Chapter 93

"With utmost sincerity, I announce to the rivers, lakes, and seas..."

As Liu Yumei's voice rang out, Li Zhuiyuan, though still standing in the room, found his consciousness drifting into a strange trance.

Before his eyes, the lamp with the golden dragon's head seemed to come alive.

The golden dragon's body detached itself from the lamp, twisting and then coiling, its wick like fire, its breath swirling.

It lifted from the ground, flew before him, and then circled around him.

It was as if something was burning, yet there was no scorched smell, only wisps of dust and faint, elusive crackling sounds near his ears.

If he had to make a comparison, it was like a veil.

A layer that shrouded his feet, covered his path, and obscured his destiny.

The veil was thin, allowing light through.

Just over a year ago, Li Zhuiyuan had first discovered the set of "Records of Rivers and Lakes Wonders" in his great-grandfather's basement.

In this book, Wei Zhengdao summarized all the "dead ones" he had encountered throughout his life, making it an encyclopedia of such beings.

This set of books had been Li Zhuiyuan's enlightenment.

From that moment, Li Zhuiyuan had planned his future path.

Returning to high school, choosing a good university, winning math Olympiads, and securing early admission.

Even his relationship with Engineer Luo was carefully cultivated to ensure he could participate in major hydraulic engineering projects later on.

Therefore, the path beneath his feet was only covered by a thin veil.

But for some matters, even a tiny opaque spot meant turbulent undercurrents below.

He had indeed started "walking the river" long ago, but he hadn't done so with clarity, decisiveness, or ease.

The ritual of "walking the river" and Liu Yumei's announcement had, in effect, helped him disperse that final layer of mist.

This was a river destined to be difficult to navigate, fraught with hardships and dangers, where capsizing was always a risk.

But it was right here.

The young man preferred objective questions with defined conditions over open-ended subjective ones, no matter how complex or difficult the former might be.

Now, the problem was laid out before him; all he had to do was pick up his pen and solve it.

With that cloud-shrouded confusion gone,

he felt completely light and at ease.

Even the golden dragon that continued to fly around him seemed somewhat endearing to Li Zhuiyuan, goofy and innocent, like his family's pet dog, Little Black.

In reality, the lamp remained the same, the golden dragon still adorned it, and the candle flame flickered within its mouth.

Most people in the room could not see the strange phenomena Li Zhuiyuan was witnessing.

In the eyes of Rongsheng and the other two, Li Zhuiyuan seemed to have relaxed completely.

They had paid respects to the Dragon King and understood the meaning of the second lamp, but to claim a deep understanding or personal experience was, of course, impossible for them.

A moment ago, they had sensed tension and unease in the reactions of Liu Yumei and the others, but upon seeing their "Little Yuan Ge's" current state, the three of them felt a sense of relief.

Even the most serious matters, with a change of perspective and mindset, could transform into: "Oh, what's the big deal?"

All other emotions in Uncle Qin's eyes dissipated, leaving only a sense of profound emotion.

He recalled that when he had lit the second lamp himself, the mistress was still young.

Facing the rows of memorial tablets on the altar and the responsibility of revitalizing the Qin and Liu families, he gritted his teeth, his expression solemn, his heart filled with trepidation and fear.

Yet, the same scenario, coupled with unexpected opportunities, manifested as a sense of detachment in the young man before them.

This was not pretense, because in such an atmosphere, there was no need for anyone capable of pretending to do so.

When you see someone more capable than yourself, you suddenly realize that your own failures seem inevitable.

Aunt Liu's perception was more direct; she felt that Little Yuan seemed to have gained an extra layer of charisma, which made the already handsome young man even more attractive.

This would make the young man and young woman closer in temperament, and they would look more harmonious when together.

Aunt Liu now desperately needed the sweetness in her mouth to counteract the bitterness that Yin Meng was about to personally cook for her.

Liu Yumei looked at Li Zhuiyuan, simultaneously waving her hand gently.

The young man didn't move, still absorbed in his own emotions.

Uncle Qin walked out.

Aunt Liu wanted to take A-Li's hand and lead her away, but A-Li didn't move, still looking at the young man.

She didn't like drawing in general; she only liked drawing Li Zhuiyuan. She thought the young man looked very handsome now, including the little golden dragon that was flying around him in the background.

