As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 383 The Fisherman Subdues the Demon

"Hahaha~"

The hearty laughter was exceptionally penetrating, cutting through the raging winds and waves to reach everyone's ears.

Even in the midst of the perilous situation, the people on the ship unconsciously turned their heads and looked in the same direction.

Dark clouds gathered, and a storm raged.

The raging waves rolled and surged.

As far as the eye could see, a shadow, tiny compared to the Qian Yuan warship, churned in the sea.

A small boat made of green leaves sails forward on the waves, moving automatically even without wind.

A figure stood atop the green leaves.

The sea surges and churns, and human strength is insignificant under the might of nature. A small boat drifts along, as if a single wave could capsize it and drown it in the deep abyss of the sea.

But ironically, this small boat, swaying precariously with the waves, never capsized.

The people on the small boat were firmly rooted to the surface, laughing wildly and unrestrainedly.

Before long, they arrived at the ship.

The next instant, a figure flashed and appeared on the deck.

Only then did everyone get a clear look at his appearance; he was a rather rugged and unrestrained man.

He had a thick beard, wore coarse cloth clothes, was broad-shouldered and burly, bald, with a string of large Buddhist beads hanging from his thick neck and a wine gourd at his waist. He looked no different from an ordinary folk wanderer.

He boarded the boat and casually waved.

With a flash of green light, the swaying green leaf boat transformed into a green leaf and fell into his palm.

This person suddenly entered the ship, possessing an extraordinary aura; it was unclear whether he was friend or foe.

Several cultivators gripped their weapons tightly, watching their opponent with wary expressions.

The little fox, sitting upright on the mast, narrowed its eyes and looked at him meaningfully.

"May I ask where you, cultivator, come from?"

Mingchen looked the man up and down, a warm smile on his face, and asked, "What brings you aboard my ship?"

The man smiled at Ming Chen. He seemed to be a wandering swordsman who didn't care about worldly etiquette, but he still bowed respectfully to Ming Chen: "I am just a wandering swordsman from another region, living on Dajue Island, three hundred miles south of here. My common name is Tang Ying. I greet Lord Ming."

They seem to be friends, not enemies.

They also knew Mingchen's identity.

Tang Ying glanced at the surging sea and the eddies that blocked the fleet's progress.

He lowered his eyes slightly and smiled at Mingchen, saying, "I was cultivating in the Daoist temple when I saw dark clouds covering the sky and waves rolling a hundred miles away. I knew that there were demons causing trouble here and blocking the army's way."

"I, Tang, have calculated that Lord Ming and I share a special connection, so I have come to lend you a hand in subduing demons and overcoming this difficult situation."

Dajue Island, three hundred miles away?

Is this a divination of fate?
These few words alone demonstrate an air of superiority and prestige that surpasses even the cultivators under Mingchen's command.

Along the way, Mingchen encountered mostly enemies who appeared out of nowhere, and rarely did he encounter anyone who came to help him so travel-worn.

Ironically, this person appeared shortly after Mingchen had met someone in the south.

Mingchen glanced at the Buddhist beads around his neck and smiled.

Without asking any further questions or refusing, he simply spread his palms and pointed to the surging sea: "Thank you, thank you for coming to help me. If you can subdue this monster, I will be eternally grateful."

Tang Ying clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, "I dare not, I dare not!"

"please!"

After the pleasantries, it was time to get down to business.

Under the gaze of everyone present, Tang Ying stood by the boat and casually conjured a section of yellow bamboo.

He made a hand seal with one hand and chanted mantras.

Then,

"Kakaka!"

With a series of cracking sounds, the palm-sized yellow bamboo joint continued to grow and extend, reaching a length of five or six meters in the blink of an eye.

Invisible magical threads extended from the tip of the rod, and at the end of the threads, a faint glow seemed to emerge, converging to form a swastika.

Tang Ying did not go into the water; he simply flicked the bamboo pole in his hand, sending the magical threads into the swaying sea.

He stood like a fisherman, holding a bamboo rod, eyes closed, waiting quietly.

Despite the raging storm and towering waves, the angler remained steadfast, fishing from his boat.

Fishing requires patience.

Everyone on the boat was waiting for him to fish.

Several cultivators secretly grimaced when they saw him fishing with his eyes closed.

How ferocious is that monster in the water? Can such trickery really repel the enemy?
This person's background is unknown, yet he makes such a high-profile and conspicuous appearance, deliberately creating mystery in front of Lord Ming. If he really succeeds, wouldn't all of them be outshone and surpassed?

Some people even thought it was better if he didn't amount to anything.

