Stone Fairy!

Daozhen nodded and walked onto the large ship along the stepping stones.

Xie Ning followed closely behind, and Xie Tian was the last to board the ship.

The three men went up to the deck, where soldiers opened huge oilcloth umbrellas to shield them from the pouring rain.

The large ship slowly sailed away from the dock, stirring up white waves.

The three of them did not enter the cabin, but instead went up the stairs to the third-floor attic at the stern.

Standing here, you have a wide view and can see the entire Heihe River.

"That green snake," Xie Tian began, his voice sounding somewhat muffled in the rain.

"It has lived in the Black River for at least three hundred years."

Daozhen listened quietly from the side.

"This green snake usually receives incense offerings from the people along the Black River, and it has also helped some people and done good deeds." Xie Tian paused, his tone carrying a complex meaning.

"Therefore, it is not considered an evil thing by the people along the way."

Dao Zhen tilted his head slightly: "Then why is City Lord Xie worried?"

Xie Tian gave a wry smile: "Daoist, you are unaware of this. Although this green snake is usually quite well-behaved, this heavy rain will last for half a month, and the water level of the Black River is rising sharply. This is a golden opportunity for it to transform into a dragon."

"Transforming into a dragon is a major hurdle in its life. If it overcomes it, it will be reborn and become a dragon that can freely roam the sea. If it fails to overcome it, it will be reduced to ashes and hundreds of years of cultivation will be destroyed in an instant."

Xie Tian's voice turned somber.

"Faced with something that could transform one's life, I dare not gamble, nor can I afford to gamble."

"Moreover," Xie Tian added, "although this green snake receives offerings, it is ultimately a demon, not a god. Its demonic nature remains, and no one can guarantee it won't turn on you."

Daozhen nodded; he understood Xie Tian's concerns.

Daozhen cast his gaze into the distance; ever since he arrived at the dock, the feeling of attraction had grown stronger and stronger.

He lowered his eyes, his fingers twitched slightly, and he began to calculate again.

The secrets of heaven are obscure, and I still cannot fathom them.

As the large ship gradually sailed away from the dock, the true face of Heihe was slowly revealed to everyone.

The Heihe River was much wider than Daozhen had imagined. The river was wide, and the distance between the east and west banks was at least ten miles. As far as the eye could see, the water and the sky met, and it was impossible to tell where the river ended and the sky began.

The river surged and roared, its turbid waves crashing against the sky amidst the continuous rain.

The wind howled, and the rain poured down like a waterfall.

Huge waves crashed against the hull, producing a dull, resounding crash.

Xie Ning stood behind Dao Zhen, one hand on the railing, the other on the spear at her waist. Her dress fluttered in the wind, her gaze fixed on the distant river.

"In the middle of the Black River, there is a small island," Xie Tian pointed ahead. "The island isn't big, only about a hundred feet in circumference. There's a temple on it, dedicated to that green snake."

"Yesterday, someone brought news that the island had disappeared."

Xie Ning frowned: "Disappeared?"

"It's gone." Xie Tian's tone was heavy. "That location is now just an empty expanse of water, nothing at all. I sent several groups of people to investigate, and they all said they couldn't find the island."

"That's why I was worried that the green snake had some ideas."

The large ship sailed in the rain for about two hours.

As darkness fell, although it was still daytime, thick clouds blocked out all the light, leaving only a hazy, dim grayness between heaven and earth.

The rain showed no signs of abating; in fact, it intensified.

The large ship came to a steady stop on a wide expanse of water.

"This is it," Xie Tian said softly, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Daozhen's gaze narrowed slightly. He could sense that the thing that was attracting him was right below.

Xie Ning glanced underwater, but the river was murky and he couldn't see anything.

"I'll go take a look first," Daozhen suddenly said.

Xie Tian was taken aback: "This?"

Xie Ning turned around and said with concern, "The situation is unclear right now, it's very dangerous for you to go. If that green snake really makes a move, how will you cope alone underwater?"

Daozhen shook his head, his expression calm: "It's nothing."

Seeing that Daozhen was determined, the two did not try to dissuade him.

"careful."

Daozhen lightly leaped from the bow of the boat, landing gracefully on the water's surface before settling down steadily.

Rain poured down and the wind howled, but Daozhen's feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, remaining completely still.

A low gasp of surprise rippled through the deck.

The soldiers stared wide-eyed as the white-robed Taoist stood on the turbulent river, his robes fluttering in the wind. The rain seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, sliding off a foot away from him without a single drop touching his clothes.

Xie Tian stood on the attic, his gaze fixed on Dao Zhen's figure. He didn't speak, but his hand gripping the railing tightened unconsciously.

Daozhen walked slowly, but each step he took was steady on the water. The rain curtain parted automatically in front of him, and the wind avoided him.

After walking about a hundred steps, we arrived at the location where the small island Xie Tian had mentioned once stood.

There was nothing above the water.

Daozhen stopped in his tracks, made a hand seal, and a hazy halo appeared around him.

Then, he sank down.

The water surface closed up, the ripples subsided, and everything returned to normal.

on deck,

"Lord of the city," a general couldn't help but exclaim.

Xie Tian raised his hand to indicate that everything was alright.

"Wait here." Xie Tian's voice was calm and steady: "Be prepared for battle at any time."

"If there is any unusual activity, immediately exterminate the demon."

The underwater world was not quite what Daozhen had imagined.

After descending about three hundred feet, the surroundings did not become dark; instead, they became increasingly bright.

The light shone up from below, carrying a greenish hue.

The light source came from the aquatic plants at the bottom of the river, which grew extremely tall and densely covered the riverbed. Some unidentified stones also glowed.

Daozhen saw a wide-open space ahead, and in the center of the space stood a temple.

The temple was small, only a few dozen feet in circumference. It was built entirely of dark blue stone, and was very simple and ancient. It had upturned eaves and corners, and several strings of rusted copper bells hung quietly in the water, motionless.

The place was square, about a hundred feet long on each side, with huge stone slabs on the ground and a huge stone pillar standing at each of the four corners.

The stone pillar is about ten zhang tall and so thick that it takes two people to hug it. It is grayish-white in color and its surface is engraved with flowers, birds, insects and fish.

At the top of each of the four stone pillars is a thick chain that extends outwards, firmly locking the entire temple in place.

Daozhen landed on the bluestone slab, his gaze slowly sweeping over the surroundings.

"The temple that Lord Xie described seems to be somewhat different," Daozhen muttered to himself.

"This place... seems to have always been at the bottom of this river."

Daozhen looked down at his feet.

The stone slabs underfoot were covered with densely packed runes, but due to their age, many parts were mottled and blurred, making it impossible to discern their original shapes.

Daozhen squatted down and reached out to touch the runes.

The moment Daozhen's fingertips touched the stone slab, he actually felt a faint spiritual energy.

"A formation?" Daozhen raised an eyebrow slightly.

Daozhen stood up, looked away from the runes, and walked toward the temple.

When they were still ten zhang away from the temple,

Suddenly, two red lights illuminated the dark interior of the temple.

Daozhen stopped in his tracks.

A huge blue snake head, its tongue flicking, emerged from the temple.

The snake's head was the size of a millstone, covered with fine, bluish scales, each the size of a palm, gleaming with a cold, eerie light.

The snake's vertical pupils on either side of its head were as large as copper bells, and they were staring straight at Daozhen.

Green snake.