Die vollständige Sammlung der Geistersärge des Gelben Flusses

Kapitel 3

I nodded. "And you? Are you a dragon too?"

He lightly leaped onto the bamboo branch. "Yes, we are all the same, an unexpected product of reincarnation."

An unexpected product of reincarnation, a thought struck me: "Why is this happening?"

He smiled slightly: "Who knows? Maybe it's just God's arrangement. Although they are born with all kinds of supernatural powers, in the end they are still just animals. But dragons never want to be animals. Look, you and I both have human form, even though humans are just stupid and incompetent creatures."

I chuckled to myself. His tone was unlike anyone I'd ever met before. The Mermaid God wouldn't speak so bluntly; my older sister would never have considered such things. "I don't know. I just think this body is more beautiful than my original one. My original form was like a snake, but I hate snakes. Isn't this form much better?"

He replied calmly, "So what if I become more attractive? I know best what I was like before."

I was taken aback. These words coincided with those of the Mermaid God. Was it wrong to want to be beautiful?

He glanced at my clothes: "Are you the daughter of the Dragon King of the South Sea?"

I was somewhat surprised: "How did you know? Have you seen me before?"

He smiled and said, "What's so difficult about that? Do I need to have seen it before?"

His nonchalant answer made me feel ashamed; how could I not know who he was? I stared at him in confusion, but he suddenly changed the subject, pointing to the sky: "Look at the sky, there's a strange light."

I looked in the direction he was pointing. It was completely dark by then. A crescent moon hung in the sky, and stars like ice crystals filled the heavens. Between the constellations of Dou and Niu, a purple-blue aura shot into the sky. What was that? Was it demonic energy?

"It doesn't seem like demonic energy, it's more like sword energy." It was as if he was answering my question. How could he know what I was thinking?

Without prior arrangement, they all headed in the direction indicated by the purple and blue aura, descended from the clouds, and arrived at a large city. The long street was brightly lit, as if it were a festival, and the fragrance of chrysanthemums filled the air.

I asked some pedestrians on the street and found out that today is the Double Ninth Festival.

It turns out that the day I was born is an important festival in the human world.

---janeadam

Reply [6]: I saw some people buying chrysanthemum wine in the tavern, and some people symbolically wearing dogwood. He and I walked through the crowd, and no one knew that we were dragons.

He said, "Don't let anyone know you're a dragon, or you'll be in a lot of trouble."

What kind of trouble might there be?

"There are many more. Humans are insatiable animals. They will ask you for rain, ask you for their saliva to cure their illnesses, ask you to teach them supernatural powers, and some will even ask you for gold and silver. Although these are not difficult things, humans are truly insatiable. They will ask again and again, without end. What's more troublesome is that if they find out that you are a dragon, they will kneel on the ground and refuse to get up, feeling nauseous at the sight of you."

I couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Now that you mention it, humans really are stupid animals. But my older sister used to say that humans are very smart, even smarter than dragons."

He curled his lip in disdain, "Those are just a few individuals; the vast majority of people are just as stupid, hopelessly stupid."

I suddenly asked, "The woman in the bamboo forest with you, did she know you were a dragon?"

He laughed and said, "Of course I don't know. How could I let her know?"

It turns out my identity was such a closely guarded secret, yet I knew he was a dragon, just as he knew I was. A subtle emotion suddenly welled up inside me. We knew each other's secrets; it was only natural, because we were both dragons.

He had already walked forward, completely unaware that I was distracted. In fact, that thought only flashed through my mind for a moment before I was immediately drawn to the blacksmith shop by the roadside.

Two swords hung in front of the blacksmith's shop, their scabbards covered in rust, yet their sword energy emanated from them. We had come here following the purple and blue aura; perhaps it was related to these two swords.

I walked over without thinking, drew a sword, and felt a chill rush towards me. The sword's light flowed, as if it were alive. Although the bottom of the South China Sea is full of rare treasures, it rarely contains divine weapons. I had never seen a sword before, but people say that swords and dragons share the same origin. Perhaps that's why I fell in love with this sword the moment I saw it.

