Shiba Village is a small village by the Lee River, with over eight hundred people, half of whom make a living from fishing.

Sunx Ergou is an orphan in the village, eleven years old this year. His parents died shortly after his birth in a severe storm while fishing on the Lee River.

Fortunately, he still has a grandfather in his sixties, and the two depend on each other, allowing him to live to this day.

This day, Sunx Ergou was setting traps by the river.

Suddenly, a white shadow flickered in the upstream waters.

"A big fish!"

This was Sunx Ergou's first thought.

He immediately took off his shirt, grabbed a fish spear, and dived into the water.

Living off the mountain or river is their way, and the people by the Lee River all have good swimming skills. Moreover, everyone in the village practices martial arts, making them even more agile in the water.

Sunx Ergou is among the best of them.

With just a fish spear, he often has good catches in the Lee River!

Once in the water, Sunx Ergou dove into the river, moving like a nimble fish.

Soon, he reached the side of the white shadow.

It was then he was stunned:

This was no big fish, it was clearly a person!

"What misfortune did you commit to be taken by the River God?"

"Alas, I'll pull you ashore to rest in peace!" Seeing this person, Sunx Ergou remembered his own parents.

The relatives of this person also wish someone would bury them properly, just as I hope someone would properly bury my parents.

So he grabbed the person's ankle with one hand and paddled with the other.

Soon, he reached the riverbank, laboriously pulling the person ashore.

Inadvertently, he looked at the person, seeing the chest still rising and falling!

"This person is not dead!"

Without hesitation, Sunx Ergou took him back to his home.

...

"Cough!"

Zhou Xun struggled to open his eyes.

The sight that greeted him was a somewhat shabby but exceptionally clean room.

Mottled walls were hung with fishing nets, traps, and a fish spear.

"Where am I?"

He remembered he had hollowed out a huge log, and then lay inside and floated downstream, after which he had no memory.

Awakening, he found himself here.

He channeled his mana, feeling bursts of pain from his meridians.

Looking inward, there were faint cracks in his meridians.

The mana in his dantian was mostly dormant too.

Now, he could only utilize the equivalent of First Layer Qi Refining.

His foundation had been severely damaged in this escape.

"Fortunately, I escaped!"

This could be described as the most dangerous moment in Zhou Xun's cultivation journey.

Chased by a True Pill Cultivator, if not for his divination technique, he wouldn't have discovered that divine sense mark and would have surely been caught by her with dire consequences.

Is it solving the problem, or just solving the person who caused the problem!

True Pill Cultivators are indeed domineering!

He shook his head, took out a Healing Pill from his storage bag, and consumed it.

At this moment, a clear young voice spoke.

"You're awake!"

Zhou Xun looked at the average-looking, dark-skinned fisherman youth in front of him.

"You saved me!"

"Saving or not, in our fishing family, we help anyone in trouble!" The youth said casually.

"Thank you!" Zhou Xun replied.

"You just woke up, your body is weak. Here's a bowl of fish soup; drink it, and you'll recover quickly!" The youth brought over a bowl of fish soup with several pieces of fish in it.

Since crossing over, Zhou Xun had never eaten mortal food, so he hesitated.

Seeing the youth's sincere eyes, Zhou Xun received it and ate it all.

"It tastes quite good!" Zhou Xun commented.

Seeing Zhou Xun finish the fish soup, the youth smiled brightly.

The next morning, Zhou Xun walked out of the room.

After taking the Healing Pill, Zhou Xun felt his body was slowly recovering.

He decided to stay in the village until his body recovered.

Then, he would absorb spirit medicine essence to restore his foundation.

It had only been four months since he last absorbed essence, so he needed to wait another eight months to recover.

In the evening, the youth returned, accompanied by a stooped old man with white hair and a haggard face, walking with a cane.

Zhou Xun took one glance and realized this person was terminally ill and didn't have long to live.

"Big brother, how are you? Are you feeling better?"

"Much better!" Zhou Xun replied.

After dinner, the youth found Zhou Xun but hesitated to speak.

"Do you have something to say?" Zhou Xun prompted.

"Big brother, do you know how to read?"

Zhou Xun nodded.

"Then... can you teach me?" the youth asked apprehensively.

"Sure!"

"Great, thank you, big brother!" The youth leaped with joy.

He then explained the advantages of knowing how to read.

By learning to read, he could become an apprentice in town and earn money to treat his grandfather's illness.

Actually, the old man's illness was a major issue for mortals but was trivial to Zhou Xun.

However, he didn't plan to act immediately.

He would treat the old man when he left.

Moreover, he planned to give the youth a gift.

In the following days, he focused on healing and teaching the youth to read.

Thus, two months passed, and Zhou Xun's cultivation and body recovered significantly; his mana was now equivalent to Fourth Layer Qi Refining.

One day, the village chief suddenly informed everyone to gather.

Saying there was an important announcement.

On stage, a somewhat plump middle-aged man was loudly announcing.

"Next month is our town's triennial River God Festival again!"

"As everyone knows, the River God Festival requires a pair of young boy and girl, and this time, it's Shiba Village's turn!"

Upon hearing this, there was a stir below!

"Quiet!" the village chief shouted loudly.

"This is Kuwu Immortal Master, and he will be selecting the boy and girl for the sacrifice!" He said, respectfully introducing a middle-aged Daoist dressed in yellow robes.

"A cultivator, Third-Layer Qi Refining!"

At a glance, Zhou Xun discerned his abilities.

The middle-aged Daoist took the stage,

"Today, I am in charge of selecting the sacrificial boy and girl!"

He said simply, then took out a talisman with a small ruler drawn on it. After some theatrics, he cast a spell.

A green ruler flew out, circling above the villagers' heads,

Seeing this, the crowd bowed in worship, calling him Immortal Master!

At this point, the ruler descended, stopping above an eleven or twelve-year-old girl's head.

"The girl will be her!" the middle-aged Daoist said expressionlessly.

The mother beside the girl was shocked, immediately kneeling, sobbing and begging.

"Immortal Master, she is my only daughter, please spare her!"

"The River God Festival concerns the livelihood of Mandu Town for the next three years; such things are not to be taken lightly!" the middle-aged Daoist said coldly.

Hearing this, the villagers immediately spoke up.

"Yes, it's about our livelihood for the next three years, second aunt, you mustn't be foolish!"

"Right, what will we do if the River God gets angry?"

Some even forcefully pulled the girl up.

"No, give my daughter back!" the woman cried heart-wrenchingly.

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