But I'm a proper river god, you know! - Chapter 62

“Hiss?”

The lightning serpent wasn’t well-versed in human intricacies. When it noticed the terrifying aura before it suddenly become far less menacing, it was momentarily at a loss.

Was this fearsome being actually tired? Could that be?

The serpent flicked its tongue, slowly circling the two figures for a careful inspection. Its golden pupils abruptly constricted. Excitedly lashing its tail, it crackled with arcs of electricity.

No intimidating pressure. This fearsome being is truly exhausted! Finally, it’s time for Little Lei…呸! Time for Serpent Lord to show its mighty power!

The lightning serpent reared up on its hindquarters behind the pair, its gaze fixed unwaveringly on Yuan Ji. Under its intense stare, the power of a heavenly tribulation began to coalesce.

Behind it, resentful spirits crawled along specific patterns, slowly advancing. A flash of blood-red light later, an intricate formation materialized, ready to ensnare them all at a single command.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Wu Du, concealed from sight, watched the two oblivious figures within the formation. His two asymmetrical little horns popped out excitedly from his hair. Grinning widely, he strode confidently towards Yuan Ji.

The next instant, he met a pair of pitch-black eyes, identical to those in his memory.

Wu Du’s steps faltered.

“Who is she?”

“D-don’t know…” stammered a barely corporeal resentful spirit beside him, “… a… a… person.”

Wu Du shot it a sidelong glance. “…Thank you so much for clarifying.”

“Forget it.” Wu Du’s gaze grew sharper. He waved his hand, signaling the spirits beside him to activate the formation quickly. They had been starving for far too long.

“Whoever she is, she stays today to feed the formation!”

“Hiss.” The lightning serpent noticed the strange movement from the corner of its eye but paid it no mind. It flicked its tongue, edging closer to Yuan Ji. “Just beg Lord Serpent, and I…” I might mercifully show you the way out.

But before it could finish its boast, a familiar white light shot towards it, instantly tightening around its throat.

“Hiss!” It’s got me by the seven-inch!!

Yuan Ji glanced down at it, her fingers deftly looping the arrogant serpent, coiling it effortlessly into a ball like a long rope.

Thud.

A round ball dropped to the ground, rolling forward twice and kicking up a cloud of red dust.

“Pfft. Pfft.” The lightning serpent struggled to lift its head, staring dumbfounded at Yuan Ji. After a long moment, it骂到 in悲愤:

“Quack!”

You! You deceitful fiend! You tricked me! You have no good intentions! I actually fell for your trap!

Yuan Ji watched calmly as the serpent crackled with furious sparks of electricity. Thoughtfully, she pulled Qi Yan, who was beside her, back into her embrace. “Don’t be afraid. It’s a… thunder…” She paused, then continued, “…thunder duck.”

Hearing this, Qi Yan glanced suspiciously at the heartbroken serpent, a smile tugging at his lips. “Alright, I’m not afraid.”

“Mm.” Yuan Ji’s expression was serious, but her fingertips tapped restlessly against her side. They’ve lived here so long; they must bathe, right? If not, wouldn’t they be utterly filthy?

She couldn’t bear to imagine such a disgusting scene and could only turn to ask A-Tong, “Is there a spell to change the lightning serpent’s form?”

“Huh?” A-Tong peeked out from her shoulder. “Yuan Ji, why do you ask? Is something wrong with Little Lei?”

“No. I just think it… has potential.” Yuan Ji stated certainly.

A-Tong: ?

A-Tong turned to look at the serpent rolling around like a ball on the ground and sucked in a sharp breath. “Yuan Ji!! That’s a lightning serpent!! How could you…?”

The质问 died on its lips as it met Yuan Ji’s calm expression. A-Tong swallowed the rest of its sentence.

“Fine. Whatever makes you happy, Yuan Ji.”

It needed to go back and scour the system mall to see if it could, ahem, borrow some lightning-proof items. Just in case the heavenly tribulation got furious and chased Yuan Ji down for retribution after they got out.

