Reborn Divine Doctor: The Abandoned Girl's Legend

Chapter 1318: Chapter 378: Turmoil on the Water

Ye Lingyue, Di Shen, and the others spent that very day going around Yuliao Town asking questions.

But because of their fear of Water Ghosts, the corpses of those who had died earlier in the Water Ghost incident had all been cremated.

Ye Lingyue and Di Shen split up, each gathering information in town.

Back to Luo Qianche and the others: after their ships left the dock of Yuliao Town, they entered the Han River.

After sailing for roughly half a day, close to noon, the ships entered a River Valley area choked with water grass.

”Reporting to Young City Lord, up ahead is the area where the Water Ghosts show up all the time.”

The one leading the way was that Civilian Soldier Captain who had committed an offense earlier; as he spoke, his legs were shaking.

The sunlight was just right, and the River Valley ahead looked quiet and beautiful. From time to time waterfowl skimmed past, snatching up little fish in their beaks.

This stretch, in the past, had lush water grass and produced abundant fish and shrimp; it was also the section most frequented by fishing boats. But now, there wasn’t a single boat in sight, only the one carrying Luo Qianche and her people.

The ship Luo Qianche and the others were on belonged to the Mayor’s Residence. It had cost a fortune, its hull solid and luxurious. The ship was fitted with a spyglass and a compass, and could truly be called a fine vessel suited for both attack and defense.

”The water is calm as a mirror all around. How does this look like there are any Water Ghosts? Row straight toward the center.”

Luo Qianche looked around and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

”Young City Lord, we can’t get any closer.”

The Civilian Soldier Captain was on the verge of tears.

”I told you to go forward, so go forward. If you dare defy me again, I’ll send you into the water right now to be a Water Ghost.”

Luo Qianche’s left eye glared sharply, and the Civilian Soldier Captain had no choice but to order the crew to continue ahead.

Another quarter-hour passed. The sun had already climbed high above the ship’s mast when, all of a sudden, the vessel that had been gliding smoothly jolted to a stop beneath the surface.

”Reporting to the team leader, the oars are jammed by water grass—we can’t move.”

The crew member reported in a panic.

With the oars trapped in water grass, the ship only spun in place and no longer moved forward.

”Useless trash. The oars are stuck and you still aren’t getting in the water to cut the grass?”

Jiang Ce kicked several crew members straight into the river. Those crewmen had no choice but to draw the Swords at their waists and swim toward the oars, hacking at the water grass with difficulty.

One chop, two chops—those crewmen used all their strength, but there was no sign of the water grass being cut through.

The water grass growing along the Han River and Moli Sea’s fringes had absorbed the rich Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power in the sea. It was far tougher than ordinary water grass; each common strand was as thick as a thumb, like the tendon of a demon beast, extremely hard to sever.

These crewmen had been forcibly conscripted earlier from Yuliao Town; at best, they only had the cultivation of Postnatal Martial Artists. After a round of hacking, the oars were still bound fast by the water grass.

”A bunch of useless trash, you can’t even handle a few strands of water grass.”

Seeing this, Jiang Ce grew annoyed. Wanting to show off, he leapt into the water in a flash.

His Power of Reincarnation condensed into a blade, and he slashed down hard.

Jiang Ce truly lived up to his role as a Patrol Envoy of the Jiu Provinces Alliance; his strength was impressive.

His cultivation was a fierce, forceful Power of Reincarnation Gold. With a single chop, it turned into a sweep of overlapping blade shadows.

The water grass split with a crack, and the oars that had been trapped were freed.

Jiang Ce’s face showed smug satisfaction; he was just about to withdraw his power.

But at that moment, a bizarre scene occurred with the water grass he had just chopped through.

The water grass moved like living things—countless vines and leaves undulated like octopus tentacles, one after another rapidly swelling and expanding.

With several sharp swishes, the water grass turned into several black streaks, lunging at the fishermen.

The fishermen didn’t even have time to resist before the water grass pierced through their chests and ripped open their torsos. In an instant, the river’s surface was awash with blood, the stench so thick it made breathing difficult.

Not only that, great masses of water grass, as if they had gone mad, surged toward the ship. They punched through the cabin, snapped the mast, and soon had the vessel tightly bound and immobilized in the water.

Seeing this, a bone-deep sense of terror surged up Jiang Ce’s spine.

This was no water grass. It was clearly man-killing Evil Spirits lurking in the water.

There was a sharp ”snap” as masses of water grass suddenly lashed toward Jiang Ce.

A cold, slick sensation wrapped around Jiang Ce’s wrists and ankles. He looked down and saw that his hands and feet were already tightly entangled by water grass.

Jiang Ce’s expression darkened several shades. He shook his wrist, and several more streams of Power of Reincarnation Gold surged out from within his body.

That Power of Reincarnation Gold was abnormally fierce, like countless darts, striking at the water grass binding his limbs.

But with a metallic clang, Jiang Ce’s Power of Reincarnation was shattered.

Stimulated, the water grass turned into enraged Fierce Beasts; countless sharp poisonous spines sprouted from the once-smooth vines.

Those spines stabbed into Jiang Ce’s arms and legs, and blood immediately gushed from his body. Jiang Ce’s agonized screams shattered the calm on the river surface, startling a flock of water birds into frantic flight.

”Merfolk King, save Jiang Ce, now!”

The sudden turn of events left Luo Qianche pale with shock. While ordering the crew to turn back at once, she personally led the guards from the Mayor’s Residence in hacking apart the water grass that kept climbing onto the ship.

Luo Qianche saw Jiang Ce wrapped up by the water grass and unable to move, and hurriedly ordered the Merfolk King into the water.

Jiang Ce was someone she had brought along. Her father had repeatedly warned her on the way to take good care of him.

If this went on, Jiang Ce was as good as dead.

”This subordinate is only responsible for protecting the Young City Lord.”

As for Jiang Ce’s miserable state, the Merfolk King acted as if he hadn’t seen it.

There was a sharp crack, and five finger marks appeared on the Merfolk King’s stern face.

Luo Qianche’s eyes widened.

”Insolent beast, you dare defy my orders? Don’t forget, you’re only our family’s Summoned Beast. Whatever I tell you to do, you must do.”

The Merfolk King’s gaze turned icy. He flicked his palm.

The river surface instantly heaved with waves. Several streams of Water Power turned into multiple water lances, and with several heavy thuds they smashed into the wildly thrashing water grass that looked like some octopus monster.

Those strange water grasses seemed cowed by the overpowering Reincarnation Water Power emanating from the Merfolk King. They no longer dared linger, abandoning Jiang Ce and the ship to dive back beneath the surface.

Very soon, every strand of water grass in this area vanished without a trace, and the whole river surface returned to calm.

When Jiang Ce was hauled back on board, he was gravely wounded, his breathing faint.

As for the ship, it was riddled with holes everywhere, and nearly half the crew had died on the water.

”Water Ghosts—this must be Water Ghosts showing their power. Young City Lord, we’ve long said those Water Ghosts are terrifyingly fierce; we can’t provoke them.” The Civilian Soldier Captain’s face was deathly pale.

”Shut up.”

Luo Qianche was distraught as well. Even if she was unwilling to admit it, she knew something was definitely wrong on this Han River.

The hull was damaged, and both the crew and Jiang Ce were all severely to moderately wounded. Luo Qianche no longer had any mind to linger on the Han River; she immediately ordered the ship to turn around and head back to the town first.

Just as Luo Qianche began the return voyage, a shadow clung to the underside of the hull, silently approaching Yuliao Town.