It’s a pity. If he had been killed outright, the reward would definitely have been greater.
Lu Zheng looked Yue Honghai up and down once more, making the hairs on Yue Honghai’s body stand on end. He felt as though Lu Zheng had already placed him on the rack.
On the other side, the Lushui River God turned to the old turtle and asked, “May I know how I should address you, sir?”
“The old turtle’s surname is He, and my name is He Dingshan. My injuries are not light at present, so I cannot yet transform into human form,” the old turtle He Dingshan replied.
“I see.” The Lushui River God nodded and said, “No matter. There are still a few healing pills in the River God Mansion. Once we return, you can take them, Brother He. I am sure you will recover soon.”
“Thank you, River God!”
“Haha, excellent, excellent. Today is truly a double blessing!” the Lushui River God said happily.
His son-in-law had obtained an excellent cultivation method, and now there would be a great expert no less powerful than himself to serve at his side in future. Was this not equivalent to his daughter gaining an extra bodyguard, and the River God Mansion gaining another source of strength?
“Young Master Lu, let us return to the mansion together. I will have my subordinates prepare a banquet. We shall drink until we are thoroughly drunk!”
Lu Zheng happened to want to go and study the “Mysterious Turtle Controlling Water True Spirit Secret Art”, so he cupped his hands in thanks. “Then I shall respectfully accept.”
Li Hanyu and Zhu Yushan exchanged smiles. In this way, a misfortune had turned into a blessing.
He Dingshan did not mind, while Yue Honghai still looked a little bitter. The two glanced at each other, then turned away, their thoughts complicated.
…
They left the secret realm together, and the group returned grandly to the River God Mansion.
The Lushui River God instructed Luo Wensheng to prepare the banquet and invited everyone to take their seats. Then he took He Dingshan to the rear courtyard to treat his injuries.
A moment later, he returned with a tall, slightly stooped old man following behind him.
The old man cupped his hands and bowed around the room. “This humble old man is He Dingshan. Greetings to all.”
“Please, be seated!”
…
As for the banquet, others might not know, but Lu Zheng ate very comfortably.
After the banquet, Lu Zheng and Yue Honghai, together with Zhu Yushan and He Dingshan, came to a side hall in the rear courtyard of the River God Mansion.
He Dingshan glanced at Yue Honghai, then saluted Lu Zheng. He opened his mouth and spat out a pale blue bead the size of a ping-pong ball.
As soon as the bead met the air, it grew larger, soon reaching the size of a football. Its surface appeared crystal clear, filled with ripples that resembled flowing water, emitting strands of water-element spiritual energy.
This turtle bead, apart from containing the “Mysterious Turtle Controlling Water True Spirit Secret Art”, also held the ancient mysterious turtle’s understanding of cultivation and the heavens and earth. It could aid cultivation. At the same time, it was a water-controlling magical treasure that saved mana, enhanced spell effects, and, when fighting in water with the bead’s assistance, could increase strength by thirty percent out of thin air.
Yue Honghai swallowed hard. If he had obtained this turtle bead, his strength would surely have soared. Perhaps he would not have failed this time.
Alas… it was useless to think about it now…
However, Lu Zheng was not envious. He was about to obtain the core method, and the mysterious turtle’s cultivation insights were of no use to him. As for water control…
He was not of the water tribe, and the number of times he fought in water could be counted on one’s fingers. There was no need to covet this treasure and insist on taking it for himself.
“Now the turtle bead has no owner. As long as you use divine sense to connect with it, you can read the method within,” He Dingshan said, then placed the bead on the table in the centre of the side hall.
Lu Zheng nodded and, naturally without hesitation, was the first to read it.
Soon, the entire “Mysterious Turtle Controlling Water True Spirit Secret Art” appeared in his mind, forcibly memorised by him.
The next to read was Zhu Yushan, and the last was Yue Honghai.
Having obtained the method, Yue Honghai’s expression calmed considerably. This “Mysterious Turtle Controlling Water True Spirit Secret Art” was far superior to the cultivation techniques he had collected from many sources and comprehended himself. With this method, his future path of cultivation would be much broader.
However…
Yue Honghai turned to look at Lu Zheng and saw him raise a finger. A small swirling vortex of water appeared at his fingertip. It was precisely the water-control technique from the True Spirit Secret Art.
Yue Honghai: ⚆_⚆?
Lu Zheng smiled broadly. He had previously studied the “Chi Songzi Left Admonition Jade Water Elixir Scripture”, which contained a section on water arts. Though not extensive, it was profound and subtle, even surpassing this True Spirit Secret Art.
Therefore, it also helped Lu Zheng practise the “Mysterious Turtle Controlling Water True Spirit Secret Art”. After easily entering the basics and then using the jade seal to accumulate several dozen strands of luck light in one go, Lu Zheng could already be considered to have achieved some small success in this method.
…
After learning the “Mysterious Turtle Controlling Water True Spirit Secret Art”, Lu Zheng drank tea and chatted with the Lushui River God family for a while. He invited them to visit his home or Taohua Ping whenever they had time to play and relax. Then he took Yue Honghai and bid farewell.
“Master…”
“Call me Young Master.”
“Young Master…”
Yue Honghai cupped his hands. “Are we going to live in nearby Tonglin County?”
“Yes.” Lu Zheng nodded.
“You are actually living incognito in Tonglin County as a mortal and even opened a medical clinic?”
Yue Honghai could hardly imagine that Lu Zheng had opened a clinic to treat illnesses and save people. He had thought Lu Zheng ruled the entire Tonglin County.
“The clinic belongs to my wife,” Lu Zheng said, glancing sideways at Yue Honghai. “In future, you will be the guard of my household, also a mortal.”
“I… am…” Yue Honghai was speechless.
To think that he, Yue Honghai, a great demon of the East Sea, a giant crocodile of the deep ocean, had now fallen to pretending to be a mortal and guarding someone’s house.
Though he had learned a profound method, and though his master seemed extraordinary… still… his mindset was a little unbalanced…
…
“Young Master, is there any more? I ate and drank a bit quickly just now and did not savour the taste properly.”
Yue Honghai approached Lu Zheng with a thick-skinned smile, trying hard to look harmless on his rough face.
Lu Zheng strolled along, sipping from the small jug of huadiao wine in small mouthfuls while casually putting pieces of pork jerky into his mouth.
“Tsk tsk, one jin of huadiao wine, half a jin of pork jerky, gone in one gulp?”
Lu Zheng glanced at the small jug in Yue Honghai’s hand. It was now open and empty, with only a faint lingering fragrance drifting out.
“Hehe… this humble one has a big mouth. It really was careless. Next time I will definitely pay attention!”
Yue Honghai swallowed, staring eagerly at Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng’s lips curved into a smile. He looked up and gestured. “Hold the jug steady.”
Yue Honghai hurriedly held up the jug in front of Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng patted his gourd, and a twenty-jin jar of wine flew out.
He poured one jin of huadiao into the jug, put the jar away, then took out a spiced roast chicken and tossed it to Yue Honghai.
“This young master may lack other things, but there is plenty of good wine and meat. You should know that even the thousand-year-old great demons of the southern border have no way to drink my fine wine.”
“Yes, yes, yes! This humble one understands!”
A single great benefit at once, combined with continuous good treatment, had completely changed Yue Honghai’s mindset. He called himself “this humble one” with every sentence, his attitude perfectly proper.
