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Chapter Text

Originally, Qing Jing River was ruled by a fierce, temperamental dragon named Shen Qingqiu (Shen Jiu), so if a sacrifice wasn’t offered to appease the dragon’s anger, many people would drown; however, one day, Shen Yuan came to possess Shen Qingqiu's body. The Shen Yuan who became Shen Qingqiu thought it was all tiresome, so he did not overturn the rivers nor did he strike out against innocent boats or people. Instead, he quietly passed the time. Yet, the people thought that they should give an offering of thanks to the River God, and presented the orphaned Luo Binghe—who’s adopted mother had just passed—as a sacrifice.

Shen Qingqiu felt as if he was struck by lightning. He hasn’t recently sank any boats, nor has he dragged any drowning people to the bottom of the river to turn them into water ghouls either! What is the meaning of this? This is supposed to be a festival? What kind of festival drowns a kid?! But the boy was already drowning and the boat was turning away. The child who was slowly sinking had a face of resignation, as if he had already accepted his fate. That helpless face was engraved in Shen Qingqiu’s mind. Without realizing it, he’d moved towards the boy. The dragon long forgot his promise to live quietly and not involve himself with humans.

But he couldn’t do that.

How could he leave this young of a child?

This child still had so many more years to live.

The next day, the rumor that a jade dragon had saved the boy spread throughout the village. The angered dragon firmly told the people to no longer sacrifice offerings to him, and together with the child disappeared into the water. Afterwards, a ritual to commemorate the boy’s sacrifice and the soothing of the dragon’s anger was celebrated every year.

Luo Binghe opened his eyes to an unfamiliar place. Was this the same view that the rabbit saw when he went to the Dragon Palace^[1]? Fish swam around leisurely. Startled, Luo Binghe breathed in sharply, but instead of swallowing water, he was able to breathe normally. The boy looked around blankly. The room he was in was spacious and clean and the bed he was laying on was practically brand new. This room was bigger than the entirety of his previous residence at his master’s house. But asides from the fish that were swimming around everywhere, there was nothing out of sorts about the room.

Did he become a water ghoul?

The last memory Luo Binghe had was of being thrown into the river, his body swallowed by the cold, blue water. This couldn’t be real—fish were just swimming right in front of his eyes. Luo Binghe looked down at his hands. He was still wearing the expensive clothes the villagers had dressed him in out of pity of being sent to his death. He was sitting there numbly for a while before someone entered the room quietly.

The man who’d entered room had eyes that reflected teal like the water. Because of the long, slitted pupil, he quickly could tell this man was no ordinary human. Luo Binghe opened his mouth. That man also seemed slightly startled to see Luo Binghe awake, pausing for moment before slowly approached the child. When the man blinked, his green eyes became an ordinary black.

“You’ve awakened. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m okay. This… this place is?”

The man seemed to ponder over the question, then he sighed softly.

“We’re at my residence under the river.”

“Did I become a water ghoul?”

At that, the man frowned. He unconsciously mumbled to himself, “What… I brought you here so that you wouldn’t become a water ghoul…”

Then, he shook his head.

“You’re rather lively.”

Just then, Luo Binghe’s eyes caught on a fish swimming by. “Ah,” the man said, realizing the situation now.

“I am the… dragon you call the god of the river.”

God of the river. Even Luo Binghe has heard about Shen Qingqiu who ruled the Qing Jing River. Hadn’t he been sacrificed to appease this dragon’s anger? His breath caught. Was the dragon going to eat him? However, this dragon that was rumored to be terrifying just seemed... to be in a difficult situation? After considering for bit, Luo Binghe asked.

“Are you… going to eat me?”

“What?”

As if he’d heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, the dragon frowned. But wasn’t it the dragon that said he’d wanted a sacrifice?

“I’ve never said to give me an offering, much less such a young child…”

By the end, the dragon was grumbling to himself. His hand came up to his forehead as if his head hurt.

“That village was cold-hearted enough to throw you into the river, so I can’t bring you back there. Once the rumors quiet down, I’ll send you to another village by the river.”

The dragon sighed briefly, then came closer to the child. He reached out and stroked Luo Binghe’s head. His touch was so very gentle.

“After all that, I don’t even know your name. What is your name, child?”

His hands were warm, and the strokes were soft. This was the first act of kindness he’d received since his mother had died and suddenly, Luo Binghe’s eyes welled up with tears.

“I… I’m…”

“Huh? What? Why…”

Seeing Luo Binghe’s tearful face, the dragon couldn’t hide his fluster. He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted his back.

“Ah, don’t cry. Hm? Why are you crying?”

However, receiving comfort allows the heart to become more fragile, and like a dam breaking the tears started pouring. In front of the River God, Luo Binghe sobbed. Perhaps the dragon had decided that patting his back was not enough, he began to hug the boy consolingly. No one had comforted Luo Binghe who had lost his mother. No one had shown him any compassion. This dragon was the first. So, for the first time since his mother passed, Luo Binghe cried. The dragon who didn’t understand the circumstances was at a loss as to what he should do and simply comforted the boy. He was probably being bothersome, but the dragon did not become annoyed or angry, and stayed with him.

After long while, Luo Binghe finally stopped crying. The dragon let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m Luo Binghe. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s fine. Such a terrible thing happened to you, it’s no surprise.”

It seemed that the dragon thought Luo Binghe was upset over being thrown into the river. The dragon sighed briefly, then moved his hand lightly to float a drop of water in front of Luo Binghe’s face.

“Drink this. You’ve cried so much; you must be thirsty.”

Luo Binghe opened his mouth and the water drop naturally spilled into his mouth. It was cold and fresh. The boy’s eyes widened and he stared at the droplets of water. The dragon smiled lightly.

“It’s a simple spell. The reason you’re able to breath here is also because of a spell.”

Then the dragon slowly made to leave the room.

“Since you’ve just woken up, you should rest more. If you’re bored, you can leave this room but don’t leave the house.”

“Um, Lord Dragon.”

“Did you need something?”

“No. Thank you for saving me.”

Luo Binghe slipped out of the bed and hurriedly bowed his head. He’d been taught to express his gratitude whenever there was reason to be thankful. For some reason, the dragon let out a long sigh.

“Yes, take a rest.”

The dragon unhurriedly left the room. Luo Binghe might have even heard him curse softly as he left.

