Chapter 431: The Cooked Duck
The White Gap deity kept his eyes fixed on Qin Mu, who worked diligently and earnestly to reattach his leg without any complaint, stitching the stump to the severed limb.
"Senior Brother White Gap isn't human, is he?"
Qin Mu carefully examined the nerves, stimulating the nervous system at the break and applying medicinal treatments. "I can see your body structure differs from humans. Which race are you?"
Light surged from the center of White Gap's brow, and a soaring primordial spirit emerged—a dragon-horse with wings on its back, a horn on its head, flowing mane, pure white body, and spirited vigor. Truly a dragon-horse spirit!
Qin Mu looked up and praised, "What a magnificent steed! Such a primordial spirit is rare!"
"The word 'steed' suits me well enough."
White Gap's primordial spirit watched his every move and spoke, "But I rarely reveal my true form. Back in the Kaihuang... ahem, in ancient times, of course, before a little thing like you was born, a magnificent creature like me could only deliver messages and serve as a mount for others. A true waste of talent."
Qin Mu's expression shifted slightly. "Then how did Senior Brother White Gap end up in the Upper Firmament?"
White Gap sighed. "The heavens changed, the earth transformed. Even a deity of humble origins like me got a chance to rise. Not long after the anomaly occurred, I surrendered. Later, when the Great Ruins appeared, many who surrendered alongside me climbed the ranks. They were better at currying favor and left this realm to enjoy themselves, leaving only a few of us behind. Those fellows sure knew how to flatter! Though I have the word 'horse' in my name, I'm still not as good at bootlicking as they are. But it's fine—better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox."
He chuckled. "Those fellows, despite their scheming, are still at the bottom in the upper realm. It's better to stay in the lower realm, where we can throw our weight around, stand high above, and enjoy the pleasures of worship and sacrifice from the masses."
"And yet, to this day, you're still nothing more than an errand runner," Qin Mu said with a faint smile.
White Gap erupted in fury, his divine might exploding. "What did you say?"
Qin Mu laughed. "Don't get worked up. If I connect the nerves wrong, you'll be lame even after I fix it."
White Gap sighed again. "You're right. I am indeed an errand runner. Before, I ran errands delivering messages. Now, I run errands delivering calamities. The dirty, hard work still falls to me, and it's filthier than before. But it can't be helped. If I don't do it, I won't escape death either. How formidable are the Four Lords of the Upper Firmament? Even those with greater skills than mine can only run errands! Not just run errands—they have to fight to the death! I wonder how many of them will survive."
A look of worry crossed his face. Still, no other celestial weapon had been activated, suggesting that Qiao Xingjun and the others were in grave danger.
Qin Mu said, "If you surrender to me this time, I can make you a mountain god and let you enjoy sacrifices. How about becoming a mountain god by the Yong River, keeping the Dragon Tamer company? Every year, those who hang themselves or jump off cliffs on the mountain will be your meals. I have a good place—next to Deer County, there's a mountain called Hundred-Year Mountain. Scenic beauty, towering ten thousand zhang. You can be the mountain god there; it won't disgrace you."
"Pah!"
White Gap laughed scornfully. "I'm not that shameless Dragon Tamer! I've surrendered once already—how can I surrender a second time? Do I have no face left? Besides, I'm a vegetarian, born a vegetarian. I don't eat people. I once wanted to be a mountain god, but I was too fast, so I could only run errands delivering messages. If I'd been slower, I might have landed an official post."
Qin Mu was caught between laughter and tears. "So your own talent has been your downfall."
White Gap smiled. "You're not a bad person. You have a kind heart, and I appreciate that. Once you've fixed my leg, we can talk. Even if the Yan Kingdom is destroyed, you can come with me to the Upper Firmament. I can't promise much, but at least I can ensure the safety of your family."
Qin Mu thanked him. "It's good to leave myself a way out. I've wanted to go to the Upper Firmament for a long time, but I don't have any divine incense to make contact."
"That's easy. I have some."
