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Singing drifted ethereally into Hou Niao's ears, giving him the feeling that an immense opportunity lay just ahead, that an immortal happened to be passing by. If only he dared go forward to meet them, divine arts and wondrous methods, precious artifacts and immortal elixirs-shedding his mortal flesh and being reborn would be nothing at all.
But he was no ordinary man, after all, and he did have a foundation in cultivation. He instantly recalled the boatman Old Qi's warning and understood what was happening.
This was a case of a single word waking a dreamer. Without knowing the truth, one would sink ever deeper, unable to free oneself, struggling helplessly in the trap of desire. But once one understood the cause, it was really nothing more than a very peculiar mental fluctuation.
It had no power to attack.
When Hou Niao came to his senses, the immortal music in his ears was already gone. It sounded more like an inexplicable low howl, with a strange cadence and shifting rhythm. He knew perfectly well that his cultivation had changed certain things, but for ordinary people, resisting such temptation would probably be very difficult.
He pushed open the boat's window. In the vast darkness, even his eyesight, far superior to an ordinary person's, could not make out the surface of the water. Beyond thirty zhang, everything was pitch-black. He could see nothing unusual on the water.
He could only rely on his ears, but the sound seemed to come from every direction. He heard it ahead, then discerned it behind; it flitted left and right, its distance uncertain.
Hou Niao drew his goose-feather saber and quietly stood guard, but with his present abilities, he truly could offer no help, however much he wished to. He would have to burn incense in gratitude if he could just protect himself; driving off or killing these monsters was a fool's dream.
Daoists liked to wear swords; officers commonly wielded sabers. After leaving his criminal investigator's post, he had had no time to change weapons, much less indulge in the cultured affectations of Daoists. For his habits, a saber felt more natural in his hand. An officer relied on the imposing force of drawing his saber; otherwise, petty villains would never submit.
The sound went on and on. None of the little boats stirred. Clearly, their passengers had all received the boatmen's warnings, and no one came out to look around.
Old Qi and his son lay in the forward cabin with blankets over their heads, but Hou Niao could tell from the rhythm of their breathing that they were not asleep. They were simply waiting warily for the water demons to withdraw.
His gaze shifted to the large passenger boat nearby. There were over a hundred people aboard. Once people numbered a hundred, every sort could be found among them. Who knew what might happen?
Under his watchful gaze, a quarter of an hour later, someone emerged onto the large boat's deck, dressed like a wealthy family's son, and walked straight ahead.
Old Qi had warned him that it was best not to move while the singing lasted. Closing one's eyes and concentrating on resisting the sound was the proper course; otherwise, the sound could more easily exploit an opening. This explained why no one aboard the large boat stopped him. With danger before them, everyone looked after themselves, and that was hardly blameworthy.
Seeing that the man would, without question, step into the water after just a few more paces, his years as a criminal investigator would not let him stand by and watch. For the moment, he could no longer worry about whether he had the ability. He rushed out from beneath the boat's awning, gave a mighty shout, and hurled the teapot from the table.
"Halt! What fiend are you, daring to attack openly and bewitch people's minds beneath these peaceful heavens!"
The teapot flew out and shattered on the deck beside the man's feet. The crisp sound of breaking porcelain carried far through the night air and clearly interrupted his advance. He looked around blankly, seemingly still unable to understand why he had appeared here.
At the very instant the teapot broke, a ripple moved swiftly beneath the water beside the black-awning boat, heading straight for where Hou Niao stood. Though he had no experience catching or killing demons, as an expert criminal investigator, he would never focus solely on that man's movements and forget that he, too, was out on the water.
The moment he threw the teapot, his eyes fixed on the surrounding water, guarding against possible retaliation.
The ripple came suddenly, but his reaction was also lightning-fast. When something burst out from beneath the surface, he did not even look to see what it was. Gripping his goose-feather saber in both hands, he brought it down on its head with all his strength!
Amid the churning water, the blade struck something covered in armored scales, but its sharp edge still split open a wound, though it did not cut deeply into the flesh!
