It was already half past seven when Pei Ye left the Martial Arts Hall. Seeing the spectacle before him, he simply stopped and found an empty spot beneath the eaves.
Before long, hoofbeats sounded again. This time, a black-clad rider came galloping with a dark banner held aloft, riding faster and calling more loudly, clearly possessed of abundant True Qi.
"The hour of the dog has arrived! People and livestock, stand clear! Keep the channels clear! The hour of the dog has arrived! People and livestock, stand clear! Keep the channels clear!"
"The Water Envoy is here." The people talking beside Pei Ye broke off and looked up the street together.
Pei Ye followed their gaze and saw a strange sight-behind the black-clad rider, a transparent layer seemed to have spread over the street, distorting its distant surface with rippling light.
Water.
It surged down the street from south to north. Children were already rushing impatiently out into the street, and the smiling adults made no attempt to stop them.
It had rained all day, and this spot was not far from where the water was released, so even this first surge was quite clear. The children spread their arms to welcome it. Several younger ones were immediately swept off their feet, landing on their bottoms, and the older children laughed as they pulled them up.
It was exciting indeed: the street they ordinarily walked along had become a shallow river. Pei Ye bounced on his toes, rather tempted himself, but even the tallest child in the street only reached his chest, and everyone around him was a stranger.
Only when the water passed before him did Pei Ye realize he had slightly underestimated its force. From a distance, it looked very slow, but up close, he could almost hear