The story of the Lake God is not complicated.

It was originally a carp in Zhaoxing Lake.

A female one.

By a stroke of celestial fate, it gained an immortal destiny and gradually stepped onto the demon path.

One day, a scholar paused temporarily in Weiri City, and for leisure, he cast a line to fish in Zhaoxing Lake. By chance, he hooked the Lake God, who had just begun practicing the demon path. But at that time, the Lake God, upon its initial awakening, did not understand what it meant to harm others and suddenly spoke to the scholar.

The scholar was amazed by the Lake God's liveliness and released it, coming back every day to fish. While fishing, the Lake God would circle beneath the water by his feet, chatting with him about various topics.

As a result, the scholar didn't catch a single fish for several days.

However, the scholar had a calm nature, uninterested in competition. Instead, he enjoyed chatting with the Lake God, telling it stories about the world beyond.

Then one day, the scholar left without saying goodbye.

The Lake God yearned for the outside world and thus worked harder at its demon path practice. However, Zhaoxing Lake was too small; no matter how hard it tried, it made little progress. Slowly, it developed crooked thoughts, biting hooks on purpose to drag anglers into the water and devour them to improve its cultivation.

This method proved quite effective. But the daily incidents of anglers falling into the lake drew attention. People suspected a demon, leading them to invite a Cultivator to catch it.

At that time, the Lake God, with a low cultivation level, was unsurprisingly caught.

When about to be executed, the long-absent scholar suddenly appeared and spoke to the surrounding people about "harmony between humans and demons" and other philosophies, bestowing the Lake God with a golden form and granting it an official role. To atone for its sins, it was to guard Zhaoxing Lake, rescue people from drowning, enrich fisheries, and bless the land, thereby earning incense offerings from the Mortal World.

Fan Wubing heard this and frowned,

"You killed people and weren't executed on the spot, yet you were given a position, which you didn't cherish. Why, then, do you continue to do evil and tarnish your golden form?"

The Lake God gritted its teeth,

"Isn't it because of you Demon Sect disciples stealing my incense offerings! I was originally stationed here to atone for my demon sins, protect the land, and enrich the fisheries, collecting incense offerings... and was close to becoming human! But over a thousand years ago, a Demon Sect called the Eternal Immortal Sect suddenly appeared here! Its disciples collected all kinds of Mortal World karma, stealing my incense offerings. Since then, the people gradually forgot me and no longer offered incense and worship, and all my offerings were taken by you!"

"This..."

The Lake God began to cry,

"Pity me, in trying to become human, I only managed to transform half my body before the incense offerings dried up. I could only live with a fish head and human body, and to rid myself of this form, I had... to entertain crooked thoughts. And you say you're not part of the Demon Sect!"

Luo Qingyao asked,

"Then why didn't you transform your head first and then your body?"

The Lake God replied through gritted teeth,

"Wasn't it that damned scholar, always talking about 'Jade Feet, Jade Feet'... He must have liked it that way. I was impatient and transformed the lower half first..."

Fan Wubing raised his eyebrows constantly,

"Are you sure he was a legitimate scholar?"

Luo Qingyao said,

"Someone who can grant a Little Demon a golden form, at least must be a gentleman, a legitimate scholar, right?"

The hierarchy of Confucian scholars differs, being Child Scholar, Young Scholar, Great Sage, Gentleman, Confucian Scholar, Great Scholar, Eminent Scholar, Saint, Great Saint.

A Gentleman corresponds to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Fan Wubing looked at the Lake God and asked,

"So, when that scholar granted you a golden form, what did he hope for you?"

"He hoped I would atone for my sins, benefit the common people, and cultivate a righteous form."

Fan Wubing frowned and said,

"You've not only failed to cultivate such a form but also strayed into evil paths. A demon who commits evil causes local disaster, while a Divine Being who does so leaves a legacy of infamy. Just like a vagrant committing theft as an ordinary crime, an official doing the same not only commits a crime but also undermines the Court's foundation and the people's trust in the nation! You, as a God appointed by Confucianism, harm the foundation of Confucianism by wreaking havoc on one side! You are obliterating the gratitude to the scholar who saved your life!"

The Lake God began to tremble violently.

Fan Wubing's voice was emotionless,

"I am not a scholar myself, nor do I wish to say more to you. When you were a Lake Demon, someone gave you a chance to atone for your crimes. Now, as a Lake God, you continue to harm others; this is your true nature, unworthy of being a God. Junior sister, cut it down and take it back to report to the sect."

"Alright!"

Luo Qingyao then summoned her flying sword, intending to strike it down completely.

"Spare it under your sword!"

Suddenly, a white light shot from afar, stopping Luo Qingyao's strike.

"Who!" Fan Wubing and Luo Qingyao immediately became vigilant.

From the obscured light and shadow stepped a middle-aged man dressed in Confucian attire. His eyebrows were gentle, and his demeanor was elegant, giving the impression of warmth like a spring breeze,

"Two young friends, let me handle it."

Fan Wubing cautiously asked,

"You, who are you?"

The Lake God, on the other hand, sat stiff and motionless on the ground.

The Confucian scholar sighed,

"This sinful consequence was of my doing, and it is my responsibility to bear."

"You... are that scholar who granted it a golden form?"

