Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 443 Trouble is Coming
Yangcheng Lake was far from calm under the cover of night.

This area is the third largest lake in the Taihu Lake system, covering nearly 120 square kilometers.

The earliest settlement was Yangcheng, a coastal defense outpost established by the Wu Kingdom.

It was used to defend against threats from the feudal lords of the Central Plains and the states of Chu and Yue, which were also considered southern barbarians.

Over the course of a thousand years, amidst the surging waves, Yangcheng Lake has eroded the land and been eroded by the land. The shoreline has changed from time to time. Among the numerous small lakes and ponds, there are fertile fields, villages, islands, and mudflats, all mixed together. The complex and dense network of rivers and lakes is like a maze.

After marking all the locations on a hydrological map, the three wandering Taoist priests used a jade tablet to send a signal and then quickly evacuated the area, hiding in the safest place nearby, the Bawang Temple.

This is the water god temple in this area.

The continent of Shenzhou has existed for a very, very long time, resulting in legends surrounding every river and lake.

The water god here is quite famous.

Our ancestors were diligent in their work, and with the autumn harvest in sight, they were frequently plagued by eight-legged, two-clawed water insects that would gnaw on the crops and injure people. These insects were feared, likened to tigers and wolves, and were thus called "man-pinching insects."

When Yu the Great was taming the floods, he appointed Ba Jie to oversee the work. At night, the camp was lit with torches for illumination. Suddenly, water insects, like purple clouds pressing down on the city, surged towards the light, causing great alarm among the troops. Many were stung and bitten. Ba Jie devised a plan to eliminate the pests. He built a fortified city and dug moats, filling them with boiling water to prevent them from entering. He lit torches for illumination, but the water insects returned, crossing the moats only to be scalded to death. Their carapaces were bright red, exuding a tempting aroma. Ba Jie, bewildered, tasted them and discovered that these "man-pinching insects" were a delicacy surpassing all other foods. The others also chewed them, enjoying a hearty feast. Thus, a scourge became a delicacy.

Lu Xun once said: "The first person to eat crab is the bravest person in the world, and the legend says it was Ba Jie."

It should be noted, of course, that this statement was neither Lu Xun's original work nor a direct quote.
Although it was quite humorous, this water god did leave his mark.

During the time when Yu the Great was controlling the floods, almost all the rivers in the world were connected to him, which is indeed one of the sources of ancient water system myths.

Hiding in such a place, one would naturally receive the protection of the ancient human race.

Once they were safe, the group began to discuss the mission of the reconnaissance.

"The river here is complex and changes every three days, it's really dangerous."

"You guys think we should cooperate with the demon race, right?"

One of the slightly younger Taoist priests felt uncomfortable, after all, they also performed demon-slaying as a side job.

I never expected my first major mission after joining the Baoan Hall to be so revolutionary.

The old Taoist priest, however, took it all in stride.

"All living things are born with a natural affinity for good and aversion to evil. We practitioners should view this matter with a dialectical perspective."

"Didn't Brother Mao say that the kind-hearted water demons are also victims of the Dongting demons' hegemony, and they are the ones we need to unite with?"

"Amidst the decline of the righteous and the rise of the wicked, we must uphold our bottom line and unite with all forces that can be united."

"Only in this way can we preserve the vitality of the righteous path in the world, and even accumulate strength to prepare for a counterattack."

The young Taoist priest didn't particularly like such long-winded discourses, but he still acknowledged the idea that demons possessed feelings.

Especially the demon race that has transformed into human form, after they have transformed into innate Dao bodies, they have been incorporated into the cultural system of the human race and have developed a distinction between good and evil.

He had seen kind-hearted monsters die tragically at the hands of humans before.

Walking at the bottom of the cultivation world, I have seen many ghosts and monsters and witnessed the wickedness of human nature.

He still admired the all-encompassing spirit of Baoantang.

Of course, besides the rationale, the generous reward was another reason why the young Taoist was willing to take the risk to carry out the mission.

