But I'm a proper river god, you know! - Chapter 51

The aroma of food filled the courtyard, the honey-glazed roast sizzling as Yan Ku drizzled a secret sauce over it. Luan Xuan and the others sat around the fire, swallowing hard as they watched.

Had Yan Ku’s cooking skills improved, or was it just their imagination?

Shi Yi kept glancing back at the roasting meat, practically drooling. But the moment he remembered his junior sister’s condition, he immediately turned away, forcing himself to focus on Yuan Ji.

“River God, how is my junior sister’s condition?”

Withdrawing her divine sense from Er Xin’s body, Yuan Ji lowered her gaze, deep in thought.

How strange.

Just now, she had detected a faint trace of “parasitism” on Er Xin, but upon closer inspection, she found nothing unusual.

“System, did you notice anything?”

The System scanned Er Xin from head to toe, then leaned forward in confusion. “Huh? Yuan Ji, her vitality is constantly draining, as if something is absorbing it.”

Yuan Ji’s eyes darkened, a thought flashing through her mind. She looked up at Er Xin and asked, “Have you taken any pills refined by the Mu or Meng families?”

“The Mu and Meng families?” Shi Yi muttered, the names sounding vaguely familiar. “Our Danxin Sect specializes in pill refinement—why would we need pills from other families?”

Meanwhile, Song Qingyang and Er Xin’s expressions shifted subtly. Clearly, they had thought of something.

Song Qingyang’s face darkened. He made a hand gesture and asked, “River God, could it be that those pills were tainted?”

Er Xin bit her lower lip, nervously twisting her fingers. “A few months ago, the Third Elder brought back a pill, claiming it could cure my illness. I remember the vial had the character ‘Mu’ on it.”

With that, she retrieved the vial from her storage ring and handed it to Yuan Ji. “River God, this is the vial that held the pill.”

“What?! Junior Sister, you actually took the pill he gave you?!” Shi Yi shot to his feet, pacing furiously. “That old snake has no good intentions—he must have tampered with it! When we get back, I’m uprooting every herb in his garden!”

The Third Elder that Er Xin mentioned was a cunning man who had long coveted the position of sect leader, constantly looking for ways to undermine the current leader. Though his ambitions were an open secret, his slippery nature made it impossible to pin him down.

As the sect leader’s direct disciple, Shi Yi had no choice but to tolerate the Third Elder’s presence, even if he despised him.

Er Xin tugged at Shi Yi’s sleeve, urging him to calm down. “Eleventh Brother, don’t be angry. The pill didn’t do anything.”

Back then, the Third Elder had mysteriously produced the pill, confidently striking a deal with the sect leader: if the pill cured her, the sect leader would pass his position to him.

Her illness had been sudden and baffling, leaving her father and uncles helpless. Desperate, they agreed to his terms.

Fortunately, the pill turned out to be nothing more than a sugar pill—it caused no harm, but neither did it improve her condition.

Thus, the Third Elder’s scheme failed.

Only a few knew of this incident. If Shi Yi found out the full story, he’d surely raise hell.

Song Qingyang, seeing the situation, reached out and yanked Shi Yi back by the collar, forcing him to sit down.

The roaring flames suddenly sputtered out, as if doused by cold water.

Shi Yi slumped, exhaling heavily. “River God… can my junior sister really recover?”

Yuan Ji ignored the commotion, focusing solely on the vial. Sure enough, she sensed lingering traces of “parasitism” within it.

After a moment, she tapped her chin, a deep thought flashing in her eyes. She nodded and instructed, “Come to my room later.”

The group’s eyes lit up with relief.

Strangely, though they had only met Yuan Ji once, they trusted her implicitly. Just one sentence from her was enough to put their minds at ease.

They believed—no, they knew—the River God would heal their junior sister.

“River God…” Er Xin pressed a slender hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound wildly. She stared at Yuan Ji with fervent admiration, unable to tear her gaze away.

To the others, however, this sight was… uncomfortable.

