Chapter 681

"Sir, what you said is correct; my life is worth less than that of a pig or dog—how could it compare to your reputation, Sir? And how could you, for the sake of my dog's life, ruin your own reputation, Sir?"

Upon hearing Xuanqing Daozhang's words, Wu Hongcai immediately breathed a sigh of relief. In Liang Shui He, he had risen merely by flattering the River God; before the River God he had often been scolded, and had long grown accustomed to it.

For the sake of his own life right now, being insulted a few times by Xuanqing Daozhang is nothing.

Even if Xuanqing Daozhang wanted to slap his face, he wouldn't need Xuanqing Daozhang to speak; a single glance would be enough, and he would promptly offer his left cheek.

After Xuanqing Daozhang finishes striking, he must still ask whether his hand hurts; if Xuanqing Daozhang feels it's not enough to vent his anger, he will immediately offer his right cheek.

To put it bluntly.

As long as he can escape a calamity at Xuanqing Daozhang's hands, he is willing to do whatever Xuanqing Daozhang asks.

Xuanqing Daozhang said impatiently: "Enough, stop the nonsense—quickly tell me everything about your Liang Shui He River God, in full detail!"

"I'll say it, I'll say it..."

Wu Hongcai also dared not waste words; he related everything he knew about his family's River God, in full detail.

Even if some of those were shameful matters his family's River God preferred not to mention, uttering a word in front of the River God would likely bring a fate worse than death; yet for his own life Wu Hongcai still detailed them to Xuanqing Daozhang, occasionally stealing glances at Xuanqing Daozhang.

He tried to gauge Xuanqing Daozhang's expression to see whether, after he had thoroughly reported his family's River God's affairs, Xuanqing Daozhang would dismiss him like a trifle, or go back on his word and, once he had no further use, take his life.

After a long while, upon hearing Wu Hongcai's introduction, Xuanqing Daozhang understood even more clearly the vile deeds the Liang Shui He River God had committed; his face showed only mockery, and he said:

"Indeed, I hadn't realized—your Liang Shui He River God is actually a man who can bend and stretch, able to rise to become River God of Liang Shui He relying merely on the body of a lowly water snake!"

Wu Hongcai glanced oddly at Xuanqing Daozhang, suspecting his words were veiled sarcasm, for from his account Xuanqing Daozhang must know that his family's River God attained his position by harming others for self‑gain, having done many wicked deeds; yet looking at Xuanqing Daozhang's demeanor, he did not seem to be mocking.

"Aren't humans supposed to look down on someone like our River God the most?"

Wu Hongcai's heart jolted; contrary to expectation, he felt not the slightest contempt for his River God's actions, but rather pure admiration, thinking to himself:

"Could it be that he is a monster wearing human skin, or perhaps an Evil Cultivator who has exhausted all wicked deeds, having done things similar to our River God, which is why he praises our River God? If so, would he spare my life? Is that true or false, or is he deliberately deceiving me?"

For a moment Wu Hongcai's heart was also filled with panic; he wanted to ask whether, after he had told everything he knew in full detail, Xuanqing Daozhang would let him leave, but he feared that if he dared speak those words, Xuanqing Daozhang might very well strike him down with a single sword.

Frightened, the words on the tip of his tongue could not be uttered.

All he could do was, like an ostrich, hope to hear from Xuanqing Daozhang the words telling him to scram. 'Truly, the good die young, while evil leaves a legacy for a thousand years!'

Having eavesdropped, Wang Ping'an now had a clear recollection of the Zhu Clan's backing, the Liang Shui He River God—this River God was merely an ordinary water snake who, after some unknown fortune, took up the path of cultivation and became River God of Liang Shui He solely through a series of self‑serving, harmful deeds.

During this process he stained his hands with blood everywhere; it is entirely the tale of an insignificant figure who, through intrigue and scheming, betrayed the previous Liang Shui He River God and became the current one.

Of course.

What concerns him most is that this Liang Shui He River God was originally the son‑in‑law of the previous River God; his rise to this stature was entirely due to the prior River God's nurturing, step by step.

Yet this present Liang Shui He River God, while his father‑in‑law and another river's River God were locked in a great battle and the former lay gravely wounded, stabbed him in the back; even his wife—who was the previous Liang Shui He River God—died at his blade.

It is said.

Before her death, the wife of this Liang Shui He River God once cursed him, leaving him heirless; consequently, he pays special attention to the Zhu Clan's young master, Zhu Xing, regarding him as his own offspring.

It is rumored that this Liang Shui He River God's wife cursed him thus because she was pregnant at the time of her death, yet the River God disregarded marital affection, not even caring for his own bloodline; after stabbing the previous River God in the back and killing him, he showed no hesitation and directly did away with his wife.

Although.

After this Liang Shui He River God personally slew his wife, he burst into tears and held a grand funeral, yet no one paid heed; instead, his reputation for ruthlessness spread abroad.

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After hearing Wu Hongcai's detailed account of his family's River God, Wang Ping'an also felt a secret shock, and his heart was filled with relief.

Such a ruthless tyrant is merely the petty Liang Shui He River God; those stronger than him must be even more ferocious.

Fortunately he is a man with cheat abilities; otherwise, in this world he would likely find it impossible to take a single step.

"Good, good—before absolute strength, all schemes and plots are futile; as for those experts who die by intrigue, one can only say they were simply too weak, and need more training!"

When Wang Ping'an thought of the dazzling numbers on his system panel and of his own abilities, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief; yet upon hearing his master's words, he wore a strange expression and exclaimed in astonishment:

"No way—how could my master praise such a ruthless beast and call him a man of true worth? Have I not woken up, or has my master gone senile?"

After prolonged thought, Wang Ping'an wondered whether his master was lying when a timeless saying suddenly sprang to mind: "One who is narrow‑minded is no gentleman; one without poison is not a true man."

According to that saying, judging from the Liang Shui He River God's actions, he truly deserves to be called a man of true worth.

Xuanqing Daozhang ignored Wu Hongcai's odd glance; regardless of the Liang Shui He River God's character, at least his deeds are something Xuanqing Daozhang could not emulate, yet he still admires him—for the sake of rising above others, he does not hesitate to commit one vile, beast‑like act after another as the Liang Shui He River God—but there's no need to say this to Wu Hongcai, and he spoke with a blank face:

"Since this Liang Shui He River God regards Zhu Xing as his own offspring and has sent you here, could it be that he intends for you to avenge Zhu Xing?"

(End of chapter)