Aunt Liu looked at Liu Yumei, who nodded slightly.

The initiation and "walking the river" ceremonies were complete. Next came the elders' instructions. A-Li was representing the Qin family today, so she could stay, even though she wouldn't speak.

But Liu Yumei knew that for this "rascal," a single glance from her granddaughter was worth a thousand words from herself.

Seeing this, Rongsheng and the other two also followed them out.

In the room, only Liu Yumei, A-Li, and Li Zhuiyuan remained.

Finally, the golden dragon left his body and settled back onto the lamp.

In reality, the lamp's flame extinguished.

To normal people, the lamp had lit mysteriously and extinguished abruptly.

But to Li Zhuiyuan, the light had already encircled him, leaving him feeling warm all over.

He instinctively turned his head to look out the window; the thunder had ceased, but the wind and rain continued.

At that moment, he truly wanted to push open the window, let in some wind and rain, and enjoy a moment of coolness.

"Creak..."

A hand pushed open the window, and the wind and rain entered.

A cool breeze blew, a dampness brushed his face, and Li Zhuiyuan fully awoke.

It was only then that he realized everyone else had left.

Li Zhuiyuan turned to Liu Yumei, who stood by the window, and said apologetically, "I was distracted."

Liu Yumei admired the scene outside, where dark clouds pressed down like a siege, and chuckled:

"It's good to think more about how you should swim before going down the river. It's better than blindly plunging in like a reckless fool."

Li Zhuiyuan understood the old lady's implied meaning, but thankfully, Uncle Qin wasn't there at the moment.

"Grandma, I have a question. Aunt Liu told me something earlier, and now I'd like to confirm it with you."

"Speak."

"The impact on my family after I 'walk the river'."

"By changing your surname and relocating, you've severed ties with your northern family; by having your household registration under Li Sanjiang's name, you've separated from your southern family.

This means, in the narrow sense of family, you now only have Li Sanjiang.

Your great-grandfather, that old fellow, has deep fortune. As long as he stays in his old home and doesn't move, he'll continue to live comfortably.

Even if you want to go back and see him, you can do so anytime, just treat him as you always have. Don't arrange any grand schemes like changing his fortune, luck, or extending his life, and there won't be any problems.

That old fellow truly has good fortune; he shares a household register with you and long ago signed a contract to leave all his inheritance to you, binding him so deeply to you.

So when you 'walk the river' in the future, the merits accumulated from suppressing those evil entities will also flow abundantly to him.

'Sitting at home, blessings descend from heaven.'

It's perfectly normal for the old man to live healthily past a hundred."

Li Zhuiyuan: "What about family in the broader sense?"

"Family in the broader sense doesn't refer to your relatives in the north or south, but to us—the Qin and Liu families.

It's precisely because you've entered our fold that the severance from your northern and southern sides has deepened."

"So if my 'river-walking' goes smoothly..."

Liu Yumei stated bluntly, "The Qin and Liu families will naturally benefit."

"...Will A-Li's illness improve?"

Liu Yumei: "Hasn't A-Li's illness always been improving?"

"The condition is still there; A-Li has just become better at overcoming and living with it."

"It will get better," Liu Yumei said, looking at A-Li. "They are all former vanquished foes, mere vile remnants, simply seizing an opportunity to bully us, orphans and widows."

"What should I do?"

"You don't need to do anything specific. Just do what you're supposed to do: 'walk your river' well. The stronger you become, and the more the Qin and Liu families' prestige is restored, those things that bully the weak and fear the strong will retreat on their own."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Then, he fell silent.

Thankfully, the sounds of wind and rain mingled, preventing awkward silence.

Liu Yumei asked, "Why aren't you saying more?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because I've asked everything I wanted to."

Liu Yumei extended her hand toward the memorial tablets on the altar: "Even a rotten ship has three thousand nails, have you lost respect for them?"

"Grandma, that's not what I meant."

"Are you afraid of involving us?" Liu Yumei lightly hooked her finger, and the window closed, making the room instantly quiet. "When a junior from an ordinary family goes out, elders know to prepare some travel money. Now, someone from our Qin and Liu families is finally 'walking the river' again. As family, we should certainly give him a hand."

"Grandma..."

"I may be old, but I've lived a life of comfort and can still endure;

Your Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu, though perhaps not the most accomplished elders, can at least handle some things.

