Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 191 Rain, Turbid Waves, and a Dilapidated Temple
A continuous drizzle, like mist and gauze, shrouded the Cangjiang River in the twilight.

The river water was muddy and yellow, carrying withered branches and fallen leaves washed down from upstream, swirling and rushing eastward.

Raindrops pounded on the river's surface, creating countless tiny ripples, which were then swallowed up by even larger waves.

The reeds on both banks swayed forlornly in the wind and rain, making a mournful rustling sound.

The distant mountains were hidden behind the gray curtain of rain, leaving only a blurry, dark outline. The world was damp, cold, and desolate, with only the river flowing ceaselessly.

At a desolate bend in the river, there stands a dilapidated Dragon King Temple.

The temple walls are mottled and covered with wet moss. The roof tiles are damaged in many places, and rainwater flows down from the leaks in the eaves, forming small puddles on the muddy ground in front of the door.

The temple door was half-closed, and a faint, flickering light shone through, like the only living eye in the dim, rainy night.

Inside the temple, a man dressed in a straw raincoat and like a fisherman huddled in a corner, rubbing his hands together in front of a small bonfire.

The fire was lit with rotten wood and dry branches that had been collected. The smoke was quite thick, but it barely dispelled the surrounding chill and dampness.

The man's face was gaunt, his eyes cloudy, staring blankly at the leaping flames. Water dripped from his damp raincoat, spreading a small dark patch at his feet.

Suddenly, amidst the sound of wind and rain outside the temple gate, came a series of heavy, hurried footsteps, approaching from afar.

Then, with a creak, the half-closed broken door was pushed open, and a burly figure stormed in, braving the wind and rain.

The newcomer was a young man, tall and broad-shouldered, with a thick-backed long sword at his waist, the scabbard glistening wet from the rain.

He was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, which, though soaked by the rain, still showed signs of good quality. The clothes clung to his body, outlining his lean and muscular physique. His face was sharply defined, with a lingering weariness and coldness between his brows. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept across the temple and finally settled on the fishermen warming themselves by the fire.

The campfire flickered as the cold wind seeped in through the crack in the door.

"Is it for ferrying people?" the young man with the sword asked, his voice hoarse.

The fisherman seemed startled, looked up, squinted at the uninvited guest, lingering for a moment on the knife, before slowly nodding, his voice dry: "Yes. Sir, you wish to cross the river?"

"Wait until the rain subsides, then ferry me across the river." The young man spoke succinctly, walked to the fire, and unceremoniously squatted down, stretching out his large hand to warm it against the flames. The veins on the back of his hand bulged, his knuckles were thick, and his hand was covered with small, old scars.

The fisherman hummed in agreement, saying nothing more, but silently added a piece of firewood to the fire. For a moment, only the crackling of burning firewood and the patter of rain outside filled the temple.

The two sat silently by the fire, the air thick with tension.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, amidst the sound of wind and rain outside the temple, another series of footsteps could be heard.

This time, the steps were light and steady, neither hurried nor slow, as if they were not trudging through the rain, but strolling leisurely.

The two people inside the temple simultaneously looked up at the entrance with alarm.

The dilapidated temple's wooden door was pushed open again, and a young Taoist priest slipped inside.

He was dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe, with a tall and straight figure, a handsome face, and a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. His eyes were clear and bright, as if they could see through the misty rainy night. He flicked his sleeves, his movements calm and natural.

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant me boundless blessings. This poor Taoist is passing through this place, and the wind and rain are fierce. I wonder if you could grant me a light so I can take shelter from the storm?" The Taoist bowed and spoke in a gentle and peaceful voice.

The young man with the knife and the fisherman both narrowed their eyes slightly, a look of surprise and doubt flashing across their faces.

The Taoist priest came from the rain, yet his body was dry and clean, without a single water stain on his robe, and his hair was perfectly styled.

The young man with the sword stared sharply at the Taoist priest, his hand unconsciously resting on the hilt of his sword. The fisherman instinctively shrank back.

The Taoist priest seemed oblivious, continuing to smile as he watched them.

After a moment of silence, the young man with the sword slowly released the hilt of his sword and said in a deep voice, "This temple does not belong to me. Please make yourself at home, Taoist priest."

The fishermen quickly nodded in agreement.

"Thank you both." The Taoist priest smiled and walked to the fire, found a relatively clean spot and sat down cross-legged, also extending his slender, fair hands to warm himself by the fire.

His arrival eased the eerie atmosphere in the temple slightly.