Shen Qingqiu left the child in the room. Once outside, the anger he couldn’t express in front of the boy suddenly poured out now.

They threw that young child into the river?

He’d left it at just telling the village to no longer make offerings, but he regretted not letting the river rage wildly. Even if the villagers struggled a little, they would have deserved it. Just to save themselves, they would do such a thing?

Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath and exhaled to calm his anger. A dragon’s anger affects his river. Although the area around Shen Qingqiu’s house was calm, somewhere else the river would be raging. Shen Qingqiu looked back. Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe, he’d said. Shen Qingqiu resolved that he would send Luo Binghe to a better village than that place. If he said that this child was cherished by the dragon, no one would dare trouble him. But first, it was only possible once the incident of the offering had passed from the people’s memories. In the meantime, Luo Binghe had to be taken care of here.

“… what should I feed him?”

Unlike dragons that didn’t need to eat or sleep as long as they had pure spiritual energy, a human had to do both: eat and sleep. It’d been a long time since Shen Qingqiu stopped eating because it was bothersome to cook, so of course there was nothing to eat in this house. At a loss as to what to do, Shen Qingqiu folded his arms. In this world there were markets, but of course, there was no delivery food nor takeout. Shen Qingqiu did not know how to cook.

“Well, as long as I try it’ll work out.”

Shen Qingqiu strode out of the house with confidence. The clear and blue water moved to his will and he followed the flow of the river to a fortress along the banks. It’d been a long time since he’d been in a human center so at first, he struggled and lost his way. However, even if with the changing of eras, and the changing of worlds, it never changed that at the center of a city was always the market. Thus, he was able to return home carrying an armful of food before the sun set.

As Shen Qingqiu had instructed, Luo Binghe was looking outside from within the boundary of the residence. Seeing Shen Qingqiu approaching quickly without even swimming, Luo Binghe’s eyes widened. The man lightly landed in the house with neither his clothes nor a hair on his head wet. Shen Qingqiu casually pet Luo Binghe’s head.

“How were you? Wait a little. I’ll fix you something to eat.”

Come to think of it, did this house have a kitchen? Shen Qingqiu belatedly pondered and blinked. Fortunately, the original owner of the house, Shen Jiu, built a house furnished with nearly everything, so Shen Qingqiu was able to find a kitchen without much trouble. The kitchen was even fully equipped with dishes and utensils. He put down the ingredients he’d bought. So… just roughly cut… and stir-fry everything? The vegetables looked like they’d be the challenge of the century. How to even go about this? Shen Qingqiu didn’t have any memory of cooking even when he was Shen Yuan, but his memory as Shen Yuan was jumbled with the memory of the dragon so he couldn’t recall them that well either. At that moment, (who knew when the boy had followed him and started watching) Luo Binghe spoke up.

“Um, maybe. Should I do this?”

“You? You know how to cook?”

“Yes, I do.”

Luo Binghe nodded with confidence. Shen Qingqiu was conflicted. Is it ok to let such a young child cook? But wouldn’t it be better than feeding him my cooking? Between an adult’s sense of responsibility and common sense, common sense won. Shen Qingqiu gave him the kitchen.

Luo Binghe… must have been possessed by the god of cooking! Luo Binghe skillfully chopped the vegetables, stir-fried, and even did something that Shen Qingqiu didn’t know. While Luo Binghe cooked, Shen Qingqiu’s only contribution was providing water with a flick of his finger when needed. Whatever magic Shen Jiu had left in the kitchen, fortunately, it allowed the use of fire and Luo Binghe was able to make several dishes in a short amount of time.

“Please try this.”

Luo Binghe set out two portions on the table. Shen Qingqiu was about to say that he didn’t need to eat but… the food looked too good to refuse. For the first time in a long while, Shen Qingqiu held chopsticks and the appetite he’d forgotten while he was a dragon was revived. Instead of eating, Luo Binghe quietly watched Shen Qingqiu.

“Aren’t you hungry? You should eat.”

“Yes, Lord Dragon.”

He didn’t really want to be called by that title, but there wasn’t really any other title to be used. He couldn’t be called hyung^[2] or Uncle, and technically, he was a dragon. While he was thinking, Shen Qingqiu took a bite of Luo Binghe’s cooking.

At that moment, Shen Qingqiu thought that if Luo Binghe walked the path of cooking, he’d become the country’s number one chef.

“How is it?”

Not having eaten a single bite yet, Luo Binghe carefully watched Shen Qingqiu’s face. Shen Qingqiu smiled.

“This is the first time I’ve eaten something so delicious.”

Luo Binghe’s face brightened immediately. The child looked so cute, Shen Qingqiu’s hand automatically went to pat his head again. Looking back, he didn’t even remember the last time he’d had a meal with someone. Dragons lived alone, and there was no one around to talk to. Shen Qingqiu just continued to live and swim around in this river; he’d never had a conversation with anyone. Rarely, there was news of other dragons, but Shen Qingqiu never actually saw them. He only knew they existed.

If he thought about it, maybe he was a bit lonely all this time. Maybe he wouldn’t have felt this way if he was born a dragon, but Shen Qingqiu was originally human. Becoming a dragon did not change his nature. At least while Luo Binghe stayed here, he’d be less lonely. Feeling reassured, Shen Qingqiu began eating and looked down on the small head. A small corner of his heart grew warmer. One month? Maybe two months. The dragon thought easily.

One month later, the dragon thought it was still too soon.

Two months later, the dragon thought that they still needed more time.

Only three months later did the dragon start to survey the surrounding villages.

The first village was poor. Because it was too poor, the dragon decided this village was no good.

The second village was wealthy, but too closed off. Because it was too closed off, the dragon decided that this village was no good.

The third village was wealthy, was not closed off, and it was good to live in. After visiting the village, the dragon pondered over whether there were any drawbacks to the village, but however much he thought over it… there was no other place as good as that village to send the child. With a long face, Shen Qingqiu returned home. He was greeted by a smiling Luo Binghe.

“Welcome home.”

“Yes.”

The child hugged him as though it were a natural greeting—by now it practically was. Shen Qingqiu returned the hug and stroked his head. Perhaps Luo Binghe craved affection; he loved when Shen Qingqiu gave him head pats and he loved when Shen Qingqiu embraced him in his arms. Because the child’s embrace was so warm, of course Shen Qingqiu did not dislike it. Luo Binghe looked up with bright, star-like eyes. Looking at that face, Shen Qingqiu could hardly bring up that he intended to bring Luo Binghe back to the land.

