Chapter 039: A Most Ominous Place

Before they had even finished their lunch, someone arrived under the guidance of a young attendant, informing them that the Magistrate of Meishan wished to see them.

When your direct superior summons you, how could you possibly refuse?

Qingjin and his companions hurriedly composed themselves, straightening their attire, and followed the attendant toward the county magistrate’s residence.

The Magistrate of Meishan was a talkative man in his thirties. His features were rugged, his stature tall and slender, exuding a scholarly elegance.

As an official of the Daoist order, he received guests in his customary Daoist robes—a dark robe adorned with silver patterns, which lent him an undeniable air of authority. Yet his manner toward Qingjin and the others was warm and approachable.

“You’ve only just arrived, so you may not be fully aware of the situation. Panshe Domain has long been a troubled land; several times in the past, pioneer corps have been dispatched to clear out vicious beasts and large predators there. But there’s a vast and unfathomable lake at the mountain’s summit. Whenever those aquatic monsters slip into the depths of that lake, no one can do a thing about them.

Previously, six people managed Panshe Domain, but all perished—mysteriously, at that. My men only went to investigate after losing contact with them. Sometimes, we found broken bones; sometimes, not even a trace of the bodies. It’s utterly baffling.”

Hearing this, Qingjin and his group collectively drew a sharp breath. If even the Magistrate didn’t know who or what the culprit was, could Panshe Domain truly be a place of great evil?

“Yet, since you settled there, you seem to have managed the land quite well—fishing, and even harvesting a ninth-tier spiritual treasure,” the Magistrate went on, his tone shifting.

“We only dare to fish a little along the shore; we wouldn’t dream of venturing into the lake itself. Who knows what monstrous things lurk there?” Qingjin quickly replied. “And with your warning, sir, we’re even less inclined to explore recklessly,” he added with a wry smile.

“But with just such small efforts along the shore, you’ve already achieved results better than surrounding territories,” the Magistrate remarked.

“It’s only because we’re close to the great lake—the land itself is advantageous. Even the spiritual fruit was discovered by chance while we were reclaiming and tilling new fields,” Qingjin explained the appearance of the ninth-tier spiritual treasure.

In the Eastern Wastelands, spiritual treasures were hard to come by but might occasionally appear during land clearing. Of course, opening up new territory was also far more dangerous than usual.

“In our efforts to get those fruits, we even had a few people injured. One cultivator hurt his back, and we sent him here to Meishan to see a healer,” Qingqing chimed in, supporting her brother’s account.

“I see. There’s no doubt Panshe Domain is a dangerous place. You must remain vigilant. In fact… it’s not only beasts you need to watch for. Lately, I’ve had reports of Sky Ghosts and Windcatcher Bandits appearing within Meishan’s borders. Neighboring domains have sent repeated warnings; one of them was nearly overrun by the Windcatcher Bandits,” the Magistrate said, the implication clear—they, too, should be on their guard.

Qingjin hastened to thank him.

“And besides those infamous bandits, you must be wary of wandering outlaws and heretical cults here in Meishan as well. The cultists, especially, are short of money and blood sacrifices for their rites. To them, your new domain must look like an easy target.”

The group’s faces changed instantly. The weakening of the human race had led to a proliferation of all manner of heretical cults, many worshipping strange gods. They often hunted humans for blood sacrifices, especially near the frontiers of Daoist authority. Clearly, they would need to be ever-vigilant against threats from their own kind as well.

“If you have more luck fishing up fierce creatures from the lake, consider sending them to the courier station. The stationmaster is one of my people—you’ll get a fair price there,” the Magistrate concluded, recommending his own postal relay.

“Many thanks for your guidance, sir. If we make further catches, we’ll be sure to bring them to the relay station,” Qingjin replied.

In the end, the Magistrate inquired about the brothers’ family background and relatives, engaging in small talk for a while. When the tea was finally served, signaling the end of the visit, Qingjin and the others took their leave.

After they departed, a young courier who had previously interacted with Qingjin at the relay station entered the Magistrate’s study from a hidden side door, now clad in official robes.

“What do you think of the Shen siblings?” The courier’s demeanor had changed entirely—now he sat in the seat of honor, radiating the air of a superior. The Magistrate, in turn, stood respectfully at his side.

“They seem rather fortunate,” the Magistrate observed.

“Panshe Domain is like a bottomless pit. Everyone keeps making bets, but no one can see what’s truly inside. Six lords have died there already, every last human in their domains wiped out—Foundation Establishment, even Golden Core cultivators couldn’t escape. I simply don’t believe nothing is lurking there. But I’m not sending my own men anymore—I can’t afford further losses. Last time, I lost a trusted aide, two Golden Cores, and six Foundation Establishments.”

The Magistrate’s expression grew strange; he dared not speak at that moment.

“Now that the Shen siblings have delivered themselves to us, it’s the perfect opportunity to use their hands to probe just what lies within Panshe Domain,” the courier said.

…

When Qinghu awoke from her midday nap, she heard that something major had happened in the lake—apparently, two creatures had been locked in combat.

After washing and tidying herself, she lifted her skirts and hurried to the lakeshore. In the distance, right at the lake’s heart, enormous shapes were indeed fighting—one moment a massive tail whipped skyward, the next a giant claw slammed the water with a resounding crash.

Qinghu sent out her spiritual sense and discovered the combatants: an ancient, armored crocodile and a huge blue-green ying fish. A sixth-tier armored crocodile and a seventh-tier ying fish—by rights, the crocodile, being an entire rank higher, should have held the advantage. Yet in reality, it was the ying fish that toyed with the crocodile as its prey. Both were nearly ten meters long, with the crocodile even bulkier than the fish.

But the ying fish could fly—it had wings, and whether in the sky or underwater, it was far more agile than the crocodile.

Throughout the battle, the ying fish teased the crocodile until, with a final, decisive bite, it seized the crocodile’s neck and snapped it in two. The crocodile’s death cry was stifled and tragic beyond words.

Having killed its prey, the ying fish immediately dragged the carcass into the depths of the lake and vanished. Qinghu thought the matter was over.

But before she could turn back toward the village, a voice sounded by her ear—a clear, gentle woman’s voice, carried by spiritual thought.

“Revered One, are you merely passing by, or do you intend to establish a cave-heaven and Daoist sanctuary here?”

“And who are you?” Qinghu asked.

“I am the ying fish who just slew the intruding armored crocodile.”

Qinghu immediately realized—this was a fish with true wisdom, a so-called monster-fish.

“You’re a monster-fish?”