Chapter 680: Is Your Life More Important Than My Honor?

"Lord, you misunderstand. I, I, how could I possibly be coming at you? I, I, I was just passing by by chance!"

Character: Wu Hongcai trembled as he spoke, hurriedly defending, "This is the first time I have met you, Lord, and we have no grudges. How could I be coming at you?"

He appeared outside Kumu Guan because he was ordered by the River God, claiming that a reckless Taoist had emerged in Liangshui Town and dared to strike the Young Master of Zhu Clan. Though the Young Master of Zhu Clan is merely the River God's nephew, the River God dotes on him more than a son, perhaps because the River God has had no offspring for many years.

Of course.

It could also be due to a pillow wind!

When the River God learned that the Young Master of Zhu Clan had been bullied and nearly lost his life, how could the River God remain indifferent? At that moment the River God was about to explode, wishing to flood Liangshui Town, until he and his wife spoke up, which barely restrained the River God.

As soon as the River God loosened his mouth, he immediately volunteered, coming to Liangshui Town to investigate whether the Taoist who dared to strike the Young Master of Zhu Clan had swallowed the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard.

He hadn't expected.

Just upon arriving outside Kumu Guan, before he could assess Xuanqing Daozhang's situation, he was ambushed. A zither tone filled his ears; before he could summon demonic power to resist, his body collapsed to the ground, plunging into a slumber. When he awoke again, he found himself before Xuanqing Daozhang and Feng Yanrong.

"Just passing by?"

Xuanqing Daozhang seemed to have heard a joke; a mocking sneer curled at the corner of his mouth as a cold, gleaming Treasure Sword materialized in his right hand, causing Character: Wu Hongcai to shiver all over, as if the surrounding temperature dropped by several degrees. He hurriedly spoke:

"Lord, you, you, what are you doing? Quickly sheath your sword. I—no, I am a cowardly demon; please don't frighten me, otherwise you'll scare me to death!"

"I'm not trying to scare you!"

Xuanqing Daozhang coldly stared at Character: Wu Hongcai, observing his cowardly demeanor; in his eyes lay only mockery as he said:

"Why did I draw this Treasure Sword? I think you should understand that if you still refuse to tell me the truth, you'll have to taste whether my sword is sharp. You'd better pray that this Treasure Sword is indeed sharp; otherwise a single slash could require a thousand cuts to end your miserable life!"

'My master truly lives up to his name; even his threats sound better than a song!'

Wang Ping'an, still lying on the ground feigning death, couldn't help but feel a silent sigh upon hearing Xuanqing Daozhang's words. Yet his peripheral vision caught Character: Wu Hongcai trembling before his master and Feng Yanrong, his face full of oddity, muttering in astonishment:

'Is this still a demon? How can a demon be so cowardly?'

He hasn't been in this world long, but has seen many demons. Thanks to the blessings of Jiu tou shan ji shi, many demons have died at his hands—some extremely vicious, some cunningly sly—but he has never encountered a demon as timid as Character: Wu Hongcai. If he weren't a human-ghost hybrid, he would doubt whether this thing is a person in disguise.

"Lord..."

Character: Wu Hongcai's face changed dramatically; just as he was about to argue, before he could finish his words, Xuanqing Daozhang pointed the Treasure Sword, a streak of cold light flashing toward him. He shivered, Thump! rang, and he fell to the ground, realizing Xuanqing Daozhang was not joking. The words at the tip of his tongue swallowed back, he hurriedly said:

"Lord, don't strike, don't strike. Can't I just speak? I came at you because I was ordered by our River God, not because I wanted to trouble you!"

As the saying goes, killing a person demands a life in return. He is a demon; even if he perishes by Xuanqing Daozhang's hand, the Great Xia Court will not intervene on his behalf. He can only rely on his River God. This time he came to gather information on Xuanqing Daozhang, preparing for his River God to take Xuanqing Daozhang's life. Whether or not he dies by Xuanqing Daozhang's hand, his River God will seek to eliminate Xuanqing Daozhang. Since Xuanqing Daozhang acted against the Young Master of Zhu Clan, that fact already seals the fate: if he stays silent and dies by Xuanqing Daozhang's hand, his River God will avenge him.

But...

This is not what he wants. He adheres to an old saying: a miserable death is worse than a lingering life. He is old; the blessings he deserved he has already enjoyed. The blessings he hasn't are beyond his status and cultivation; even if he lived another hundred years, he couldn't enjoy them. Yet even if he cannot enjoy them, it's still better than a next life where he can't even become a demon.

He dare not gamble his own life on whether Xuanqing Daozhang would dare strike him; he can only obey Xuanqing Daozhang's threats, recounting everything Xuanqing Daozhang wants to know, though later, once his River God learns, he guarantees no good fruit for him.

He might even meet his end at his River God's hand!

However.

He can make preparations so that his River God won't know he leaked the secret.

"Is your River God the River God of Liang Shui He?"

Xuanqing Daozhang asked, and seeing Character: Wu Hongcai nod, continued, "Alright, first tell me everything about your River God, in full detail!"

"Lord..."

Character: Wu Hongcai stammered, seemingly unsure how to answer, when Xuanqing Daozhang flicked the Treasure Sword, frightening him so that the words at his mouth were swallowed, and he changed his tone to say:

This novel you...

"Lord, lord, don't be nervous. I will speak, I will speak— but before I do, you must promise me one thing: that I tell you everything I know, and you guarantee to spare my miserable life!"

He was willing to obey Xuanqing Daozhang's threat, recounting everything he knew in full to Xuanqing Daozhang, because he saw Xuanqing Daozhang as a righteous person, not the type of ruthless tyrant who would act inconsistently. Yet before Xuanqing Daozhang gave his guarantee, he still dared not be careless.

He didn't want to, by revealing everything he should know, risk betraying his River God, only to end up dying by Xuanqing Daozhang's hand.

"What, you worry I'm the type who flips his words?"

Xuanqing Daozhang let out a dissatisfied hum, but he could understand why Character: Wu Hongcai was so apprehensive. Being a good person doesn't mean everyone is good; keeping promises doesn't mean others will. Seeing Character: Wu Hongcai on the verge of speaking, he continued:

"Rest assured, as long as you tell me everything you know, I won't ruin your miserable life. After all, someone of your caliber dying by my hand adds nothing to my reputation, and there are others nearby. If I were to flip my words, it would damage my reputation. Which do you think is more valuable: your life or my honor?"

(End of Chapter)