Chapter 193: General Huang
The next instant,
A buzzing vibration passed through the ripples in the water into the minds of the various water demons,
“Lads, work hard, grind with all your might! Once this king becomes an immortal, I will surely appoint you as river gods in these hundred li of water waves!”
“You there, catfish spirit, no slacking off, keep grinding for me!”
Inside the water cave, faintly visible was a loach covered in sticky mucus, with spotted patterns all over its body, thin and long.
It was fully three or four zhang long, lying in the cave with only its head of sharp fangs and teeth exposed.
But on its head, there was a knife scar, seemingly freshly chopped, with the flesh still new and tender.
It actually added a few points of ferocity to this loach demon.
A few days ago, this loach demon had secretly gone ashore and raided the shantytown area at night.
Although it was injured by the soldiers from Wuguan Camp and forced back into the water,
It had a blessing in disguise; with the rising tide, it actually found the treasure of Sancha River that everyone and every demon was seeking.
That crimson scale!
A group of water demons was fervently grinding the scale.
A gaya fish（ yellow ox fish）, perhaps exhausted from overwork, dizzy and seeing stars, dropped the cobblestone it held in its mouth while repeatedly grinding the scale.
It itself then crashed headfirst into the scale.
“Boom!”
The scale suddenly spat out a wisp of true fire, blazing like the fierce sun; with just one sweep, the gaya fish turned into charred fragments, not even splashing a drop of water.
Perhaps tainted by karma of killing, the sacrificial refining was obstructed.
The originally smooth surface of the scale instantly became rough and dull, even its red glow dimmed somewhat.
The other lesser demons trembled in fear, their fish eyes bulging round, not even daring to wag their tails.
“Useless thing! Can’t do anything right, only screws up! Simply ruining General Huang’s great cause!”
Seeing this, the loach demon who called itself General Huang flew into a rage, its tail lashing the cave wall, shaking up muddy sand and making the water turbid.
Monsters are rare; two-legged humans are easy to find, but legless monsters that can grind scales are hard to come by.
Although Three Forked Road had attracted quite a few aquatic creatures in the darkness due to ‘hiding a treasure’,
In this period, some had died, some crippled; those that could be caught to grind the scale were even fewer.
Now another one died; it was impossible for it, General Huang, to do it itself!
Would that still be called a general?
A slightly intelligent white flower snake cautiously swam over and offered advice,
“General Huang, a few days ago at Three Forked Road came a porpoise demon with a rounded forehead, colluding with humans all day, quite intelligent. Why not capture it? Seeing its short beak and curved lips, it must be skilled at grinding scales!”
General Huang listened, eyes lighting up, suddenly realizing.
Right, how could it have forgotten that outsider monster!
At the same time, outside the water cave.
Silver Scholar and golden scaled perch continued silently peeking.
Silver Scholar couldn’t quite explain why it used the word ‘peeking’ to describe itself.
It had only seen the high god doing the same, secretly monitoring the mourning hall, so it imitated to resemble the divine.
A few days ago, it had discovered this General Huang, who surprisingly enslaved other lesser demons like humans to grind the scale for it.
It didn’t know the origin of the scale’s original owner; just this one scale was the size of a millstone, hard to imagine how massive its owner’s body must be.
Moreover, this scale could glow and even spit fire.
Perfectly matching the high god’s former instructions.
Especially, Silver Scholar faintly sensed from that crimson scale an aura of utmost fear that made it tremble and submit involuntarily.
And somewhat familiar.
So Silver Scholar and golden scaled perch had secretly lurked here, observing the situation.
Seeing General Huang send a few lesser demons out to trick the porpoise into joining, Silver Scholar’s eyes turned.
This matter couldn’t blow up.
General Huang daring to catch that porpoise demon was like carrying a lantern into a latrine—courting death.
That porpoise demon now had a special identity; even Wuqing Sticky Rod Bureau hoped to find a righteous person skilled in translating porpoise language for cooperation.
In order to ride porpoises to part the waters, manipulate waves, head to Funiu Water Marsh, and thoroughly eliminate the source of the demon scourge.