If they can't get past this hurdle, it's because the enemy is too strong, not because they are incompetent.

Time flowed slowly, and everyone had different thoughts.

All attention was focused on the surging waves.

I don’t know how long it took.

Suddenly, the waves surged more violently, and the eddies became more turbulent.

Tang Ying, who had been closing his eyes, suddenly opened them, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and he abruptly raised the yellow bamboo pole in his hand.

"Go!"

Just like a real fisherman who had caught a fish, the fishing rod twisted violently, the magic thread stretched to its limit, a huge whirlpool gathered underwater, and the waves shook the large ship and caused it to churn.

The two sides had been vying for power for a short time.

Tang Ying, holding his fishing rod, roared, "You beast! Lift it up!"

Having said that, he suddenly raised his fishing rod and pulled something out of the sea, flinging it into the sky.

At that very moment, the raging winds and waves subsided instantly, and the dense dark clouds overhead were dispersed.

In the blink of an eye, the storm subsided.

Everything returned to calm.

It was as if the devastating sight of the roaring sea that had just appeared was merely a figment of the imagination.

For a moment, the soldiers and sailors on the ship were somewhat dazed.

Everyone on the main ship turned their gaze and looked in the same direction.

But then Tang Ying threw something up and it landed on the deck.

Its emerald shell gleams brightly, and its crimson pincers gleam fiercely.

Bound by magical threads, the swastika symbol was clearly visible on his chest and abdomen.

It was a giant mantis shrimp, about the size of an adult.

He kept rolling and struggling on the boat, but he couldn't muster any magical power.

Tang Ying put away his fishing rod, looked down at the monster, and asked in a deep voice, "You beast, why don't you surrender at once?"

Upon hearing this, the monster trembled violently and could only prostrate itself on the boat, shaking all over, no longer resisting: "I beg your mercy, sir..."

Mingchen raised an eyebrow, looking at the giant shrimp lying on the ground with interest, and asked Tang Ying, "Is this the monster that's blocking my ship's progress?"

At first, they stirred up trouble, acted recklessly, and deliberately created a mystery.

Now that he's been thrown onto the ship and stripped of his supernatural powers, he's lost all his arrogance.

Tang Ying put away her fishing rod and smiled at Ming Chen: "Exactly."

"This monster is a magnificent blue-backed shrimp monster. Its pair of claws are extremely powerful, as fast as lightning and as powerful as a meteor, capable of destroying anything. It is even more powerful in the water. With just a few swings of its giant pincers over hundreds of miles, it can stir up wind and waves, making it impossible for ordinary people to approach."

Mingchen also flattered him, saying, "Such a powerful monster, yet it was subdued by the layman. The layman's magical power is profound and his supernatural abilities are unfathomable."

"I am over-flattered!"

"I was merely borrowing Lord Ming's prestige!" "What merit is there in showing off your limited skills before an expert?"

Everything returned to calm, and with no more obstacles, the fleet continued its journey.

On the main ship, Tang Ying patted the shrimp monster's head, looked up at Ming Chen and said, "Lord Ming, the demon has surrendered, this matter is settled, I will take my leave now."

It's over.

Tang Ying seemed to ask for nothing in return, only to lend Mingchen a helping hand, and then she took her leave of Mingchen.

Mingchen narrowed his eyes and smiled at him, "Are you leaving already, sir?"

"Why don't you stay? I'll host a banquet to thank you."

"I will also report to His Majesty in the future and request that you be rewarded."

"Our dynasty acts on behalf of Heaven, raising troops to punish the tyrannical Northern Barbarians. This is a great undertaking to unify the world and leave a lasting legacy. You might as well join us, so that you can be recorded in history and praised by countless descendants."

Tang Ying simply bowed to Ming Chen and declined, saying, "Lord Ming, you flatter me. I am but a recluse from afar, and fame and fortune are as fleeting as clouds to me."

"My visit here today is merely to settle a karmic connection between us."

"Now that the calamity has been resolved, the karmic ties have been cleared."

"I'll be going now."

Such a person could not possibly be like the cultivators around Mingchen, following him as a subordinate.

They only appear at the right time and leave at the right time.

Mingchen didn't actually intend to force him to stay, and said, "Since that's the case, then I won't keep you any longer."

Tang Ying bowed with one hand and smiled.

He gently patted the shrimp monster and was about to leave.

At this moment, Mingchen changed the subject again: "Layman, this monster has been stirring up trouble and causing havoc on the world. This time, it even dared to block the warships, ruining my important affairs and causing tens of thousands of my troops to perish at sea. Its crime is unforgivable."

The total number of troops that went to sea this time was only tens of thousands.