However, it had already been delayed too long. If it was delayed any further, he would not be able return the boy. Humans had to live with other humans. He could not live here with Shen Qingqiu with just the two of them.

“Binghe.”

Shen Qingqiu said heavily. It was better to say it sooner rather than later.

“I found a good village to send you to.”

The brightly smiling expression on Luo Binghe’s face shattered like glass. Luo Binghe let out a small “ah” and his gaze gradually fell to the floor. Shen Qingqiu chose his words carefully, and in the end could only say it like this.

“It’s not good for you to continue living with me with just the two of us. You’re human so you must live with other humans.”

“But…”

The child’s mouth opened, then closed. After a moment of silence, Luo Binghe replied.

“I understand.”

Shen Qingqiu hesitated then added.

“Tomorrow, we’ll go visit the village together.”

Luo Binghe nodded, said he’d go in first and then ran into his room. With the glimpse he had of the boy’s face, Shen Qingqiu’s heart hurt. Luo Binghe had looked like he was about to cry.

Even if he left, maybe the boy could come visit sometimes… but, it might be better to not come back here so that he could adapt better… Shen Qingqiu kept thinking of this and that, mulling over his thoughts.

Luo Binghe buried his face into the blankets, tears threatening to spill at any moment.

The three months spent here had felt like a dream to Luo Binghe. The kind dragon had always cared for the boy. So that he wouldn’t be bored, Shen Qingqiu had brought back books for him. He also showed him all the fish and algae that lived in the river. More than anything, the dragon had always looked at him so warmly while either stroking his head or gently holding him in his arms. The dragon’s body was warm, no different from a human. Because of the dragon, Luo Binghe was able to overcome his grief of losing his mother. But nothing lasts forever. The dragon had decided to send him back. Luo Binghe really did not want to leave—he wanted to keep living here with the dragon! He did not want to stay among the humans who did not care about him in the least.

“Binghe.”

The gentle voice startled Luo Binghe awake. The dragon looked at Luo Binghe’s face and sighed softly. The dragon’s finger gently brushed his cheek and a tear flew away.

“Even if you return to the humans, I’ll always be watching over you, so don’t be so sad.”

Blue-green spiritual energy pooled at the dragon’s fingertips and he placed his hand on Luo Binghe’s head. Through this contact, the dragon’s energy flowed into Luo Binghe’s body. It was also at that moment that Luo Binghe could feel a different energy within him begin to stir.

“… hm?”

Perhaps the dragon felt that energy too, his head tilted to the side. But soon after, he simply held the child and patted him. Luo Binghe bit his lower lip and held back his tears.

That night Luo Binghe had a dream. It was a dream where fire spilled out gushingly from the ground. The terrain was fractured and ravaged. In that dream, Luo Binghe was crying. The dragon was nowhere to be seen. The dragon was gone.

Finally, the next day came. Shen Qingqiu with a heavy heart kept sighing all morning. Luo Binghe also looked like he had not slept well. Shen Qingqiu told Luo Binghe to pack his belongings. The child who had fallen into the river with only one piece of clothing, said that he would only take one piece of clothing back with him. Shen Qingqiu wanted him to take more, but the child was unreasonably stubborn. In the end, Shen Qingqiu had to settle with just giving Luo Binghe a bit of money and some small trinkets. Shen Qingqiu held Luo Binghe’s hand and together the two quickly traversed the water towards the third village.

Shen Qingqiu studied Luo Binghe’s face. The child looked rather despondent.

In any case, Shen Qingqiu took Luo Binghe around the village so that he could get acquainted with it. While they were walking around, he heard the words of some pedestrians passing by.

“Did you hear? A dragon cursed that fortress on the upper banks.”

“A curse? What do you mean?”

Dragon? Me? Shen Qingqiu stopped in his tracks.

“I’m not completely sure, but there’s a rumor that the dragon didn’t like the sacrifice. Even though an orphaned child was offered… That dragon was always so cruel. Anyways, the dragon laid down a curse and the governor’s son fell ill.”

“What a scary dragon…”

“You be careful when you cross the river.”

What in the world were they talking about? Shen Qingqiu indeed had the ability to lay down a curse, but he’d never laid one down nor did he have any intention to. In the first place, when he received the offering, he had only warned them not to make any more offerings. He never did anything else! This illness had nothing to do with Shen Qingqiu. But the problem was that the timing was just right.

So, it turned out that even if it was said that Luo Binghe was cherished by the dragon, instead of taking care of him, it was likely that they’d be afraid of him. While he was pondering on what he should do, Shen Qingqiu sensed an unfamiliar energy besides him. A bizarre energy was twisting from Luo Binghe; it was wild and aggressive. Shen Qingqiu was alarmed and gripped Luo Binghe’s hand tightly.

“Binghe!”

Luo Binghe startled and looked up at Shen Qingqiu. His eyes were an unnatural red. Shen Qingqiu hurriedly put his hand on Luo Binghe’s head and suppressed that erratic energy. Slowly, the redness of Luo Binghe’s eyes faded.

Among ordinary humans, there were some who had spiritual powers, but as far as Shen Qingqiu knew, Luo Binghe had never been trained in it. However, this energy… it was too intense to be that of a normal human. Shen Qingqiu looked at Luo Binghe.

Perhaps…

“Let’s go back for today.”

Luo Binghe hurriedly nodded.

As soon as they returned, Shen Qingqiu sat face to face with Luo Binghe.

“What was that earlier?”

“I’m not sure either.”

“Can you control it?”

Luo Binghe looked like he was concentrating for a bit, then shook his head. Shen Qingqiu became immersed in his own thoughts. This solution, was it okay? Was he being selfish? Luo Binghe looked at Shen Qingqiu anxiously as if to gauge his intentions. He looked so uneasy like the first day they had met. Shen Qingqiu remembered the bright smile Luo Binghe gave him just yesterday. He wanted the child to smile like that again.

“If you can’t control that energy, something big will happen. Since my spiritual energy can calm yours, why don’t you learn how to control my spiritual energy?”

“Then that means…”

“What if you become my disciple?”

The face that had been like a withered flower in the winter, quickly lit up. With a bright face, the child nodded. Shen Qingqiu smiled too.

“Disciple Luo Binghe greets Shizun.”

And like this, they became master and disciple.

