Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 275 Initial arrogance followed by obsequiousness: a laughable situation (Part 2)

On the deck of the large ship, all eyes were focused on the second floor.

Undoubtedly, countless people were eagerly awaiting Chen Xu's appearance at this moment.

However, Chen Xu, who was in a guest room on the second floor, showed no intention of showing himself.

It wasn't that he was afraid of the Water Lord of the Brilliant Star Lake outside, but rather that the other party had come with ill intentions, yet their attitude changed drastically after Chen Xu drew the Dragon Bone Waterwheel and created an unusual phenomenon.

With such a combination of assertiveness and deference, how could Chen Xu possibly go out to see him so easily?

We politely address him as "Water Lord" because it is said that this demon has been cultivating his power in Starry Lake for decades.

Even today, stories about the Water God still frequently circulate in the area surrounding Canxing Lake.

Ten years ago, the Yuancang River breached its banks, but many islands on Canxing Lake did not suffer much damage from the flood, which is said to be due to the protection of the Water God.

Although he didn't know if the legend was true or not, Chen Xu was still willing to maintain his composure.

But no more than that.

This refusal to show himself is actually a form of resistance against the previous attitude of the Radiant Star Water King.

The other party came crashing in, and immediately asked, "Where is Chen Xu from Jichuan County?"

Even if he suddenly changed his attitude later, should Chen Xu go out and say "thank you"?
If the other party is sensible, they should pretend nothing happened, laugh a few times, and then obediently sink to the bottom of the water, returning to the deep water to be their "water king".

By not showing himself, Chen Xu was sending a signal to the other party, and it was also a test.

The confrontation actually begins at the moment of dialogue between the two sides.

No, it actually started the moment the Starry Night Suicune sailed in alone through the waves!

On the deck, the crowd's gazes were intense.

Pairs of curious eyes darted back and forth between the sky and the water, filled with excitement and tension.

The one in the sky is Chen Xu.

The second floor of the ship is located at a high position, and people have to look up to see it.

The one on the water is the Water Lord of Shining Star Lake.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward, because Chen Xu did not answer the second question posed by the Water Lord of Star Lake.

Canxing Shuijun asked, "I wonder how Fellow Daoist Chen designed such a waterwheel?"

Chen Xu remained silent for a moment, then a breath, then two breaths, then a dozen breaths...

An indescribable tension gradually spread across the deck over time.

Why isn't Chen Xu answering? What is he doing? What does he want to do?
The hearts of everyone on the boat raced. Although the water outside had long since calmed, the invisible waves churned within them for a long time, unable to subside.

Until some unknown time, the sunset painted the vast lake with a golden glow.

A sudden evening breeze blew in, and Chen Xu's voice drifted out from the second-floor guest room, calm and unhurried:

"I wonder if the Water Lord has heard of this? After Shennong's death, the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun arose, who understood the changes and made the people tireless. They transformed the people with divine power and made them adaptable."

It means that when things reach an impasse, they must change; change leads to progress; and progress leads to longevity.

I came from Yunjiang Prefecture and traveled north to take the imperial examination. I have seen too many farmers suffering because of irrigation problems.

If the tap water source is at a high level, irrigation is relatively easy, but if there is excessive rainfall and the water level rises sharply, the fields are at risk of being flooded.

If the water source is in a low-lying area, although there is no need to worry about the fields being easily flooded, carrying water for irrigation is still difficult.

Farmers only have two legs and two hands, and can only carry one load.

They had limited loads and strength, yet they still had to work back and forth under the scorching sun for the sake of a year's harvest.

My shoulders were worn out, my legs were weak, I was hungry and thirsty, and my clothes were soaked with sweat.

But they were helpless, because they depended on the weather for their livelihood and could not miss any farming season.

However, farming is really too hard. Many people, while carrying loads of water for irrigation, would suddenly fall down in the fields.

"Have you ever seen Suicune?"

On the lone boat on the water, the tall, crowned figure standing with his hands behind his back was momentarily speechless.

He had never seen it before, not only because as a water demon, he didn't really care much about the growth of human farmland, but also because the area around Star Lake had always been blessed with unique advantages.

The lake is surrounded by spiritual veins, but that's another story.

The vast majority of the islands in Canxing Lake belong to powerful and influential figures from various parts of Pingyang Prefecture.

Although most of the people cultivating the spiritual fields on the island are tenant farmers, ordinary people, since they are spiritual fields, how could the noble families behind them do nothing and just let the tenant farmers rely on the weather for their livelihood?

Therefore, to some extent, the Starry Water Lord actually gets along well with all the forces in Pingyang Prefecture.

Although he cannot control the seasons like a true dragon, he can regulate the wind and rain to a certain extent.

