Red Snake Pursued the Culprit

When the villagers saw the Dragon King manifest, all sorts of thoughts ran through their minds:

Some marveled at how capable Yao Suxiu truly was. The Dragon King taking brides was real, and so was his special favor toward Yao Suxiu. Serving the Dragon King, his prospects were limitless. They would have to curry more favor with him from now on.

Others were filled with fear, especially the parents and families of the four girls. Seeing their daughters alive, they were delighted at first, but then they thought that perhaps the Dragon King had not taken a fancy to their girls and had come to return them and demand an accounting. Even their kowtows were trembling.

An enormous Long's head emerged from the clouds, and a Long's roar that shook mountains and rivers issued from its mouth: "Which of you is Yao Suxiu?"

The villagers were all puzzled. Their gazes turned as one toward Yao Suxiu, seated in the place of honor. Aren't you supposed to know the Dragon King well?

Yao Suxiu felt uneasy at the Dragon King's arrival in person, but he had anticipated such a situation and prepared his story long ago. His expression remained perfectly composed as he left his seat and bowed down. "Your humble servant, Little People Yao Suxiu, kowtows before the Dragon King Prince! May my king live for ten thousand years without end!"

Shi Feiyang demanded, "You used my name to rake in wealth throughout the villages, and even fabricated a lie about me taking brides to destroy innocent lives. Were you truly not afraid that I would tear you into ten thousand pieces once I found out?"

Yao Suxiu's face was full of devotion. "Please allow me to explain, Lord Dragon King. Your humble servant, Little People, truly was summoned by Your Majesty in a dream. You even took me to the Dragon Palace beneath the water and spoke to me about building a temple and taking brides. Heaven and earth bear witness to my conscience! If even half a word I say is false, may heaven strike me down and earth destroy me!"

"Utter nonsense! When did I ever visit your dreams? And take you to the Dragon Palace? My cave abode is inside Dinghu Peak, not beneath this creek. You made it all up!"

"Your Majesty truly never visited my dreams?" Yao Suxiu looked astonished. After pausing for several seconds, he slapped his thigh. "I understand now! Your humble servant, Little People, must have been so grateful to Your Majesty for saving my life that the thought arose in my heart that Your Majesty ought to have a temple and receive everyone's incense offerings. As the saying goes, what occupies the mind by day becomes a dream by night. Once I had that dream, I took it as Your Majesty's command and acted accordingly..."

That answer was truly brilliant. He insisted that he had dreamed it; whether the Dragon King had sent the dream or not, he had certainly had such a dream... Shi Feiyang had not expected the fellow to wriggle his way out even in this three-way confrontation. Still, he had no intention of wasting energy arguing with the scoundrel. He would simply kill him and be done with it. He still had incense refining to get back to.

"You wretched scoundrel! Still daring to twist your words!" He extended a Long claw from the clouds and grasped at the air. An invisible force seized Yao Suxiu and lifted him up. He intended to throw him into the creek and let him taste what it was like to drown.

Yao Suxiu's body was immobilized, and his feet rose off the ground. Terror filled his heart, yet his face remained composed. "Your humble servant, Little People, may have a thousand faults, ten thousand faults, but everything arose from excessive gratitude for Your Majesty's kindness. These past days, I have been unable to sleep at night, thinking only of finishing Your Majesty's temple as quickly as possible so that you could enjoy incense offerings sooner..."

Shi Feiyang did not want to hear his nonsense and was about to fling him into the water, but the villagers attending the feast all began pleading for Yao Suxiu. "Master Suxiu truly has committed no great evil. The villagers willingly built this temple for Your Majesty; no one was forced. Please forgive him, Your Majesty."

Seeing that even the four girls' parents were pleading for him, Shi Feiyang found it incomprehensible and asked one of them why.

The man replied, "We originally thought the matter of Your Majesty taking brides was far too uncertain. Once the children were thrown into the river, there would be ten chances of death and none of survival. With our own flesh and blood torn away from us, we were naturally heartbroken. But Your Majesty has now manifested and brought my daughter back, which shows that what the Temple Keeper said was not entirely false. Even if there was some misunderstanding along the way, everything was ultimately done for Your Majesty. There is no need to be overly harsh."

Shi Feiyang was utterly speechless after hearing this. When he spoke again, a low growl crept into his voice, rumbling until the earth trembled. "He used my name to extort wealth and murder people. That alone is a capital crime. But since you actually plead for him, so be it. After all, if you plaintiffs refuse to pursue the matter, I can hardly insist on playing the villain. If evil consequences come later, you will have brought them upon yourselves. If I insist on killing him now, you will resent me instead. Then I shall give him one thread of hope for survival. You four, go fetch some rope at once!"

