Chapter 115: Traveling Together

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When Wang Ergou heard Lu Chenyuan’s words, the face that had been radiant with wild joy moments before instantly drained of color. In a trembling voice, he said, “The disaster in the East Sea... If, in the end, it cannot be resolved—or if this wretched body of mine cannot hold out until the day the clouds part and the mists disperse—would that not mean... would that not mean...”

He could not bring himself to continue.

That final word—death—refused to leave his lips.

Seeing him in such a state, Lu Chenyuan felt a pang of pity and sighed. “Life and death are ordained by fate; wealth and rank are decreed by Heaven. This time, we shall have to see what fortune you possess.”

Wang Ergou fell silent for a moment. Then he shook his head, a bitter smile rising to his face. He cupped his fists toward Lu Chenyuan and said, “The shopkeeper speaks truly. It is a cheap life, either way. Every additional day I live is a day gained. Had you not set aside our former grievances and lent me your aid, I doubt this life of mine would have lasted until the great tide arrived.”

Lu Chenyuan considered for a moment before saying, “For the next few days, you need not continue with this work of receiving and seeing off guests. If there is somewhere you have long yearned to visit but never have, then go and see it. If you have any unfulfilled wishes, fulfill them. When you grow tired, simply return to this inn and rest.”

Moved by such generosity, Wang Ergou said, “I understand. If there truly is somewhere I wish to go, I will go there. But before that, please allow me to continue doing my share here.”

“For several years, I have received and seen off guests in this inn. I know every place where a table or chair has lost a corner, every loose paving brick beneath my feet. If you suddenly forbid me from doing this work, I truly would not know what else to do...”

With that, he paid no further attention to anyone. He found a rag and began wiping down the Eight Immortals table.

Watching his slightly stooped back, Lu Chenyuan secretly shook his head.

How could he fail to understand Wang Ergou’s state of mind?

The upheaval in the East Sea was both a natural calamity and a man-made disaster. The matter involved forces far beyond the ability of ordinary cultivators to comprehend.

If the ancient phantom dragon spoken of by Shangguan Chuci had truly suffered some mishap, how could the situation possibly be brought under control in a mere two or three days?

His intervention just now had merely relied on the strange power within his body to forcibly suppress the abnormality in Wang Ergou’s abdomen. In the end, it had treated only the symptoms, not the root of the illness. Whether Wang Ergou’s body could hold out until the affairs of the East Sea were settled—indeed, whether it could even endure until the Hibernating Dragon Tide arrived—remained uncertain.

Though Lu Chenyuan had not stayed long at the Tidewatch Inn, he and Wang Ergou had seen one another daily, and a measure of feeling had naturally grown between them.

Seeing him like this, Lu Chenyuan’s pity deepened.

From this one man, his thoughts extended to the countless people of Zhenhai River.

Beneath this calamity vast enough to blot out the heavens, how many others like Wang Ergou were there—silently awaiting an unknowable fate amid fear and unease?

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Yet although he was powerless to change the situation, that did not mean he could do nothing.

Whether it was the call from the deep sea that he had occasionally heard ever since arriving in Zhenhai River, or the fact that he had acted in time during Lin Jianyan’s survey the previous night and prevented her from being tainted by the turbid current, all of it proved that although his abilities were meager, he was not entirely helpless.

Lu Chenyuan rose abruptly and looked toward Shangguan Chuci. “Young Master Chu, let us pay a visit to the Dragon King Temple as well.”

Shangguan Chuci smiled faintly. “Excellent. I had the same intention.”

Lu Chenyuan turned his gaze toward the senior-and-junior pair from the Hundred Refinements Sect.

Now that he was the proprietor of this inn, he could not neglect the courtesies of receiving and seeing off guests. Thus, he said, “The two of you, Young Master Chu and I are going to investigate the Tide-listening Pavilion. We will have no time to entertain you here. Please make yourselves at home.”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiaoshan felt as though he had been granted an imperial pardon. His heart settled back into his chest, and the corners of his mouth nearly stretched to his ears. He was just about to blurt out, “A fine journey to you both,” when his junior sister suddenly spoke from beside him.

