Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 88 South China Sea Vessels: A Decisive Decision!
With a clang, like the cry of a sword, it shattered the moonlight that covered the ground.

With his tiger's mouth torn open, Bai Manlou let out a long roar, mustered all his strength, and his body seemed to enter the sword light, slashing out a dazzling sword light.

boom!
Heavy footsteps approached.

His figure appeared more than ten feet away, staggering and coughing up a mouthful of bloody phlegm.

boom!
Another muffled thud, and a martial arts expert dressed in a police uniform suddenly lost his bright eyes, his face showing astonishment, and collapsed heavily to the ground.

A line of blood was rapidly congealing from his brow to his lower body.

The thief that Bai Manlou killed was also a body thief.

However, it is different from Chen Shunan's flying immortal speed, which is the ultimate in divine speed.

Bai Manlou concealed his 'body' within the sword light. His speed wasn't fast, but it was incredibly graceful, just like light itself.

Some say that this is the way of the Shu Mountain Sword Immortal.

Bai Manlou didn't understand; he only knew that this was the fastest way to kill someone.

But this time, he was three breaths too slow in killing.

Because the opponent was a master who was about to kill the second thief.

Xiao Qingchou jumped down from the roof with his gun in hand, his face solemn.
"Hurry! The government's lackeys are here again!"

A moment later, having shaken off the government lackeys, the two hid in a drum tower cave, panting heavily.

Once the government intervenes, the members of the Guolu Society immediately feel immense resistance.

Not only did their efforts fail, but they also found themselves in dangerous situations several times, almost losing their men.

A crescent moon appeared and disappeared among the floating clouds on the horizon, its pure white light illuminating Bai Manlou's slightly gloomy face.

Where is Zheng Shicheng hiding?!
At this moment, even the moonlight seemed repulsive to Bai Manlou.

Whoosh!
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept in from above, leaving only a faint sound in the silvery light.

The two men's expressions changed, and without thinking, they took a step back.

Then a dart, shaped like a coin, was seen embedded in the ground near the feet of the two people who had been standing there, sending up pebbles.

A note was also tied to the money dart.

Xiao Qingchou looked suspicious. He took out a thin, soft silk thread and, with a single hook, retrieved the paper.

Upon unfolding the document, Xiao Qingchou's expression changed drastically!
Upon seeing this, Bai Manlou also took the note and glanced at it, his eyes then gleaming with a sharp light!
These locations...

This information...

Wait, could it be that the master thief who secretly attacked at Kui Xing Tower that day has come to deliver this information?!
The capital city is indeed a place where hidden talents abound, full of extraordinary people and reclusive masters; you can easily encounter one.

This person seems to be a righteous and benevolent man; we might as well recruit him to join us in our great endeavors!

The two of them thought the same thing in their hearts.

Bai Manlou clasped his hands in a fist salute and spoke to the empty wasteland around him.

"May I ask who you are? Would you be so kind as to show yourself and have a chat?"

But the sound echoed, and no one answered for a long time.

In the distance, government dogs came barking wildly, torches flickering, and figures moving about.

Left with no other choice, the two turned into faint afterimages and headed out of the county.

Opposite the Drum Tower, behind a crooked old tree, Chen Shunan looked down at his still bent fingers, his face expressionless.

"The Golden Snake Entwining Silk Hand technique is still lacking in skill; why is it stuck to the ground?"

……

Is the content on the note credible?

Whether it's believable or not, we have to try it.

In the bushes outside Wuqing County, Bai Manlou and Xiao Qingchou exchanged a glance.

Xiao Qingchou stroked the matchlock gun in his arms, which was both cold and hot. As if he had thought of something, the bitterness on his face finally faded a little, and a slight smile appeared.
"Our treasure can finally be brought out and shown off. I must say, the fireworks bureau in Wuqing County has excellent craftsmanship, and their saltpeter and iron sand are of high quality. There are not many in Sichuan that can compare to them."

Bai Manlou seemed to understand something, and a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes.

"Let's go then. Call all the brothers back, gather at Wengshan, hold a tea party, and discuss the next steps."

"In any case, tonight may be our last chance."

……

The long street was deserted, with only the distant sound of the night watchman striking his wooden clapper drifting by.

Outside the Zheng residence.

Master Hong, with his hands clasped behind his back, squatted like an old Beijing resident at the entrance of a narrow alley, his head bowed and back bent, secretly keeping an eye on the Zheng family's movements.

In his perception, there was always a faint, dust-free aura emanating from the backyard of the Zheng family mansion, like the green lamp in an ancient temple.

It blends in color with the sky and shines with the moonlight, giving one a sense of being one with nature.

It was completely different from the powerful and bloody aura of a martial artist.

