Chapter 827: The Little River God

"Uncle Gu, stop."

Mo Hua immediately called out.

Gu Changhuai halted the boat, turned his head in confusion, and saw Mo Hua leaning over the boat's edge, his head lowered toward the water, staring at something unseen.

At the same time, Mo Hua lowered his voice and whispered:

"Little Silver Fish~"

The Yan Shui River was a vast expanse of emerald water, its depths invisible.

After a moment, a flicker of silver darted across the surface—a slender, nearly imperceptible little fish surfaced.

"Savior, I'm here…"

It happily flicked its tail.

It really was the Little Silver Fish!

Mo Hua's expression brightened, then he asked curiously, "Aren't you in the Little Fishing Village? How did you get here?"

The Little Silver Fish spoke something, but its voice was too faint to hear.

Mo Hua leaned his head closer to the water's surface, and only then did he catch the fish's soft, delicate voice:

"... Thanks to you, Savior, I now have a shrine to dwell in, offerings to sustain me, and incense to nourish my spirit—I'm much better now."

"My authority as a river deity has also partially restored; I can merge with the Yan Shui River, but my power is still weak, and my range of movement is very limited…"

"This stretch of river is near the Little Fishing Village."

"I drew incense offerings there, sensed your aura, and swam over to see you…"

Right before Mo Hua's eyes, the Little Silver Fish darted through the water, occasionally splashing, clearly much more lively.

Mo Hua nodded.

So that's how it was…

The nearby Yan Shui River channels were intricate and hard to navigate—he hadn't realized this spot was so close to the Little Fishing Village.

But then again, it made sense.

The Water Yama and this gang of evil cultivators had destroyed the Yu Family Water Village, then hunted down Elder Yu near the Little Fishing Village.

So their base must not be far from there.

Xia Diansi, seeing Mo Hua leaning over the boat's edge, muttering to himself, couldn't help asking in confusion:

"Mo Hua, who are you talking to?"

Her spiritual sense had not yet been refined to the Dao-attunement stage, so she could not see the Little Silver Fish.

Mo Hua turned his head, raised a finger to his lips, and whispered:

"Sister Xia, be quiet—I'm chatting with the Little River God…"

The Little Silver Fish's voice was so faint; even a little noise would drown it out.

Xia Diansi: "..."

Her thoughts momentarily derailed; she had no idea what Mo Hua was talking about.

What Little River God?

Xia Diansi glanced at the water—nothing was there.

She looked again at Mo Hua, frowning deeply.

Such a good child—why had he suddenly started talking nonsense?

Gu Changhuai, by contrast, was already used to it.

But…

Gu Changhuai's gaze sharpened slightly.

He couldn't tell whether Mo Hua was telling the truth or just making up an excuse to fool them.

Based on his understanding of Mo Hua, either possibility was plausible.

Mo Hua knew things ordinary cultivators didn't, saw things others couldn't—Gu Changhuai wasn't surprised by that.

If Mo Hua was lying and making things up, he wouldn't be surprised either.

Mo Hua wasn't lying.

At that moment, he leaned over the boat's edge and whispered: "Little Silver Fish, do you know the way?"

The Little Silver Fish in the water nodded. "I know all the waters nearby."

"Do you know if there's a gang of water bandits around here?"

"What are water bandits?" the Little Silver Fish flicked its tail, curious. "Are they water demons?"

"No," Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said, "They're humans—evil ones, reeking of blood, stained with killing."

Upon hearing this, the Little Silver Fish became agitated, nodding vigorously.

"There are some people—their aura is filthy, stinking and reeking of bloodshed… They gather together, and I'm afraid of being tainted, so I dare not go near them."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Take me to them—I'll cleanse their sins."

"Yes, yes," the Little Silver Fish nodded eagerly. "I'll lead you there right away."

Though it didn't know exactly how to cleanse sins, if the Savior commanded it, it was happy to comply.

This was a rare chance to repay his kindness.

The Little Silver Fish was elated.

It flicked its tiny tail and swam forward, whispering softly: "Savior, follow me quickly."

Mo Hua nodded, then pointed in the direction the Little Silver Fish had swum and said to Gu Changhuai: "Uncle Gu, go this way."

Gu Changhuai fell silent for a moment.

Mo Hua said: "The Little River God knows where the water bandits are—it will guide us."

The Little River God…

Gu Changhuai turned his head, glanced at the empty water surface, and sighed silently.