Hou Niao's heart sank. Even prepared against an unprepared foe, he had achieved only this. If a full-strength blow still could not finish it, he was in deep trouble now.
As the saber entered the creature's body, the strange sound suddenly rose in pitch, battering and shaking his eardrums, making him instantly dazed. It was the water demon's scream after being wounded.
The scream was brief. The instant it stopped, Old Qi and his son rushed out, each carrying a fishing spear!
"Sir, you acted rashly!"
What they feared most was precisely this sort of reckless fellow who feared neither heaven nor earth. It plainly had nothing to do with them. If they simply slept peacefully and continued on their way tomorrow, another sunny day awaited, yet he just had to come out and right a wrong!
They had no choice but to rush out. A water demon seeking revenge would not care whether they were accomplices; it would not stop until it was satisfied. So for the experienced father and son, coming out with fishing spears to fight for their lives was an act of helpless necessity, not a decision that they must help this passenger because he looked kindly.
What frightened Old Qi and his son nearly out of their souls was the appearance of several more ripples beneath the surface, rapidly approaching the black-awning boat. Clearly, there was not just one water demon, but several!
Even the three of them together might not be able to handle one wounded water demon. What were they to do with several more?
Their safest course was to return to shore, but their mooring lay seven or eight zhang from the riverbank. How could they jump back?
Their opponents were water demons. Even the greatest fool knew they could not swim back. That would be no different from seeking death.
At this critical instant, a clear, ringing cry rose. The bow dipped, and a plainly dressed Daoist woman suddenly appeared upon it. Her slender fingers lifted slightly, and silver light flashed across the river.
The water below suddenly seethed, as though something were struggling. The strange cry rang out again, but this time it was a dying wail.
A great patch of blood spread across the river. At the same time, the other approaching underwater ripples swiftly turned and fled, disappearing from sight.
From beginning to end, the poorly informed Hou Niao never managed to discern what Daoist art the woman had used. To him, all of this still lay somewhat out of reach.
Old Qi and his son were already dumbstruck with astonishment and did not dare speak. Hou Niao was also rather embarrassed. He had acted out of righteousness, only to be rescued by a woman instead. That was rather hard to justify.
The Daoist woman gave him an indifferent glance. "To uphold justice and dare speak out, to study the Dao for all living beings. Those are fine words, but you must have the ability. Otherwise, things turn out against your wishes, and you bring about even more deaths and injuries instead.
"You did not even know who you were saving, nor how many River Mothers lurked in the water, yet you dared step forward and draw your saber?"
For the first time in his life, Hou Niao was left stammering and speechless before a woman. There was nothing for it; this really was rather humiliating.
The Daoist woman watched him quietly without reproaching him further. After all, choosing to act was itself a rare quality.
"Do you know why that rich young man was bewitched?"
Hou Niao shook his head. "I don't know..."
The Daoist woman's voice was icy. "Because he saw countless beautiful women! His heart was crooked and his thoughts lustful, his mind full of filth. So he deserved to die!"
With that, she did not linger. Her figure flickered as she leaped, as though a cool breeze gave her wings. One touch upon the water carried her back to the passenger boat. From beginning to end, she had not even left her name.
Hou Niao looked back at Old Qi and his son. "I'm sorry. There won't be a next time. I'll double the fare afterward."
He ducked back into the cabin, realizing that he was a complete newcomer to the cultivation world, incomparably weak. He could no longer put on the airs of a criminal investigator. In the cultivation world, that official skin of his was utterly useless.
He pondered before the window. The still night was silent; after this killing stroke, those River Mothers no longer dared return. As he brooded, the notes of a zither drifted from the passenger boat, seemingly possessed of some soothing power that brought peace to the heart.
...A Daoist of the jeweled waters carried a zither through the night; meeting beneath the moon's reflection, they knew each other by their voices. Invited to sit amid the frost and hear a tune, the merchants filling the boat all longed for home.
. You are provided with The Sword Was a Demon by the acclaimed author Duoduo.