From Paper Craftsman to World-Suppressing Immortal

"What should we do? Good question!"

Zhang Zhixuan picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth. He chewed it a few times and his eyes turned cold: "Your brother's death is inextricably linked to those Japanese people."

"Damn it! Those damned Japanese devils are definitely plotting some shady schemes on our Great Xia land. Your brother's death is just a small sacrifice in their conspiracy!"

"But now that I've run into them, I will never let a single person from Great Xia die in vain!"

"We must avenge them! First, we must follow the clues to find the real culprit! Then we'll see what kind of conspiracy these little devils are plotting behind the scenes!" Zhang Zhixuan's hatred grew as he spoke, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. As he spoke, he took a few more bites of braised pork.

After hearing Zhang Zhixuan's words, Shen Yanqiu's gloomy expression finally showed a change. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth: "Mr. Zhang, as long as it avenges my brother, I'll do anything! Even my life!"

"Good! That's manly enough!"

Zhang Zhixuan showed an appreciative expression and patted Shen Yanqiu on the shoulder: "Eat first, you'll have the strength to fight them when you're full!"

"Hmm!" Shen Yanqiu nodded emphatically, her mood finally brightening, no longer looking as dejected as before.

Shen Yanqiu picked up the bowl, ate a few mouthfuls of rice, and asked, "Mr. Zhang, tell me, what exactly did my brother find out that led to his death at the hands of those people?"

Zhang Zhixuan shook his head: "It's not clear yet, but it's certain that it's related to this Tanaka Ichiro. So our next step is to start investigating this Japanese devil named Tanaka Ichiro."

"So what do we do now? Go to the foreign concession to find him?"

"That won't do. The concession is their territory. We won't gain any advantage by going in. I'll use my own methods to test the waters first, and then formulate a suitable plan after understanding the situation."

"Alright, alright, let's eat first, I'm starving." Zhang Zhixuan said, picking up a few more bites of food and stuffing them into his mouth, gesturing for Shen Yanqiu to eat as well.

Just then, the restaurant's curtain was suddenly lifted with a "whoosh," and Zhang Zhixuan, who was eating, glanced at it unintentionally.

When he saw the people who came in, Zhang Zhixuan was immediately stunned.

Approaching the restaurant were Captain He and Erhu from the corpse retrieval team.

"What a small world," Zhang Zhixuan remarked. He just wanted to eat quietly and keep a low profile, but before long, he was spotted by the sharp-eyed Erhu.

Erhu quickly tugged at Captain He's sleeve and pointed to Zhang Zhixuan and Shen Yanqiu sitting in the corner.

Upon seeing Zhang Zhixuan there, Captain He's eyes lit up, and he quickly led everyone over with a smile.

The body retrieval team approached Zhang Zhixuan and clasped their hands in a respectful gesture of respect.

Captain He beamed, his voice brimming with barely suppressed delight: "Mr. Zhang! What a coincidence that you're dining here too!"

"Mr. Zhang!"

Erhu also greeted them quietly, his face flushed red, scratching his head with an embarrassed look: "I had a foul mouth that day and talked nonsense, please don't take it to heart."

"Hey, it's all a small matter. Let's not bring it up again. Let's just consider it a case of becoming friends after a fight."

As Zhang Zhixuan spoke, he stood up and warmly greeted the corpse retrieval team: "Come on, everyone! Since we've met here, it must be fate. Sit down, I'll ask the restaurant to add a few more dishes and bowls of rice, and we can eat together!"

"Oh! We can't possibly accept that! We haven't repaid your kindness from last time, and this is perfect timing. We absolutely have to treat you to this meal!"

Captain He chuckled and gestured for everyone to move tables and chairs together. As they sat down, just as they were about to call for more food, a young woman with a high ponytail walked in from outside.

The young woman had a healthy wheat-colored complexion, bright, clear eyes, and delicate features that exuded a touch of chivalry. She wore a blue cloth jacket with a bright red rope tied around her waist and a newly broken willow branch tucked into her waistband, making her stand out from the crowd.

