But I'm a proper river god, you know! - Chapter 83

As the person in charge of this Ascension Ceremony, Guan Su had sensed it the moment Yuan Ji added that special reward to the jade slip. He casually took the jade slip from a disciple nearby, examined it carefully for a long moment, then asked with deep meaning.

“Has the River God arrived? Was someone sent to receive them?”

“Hall Master, Senior Sister Luo Qiushui has taken people to greet them. They are currently resting in the back mountain,” the disciple answered with a wooden face, completely expressionless, like a statue. If not for the occasional flicker of black in his eyes, it would be quite unsettling.

Guan Su tapped the jade slip lightly in his hand twice, thought for a moment, and said, “Do not neglect them. Tell Luo Qiushui to take them to Mistview Peak.”

“Yes.” The man vanished like a ghost, leaving Guan Su alone, staring thoughtfully at the jade slip.

He ran his fingers over the shimmering spiritual characters on the slip, the smile on his face growing increasingly profound.

The show is about to begin.

——-

Meanwhile, in the back mountain, Luo Qiushui was momentarily stunned upon receiving the message instructing her to take Yuan Ji to Mistview Peak. “You mean Mistview Peak?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I understand.” Luo Qiushui lowered her gaze, pondered for a moment, then nodded and dismissed the disciple. Her face was full of confusion and conflict.

Huang Li, noticing her strange expression, asked puzzledly, “What’s wrong, Senior Sister? Isn’t it a good thing that the Hall Master is having the River God stay at Mistview Peak? It’s the place with the best scenery in our Heavenly Pole Sect. In previous years, only the winners of the Ascension Ceremony could stay there.”

“That’s exactly what I just said, only the winners get to stay,” Luo Qiushui tapped Huang Li’s forehead, reminding her. “For the River God to stay at Mistview Peak during their first participation in the Ascension Ceremony… I’m afraid it will attract criticism.”

Huang Li suddenly grasped the crux of the matter. “Oh! Right! Then why would the Hall Master arrange it this way? Could that junior disciple have relayed the message wrong?”

Luo Qiushui shook her head; it didn’t seem like a misunderstanding.

Yuan Ji took a sip of the clear tea offered by a female cultivator nearby. The slightly bitter tea aroma held a subtle hint of sourness. Finding it strange, Yuan Ji turned her head and saw that Qiguan Shang had silently clenched the jade cup in his palm.

The raised pattern of the cup left a stark white imprint on the web of his thumb, as if he felt no pain. His gaze was fixed intently on the jade cup in the female cultivator’s hand.

“What’s wrong?” Yuan Ji found this odd. She took the cup from his hand and placed it side-by-side with the one held by the female cultivator for comparison.

Same floral pattern, same material, even the tea inside was identical. No difference.

Qiguan Shang seemed to snap back to reality. He coughed lightly twice, fingertips touching his thin lips. “It’s nothing. I was just curious about how this tea is prepared. It has a unique flavor.”

“Well, Cultivator Qiguan, you’ve asked the right person!” Huang Li walked over gracefully, having overheard the comment, and sat down to explain. “This tea is made from the tenderest early spring buds picked from Mistview Peak. The brew is clear and refreshing with a sweet aftertaste. My eldest senior brother, Qi…” Huang Li’s smile faltered for a moment. She glanced at Yuan Ji and corrected herself, “…Our whole sect drinks it this way. And the tea trees on Mistview Peak are all ancient trees thousands of years old. The flavor is excellent.”

Qiguan Shang pretended to understand and nodded. “I see.”

“Speaking of which, River God, since you’ll be staying on Mistview Peak these days, you should definitely go see those tea trees. The tea forest covers half the mountain, and the spiritual energy there is exceptionally rich.”

Yuan Ji, having heard the name Huang Li swallowed back, silently glanced at the Qiguan Shang beside her. Seeing his expression remained normal, as if it really was just a casual observation, she withdrew her gaze.

She called out to A’Tong in her mind, “When do you think he’ll be unable to keep hiding it?”

A’Tong, busy exploring the new world after getting a new body, was currently hanging from a tree branch with its left claw, using its right claw to fish eggs out of a bird’s nest in the fork.

A’Tong: “Huh? What did you say, Yuan Ji?”

