This Venerable One Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Chu Wanning's indifference extended to even gods and immortals. He said, mildly: "Does the Exalted God recognize me?"

"How could I not." Gouchen smiled in a refined manner, "Many years ago, when you came to Jincheng Lake in search of a weapon, the depth and purity of your spiritual strength was such that I almost couldn't resist coming out to see you. So how is it, is the weapon to your liking?"

"Which weapon is the Exalted God referring to?"

"...Ah." Gouchen startled slightly, then said with a smile, "How absentminded of me, to forget that I gave you two."

Chu Wanning said: "No matter. Tianwen works very well."

"Tianwen?"

"The willow vine."

"Oh. I see." Gouchen smiled, "So you named it Tianwen? And what about the other one? What's that one called?"

Chu Wanning answered: "Jiu'ge."

"And how is Jiu'ge?"

"It has a chilling nature, I rarely use it."

Gouchen sighed: "What a shame."

Chat over, Gouchen turned around and said languidly: "Wangyue, I'll be taking them down below. It's not good for your body to be up here above the water where the spiritual energy is so thin, so head back soon yourself."

The old dragon nodded, raising a large wave as it dived back into the lake, scales glittering.

Meanwhile, Chu Wanning busied himself casting water-repelling charms on the other three. Gouchen the Exalted watched with interest and thought to himself: this level of proficiency is rare amongst cultivators, wonder who his teacher is?

But Chu Wanning had an air of aloofness that didn't welcome small talk, and Gouchen the Exalted knew better than to pry.

Once all the preparations had been made, the group waded into the freezing waters of Jincheng Lake together.

Owing to the charm, they moved unhindered in water as on land. A boundless underwater world slowly came into view as they approached the bottom.

The bottom of the lake was covered in fine white sand, water plants drifted gently in the flow, and rows upon rows of finely detailed buildings lined the sides of criss-crossing streets. All kinds of monsters and beasts came and went on the streets and in the alleys; even some creatures that normally couldn't coexist lived in harmony here.

Gouchen said: "Jincheng Lake has plentiful spiritual energy, and thus embodies a kind of paradise. The creatures that make their homes here stay for generations without ever leaving, so many things are quite a bit different from what you might expect to see in the human realm. You're welcome to look around if you wish."

As he spoke, a snow white rabbit spirit with scarlet eyes rode past on a tiger. The rabbit was dressed in white robes, all pomp and poise with a look of arrogance as it ceaselessly berated the tiger to go faster. The tiger, on the other hand, was meek and obedient, without so much as a hint of dignity.

The group watched, speechless: "..."

Gouchen the Exalted led them along the main path. Countless shops crowded both sides of the street, and all kinds of creatures passed them by. Soon enough, they arrived at the center of the city where even more demons were gathered, making for quite the strange sight.

"Jincheng Lake rarely has any contact with the outside world, but you can barter for nearly anything you need here."

Xue Meng asked: "Legend has it that Jincheng Lake was formed from your blood, so wouldn't that make you the master of this place, then, since it's your spiritual energy that's sustaining everything here?"

"I wouldn't go that far." Gouchen smiled a little, "Besides, that's all in the past already. I left the realm of gods long ago, and my spiritual strength is nothing like what it used to be. Thinking back now, those heaven and earth-shattering things seem almost like they happened in a dream, what relation does any of it have with the current me? Right now, I'm just a mere swordsmith."

He showed them around the city center as he spoke. The creatures at the bottom of the lake, having lived with Gouchen the Exalted all this time, seemed to have forgotten his status as a founding god, and didn't have much of a reaction even when he walked by them, busy minding their own business peddling their wares.

"Fish blood mantou, freshly made!"

"Skin of Shuairan Snake, premium clothing material, only three feet left! Once it's all gone you'll have to wait for my next shedding~"

"Selling squid ink brow filler, made with fresh ink spat just this morning by yours truly, it'll do wonders for your eyebrows——hey, hey wait, miss, don't leave!"

The market was inundated with the sounds of various creatures hawking their wares, and the unusual sights were no less to be marveled at.

A headless ghost sat by its stall, selling combs and makeup. It held a comb between two fingers with long, scarlet-painted nails as it brushed the hair on its own bloody head that was resting on its knees, offering in a soft voice: "High quality bone combs, take one home with you today."