He had the four girls' fathers bind Yao Suxiu's hands and feet and gag him with cloth, then threw him into Lianjin Creek.

The creek's current was powerful. Yao Suxiu bobbed up and down on the surface, unable to struggle, and was swiftly swept away. Shi Feiyang told him, "Go meet the Dragon King you saw in your dream! If he has divine power, he will save you."

Then he told the villagers, "I never had anyone speak on my behalf among you. I knew nothing of building a temple or taking brides. He fabricated all of it at will, using my name to seize the opportunity to rake in wealth. As for my Cave Abode, it is on Dinghu Peak. I only ensure favorable winds and timely rains here; I attend to nothing else, nor do I need your Incense Offerings. If there is anything to tell you, I will appear and speak to you myself. I have only Red Snake and Black Tortoise under me, and no other spokesmen. Keep your eyes clear, and do not let yourselves be deceived again!"

With that, he spat a fireball from his mouth and struck the Dragon King Temple. The temple consisted of a single room, without even a courtyard wall, built of gray bricks and black tiles. The fireball blasted its earth apart and shattered its bricks, snapping its beams and timbers. In an instant, it was razed to the ground.

Shi Feiyang was unwilling to waste time on these "ignorant villagers." After blowing up the temple, he stirred up the clouds and mist and returned to Dinghu Peak with Red Snake.

Back at the summit, he reflected that, whatever else might be said, Red Snake deserved praise this time. Not only had he refrained from eating anyone, he had rescued the girls and brought them here. Otherwise, Shi Feiyang would never have learned of the sordid affair below the mountain. When dealing with subordinates, faults deserved punishment, and achievements deserved rewards.

He praised Red Snake and bestowed one of Wei Fengniang's Yellow Cloud Nails upon him, taking particular care to explain, "When I was undergoing my tribulation that day, a woman called Divine-Hand Bhikṣu Wei Fengniang came to take advantage of my plight. I killed her and seized this magical treasure. Though she is dead, she had an accomplice, a foreign monk of the Western Demon Cult named Bruninga. You must be careful in the future. Do not use this nail in front of him, or you will bring death upon yourself. Remember this, remember it well."

Red Snake was overjoyed to receive the magical treasure. He swallowed the nail into his belly and repeatedly kowtowed to Shi Feiyang in thanks.

Feiyang sent him away and continued refining the Union Incense, allowing it to repeatedly absorb the energies of heaven and earth amid the Sun and Moon Essence. After seven times seven—forty-nine—days, he began using it. Its effects were indeed remarkable, readily allowing his water and fire inner cores to develop a sense of mutual attraction and harmony.

Red Snake left Dinghu Peak in high spirits, plunged headfirst into Lianjin Creek, and swam downstream at great speed.

He had originally lived in the mountain forests downstream and was very familiar with the terrain and currents. After about an hour, he found his target at a bend: Yao Suxiu.

Yao Suxiu had grown up in Xiandu, playing in every twist and fork of its little rivers and creeks, and was an excellent swimmer. Though his hands and feet were bound, he could still hold his breath and propel himself through the water by swaying his torso. But the current in Lianjin Creek was so powerful that it left him somewhat dazed. He drifted a long way downstream before finally swimming ashore on the outer bank of a broad bend in the river.

The ropes around him had never been tied tightly, and he broke free of them with ease.

"Pah! Pah!" He staggered ashore and spat out several mouthfuls of water he had choked on. His strength was already exhausted. After resting for a long time, he stood and surveyed his surroundings, then looked toward the faintly visible Dinghu Peak. Unable to help himself, he cursed through gritted teeth, "I kindly built you a temple and merely used the occasion to make a little money, yet not only did you fail to appreciate it, you tried to execute me! Hmph, what do you think you are? Nothing but a Monster! I've long heard there are Sword Immortals in this world. There's one over at Zhuji Wuxie Mountain. I'll go invite that Sword Immortal to subdue you and see how you die then! When the time comes, I'll skin you and pull out your tendons, you vile Long, and taste that legendary dragon liver myself to see whether it's any good!"

After finishing his curses, he angrily hauled himself up, got his bearings, and prepared to go to Zhuji to invite the Sword Immortal to subdue the Monster. But the moment he turned his head, he saw the enormous head of a red-scaled, single-horned snake drifting toward him in the river!

Thank you to "Book Friend 20210802033130452," "Red Dragon Dragon," and "A Thousand Peaks Through Drunken Eyes" for your generous tips and support. Thank you!

"Every sip and every bite is fated" was not referring to Yao Suxiu. Originally, this section about Yao Suxiu came several chapters later, but seeing that none of you wanted to let him live through the night, I moved it forward.