White Gap's eyes flickered. "As long as you heal my injury and let me complete this calamity smoothly, I'll take you to the Upper Firmament."
Qin Mu sprinkled some powder on his severed leg, and nerves grew rapidly like tiny earthworms, waving tendrils in the air. He laughed. "I was planning to sign a Tu Bo pact with you to stop the calamity, but instead you're trying to persuade me to surrender. Senior Brother, once your leg is fixed, we'll sign the Tu Bo pact immediately. No backing out this time!"
White Gap watched his technique. His fingers flew so fast they were a blur, yet the movements were incredibly delicate, like threading a needle, combined with medical fingerwork. He asked curiously, "Have you studied sewing? Your technique looks like a tailor's."
"A little."
Qin Mu used his primordial energy to form threads, rapidly splicing nerves. "I studied it for a few years."
White Gap grew more curious. "What else have you studied?"
Qin Mu's fingers moved faster and faster. "Formations, fist techniques, eye techniques, blade techniques, body techniques, forging, calligraphy and painting, carpentry, poetry and song—I know a little of each."
All the nerves in White Gap's severed leg connected, allowing him to feel his leg reattached to his body. He was both surprised and delighted, glancing at Qin Mu. "This kid's skills aren't bad, and his heart isn't bad either. It's a shame I have to kill him..."
Qin Mu then connected the blood vessels, spliced the broken bones, and used the Dragon Qilin's saliva to regenerate flesh. "The marrow hasn't fused yet. That's the hardest part. Senior Brother, marrow is crucial for blood production. I need to cultivate it with medicine first, then nourish the marrow in the severed leg so it can produce blood. But once the marrow produces blood, you and I will sign the Tu Bo pact. You won't bring the calamity, and I'll let you return to the Upper Firmament."
White Gap identified each herb, confirming no tricks were involved, and smiled. "Fair enough."
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief and ordered a large cauldron brought in. He soaked the herbs in water and had a fire lit. "It should take about two days for the marrow to produce blood."
White Gap quickly said, "Move the cauldron closer. My hand can't leave the Five Thunder Pot."
Qin Mu smiled. "Senior Brother White Gap is truly meticulous. Are you afraid I might pull something? The cauldron stays here. I won't move it. And with your hand always on the Five Thunder Pot, I'm worried you might accidentally trigger it."
Their eyes met, and Qin Mu didn't yield an inch.
White Gap felt refreshed, full of dragon-horse spirit, and laughed heartily. "Fine, have it your way."
Qin Mu sat nearby, waiting quietly. The Flood Dragon King stood guard. White Gap's primordial spirit hovered above, ready to activate the Five Thunder Pot at any moment, while he soaked in the cauldron, feeling the medicine slowly seep into his injured leg, nourishing flesh and blood, then gradually penetrating the bone to nourish the marrow.
"Comfortable."
Bored, White Gap teased, "Has Lord Qin married?"
"Yes."
Qin Mu brought out a sundial to observe the time. The sundial had many fine markings. "I've married twice."
"What a shame. I was planning to introduce you to some beauties from my clan once you reached the Upper Firmament."
White Gap laughed. "If you had children, they might be half-human, half-horse. Just thinking about it is amusing! Hahahaha!"
Qin Mu didn't reply, continuing to watch the sundial.
White Gap was clearly in good spirits, chatting idly and occasionally bursting into laughter, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
Unnoticed, a day and a half passed. White Gap's laughter grew louder, and his gaze toward Qin Mu became more hostile.
"Lord Qin, let me tell you a joke. Once upon a time, a man boiled a duck. When the duck was cooked, he was about to eat it, but suddenly the duck flew away. Hahahaha! Why aren't you laughing? Let me tell you another joke. That cooked duck flew back and ate the fool! Hahahaha..."
Qin Mu remained motionless, still staring at the sundial.
White Gap's eyes turned fierce, and he sneered, "You're not laughing or talking. Are you discriminating against me? If you discriminate against me, I'll kill you!"
