novelraw Chapter 806 800: Ming River Ferryman, Wedding Candy
Chapter 806 800: Ming River Ferryman, Wedding Candy
After Jia Ren meditated, he was absolutely certain there was no Spiritual Energy in this place, as if it were a land of the end of magic.
Before he could attempt to search for other Cultivation Techniques, his body was already lifted into the air.
His tightly closed eyes opened, watching the small boat flying with him, clearly seeing the massive fish tail stirring up waves at the bottom of the river.
Monster attack?
He couldn't afford more thoughts as he curled his body mid-air, desperately adjusting his center of gravity to stay close to the small boat.
The situation of the Black River was unclear, and there was a gigantic monster; falling into the river was extremely dangerous.
The small boat and Jia Ren fell almost simultaneously, and at the moment of impact, his arms reached towards the bow of the boat.
Bam!
The sound of two splashes echoed simultaneously, both falling into the river.
The river water was chilling to the bone, as if his legs were plunged into icy water, nearly frozen, the cold creeping from his legs past his waist and abdomen, straight to his neck.
Just as his head was about to be submerged by the black water, his arms clutched the bow of the boat, his knuckles turning blue and white from exertion.
Pulling hard on the bow, he was about to drag himself onto the boat.
His ankle seemed to be gripped by a cold hand, an overwhelmingly icy breath pouring into his body.
The cold hand exerted a sudden force, forcibly dragging his body down into the Black River.
Jia Ren nearly lost his grip, clutching the bow with all his strength to resist.
Turning his head slightly, out of the corner of his eye, he faintly saw something glowing under the boat.
More and more similar glows appeared, as if trying to illuminate the place, gathering towards it.
They seemed like sharks smelling blood, enjoying a Taotie feast.
If just one unknown being was this troublesome, encountering more would surely mean facing greater danger.
He had to escape quickly.
Controlling his right leg, still under his control, his toes like a spear tip, he precisely kicked the icy hand gripping his left ankle.
His extraordinary strength seemed absent, but that didn't mean he'd forgotten the power-exerting techniques mastered By Strength, Prove the Dao.
His toes, like a thrusting spear, struck the unknown being, loosening its grip.
The veins on Jia Ren's arms bulged, supporting his body like the hind legs of a leaping frog, plunging back into the boat with the river water.
What followed out of the water was a pale arm, like a long-soaked corpse's, giving a bloated impression.
The hand grasped nothing, vanishing silently at the moment it surfaced.
Jia Ren lay soaked on the deck, joy of surviving a disaster on his face.
The cold permeated his body, devouring the heat, leaving a sense of numbness.
This unknown danger was far from over; it was unclear if the monstrous fish at the river's bottom would launch a second attack.
With a somewhat exhausted body, he clutched a rope attached to the boat, wrapping it around his wrist to prevent being thrown off again in a second attack.
The anticipated second attack never came; it seemed the fish that attacked once had left.
Jia Ren stood on the bow, vaguely seeing glowing things at the river's bottom, including floating corpses and phantasmal ghosts.
They were numerous, filling every visible area, all attracted because of his plunge.
Jia Ren was accustomed to major scenes; this situation wasn't enough to throw him into chaos.
He looked away, confirming the rope on his wrist was secure enough, removed his soaked linen clothes, and wrung out the water.
With a near-mortal body, wearing wet clothes for long would easily drain his limited warmth.
The Realm of sustaining spirit and immortality was gone, soon he would become hungry, finding food here would be difficult.
Stripping off his clothes, he noticed a bluish-purple handprint on his left ankle, left by the thing underwater.
Looking around, it was still an endless expanse of water, bringing a feeling of loneliness and helplessness.
These negative feelings were useless; instead of lamenting, it was better to try other methods.
"Is this a ghost? Can I cultivate the ghost path?"
Jia Ren controlled his emotions, recalling the ghost Cultivation Techniques he learned.
Nether God Prison Canon!
This was one of the three thousand mainstream techniques, ascending to the Supreme Jade Immortal Realm.
The aura connects with the world, sensing unusual energy.
Even though the place had unusual aspects, it was impossible to cultivate, unable to find any usable power.
His eyes showed little emotion; the path of cultivation wasn't feasible, his only option was to leave quickly.
The boat under him was quite sturdy, undamaged by the giant fish's impact.
He found two black wooden oars in the boat, swinging them a few times in his hands, their material unknown, slightly similar to the black boat.
As he swung them, they created gusts of wind, fitting well in his hands, enough to be considered the only... weapon on the boat.
Wielding the oars, he rowed left and right, steering the boat away into the distance.
Rowing for an unknown duration, his arms felt slightly sore, hunger arose, and a desire to eat filled his heart.
Where to find food?
Into the sea, relying on the sea, he couldn't use himself as bait to fish for corpses, could he?
Fish in the Black River?
Leaving aside the giant fish monster that once sent the boat flying, even if there were fish, they'd be unusual from frequently feeding on corpses.
