The parched land of waterways

"Xunjiang Commandery, Tangkou Township."

Li Hanguang tapped the map with his knuckles.

"The reports have been sitting here for over half a month. Several groups of deputy generals went there, and none have sent word back."

Yang Xiao's gaze settled on it.

The top sheet was a map of Tangkou Township. A dense network of waterways covered it, rivers and canals crisscrossing in fine lines as tightly woven as a spider's web.

"This place borders the Canglan River. It's been a land of fish and water since ancient times. Water demons keep people from entering the river, but the water still irrigated an entire township's paddies. It was a fertile, prosperous place."

As he spoke, he turned to the next page.

"But in recent months, it's dried up."

"Dried up?" Confusion flickered in Yang Xiao's eyes.

How could a place right beside a great river have anything to do with drought? Surely flooding would have made more sense?

"The riverbeds are bare, the paddies are cracked, and even digging wells more than ten meters down yields no water." Li Hanguang turned through the pages one by one, very slowly.

"An entire township's paddies suddenly dried into stone. The seed grain withered, leaving nothing to eat or drink."

"With all these strange signs, it's hard not to suspect a demon at work."

Li Hanguang reached the final few pages and stopped.

"A Core-Condensation Realm deputy general was originally stationed in Tangkou Township to watch over the local River God Temple and the Demon Plague. He hasn't sent word back either."

"Where is he?"

"Missing."

Li Hanguang pushed the report toward Yang Xiao.

"After he disappeared, the Demon-Slaying Battalion sent more groups of Demon Suppression Guards there." Li Hanguang's voice grew heavy. "Two groups in all, both led by Core-Condensation Realm deputy