The claim that tens of thousands of soldiers perished at sea is pure blatant lying by Mingchen.

This strange creature stirs up the wind and waves, creating a scene of a raging, unpredictable, and disastrous sea.

But in reality, it was all intimidation, just to stop Mingchen from moving forward; not a single ship was damaged.

The reason for saying this was simply to exaggerate his crimes and lay the groundwork for Mingchen's later words, thus adding weight to his statement.

"I earnestly hope that you will leave him here, so that I may take him back to the capital and have His Majesty punish him accordingly."

How could it be such a coincidence?

Mingchen had just encountered this strange creature causing trouble and hindering his progress.

Just then, Tang Ying appeared, and coincidentally, he had a way to subdue the shrimp monster.

From his entrance to his departure, every movement was graceful and decisive, without a single mistake, and extremely fluid.

Mingchen even suspected that the shrimp monster might have been sent by the other side to stage a play.

He performed a divine act before Mingchen to enhance his own prestige.

If that's the case, then Mingchen has been made a fool of.

Mingchen has never been one to suffer a loss.

He needs to capture this shrimp monster to teach it a lesson.

If not, then Mingchen would be even more determined to detain this shrimp monster.
This thing is indeed a great source of strength in the water, and it can still be useful in the future. At the very least, it can be used to pull the boat and increase its speed.

Having gone through this turmoil myself, I can't leave empty-handed and indebted to someone without even realizing it.

Anyway, it's not your pawn, Tang Ying, so it's no big deal if I keep it.

After all, Mingchen was fighting the shrimp monster head-on, while Tang Ying was there to help.

Mingchen smiled, his gaze almost tangible as he quietly looked at Tang Ying.

It's as if it can penetrate the flesh and see into the heart.

Tang Ying's next reaction will prove Mingchen's guess.

If Tang Ying insists on refusing to give it to him, brings up his connection with the monster, and makes up a lame excuse, then he will be revealing to Ming Chen that he is the former, and this is a play he directed and acted in himself.

His actions backfired.

If Tang Ying gave it to him, it would mean that he only knew the methods to subdue demons and had some connection with the person behind the shrimp monster. Ming Chen exchanged this monster for a favor.

Or perhaps, he's making a tough decision, determined to discard this piece.

Meeting Mingchen's gaze, Tang Ying also paused, narrowing her eyes slightly.

We are not all stupid.

Mingchen's words, his gaze... can convey a lot of signals.

He could guess the meaning behind Mingchen's words.

He glanced down at the trembling mantis shrimp lying on the ground, then smiled at Ming Chen: "Lord Ming, it's not that I'm unwilling."

"In truth, this monster is extremely ferocious and cannot survive without me! If I leave it here, it will escape back to the sea in the blink of an eye, stirring up storms and causing havoc on the world."

"It will be harder to get him then."

“I intend to take it back to the island and properly train it, so that it may reform its ways.”

"If Lord Ming needs it, I will send him to assist again, what do you say?"

Mingchen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Oh?"

"It's alright, it's alright!"

"If that's the case, you can rest assured."

“I have plenty of ways to subdue him. I can train him and make sure he is obedient and well-behaved.”

"Even if he escapes back into the sea, I have ways to deal with him."

It's not that he can't deal with this strange thing, it's just that he's not 100% sure.

There's still a 80-90% chance.

Mingchen smiled and shut Tang Ying down again.

Since Mingchen has already said so, continuing to refuse would be a denial of Mingchen's abilities and a slap in his face.

That's an absolute statement.

Tang Ying pursed his lips, then smiled and said, "Very well, this saves me trouble. This monster can be dealt with by Lord Ming. If..."

If he runs away, I'll come back to catch him.

What isn't yours will never be yours.

At that time, Lord Ming, please don't stop me anymore.

Tang Ying did not say what followed.

But when their eyes met, everything was understood without words.

Mingchen stepped forward, gently patted the shrimp, and then smiled and said, "Don't worry! If he leaves, I will have no objection and will definitely hand him over to the layman for disposal."

"The lay Buddhist possesses great supernatural powers, boundless magical abilities, and a broad mind."

"I admire you!"

"You flatter me, Lord Ming!"

Seeing that the matter had reached its limit, Tang Ying could only smile at Ming Chen and say, "In that case, I shall take my leave."

Having said that, he waved his hand.

He threw the green leaves he had brought back into the sea, where they were imbued with magical power.

But it transformed into the shape of a small boat.

Tang Ying leaped into the air, her movements light and graceful, and finally landed on the small boat.

The small boat moved without wind, drifting steadily westward.

(End of this chapter)