Chapter 246 - 42: Jian Sheng

Chapter 246: Chapter 42: Jian Sheng

"Young Master Yan, these are all the books I collected from the counties around the East River Domain and from some of the local fishermen, just as you requested."

Zhao Tong approached, carrying a book chest filled with a tall stack of books.

"Good work."

Lin Yan nodded and patted Zhao Tong’s shoulder.

After Zhao Tong had left the courtyard, Lin Yan closed the gate. He then returned to the chest, took out the books, and arranged them on the wooden table Zhou Chuan had delivered a few days prior.

The table’s four legs were exquisitely carved. More importantly, it was crafted from a special wood that wouldn’t crack or rot even when left out in the wind and sun.

Dongjiang Chronicles

Fisherman’s Night Talk

Lijiang County Chronicles

Dongjiang Water Ghost Record

Fisherman’s Night Talk

...

Some of these books had been written long ago, while others were newly transcribed, their ink not yet completely dry.

’Zhao Tong truly is an excellent subordinate. Anything I ask of him, he handles flawlessly.’

A look of satisfaction crossed Lin Yan’s face. He had asked Zhao Tong to collect strange tales and legends about the East River Waters, and Zhao Tong had immediately understood his intentions. Not only had he brought local chronicles from several nearby counties, but he had even sent people into fishing villages to record the stories of the old fishermen, compiling them into books to be delivered.

He casually flipped open the topmost book. Its cover bore the four faded words: Dongjiang Water Ghost Record.

The book was filled with legends of monsters and spirits in the East River. There were tales of water ghosts dragging people into the river to take their place, a century-old giant turtle carrying a stone tablet to ferry people across, and will-o’-the-wisps appearing on the river’s surface at midnight, only to vanish without a trace when fishing boats approached.

Every story was written vividly, but Lin Yan flipped through half the book without finding anything related to the Bone Fragment.

The whole reason he’d had Zhao Tong find these books was to look for clues related to the Bone Fragment.

He was certain the Bone Fragment—looted from the corpse of the man in gray—was connected to the East River Waters, and not just a personal item. While patrolling on the river, he had taken out the Bone Fragment on a whim and submerged it. To his surprise, the moment it touched the water, the surrounding current shifted, forming a small vortex with the fragment at its center.

A Bone Fragment that could create a vortex in the river water—Lin Yan was extremely curious about its origin.

Lin Yan’s brow furrowed deeper as he went through several books in a row. The tales of ghosts and monsters were simply too outlandish.

Then, he picked up a book titled Dongjiang Water Taboo.

This book described the ten great taboos of living on the East River, such as making a sacrifice to the River God when launching a new boat, and not calling out people’s names when passing Broken Dragon Beach...

One of the taboos caught his attention.

[Do not cross Black Water Bay late at night.]

Following this taboo was an explanation: [An Exotic Beast lies dormant in the deep pools of Black Water Bay. It emerges on the night of the full moon and has a taste for human blood. According to fishermen’s legends, the beast’s bones can ward off water, but none have ever been seen.]

This caught Lin Yan’s attention because he remembered that the Roving Bandits attacked boats late at night, murdering their victims and tossing the bodies into the river.

’If this taboo is real, were those people using human blood to lure out this so-called Exotic Beast?’

Setting his speculation aside, Lin Yan continued looking through the other books. He eventually found another volume—a freshly transcribed manuscript based on the oral accounts of the old men living by the river. One section, from an elderly herb gatherer, recounted a particular story.

[When the old man was young, he had a companion who went into the deep mountains of Black Water Bay to gather herbs. He came to a mountain stream and found a dead, monstrous fish at the bottom of the ravine. The creature’s body was already rotten, but inside its belly was a single bone, three inches long, white and lustrous. Upon close inspection, faint blue veins were visible. The old man’s companion picked it up, steeped it in wine, and drank it. He unexpectedly exploded, his body bursting apart and splattering blood for dozens of feet.]

Reading this account, Lin Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. The Bone Fragment in the old man’s story was identical to the one in his possession in every way except for its size.

The Bone Fragment he held was five inches long, while the color and even the faint blue veins were an exact match.

He spent another half an hour finishing the rest of the books. After confirming there were no more useful clues, Lin Yan began to sort through the information and his own thoughts.

’First, the Bone Fragment can create a vortex when placed in water, which could arguably be described as "warding off water."’

’If the legend of the Exotic Beast is true, it’s highly likely that it’s what the old man’s companion encountered.’ 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

’So this Bone Fragment really is the bone of some kind of underwater monster?’

’The origin isn’t important. What matters is what it can do.’

Lin Yan was already fairly certain of the Bone Fragment’s origin and felt no need for absolute proof. His primary goal in finding these books had been to discover what the fragment could be used for.

So far, all it could do was create a foot-wide vortex, which served no real purpose.

’The old man’s companion exploded, his blood splattering for dozens of feet. That sounds just like the signs of a surge in Qi Blood that the body can’t handle. So, can this Bone Fragment increase one’s Qi Blood?’

Lin Yan toyed with the Bone Fragment in his hand. After a long moment, he finally decided to give it a try.

However, he had no intention of soaking it in wine.

’I have to say, the common folk of Shandong Dao have inherited a fine tradition from my previous life’s countrymen.’

’If it’s non-toxic, eat it raw. If it’s slightly toxic, cook it and eat it. If it’s highly toxic or unidentified, just soak it in wine and drink it.’

Holding the Bone Fragment in his palm, Lin Yan circulated the Eight Desolates Dragon Elephant Technique, trying to see if he could absorb the Bone Fragment’s energy.

For a Martial Artist in the Blood Exchange Realm, Cultivation could be done by absorbing an Elixir externally. By placing it in their palm, the elixir’s properties would be absorbed through the pores as their Qi Blood circulated. However, this method was very inefficient, and some of the medicinal effect was easily lost.