After a while, General Crab put down the book after all. The publication of the Four Seas and Mountains Record was proof enough that the world held no shortage of extraordinary talents. Even as the Orthodox God of a river, he could not afford to underestimate the mortal realm.
With that thought, General Crab looked toward the bed and beckoned to Tan Yuanshang with a curl of his finger.
"Lord Tan, Lord Tan..."
After the low, calm call, Tan Yuanshang seemed to open his eyes on the bed.
His drowsiness had not faded. Though his eyes were open, his eyelids were heavy, refusing to lift very far. Through that muddled haze, Tan Yuanshang saw someone standing before his bed. He felt a little startled, but showed no fear, merely squinting as he asked in surprise.
"Who are you? Why are you in my room?"
A smile appeared on General Crab's face.
"Lord Tan, oh, Lord Tan. You raised your cup and invited me here, so why are you asking who I am now?"
Despite his teasing, General Crab concealed nothing. He cupped his hands and bowed toward the bed.
"I am Xie Qing!"
Tan Yuanshang lay there stunned for a while. Perhaps he truly had grown old, for he did not react immediately, though inwardly he was rather shaken.
"Xie Qing... General Crab?"
Xie Qing was the Orthodox God's name. Among the people, he was also known as Lord Xie and Lord Kaiyang-and, of course, by his most famous title, General Crab!
In the supernatural tales told among the people, General Crab was a river crab who had attained the Dao. In the early years of Chengxing, Emperor Mingzong had appointed him the Kaiyang Water God, and Tan Yuanshang had personally lived through that stretch of history.
"Hahahahaha! Indeed, it