Qin Mu looked up, a smile spreading across his face. "Time's up. Make your move."
As he spoke, a tremor shook the area. Around the Fragrant Well, five green-faced, fanged ghosts materialized, spinning rapidly. The Five Thunder Pot vanished into thin air!
White Gap's primordial spirit immediately reached out to grab it but caught only one of the ghosts. He roared in fury, thunder shaking the entire Purple Thorn City!
Behind Qin Mu, the Flood Dragon King roared, revealing his true form, coiling around the entire Fragrant Well courtyard, his dragon head fixed on White Gap's primordial spirit.
White Gap crushed the ghost he'd caught and quickly recalled his primordial spirit. As the spirit re-entered his body, a surge of evil energy rushed from his injured leg, invading his flesh, wandering between his spirit and divine hideouts. Horrified, he quickly mobilized his divine power to suppress it!
"Damn it! I guarded against everything but this!"
The Flood Dragon King seized the opportunity, pouncing and coiling his body around White Gap, locking him in place until the veins bulged on his forehead.
Qin Mu stood up, drew his sword, and tossed the Carefree Sword to the ground. He smiled. "Senior Brother White Gap, my cooked ducks never fly away. Here's the sword. You can now cut off the poisoned part. Flood Dragon King, release him. When I cook a duck, I like to let the duck cut itself. With my poison, Senior Brother White Gap can only cut from the neck down—everything below the neck must go."
The Flood Dragon King hesitated but still released White Gap.
White Gap roared, his divine might rolling, shattering the cauldron of medicinal soup into pieces. He strode toward Qin Mu, murderous intent soaring.
The Flood Dragon King tensed, ready to strike, but White Gap suddenly dispersed his divine might, dropping to one knee. He sighed. "I surrendered once before. What's one more time? Bai, is willing to submit."
Qin Mu smiled. "Don't worry. The scenery at Hundred-Year Mountain is beautiful. You'll suit it well. Swear an oath to Tu Bo. Once you do, I'll make you the mountain god of Hundred-Year Mountain, and you'll enjoy sacrifices."
Half a day later, White Gap, his face dark, rode the wind and clouds to Deer County by the Yong River. He looked around and frowned. The county was surrounded by hills only a hundred zhang high—barren and desolate. Where was the scenic, towering ten-thousand-zhang mountain?
White Gap descended from the clouds and asked a farmer, "Where is Hundred-Year Mountain?"
"That's it!"
Following the farmer's pointing finger, White Gap saw a small hill shrouded in deathly aura. He fumed, "That's clearly a graveyard, a place to bury bodies! Why is it called Hundred-Year Mountain?"
The farmer laughed. "What happens to ordinary people after a hundred years? They die, of course! So it's called Hundred-Year Mountain—after a hundred years, you're buried there."
White Gap was stunned. "Isn't Hundred-Year Mountain supposed to be ten thousand zhang tall?"
"This horned fool!"
The farmer couldn't help but chuckle. "When a dead person lies down, they're only a few inches tall. To a dead person, isn't Hundred-Year Mountain ten thousand zhang high?"
White Gap flew into a rage, soaring to Hundred-Year Mountain and shouting, "That Qin fellow tricked me!"
Suddenly, the Yong River beside him split open, and a massive head emerged from the water, curiously examining him. It laughed, "I thought I sensed a divine aura. So it's you, Daoist White Gap. What brings you here? You said that Qin fellow tricked you—what happened?"
"So it's the Dragon Tamer!"
White Gap hurriedly bowed from the hilltop. "I came to bring calamity to Yan and met the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader..."
"Don't say another word! I know!"
The dragon in the river shook and transformed into the Dragon Tamer's form, his face grave. "Was he acting all honest and kind, looking easy to bully, wasn't he?"
White Gap was surprised. "How did you know?"
The Dragon Tamer stamped his foot. "It's because of that honesty of his that I became the Dragon King of the Yong River!"
—A chapter of 3,500 words, requesting monthly votes~