Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 143 Ferocious Locusts, Chaos in Suppressing Demons

"Huh? You're Yaozu? Oh my, it really is Yaozu! I'm your Uncle Dadan!"

Li Yaozu just dragged a body out from under a collapsed house.

Then a bowing and scraping figure rolled down the hillside.

Zhang Dadan looked at Li Yaozu's face, which, although much more mature and resolute, still bore some resemblance to Li Tiezong's features, and then excitedly rubbed his sweaty hands together.

I was also a little timid and didn't dare to get too close.

Li Yaozu asked calmly, "Uncle Dadan, why did you go to the back mountain?"

"Sigh, there's been a monster in the river lately, so I don't dare stay at home. Every night I sneak off to sleep under the Dripping Cliff on the back mountain. By the way, do your parents know you're back? Your dad was just talking to me the other day, saying you've become a big shot now, working in the army, as what? Oh, a messenger?"

Li Yaozu turned his head and, in the dim moonlight, could only vaguely make out the figures of a few comrades, who were quite far apart.

Li Yaozu suddenly said, "Uncle, I'm so grateful for your help to my mother in the past. I'd like to ask who was with my mother who went under the boat awning?"

"This……"

Zhang Dadan's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but take a step back, forcing an awkward smile onto his face.
"What are you saying, kid? Your mother is an honest and dutiful woman, a proper lady, what are you doing crawling into the boat awning?"

Li Yaozu's expression grew increasingly calm, like an emotionless mechanical puppet, as he repeated...
“Uncle, thank you so much for helping my mother in the past. I’d like to ask who these people are…”

An oppressive aura emanated from Li Yaozu, as if a hand were gripping Zhang Dadan's heart.

Zhang Dadan could only say helplessly, "Not many. As far as I know, there are only about ten households. One of the regulars is Qingpi Ma, a pot-grubbing guy from Xixian, but he's been missing for a few months and is probably dead by now. There are also some neighbors and villagers, such as Zhang the Blind Man who writes the seedling notices, Tang Lisan who walks on stilts, and a few boatmen..."

Li Yaozu nodded and said, "Thank you, Uncle Dadan. My parents are waiting for you."

"You're too kind, child. What's up with your father?"

Zhang Dadan was incredibly bold. He reached out and, trying to act like an elder, patted Li Yaozu on the shoulder.

Pfft!

Suddenly, a sharp knife emerged from behind his neck.

The blade's tip was gleaming white, unstained by blood.

Zhang Dadan's eyes widened suddenly, and he stammered as if he wanted to say something, but a large amount of blood gushed from his mouth.

That skinny, bony body, barely any flesh on its bones, moved only a couple of times before its blood seemed to drain out, and it stopped breathing.

Li Yaozu remained silent as he removed another fish-patterned garment from Zhang Dadan's body.

A moment later, Li Yaozu dragged two corpses out.

The pile of dry firewood burst into flames, the scorching heat and the leaping flames reflected in Li Yaozu's pupils.

The burning of the body seemed to take away Li Yaozu's past as well.

Li Yaozu murmured.

"Father, Mother, I want to bring honor to the family, I want to bring glory to our ancestors... But with you here, how can I bring honor to the family, how can I bring glory to our ancestors?"

……

Park the waterwheel at the side gate of the Liangjiang Military Academy.

Chen Shunan took a paid break and used the opportunity to inquire about news from the front lines of the demon-slaying campaign and the recent activities of the Guolu Association at the Military Academy's storage room...

There's also his bounty status, how many times he's been killed, where he's suspected of appearing, and what new identities he's suddenly acquired...

Joining the inner circle has many advantages: priority in exchanging for treasures, advance payment of some small merits, and the right to transfer some martial artists from the outer circle without prior approval.

What Chen Shunan valued most was undoubtedly the powerful information gathering capability of the Wuqing Sticky Rod Office, which was almost ubiquitous.

"As of yesterday, along the Grand Canal, including places such as Bannojin Ferry, Sanchakou, and Magandian, a total of nine powerful demons comparable to True Intent masters have been spotted. Six of them have already submitted, while the whereabouts of the other three are unknown and they are hiding in the water."

"As of yesterday, the demonic disturbance has resulted in 52 deaths, over 100 injuries, and damage to houses and farmland."

"The murderer who killed Nie Zheng has committed a series of murders, attacking and killing many second-rate and true masters in the county. He comes and goes without a trace, sets fire to warehouses, and leaves nothing but desolation in his wake... He has been given the nickname 'Fierce Locust'."

Inside the granary, Chen Shunan looked at the official gazette in his hand, his face tense, but inwardly he was furious.

Is this a way of dragging Chen out to settle accounts?
Why are all these dirty tricks and bad things being thrown at Chen?
Moreover, what kind of bullshit nickname is "Fierce Flying Locust"? Everyone else is called Flying Centipede, Great Ape, Standing Tai Sui, or Red Fifth Master. How come I'm called a flying locust?
Even meat-shaped Ganoderma lucidum is better than this!
Chen Shunan snorted coldly.

"The Guolu Society has recently ceased its activities and its whereabouts are unknown, but its former meeting place, Biao Shouwo, has been discovered by the Wu Guan Camp... Hmm, it turns out that this place that sold children has now become one of the Wu Guan Camp's training camps for soldiers."

Fortunately, Magistrate Wang still had some sense of shame and took the orphans back to the orphanage. The local merchants and powerful families jointly funded the orphanage, and now the people of the county all praise Magistrate Wang as a just and upright official…”

After putting down the official gazette in his hand, Chen Shunan exchanged pleasantries with the managers and clerks of the granary, thus becoming acquainted with them, before taking his leave.

Just as Chen Shunan grasped the handle of the waterwheel, a young waterwheel worker hurriedly approached him.

