Dao Equaling the Heavens

Last night, at the third watch, an old sailor was patrolling the Water House when he saw a yellow dragon lying at the mouth of the well and then ran away in such fright that he used both hands and feet.

It was that simple, without much enmity or entanglement—a common tale in this world.

Gu Wen rewarded the old sailor with ten Silver, telling him not to speak of the matter.

Whether the man actually kept the secret did not concern Gu Wen. An old sailor would struggle even to engage a trusted aide in conversation, let alone report to a royal court he had never contacted. Moreover, with the rigid hierarchy in Daqian, no one would believe a sailor accusing a prominent merchant of wrongdoing.

Mysterious and supernatural occurrences were far too common in Daqian. Even if Zhao Feng eventually heard the tale, he had not chopped down the tree on Phoenix Avenue, at most only delaying his report.

But the presence of a yellow dragon in the well fostered some unusual thoughts in Gu Wen's mind.

It was normal for a Spiritual Spring to give rise to strange creatures. There must be treasures, right?

In the following days, Gu Wen continued to visit the Water House at sunset as always, but he could never find the spirit beast.

Sunset, the thin colorful light returned.

Gu Wen ordered the water to be drawn up. Suddenly, a huge splash erupted from below the bucket, tightening the rope that hung the bucket to the point the sailor turning the reel almost lost his footing.

Someone ran to the entrance to take a look and then spoke in slight panic, "Mr. Wen! Something's pulling at the water bucket!"

"Pull it up and you'll each get a Silver, ten for those who put in the effort."

Gu Wen's heart stirred, but he silently retreated a few steps to maintain a safe distance.

The water bucket could carry up to five hundred jin in one go. Whatever could wrestle with the water hoisting gear was clearly no ordinary creature.

Upon hearing about the Silver, the watermen who had previously been struggling suddenly found their strength, and others joined the effort to pull. Amidst coordinated shouts of "one, two, three," the bucket was steadily hoisted up.

First to emerge was the wooden bucket, followed by a large mass mottled with light yellow spots, serpentine in shape, with a broad head, small eyes, a mouth that extended beyond the corners of its eyes, filled with closely-packed fine teeth that had latched onto the bucket, stuck within the wooden crevices as if trapped.

The bucket was made of iron birch, normally used for city gates. That this Snake Monster could bite through the large bucket—and with a head likely wide enough for one to wrap arms around—was shocking.

Was this a yellow eel?

Everyone's mouth fell open in astonishment, including the Imperial Guards brought in by Gu Wen. Some had already gone weak in the knees, leaning against the wall as if to bolster their formidable reputation as Daqian's strong soldiers.

Suddenly, with twists and turns, the yellow eel thrashed violently, splashing water and slime everywhere. The four crossbeams supporting the bucket creaked under the excessive force, and the hoisting equipment had not been designed for such intense side-to-side shaking.

Gu Wen was the first to regain his senses and commanded the aide by his side, "Kill that beast."

The dense teeth, its massive size, its desperate struggle—it was obviously not something with which one could reason.

The normally imposing leaders of the royal guards, Rong Leng and Qin Mianrong—who had been guarding Gu Wen's door day and night and had been promoted from the frontier forces to the capital—exchanged glances. Drawing their sabers, they stepped forward and each struck the writhing giant yellow eel with a slash.

They were true veterans, fresh from the battlefield, showing no hesitation or slowness due to fear.

One blow to the body, another to the eye.

The former slid off the hard scales and slime, while the latter struck blood. The Snake Monster thrashed even more violently, ramming from side to side, and with loud crashes, stones from around the well's opening were knocked loose, debris flying everywhere.

Instead of pulling away, Gu Wen eyed the Snake Monster, deeming it unworthy of concern as it could be harmed by a mortal's blade.

There were about a dozen adult 'erect apes' here, with as many steel blades; even a tiger would have to lie down before them.

"A demon... There is a demon!"

The leader of the guards shouted in terror, delivering the final blow to the already faltering morale, and everyone began to flee.

Gu Wen covered his face, thinking he had properly assessed the quality of Daqian's soldiers, but he hadn't expected there to be more able individuals.

But, upon reflection, this made sense; as a non-native, he probably could not understand the ancient belief in spirits and gods. It was likely only those who came from the battlefield that truly dispelled the illusion of ghosts and gods.

Gu Wen was just about to order a retreat, there was no need to fight desperately; it would be better to leave it to the royal court.

Suddenly, his Fate Diagram trembled, Emperor's jelly surged like a flood!

The normally dormant Emperor's jelly was now inexplicably excited.

He stopped retreating and instead stepped forward, calling out to the two in the distance, "Fall back."

Like instinctive soldiers, they charged at the command and, conversely, did not hesitate to obey.

Qin Mian no longer tangled and, picking up the unconscious Rong Leng with intentions of fleeing, took a few steps before a figure flashed by him, stirring a gust of wind.

Clang!

Iron blades struck stones, sending sparks flying; a swipe of cold light brought forth a spray of blood, staining half of a wooden barrel crimson.

