But I'm a proper river god, you know! - Chapter 65

“Gurgle, gurgle.”

A stream of bubbles escaped Xiang Yizhi’s mouth as the icy river water rushed in, cutting off the curse words he had been about to utter.

In the past, he had always been the one throwing others into the river. Who would have thought that one day he would be the one held underwater?

Fuming, Xiang Yizhi thought, You’re a kid who plays with fire, and you’re trying to tell me you’re the River God? Who do you think you’re fooling?

The next moment, the giant hand that had been holding him underwater grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up like a helpless chick.

“Pah! Pah! Pah!” He spat out the mud in his mouth, looking utterly disheveled. His coarse linen clothes dripped with filthy water.

“Alright, alright! I give up! I surrender!”

Seeing that Yuan Ji was about to dunk him back into the river to “clear his head,” Xiang Yizhi quickly waved his hands in defeat. His old bones couldn’t handle much more of this.

Yuan Ji slowly raised her hand, and the waters of the River of Forgetfulness eagerly gathered around her. Like an ancient tree rising from the earth, countless droplets formed lush branches and leaves, thoughtfully shielding Yuan Ji from the harsh sunlight, leaving only a soft, warm glow.

This was what it looked like to be favored by the River of Forgetfulness. Xiang Yizhi watched with burning envy, itching to ask Yuan Ji where she had studied to achieve such mastery over both fire and water.

Yuan Ji sat down gracefully, one hand resting lazily on her knee, the other propping up her chin as she watched Xiang Yizhi with amused interest.

Unlike Yuan Ji’s relaxed demeanor, Xiang Yizhi dangled mid-air, exhausted. He wiped the water from his face and was about to speak when a distant, thunderous crash echoed through the valley.

“Oh no!”

Xiang Yizhi’s expression shifted, turning serious. “How did that kid end up there? That place has protective barriers—how could anyone get in?”

“Could it be a diversion? Was their real target the bronze token all along?” He lowered his head, anxiety gnawing at him. Beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down his temples.

What should I do now?

Then he remembered the boundary stele erected at the restricted area: “River God’s Manor.”

If the true River God had returned, it was possible the barriers had weakened. Although Xiang Yizhi still didn’t fully believe Yuan Ji’s claim, he could tell she was different from the previous group.

If she really was the River God, then the items in the manor rightfully belonged to her. But if she wasn’t, impersonating the River God would bring unimaginable consequences.

Xiang Yizhi’s eyes darted back and forth. The only way to know for sure is to go and see for myself.

He pretended to weep, pounding his chest with a clenched fist as he cried out in feigned despair, “Lord River God, I’ve finally waited for you! Day and night, I’ve guarded your manor, hoping against hope that the heavens would grant me the chance to lay eyes upon you!”

“It was my fault for not recognizing you! I was blind!” Murky tears streamed from his eyes, oozing false sincerity.

“Really?” Yuan Ji’s lips curved into a slight smile. Just as Xiang Yizhi nodded vigorously, trying to sound more convincing, she abruptly changed her tone. “But I seem to recall someone claiming he was the River God.”

“Exactly! Yuan Ji, don’t let him fool you!” A-Tong, furious, flew through the air and punched Xiang Yizhi. “How dare this impostor claim to be the River God! We systems have standards when choosing our hosts!”

A-Tong glanced at Xiang Yizhi’s hunched, disheveled figure and snorted disdainfully, then turned to Yuan Ji with a look full of satisfaction and admiration.

A proper River God should be like Yuan Ji—understanding, clever, wise, generous…

And most importantly, exceptionally talented with an aura that commands respect!

“A-Tong, he says there’s a River God’s manor here. Scan the area and see if you can find it.” Yuan Ji discreetly sent out a wisp of divine energy to locate Wu Du, only to discover it was trapped inside…

A pot??

Yuan Ji’s breath hitched for a moment. Does this person have some strange fetish?

A-Tong quickly returned from its scan. Whether it was because the thick fog had dispersed or not, this time it actually detected a manor deep within the valley.

“Lord River God, I… I was blind! I didn’t recognize you and thought you were one of those… I just wanted to scare you away…”

“Please, show mercy and forgive this humble servant! Otherwise, my life wouldn’t be worth sparing!” Xiang Yizhi wailed, sneaking glances at Yuan Ji as he bowed deeply.

“Oh, and you must see your manor! Your son seems to have already gone inside to check it out for you.”

Yuan Ji hadn’t expected this person to be somewhat capable. Outside of the Blooddrinker Crystal, Wu Du existed without a physical form, yet this man had somehow detected its presence.

Yuan Ji nodded slightly, somewhat impressed by his skills.

But… son?

Yuan Ji lowered her long eyelashes, lost in thought. In her memories, she was a cultivator who had long abandoned worldly attachments like love and romance.

So, “son” must refer to her successor, right?

Yuan Ji pondered this and found the logic flawless.

Tapping her knee lightly with her fingertips, she thought about how Wu Du had guarded her heart within the Blooddrinker Crystal. They had coexisted for millions of years, their connection intricate and inseparable.

She could sense an aura on Wu Du similar to her own.

In a way, Wu Du could be considered her successor.

“You could say that, more or less.”

“Lead the way.”

Yuan Ji stood up, and the branches and leaves behind her quickly reverted to water and seeped into the soil without stirring a single speck of dust.

Xiang Yizhi’s face lit up with delight. “Right this way, Lord River God. Please follow me.”

With that, he hurried toward the forbidden area, completely unaware that A-Tong behind him had short-circuited into a state of stunned silence.

“What son?!”

“Since when did you and Qi Yan have a child? When did this happen?!”

“Yuan Ji, say something!”

A-Tong was on the verge of a meltdown, clutching the dark hair on Yuan Ji’s shoulder as if its life depended on it. Heartbroken, it prayed silently, Yuan Ji, please tell me you’re joking!

“What?” Yuan Ji was puzzled. What did this have to do with Qi Yan?

She parted her lips to refute the claim, but a sharp sword aura from within the Blooddrinker Crystal surged into her mind.

That sword aura, left by Qi Yan, had been hidden within her heart for millions of years. Naturally, Wu Du had been influenced by it too. Yuan Ji swallowed her words.

“It’s that little fellow from the Blooddrinker Crystal,” Yuan Ji kindly reminded A-Tong. She had brought him along when she emerged earlier, not realizing he had wandered off to play in a pot.

He really is such a child, full of energy and whimsy.

Yuan Ji was quite pleased that the one who had guarded her heart was so lively—a sure sign of longevity.

She turned to see A-Tong’s jaw nearly hitting the ground and lifted it back into place with a hint of disdain.

But then again, A-Tong had seen too little of the world. It didn’t understand how rare it was to pass on one’s legacy. Many never got the chance to entrust their abilities to another.

Taking pity on A-Tong’s less-than-brilliant mind, Yuan Ji rephrased her explanation more succinctly.

“When? Roughly ten million years ago.”

“Yes, we have a child.”