Chapter 55: Severing Their Claws and Teeth, Clipping Their Wings (Please bookmark, please vote monthly!)

“Has Daoist Jiang gained anything from this trip?”

Inside the Cha family estate, Cha Liangcai slowly pinched a white stone and placed it on the chessboard.

Jiang Sheng maintained a calm expression as he casually dropped a black stone. “Not a small gain.”

“This humble Daoist intends to settle things with that individual.”

Cha Liangcai’s hand froze mid-move, a hint of scrutiny appearing on his face. “Daoist, why go this far?”

Jiang Sheng gave a light chuckle. “Entangled karma is never a proper solution if one simply drags it out; it is better to be direct and decisive.”

“After all, the person behind them involves massive interests. What does that have to do with me?”

Cha Liangcai was stunned.

Jiang Sheng’s expression told him that he was serious; there was no room for negotiation.

“In that case, is there anything Daoist Jiang requires from this old man?” Cha Liangcai asked again.

Jiang Sheng shook his head. “I shall not involve a fellow Daoist in my personal affairs. Simply wait in the city.”

With that, Jiang Sheng took his leave and returned to Qingping Mountain.

Cha Liangcai and Cha Liangping watched Jiang Sheng depart. Cha Liangcai let out a long, low sigh. “Eastern Prefecture is about to become unsettled.”

“Brother, Daoist Jiang is determined to strike the River God. What should we do?” Cha Liangping asked.

Cha Liangcai fell silent for a moment before saying, “Neither side is easy to deal with. What can we possibly do?”

“I would like to stop it, but is it even possible?”

As he spoke, Cha Liangcai sighed helplessly. “One is a genius from Penglai, and the other might be a former Sect Master. With two powerhouses clashing, it will be difficult enough for us not to be caught in the crossfire.”

“Haven't you noticed? This man doesn't care about the three Golden Core sects of Qingzhou at all.”

“He is going to tear the very sky of Qingzhou apart.”

“Forget it. Tell the clan disciples to reduce their outings. There is no telling when he will strike; we must avoid being caught in the aftermath.”

Cha Liangping nodded, though he felt somewhat stifled. “It is a pity our Cha family can only stand by and watch. If only we could participate.”

“Do only what your strength allows; do not let your imagination run wild. Liangping, I leave the clan in your hands. I must enter seclusion for a period.” After saying this, Cha Liangcai vanished before Cha Liangping’s eyes.

Looking toward Qingping Mountain, Cha Liangping remained silent for a long time before sighing softly, “In the end, I am still unwilling.”

With that, Cha Liangping wrote a letter and handed it to a clan disciple in the late stages of Qi Refinement. “Deliver this letter to Qingping Mountain without delay. It must reach Daoist Jiang’s hands. Tell him it is a small token of respect from me.”

The Cha disciple accepted the command and hurried toward Qingping Mountain with the letter.

Five days later, the letter appeared before Jiang Sheng.

After reading the letter carefully, Jiang Sheng’s voice was very gentle. “Does Fellow Daoist Cha have any other instructions?”

“No, the Elder only said this is a small token of his respect,” the Cha disciple said respectfully.

A spark of spiritual fire rose from Jiang Sheng’s fingertip, incinerating the letter. Jiang Sheng smiled. “Please return and tell Fellow Daoist Cha that I have accepted his token. Ming'an, see the guest out on my behalf.”

After letting Tian Ming'an see the messenger away, Jiang Sheng gazed gloomily toward the Taiping River. “He has yet to show himself, which means his injuries must not be fully healed.”

“Do not rush, Fellow Daoist, for I am in no hurry either. I shall settle accounts with you by the turn of the year.”

Having said that, Jiang Sheng struck out with a burst of spiritual power to activate the Flowing Light Jade Water Array, once again enveloping the Qingxuan Temple in a curtain of light.

A year passed in a flash.

The turn of the year for the 39,829th year of the Shanhe Calendar was approaching.

With the threat of the River God gone and having lost a large number of gentry, Qingshan County had undoubtedly enjoyed very peaceful years.

Zhang Qingyun implemented light taxes and efficient governance; the people of Qingshan County lived in peace and prosperity, and the region flourished.

In contrast to Qingshan County, the other counties in the Eastern Prefecture still held the Great River God Sacrifice every year to provide incense and offerings to the River God.

Although the other counties were envious that Qingshan County had slain the River God, they could not invite a master like Daoist Jiang, so they could only continue to offer human sacrifices annually to conduct the rites.

Li County was the first to hold the Great River God Sacrifice this year.

By the banks of the Taiping River in Li County, the County Magistrate, accompanied by the local gentry, wealthy merchants, and scholars, respectfully burned incense and offered three sacrificial animals and six livestock.

Following tradition, six pairs of young boys and girls, who were wailing uncontrollably, were tied to red-decorated bamboo rafts and sent into the middle of the Taiping River.

As these children, all under six years of age, neared the center of the river, a vortex began to expand slowly. Immediately after, a ten-foot-tall River God with a green face and tusks rose from the vortex.

Seeing the River God appear, the Magistrate hurriedly led the gentry to kneel and worship.

The River God grinned ferociously. “Starting from this year, the human sacrifices shall double every year!”

To double them meant twelve pairs of boys and girls under the age of six!

The Magistrate of Li County was stunned, and the gentry and commoners were thrown into a panic.

Why had the River God increased the price again?

Twelve pairs of children—how many families would be shattered by that?

“What? Do you intend to defy this God?” The terrifying pressure of the River God’s Purple Mansion Realm spread out.

