As the Golden Carp in the water looked at Yi Shuyuan, something seemed to stir again in the canal farther away.
Ripples clearly rose across the surface. Yi Shuyuan frowned and looked over, knowing something was beneath the water. When he turned back toward the side of the boat, the Golden Carp was gone.
"What sort of demon is this? Doesn't the Kaiyang Grand Canal have a river god?"
"Sir, aren't you thinking too highly of all gods? Even I was a god once..."
Hui Mian spoke softly to Yi Shuyuan. The latter lowered his head to look at the little marten, who had already shrunk back inside his clothes, and found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
In truth, the hierarchy of the gods of the world's waters was exceedingly complicated. A small portion held posts under the Celestial Court, a large portion fell under Dragonkind's jurisdiction, many had ties to both, and a very few belonged to neither.
"Sir..."
"Shh!"
Yi Shuyuan signaled Hui Mian to keep quiet. Hui Mian promptly closed his mouth and concealed his aura.
The ripples on the river formed an arrowhead, pushing outward to either side as successive, barely noticeable waves swept toward them, splashing against the hull.
"Splash, splash, splash..."
A vessel as large as Yi Shuyuan's barely moved, while several smaller boats moored a little farther away rocked beneath the waves.
"Come out. I know you're here. You can't get away..."
Another wave swept toward them, this time with a little more force. Even a trace of demonic aura rose with it, carrying a heavy fishy stench to Yi Shuyuan's nose.
Only after another short while did the river begin to settle.
At the stern, someone put down his bowl and chopsticks, walked to the railing, and called toward him.