Luo Qiushui glanced at Huang Li, who was beaming with pride, and shook her head inwardly.

Foolish junior sister, still smiling at a time like this.

Her gaze then shifted to Qi Yan, who sat with unshakable calm.

As expected of the eldest senior brother—he remains composed even now.

But just as she thought this, Qi Yan—who she had assumed was unflappable—stood and walked over to Yuan Ji.

Draped in a starry outer robe that shimmered like the night sky, he carried a warm blanket over his arm, a small comfort against the evening chill.

“The wind’s picking up. Don’t catch a cold.”

After handing Yuan Ji the blanket, he sat beside her and pulled out a jade slip to review, as if his gesture had been nothing noteworthy.

Yuan Ji thanked him and, without hesitation, spread the blanket over her lap and closed her eyes to rest.

Qi Yan had woven a simple warming array into the fabric, shielding her from the cold while radiating gentle heat.

Tucking her chilled fingers beneath the blanket, Yuan Ji felt that odd sensation rise in her chest again. After a pause, she tentatively asked, “System… was Qi Yan like this in the novel?”

The System, currently fixated on the blanket, was running rapid data checks.

WARNING! WARNING! DATA ERROR! DATA ERROR!

Qi Yan in the novel was not like this!

According to the original plot, he should have laced the blanket with hidden weapons or poison—not a simple heating array!

After a long silence, the System concluded there was only one explanation:

Its host had moved the villain’s heart, steering him toward redemption!

Yuan Ji, you’ve done well!

“Yes, Yuan Ji,” the System affirmed proudly. “This is exactly how he’s supposed to be.”

Yuan Ji: “Oh.”

Then it must have been her imagination.

Dismissing the thought, she focused on circulating her spiritual energy. She would need vast reserves later, so she took this chance to stockpile as much as possible.

The ambient spiritual energy, already drawn into the River God Temple by the array, now surged toward her in a frenzy at her beckoning.

The sudden influx made Song Qingyang tense. “Danger?!” Was some spiritual treasure about to emerge?!

Exchanging a glance with Shi Yi, he gripped his weapon and shielded Er Xin.

Such intense energy fluctuations usually heralded the birth of a supreme treasure—yet when they looked around, everyone else seemed oblivious, quietly meditating, cultivating, or even braiding flower strings…

Had they misjudged?

Song Qingyang frowned, turning to reassure Er Xin with a gesture: Don’t worry, it’s fine.

Wait—the people hanging on the wall had noticed too.

Though immobilized, Du Xiuyuan and Wu Qian’s wide-eyed stares betrayed their shock.

From their high vantage point, they could clearly sense the spiritual energy converging toward the River God at an astonishing speed—far surpassing even their sect’s spirit-gathering arrays.

Just what was this River God’s origin?

Du Xiuyuan sighed inwardly. Being hung up by such a formidable expert suddenly didn’t feel so humiliating.

He tilted his head, catching Wu Qian’s murderous glare, and smirked.

What’re you gonna do? We’re both tied up.

Seeing Wu Qian in such a sorry state was downright hilarious.

Du Xiuyuan silently cheered on the carnivorous plant idly playing with bugs nearby: Go bite Wu Qian! Go bite Wu Qian!

Wu Qian, fully aware of his thoughts, gritted his teeth: …Idiot.

…..

The tranquil atmosphere in the River God Temple shattered as the rich aroma of food exploded through the courtyard.

Yan Ku sliced the sizzling roast into bite-sized pieces and arranged them on the table. “Dinner’s ready.”

Qu Yunqing immediately snatched a piece behind his back, devouring it with relish.

As the delicious meat vanished, she licked her lips, marveling at the surge of spiritual energy in her body.

Yan Ku’s skills have improved.

Guan Muping, noticing Ai Xiang and Luan Xuan still playing cat’s cradle, said softly, “I’ll call the River God.”

“Me too!”

“Me three!”

The two girls abandoned their game without hesitation, hurrying toward the newly appeared courtyard, leaving a lonely red string behind.

