Song Bao's soul peered around, suddenly seized by panic.
“What is happening to me...”
Her gaze fixed on the riverbank.
She saw herself.
Or rather, her physical body.
Song Bao stared in disbelief.
“Am I dead?”
She stood frozen in the river water.
Then she broke into a sprint toward her body on the bank.
Chen Changsheng watched the scene calmly.
Song Bao tried to throw herself back into her body, but it barred her from entering.
“Why... why can't I go back?” she murmured.
Her eyes darted around, her panic growing.
She looked at Chen Changsheng. “Can you hear me? Can you hear me speaking?”
“I can,” Chen Changsheng replied evenly.
His answer settled her nerves a fraction, but she quickly realized something else was wrong.
“Have I become a wandering ghost?”
Chen Changsheng stood. “Not quite. You were merely frightened, and combined with the heavy Yin energy in this place, your soul detached from your body.”
Song Bao blinked. She took a deep breath, and a moment later, the shock in her eyes faded to calm.
“I am a ghost?”
She turned to look at Chen Changsheng. “Can people see ghosts?”
“Ordinary people naturally cannot,” Chen Changsheng said.
She stared at him in disbelief. “Are you an Immortal?”
Chen Changsheng shook his head. “I merely know a few minor spells.”
Understanding dawned on her. She looked at her body and said, “Immortal... what should I do?”
He was her only lifeline.
In an ordinary case of a detached soul, one would easily wake up simply by finding their body. But Song Bao's situation was different.
Chen Changsheng looked at her. “Your body suffered a shock in the river. Added to the mischief of a river ghost, the three mortal fires of your physical form reacted defensively, resisting any external ghosts or spirits to keep them away. Because your soul happened to leave your body at that exact moment, you can no longer get back in.”
Song Bao panicked. “Then... what do I do? If I can't go back to my body...”
“Normally speaking, if a soul fails to return to its body within seven days, you are gone for good. But if you were lucky enough to encounter the local underworld deputies during those seven days and explained your situation, they would probably escort you back in.”
He looked at her. “Fortunately, this is not a difficult matter for This Chen to resolve. Just remember, in ordinary times, avoid running off to the river or other dim places, especially at night.”
Song Bao nodded repeatedly. “I will remember. Please save me, Immortal.”
Chen Changsheng gave a slight nod. He raised his hand, drawing out a streak of golden light. Following its guidance, Song Bao's soul slipped back into her body.
A moment later, Song Bao woke.
She spat out a mouthful of river water and coughed.
“Cough, cough...”
Spitting up the water brought her fully to her senses.
“Immor—”
Song Bao was just about to speak when she froze.
She looked around, but the man was gone.
For a moment, she was in a daze, doubting if any of it had just happened.
“Was it a dream?”
But she immediately realized how strange that would be. If it were a dream, how did she end up on the bank? And how had she returned to her body?
But where was the man?
She pursed her lips. Soaked in river water, the cold wind made her shiver, bringing back the terrifying memory of the incident.
Not daring to linger a moment longer, she hurriedly ran off.
He waited until Song Bao had left.
Then, Chen Changsheng's figure reappeared.
His gaze fell upon the river.
After a brief silence, he called out, “Since you are already here, why not show yourself?”
His words drifted into the silence.
A figure stepped out from the river. It was a woman in a red dress, and she walked up to him.
“Sheng River Water God, Long Rong, greets Mister Chen.”
Chen Changsheng paused at the title. “Water God?”
That was a significant difference.
A celestial official was a celestial official, but a Water God was a Water God.
Long Rong explained, “In my early years, this petty deity was a celestial official of the Southern Domain. Later, as the realm fragmented, I received an Investiture Scroll from Prince Jin and the Prince of Yan, thus becoming the Water God of the Sheng River.”
Chen Changsheng understood. So that was how it happened.
As she spoke, Long Rong raised her hand. Within her palm rested a malevolent ghost. The spirit struggled, but could not escape her grasp.
“This is the river ghost that was causing trouble just now,” Long Rong said. “It has been subdued and is now at your disposal, Mister.”
“Since this ghost emerged from the river under your jurisdiction, you should be the one to decide its fate,” Chen Changsheng replied.
Long Rong considered this for a moment before tucking the river ghost away. “Since it is an evil spirit, I will hand it over to the local City God. That will ensure a fair judgment.”
“As it should be.”
Chen Changsheng paused before adding, “However, This Chen observed that the dense Yin energy on this river ghost does not look like that of a newly formed spirit. It must have been causing mischief here for a long time...”
Long Rong lowered her head. “It was my negligence. My Heavenly Tribulation is approaching, and I have been entirely focused on my Cultivation, neglecting the matters of the river. I beg your forgiveness, Mister Chen.”
“You speak too gravely.”
“This Chen merely mentioned it in passing,” Chen Changsheng said. “I have no intention of blaming you.”
“You are magnanimous, Mister.”
Long Rong gave a warm smile. “Are you busy, Mister? Why not visit my water estate for a chat so I can host you properly?”
Chen Changsheng shook his head. “There is no need.”
Long Rong faltered slightly. “Do you despise me because of the many evil deeds I committed in my early years?”
“In recent years, the weather around the Sheng River in the Southern Domain has been favorable and the waterways calm,” Chen Changsheng said. “This is naturally to your credit. This Chen has also heard of the Water God helping others and performing good deeds.”
“As they say, good deeds are rewarded. Since you seek it, This Chen will offer you a word or two of advice. However, they may not be very pleasant to hear.”
Overjoyed, Long Rong bowed respectfully. “Please speak, Mister.”
“There are many methods,” Chen Changsheng said. “But merely knowing the form and obtaining the form will ultimately yield no results.”
Gathering incense to achieve Dragon Transformation and traversing the waterways for Dragon Transformation were both viable methods. However, combining the two would not necessarily yield twice the result for half the effort. In fact, it might even trigger the exact opposite effect.
Long Rong's heart jolted at these words, and worry immediately surfaced on her face. “But... the Heavenly Tribulation is imminent. It is already...”
“This time, it will all depend on your own fortune,” Chen Changsheng said.
Panic seized her. She dropped to her knees. “Please instruct me, Mister!”
Chen Changsheng shook his head. “Good brings good, and evil brings evil. You perform good deeds, protecting the banks of the Sheng River and ensuring favorable weather. That is indeed your good karma. But you also secretly rear river ghosts, using human souls to nourish your Spirit. Even if This Chen does not strike you down, the heavens will.”
Long Rong's mind reeled in shock.
Chen Changsheng shook his head with a sigh. “Look out for yourself.”
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