Xue Meng's eyes were wide as he glanced left and right. He saw an apothecary to the side staffed by merfolks selling all kinds of medicinal herbs that he's never even seen before and was just about to go over and see if he could bring some home for his mother when an ear-piercingly shrill voice rang out from behind him: "Make way, make way! Let me through!"

Xue Meng's foot froze mid-step, but there was no one there when he turned to look. Gouchen smiled: "Look carefully, under your foot."

Sure enough, Xue Meng squinted and saw a pile of tiny rocks moving on its own.

"Well that's new, even rocks can walk here. Is it a rock spirit or something? Xue Meng mumbled.

Chu Wanning corrected him: "Bug."

"Pug?"

"..." Chu Wanning shot him a look, "It's one thing for Mo Ran to not pay attention in class, but you too?"

Xue Meng dived into martial arts with his whole being, yet couldn't even concentrate when it came to things like literature and history. He sat straight and proper at Chu Wanning's lectures, half in fear of his imposing aura, but everything went in one ear and out the other. His entire face burned at having been caught in the act by Shizun.

Mo Ran laughed: "Shizun's words aren't fair to me, I totally listened in that lecture."

Xue Meng wasn't about to back down: "Oh? You explain it then."

"Fuban is a type of bug, very greedy by nature. It tries to gather up any and all pretty rocks it sees, and usually ends up crushed to death under its pile of rocks."

Mo Ran looked expectantly at Chu Wanning with a grin on his face.

"Shizun, am I right?"

Chu Wanning nodded, and said: "This bug had already gone extinct in the outside world. I didn't expect to see one here."

Gouchen explained with a smile: "This one just lucked out, it's only still alive thanks to the local apothecary. Watch, here he comes."

They watched as the bug trudged to the steps of the apothecary with great effort, where it suddenly yelled: "I can't take it anymore! Hurry and save me doctor!"

A turquoise-colored sea dragon quickly came swimming out. He was clearly used to handling this situation, smiling leisurely as he took out a white porcelain bottle and poured golden red liquid medicine on the bug like it was the most normal occurrence: "Hello smart one, good harvest today?"

The "smart one" huffed, voice lazy while it enjoyed the medicinal bath: "Humph, not too bad, not too bad. One hundred more tomorrow, and I'll have four million eighty five thousand six hundred and seventeen rocks at home."

Mo Ran: "..."

Chu Wanning: "..."

Shi Mei mumbled: "That's... quite a hoard."

The dragon finished pouring the medicine and said: "Remember to come earlier tomorrow, any later and even this strengthening dew won't save you."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll come earlier." The bug replied half-heartedly, but then a light yellow rock in the corner caught its eye, and it started hollering, "Hey lil eel——I meant, Dr. Dragon, might I please trouble you to put that pretty rock over there on my back? That way I'll have four million eighty five thousand six hundred and eighteen rocks tomorrow."

Xue Meng couldn't resist walking over to ask: "What do you need so many rocks for? Are you building a house?"

The bug's shrill, conceited voice came from under the pile of rocks: "What the? A normie? Aiyo, I haven't had to see one for so long——how is it any of your business why I'm gathering rocks? Of course it's not for building a house, I ain't that bored!"

Shi Mei was also curious: "What for then, if not that?"

The bug said self-righteously: "To count, of course!"

"..."

Everyone was rendered totally speechless.

Anyway, after strolling around for a bit, Gouchen took them back to his residence.

In a corner of the street stood an enormous seashell, like a folding screen in the outside world, and behind it was a large courtyard divided into six sections, magnificent and spacious. Halls and corridors led to side wings and flower gardens, and bead curtains made of pearls and kelp swayed gently in the water. Some of the side rooms were dark while others were lit with candle light, faint notes of harp and ocarina drifting barely audibly.

Just like in the apothecary, all the servants in the god's residence were merfolks.

Some kept their dragon tails, while others had changed their tails into legs, preferring to walk instead, but they didn't seem to like shoes much, as all of them walked barefoot.

Seeing the confusion on their faces, Gouchen smiled and explained airily: "I live with my good friend Wangyue, who was once the crown prince of the eastern seas. These are the servants he brought with him when he took up residence here."