What to do?
He hoped his first death wouldn't be from starvation...
Having regained some strength, Jia Ren used the oar to propel the boat forward, hoping to dock on the shore and find 'normal' food.
Maybe his direction was correct, as the dark fog in the sky thinned, revealing a red light in the distance.
The boat rippled the water, sailing further in, finally revealing the nature of the red glow.
It was a vast expanse of red flowers on black soil, each flower resembling a dragon's claw, growing into umbrella-shaped blooms.
As an Alchemist skilled in refining Elixirs, who has seen countless medicinal materials, Jia Ren easily recognized these flowers without any effort.
"Other Shore Flower!"
These flowers are always rare, growing only in the exceptionally uncommon Nether Domain and extremely yin places.
It's said that these are strange flower species favored by the Nether Domain, growing abundantly in the Underworld and Nether Domain.
Truth or fiction, it's hard to tell.
The term Underworld is only known through a few peculiar rumors, its exact location never seen by anyone or Immortals; the Immortal Realm does not have a corresponding Realm, leading some to suspect it as a baseless myth.
"Could this really be Hell?"
"Ming River?"
The hand paddling the boat paused slightly, remembering that this was the dreamscape of the Sky Dream Demon Saint, no longer feeling surprised.
Dreamscapes are constructed based on the Sky Dream Demon Saint. As long as he wishes, he could make the dreamscape manifest into reality.
Jia Ren accelerated the paddling, trying to dock on the shore, compared to the turbulent undercurrents of the Black River below the boat and the floating corpses and wandering souls at the riverbed.
Without extraordinary power, the land is more suitable for movement.
As the boat gradually advanced, he vaguely sensed a feeling of being watched.
Among the flowers, a pair of ghostly green eyes were quietly observing, closely following the movement of the boat.
At this moment, he felt like a meal on a platter, waiting for someone to select edible parts.
More and more ghostly green eyes emerged from the flower clusters, like green ghost lights and lanterns, casting the place in a deathly green.
Up close, he could see piles of white bones, both human-like and beast-like, their flesh turned into black sludge, becoming the fertilizer for growing Other Shore Flowers.
The spirits of the dead lingered, supporting the once skeletal remains, ghostly green eyes filled with hunger.
Landing?
Jia Ren had no doubt that once he landed, he would be torn to pieces by the terrifying creatures.
The boat, nearing the shore, drifted on the water, making a one-hundred-eighty degree turn, swiftly sailing away.
I should never have expected anything from this ghostly place!
Since there is land here, there should be other places to safely dock.
Just as the boat turned around, ready to depart.
The next moment, he only felt a weight on the boat, as if something had come aboard.
Jia Ren looked around and saw nothing.
If not for the deepened waterline of the boat and the change upon boarding, he would never have discovered the anomaly, let alone the unknown thing quietly coming aboard.
What the heck?!
Jia Ren felt his hair stand on end, wanting to abandon the boat and flee.
Stay calm!
The unknown presence boarded the boat without immediately taking action, proving that things weren't too bad, better than the malicious beings on shore eager to devour him.
He swung the oar in his hand, using it to probe the unknown presence.
"Does this boatman know how to do business? Don't wave that oar in my face."
A slightly hoarse elderly voice rang out, as if carrying phlegm, making one uncomfortable, wishing to help him clear it.
Can there still be communication?
Jia Ren paddled the boat oar, asking somewhat familiarly, "Elder, why rush so much? How about going back for another trip?"
Rarely encountering someone he could communicate with, without malice, perhaps he could learn much relevant information.
After understanding the information, it would be perfect if the other party went ashore.
"It's my daughter's marriage, I'm hurrying for the event."
"Recently there are fewer boats, luckily you agreed to give me a ride."
Though the old man's voice was uncomfortable to hear, to Jia Ren who knew nothing, it was considered good news.
When did I agree?
Did he already communicate with other ferrymen? Did I inadvertently intrude and steal business from my 'peers'?
If I couldn't get him to the designated place, would I be robbed and killed?
"Recently rushing early, I've been a bit forgetful. Where specifically to take the elder?" Jia Ren controlled the boat to drift away, seizing the opportunity to obtain more information.
The voice paused, no longer making any sound.
A chill came from behind, as if someone blowing cold air on the nape of his neck.
Jia Ren's body froze as he subconsciously tightened his grip on the boat oar, preparing to suddenly strike the old man's head.
"Is this boatman just a novice chick?"
"Take me to Fengdu!"
Where is Fengdu?
Just then, his stomach inconveniently grumbled, Jia Ren's expression froze, planning to play the ferryman of ghosts in conversation.
As Jia Ren prepared to take action, a candy wrapped in reddish paper floated mid-air, handed to him.
"This is wedding candy!"
You're surprisingly nice!
Jia Ren's stomach was already hungry and a high-calorie candy could resolve the immediate need.
The red candy wrapper opened, revealing a half-wrapped pale finger bone.