Perhaps it was because I was holding a sword, but I clearly felt a sharp killing intent slowly approaching me from behind. Without hesitation, I turned around and thrust my sword behind me.

The sword tip remained still, his fingers gripping it. I saw his cold eyes staring intently at me, but that expression vanished in an instant, and his gaze returned to its usual nonchalant and unrestrained state.

"Do you want to kill me?" he said with a smile.

I remained silent. Who was he? What was he trying to do?

His smile was as warm as sunlight. Was it just my imagination?

He released his fingers and gently stroked my cheek: "You look like a female assassin right now."

No one had ever been this close to me before; his hands were as cold and smooth as the limbs of any aquatic creature. His fingers brushed across my face, slowly moving downwards, stopping at my lips. "Don't stare at me like that, it scares me."

Then he suddenly let go of me, picked up another sword, and said, “You have a good eye. These are the Longquan Sword and the Tai’a Sword, forged by the famous craftsman Ou Zhizi during the Warring States period. They have long been scattered among people. Some say that they transformed into dragons and returned to the world, but I never expected that they would hide here.”

I held the sword tightly in my hands: "I love this sword."

He smiled slightly: "Buy it if you like it! We're dragons, what can't we get?"

He beckoned the shopkeeper over, bought the two swords at a high price, and handed them to me, saying, "No matter what kind of swords they are, they are still murder weapons. Handle them carefully."

I quickly hugged the other sword to my chest as well, for no particular reason, I just liked it.

He smiled and shook his head, still nonchalant and completely unconcerned.

---janeadam

Reply [7]: I stared at him blankly, what was I feeling? Is this what they call first love? Suddenly I heard singing and dancing from a pavilion not far away:

Qiu Hu took her as his concubine. Three days later, he served as an official in a distant land. His wife, beautiful and pure, was left alone in her empty room. Their joyful moments were fleeting, like the stars Shen and Shang. Sorrow came from all corners of the world. Easily affected, difficult to guard against. People say life is short, but for the sorrowful, the nights are long. All the grasses bloom in spring. She rolled up her sleeves to pick tender mulberry leaves. Her fair hands searched for abundant branches. Fallen leaves barely filled her basket. Her silken robes obscured her jade-like body. Her gaze was captivating. The gentleman, weary from officialdom, returned home. His carriages and horses moved like dragons. His sincere heart traveled ten thousand miles. Upon arrival, they forgot each other. The traveler was pleased by her beautiful face. He asked her to rest by this tree. He lured her with the promise of meeting her. He then presented her with a golden trinkets. The virtuous woman was furious. Her words were sharp as autumn frost. She rushed to her room. She presented the gold and ascended the north hall. Her mother stood and called for her. Their joy was boundless. Qiu Hu saw this woman. He was startled, his heart filled with dread. How could he not feel ashamed of his betrayal? A vow of eternal love was not what he hoped for. Purity and turbidity must have different origins. The phoenix and the duck do not fly together. She plunges herself into the long river. Truly, the heart of a virtuous woman! Her husband was unworthy; this woman was too strong-willed.

I was secretly alarmed and asked, "What song is this? It sounds so mournful."

He listened intently. "This is the ancient Yuefu poem 'Autumn Hu Xing,' which tells the story of a woman."

I remained silent, hesitant, but he paid no attention to my expression and continued explaining, "Qiu Hu was a virtuous woman. She had just married the magistrate when he went away to take up an official post and did not return for a long time. One day, Qiu Hu was picking mulberry leaves by the roadside when the magistrate saw her. He was captivated by her beauty and wanted to take her as a concubine, but Qiu Hu sternly refused. Unexpectedly, when she returned home, she found that it was her own husband. To uphold her purity, Qiu Hu threw herself into the river and committed suicide. This poem is a tribute to this story."

After he finished his story, I made up my mind: "Let's elope!"

He was startled and looked at me in confusion: "What did you say?"

The idea made me excited: "Let's elope!" I repeated, unable to stop laughing.

He looked surprised and suspicious, his expression shifting several times. I silently memorized his gaze; he was hiding a secret, a secret he wanted to conceal from me. But I didn't care. Qiu Hu was an ungrateful woman; if it were me, I certainly wouldn't be so foolish.