After a moment of silence, the young man with the sword suddenly spoke, breaking the silence: "Taoist priest, are you also going to cross the river?" The Taoist priest looked up at him and smiled slightly: "That's right."

A fisherman nearby chimed in, "It looks like this rain isn't going to stop anytime soon. You two will probably have to wait. Once the rain gets a little lighter, I'll row the boat."

“Waiting is boring.” The young man with the sword glanced at the Taoist priest and the fisherman, and suddenly said, “I have a story I heard recently that is quite interesting.”

"Since we're already waiting anyway, why don't I tell you two something to pass the time?"

The Taoist priest raised an eyebrow, showing some interest: "Oh? I'd like to hear more."

The fisherman nodded hesitantly, "Please speak, sir."

The young man with the sword cleared his throat, his gaze becoming somewhat deep as he stared at the leaping flames.

The rain outside the temple grew heavier, pattering against the dilapidated window frames and roof with a crackling sound. The flickering firelight cast the three people's shadows on the mottled wall, their lengths shifting and swaying uncertainly.

"This matter is related to the Han River."

In the past month, along the river, especially in the area of ​​Hanshui County, no fewer than twenty people have mysteriously disappeared.

They vanished without a trace, neither alive nor dead, as if swallowed whole by the Han River, leaving not a trace behind.

"An incident that occurred five days ago."

A group of six silk merchants from Xiangfan hired a large boat and sailed downstream. When they reached the Black Stone Beach area, it was midday, and other boats on the river spotted them.

According to the boatman who witnessed the incident, he saw the boat moving normally just a moment ago, with people moving around on it. The next moment, a thick white fog suddenly rose on the river. In just a breath or two, after the fog dissipated, the boat... along with the people on board, just vanished into thin air!

Only a few whirlpools remained on the river's surface, swirling and dissipating, nothing more.

"And there's something even stranger. Three days ago, a corpse floated up from the reeds thirty miles downstream. It was a guard from the merchant caravan. His body was swollen and his face was unrecognizable. The coroner examined the body and said that he had not drowned, but that his liver and gallbladder had ruptured and he had been scared to death."

Such incidents occur frequently, sometimes involving solitary travelers, sometimes small caravans.

All of them had one thing in common: the weather was fine before they disappeared, but soon fog enveloped the river, and when the fog cleared, both the people and the boat were nowhere to be found.

Occasionally, one or two corpses would drift back, their deaths bizarre.

"Now, people on both sides of the Han River are filled with anxiety."

The people all say that the newly appointed prefect last year, presuming on his status, failed to perform the ancient rites of worshipping the Dragon King of the Han River, thus angering the Dragon King, who then stirred up storms and devoured passersby as punishment.

The ferryman listened intently, his hands rubbing together unconsciously, making muffled "tsk tsk" sounds, his face showing a mixture of awe and fear.

The young man with the sword changed the subject, his gaze sweeping across the fisherman's face like a knife: "But in my opinion, the idea of ​​the Dragon King being angry is pure nonsense!"

"There must be some wicked people taking advantage of the natural barrier of the Han River to stir up trouble, commit murder and robbery, and then using the guise of ghosts and gods to cover up their crimes!"

He suddenly looked at the fisherman and said, "Brother, you've made your living on this river all year round. Do you think it's the Dragon King appearing, or... someone playing tricks on you?"

The fisherman felt a little uncomfortable under the young man's sharp gaze. He shrank back, chuckled twice, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Sir, it's normal that you don't believe in this."

But I've spent half my life rowing this boat on the Han River, and there are some things you can't help but believe.

He pointed to the torrential rain outside the temple and said, "Look at this rain, how many days has it been falling?"
"In previous years at this time of year, the river was never this wide! The river has widened by a full half, the waves are so fierce and turbulent, how many fishing boats have capsized? If it weren't for the Dragon King's wrath, what else could it be?"

His tone became mysterious: "I saw it with my own eyes... Just a few days ago, I was rowing back at night when a huge whirlpool suddenly appeared in the middle of the river, and inside... inside there seemed to be two green lights as big as lanterns flashing, which scared me so much that I almost fell into the water! If it wasn't the Dragon King, what other kind of monster could it be?"

Upon hearing this, the young man with the sword frowned, about to retort.

The Taoist priest sitting quietly to the side suddenly chuckled softly, his clear voice momentarily drowning out the sound of wind and rain: "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. Both of your stories are quite interesting."

"As luck would have it, I recently traveled through the nearby counties and villages and heard of a strange tale, perhaps bearing a striking resemblance to the oddities here. Would you two be willing to hear it?"

(End of this chapter)