Although they became master and disciple, the relationship they had built over the past three months did not change dramatically. It was only that Luo Binghe began calling Shen Qingqiu "Shizun", and Shen Qingqiu taught him for one sichen every day. Instead of bringing out Luo Binghe’s own power, Shen Qingqiu lent him his own power and the boy would learn to handle that energy instead. It wasn’t anything amazing, just simple thing like moving or creating water with the flow of energy.

“Good job.”

Shen Qingqiu smiled widely as Luo Binghe created an orb of water in his hands. The boy’s face also brightened at the praise. Luo Binghe made a slight gesture with his hand and the water orb began to spin in the air.

“Let’s call it for today.”

“Yes, Shizun.”

The water dispersed from Luo Binghe’s hand. The boy really learned everything so quickly. After coming to possess this body, Shen Qingqiu had taken a long time to get used to it, but Luo Binghe’s abilities grew rapidly, just like summer grass. It was worthwhile to teach him.

Above all, Luo Binghe’s complexion had brightened.

Perhaps it was because he had found a permanent residence instead of a temporary place to stay, but Luo Binghe looked to be a lot more at ease. He also began to talk more. Day by day Shen Qingqiu didn’t think there was anything novel, but somehow Luo Binghe always had something new to talk about. It was as though all the words and thoughts that had been dammed up in the child were flooding out now.

Every time Luo Binghe talked non-stop with a bright and smiling expression, or whenever he called out “Shizun!” or even when he saw that the child was able to sleep with a worry-free face, Shen Qingqiu thought that letting him stay here was the right decision. He worried a little that the boy was not able to live with humans anymore, but well, it wasn’t like this world had any schools or educational facilities for everyone like there was in his previous world. As long as he was able to show Binghe more and expose him to a wider world, then he thought it’d be alright.

So, Shen Qingqiu often took Luo Binghe outside. About once every three days, he took Luo Binghe to the nearby fortress and let him observe the people’s lifestyle. They even bought books and various little items. But today… they’d go to the place he’d been thinking of since a few days ago.

“Today we’re travelling far so you should bring something to eat.”

Luo Binghe nodded. The two prepared to leave—although Shen Qingqiu didn’t really do anything—and then stood in the courtyard. Instead of holding Luo Binghe’s hand and leaving the house together as he usually did, Shen Qingqiu went ahead and left by himself first.

“Shizun?” Luo Binghe tilted his head.

“Wait a moment.”

Shen Qingqiu was planning to go a far distance with Luo Binghe. The eyes that were black like a human’s began changing color as if filling with water. The body that was at first no different from an ordinary human’s, quickly became enormous, elongated, and covered in scales.

Luo Binghe’s mouth fell open. Although he knew that it was the dragon that saved him, this was the first time that he saw his master’s true form. The shimmeringly jade-blue dragon was beautiful within the water. The light that filtered through the water’s surface sparkled on his scales.

Come here.

The dragon’s voice was like that of his master’s. Luo Binghe wasn’t afraid at all.

As soon as Luo Binghe stepped forward, a familiar energy enveloped him and laid him down on the back of the dragon’s neck.

Have you seen the ocean before?

“I only know that the ocean is at the end of the river.”

You’ll be able to see it today.

After that, the dragon began to move and the surrounding landscape was left behind quickly. There was no pressure, but Luo Binghe instinctively wrapped both arms around the dragon tightly, the scales he touched feeling hard and slightly cool. The dragon followed the river downstream towards the sea. While clinging tightly to the dragon, Luo Binghe looked around at the river that was growing wider.

You can get to the ocean with your own strength, but that would take too long.

“Shizun, have you been to the ocean before?”

The dragon was silent for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.

I’ve been there a long time ago. Although it’s not the same ocean that we’re going to now…

“Is the ocean beautiful?”

You should decide that for yourself.

Before Luo Binghe could ask another question, the dragon stopped. Luo Binghe looked around. He could no longer see the banks that should have been at both ends of the river. No matter how much he searched, he could only see the blue of the water. Around them fish that he had never seen before swam around languidly. There was even an enormous fish he’d never seen.

Would you like to look down?

Luo Binghe turned his head down to look, then tightly clung to the dragon in shock. The water was so deep that he could not see the bottom.

“There is… a lot of water.”

Haha. Countless rivers flow here, how much water would that be?

The dragon slowly swam through the sea. Luo Binghe looked up at the transparent water surface that was rolling and swelling. He saw a white wave crash on the surface.

“Shizun. Is that a wave?”

Yes.

The dragon gradually rose above the surface and into the air.

“Wow…”

The sea viewed from above was surprisingly dynamic. White waves rolled and crashed, and it was such a vast expanse of water that he could not see the ends of it. A gold light flickered along the surface while a white bird flew over the ocean.

Should we go to the shore?

The dragon slowly flew through the sky. Flying through the sky felt very different from swimming in the river. It was much more fascinating, more… dream-like. Luo Binghe carefully stroked the jade-blue scales that glistened under the sunlight. He heard the dragon laugh. After a long flight, they came across an uninhabited beach and the dragon touched down there. Cautiously, Luo Binghe stepped onto the ground. The dragon looked at Luo Binghe and Luo Binghe could see his own reflection was mirrored in those otherworldly blue eyes. The dragon’s eyes curled as though smiling softly. In the next moment, the dragon returned to the familiar form of his teacher.

He asked, “So, how was your first impression of the ocean?”

The wide expanse of the ocean was spread out behind his teacher. The blue waters swelled and white waves crashed onto the beach. For a long time, Luo Binghe just looked at his teacher who stood before the ocean. Those eyes that were still the color of water curved gently in a smile and looked back at Luo Binghe. Tenderly affectionate. A warm gaze. Luo Binghe was overwhelmed with emotion and struggled to speak.

“… beautiful.”

He couldn’t say that the most beautiful thing was not the ocean, but the ‘you’ that was in front of it.

His heart was pounding hard enough to hurt. His cheeks heated and his throat tightened. The person—no, the dragon in front of him seemed to shine dazzlingly. Maybe it was a given. He was so gentle, so kind, so beautiful. How could his heart not fall?

“Next time we’ll go to a lake on top of a mountain.”

“Yes.”

Luo Binghe liked the “next time” that his teacher spoke of. His heart was overwhelmed with yearning, but he didn’t know what to do with these feelings, so he just opened his arms to embrace Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu, as if for granted, hugged him back. Luo Binghe buried his face into those arms and took a deep breath. It was a clean scent.