We've moved into a new house; it's a bit small, but doesn't it still offer shelter from wind and rain?

If you encounter something you can't handle or defeat, come back home or ask for help.

Once this door is closed, there truly aren't many things in this world that would dare to knock and enter.

If they were to pursue you out there, any family they found you with would not have an easy time.

Even a dead tiger retains its might. Our two families may not be what they once were, but precisely because of that, we have even less to lose."

A-Li nodded.

Li Zhuiyuan had witnessed Liu Yumei's caution at his great-grandfather's house, so he naturally understood the weight of her recent words even more clearly.

Unless he lit the lamp again, announcing the end of his "river-walking,"

otherwise, if he encountered trouble outside and returned home for shelter, those who protected him would suffer a backlash of fortune.

Not to mention anyone in the family actively stepping forward to help him; the side effects of such an action would only be more severe, potentially costing a life for each intervention.

It could be said that from the moment the second lamp was lit, his relationship with Liu Yumei and the others transformed into the relationship his own great-grandfather once had with them.

They could live and eat together, leading normal lives, but any involvement in mystical matters would trigger negative consequences.

"Grandma, as you've seen, although you officially made the announcement today, I was actually already 'walking this river' in the dark long ago.

What I mean is, I'll continue to 'walk it' the same way I did before.

I have my own habits and my own rhythm.

The old mode might not be the best, but it's the one I've discovered works best for me.

So,

shall we keep everything as it was?"

"Little Yuan, you have your reasons, but I also have my rules. You can't just follow your own logic and completely disregard your grandma's rules.

I, your grandma, have lived a dignified life and care deeply about appearances.

You at least have to let me catch a cold or a cough.

That way, after you successfully 'walk the river,' when I meet those old geezers, I can modestly pretend and say something nice like, 'Actually, I just stumbled upon a Dragon King.'"

"Since Grandma has said so, then I'll speak up."

"Speak."

"You, Uncle Qin, and Aunt Liu, please continue to teach Zhuangzhuang, Rongsheng, and Yin Meng for some time."

"What kind of request is that? I already promised you that, twice even."

"Before was before, now is now. The weight of different promises varies significantly in different periods."

When he hadn't "walked the river," these weren't issues, but now, they all involved karma.

Moreover, based on the results of his previous "river-walking," karmic effects had already appeared.

For instance, Uncle Qin had returned heavily injured, and Aunt Liu was almost poisoned to death today.

One was to teach Rongsheng martial arts, the other to teach Yin Meng poisons.

The old lady, however, was fine, because she only taught Binbin how to chat.

If a price had to be paid...

Then in this world, the most cost-effective thing between effort and reward was learning.

Rather than having Uncle Qin fight for him, it was better to have Rongsheng learn and develop into someone like Uncle Qin.

Rather than having Aunt Liu treat him and administer poison, it was better to have Yin Meng learn and develop into someone like Aunt Liu.

Anyway, based on common sense and experience, the initial challenges of "walking the river" weren't too great, and his team still had room for error and development.

Liu Yumei asked, "What about yourself? What about me?"

Clearly, Liu Yumei had also noticed that this backlash effect had already begun.

But there was nothing she could do. The old lady, who had always valued appearances, wouldn't allow only A-Li and A-Ting to pay the price; she also needed to "take a sip" with her handkerchief, otherwise, it wouldn't feel right.

"Grandma, please decide for me. Help me choose a set of foundational books, the more basic the better."

"Actually, Grandma... I can withstand much more than the two of them."

"I know, I believe it."

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the chair where Liu Yumei had previously sat. Both armrests had been crushed, and two small piles of fine wood shavings lay on the floor.

This wasn't something that could be achieved by mere strength.

"Then ask Grandma for something good, don't be shy. Let Grandma also 'bleed' a bit with pleasure."

"But, I only lack the fundamentals."

A weak foundation would lead to disadvantages later; this was a principle school teachers often emphasized.

Li Zhuiyuan had suffered a lot in the past precisely because of this.

He wasn't particularly short on advanced cultivation techniques now. More importantly, he could continue to search for those high-level techniques and secret manuals in his great-grandfather's basement.

His great-grandfather simply regarded those ancient texts as worthless scrap, not even considering them his own possessions.

This meant that no matter how many sets of books he took, there would be no backlash effect on his great-grandfather.