Though Yuan Ji had initially disliked the courtyard’s deviation from her vision, the open-air rooftop, veiled by a thin curtain that filtered out impurities, had grown on her. A delicate blue-and-white vase sat on the central table, wisps of incense smoke curling around her like fireflies.

Ai Xiang froze at the entrance, staring at Yuan Ji in awe.

“River God,” Luan Xuan called out, then immediately regretted it when Yuan Ji’s eyes opened. She stiffly added, “Uncle Yan has prepared dinner.”

“Mm.” Yuan Ji nodded, dismissing them first.

Exhaling deeply, the satisfaction of abundant spiritual energy lifted her mood. She pushed the blanket aside—only for a strange vision to flash before her eyes.

A sea of flames. A figure striding through the stars, callously tossing something down. Ravenous fire swallowed what appeared to be the horn of a giant beast.

Yuan Ji pressed a hand to her chest, bewildered by the sudden, sharp pang—like a blade slicing open flesh.

How strange.

“Yuan Ji, what’s wrong?” The System panicked. “I knew that blanket was poisoned!”

Yuan Ji blinked. “What?” Poisoned? The blanket?

System: …I said nothing.

Yuan Ji: ?

“System, let’s go down. It smells amazing.” The System hastily changed the subject. Though it couldn’t eat, it could at least enjoy the aroma.

The Danxin Sect disciples had brought many medicinal ingredients, and Yan Ku had selected those suitable for cooking, preparing a nourishing feast. A dozen dishes lay spread out, each more mouthwatering than the last.

The moment Yuan Ji picked up her chopsticks, everyone else dug in. The explosion of flavor in their mouths was accompanied by a surge of spiritual energy.

They froze, staring at Yan Ku in unison.

Yan Ku, unnerved by the collective gaze, hesitantly took a bite of the roast—and stiffened.

Huh?

Where did all this spiritual energy come from?

Xuan Changsheng swallowed a slice of lotus root, a flicker of wariness crossing his mind. To think he’d appear here… If we could recruit him…

Ye Wenshu chewed a peanut thoughtfully, a name surfacing in his mind.

Yuan Xijiang.

The only culinary cultivator in the entire cultivation world.

Rumors said he could infuse food with spiritual energy so potent that even the most talentless cultivators could advance rapidly by eating his dishes.

It was said he had friends everywhere—until one day, he vanished without a trace.

Some claimed the demonic races had captured him. Others said he’d fallen to demonic beasts or been hunted down by enemies in the wastelands.

But Ye Wenshu knew the truth.

During a critical battle, Yuan Xijiang had prepared a snack for a revered figure.

No one expected that after eating it, that person’s spiritual energy would run wild, leading to their annihilation in battle.

The blame fell squarely on Yuan Xijiang.

Why had he brought food? Had it been sabotage?

Overnight, the celebrated culinary cultivator became a reviled traitor.

And then, he disappeared.

Who could have guessed he’d resurface in the River God Temple—as “Yan Ku”?

Even the dullest person, upon tasting this uniquely spiritual-infused food, would connect Yan Ku to Yuan Xijiang.

Normally, Yan Ku could pass off trace amounts of spiritual energy as natural. But today’s feast…

Realization dawned, and cold sweat drenched Yan Ku’s back. His face paled, his vision swimming.

He had always restrained his abilities, carefully avoiding leaving spiritual energy in his dishes. But today…

The River God had gathered spiritual energy, saturating the temple beyond normal levels.

He’d overlooked that.

“River God…”

Yan Ku’s voice trembled. He looked up at Yuan Ji, fear and helplessness in his eyes. “I…”

I am Yuan Xijiang.

But Yuan Ji simply met his gaze, her expression as calm as a undisturbed stream.

“Yan Ku, well done.” Her praise carried no hidden meaning—as if she hadn’t noticed the unusual spiritual energy at all.

The River God called me “Yan Ku.” She doesn’t care that I’m Yuan Xijiang!