"Is this what they call an immortal?"

Master Hong seemed lost in thought, as if he were pondering something.

Time passed, and it was already late at night.

Hong Wuye did not feel tired at all.

Having already slain four thieves, he was brimming with energy, and even if he were to keep watch for another half month, he would not feel any fatigue.

only……

Suddenly, Master Hong noticed something, stood up abruptly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light as he stared intently at the Zheng residence.

That aura, like a green lamp, has remained unchanged for far too long.

Although it remains lofty and untouched by the mundane world, it resembles a stiff and rigid painting, devoid of any living spirit.

wrong!

Master Hong Wu immediately became alert and, in a flash, entered the Zheng residence.

He was openly armed, and the guards on night patrol were completely unaware of him.

Master Hong Wu also ignored the antique and magnificent gate tower and screen wall in the Zheng mansion.

They went straight to the location of the artificial rock cave.

The cave entrance was small, initially extremely narrow, allowing only one person to pass through.

Upon entering, one finds that the space is only about two zhang deep, with a low-hanging dome and a natural stone bed in the center.

Now, the cave is empty.

Only a whisk floated in mid-air, its thousands of whisks hanging down, still emitting a faint glow.

The aura that Master Hong Wu was targeting was not that of Tianxuan Saintess, but that of this whisk!
Master Hong's face suddenly turned ashen, and he didn't even glance at the 'fate of immortality'.

He abruptly turned around and quickly left the mansion. The Holy Maiden Tianxuan was not there.

Where is it?!
not good!

……

As dusk settled, mist began to rise over the Grand Canal.

The lights of the ferry crossing in the distance flickered like stars in the night.

Zheng Shicheng and several other figures, including Tianxuan Saintess, stood in a reed grove on the opposite bank of the Bannojin Ferry.

This place is called Bewitching Bay. A hundred years ago, it was a ferry crossing where passenger boats came and went in droves.

One year, a great flood occurred, and a dragon was seen passing through, attempting to reach the shore via the Bewitching Bay.

An immortal dropped a dragon-slaying sword, which not only slew the dragon but also became a treasure for suppressing the river, blocking the sea eye at the bottom of the Sancha River.

From then on, Bewitching Bay became shrouded in misfortune, filled with malevolent energy, and ships anchored there would inexplicably sink.

at this time,

The hull of the boat scraped against the shallows, making a dull rustling sound.

Zheng Shicheng couldn't help but step forward, his face full of smiles, and stared intently at the three red-headed boats, each over twenty feet long, sailing towards him on the calm river.

"Finally we're here!"

Zheng Shicheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Judging from the appearance of these merchant ships, they should be merchant ships heading north from the Nanhai Prefecture area.

It contained ginseng, spices, clocks, and foreign fabrics—all novelties.

The black lettering on the hull was blurred in the night, and one could only make out the words "Port of Registry: Tongzhou", "South China Sea Economic Association", and "Golden Snake Chamber of Commerce · Fortune Ship".

The lanterns on the mast were extinguished, and the entire ship was silent. The crew members stood on the deck like statues.

In the end, the three red-headed ships silently anchored in the Bewitching Bay.

Out of caution, Zheng Shicheng and Tianxuan Saintess and the others did not step forward.

Two figures swung down from the boat, stepped across the water, and landed in front of Zheng Shicheng.

"Brother Zheng."

One of them was dressed in brocade robes. Although his hair was white, he could not hide his imposing presence, clearly indicating that he had long held a high position.

Zheng Shicheng cupped his hands and smiled, "Captain Qian, thank you for personally accompanying the ship. And this is..."

Zheng Shicheng looked at the other person.

Qian Longtou introduced it to Zheng Shicheng with a smile.

"This is the young master of the Lu family of the Twelve Lines of the South China Sea, and also the person in charge of escorting the 'Fragrant and Wonderful Heart Cleansing Ointment' this time."

Zheng Shicheng quickly cupped his hands and said, "Young Master Lu."

"Master Zheng," Young Master Lu nodded politely.

The Twelve Factories of the South China Sea did not refer to just twelve trading companies; it was a figurative number, sometimes as few as four or five, and sometimes as many as twenty or more.

Whether a merchant can be included among the Twelve Trades depends entirely on their size and strength.

Young Master Lu glanced at the Holy Maiden Tianxuan standing not far away, his eyes filled with suspicion, then turned to Zheng Shicheng in front of him and handed him an account list.

Young Master Lu said, "Master Zheng, please check the goods. This time there are a total of sixty loads of 'Xiangmiao Xinqing Ointment,' all hidden in camphor wood at the bottom of the merchant ship."