“Seawater is salty.”

“Really?”

While watching the ocean, the two sat down eating the meal Luo Binghe had packed. Shen Qingqiu flicked his hand on a whim. A round water droplet floated up from the sea and approached the two. Luo Binghe poked at the water droplet with a finger then put it in his mouth. His face wrinkled instantly.

“Haha. Did you not trust this teacher’s word?”

“Oh… no…”

“Drink some water at least.”

Luo Binghe hurriedly drank the water. Hearing the boy choke on the water, Shen Qingqiu pat the child on the back. Shen Qingqiu sat in a carelessly relaxed pose and watched the ocean absentmindedly. The ocean was certainly beautiful but if he’d come alone, he probably would not have wanted to stay for long. In front of this vast and endless sea, if he’d been by himself… he’d feel even lonelier.

Luo Binghe followed Shen Qingqiu’s gaze to look at the ocean. The push and pull of the waves beat its tempo calmly.

“What’s beyond the sea?”

In Shen Qingqiu’s previous world, beyond the sea there was another land. That world was round so if you kept going and going eventually you can return to the same place. But what about this world? Shen Qingqiu did not know what this world was like.

“I wonder… I haven’t been there either so I don’t know.”

“Has anyone been to the other side of the ocean?”

Shen Qingqiu quietly tilted his head. If it was a dragon, it might be possible to go to the other side. But dragons usually stay in one place and do not move. Even Yue Qingyuan who ruled the largest river, or Liu Qingge who ruled the strongest river, rarely had a reason to leave. Also, just like a dragon without a river could not live on, a river whose dragon left could not last. A dragon and river were basically of one body. Leaving for a few days was possible, but not forever. But it was possible for humans. Shen Qingqiu stroked Luo Binghe’s head.

“Probably no one. Will you go and tell me what is there?”

Luo Binghe looked up at Shen Qingqiu. “I want to go together with Shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu smiled softly. “How can a dragon leave it’s river?”

“Ah.”

Luo Binghe quickly became discouraged and dropped his head. Shen Qingqiu consolingly patted his shoulder.

“When you’re all grown up and become strong enough to leave on your own, why don’t you come and tell me? I’ll be waiting at the river.”

“Yes, Shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu looked at Luo Binghe who was still much smaller than him. This child will grow up soon and eventually leave someday. He didn’t know if the boy would remember this moment then, but whenever Shen Qingqiu looks at the ocean, he will remember this conversation between them.

Dragons live for a long time. He will probably live on even after Luo Binghe becomes an adult, grows old, and passes on. If Luo Binghe has children, he would probably outlive them too. But even if Shen Qingqiu lived for that long, he would not forget this moment.

“What else do you want to do when you grow up?”

Shen Qingqiu fiddled with the tips of Luo Binghe’s hair that he brushed this morning. Luo Binghe hesitated, then shook his head.

“Hm?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Then think about it carefully. Whatever it is, I will support you.”

“… yes, Shizun.”

They sat on the beach and watched the sea until the crimson sun set and night came. During that time, they soaked their feet in the sea, skipped stones on the water surface, and even shared their leftovers with the gulls who came lured by the smell of food. For a long time, Luo Binghe watched the sun be swallowed up by the sea, and when the sun completely set, his eyes gradually closed. Shen Qingqiu smiled and held him.

“Binghe, look at the sky.”

Luo Binghe opened his sleepy eyes and looked up. The stars were glinting beautifully in the night sky and the moon was rising from the east.

“Now, would you look at the ocean?”

The moon was also floating up in the ocean. The sky and the sea were illuminated stunningly with the stars and the moon as if they were mirrors reflecting each other.

“… it’s pretty. Shizun.”

“Isn’t it? If you’re tired, sleep a little.”

Shen Qingqiu patted the boy like he was soothing a baby. The child easily relaxed in his arms and deeply fell asleep.

The dragon changed shape, and as if cradling the most precious thing in the world, he held the child and plunged back into the sea. He crossed the flowing river and headed back to their home. Asides from acclimating himself to this place, he did not love this world. How could he love a world where no one was around? However, after meeting Luo Binghe and raising him, Shen Qingqiu—little by little—started falling in love with this world. In the end, a person could only live on the world if he had something meaningful to him. Shen Qingqiu stroked the sleeping child’s head. He was happy that he could watch this child grow up. It seemed that he could grow to love this world some more.

The child grew quickly.

Years passed and Luo Binghe was now fourteen. During that time, the boy grew rapidly and became more and more endearing. It was just a little bit, but he even began to handle his own energy. They read many books together, Luo Binghe’s cooking skills improved, and now he could even go to the nearby village without Shen Qingqiu’s help. Nevertheless, Luo Binghe always tried to go to the village together with Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu was also uneasy about sending him alone, so he always went with. His reasoning was that the world was dangerous, so it was better to be careful.

“Shizun. You have to wake up.”

Shen Qingqiu… maybe he was becoming lazy, but recently he’d been sleeping more. Before, even without sleeping, he had been full of energy. Nowadays, he could not keep going without sleeping and he couldn’t really find a reason why. As time went on, it seemed like he slept more and more. Luo Binghe started a routine of waking Shen Qingqiu up every morning. It should have been annoying, but Luo Binghe woke Shen Qingqiu with a happy expression every day. Together with Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe ate breakfast, and received his lessons (there was less and less Shen Qingqiu could teach him). Then for lunch he cooked again, and afterwards studied by himself while reading books. Shen Qingqiu let Luo Binghe read all the books in Shen Jiu’s bookshelf, even down to the precious ancestral books passed down in the dragon’s family and the few hundred years old, rare documents. They even went to the market and bought more books. Books were quite expensive, but Shen Qingqiu had a lot.

“It’s harder and hard to get up these days.”

“Would you like to sleep more?”

“Mm… no. I’ll get up.”

Shen Qingqiu slowly opened his eyes. He saw the child’s smiling face and Shen Qingqiu also smiled.

“Today, there’s a place to go to.”

“A place to go?

“Yes. I’m thinking of going to the lake on the mountain. I want to introduce you to the turtle that lives there.”

“A turtle?”

“Yes. In this world, that turtle probably holds the most knowledge.”