"Master Chen, Boss Zhao has something important to discuss with you."

Important matter?

Upon hearing this, Chen Shunan frowned and said, "Okay, I'll go right away."

"Mr. Chen, let me help you push the cart. You should hurry back."

Young Shui San'er was quite perceptive and took the initiative to snatch the waterwheel from Chen Shun'an.

...A moment later, Chen Shunan arrived at the study in Zhao Guangxi's residence.

The study door was wide open, and it was quite noisy.

Upon entering the house, Chen Shunan saw a number of people gathered inside.

They were all elites under Zhao Guangxi's command; if they weren't Inoue, they were at least late-stage second-rate fighters.

The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. Zhao Guangxi sat at the table with his brows furrowed.

Chen Shunan walked straight to Lin Shouzhou's side and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"

Lin Shouzhou lowered his voice and said, "Two things. First, He Qiqiang failed to break through to the first-class level and went into qi deviation."

"what?"

Chen Shunan looked surprised.

Failing to break through a level and going into a state of demonic possession are two different things.

The former only suffers minor injuries and mental strain; after a few years of recuperation, there is still a possibility of breaking through the barrier again.

However, if one suffers a qi deviation, the dantian will be shattered, the meridians will be torn, and the cultivation technique will backfire, bringing one's martial arts journey to an end.

The most typical example is Li Shicheng, who, after going astray in his cultivation, went from being a renowned young swordsman in Wuqing County to a decrepit and elderly patriarch.

Chen Shunan had actually anticipated He Qiqiang's failure to break through to the next realm.

True understanding is rare. If it were so easy to break through, Zhao Guangxi wouldn't have only produced four or five true understanding masters over the years.

"He Qiqiang is too ambitious, actually wanting to cut off the tongue thief first... Now his tongue is damaged and he's become mute. The master gave him a Tongue-Opening Pill, which barely maintains his late-stage second-rate strength. Let's see if there are any treasures in the Wuqing Sticky Rod Office's treasury to rebuild his foundation..."

Lin Shouzhou sighed, clearly feeling bad that his old adversary, who had opposed him for many years, had fallen to such a miserable state.

He continued, "The second thing is that a demonic disturbance broke out near the crossroads. Several powerful demons, comparable to True Intent masters, appeared for several days in a row, causing great harm."

"Commander Lu led several experts who had slain the three thieves to search for the demon in the Funiu Marsh, but they have not returned. Now the Sticky Pole Office wants to send us to suppress the demon's rebellion!"

Has the situation deteriorated to this extent?

Chen Shunan was startled.

It should be noted that Zhao Guangxi had already dispatched Zhou Qing to the front lines to do his best to slay the demons, and several Shui San'er escorted supplies, including water and food.

That's already considered as contributing manpower and effort.

And now, they're even going to have to redeploy more people.

Even Chen Shunan, who is over fifty years old, is being dragged out to the front line?
Before long, everyone had arrived.

Zhao Guangxi glanced at everyone present and said in a deep voice,
"Gentlemen, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. We, Shui San'er, usually act arrogantly and monopolize the county's drinking water. But if people are gone, who will we sell the water to? Therefore, we have an inescapable responsibility to slay the demon."

"Lin Shouzhou, set off immediately for the crossroads."

"Fan Jing, Chen Shunan, Lin Yufeng, you guys go down the well again tonight to fetch water. After you deliver the five-wheel water and eight-treasure mercury you get to Banye Pharmacy, take the medicine supplies and send them to Sanchakou."

"Brothers, the chaos caused by demons three hundred years ago must not be repeated. If anyone dares to disobey, forgive me for disregarding our past friendship!"

In Chen Shunan's gaze, Zhao Guangxi's features suddenly twisted, his face covered in black fur, his pupils glowed green, and he transformed into a cat-like ghost.

At this moment, Zhao Guangxi, who was usually mild-mannered and amiable, revealed a rare and terrifying aura.

Chen Shunan felt that she was in no way inferior to Lu Jing!
"Hiss, even Master Zhao was holding back. He's at least at the level of slaying four thieves! Wasn't it rumored that Zhao Guangxi's talent was mediocre, far inferior to Lu Jing's?"

Chen Shunan's heart stirred.

Recalling the incident where Guolu seized the corpse, Lu Jing pretended to be unable to hold on and narrowly lost to Master Hong Wu...

Chen Shunan vaguely felt that the breakup between the Taoyuan brothers was probably not as simple as it seemed.

"Yes!"

The people below the hall accepted the order and dispersed.

Lin Shouzhou did not go home, nor did he rush to Banno Tsutowa. Instead, he headed east of the county.

Seeing this, Chen Shunan asked,
"Instructor Lin, where are you going?"

Lin Shouzhou shook his head and said, "I'll go visit He Qiqiang and see if I can think of a way to help him."

Chen Shunan paused for a moment, then took out a silver ingot from his pocket and said,
"I, Chen, will also do my part, however small."

Lin Shouzhou took the silver ingot and said, "Alright, I will relay the message for you. You should hurry up and deliver the water."

He Qiqiang was originally a swineherd, raising pigs for others since he was a child, and he had no parents.

Fortunately, he worshipped a large black pig as a god, which enlightened him and enabled him to master martial arts. He also won the favor of a local gentry's daughter, who did not mind his humble origins and married him.

However, fortune can be a double-edged sword. Perhaps because he worshipped the big black pig, he excessively depleted his own good fortune. As a result, He Qiqiang never had a child, and his wife was frail and sickly, suffering from leprosy, her appearance withered, and she was bedridden.

This is also why He Qiqiang is so competitive and ruthless.

He wanted to save money, get a promotion, and find a cure for his wife's illness.

(End of this chapter)