Seeing Yuan Ji’s speechless gaze directed at it, A’Tong scratched its head sheepishly. “Yuan Ji, wait for me to get you the biggest bird egg! We can roast it! Fry it! Stew it!”

As A’Tong listed the eighteen cruel punishments for the bird egg, Yuan Ji rubbed her throbbing temples. “We’re staying at Mistview Peak? Then lead the way.”

For some reason, Yuan Ji’s head had been aching faintly as time passed, a throbbing, swollen sensation pulsing with her heartbeat, making her feel somewhat irritable.

Hearing Yuan Ji’s words, Luo Qiushui also set aside her sliver of doubt. Huang Li wasn’t wrong about one thing; Mistview Peak had the most wonderful scenery, and only it was worthy of the River God.

“River God, please follow me,” Luo Qiushui rose gracefully, her voice soft and gentle as water.

Unbeknownst to her, this picture of a gentle beauty deeply pained the hearts of several disciples from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Thwack! A long sword embedded itself deeply into the stone bricks, standing upright in the path ahead.

“Cultivator Luo, is this the hospitality of your Heavenly Pole Sect?” Zhong Taiyong snorted coldly, raising his chin high and sweeping his gaze over Yuan Ji from above before letting out a derisive laugh.

“Mistview Peak has always been reserved for the winner of the Ascension Ceremony! The ceremony hasn’t even started yet, and you’re letting this person stay there? What is the meaning of this?!”

Zhong Taiyong’s eyes lingered on Yuan Ji for a moment, a look of undisguised greed flashing within them.

“What, does Heavenly Pole Sect look down on our Ten Thousand Swords Sect?” Zhong Taiyong suddenly raised his voice, trying to attract the attention of everyone around. “Or does Heavenly Pole Sect look down on all the sects under heaven, having already internally decided on this person of unknown origin?”

Yuan Ji frowned and glanced over. Before she could even express her displeasure, a nearly imperceptible black thread shot out from beside her, accompanied by a faint, elegant fragrance.

In an instant, Yuan Ji felt her headache lessen considerably.

She couldn’t help but throw a curious glance at Qiguan Shang, but the latter merely offered a faint smile, as if he had done nothing at all.

Yuan Ji withdrew her gaze and all her emotions along with it. She stared coldly at the Zhong Taiyong before her, her expression indifferent, as if watching a noisy insect on the roadside.

“Tch.” Yuan Ji let out a soft laugh. The amusement floated on her face, then scattered into the air with the wind, leaving only a light mockery behind.

“Cultivator Zhong, that person is the River God,” Meng Qi struggled to squeeze out from the crowd, finally making his way to Zhong Taiyong’s side.

Today had been extremely unlucky for him. Just as he was about to leave, his stomach churned, sending him running to the outhouse multiple times. He had finally managed to receive the Ten Thousand Swords Sect members, thinking he just needed to serve them well and might even earn their favor and receive some guidance in his cultivation.

But his stomach was uncooperative. He endured the whole way, finally found a break to relieve himself, and returned only to find the Ten Thousand Swords Sect people confronting the River God. Instantly, he felt the sky was about to fall.

Seeing the confusion in Zhong Taiyong’s eyes, Meng Qi hurriedly explained, “This is a cultivator who recently emerged from the River of Forgetfulness. She has some skill.”

Seeing Zhong Taiyong’s disbelief, Meng Qi leaned in closer and whispered by his ear, “This person is… peculiar, Cultivator Zhong. It’s best not to confront her, to avoid getting hurt.”

Meng Qi’s well-intentioned advice, however, only added fuel to the fire.

Hearing this, Zhong Taiyong felt even more that this junior disciple looked down on him. He immediately pulled his long sword from the stone bricks.

“Those who insult my sect shall die!”

Fueled by fury and shame, Zhong Taiyong’s face flushed deep red. With a voice like a booming bell, he thrust his sword towards Yuan Ji.

Yuan Ji only felt the throbbing pain in her temples intensify, her irritation reaching its peak at this moment.

She pressed her lips together, quickly scanned Zhong Taiyong, a flash of killing intent passing through her eyes. She parted her thin lips slightly and uttered a single phrase.

“How noisy.”