Zheng Shicheng said, "There is no need to count. Young Master Lu is too kind. We have cooperated many times before. I will stamp it now."

That's what they said, but Zheng Shicheng still personally witnessed a crew member pulling a camphor wood out of the bottom of the red-headed ship.

After being split open, the camphor wood had grooves inside, filled with tin boxes wrapped in waterproof kraft paper!
Upon seeing this, Zheng Shicheng finally signed and sealed the document with a smile on his face.

Young Master Lu seemed to have thought of something and sighed.
"It's a pity we lost the Qinggang matches, otherwise we wouldn't have had to take such a risk. We went to great lengths to evade customs inspectors... and we could only choose to smuggle the cheap and ineffective Xinqing ointment."

Zheng Shicheng also looked grim and said, "This is my fault, Brother Lu, don't worry, I will definitely find the item... This is Tianxuan Saintess of Yueshan Dao Academy, who came here specifically for this matter."

"So it's a celestial master from Yueshan Taoist Academy!"

Young Master Lu had long harbored suspicions, and upon hearing this, he immediately went to the Holy Maiden Tianxuan and bowed deeply.

Tianxuan Saintess gave a nonchalant hum.

Originally, Zheng Shicheng and others planned to use Qinggang matches to quietly smuggle high-quality hibiscus oil, taking a premium route.

He sought to win over corrupt officials, wealthy merchants, martial artists, and powerful figures from Wuqing County and even the entire capital, as well as those with powerful connections who desperately needed a potent remedy to change their current situation.

They make a fortune quietly, only targeting the wealthy.

But that won't work now. We have to settle for second best and sell the Fragrant Heart Cleansing Balm, which is less effective but easier to transport and doesn't have a strong, pleasant fragrance.

It was popularized among the people, and opium dens were opened to squeeze the poor dry.

Young Master Lu said, "With the immortal's help, Qinggang Fire will naturally return on a chosen day. But it doesn't matter, doing some slow and steady business is less risky."

It's just a matter of managing relationships and distributing some profits. By the way, Mr. Qian, this merchant ship doesn't seem to belong to the Grand Canal Gang?

Qian Longtou said, "Hahaha, of course, they are descendants of an old friend of mine, from the Jinshe Li family. They took the initiative to curry favor with me, wanting to do some Western business in the South China Sea shipping. I was just worried about not having a cover, and this just happened to come to my door."
"If nothing happens, the money belongs to all of us; if something happens, the money is mine, but the trouble is theirs! By the way, Mr. Zheng, I heard that those rebels from the Guolu Society are searching for you everywhere, so don't let them know your whereabouts..."

Zheng Shicheng said, "Qian Longtou is truly cunning and skillful... As for finding me, Zheng, hehe, I'm as cunning as a rabbit with three burrows and a tight tongue. The only one who might know my whereabouts is already dead in my hands. Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he wouldn't be able to find me!"

"Hahahaha, ho ho ho ho, absolutely wonderful, absolutely wonderful!!"

The three of them burst into loud laughter, which sounded like a flock of crows and owls cawing as they drank blood, extremely jarring.

Tianxuan Saintess frowned slightly, noticing that unloading here would take some time, and said coldly.

"I should be able to fool Old Man Hong for a while by substituting one thing for another. You stay here and don't wander around. I'll be right back. How dare a mere ant offend the might of the immortals... Consider this a bit of interest."

A hint of killing intent flashed in Tianxuan Saintess's eyes.

Having said that, Tianxuan Saintess silently channeled her inner energy, and a flash of azure light appeared around her as she landed on a small boat.

The small boat moved without wind, leaving a trail of ripples, half-hidden in the moonlight, and headed towards Wuqing County.

The three stood there, bowing in farewell, and remained there for a long time.

Only Zheng Shicheng, out of the corner of his eye, silently watched the small boat cutting through the waves, leaving behind faint ripples.

I thought to myself.

"Even immortals crossing the Grand Canal, not relying on flying techniques but riding on clouds, still need boats..."

As a result, the awe and mystery that mortals felt towards immortals diminished by a third.

The Holy Maiden Tianxuan sailed alone in a small boat to Banye Ferry and returned to Wuqing County without making a sound. After wandering around, she found that the entire Wuqing County was very quiet that night.

The government's constables and sergeants searched with dogs, but found nothing.

It seems that all the gangsters of the Guolu Society have gone quiet and chosen to hide in the shadows, not daring to cause trouble.

"Ha, you can hide from the monk but not the temple... Juyi Wengshan is being used as a stronghold, and I imagine they'll leave one or two bandits behind as backup."

Tianxuan Saintess frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed and said,
"We'll storm your stronghold and destroy your lair, then we'll see where you can hide!"

(End of this chapter)