"Fine…"

I hope this kid isn't joking.

Gu Changhuai instinctively followed Mo Hua's direction and rowed the boat forward.

Xia Diansi watched this but did not stop him.

Yet her inner confusion grew deeper, and her gaze toward Mo Hua became increasingly perplexed.

The little silver fish wiggled its small body, leading the way through the water.

Mo Hua followed that faint silver glow, guiding Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai rowed the boat; Xia Diansi remained silent; only the boat cut through the water, its hull whispering with gentle ripples.

The little silver fish was the River God; though only a small portion of its authority had revived, it still knew every inch of its domain.

No one understood the Yan Shui River better than it.

Naturally, no one was more suited to lead the way.

After some time, they entered a new stretch of water, and Gu Changhuai and Xia Diansi suddenly sensed something—their expressions changed at once.

They released their spiritual senses, scanning the area, then exchanged a glance, both visibly astonished.

They really found it…

On the other side, the little silver fish had stopped and turned back to Mo Hua.

"Master, we've arrived."

Mo Hua looked up and saw before him a vast stretch of riverbank.

The riverbank was overgrown with wild grass.

But Mo Hua knew this was no ordinary riverbank—it was more like a small island formed over years by silt deposited where the river flowed downstream.

The outer marshes resembled a natural labyrinth, isolating the island completely.

Without the little silver fish to guide them, no other outsider cultivator could ever have found this island.

Mo Hua gazed further, studying the island thoroughly.

Around the island, water plants thrived, appearing desolate and uninhabited—but Mo Hua sensed numerous cultivator qi signatures within.

These qi signatures carried bloodshed and an eerie malice—clearly not benevolent.

There was also the aura of arrays.

Around the island, without doubt, many arrays had been set—some for warning, others as traps, alongside numerous earth-and-water defense arrays.

"A group of river bandits wouldn't likely build arrays—so these arrays must be… built for them by the Gui Shui Sect?"

Mo Hua frowned, then turned and asked:

"The river bandits are found—what now?"

Xia Diansi paused, glanced at Gu Changhuai, then said slowly:

"According to intelligence, this gang has no Jin Dan. With the two of us working together, should we try to capture them?"

Gu Changhuai considered briefly, then shook his head: "We can't capture them…"

"This is a second-grade prefecture—a backwater. Unlike the great prefectures of Daozhou, where cultivation levels are ignored."

"In a second-grade prefecture, a Jin Dan who fights must strictly suppress their cultivation—no slip-ups allowed."

"Have you ever fought while suppressing your cultivation?"

Gu Changhuai asked.

Xia Diansi froze, frowned, and reluctantly replied: "No…"

"There you go," Gu Changhuai said. "Suppressing your cultivation binds you hand and foot—you can't unleash even a fraction of your power. You won't capture these bandits. Worse, you might walk straight into their traps."

"A Jin Dan overpowering a Foundation Establishment only works when unrestricted."

"In actual combat, every factor must be considered—the outcome becomes unpredictable."

"Besides, the River Yama isn't as simple as you think."

"He differs from ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators—his abilities are strange and unpredictable. Without cultivation superiority, finding a way to subdue and capture him won't be easy…"

Gu Changhuai finished, then pointed at the island: "And this island—surrounded by water. If these bandits are defeated, they'll dive into the river. Neither you nor I cultivate water-based arts—how will we catch them?"

"This is their stronghold. With proper planning, this could be the perfect chance to wipe them out entirely. But if we act recklessly and make a single mistake, we'll squander this golden opportunity…"

"Squandering an opportunity is easy—but once lost, finding another like it will be harder than climbing to heaven…"

Gu Changhuai's expression was cold, his tone unceremonious.

Whether to provoke Xia Diansi or not, Gu Changhuai—who rarely spoke—rattled off a long string of words.

Xia Diansi's face, as expected, turned icy.

She understood some of these truths.

But with little experience handling cases in low-grade prefectures, she hadn't noticed—just as Gu Changhuai seized the "opening" to subtly mock her.

Xia Diansi was indeed angry, her gaze toward Gu Changhuai sharp—but she quickly calmed and replied pragmatically:

"Then, according to Master Gu, what should we do?"

Her tone was calm, devoid of other emotion—purely inquisitive.

Gu Changhuai's gaze flickered slightly, surprised. After a moment's silence, his tone softened involuntarily:

"First, gather intelligence—learn how many they are, confirm whether any Jin Dan are present, verify every detail of the terrain nearby, then return to summon reinforcements and plan carefully…"

"The more critical the moment, the less we should crave quick success."