The woman walked straight to Zhang Zhixuan's table, looked at Captain He, and complained, "Uncle He! You guys walk so fast! You didn't even wait for me! I only slowed down a few steps, and you were gone in the blink of an eye!"

Captain He smiled faintly and introduced, "Come, come, Shui Sheng, let me introduce you to this gentleman, Mr. Zhang Zhixuan, our savior. Last time at Wuhe Ferry, it was this expert who saved us!"

Upon hearing this, Shui Sheng looked at Zhang Zhixuan, immediately clasped her hands in a fist salute, smiled, and said in a clear voice, "Mr. Zhang, it's the etiquette of the martial arts world. Thank you for saving Uncle He and Erhu. I'll offer you a cup of tea instead of wine!"

As he spoke, he picked up the teacup on the table, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

"How generous! I'll give you one!" Zhang Zhixuan smiled, poured himself a cup of tea, and returned the favor.

Shui Sheng looked regretful and said dejectedly, "Drinking tea still feels a bit lacking. It's a pity, the River Worship Ceremony is coming up in a few days, and I have to abstain from the five pungent vegetables and five spicy foods, otherwise we'll drink until we're drunk!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhixuan became interested and quickly asked, "The River Worship Ceremony? What's that?"

Shui Sheng pulled up a chair and sat down. Her expression suddenly turned serious. She picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea. Her fingertips gently caressed the rim of the cup. The smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a mysterious look.

"The river-worshiping ceremony in Tianjin is quite elaborate!"

"Tianjin is located at the confluence of nine rivers. Many people rely on the water for their livelihood, and many also die in the water."

"The people along the Wu River have grown up drinking the water of this river for generations. The more they depend on this river, the more they revere it. The river worship ceremony on the 14th day of the seventh lunar month is the most solemn day along the Wu River, even more lively than the Lunar New Year."

Captain He nodded in agreement and continued, "Shui Sheng is right. The river worship ceremony in Tianjin has been passed down for over a hundred years. According to the elders, a river god lives in the Wu River. If you anger the river god, there will be floods, capsizing boats, and drowning people. So every year at this time, the people along the river pool their money to hold a ceremony, offer sacrifices to the river god, and pray for good weather and safe navigation."

Shui Sheng nodded and continued, "The annual River Worship Ceremony held in Tianjin is an absolute grand event! Before dawn, the ferry crossing is already packed with people. From the Tianhou Temple upstream to the dock downstream, colorful flags are planted along both banks of the river. In the center of the ferry crossing, a three-zhang-high bluestone altar is erected, on which are placed sacrificial animals, fine wine, and snacks. At each of the four corners of the altar, willow stakes are erected, wrapped with red ropes, and hung with yellow paper talismans inscribed with prayers for blessings, peace, and health!"

"The ceremony has always been presided over by the River Goddess, who is also my master."

Speaking of her master, Shui Sheng's expression darkened slightly: "It's a pity that my master passed away last year, so I will have to host this year's ceremony."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhixuan looked somewhat surprised: "So, Shui Sheng, you're the new River Goddess?"

"Of course! What? I don't look like it?"

"It looks just like it! It looks just like it!" Zhang Zhixuan quickly laughed it off.

Shui Sheng rolled her eyes at Zhang Zhixuan and continued, "When the ceremony begins, we will sing a sacrificial verse, then offer sacrifices, and finally release a Xuanwu turtle, which is the incarnation of the river god! Whoever can catch this turtle after the ceremony will be the 'river god's messenger' for this year and will receive the river god's blessing for the whole year."

Erhu suddenly stomped his foot, his dark face contorted with resentment: "Damn it, just thinking about it makes me angry! Last year I almost caught that Xuanwu turtle! But Wang Laosan beat me to it, and I was so angry I couldn't eat for days!"

Another young man from the body retrieval team scoffed and teased, "Who told you to be so slow!"

"Yes, yes, I was slow."

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

However, Shui Sheng's expression remained solemn. She sighed and slowly said, "I have a feeling that this year's River Worship Ceremony might be a little different from previous years."

"Different? How are they different?" Zhang Zhixuan keenly noticed the unusual tone in her words and quickly asked.