Shen Qingqiu also only saw the turtle once. Not long after Shen Qingqiu came to possess this body, the turtle suddenly arrived and said, “The owner of Qing Jing River has changed?”

But he did not specifically ask Shen Qingqiu about what happened. Just a “Hm, so that happened?” and that was all. After telling Shen Qingqiu to come find him if there was any trouble, the turtle went back to where he lived. Once every few years, Shen Qingqiu would receive a letter from him and a few days ago, he had received another one. This prompted him to think that he should introduce Binghe. If it was the turtle, he might know the identity of Luo Binghe’s power. More than that, letting him know that Luo Binghe was Shen Qingqiu’s disciple would benefit Luo Binghe later on if he suffered any hardships as Luo Binghe would be able to use Shen Qingqiu’s name.

Shen Qingqiu dressed Luo Binghe in brand-new, white clothes and then he dressed himself up more properly than usual. For training purposes, it was decided that Luo Binghe would use his own strength to travel. To match Luo Binghe’s speed, Shen Qingqiu slowed down from his usual pace. His disciple made it around the half way with no problem. It was only when they were closer to the upper parts of the stream that he started showing signs of struggling.

“Shizun, please help this disciple.”

“Alright, get on.”

Shen Qingqiu put the child--who’d grown a bit since last time—on his back. With a wide smile, Luo Binghe rubbed his cheek on Shen Qingqiu’s back. Shen Qingqiu was happy that the child relied on him. Binghe was still a young child in need of his protection.

“But Shizun, what is the name of that lake?”

“I forgot to tell you. The lake is called An Ding Lake.”

“An Ding Lake?”

“Yes. A turtle named Shang Qinghua lives there. Nobody knows since when Shang Qinghua settled there.”

“What kind of person are they?”

“Well… for having so much knowledge, should I say… he’s a bit shallow...”

“Shallow? What do you mean?”

“You’ll see once we’re there.”

Shen Qingqiu flew up the mountain. They went higher and higher, flying past the clouds. Luo Binghe knew that Shen Qingqiu would never drop him, so entrusting himself to the dragon he busied himself by admiring the high-rising, steep cliffs. Finally, at the peak, there sat an immense lake that looked as though it were engulfed by mountains on either side. Shen Qingqiu immediately dove in.

At the bottom of the lake was a secluded-looking house. Shen Qingqiu let Binghe down in front of the entrance and then knocked on the door like a guest asking for the owner of the house.

“Who is it?”

“Shen Qingqiu of Qing Jing River has come to greet this sage.”

Then the door swung open by itself. Shen Qingqiu stepped in with Luo Binghe.

“Ah! Shen-bro! Come in, come on i- huh?”

Shang Qinghua’s gaze fell on Luo Binghe. As if searching for something, Shang Qinghua looked over Luo Binghe exploringly. Under the unfamiliar gaze, Luo Binghe shrank back and stuck close to Shen Qingqiu.

“He’s my disciple. His name is Luo Binghe.”

“Your disciple?”

“Yes. I’ve been teaching him for a few years now.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

“Binghe. Say your greetings.”

“Nice to meet you.”

After being greeted, Shang Qinghua’s face changed to a bright smile. He guided the two inside.

“Did you come to introduce him?”

“Yes, but also this child has a peculiar energy. I wanted you to take a look at it.”

“Aha, if it’s that then you’ve come to the right person. I’m the expert. Would you come here?”

Luo Binghe glanced over at Shen Qingqiu, before going over to Shang Qinghua’s side. Shang Qinghua placed a hand on Luo Binghe’s hand and concentrated.

“A dragon’s energy… hm, this is Shen-bro’s spiritual energy. Umm… oh, it’s this… hm. This isn’t like a normal dragon, nor is it human… I’ve felt an energy similar to this before… what was it again?”

“Do you have any guesses?”

“Hmm… probably a dragon from the Underworld. It’s been a long time since one has been seen… Probably one of this boy’s parents is of that heritage.”

“Is that fine?”

“Yes. But your energy is also mixed in with this child. He’ll be able to use both.”

“There won’t be any problems?”

“Yes. The energy is stable… but…”

“But?”

“Because of how strong this energy is, it’ll be dangerous if it runs wild.”

“How can we avoid that from happening?”

“Actually, it’s nothing difficult. It’s not easy for it to explode like that. Just live a quiet and peaceful life. You, Binghe. Do you like your life now?”

“Yes, I like it very much.”

“Good. Then there’s no problem.”

Shen Qingqiu nodded. As soon as Shang Qinghua let go of his head, Luo Binghe immediately scurried back to Shen Qingqiu’s side.

“That’s a relief. Can you tell the other dragons that he is my disciple?”

“What, that’s no problem. Anyways, Shen-bro, do you have any problems recently?”

The difficulty waking up this morning briefly came to mind. However, if he said that he’d been sleeping more and more it’d probably come off as him being lazy. In the end, he shook his head.

“No.”

If only he’d said it then, would things have been different?

“Hmm. I was wondering why you suddenly got a disciple.”

Shen Qingqiu sat down with Shang Qinghua and talked about what had happened in the past. Shang Qinghua nodded when he heard about the offering. While they were talking, Shen Qingqiu had let Luo Binghe go and Shang Qinghua had told him to go explore the lake.

“Your expression has improved.”

“What?”

“Compared to when I first saw you. Back then, you really had an expression like you didn’t care at all for this world, so I was wondering how much longer you would live… Usually those kinds of dragons die early, because there’s no will to live. Well, Qing Jing River’s dragon was also not on the strong side either.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But it’s different now. You look like you’re having fun.”

“It’s good. It’s nice to be able to see that child grow up.”

“Shen-bro, you’re surprisingly soft-hearted.”

“When the child first fell into the river… he wasn’t afraid at all and instead had a look of resignation. That kind of look on such a young child… But now, he looks so happy. I like that.”

“It’s good that you’ve found something to care about. It seems like this is arrangement is good for you and the kid both. That kid looks well-loved.”

“Isn’t he cute?”

“To be honest, I couldn’t believe that he was stable even with that kind of power in him. Seems like you’ve raised him well.”

“I will continue to raise him well.”

“Yes, please do. The world depends on it.”

Shang Qinghua laughed lightly, but those words were not said jokingly. Shen Qingqiu frowned slightly.

“I think there’s something wrong these days. I saw the ice dragon’s successor around my lake. Normally, ice dragons don’t emerge from the Underworld, but seeing the heir appear, it was really unusual… It looked like he was caught up in some kind of conspiracy, but I saved him and sent him back.”