“Shopkeeper Lu.”

Lu Chenyuan turned at the sound of her voice. Beneath the black hood, a pair of clear eyes gazed steadily at him.

“May this humble girl accompany you?”

Cheng Xiaoshan nearly fainted on the spot.

My dear junior sister! My own beloved junior sister! We only just managed to escape this demon incarnate—why are you throwing yourself back into his path? Are you trying to walk straight into a trap?!

He screamed inwardly, frantic with anxiety, scratching his head and ears. Yet he did not dare lose his temper in front of Lu Chenyuan. His face shifted from blue to white and back again, displaying every shade of distress.

Lu Chenyuan was startled as well. The girl’s gaze was clear and guileless, and he could not help wondering why she had made such a request.

Meeting his questioning look, Jiang Yingxue drew a deep breath and slowly said, “My sect has instructed us to seek out certain sinister objects for use in artifact refinement. Since that demon fish is such a rare creature, if I accompany you and Young Master Chu, perhaps I may gather a few fragments of its remains or scales afterward. That would allow me to fulfill one of my obligations.”

“Please rest assured, Shopkeeper Lu. I would never dare become a burden to either of you. Wherever I am needed, I will do my utmost. Even such rough work as serving tea and water is not beyond me.”

Cheng Xiaoshan’s heart trembled when he heard this. He finally understood the deeper meaning behind his junior sister’s words.

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That was it... The sect had issued strict orders. If the two of them returned empty-handed this time, they would surely suffer severe punishment. His junior sister was trying to seek fortune amid danger—and she was even afraid that if he accompanied her, he might meet with disaster. That was why she had mentioned only herself...

At this thought, he felt both moved and ashamed. As her senior brother, he truly had been utterly useless.

Lu Chenyuan understood as well.

So that was why the senior and junior disciples had behaved so strangely during the day.

He was also curious. There were countless sects in this world, each following all manner of bizarre paths of cultivation, yet he had never heard of any school that required such filthy, sinister objects for artifact refinement. Had he not heard it with his own ears, he would have found it utterly inconceivable.

But now that he was playing the part of an expert, he could not reveal his ignorance by voicing the doubts in his heart and inviting others to look down on him.

Unexpectedly, this identity of an expert was such an inconvenient burden, like an invisible shackle that left him deeply uncomfortable.

Lu Chenyuan temporarily suppressed his curiosity. After pondering for a moment, he nodded. “In that case, you may come along. As for serving tea and water, forget it. This journey is not a pleasure excursion. Rather than wasting your energy on such things, you would do better to conserve your strength and be ready to fight.”

His own reasoning was quite simple.

Although he could command Wei Zhuo’s Heartfire Dao Foundation, he had yet to master the breathing and cultivation methods of cultivators. The power of the Heartfire would diminish with every use. Any additional strength would therefore be most welcome.

Jiang Yingxue nodded lightly. “Thank you, Shopkeeper Lu.”

After thinking for a moment, Lu Chenyuan added, “However, there are many highly accomplished cultivators gathered at the Tide-listening Pavilion now. I may not even have the opportunity to act. There may well be others coveting that demon fish as well...”

By then, Jiang Yingxue already understood his meaning and hurriedly replied, “This junior naturally understands. When the time comes, I will rely on my own strength to compete for it. If I cannot obtain it through my own efforts, I will not trouble you, Shopkeeper Lu.”

Seeing how sensible she was, Lu Chenyuan nodded.

As his words fell, senior brother Cheng Xiaoshan said, “I... I will come along as well. It is better for the two of us to stay together, so that we may look after each other.”

Zhifei, who had remained silent until then, pressed his palms together and said, “This humble monk would also like to go and take a look. If any of you require assistance when the time comes, I can lend a hand.”

With the thought that an extra person meant an extra measure of strength, Lu Chenyuan naturally did not refuse.

Thus, the party of five set out for the Dragon King Temple.

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