Xia Diansi's eyes flickered; she glanced at Gu Changhuai and nodded slightly.

Mo Hua, standing beside them, glanced between Gu Changhuai and Xia Diansi, then nodded in quiet approval.

After the discussion ended, it was time to begin the reconnaissance.

It was already evening; dusk had fallen, and the sky was slowly darkening.

The three of them rowed a small boat, using the dense aquatic grass for cover, circling the island once.

Gu Changhuai and Xia Diansi were Jin Dan, their spiritual senses powerful.

Mo Hua was only at Foundation Establishment, but his spiritual sense was nearly at its peak, just one pattern away from Golden Core.

Although that one pattern was currently out of reach.

But that was only compared to Jin Dan.

Compared to this group of Foundation Establishment water bandits, Mo Hua was naturally "far ahead."

Thus, as long as they were careful, they had no fear of being discovered.

Around the island, scattered sentry posts were stationed, but due to the vast gap in spiritual sense, Mo Hua could detect these posts, while the posts could not sense Mo Hua or his companions.

Moreover, Xiao Yin Yu was guiding them.

The alarm arrays left in the water were identified by Mo Hua.

Thus, even after more than an hour, the three completed their reconnaissance without alerting the water bandits on the island.

And by then, the night had fully fallen.

Nightfall merged with the water; both sky and water were pitch black, with only a few stars twinkling above.

Suddenly, noise broke out on the previously silent island.

Tiny green flames ignited.

Then came voices—shouting, laughing, cursing—growing louder, approaching from the island's interior toward the shore.

Afterward came the sound of boats entering the water.

Voices and water sounds mixed together, chaotic and noisy.

"Fuck, finally night's here…"

"Wonder what we'll manage to loot."

"It's been days since I killed anyone—my blade's rusted."

"I haven't touched a woman in a month—I'm rusted too…"

"Go to hell, none of you have any decency…"

…

A group of them clamored aboard boats, lighting eerie green ghost flames, resembling night demons patrolling the Yanshui River.

Gu Changhuai silently counted heads.

Once the water bandits had rowed far away, silence returned to the surroundings.

Gu Changhuai said: "About two hundred went out. By water bandit custom, they usually send half and leave half—so there are likely still around two hundred staying behind on the island."

"In total, about four hundred."

"So far, no Jin Dan detected—though it's possible the Jin Dan isn't on the island."

Meanwhile, Mo Hua had roughly sketched the island's array and terrain map.

"Should we head back now?"

Gu Changhuai paused, then shook his head: "Not yet. Wait till dawn. These bandits are roaming the Yanshui River—going out now risks running into them."

"Then whether to kill or not becomes a problem."

Killing them would alarm the rest.

But if we don't kill them, given their nature, they'd never let it go.

So the three waited inside the small boat.

Gu Changhuai and Xia Diansi took turns keeping watch.

Mo Hua pulled out a small blanket, wrapped himself tightly, and lay down in the cabin to sleep, his spiritual sense sinking into his mind sea to practice arrays on the Dao Stele.

The art of arrays demands persistent, drop-by-drop perseverance.

One must never interrupt the habit of practicing arrays, unless absolutely forced.

As for safety concerns:

In a second-grade prefecture, having two Jin Dan Diansi as bodyguards, Mo Hua felt perfectly at ease.

Gu Changhuai and Xia Diansi stared at the Yanshui River, alert—then turned to see Mo Hua curled up in the cabin, sleeping quietly like a cat, and both couldn't help sighing.

This kid has a truly enormous heart.

How can he sleep under these circumstances?

Both silently watched Mo Hua for a moment, then raised their heads together—just as their eyes met. They both froze for a moment, then without a word, quietly looked away.

Thus, Mo Hua practiced arrays all night.

As dawn neared, Mo Hua opened his eyes, neatly folded the small blanket, stored it in his storage bag, then took out a flask of fruit wine and two strips of dried meat to eat.

As he ate, he noticed two pairs of eyes watching him.

Mo Hua grabbed another strip of dried meat and offered it: "Uncle Gu, Sister Xia, do you want some?"

"You eat…"

Both looked at him with complex expressions.

"Oh."

Mo Hua didn't press.

After he finished his breakfast on schedule, the horizon had turned pale with dawn; distant noises came—the returning water bandits.