Through some tacit understanding, the Starry Water Lord was able to live and cultivate in the 900-mile-long Starry Lake, year after year.

This time, he was instigated by Chi Jie to come and test Chen Xu. In fact, his original intention was not to capture Chen Xu and devour his soul and flesh, as Chi Jie said.

Suicune isn't that stupid.

If he really did such a thing, on this vast lake, in full view of everyone, eating a human prodigy alive based solely on a fabricated charge, would that truly be cultivating and seizing destiny?

No, that's courting death!
Even though there is a common view that a dead genius is nothing.

However, such blatant killing of promising candidates on their way to the imperial examinations is undoubtedly a slap in the face to the imperial court.

Shining Suijun doesn't want to die.

Since he didn't want to die, and wasn't truly instigated by Chi Jie and blinded by his own thoughts, why did Canxing Shuijun still come by boat, adopting a provocative stance and calling out to Chen Xu?
This is because of the token in Chi Jie's hand.

Where did Chi Jie get the token?

Yes, it was borrowed from the Mo family!

So why did the Mo family lend the token to Chi Jie?

Is it really because Chi Jie comes from Yujing that she is willing to be his pawn?

Ha, based on his understanding of that old man from the Mo family, Yi Canxing Shuijun knew that things were not as they seemed with just a glance at the token.

Considering that Mo Huaizhang was also going to participate in this year's provincial examination, Canxing Shuijun had already made up her mind.

That old man surnamed Mo is deliberately trying to get him to step in and help test Chen Xu!

Shining Star Water Lord will not help him commit murder.

But if it's just a test, Shining Water Lord is willing to do this favor.

He came in with great force, unafraid of capsizing the large ship.

Even if he were to capsize a large ship, he could still use his magic on the water to rescue all those who had fallen in and then send them to an island.

At the same time, he was also able to observe Chen Xu's response under such extreme circumstances.

If the opponent is frightened by this, then the purpose of Shining Star Water King's move will be doubled.

Even if the human court were to question him afterward, he could simply produce the so-called evidence given to him by Chi Jie that "Chen Xu practiced evil arts," and say that he acted impulsively out of righteous indignation.

As long as he doesn't commit a serious mistake that leads to a massacre, what can anyone do to him?
This way, the favor has been done, and the matter has been resolved.

All outcomes were satisfactory.

Shining Water Lord had a well-thought-out plan, but he never expected that when he came through the waves, he would not only fail to capsize the ship, but would also see green smoke breaking through the sky as soon as he opened his eyes.

Chen Xu immediately summoned a wisp of green smoke, which instantly soared like a dragon, breaking through more than just the giant wave in front of him.

Shining Water Lord knew then that all his plans were about to be overturned.

Hearing the dragon's roar, he was deeply shaken. At that moment, the Mo family and all human relationships were completely forgotten by the Radiant Star Water Lord.

He knew he was wrong, very wrong.

What is the Mo family anyway?
Can the Mo family help him transform into a dragon?

impossible!
The occasional offerings, the slight entanglements of interests, or the people's reliance on incense offerings—none of these could compare to the awe-inspiring roar of a dragon that shook the demon's heart.

Shining Suijun's expression immediately changed.

If he could, he could even rush thirty miles away immediately, capture Chi Jie, skin him alive, and present him to Chen Xu.

However, Chen Xu's attitude of only speaking and not showing himself made the other party realize that his previous actions had already angered Chen Xu.

How can this matter be let go?
Canxing Shuijun's mind was in turmoil, and he felt an invisible pressure from Chen Xu's silence.

After that, Chen Xu spoke again, recounting the whole story of how he designed the dragon bone waterwheel.

Chen Xu asked, "Have you seen Water Lord before?"

A slight sheen of sweat appeared on the back of the Radiant Star Water Lord. He raised his voice and replied, "Fellow Daoist Chen, I have never seen it before, but from what you have told me, it is clear that this is the 'impoverished' in 'when things are at their worst, they change.'"

Things have already become so difficult; if things don't change, how can we expect to achieve anything in the future?

If the road becomes blocked, the future is ruined.

These words are a double entendre, referring to more than just the farmers and common people mentioned in Chen Xu's words.
In fact, it is Shining Water King himself!

This is the other party indirectly bowing down to Chen Xu.

But at this moment, the people on the ship could not understand the veiled meaning in each other's words.

Most people only heard Chen Xu talking to Shui Jun and had a wonderful feeling as if they were witnessing a legendary story unfolding before their eyes.

Chen Xu praised, "That's right, exactly."

Seeing how difficult it is for farmers to carry water for irrigation, I can't help but think that if this situation doesn't change, the suffering of irrigation will likely continue generation after generation.

But how do we change it?

