followed He Qinglan's finger to look at that narrow, filthy river; then he looked up at the rain falling solely upon him. Then he recalled He Qinglan's words—"Don't dirty my river"—and Shui Wuyuan's nickname, the Rain God.

It seemed a long while before he spoke, his voice trembling faintly. "There is a river in the heavens, stretching ten thousand miles... azure waves shimmer, and when the wind rises, clear ripples stir... drifting lightly like clouds flowing across the Ninth Heaven, chiming softly like jade pearls falling upon a plate..."

"Then suddenly the water surges, spirits leap with joy, and the river's master steps forth upon the waves, like an immortal?"

Xia Youyu looked at He Qinglan, who sat there quietly, his voice dry. "Are you... the Qinglan River God?"

What Xia Youyu had recited was the Rhapsody of the Clear Ripples River God, a work that even Shui Wuyuan knew and could recite in full.

For ages, all the people of Huazhou had believed it was merely an article in which an author from a thousand years ago had imagined and praised the Qinglan River. Who could have known that within this Heavenly River, once glorious and later fallen into obscurity, there truly existed such a god?

He Qinglan chuckled. "I've never met that great writer."

Other than revealing his true form in ancient times, he had merely slept ever since. But if that great writer were still alive after composing a Rhapsody of the Clear Ripples River God that had endured through the ages, the River God would surely bless him.

Xia Youyu smiled as well.

This time, he was completely at ease.

Though He Qinglan had not answered his question directly, he had already received his answer.

Then Xia Youyu, the second believer, began to grow excited.

"My lord! It is far too beneath you to pick up trash here by the river! Though this believer is beset by misfortune and my family has fallen on hard times, I still do some small work and possess a modest amount of assets!

The two buildings my family once owned are gone, but I still have three apartments in two other buildings! And there's also the small villa where I live now! Choose whichever of those four places you like! Live wherever catches your eye! Please don't sleep out in the open by the river!"

"And what you're wearing truly does not suit your noble status!" Xia Youyu immediately took out his credit card and placed it on the table with both hands. "The password is 777774! Take it and spend as you please! Buy whatever you want!"

"And, uh—"

Xia Youyu's words came to an abrupt halt when the drizzling rain above his head suddenly turned into a torrential downpour mixed with tiny pellets of ice.

On top of that, he sensed a thread of terrifying killing intent.

He turned toward the deity who was very likely not merely nicknamed the Rain God, and gave him the politest smile he could manage.

A gust of wind blew the bank card onto the ground.

Boss Water sneered. "Do you think we're like you mortals, burdened with so many worldly desires? The clothes he wears are conjured from ritual robes. No matter how expensive, no custom-made luxury could compare."

"As for why his clothes look so shabby?"

"Isn't it because you humans dirtied his river?"

At that moment, Shui Wuyuan's expression turned cold and gloomy. "For as long as this river remains unwell, his clothes will look like this."

"So stop thinking about such superficial things. Think carefully about how you should atone instead."

Xia Youyu fell silent.

He Qinglan, however, did not say anything overly harsh. "I will not leave this place, and there is no need to fuss too much over clothes or food."

"As long as the river's problems are resolved sooner, that will be enough."

"But during this time, you must stay by my side. You can't go without a place to rest at night. Little Black told me humans have things called tents. You can buy one and move over here."

"And it's not as though I won't let you do anything at all."

Xia Youyu quickly raised his head and heard He Qinglan say, "Offer up a phone."

"Little Black said the internet is where people now learn about many things, and where one can see many people. I want to use it."

The moment Xia Youyu heard that, he nodded at once. "Yes, my lord! Don't worry, I'll start shopping online right away!"

"Same-city delivery can bring you a phone tomorrow morning!"

Xia Youyu immediately pulled the phone from his pocket and hurried over to the River God. Though his phone had gotten wet, it was fine! His phone was famously drop-resistant, waterproof, and solidly built. There absolutely wouldn't be any... problem?!