“How troublesome. I just want to live quietly.”

“But Shen-bro, I want to live quietly too, but sometimes the world turns upside down and then we can’t help it. Then, there’s no other choice but to go out.”

“I don’t think there’s much I can do.”

“You’ll only know if you can do anything when the time comes.”

The turtle—who’s actual age was unknown—smiled lightly with a boy-like face. But even with such a youthful face, suddenly from that smile, Shen Qingqiu thought he saw the passage of a long, long time.

Luo Binghe slowly wandered through the water of the lake. This lake was different from Qing Jing River. Qing Jing River was refreshingly blue and had a clean, clear atmosphere, but An Ding Lake had a charming, almost cute feeling to it. There were a variety of weeds he’d never seen before that grew here, and fish that wandered around. Maybe it was the owner’s tastes, but there were also a lot of sparkling shells and rocks scattered about. Luo Binghe looked around for a long time, but still he thought Qing Jing River was the most beautiful—the river he was much more familiar with than the village where he had grown up. It always felt like the clean, clear energy of Qing Jing River was gently enveloping him and he’d always felt safe and comfortable. Luo Binghe wanted to live in that river together with the dragon for a long, long time.

“Binghe.”

He heard a voice calling for him. Luo Binghe immediately turned around and returned to where he heard his teacher’s voice.

“Did you finish your conversation?”

“Yes. Let’s go back.”

“Yes.”

“Take care, Shen-bro’s disciple.”

“Farewell, master of the lake.”

“Ha, you’re too polite. Shen-bro, so long to you too.”

“Yes, take care.”

Shen Qingqiu left the lake with Luo Binghe. He descended down within view of the river; however, instead of immediately diving into the water, they flew above observing the villages.

“Shizun? What are you doing?” Luo Binghe questioned.

“Don’t mind me. I just wanted to observe the villages for a bit.”

Following Shen Qingqiu’s example, Luo Binghe looked down at the village. There were many villages and fortresses along Qing Jing River and a countless number of people went back and forth over the river, drew the clean water for their own uses, and even carelessly spilled things into the river. When he was much younger, Luo Binghe had heard that the river flooded and drowned a number of people. Qing Jing River seemed calm, but it could also untamed and wild. Because of that, the people couldn’t treat the river carelessly. But ever since Luo Binghe had been offered up as a sacrifice, the river had not once run wild and the people were able to cross the river safely.

“The more people come and go, the bigger the village becomes. It seems it’s much larger than it was before.”

“That village…”

“It’s a village that’s close to the fortress you were from. That reminds me, we heard a few years back that the fortress governor’s son fell ill… I don’t know what happened with that.”

Shen Qingqiu mumbled to himself as he continued to fly following the river. Perhaps because of the mood, the river looked murkier than before. It could also have been because of the growth in people. However, Shen Qingqiu still had no intention of overturning the river. It was enough to just let the river flow.

“From tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll teach you techniques to protect yourself.”

“Didn’t you say that it was too dangerous so you would teach me when I’m older?”

“I did, but… According to Shang Qinghua, something seems off about the world. We don’t know if something will happen, so learning early wouldn’t hurt. However, even if you learn, you should not use it carelessly.”

“Yes. I will take Shizun’s words to heart.”

“Yes, you are a good child.”

Luo Binghe smiled happily.

Luo Binghe expanded his knowledge. He learned how to manipulate rivers and mastered the control of water. At the same time, he realized that there was a lot he could accomplish with his own powers. His strength was mainly focused on the offensive with which he could shake, overturn, and rupture the ground. Shen Qingqiu who saw the use of this destructive power worried over it. He told Luo Binghe that unless his own life was in danger, to not use this power. Luo Binghe agreed that he would not. Also, Luo Binghe gradually grew. Changes to his body took place quickly—growing taller, shoulders broadening, and voice deepening. On the day that he surpassed his teacher in height, Luo Binghe was restless and could not sleep. He thought, maybe Shen Qingqiu would see him as an adult instead of a child now. However, in reality, his teacher only looked at him with proudly warm eyes and stroked his head. He did not view him as an adult. Even so, Luo Binghe was happy.

Overtime, his master slept for longer and longer. He used to wake in the mornings, but one day he couldn’t wake up till lunchtime. Concerned about his teacher, Luo Binghe asked how he could help heal him, but Shen Qingqiu just shook his head saying that he was okay. Although he felt dissatisfied, because when Shen Qingqiu was awake, he really was okay, he listened to his teacher.

There was a vague guess though. The number of people were increasing, and the river water was becoming too dirty to accommodate. The people used too much water much too carelessly. When it rained and the clear water poured, Shen Qingqiu’s condition improved but when it did not rain his sleep continued to grow longer.

When he was seventeen, the master asked him again.

“Binghe, when you become an adult, what do you want to do?”

“… I want to stay by Shizun’s side.”

“How can you keep staying with me? You have to go see the wider world.”

“But Shizun…”

“I want to show you much more of the world, but there are limits to what I can show you. How about you go out and explore the world yourself?”

“…”

Luo Binghe stubbornly shook his head. He did not want to leave this river, his master. This was his world, his paradise, his home. He wanted to stay forever.

“Binghe.”

But contrary to his wishes…

“I want you to see a wider world, broaden your knowledge, and become a bigger person. If you just stay here by my side… I’ll feel like I’m tying you down.”

His teacher wanted him to walk a different path. His voice was soft, but his words were firm. He could never go against his master. He didn’t even think about it.

“… I will do it when I grow up.”

So, Luo Binghe could only nod, just like before. As if he’d swallowed fire, his insides felt hot. Even the gentle hand that stroked his head could not extinguish that fire.

If he leaves, would his teacher be fine all alone? Just thinking about it, he felt agitated. Without anyone to wake him, what if he fell asleep forever. What if the river’s condition becomes worse? Rather, if he could secretly overturn the river himself… Luo Binghe looked at the river with sullen eyes. However, he could not do it secretly, and his teacher would certainly be enraged. His master did not harm the humans who depended on the river. He would never forgive Luo Binghe. In fact, he might even blame himself, saying that he did not raise Luo Binghe well… and Luo Binghe never wanted to see that. Sighing deeply, Luo Binghe closed his eyes.