Liu Yumei closed her eyes, seemingly resigned, and said faintly:

"Alright."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled slightly: "Grandma, once Rongsheng and the others have finished this period of learning, our way of interacting will return to normal."

"As you wish."

Liu Yumei waved her hand, signaling him to hurry away.

What surprisingly appeared in her mind now was the image of Li Sanjiang sitting on a small stool that day, meticulously calculating Li Zhuiyuan's university expenses with a pen.

Sometimes, having the means and resources but being unable to give them was also a form of frustration.

What was even more stifling was that Liu Yumei found herself constantly empathizing with Li Sanjiang recently.

"Grandma, I'll be going now."

Li Zhuiyuan walked toward A-Li.

The young man wasn't fond of A-Li's attire today; it was too solemn, lacking a touch of innocence and playfulness. Thankfully, she wouldn't wear such an outfit many times in her life.

A-Li stood up and offered her hand to the young man.

The moment their hands met, Li Zhuiyuan seemed to hear the wailing of ghosts and spirits in his ears.

It was likely because he had entered the Qin and Liu families' fold and gained their recognition, which made his relationship with A-Li legally closer.

This was the first time Li Zhuiyuan realized that those entities were not only haunting her in the dark of night while she slept, but also in the clear light of day when she was awake.

No wonder the girl had preferred to sit on a bench, gazing straight ahead; she was doing her best to block out the surrounding disturbances.

This intimidation, terror, and cursing were relentless, day and night, like maggots clinging to bone, always present.

A-Li seemed to sense something. Her eyelids flickered, and she tried to sever the connection to prevent the young man from being affected.

But Li Zhuiyuan tightened his grip on her hand, then his eyes narrowed, and he directly entered the "Yin world."

The girl looked up at the young man, who gently raised her hand:

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

You didn't tell me that even when we were playing chess, eating, and drawing together, you were still experiencing this kind of scene.

The girl remained silent.

The young man took her hand and walked out.

He pushed open the door; outside was a corridor; outside, was a bloody, muddy swamp.

They went down the stairs; the stairs were carpeted, soft and non-slip underfoot; the stairs were built from countless white bones, with innumerable hands reaching out from within, trying to grab their ankles.

They reached the ground floor. On the dining table, Aunt Liu had already laid out delicious lunch dishes; the dining table was a large pot, and inside it, a huge tumor-like growth was boiling, complete with eyes, hands, and legs. It bobbed and rolled in the pot, continuously spewing out an endless stream of offensive curses from its unnaturally small mouth.

They arrived at the house door; outside was the courtyard of this three-story townhouse, and opening the door revealed a stormy, wind-swept scene; they arrived at the threshold of an ancient, simple bungalow, and beyond the threshold were vast numbers of strange and terrifying entities, all of whom had paused their activities to look their way, emitting chilling smiles.

Li Zhuiyuan was "sick."

Li Lan had said that he and his mother were monsters in human skin, because their innate rationality would extinguish emotion, leading them to view even their closest companions as foolish, disgusting, lower beings.

If that was how he viewed humans, how could he possibly have a positive perception of things that weren't even human?

Or rather,

how could a child who, at ten years old, treated evil spirits and "dead ones" as toys to be fished for, possibly harbor any reverence for such things deep down?

The young man held the girl's hand and stepped out of the house; the young man held the girl's hand and crossed the threshold.

Li Zhuiyuan faced the surrounding tempest; Li Zhuiyuan surveyed the surrounding filth and evil.

"To those sealed away and unable to emerge, I will find you later, break your seals, and personally send you on your way!

To those suppressed but not yet annihilated, I will go to your places of suppression, repair, perfect, and enhance the formations, and watch you be crushed to dust.

To those who are dead but still persist by enjoying offerings from some family,

whichever family worships you,

I will ensure that family is wiped out in a bloodbath!

Don't think I'm making empty threats.

If you don't believe me, let's peel back each other's human skin and see,

who, in the end,

is less like a human!"

As his words fell,

the rainbow disappeared, and the rain cleared.

Liu Yumei stood by the window, watching the sunlight pierce through the clouds and the sky gradually clear.

The tears she had held back for so long finally welled up and dampened her eyes.

But she bravely held on, not letting the tears actually fall.

Because she knew that in this world, no one truly cared whether she cried or not anymore.