Perhaps trapped within the Blooddrinker Chalcedony for too long, the resentful spirits were sluggish even in activating the formation.

Bored from waiting, Yuan Ji poked and prodded the lightning serpent, finding it quite amusing to watch it crackle and spark with electricity.

“They’re here.”

Qi Yan’s hand on Zhi Jie’s hilt tightened, the tendons forming a graceful curve. “Get ready.”

Yuan Ji exchanged a glance with Qi Yan, instantly understanding his intention.

They’ve waited long enough. Time to add fuel to the fire.

Yuan Ji reached out and telekinetically summoned the serpent, which was desperately trying to untangle itself. The formation on the ground was now clearly visible. Let’s see, where is the core…

“Found it.” Yuan Ji’s long lashes lifted, a barely perceptible smile flashing in her eyes. “Time for you to contribute, Little Lei.”

Crackle. The lightning serpent landed on the formation’s core. Electric light burst forth with terrifying force, rapidly spreading out.

Heavenly tribulation lightning was the natural bane of all evil beings. The heavens had sent the lightning serpent to purge all filth.

Now, it was the lightning serpent’s stage.

Instantly, its golden eyes scanned the bloody scene before it, erupting with astonishing power.

This lord might be no match for that fiend, but I can certainly handle you lot!

BOOM!

In an instant, golden lightning plunged into the blood-red mist, stirring up a crimson fog.

Yuan Ji clapped her hands together, brushing off non-existent dust. She turned to stare at the now-visible Wu Du, slightly surprised.

“So small.”

“?” Wu Du, seemingly struck on a sore point, his horns suddenly grew an inch. “You’re the small one! I’m thirty-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty years old!”

“Oh.” Yuan Ji was noncommittal. “Little one, your heartstone feels familiar to me.”

Hearing this, Qi Yan, who had been controlling Zhi Jie to chase down the resentful spirits, stopped and began forming a hand seal towards Wu Du.

“Don’t even think about it!” Wu Du’s eyes darkened. He guarded his chest warily, stepping back two paces. The aura around him instantly grew deeper and more menacing.

“I underestimated this person. She actually saw through the crucial point. She’s even more unfathomable than that ‘Longevity’ from before.” The stone in Wu Du’s heart felt uneasy. This belongs to the Lord. It cannot be taken!

Wu Du touched the scorching stone at his chest, gritted his teeth, and stepped forward, placing the stone into the formation. Instantly, the formation shifted.

An illusion manifested, swallowing both of them.

The situation on the field changed in a blink.

The resentful spirits, previously scattered by the lightning serpent, regained their strength, becoming even fiercer than before. In the blink of an eye, they devoured the terrifying electric light completely.

Tens of thousands of voices, neither male nor female, rang out:

“After starving for so many years, we’re finally somewhat full. Hahahahaha.”

“Truly delicious, far better than those filthy wretches.”

“Be careful.” Qi Yan warned. Within the illusion, nothing was clear. They could only rely on instinct to avoid attacks.

Screech.

Zhi Jie blocked a strike aimed at Yuan Ji’s face. The tremendous impact made the sword emit a clear hum, its emanating sword energy stirring Yuan Ji’s ink-black hair.

“Yuan Ji.” A-Tong trembled, hiding behind her. “Should we check the mall for something useful?”

“Unnecessary.” Yuan Ji coldly refused, a hint of interest barely concealed in her tone. “This thing… I’m familiar with it.”

A-Tong: ?

Wu Du snorted coldly. An ordinary formation was one thing, but this was a formation recorded within the Heartstone. How could an ordinary person break it?

To his surprise, Yuan Ji before him wasn’t trapped by the illusion. She stepped forward calmly. An intangible aura pushed back the red mist, revealing the magenta stone at the formation’s core. Her smooth, lustrous finger lifted slightly, and that magenta stone flew directly into her palm.

