Beware Of Chicken v7c34: Metal to Water

We passed the night on the island, relaxing beneath the stars atop a pile of blankets and towels. It felt wonderful to simply unwind, with Meimei leaning her head against my chest and Zhuye nestled in the bend of my arm. No pesky bugs ventured near; not even the hum of mosquito wings interrupted the enchanting chorus of frogs and insects, belting out their melodies with full enthusiasm.

Babe lay fast asleep beside us on the sand, with Sunny, his plow, placed on the blankets instead of him, while Washy encircled our camp in a protective coil. Yanjing and Suyan leaned against the dragon for support; at first, the Auditor planned to rest in the boat… yet he quickly changed his mind upon seeing the Lord Magistrate, Lady Wu, and Xue Ji head to that spot. Lastly, Washy's horns buzzed with the bees, the swarm ever watchful against any mosquitoes.

We rose at dawn as songbirds replaced the frogs with their tunes; the fireflies' glow faded gradually, and the sun rose over the horizon, ushering in a fresh array of performers.

Azure Spear Fishers plunged from their high spots into the lake, the tiny birds fulfilling their name by skewering fish close to the edges. They resembled streaks of blue lightning, darting with agility and accuracy, displaying their vivid plumage and chirping joyfully.

Even as they attacked the groups of minnows from above, they faced threats from beneath the surface. Massive bass lurked in the depths—many weighing over twenty pounds—and they erupted through the water like mallets, gobbling up anything in their way.

Turtles basked on limbs, absorbing the initial sunlight, among them a colossal snapping turtle; it matched the size of my torso, its shell covered in rough peaks and valleys, with a rugged, twisted hide.

Squirrels chattered from the branches. Butterflies danced in the air. Snakes slithered through the bushes, and dragonflies skimmed over the water's face.

At last, an eagle surveyed the scene haughtily from its nest in a nearby tree. A Pale Moon Eagle—its feathers were predominantly black, interlaced with silver threads. A circular mark stood out on its chest, and tiny flecks of color evoked the starry night. It gave us a brief look, lifted its crest, and with apparent scorn, it ignored the dozing dragon below its home and launched into the air, gliding upward.

“The scent here is so unique,” Meimei observed, absorbing the surroundings.

She spoke truly. The atmosphere on our farm carried a light, sweet aroma; the untamed breeze of Pale Moon Lake felt denser, laden with lakeweed and mossy timber scents. It wasn't unpleasant in the slightest.

I glanced her way. Her grin, gazing at the fog-shrouded lake. It rendered the morning utterly ideal.

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“Thanks, Suyan,” I remarked, handing a plate of grilled fish to our maid. She had ventured out once more this morning to snag some fresh catches, while I handled the cooking. ‘Dad privilege,’ I announced, drawing a light laugh. Washy observed from the side, impatiently anticipating the meal, with Yanjing still slumbering against his side. Mei and Zhuye splashed about in the shallows once again.

“It's my honor, Master,” she responded with a faint smile.

“How does the catch here stack up against the Howling Fangs?” I inquired.

“The fish grow far larger in this place! Greater diversity too. Still, I long for the mountain trout. Their meat tasted sweetest during autumn—almost like sweets,” she answered. “Yet navigating the streams and high lakes was far riskier. Frost Serpents sometimes hide at the depths, striking at any disturbance. Far less friendly than the serpents dwelling here.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed, the ones I've spotted reach only your length, Master, and they maintain distance. But they're not genuine serpents. They possess flippers. Likely fish predators. Their jaws are too narrow to swallow a person.”

We exchanged words on seafood briefly; Suyan felt at ease enough with me to converse casually. No lines needed—just spears and her bare hands. A spear thrust to the skull ended a fish swiftly and improved its flavor, per her knowledge; at times, she employed illusions too, so her targets remained unaware of her presence.

We talked and prepared the food, until our remaining three guests arrived. Lady Wu and the Lord Magistrate strolled leisurely from the cabin, trailed by Xue Ji. The leaders of Verdant Hill wore serene, enchanted expressions, and Xue Ji appeared

content.

