I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

"okay."

Nian responded, then picked up the bright little lamp that Bai Zhou had handed him and hung it on the side of the boat awning.

"Soup, sister. Be careful, it's hot."

Taking the steaming hot fish soup, Nian Xiao took a sip and then let out a satisfied sigh.

The water is damp and cold at night, and the taste of a bowl of hot soup at this time is indescribable.

"Little Bai, look, isn't that a fishing boat?"

Holding the soup, Nian gazed at the flickering light in the distance and asked Bai Zhou a question.

"Um……"

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhou looked over and then frowned.

"It's a fishing boat. But the situation is terrible."

Bai Zhou raised his right arm, Nian glanced at it, and then understood why.

The once smooth white lines have now been covered by a thick, dark black line.

That's a sign of a big wave.

But why are there such big waves now?

There must be something fishy about this.

Years looked towards the daylight, their eyes filled with curious inquiry.

"Walking the dragon."

Two short words say it all.

It is often said that all things have a spirit, and snakes can transform into dragons through cultivation.

Generally, a snake cultivates for a hundred years to become a hui, a hui for five hundred years to become a jiao, and a jiao for a thousand years to become a dragon. It takes about 2000 years for a snake to have a chance to transform into a dragon, during which time it needs to go through countless tribulations and opportunities.

A dragon that has already cultivated itself to a high level will take advantage of torrential rains and flash floods to enter the sea, where it will transform into a dragon upon encountering water. This process is called "walking the dragon."

Of course, no one has ever actually seen what a dragon looks like when it is walking.

"I'm still worried that those evil spirits might hide and secretly harm people."

During the day, a slight raise of the hand causes water to surge and propel the boat.

"But to my surprise, it came to me on its own."

It was clear by day that these demons could not endure the tedious and ascetic training.

Since they can enjoy people's fear and offerings and become gods, why should they cower in some desolate corner of the wilderness, daydreaming of regaining their glory?

This "dragon" is one of those monsters that can't stand being alone.

Unable to withstand the limitations of its human form, it has shed its disguise and begun to wreak havoc in the river.

By day, he rode the waves, carrying his ship swiftly to the vicinity of the small boat caught in the whirlpool. He then calmed the whirlpool and towed the ship to the end of the year.

however……

"The people on the boat... are all gone."

The boat was merely bait to lure others; the fishermen inside had already been devoured. The removal of the bait attracted its attention.

"Damn it."

During the day, his eyes were slightly closed, and when he opened them again, there was only coldness in them.

He waved his hand and summoned the waves to carry the boat to the shore, then looked out at the riverbed, whose shape he did not know, in broad daylight.

"What's the point of hiding?"

By day, he raises his right hand, and the river flows in accordance with the image on his arm.

"..."

The water that once shared the same roots with Japan has now betrayed it, revealing its whereabouts in its entirety.

Seemingly sensing the change in the surrounding water flow, it knew that the person who had taken the bait might be difficult to deal with, so it didn't bother to exert itself and turned to dive into the depths.

"Still trying to hide!"

By day, he raised his head and roared angrily, his voice like thunder, and he summoned thunder.

The thunderbolt from the sky was like a sharp blade gleaming with cold light, tearing through the inky night and illuminating the entire sky.

The lightning struck the water, yet remained solidified and did not dissipate, penetrating the demon's body with its substance.

"That damned guy!"

The wounds and pain enraged it.

It no longer hides.

It used magic to summon storms and torrents, attempting to drown this person in its domain as soon as possible.

"Ha. A death throes."

Without even glancing at it during the day, he raised his hand and struck at the giant beast shrouded in the rain and waves.

With just one punch, the wind and rain fell silent, and the raging torrents receded.

"Wow, the soup is delicious."

After finishing the hot soup in the bowl, Nian took the spoon and filled another bowl for himself.

Her relaxed demeanor suggested that the storms outside were less important to her than the fish soup she had prepared during the day.

"Roar--!"

The pitiful howls even drowned out the sound of the wind and rain. But what followed was an endless, inaudible roar of thunder.

The fourth demon, the Jiao Demon, sank into the river and became nourishment for the river.

"You're back, Xiaobai. The fish soup is still hot."

"You're all wet. Sit down quickly and bring me your wet clothes. It's very uncomfortable to be soaking wet."

During the day, she would serve him soup, wipe him from the rain, and hang his clothes out to dry.

"Thank you for your trouble, sister."

Although the evil dragon was gone, there was no joy on his face during the day.

"That evil dragon was unlucky enough to run into me."

"If I hadn't come this time, or if I had already left, I wonder how many more people that evil dragon would have eaten."

He needs to be faster and stronger.

"Having confidence and fighting spirit is a good thing, but everything must be done step by step."

Even the year knows what the daytime is worrying about. But one must walk one step at a time, and the nine tripods cannot be erected at the same time.

"Don't think about those poor people."

Nian handed him the bowl.

"What you need to do now is drink some soup to fill your stomach. Then get a good night's sleep to relax."

"Doing good deeds without asking for reward."

Back at the Twenty-Eight Dragon Gate Inn, the Flying Thief reappears.

"There's a small town ahead! Great! We've finally reached a town!"

Upon seeing the small town not far away from the hilltop, the resentment that had accumulated from sleeping in the wilderness instantly dissipated, and joy welled up in his heart again.

"I want a hot bath! A big, delicious meal! And a soft, comfortable bed!"

Nian ran ahead excitedly, while Bai Zhou chuckled and quickly followed.

After drifting on the river for several days and struggling to survive in the wilderness for nearly half a month, the two finally entered a habitable, populated area.

"Quick, find an inn! Little White, quick, find an inn!"

I want to take a relaxing bath rather than swim in a cold river or just sit idly in a small pool.

"Slow down, sister. Wait, you've gone too far! The inn is this way!"

During the day, Bai Zhou caught Nian, who was running around excitedly, and led her into the inn.

A wonderful inn!

How is it good?

But the scholar who was doing the accounting was seen manipulating the abacus with the ease and fluidity of a pestle.

The waiter was agile, carrying two full plates of food in each hand with surprising speed. When the dishes were finally served, not a drop of sauce had spilled.

Although the security guard at the gate is a woman, she has a very good temperament. You can tell at a glance that she is a skilled fighter.

And then there were the cooks behind them, cooking with great enthusiasm, the table laden with delicacies and fine dishes.

Then take a look at the inn's decor.

Ha! Not simple at all!

The three-legged toad greets us at the door, while the God of Wealth rides a tiger to the side, vying for abundant wealth and competing to make money hand over fist.

The tables, chairs, and benches were all made of the finest poplar wood. The bowls and plates for serving the food were also Jingdezhen blue and white porcelain.

Then I looked up and saw the plaque on the door.

Wow! There were four big characters written on it: Dragon Gate Inn.

The characters were as sharp as if carved with a knife, strong and vigorous, clearly the work of a master calligrapher.

"This shop is no ordinary place."

As Bai Zhou was pondering this, the waiter who was greeting customers noticed them and came up to them with a smile, asking:

Are you two gentlemen looking for a quick bite or a room in the hotel?

"A hotel room. Are the best rooms still available?"