Chapter 91: River God?

“Oh—”
Xu Boqing nodded thoughtfully.
The Qianling River was a grand waterway that spanned the entire territory of Great Liang, its course so long it extended beyond the country’s borders. According to popular tales, the river’s source was the legendary Tongtian River itself…
A stretch of the Qianling River passed through Jiangling Prefecture. The region’s unique landscape, with its many mountains and rivers, made the current appear gentle but was, in fact, swift. It was said that “one could travel a thousand miles to Jiangling and return in a day.”
Those who lived by the mountains relied on the mountains; those by water, on the water…
Every few years, the wealthy families along the Qianling River would buy pigs to rear and sacrifice to the river—a tradition that had endured for generations…
The innkeeper, seeing his guest eating with such relish, said nothing more and returned to the kitchen. With the mutton gone, he fetched some cooked offal, chopped it up, and drizzled it with chili oil to serve as a snack with wine…
The slightly gamy mutton was braised until tender, paired with a spicy dipping sauce that thrilled the palate. Xu Boqing ate heartily, thoroughly satisfied.
When he’d finished the meat, he got up to buy several pieces of flatbread, which he tore into small pieces and soaked in the mutton soup, then slurped up every last drop…
His hunger sated, and seeing that most of the other patrons had left, he too departed the city.
With his current skill, while he could not compare with the immortals who could fly through the sky or vanish into the earth, he was still much faster than any carriage or horse.
However, he did not choose to speed toward Xingyuan Prefecture using his lightness skills; instead, he changed direction and made his way toward the ferry crossing on the Qianling River.
A branch of the Qianling River passed near Xingyuan Prefecture, so when he heard the innkeeper’s mention earlier, he realized he could travel by boat.
It would save him effort, allow him to enjoy the riverside scenery, feast on river delicacies, and perhaps even witness the local river sacrifices—a truly pleasant prospect.
Why not?
Xu Boqing had only set out in the evening, and his fondness for good food had delayed him further, so when he reached the ferry, dusk had already fallen.
Many fishing boats and ferries were moored at the crossing, but there was no sign of ferrymen. Only a few fishermen remained, packing up their gear and preparing to head home.
“Elder…”
The fishermen paused at the call.
“Young man, what do you want with us?”
“It’s nothing much…”
Xu Boqing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and, noticing several live fish flopping in their baskets, smiled and asked, “I just wanted to ask, why is there no one operating the ferry at this hour?”
“Young man, really…”
One of the fishermen, a dark-skinned burly fellow, reproached him, “Look at the time! Who crosses the river this late?”
“Uh…”
Xu Boqing glanced at the sky and realized his question was ill-timed. Awkwardly, he explained, “I don’t mean to cross right now. I’d like to buy a ferry to travel far.”
“Buy a boat? Travel far?”
The fishermen exchanged glances, noting that his attire marked him as someone of means—perhaps a wealthy young master seeking adventure. Raising their eyebrows, they asked, “Young man, would you consider a fishing boat?”