“Restful evening?” I queried with a grin.

“” Lady Wu proclaimed, settling nearby. The Lord Magistrate exhaled in satisfaction, patted my shoulder, and dropped onto the log next to me with a solid thud. Xue Ji positioned herself neatly between them and remained silent… though her grin and swishing fox tail conveyed plenty.

Evidently, the trio had thoroughly delighted in their time.

I added final touches to our breakfast when a sudden noise drew everyone's focus.

“Nuuuuuh!” Zhuye fussed.

“No, that's not for eating,” Meimei stated softly, removing the handful of beach sand he'd attempted to munch from his grasp. He reached for it once more, only for his mother's fingers to block him again.

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Zhuye sulked dramatically. He stamped his tiny feet and frowned deeply. “Da!” he scolded his own mother. He pivoted toward me and pointed accusingly.

I arched a brow at him and shook my head.

My son flinched at the second refusal. He scanned for an ally to approve, but the bees cleverly stayed hidden from his sight… avoiding the need to refuse him. In the end, he appealed to the one who usually granted every wish, yet Suyan stood firm.

“Now, now, Young Master. Behave. The ground isn't delicious. Try this instead—it's quite flavorful,” she coaxed kindly. She offered a piece of hot, tender fish.

Denied thrice, his expression quivered, torn between outburst and curiosity about the fish. He appealed to the ultimate judge, Washy.

The mighty dragon gathered a fistful of sand and popped some into his mouth. He mulled it over chewing… then expelled it, protruding his tongue in an over-the-top grimace of revulsion.

“The decayed vegetation and lake water prove unfit for Little Brother’s taste,” he announced commandingly.

That seemed to seal the decisive ruling. Zhuye examined his sandy palms… and let the grains slip away. He mimicked the dragon's repulsed expression.

Next, he began rubbing his hands on his trousers.

“Thank you, Wa Shi,” Meiling uttered.

The dragon puffed up proudly. “Of course, Little Brother trusts my judgment fully! Allow me to cleanse the remaining grit, then you can savor this feast!” Streams of water swirled around him, softly rinsing Zhuye’s hands.

“You're an excellent older sibling,” I commented to the dragon, once we began eating.

“The finest, without doubt,” Washy boasted, though beneath the bravado lurked a hint of shy delight.

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Following breakfast, we rowed the boat back to the city initially; Yanjing had just that single day free, and duty called him now. Teacher, Lady Wu, and Xue Ji accompanied him.

Afterward, we returned to the lake. We discovered another island that seemed… fitting. Traces of Dragon Vein lingered faintly there, and I set to task. No grand displays of might occurred as we linked the mainland to this small isle… and after a few hours, Tianlan gained a stronger presence.

Then I submerged into the water. Much like earlier in the Ironfields. No arts employed, not yet. Simply… wandering, to every reachable depth.

Pale Moon Lake embraced me as a longtime companion. Although I'd dabbled in the ponds near home, I'd never pushed my limits fully; those waters proved too confined.

But here, no such limits bound me. I sliced through the lake like a blade, the fluid yielding and molding seamlessly around me, producing no trail in my passage.

It flowed so fluidly it required no effort.

Thus, I delved into discovery.

I circled the coastlines, witnessing only thriving vitality there. The contrast between Pale Moon Lake and the Ironfields stood out sharply. No barren rust wastes existed, no beasts tainted by toxins. This water ran pure and clear, nourished by the Howling Fangs' rainshadow plus countless highland rivulets. The Ironfields had seemed strangely warped, but this place? It rang entirely authentic. Countless species must inhabit these waters; even freshwater seals reclined on the beaches. Numerous tree varieties lined the shores, and the lake's peripheral islands boosted this variety further, forming novel niches by fragmenting the water and offering shelters for wildlife.

