Third Lord Jiao's Reward

Yang Xiao left his horse beneath a dead tree in the nearby woods and walked into the mist alone.

Less than a hundred meters in, the ground beneath his feet changed.

First came a layer of damp, loose soil, then earth that grew darker, then wet mud that clung to his soles.

Water seeped through the mud, pooling beneath each step. The farther he went, the softer the ground became. By the time he neared the River God Temple, he had to wrench his boots free of the mud with every step.

Beyond a hundred meters, the fields were cracked wide enough to swallow a fist.

Within a hundred meters, a handful of mud could be squeezed for water.

The River God Temple emerged from the mist.

The temple was small. Half its surrounding earthen wall had collapsed, and a corner of its flying eaves was missing. The open courtyard had been trampled into a vast puddle, though no one seemed to care.

Inside the River God Temple, incense burned in astonishing quantities.

Three large incense burners stood in the open space, packed with red and yellow sticks. Yet soon after they were lit, the moisture in the air soaked them, and they sagged into the burners.

The little smoke that escaped mingled with the mist, weighing heavily on the chest.

Only a few shriveled old fruits had been tossed haphazardly onto the offering table, some even spotted with mold. There was no sign of respect for the river god.

Yet when Yang Xiao looked around, the burners before the temple were unmistakably surrounded by a crowd packed so tightly water could not pass through.

More than a hundred villagers queued around the River God Temple. They entered with numb expressions and walked to the burners to plant their incense.