That terrifying pressure suppressed all sounds of discontent. Everyone knelt trembling on the ground; no one dared to utter a single word of protest.

The River God smiled with satisfaction. This was right; they should fear him and revere him!

Looking at the vast, dark mass of kneeling living beings, a strange emotion welled up in the River God's heart. This feeling was so exquisite that it made him feel incomparably exhilarated.

But before the River God could revel in his triumph, a flash of green light suddenly appeared on the horizon.

The sword's hum sounded like a dragon's roar. The green light, which was at the horizon in one breath, appeared directly in front of the River God in the next.

Caught completely off guard, the River God had no time to react before the green light decapitated him with a single strike.

Only then did the faint sound of thunder roll in.

“Ah!”

“The River God has been killed!”

The commoners and gentry of Li County watched in horror as the River God's hideous head was severed by the green light. The crowd instantly began to riot.

In the next moment, a thunderous boom erupted, and the green light split into three, shredding the River God's body.

Only then did a figure in green robes and a jade crown appear in the sky.

“The River God has been slain by this humble Daoist. From now on, you need not offer sacrifices.”

With that, the figure departed with the green light.

The gentry of Li County looked at one another in silence. Just as the crowd fell into a stupor, the Magistrate shouted, “What are you standing there for? Quickly, bring the children back!”

Only then did the able-bodied men react, rushing into the river to bring the children still tied to the bamboo rafts back to the shore.

The children wept as they were thrown into the arms of their parents, their hearts aching for the others.

Someone shouted, “That is Daoist Jiang of Qingping Mountain!”

For a moment, the people of Li County bowed incessantly toward the direction where the Daoist had vanished.

The slaying of the River God in Li County was merely the beginning.

Just one day later, news arrived from neighboring Ping County: Daoist Jiang Sheng of Qingping Mountain had directly slain the River God with a single sword during the Great Sacrifice, announcing that Ping County would no longer need to worship the River God.

Immediately after, news came from Leliang County: Daoist Jiang had fought the Taiping River God and killed him in only two moves!

In three days, the Purple Mansion River Gods of three counties had been slain!

This news instantly ignited the entire Eastern Prefecture!

Setting aside the astonishment of the Eastern Prefecture Governor, even the Cha family and the various Foundation Establishment clans could not believe it.

To slay three Purple Mansion experts in three days—just how high had Daoist Jiang's strength reached?

As the news of the three slain River Gods spread, the remaining counties in the Eastern Prefecture clearly lost interest in worshipping the River God. Even in the prefectural capital, the incense and faith dedicated to the River God saw a massive decline.

This was perfectly natural. Once it was proven that the River God was merely a hollow shell with no real threat and could be easily killed, his divinity vanished.

A River God without divinity would never be revered by the people.

Having lost three avatars in succession, Sun Chang, the former Sect Master of the Qingyun Sect, was now on the verge of a violent rage.

The reason he had not sought revenge against Jiang Sheng at the time was that he intended to endure temporarily, waiting until his Incense Golden Core reached great perfection.

But in just three short years, Jiang Sheng was already able to easily slay his Purple Mansion avatars!

Three years ago, he had clearly needed to stall for time and consume his own magical power just to fight a life-and-death battle with him!

The speed of Jiang Sheng's progress filled Sun Chang with fear.

Furthermore, Jiang Sheng's actions had struck directly at the River God's weakness.

He was currently in desperate need of incense, yet Jiang Sheng had slain his avatars in front of the public eye to destroy his myth. How could the people of the Eastern Prefecture continue to provide him with incense?

“Damn that Jiang Sheng! Damn that Penglai Daoist!”

“And that Cha family! They actually turned a blind eye to this! Is the Cha family planning a rebellion?!”

Sun Chang roared in fury within his luxurious mansion. The fluctuations of his Pseudo-Core Realm pressure made the entire River God Mansion tremble, even causing waves to surge upon the Taiping River.

However, seeing that his Incense Golden Core was nearing completion, Sun Chang was truly unwilling to step out and interrupt his grand plan at this moment.

But sending his subordinates, those mere ants, to interfere would achieve nothing.

In the past two days, Sun Chang had not failed to send people to attempt to obstruct Jiang Sheng or spread rumors within the Eastern Prefecture.

But in the face of Jiang Sheng's formidable strength, these methods were like stones thrown into the ocean—they failed to stir even a single ripple.

Sun Chang had even considered asking Cha Liangcai to step forward to obstruct Jiang Sheng, but Cha Liangcai was in seclusion, and the entire Cha family was currently keeping its doors closed.

How could he not know that the Cha family was clearly intending to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight?

“Damn it, damn it, damn them all!”

Sun Chang roared in rage. He was gradually regaining his human form, and the Pseudo-Core in his abdomen was beginning to feel slightly rounded and flawless. But a Pseudo-Core was still not a Golden Core, and he truly did not want to let his efforts go to waste at the final hurdle.

Just as Sun Chang was in a fury, another fluctuation arrived. Clearly, another avatar had been eliminated by Jiang Sheng, and the River God Mansion in that location had also been destroyed.

Five. Five avatars and formations had been destroyed!

Sun Chang could finally endure no more. If he did not show himself now, he feared Jiang Sheng would destroy all his remaining avatars and formations together. When that time came, what would he have left to perfect his Incense Golden Core?

However, at that very moment, a clear, resonant voice drifted from high above the Taiping River

“Is Fellow Daoist still not going to show himself?”

“Has your temperament become just like that of a turtle, having spent fifty years merely hiding and biding your time?”