Villages dotted the edges often; I sensed their harmony with the terrain. They tilled soil and fished for livelihood, offering daily gratitude to the Pale Moon that sustained them, this wellspring of abundance that aided through failed harvests and hardships; its silt enriched fields and its catches nourished them.

The nearest parallel from the Before that came to mind was British Columbia's shoreline: immense trees, thick mists, and the aroma of moisture and vitality. A serene hush, a tranquil calm enveloped the Pale Moon's banks.

Next, I directed my focus below the surface.

I drew one breath, and over the following six hours, I drew none more. My lungs stayed expanded, my torso buoyant, without a hint of airless dread.

Clams, crawfish, and myriad minuscule beings navigated the lake floor; offshore lay vast groves of enormous lakeweed, akin to kelp. There, long-necked beasts resembling plesiosaurs ambushed fish near the seals; I glided amid their groups, and they parted around me as if I were liquid too, ignoring me entirely. Vibrant crawdads clashed beyond their dens; small eels tunneled through sandy expanses in elaborate patterns, capturing bug nymphs from the currents.

This lake spanned so vastly it resembled a sea more than a freshwater body—but akin to the Ironfields, its denizens had swiftly adjusted to evolving conditions.

Tianlan identified many of these beings—most once dwelled in river regions, migrating here as lake floods etched a channel to the ocean.

Yet we ventured deeper. Toward the lake's heart.

My connection to Tianlan grew taut. The hues shifted from lovely pale azure to a foreboding tone. Unlike seas with steep shelves, no abrupt plunges marked the drop. Rather, the lakebed bent like a basin into obscurity.

Still, I advanced. Flora and fauna thinned out gradually. Sporadic creatures darted by. A catfish rivaling a bus in length. A trout flock slicing through the void. A plesiosaur group basking atop the waves.

But farther in, even those encounters ceased.

“This… feels off,” Tianlan murmured uneasily, as we approached the core. The minuscule fragments of shattered Dragon Vein lay far beneath.

The lake's midst formed a true Qi wasteland. Genuine, like the barren zone edging the peaks.

And a barren expanse for life. I extended my awareness, finding in the center nothing beyond algae, and even those appeared… weakened.

Scarcely holding on.

For the first instance in six hours, I broke the surface. I inhaled deeply… then plunged anew.

Deeper, deeper, deeper. Into the gloom. Where pressure mounted until I noticed its weight slightly.

From Tianlan and Xiaoshi’s recollections… this site had been a colossal open pit. The profoundest section of the Pale Moon Ore excavations.

I reached the lakebed. I produced a light crystal, and beheld the sight.

While margins consisted of sand and silt, the depths here were rock. Scorched, devastated stone. Portions of the floor resembled paths carved by a gigantic worm through the stone, abandoning vast voids that descended endlessly. Passages that hinted at reaching the earth's core, from their sensed profundity—and I harbored no urge to verify. The yawning fissures stirred unease in me.

Even as a cultivator… I doubt I'd ever fancy delving into such caves.

I placed my palm against the ground. Against a minuscule remnant of lifeless Dragon Vein.

It quivered, and I perceived it. The final echoes of the miners’ spirits.

The ultimate sensation Tianlan herself endured.

Bewilderment. Astonishment. Terror.

Tianlan emitted a soft whimper of anguish in my mind. She shuddered. She relived the devastation, the desolation of her essence once more.

No forces clashed in balance. No clash of metal versus water. Here, water had triumphed. All of the metal had vanished, and with the source depleted, the process ceased.

All that remained was emptiness.

I resurfaced once more, and only then did I sense the chill and exhaustion gripping me.

…this challenge would prove arduous.

Well. Time to tackle it. It formed part of Tianlan. It scarred her form, and I'd strive to mend it.

I laid a figurative hand on Tianlan’s brow.

How does one mend such total ruin?

Step by step.

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Far overhead, a man perched upon a sword. He peered down at the Qi emptiness in the lake's midst.

Then toward his grandson, heading back to land. Every motion brimmed with resolve.

Shen Yu positioned himself to observe, his gaze absorbing the unfolding vista.