I can cast spells to irrigate the land I walk on. For ordinary mortals, carrying water day after day is extremely difficult, but for us cultivators who know water magic, it only consumes a little bit of true energy.

But even if I use magic, I can only save people in one place and for one time, but I cannot save millions of people.

As the saying goes, it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.

Magic is not something everyone can learn, but waterwheels can be built in every village.

If we could build a waterwheel that could make the water flow upstream, wouldn't that be a thousand times better than you and me standing on the edge of the field, either casting spells or sighing with pity?

Chen Xu's tone remained unchanged, still unhurried and leisurely.

But every word he said, every single syllable, seemed to resonate like a heavy hammer, striking the ears of Canxing Shuijun.

At this moment, Canxing Shuijun felt even more speechless, but he was unwilling to leave just like that. After thinking it over, he first praised, "Fellow Daoist Chen's actions are truly a model for our cultivation, making me feel ashamed."

But I wonder, does the waterwheel made by Fellow Daoist Chen have any name now?

Chen Xu said, "I will name this waterwheel the Dragon Bone Waterwheel."

Dragon-bone waterwheel!

As soon as those four words were uttered, Canxing Shuijun felt as if a heavy hammer had struck her head once again.

He murmured, "It must be a dragon bone waterwheel. No wonder there was a dragon's roar when this waterwheel appeared in the world."

Going against the current, a dragon's roar is born.

I see, that explains it, no wonder, no wonder…

No wonder he has regulated the winds and rains of Star Lake for many years and should have gained a lot of merit, but for some reason, he can't find the opportunity to transform into a dragon no matter what.

He always felt that something was missing, but no matter how hard he thought about it, he could never find the answer.

Now, Chen Xu's phrase "dragon bone waterwheel" reminds Canxing Shuijun of a saying: "It's easy to draw the skin of a tiger, but difficult to draw its bones!"

The transformation into a dragon is no different.

Superficial appearances are easy to find, but true talent is hard to come by.

Shining Star Suijun stood at the bow of the ship, and at this moment, his hands, which had been behind his back, finally fell down.

He clasped his hands together and bowed to Chen Xu from afar, saying, "Fellow Daoist Chen, your words are more valuable than my ten years of arduous cultivation."

I apologize for my intrusion and dare not presume to ask for Fellow Daoist Chen's forgiveness, but there is one culprit for whom I must punish.

The journey to Pingyang City still takes ten days by water. I have been enlightened by Fellow Daoist Chen's words, and having nothing to offer in return, I will instead offer you a favorable wind for your journey. I wish you a swift success in the imperial examinations and a meteoric rise in your career!

As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind suddenly came.

When the wind blows, it has a refreshing coolness, like a leisurely breeze, and doesn't feel particularly strong.

However, when the breeze stirred the waves on the water beneath the ship, the ship, which had been stationary, suddenly accelerated.

The sunset on the horizon seemed to rapidly draw closer in people's eyes—

No, how could a boat possibly approach the setting sun?
Therefore, it wasn't that the sun was getting closer, but rather that the boat was moving too fast, creating the illusion of suddenly approaching the sunset.

Golden ripples rippled beneath the ship like ribbons, and the ship moved so fast that it seemed to leave the whole world behind.

Even though the ship was moving so fast, it remained surprisingly stable.

The people who were safely on board were completely unaware of what was happening until the ship had traveled for an unknown distance and the small islands ahead were left far behind.

The people on the boat suddenly screamed in alarm:

"The boat is so fast!"

"Ah—our ship is flying!"

"Father, Mother, it seems like I can touch the rosy clouds in the sky!"

"Help! The boat is going so fast, won't it break down?"

"What's wrong? Look at our boat, isn't it rocking even a little bit?"

"Waaah, today I've flown away on this ship, and I have no regrets about living or dying..."

Amidst the gasps of surprise, some people even burst into tears.

On the horizon, the sunset glow shifted and danced, like firelight streaking across the sky.

On the vast and sparkling Star Lake, a large ship, draped in the wind and waves, sails away in an instant.

On Liuli Island, Chi Jie, still clutching his bleeding eyes, roared, "You bastards! You've all been deceiving me! Get out! All of you, get out of my way!"

He pushed away his two attendants and then angrily cursed:

"Fools, scoundrels, ungrateful bastards! Did you really leave when I told you to?"
Quickly, tell me, did that snake fight with Chen Xu?
Is Chen Xu injured? Can I use my Azure Reversal Talisman…?

"Young Master!" A close attendant interrupted Chi Jie in a trembling voice.

Chi Jie angrily asked, "What did you say?"

"Young master, I...I...I..." The attendant couldn't speak, only letting out a thud.

Bang! Something fell to the ground.

Tick, tick.

Chi Jie's heart suddenly tightened and he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

(End of this chapter)