Xu Boqing glanced at their fishing boats, and his face twitched.
Those who made their living on the water knew the difference: ferries were for passengers, fishing boats for the catch.
Though both were boats, the former had cabins for shelter from wind and sun, while the latter’s cabin was just for holding fish.
Not to mention the difference in structure—the reek of fish in a fishing boat was not something the average person could endure.
He had money and wasn’t overly concerned about his surroundings, but he wasn’t foolish enough to buy a reeking fishing boat for long-distance travel.
He cupped his hands and looked toward the nearby village. “Elder, you must be joking. Your fishing boat is your livelihood—I wouldn’t dream of taking away the tool you depend on to make a living.”
He paused, then asked, “Might there be anyone nearby who wishes to sell a ferry?”
The fisherman had only spoken offhand, with little expectation.
But seeing this young master’s determination to buy a ferry, he thought for a moment, then pointed at one of the boats, “Young man, what do you think of that one?”
He paused, then gestured toward a house at the edge of the village. “That belongs to Old Liu at the east end of the village. He has no sons or daughters and is too old to handle the boat anymore. He’s looking to sell—you can go ask him.”
“Thank you, elder…”
Xu Boqing saw that the ferry was just the right size, with a clean and tidy cabin, even a small stove for cooking—a perfect fit. After expressing his thanks, he headed into the village.
He found his way to the east end and soon spotted a mud-brick house with a bamboo fence. An elderly man was sitting in the courtyard, lost in thought.
He knocked on the door, and when the old man roused himself, asked, “Are you Old Liu, who’s selling his ferry?”
“Yes, yes, that’s me,” Old Liu replied, quickly getting up to greet him. “You want to buy a boat, young man?”
“I’d like to buy a ferry.”
“Come in, come in, let’s talk inside…”
Hearing that someone wished to buy his boat, Old Liu’s eyes brightened. He ushered Xu Boqing inside and eagerly poured him a cup of water.
Upon entering, Xu Boqing paused, his gaze settling on the household shrine in the main room, with offerings of fruit and incense below.
Most who made their living on the river worshipped the River or Water Gods for peace of mind—nothing unusual about that.
But Old Liu’s home was so bare that he scrimped on his own meals, yet still maintained incense and offerings at his shrine.
What struck Xu Boqing most was that the statue on the altar was a stooped, balding old man with a cane—the very same figure he’d seen depicted in the Five Venoms Sect’s “Immortal’s Teaching Scroll”!
The likeness was uncanny—not just the appearance, but even the aura of the statue closely mirrored that of the “Old Immortal” in the scroll!
Could they be the same person?
Or was it a demon? An immortal? A god?
Old Liu, seeing him staring at the shrine, grinned. “Young man, do you also worship the River God?”

“River God?”
Xu Boqing blinked, then shook his head. “I’m not from around here and don’t know the name or story of the River God. Elder, would you tell me about this deity?”
“There’s not much to tell.”
Old Liu realized his guest was an outsider and smiled. “They say that hundreds of years ago, a Dragon King traveled the Qianling River, flooding countless villages.
Later, the Dragon King departed, but his dragon energy remained, turning water spirits into demons…
There were man-eating monsters in the river, and the people who lived by the water suffered greatly. Eventually, the River God heard the cries of the people, sent dreams to the riverfolk, and instructed them to build a shrine and offer sacrifices.
The people obeyed.
The River God, moved by their sincerity, took form and descended into the river to battle those demons, finally capturing them all.
So the River God became our patron deity along the riverbank.”
“I see.”
Xu Boqing nodded in thought. The story of the Dragon King’s flood might be true or false, but the existence of the River God seemed more plausible.
What truly puzzled him was why the River God’s image was almost identical to the “Old Immortal” in the Five Venoms Sect’s “Immortal’s Teaching Scroll.”
Could the ancestors of the sect have once lived along this river and received the deity’s blessing?
Unable to unravel the mystery, he shook his head and refocused on his purpose. “Elder, I’ve seen your ferry. How much do you want for it?”
Old Liu considered quoting a high price, expecting to haggle, and said gravely, “Ten taels!”
“Agreed!”
Xu Boqing immediately placed a silver ingot on the table and smiled. “From now on, the boat is mine.”
Old Liu blinked in confusion. When he saw the silver, he hurried to bite it, confirming its authenticity—and his wrinkled face broke into a wide grin.
“Good… good… good!”
Fearing his buyer might change his mind, Old Liu quickly stashed the silver away, then pulled Xu Boqing before the altar. “Young man, now that you’ve bought the boat, you must pay your respects to the River God for safe travels!”
Xu Boqing had no desire to do so, but with Old Liu watching him expectantly, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse. He decided to go through the motions out of politeness.
But as soon as he bent at the waist, the River God’s statue on the altar suddenly shattered with a loud crack into several pieces…
“???”
“???”