Luo Qingyao stared at the scholar's face, her eyes flickered with memories, and she tentatively asked,

"Are you He Youyi, Mr. He?"

He Youyi looked at Luo Qingyao, smiled, and said,

"Precisely. The last time I saw you, you were only four. I didn't expect you to remember me after so long."

"You know each other?" Fan Wubing asked.

Luo Qingyao slightly turned his head away and said disinterestedly,

"A familiar face from my hometown."

A familiar face from his hometown... He Youyi was taken aback. What kind of introduction was that... He didn't think much of it and asked Fan Wubing,

"Young friend, could you let me handle it?"

Fan Wubing first cupped his hands to show respect,

"It was originally enshrined by Mr. He, so naturally, it should be handed to you. However, judging from the story it just told, Mr. He... doesn't seem adept at handling such matters. As a god, it actually caused harm to one side, which is truly unfortunate. As a disciple of the Eternal Immortal Sect, I cannot turn a blind eye."

He was clear about it in his heart. Since he hadn't received the commission task to slay the Lake Demon, he needed direct evidence to claim the quest reward.

He couldn't let the quest reward slip away.

He Youyi said,

"I also heard the words you just said. As a god enshrined by the Confucians, causing harm like this wounds the very essence of Confucianism. Your words were excellent; no doubt you're a person with a warm heart. If you don't see the outcome of the matter, you'd probably feel unsatisfied, right?"

"This..."

Fan Wubing tried to say that he didn't mean it that way.

But He Youyi had already made a move. He walked up to the Lake God and said,

"Back then, what I referred to as 'Jade Feet' was not the leg or foot but 'Jade Ancestor.' 'Jade Ancestor' is a Great Saint of our Confucianism. I was perplexed by an article of principles by Jade Ancestor and was in a state of mental blockage when I stayed to fish in Weiri City."

When he spoke, he raised his voice a bit, as if fearing that Fan Wubing and Luo Qingyao couldn't hear clearly.

Luo Qingyao, a bit slow on the uptake, said,

"So it was Jade Ancestor! I knew it, Mr. He didn't seem like the kind of person interested in women's feet."

He Youyi's mouth twitched, and he turned back with a forced smile,

"It's good that you understand."

Beside them, Fan Wubing said,

"It's all right, Mr. He. If you like it, you like it. I like it too; no need to explain."

He Youyi became anxious at once, and he immediately recited the principle article by Jade Ancestor that had puzzled him, proving that he was indeed referring to "Jade Ancestor," not "Jade Feet" back then.

A scholar at least of a gentleman's caliber, reciting the works of saints—what a scene indeed.

Instantly, the shores of Zhaoxing Lake were enveloped in the aura of Saints, erasing all previous scars left by the battle. For a moment, spring blossomed, everything vibrated, and in the distance came the faint song of mountain spirits.

Luo Qingyao was stunned,

"Speaking true words, awakening the mountain spirits. Mr. He, you're already a Great Scholar?"

In the context of a cultivator, a Great Scholar corresponds to the Integration Realm.

Fan Wubing had no concept of what level the Integration Realm was, as it was so far beyond his reach.

However, he couldn't feel that this Great Scholar had any demeanor of an ultimate expert; he seemed like an ordinary gentleman.

He Youyi sighed and didn't elaborate. With the elucidation of principles, the human form of the lower half of the Lake God gradually receded, turning back into a fish. He said softly,

"If becoming a god was a calamity for you, then you'd better rid yourself of all karma and become a swimming fish in the lake again."

Thus, the Lake God shed its divine form, lost its sentience, and became just a fish again, returning to the lake.

Fan Wubing stared at him blankly,

"Did you just let it go like that?"

He Youyi said,

"Rest assured, young friend, I have completely extinguished its divine soul and intelligence, making it impossible for it to tread the Demon Dao or Divine Dao again, never to harm the mortal world—now just an ordinary lake fish, it's no different from dead. As for its accumulated incense offerings, I've gathered them and returned them to the mortal families it harmed, to bless their children and descendants as compensation. However, some of its offerings seemed to have been taken by someone else earlier."

Taken by someone else...

Fan Wubing, holding the moral high ground, didn't feel guilty; he had no regard for this scholar's so-called "benevolence" and only cared about his own issue,

"But that was my quest reward... If you let it go, what do I use to claim my reward?"

He Youyi was momentarily stunned,

"This... weren't you driven by a warm heart..."

"..."

Big eyes stared at small eyes.

Fan Wubing slowly opened his mouth,

"Jade—"

He Youyi immediately interrupted him,

"Alright, alright, young friend, no need to say anymore. I'll accompany you to the Eternal Immortal Sect and personally explain everything for you, how about that? Your sect did have a disciple who was killed by it; it's about time I paid a visit."

Fan Wubing was immediately all smiles,

"Truly worthy of being a Great Scholar of Confucianism, so understanding. Thank you, Mr. He."

He turned around, speechless all of a sudden,

"Junior Sister, why did you take off your shoes?"

"Oh, it feels refreshing... Indeed, having direct contact with the earth is invigorating for the spirit."

"Junior Sister, regularly walking barefoot will develop thick and hard calluses on your feet. You know what callused feet are like."

"Okay, okay, I'll put my shoes back on."

"..."

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