In the past, when she was Miss Liu, if she shed a single tear, her father and brothers would dote on her, circling her with concern. Even that old scoundrel would shamelessly perform monkey tricks, completely disregarding his status as Young Master Qin, just to make her break into a smile.

They were all gone.

She was left all alone.

She knew the people of the river still feared her, but it wasn't the former Dragon King Liu or Dragon King Qin they feared.

Even if they were outwardly polite, bowing when they should, kneeling when they should, inwardly, they were probably already criticizing her.

They would ridicule her as a frail old woman in her twilight years, stubbornly upholding the plaques of two Dragon Kings just to maintain a dignity she couldn't bear to abandon.

But a plaque doesn't gain more authority by being polished brighter.

A plaque must be splattered with blood, old blood wiped away with new.

Outward submission but inward defiance was irrelevant.

Kneel, then look up. What I want to see is the fear and panic in your eyes.

I, the dignified eldest daughter of the Liu family, from birth until marriage, never knew what the word "grievance" meant.

Yet for these past few decades, you've forced me to swallow so much.

Come and see, everyone,

this grand gift I've sent you.

"This world of rivers and lakes,

ought to flow with blood, to appease this young lady's fury!"

The sky cleared, and the rain stopped.

The wife of the old professor next door was cursing the "thieving heavens" for striking her television.

In those days, a television was a large and expensive item, and she loudly declared its model, adding that it was a color TV.

As she continued cursing, the old woman suddenly changed her tune and shouted:

"Why didn't you strike down Shi Yuqing instead!"

Shi Yuqing was a female student the old professor had taught in his youth; she had just divorced this year.

On Li Zhuiyuan's side, after everyone had a peaceful lunch together, they simply resumed whatever they had been doing in the morning.

A-Li was drawing in the study. She first sketched the layout of the ritual room, and then drew all the other people who had been present earlier.

She wanted to draw the young man last, much like how other children her age eat cake, finishing the bread first and saving the cherished cream for the last bite.

Li Zhuiyuan watched her draw for a while, then went out to pour tea.

Normally, Aunt Liu would thoughtfully bring in the tea, but now she couldn't. This afternoon, she had just taught Yin Meng to make another dish, which had turned the entire ground floor into a smoky mess.

Finally, Liu Yumei cursed at them and banished the two of them to the house they had previously lived in outside the school, telling them to conduct their lessons there.

Li Zhuiyuan discovered that Aunt Liu's teaching method was highly adaptable to her student's aptitude; she had actually integrated the principles of poisons into cooking techniques, teaching Yin Meng through the art of cooking.

This teaching efficiency would undoubtedly be astonishingly high.

But it also made Li Zhuiyuan secretly note that he needed to remind Rongsheng never to let Yin Meng near the communal kitchen in the future.

As for Rongsheng, he was currently in great pain.

Uncle Qin had taught him a set of boxing techniques, which Rongsheng was now practicing.

Li Zhuiyuan, who had been inside the house earlier, could hear the sounds of Rongsheng's bones and muscles tearing as he practiced the boxing techniques.

When the young man came outside carrying a thermos, he saw that Rongsheng was not only bleeding from all seven orifices but also covered in sweat mixed with blood droplets.

"Keep practicing."

Uncle Qin commanded, then walked over to Li Zhuiyuan and explained:

"I'm correcting his previous mistakes and rebuilding his foundation."

"Hmm."

Li Zhuiyuan knew Uncle Qin had misunderstood. He probably thought this training method seemed cruel to him, making him sympathize with Rongsheng's situation.

In fact, Li Zhuiyuan not only felt no sympathy but greatly appreciated the tangible results of such training.

Uncle Qin pointed to Rongsheng. "When I was at Uncle Li's house, I already saw this kid was extraordinary. Unfortunately, back then, I couldn't even teach you much."

"Uncle Qin, may I ask you something?"

"Little Yuan, you want to ask me how I failed to 'walk the river' back then, right?"

"Yes."

"I'll tell you when the time is right. I'm not being coy; I'm counting on you to get revenge on those guys for me."

"No, Uncle Qin, you've misunderstood. I'm too lazy to get revenge for you." Li Zhuiyuan pointed at Rongsheng: "You'd better rely on him."

"Alright, I understand. I'll make him train to the death."