The next moment, the formation, which had lasted less than three breaths, shattered again.

Wu Du rubbed his eyes. Watching the magenta stone fly into Yuan Ji’s hand, he strangely sensed a hint of… eagerness.

He looked down at the empty little hole on the ground, then at the stone in Yuan Ji’s hand. Down at the hole, up at Yuan Ji.

Wu Du’s heart shattered.

“Wh-what is happening?” Wu Du stammered, stunned.

Yuan Ji pinched the Blooddrinker Chalcedony, examining it carefully. Sensing the familiar aura on it, she paused. “Blooddrinker Chalcedony?”

Wu Du: “Give it back!”

Yuan Ji raised a hand. White light formed a cage, trapping Wu Du. She shook her head and sighed. “I dislike that name. Change it.”

Qi Yan seemed to sense something. He rushed towards Yuan Ji, trying to stop her action, but he was a step too late.

Yuan Ji slowly closed her fingers. Crack. The originally indestructible stone actually fissured with several cracks.

Wu Du watched as greyish fragments crumbled from the magenta stone. He was on the verge of a complete breakdown, as if it weren’t dust falling but pieces of himself.

“You… you…” Wu Du pointed at Yuan Ji, shaking with rage.

Yuan Ji paid him no mind. She examined the crystal-clear, gem-like stone in her palm, suddenly realizing, “So, it’s my heart.”

“Your heart? Give it back!” Wu Du was so angry the horns on his head ached. This was the only thing he managed to save that belonged to that Lord. How could it be the heart of this person before him?

What outrageous lies.

If you say it’s your heart, why don’t you claim to be that Lord yourself!

Wu Du felt dizzy. A spark of insight flashed through his mind. Wait, something’s not right. “You… you… you are…”

“The River God.”

Yuan Ji finished his sentence for him. She lifted her hand and tossed the “heart” back to Wu Du. “Here, have it back.”

Holding the heartstone, now slightly warmer than before, Wu Du was utterly confused. “Y-you… you’re just giving it back? Like that?”

Yuan Ji made an affirmative sound. She wasn’t some monster needing two hearts. “I just needed the memories on it.”

Having said that, she looked at the teary-eyed Wu Du before her, rather unable to comprehend. Why is this little kid suddenly welling up? Is he a water dragon?

“Yuan Ji, what’s going on?” A-Tong was also completely baffled. What heart? Isn’t that a stone? Is my host not the River God but a Stone God?

“I’ll tell you after we get out.” Yuan Ji didn’t explain further, only looked up at Qi Yan before her, her expression complex.

“You.”

Before she could finish, Wu Du suddenly let out a loud wail.

The heartstone in his palms instantly became scalding hot, as if wanting to melt heaven and earth together. A sword light shot out from within it, streaking directly towards Qi Yan.

“Look out!”

White light flew from Yuan Ji’s fingertips, forming a shield before him. Yet in the next instant, the sword energy pierced through the shield, transforming into a sharp arrow that buried itself deep into Qi Yan’s heart.

Instantly, his silver-white robes were stained with blood. A thick, metallic scent of blood ran rampant in the air.

Wu Du stuttered, holding the heartstone, utterly at a loss. He didn’t know such a powerful sword energy had been hidden inside it either.

“I, I, it wasn’t me, I, the sword energy flew out on its own!”

Yuan Ji swiftly caught Qi Yan’s falling body, sealing his acupoints to stabilize his soul. A flicker of unease passed rapidly through her eyes.

That prophecy.

No. Impossible.

“A-Tong, exchange for a Soul-Saving Pill from the mall.” She had seen it before; as long as there was a breath left, the pill could save them.

A-Tong, shocked by the rapidly changing situation, fumbled to open the mall. “Okay, right away.”

With decisive efficiency, Yuan Ji tore open the clothing on Qi Yan’s upper body to better stanch the bleeding. But when she looked closely, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“It’s your own sword energy.”