The Snake Monster's mouth, three inches below, was completely split open, gushing out copious amounts of blood.

Gu Wen nonchalantly flicked the blood off his blade, and although he only practiced spear technique, the mastery of any martial arts by a mortal to its extreme meant that other weapons came naturally to him—at least, the technique of exerting force was universal.

As for the money-pit Yuqing Sword Skill, it was, as its name suggested, not a Swordsmanship technique at all. It was only about Sword Intent and discussed nothing but Sword Intent.

Meanwhile, though he rarely engaged in close combat, he knew well that flesh and blood could not withstand the chill of metal.

Qin Mian was splattered in the face with thick, foul-smelling blood. Struggling to keep his eyes half-open, he saw a man in plain clothes approach him and gently slide the blade into the sheath at his waist.

The sound of the blade scraping into the sheath accompanied the calm, unrushed voice.

"If you can't hold on to the blade firmly, you can't hold on to life."

Qin Mian was utterly stunned. It was as though he had seen the Great General of Daqian, who commanded eight hundred thousand frontier soldiers.

The illusion passed in a flash, followed by a wave of confusion. Wasn't Marquis Wen unwell? How come a merchant grasped a blade more fiercely than these seasoned soldiers?

Gu Wen said, "In the future, I am bound to be granted a title of nobility. This merit is of no use to me. You two, with no foundation in Bianjing, need it more than I do."

Qin Mian's breath hitched, then a crazed joy overtook his bloodied face as he nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, Mr. Wen! Thank you, Mr. Wen!"

Who cared how Gu Wen held a knife at this point? This was a nobleman looking to promote him! Had he not survived a thousand dangers on the battlefield just for this chance at wealth and position?

Gu Wen nodded in satisfaction. Over time, Jiang Fugui had been getting the trusted aides drunk to spill truths, and with further investigation, he had long understood everyone's background thoroughly.

Qin Mianrong and Rong Leng were just mud-legged peasants returned from the frontier who had only been in the royal residence for two months. It was likely that Zhao Feng didn't even realize they had recently been assigned.

He turned and ordered someone to report first. It would be challenging for them to refuse the rewards that were to come.

People's hearts are inscrutable, only interested remains unchanged.

Now that chaotic times were imminent, the Fate Diagram required much, and his need to lay low was absolute, yet certainly not to hide away, but rather to increase his strength to the greatest extent possible.

"How are your injuries?"

The two men got up, bowed, and replied, "No serious harm."

Gu Wen instructed, "Seek a doctor to have a look later. The consultation and medicinal fees are on me."

At these words, Qin Mianrong and Rong Leng were even more touched, their faces flush with gratitude as they bowed profusely in thanks.

Beyond their heartfelt gratitude, they were excited. The order from Gu Wen to chop down the Snake Monster was not driven by pieces of silver, but the desire for a bright future. The rest of the trusted aides were all descendants of the imperial guard families from Bianjing, each with their connections, so they were even more eager to please Gu Wen.

Suddenly, footsteps came from outside; before the people arrived, Gu Wen could judge that there were at least twenty.

"Mr. Wen! I've come to save you!"

Jiang Fugui, leading a troop of robust men, came charging in with a fierce momentum, their hands wielding an assortment of weapons—pitchforks, axes, hoes, shovels, sticks, maces, stools, and chairs.

In Daqian, where the people were guarded against as much as thieves, particularly in Qianjing County, ever since the previous Emperor's "one kitchen knife for every ten households" policy, finding even a mere kitchen knife in an ordinary household was difficult. This also explained why, despite Daqian's decrepit army, they could still quell uprisings everywhere without a single defeat.

The court knew of its own rottenness, but it sufficed that others were even worse.

As everyone entered the courtyard and saw the huge eel hanging, they were all startled. But given the numbers, no one fled, also because their Mr. Wen was inside.

He was the one who provided their sustenance!

This was also why troops would often support a commander who led a rebellion.

Then they saw the giant eel's bleeding wounds and the trio of Gu Wen standing not far away. Jiang Fugui breathed a sigh of relief and nearly tumbled over as he rushed to them, "Master! Are you alright? If anything happened to you, how could I follow you to enjoy wealth and glory?"

Gu Wen pushed him away with disdain and asked, "Where are the other trusted aides?"

"They ran off! They rode horses saying they were going to fetch reinforcements from the royal residence! Those damned sons of bitches, to leave you behind and run. And those despicable ones who eat under you don't even know to protect their master."

Jiang Fugui cursed, turning as red as braised shrimp.

His thinking was simple: his master was on the way to becoming a Marquis, and he would then lead a life of comfort and ease. Having followed Gu Wen for four years, he knew that it wasn't just about getting a share of the soup but sitting at the table for the main course.

"Yours is a body worth a thousand pieces of gold. What would we do if something were to happen to you?"

Gu Wen squinted his eyes and immediately ordered everyone, "Get this Snake Monster out of here."

He wasn't concerned about those who had fled; it was expected. But their escape back to the royal residence meant that Zhao Feng's men would soon arrive—not as reinforcements, but to snatch away the prize.

He had to act quickly.