Wangyue was the name of that old dragon.

Mo Ran was rather fond of that black dragon, since he got his holy weapon from it in the last life, so he couldn't help asking with a grin: "Where is he, anyway? He probably assumes a different form down here right? He's so ginormous, I doubt he'd be able to fit here otherwise."

Gouchen nodded and said cheerfully: "That's a matter of course, but he gets tired easily in his old age, and is probably already resting now after going above water earlier. You'll have to wait for him to wake up if you want to see him."

Just then, a merman with long brown hair floated over and bowed deeply to Gouchen, then said in a soft, graceful voice:

"Exalted God, welcome back. Wangyue-dianxia has already told this humble servant everything, would the Exalted God like to take the guests to the holy weapon arsenal forthwith?"

Gouchen didn't answer immediately, instead looking politely to the guests first, only nodding when he saw that they didn't mind: "Yes, very well. Please have the kitchen prepare food and wine, we shall dine when we return from the arsenal."

They passed through the courtyards to the deepest section. In the center of this courtyard stood a massive weeping willow that towered toward the skies. This willow must be a different species from those in the outside world, its trunk was so thick that it would take ten adult men standing hand to hand to wrap around it, its bark ancient and twisting, thousands of willow vines hanging like an emerald curtain.

Xue Meng's voice was a little dry: "Wow, how old is this tree?"

Gouchen replied: "I haven't kept count, but at least a hundred thousand years."

Xue Meng, startled: "What kind of tree is it, to live that long?"

"Trees naturally live longer than humans, and this one in particular was nourished by the spiritual energy of Jincheng Lake, so it's not really unexpected. Anyway, please follow closely, the entrance to the arsenal is in the hollow of this tree." Gouchen suddenly stopped and looked at Xue Meng.

"Please don't touch the branches. This tree has already cultivated into a spirit, it can feel pain."

But he spoke a little too late; Xue Meng had already plucked a leaf.

"Ah!" He yelped at the same time a faint groan reverberated in the empty air, as if a raspy voice was sighing softly——"ow".

Xue Meng paled and hurriedly threw the leaf away, as if struck by lightning: "What? Why's there blood?"

Sure enough, a stream of blood trickled out from the branch were the leaf was broken off, and the leaf that was thrown aside writhed and convulsed on the ground as if it was alive for a while before gradually slumping to the ground and then rapidly curling up and withering away.

Gouchen said helplessly: "As I said, it's a spirit. Why would the young gongzi..." He shook his head and walked up to examine the broken branch, using his spiritual energy to soothe the willow and stop its bleeding.

Chu Wanning said: "Xue Meng, come over here, don't touch anything else."

"Yes, Shizun." Xue Meng knew he messed up, and walked over obediently with his head drooping.

Fortunately, this incident didn't cause any major troubles. Chu Wanning apologized to Gouchen the Exalted, and the founding god, magnanimous as expected, only smiled and said: "The young gongzi sure is swift of hand."

Xue Meng didn't say a word, face bright red as he followed behind Chu Wanning with his head hanging low. They passed through the curtain of lush branches and arrived at the trunk. The willow was even more overwhelmingly colossal up close than it had seemed from a distance; the initial approximation of ten men was a great underestimation of its thickness.

There was a hollow in the trunk of the willow, or rather, it would be more accurate to call it a huge arched gateway, wide enough for three brawny men to pass through at the same time. Gouchen dispelled the numerous complicated barriers in front of the hollow one by one, then turned and said with a smile: "The holy weapon arsenal is right inside. It's kind of small and a little messy, please don't mind."

Mo Ran was quite curious and moved to follow behind Gouchen immediately, but Chu Wanning held him back, as if by reflex, and said mildly: "Don't rush." But went in himself.

Mo Ran was already used to him doing this; in the previous life, whenever the four of them went to suppress demons, Chu Wanning had always walked in the very front. Back then, he had thought that Shizun was impatient and arrogant, and didn't want to be outdone by those younger than him. But the Mo Ran of today, after his rebirth, saw things somewhat differently. Watching Chu Wanning's white robes disappear into the darkness of the tree's hollow, a thread of hesitation suddenly surfaced in his heart——

Was this person really rushing to be in the front because of impatience and arrogance?