Joy exploded in his chest. Does this mean I can stay as “Yan Ku”?

Overwhelmed, Yan Ku slumped back in his chair, covering his eyes as warmth spilled over.

“Thank you, River God.”

Yuan Ji paused at the tremor in his voice.

Hm?

Is he… crying?

Just from being complimented on his cooking?

She fell silent. She hadn’t expected the towering Yan Ku to be so starved for praise.

The System watched Yuan Ji wrestle with how to comfort him, then observed Yan Ku’s outwardly calm but inwardly weeping demeanor, and decided not to interfere.

Gods care for their believers. Mental health is important too.

Having confirmed this, Yuan Ji tapped the table lightly and said earnestly, “Keep up the good work.”

The System nearly faceplanted.

“Yuan Ji, that’s not how you—”

Before it could finish, Yan Ku nodded vigorously. “Yes! I’ll work even harder to make better food for you, River God!”

System: …Never mind.

“Uncle Yan’s cooking is already the best,” Ai Xiang chimed in, eyes sparkling. “If it gets any better, my jaw will drop from happiness!”

Amid the laughter, everyone pretended not to notice the underlying tension, focusing instead on devouring the meal.

Heavens, this is food made by a culinary cultivator—it boosts cultivation!

Shi Yi, who had initially eaten with restraint, soon abandoned all pretense.

How is this so delicious?!

He’d eaten these ingredients before in his sect, where they tasted unbearably bitter. How had they been transformed into something so divine? Could he stay here a few more days?

Tears welled in his eyes as he fought for seconds.

The female cultivators ate gracefully but just as swiftly. Noticing this, he hurriedly placed a chicken leg in Er Xin’s bowl.

Junior Sister’s weak—she can’t compete with these fierce women.

Like a whirlwind, the feast was soon demolished.

Er Xin had eaten triple her usual portion, yet she didn’t feel bloated—just warm, as if her draining vitality had slowed.

Rubbing her full belly, she accidentally met Luo Qiushui’s gaze, and both flushed crimson.

They looked away simultaneously, mortified.

Did I really eat that much?!

Heavens, what must the River God think of me?!

Song Qingyang had shown restraint, eating heartily but not as ravenously as Shi Yi.

A thought flickered through his mind: This River God Temple is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

Qi Yan, eldest disciple of Tianji Sect. Luo Qiushui and Huang Li, also of Tianji Sect. And now, Yuan Xijiang.

What about the others?

He buried the thought, not daring to dwell further.

To gather such figures under her wing… just how profound was this River God’s power?

Lowering his head, he missed Qi Yan’s brief glance in his direction.

But one certainty solidified in his heart:

Junior Sister will be cured!

Meanwhile, the happiness below was lost on those hanging from the wall.

Du Xiuyuan’s stomach growled loudly as he stared longingly at the feast, swallowing hard.

Can’t you let me down?

I’m so hungry.

Beside him, Wu Qian—who had long since transcended the need for food—shot him a disdainful look.

Out of sight, out of mind.

As the symphony of hungry growls continued, Wu Qian struggled against his bonds yet again, failing as usual.

Watching Du Xiuyuan—who had given up entirely and was now making eye contact with the carnivorous plant—he sighed.

How did I end up stuck here with this moron?

Night deepened, the distant chirping of insects blending with the rustling of leaves under the moonlight.

After leading Er Xin into her room, Shi Yi and Song Qingyang stood guard outside, ensuring no disturbances.

Seeing Er Xin stiff with nervousness, Yuan Ji stretched and flicked her fingers. A spark of flame leaped to the ground, forming a fiery circle.

“Don’t be afraid. This’ll be over soon.”

As the incense smoke curled upward, Er Xin drifted into sleep on the soft couch.

The flames whirled, sealing the final gap.

Yuan Ji raised her eyes, the fire reflecting in her pupils like the endless blaze she had once witnessed.

She reached out—then paused.

A familiar presence flooded the room.

“It’s you.“