The porpoise demon was more precious than an ancestor.
General Huang could not die at anyone else’s hands; it must die quietly and soundlessly in the high god’s hands.
Make a fortune in silence; this was also what the high god had repeatedly emphasized.
Thinking of this, Silver Scholar immediately decided, using its pectoral fin to nudge golden scaled perch’s belly.
The two fish swam out, arriving before the water cave.
Silver Scholar called, “Open the door!”
The gatekeeping lesser demon inside opened the door and came out, waving its shrimp claws, curiously asking,
“What kind of demon are you? How dare you come to General Huang’s immortal cave?”
Silver Scholar laughed and cursed, “You shrimp soldiers and crab generals, suicidal beasts! What kind of sesame-sized mud hole dares call itself an immortal cave! Is the word ‘immortal’ for you to use? Hurry in and report to your yellow loach, tell it to come out quickly and greet this grandpa; if it’s late, grandpa will eat your whole nest!”
Silver Scholar was originally carnivorous; at this moment, it suddenly opened its mouth wide, with white teeth still bearing meat residue, stretched and snapped—truly ferocious and evil.
The lesser demon was scared out of its wits and hurriedly swam inside.
Golden scaled perch also fearfully wanted to swim away but was blocked by Silver Scholar.
“Fool, we’re on the same side; what are you afraid of, where are you going?!”
“Oh.”
Golden scaled perch then suddenly woke up and obediently stayed by Silver Scholar’s side, acting as a helper.
And inside the water cave.
The gatekeeping lesser demon swam to General Huang and reported,
“General Huang! It’s over, it’s over; the scale can’t be ground anymore. Outside the cave, there’s a silver-faced bucktoothed fish demon come to storm the immortal cave!”
General Huang was already furious; hearing this, it was seething with rage, letting out a shrill cry, actually holding a seven-foot-two-inch goose-feather spear in its mouth, and whooshed out of the cave.
General Huang shouted sharply,
“Which nameless lesser demon dares to cause trouble on your grandpa’s turf?”
Silver Scholar showed no fear, mocking,
“This fellow is truly like a kiln burner; must be brushing charcoal and digging holes for a living here—how come it’s all yellow and black?”
Although General Huang didn’t know what ‘kiln burner’ or ‘brushing charcoal’ meant, hearing Silver Scholar’s sarcastic tone, it knew it wasn’t anything good, and immediately cried out again shrilly,
“Give me your life!”
It immediately charged with the goose-feather spear in its mouth.
Silver Scholar was unafraid, dodging sideways like a blur, stabbing straight at General Huang’s face.
Now the two precious fish had been nurtured by Chen Shun’an, especially the qi-eating insect’s excrement, which was a supreme treasure for them.
They were no longer nobodies; each had strong muscles and bones, powerful waists, comparable to true intent martial artists.
Thus,
General Huang and Silver Scholar fought for dozens of rounds, surprisingly evenly matched, inseparable.
Moreover, golden scaled perch was outside stirring trouble, watching menacingly.
Once General Huang fell to a disadvantage and sensed life-and-death crisis, the entire loach immediately sobered up.
It carefully looked at Silver Scholar and said in surprise,
“So it’s you?”
It suddenly dropped the goose-feather spear, swung its tail to retreat to the cave mouth, perfectly blocking the path, deliberately using its body to shield, afraid Silver Scholar would glimpse the red scale inside.
General Huang then said gravely,
“I thought you had been fished up and lost your life. I have no grudge against you; why barge into my immortal cave?”
It turned out Silver Scholar was quite famous around Banye Ferry Crossing and Sancha River as…
Often leading other precious fish and water demons to swindle humans for food and drink.
Silver Scholar also halted its attack, glanced at the water cave, and said,
“Why? Treasures reside with the virtuous… Old Huang, you picked up the treasure red scale; why not let us also appraise it?”
General Huang’s face immediately darkened upon hearing this.
This silver fish was like a mouse, huh? Such a keen nose?
It even knew the treasure red scale was hidden in its water cave?