Their faces betrayed excitement; their bodies were streaked with blood—whether human or water beast, it was unclear.

Dozens of boats returned, fully loaded.

Some boats carried the corpses of water demons, bloody and dripping.

Other boats sat low in the water, loaded with gold-inlaid storage chests, seemingly looted from merchant vessels.

Several other vessels held fresh corpses, men and women piled together like dead fish, their purpose unknown.

Xia Diansi's face paled slightly, her gaze icy, her eyes brimming with killing intent.

Gu Changhuai glanced at her silently, whispering softly: "Don't act rashly."

Xia Diansi said nothing, but her fingers clenched until they turned white.

Thus, Mo Hua and the others, hidden by water grass, watched silently as the water bandits returned to the island.

They seemed far from satisfied.

"It's light again, damn it, we haven't had enough."

"I barely even lifted a finger…"

"Damn Dao Ting Si's lackeys—may they all die soon, then we wouldn't have to keep hiding like this."

"Or maybe no sun at all—twelve hours of night, every day, then we wouldn't have to worry about anything…"

"Damn sun—here it comes again…"

Mo Hua watched the boastful water bandits with equally cold eyes, silently thinking:

"Don't worry—you won't see the morning sun much longer…"

…

After the water bandits entered the island, Mo Hua and the others waited a while longer, confirmed there was no further movement, then quietly rowed away.

Xiao Yinyu led the way, guiding Mo Hua and the others all the way to shore.

Stepping onto land, feeling the earth beneath his feet, Mo Hua felt a strange sense of solidity settle in his heart.

He turned his head, walked to the shore, and waved to Xiao Yinyu by the river:

"Thanks this time. Go back soon. Next time I come to see you, I'll bring you something delicious."

Xiao Yinyu happily spun around twice, said, "Thank you, Master, goodbye," then transformed into a streak of silver light and swam deep into the Yan Shui River, merging with the emerald waves and vanishing.

Gu Changhuai followed Mo Hua's gaze but saw nothing, frowned, and couldn't help asking:

"Are you talking to the River God? Why does it sound like you're talking to a 'pet'?"

Mo Hua said: "I'm on good terms with the River God. And, Uncle Gu, that remark of yours is disrespectful to the River God—be careful next time you sail, or he'll capsize your boat."

Gu Changhuai shook his head, somewhat helplessly.

Afterwards, the group returned to Qingzhou City and convened in a private room at Gu Family Teahouse.

Since returning, Xia Diansi's expression had been grim; now her gaze was cold as she said firmly:

"Not one of these bandit cultivators can be spared!"

"And that Water Yen Luo—he deserves to die a thousand deaths!"

"I'll summon troops immediately—within three days, I'll net all these villains!"

This time, Gu Changhuai raised no objection, but warned her:

"Though your Xia family is a great clan, this is still within Qianxue Province's borders—three days may not be enough."

"And rushing to summon troops, some of those hands may not be trustworthy…"

Gu Changhuai's gaze sharpened slightly.

But Xia Diansi said: "No problem—I'll handle the manpower."

Seeing her calm expression, clearly well-prepared, Gu Changhuai said no more.

"Then there's the matter of the formation…"

Gu Changhuai continued: "We need to quietly dismantle the formation on the island without alerting them…"

"Additionally, it would be best to set up formations around the island to trap these water bandits—otherwise, when the battle breaks out and they scatter, we won't be able to cover all exits, and some will inevitably escape."

"If other bandits flee, it's not too serious—but if Water Yen Luo escapes, we'll have failed completely."

Xia Diansi fell silent for a moment, then frowned:

"It's probably not that simple…"

"I've already examined it—the island's terrain looks barren and crude, but it secretly follows the Eight Trigrams pattern, with eight gates within the formation."

"These eight gates aren't meant for defense—they're meant for escape. As long as the bandits aren't completely sealed in, there's always one gate of life left for them to flee through."

"How do you plan to break the formation? How do you plan to block it?" Xia Diansi looked at Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai said nothing.

How would he know how to break a formation or block it?

His cultivation knowledge system was nearly "immune" to formations.

Of course, it wasn't entirely "immune"—he could still recognize most formations commonly used by cultivators, and he knew basic formation principles.

In the past, he'd thought he "understood" formations a little.

But that was all in the past.

Gu Changhuai silently glanced at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua accepted Gu Changhuai's silent plea and nodded:

"Sister Xia, don't worry—I'll handle the formations!"

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