Putting money aside for now, the thought of being able to exchange merit points for "The Secret Manual of the Young Qing Dynasty, Volume One" is enough to make my heart burn with excitement.

It is said to be a precious manual extracted from a major religious sutra, possessing various wondrous uses for subduing demons and self-defense. It is most suitable for novice cultivators who have not yet entered the path of cultivation to use for protection.

The group chatted idly inside the Bawang Temple, while outside, a commotion had already begun.

Several streams of water rush straight from Taihu Lake along Yuanhe Pond.

New demonic energy has appeared amidst the crisscrossing waterways and land routes, heading directly towards the vicinity of Lotus Island. Beneath the island lies a swamp containing a water palace.

It was the stronghold of the Eight-Legged King, the master of Yangcheng Lake. It was called a mansion, but it was actually a human dwelling that had sunk into the lake.

Its true form is a local specialty, and it claims to have eight legs in order to inherit the ancient name of the Eight-Legged Insect.

As the leader of the largest group in the lake, he inherited a great deal of legacy from his ancestors and ruled over this body of water as soon as he took human form.

It is currently swallowing and expelling a strange treasure in the water to refine its demon soul, striving to shed its shell once more.

Now that the water demons are causing trouble everywhere, Yangcheng Lake has naturally joined in, experiencing the joy of being a fisherman.

As it devoured blood, its demonic nature grew increasingly ferocious, and at the same time, a wild ambition ignited within it.
This 12,000-hectare lake is too small to contain my dream.

Naturally, they set their sights on the nearby Taihu Lake.

That's the land of the Five Lakes, and the speed at which it can strengthen its power and the efficiency of collecting incense offerings are enough to make any demon envious.

Previously, the area was ruled by the foreign monster, the Golden Dragon King, and the demons of the Taihu Lake system dared not set foot there.

I heard some time ago that Jinlong has left and disappeared, and the throne of the King of Taihu Lake is now vacant.

If it weren't for the fact that its own strength and influence were insufficient to take it over, it would have already taken control.

Driven by its ambition, it ultimately chose to cooperate with the aquatic creatures of Dongting Lake, accepting both the exotic treasure and the promise of being able to seek help at any time.

It was only with the support of powerful forces that they had the ambition and strength to reach Taihu Lake.

The only price to pay is to incorporate this body of water into the Dongting Lake system, which it doesn't care about.

In fact, the Dongting Lake system and more than a dozen other transformed monsters have said this, and the Eight-Legged King is just one of them.

The demonic scourge in Jiangnan is far more complex than simply a matter of reckless misbehavior in response to the rising tide of evil.

The mere act of seizing the Taihu Lake area would have been a momentous event in the past, almost comparable to seizing the Huai River and diverting it to the sea.

Of course, the little monsters are not qualified to know this.

For example, the Eight-Legged King.

boom! ! !
A violent tremor spread across the bottom of the lake, causing ripples in the muddy waters, and scattered tiles and stone ornaments.

A little sprite tumbled and crawled in sideways.

"Your Majesty!!! Disaster has struck!!!"

"A short, dark-faced, armored yaksha has arrived outside, claiming to be the King of Benbo, and he's leading a few monsters to challenge us on the water!"

"They also shook the flag and threw down a lot of stones."

The Eight-Legged King was furious. He thought that these few spirits were just frogs in a well in a small pond.

You have to bother me with something so trivial?! Are those seaweeds you monsters are holding?!
Out of consideration for being of the same kind, it suppressed its anger. Now was the crucial moment to devour the divine object, so it should quickly send that monster away.

The demon soldier nodded blankly and went back up.

Then he ran back with a long face.

"Your Majesty!! That fellow is quite formidable; our brothers have been utterly defeated."

He also said...

The Eight-Legged King frowned. The spirit he had enlightened was simply not intelligent enough; even repeating itself was so difficult for it.

But all we can do is wait patiently, since this guy is the great-great-grandson of my third uncle.

(End of this chapter)