Fortunately, it, General Huang, was naturally yellow-black like charcoal, so no one could tell the change in its expression.
“Hmph! Then come in…”
General Huang knew it couldn’t monopolize this treasure, and immediately led Silver Scholar and golden scaled perch into the water cave.
In the cave, the other water demons floated to the sides like underlings, making way for the three demons.
In the cave corner were piled sundries: a broken mast, a few pieces of rusted broken silver, and a human skull from who-knows-where.
Silver Scholar and the other fish swaggered up to the red scale.
Upon close inspection of the crimson scale, Silver Scholar immediately confirmed its suspicion.
Indeed left by that great demon hidden in Funiu Water Marsh.
If I offer this treasure to the high god…
Silver Scholar casually glanced at golden scaled perch beside it, thinking darkly.
I, Silver Scholar, am surely the high god’s first trusted general and strategist!
In the future, the first to be appointed river god!
Silver Scholar shook its head and said, “Old Huang, you’re wrong.”
General Huang’s eyes showed confusion.
Silver Scholar pointed at the surrounding aquatic creatures with its pectoral fin and said,
“We aquatic creatures have rough hands and great strength, suitable for heavy labor. But polishing such a spiritual item requires utmost delicacy and evenness.
Too much strength damages its luster; rough hands leave micro-scratches. In my humble opinion, in all heaven and earth, when it comes to dexterity of the ten fingers, none surpass the humans on shore. Why not capture some live humans for this task? It will double the results with half the effort, soon making this treasure shine brightly.”
General Huang stared blankly at Silver Scholar.
To be honest, Silver Scholar spoke in flowery, lengthy prose.
General Huang didn’t quite understand.
But capturing some live humans—those words it got.
So General Huang pretended to ponder and said gravely,
“But nowadays, humans on shore are all cunning; even pearl-gathering fishermen have dedicated guards—it’s really hard to make a move…”
“No problem, with me!”
Silver Scholar immediately offered a plan, saying,
“To be honest, I have an enemy, an old man! Second-rate late stage martial artist cultivation, decent water skill, greedy and lecherous!”
“Especially, this person once fished me up, but I escaped the hook; since then, he often patrols the shore with a fishing rod. As long as I show myself a bit, I can lure him here.”
“Then, relying on General Huang’s divine power, we cooperate to capture him… still worry this treasure won’t shine brightly?!”
General Huang, upon hearing this, was overjoyed,
“Good, then hurry and do it… No, I don’t trust you; between you two fish, one must stay as hostage.”
At this, General Huang eyed the two fish sinisterly.
It, General Huang, wasn’t stupid.
What if this silver fish tipped off others and brought a bunch of fish kin to seize its treasure scale?
Sure enough, upon these words, Silver Scholar immediately hesitated.
But who knew the next moment.
Golden scaled perch swam forward, blocking in front of Silver Scholar, and said,
“I’ll stay as the demon hostage; let it go.”
General Huang narrowed its eyes, a few whiskers twitching, and said,
“Why?”
Golden scaled perch raised its voice righteously,
“I’m the dumb one, it’s the smart one! Only then will you feel at ease with the smart fish handling it!”
Upon these words, General Huang and Silver Scholar both secretly nodded.
Makes sense.
In no time, Silver Scholar swam out of the water cave.
Looking back, it saw golden scaled perch with no awareness of being a ‘demon hostage’, casually blowing bubbles, nibbling water grass in the cave, occasionally patting its own white plump belly with its pectoral fin to aid digestion.
Silver Scholar shook its head.
“Without me, this family would have fallen apart long ago!”
The previous text had two adjustments: 1. Grass talisman progress is（80/100）, the previous 78/100 was a typo; 2. The people from Tongzhou are Zhang Xiangling and Xu Hong, with Red Fifth Master openly, making a show; Zhang Wei in the shadows, investigating which forces in Wuqing County are cozying up to Yue Shan Daoist Academy. That is, the young ones tempering openly on the surface, the protect-the-dao ones in the shadows… There will be a third update later.