He could now easily go to the sea and, of course, the town by himself. But he did not go beyond the nearby towns or fortress alone. Going to the fortress was also just to buy food and other necessities; he never went outside for fun. Maybe that’s why his teacher wanted to send him outside. However, he had little interest in the outside world unless it was with his master.

Anyways, it was still not time for him to leave. Luo Binghe went to the neighboring fortress to buy groceries. The fortress that had thrown him away had long forgotten about him and no longer could recognize that poor orphan boy. Since the dragon no longer appeared, so they also forgot about the dragon’s anger and no longer performed any rituals. His master didn’t seem to care, but Luo Binghe did not like it.

Today, the atmosphere in the fortress was a bit strange. The people were talking in low, whispered voices; it was secretive enough to be uncanny. With a polite smile, Luo Binghe casually asked the store owner.

“What’s happened?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard? The governor’s son passed away.”

“I’ve heard he’s been sick for a long time.”

“Yeah, what did they say again, that they brought down the dragon’s anger? They attempted rituals, but there were no results. But in my opinion, the dragon didn’t do this.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhm. The dragon I saw told us to no longer give offerings, and he went and saved the child. I don’t think that kind of dragon would lay down a curse. It might be the child’s resentment instead…”

“That is possible.”

It was neither the child’s resentment nor the dragon’s curse, but Luo Binghe gave a cursory nodded. As if it could be the dragon’s curse. Rather, if his master had the temperament to lay down a curse, Luo Binghe would have felt more at ease. However, as the shop owner said, the dragon who saved the orphan boy, would never curse anyone and had even raised the abandoned child.

Luo Binghe paid for some items. On his way back, he noticed that everyone was talking about the death of the governor’s son.

To Luo Binghe, the only relation he had with the governor’s son was that due to the rumors that spread about the dragon’s curse, Luo Binghe was able to grow up with his teacher. But besides that, there was no kinship. If he thought about it, he was actually grateful that the governor had decided to offer him up as the sacrifice. It was only because of that that he was able to meet the dragon. He was able to see and experience many things as he matured. More than anything, he was able to grow up receiving tenderness and love. There was nothing more precious in life to Luo Binghe.

Luo Binghe returned to their home. His teacher greeted him while reading a book leisurely.

“You’re back.”

“I’m home.”

“Was there anything interesting?”

“No. I heard that the governor’s son has passed.”

“I heard he had a disease. After suffering for so long, he’s passed.”

Luo Binghe nodded.

“Did the governor have any more children?”

“Probably not.”

“… it’ll become a bit noisy. For the time being, be careful when you go the fortress.”

“Don’t worry.”

A few days later, the riverside became bustling. The governor lit a huge fire on the river bank and held a memorial service for his son. Luo Binghe watched the ritual with indifferent eyes as the governor looked at the river with a gaze full of resentment. That man really was directing his grudge and blame in the wrong direction. Arms crossed Luo Binghe watched them.

It was winter. The snow flurried over the blazing fire.

Spring passed with nothing unusual. It was peaceful. Shen Qingqiu thought that there was a bit less rain this year, but other than that there was no problem.

The real problem came in the summer.

There was a drought.

The mountains and fields became dry while the water level in the river became alarmingly low. There were more and more people who came to draw on the river to water the rice paddies and fields. Under the harsh sunlight, the crops could not hold out.

“This is serious.”

This was the first time a drought had come to this river since he’d been here. Shen Qingqiu’s complexion darkened. There were often fires that ravaged the land. In one village, he heard that the people had starved to death and more and more people came from far away to take the river water.

Shen Qingqiu’s energy also fell further. The summer rain never came and the flora and fauna of the river slowly began to struggle.

“I’ll have to use my strength.”

“But Shizun, your body…”

“I can do this much.”

Exerting his own energy, Shen Qingqiu expanded the body of water and which gave a small bit of relief. Eventually, the rain will come, so he only had to hold out till then. Or so he thought.

But the rain never came. In place of the rain, a plague of unknown origin began to circulate. Along with the disease, a rumor began to spread. The whispers of gossip said the heavens were angry, or that this was the result of the dragon’s curse. People died everywhere. The fires used to burn the corpses spread into new, disastrous fires. This was no different from hell.

“… Shizun, please stay here.”

He couldn’t tell whether it was the heaven or the earth that fell sick first. But soon after, the river became infected, and along with the river, the river’s dragon became ill. Luo Binghe desperately looked for a way to save the river. But with the power he had, he could kill, but he could not save. His power could not help Shen Qingqiu.

Did he have to go find another dragon? However, he did not know where the other dragons lived and Shen Qingqiu didn’t know exactly either. Should he go seek Shang Qinghua for advice? But Luo Binghe was afraid to leave Shen Qingqiu’s side. What if something were to happen while he was gone? Luo Binghe looked at the fortress. There were too many dead. If it didn’t rain, the people, the river, the dragon… all of them would not be able to last.

Shen Qingqiu opened his heavy eyes. The sand left in the hourglass was spilling out rapidly. He could easily count the remaining lives. How much longer could they push on? There was no sign of rain, not even the skies had any trace of moisture. If this continued, everyone would die. The river could not even be called a river with how dried up it was. The fish that lived in the river could hardly move around. Going on like this, it’ll only get worse. He had to make a decision.

“Binghe.”

“Yes, Shizun.”

“Let’s try to ask others for help. Go find Shang Qinghua and ask for help.”

Luo Binghe heavily nodded his head. Shen Qingqiu let out a long breath, then from his sleeves he took out a necklace with a shining turquoise pearl-like item hanging from it. He hung the necklace on Luo Binghe’s neck.

“Use this power when you’re climbing up to the lake.”

“… I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

Luo Binghe tightly squeezed Shen Qingqiu’s hand, then let go. Time was of the essence. He rushed towards An Ding Lake without delay. He couldn’t waste the power given to him, so instead of riding the river up, he used his own power to traverse the ground. While he was passing by, he saw that the people in the fortress and the villages were holding weapons. The people were tired of hunger, thirst, and plague and were looking for a target to blame. Luo Binghe had no time to find out whose throat they were trying to cut. He had to keep running. When he went together with his teacher, the road felt quick, but going alone it felt much further. The situation along the way wasn’t good either. It wasn’t just Qing Jing River that was dried up. All of the rivers and streams were parched. Everywhere he ran, underfoot, the ground was split and cracked. Luo Binghe’s heart beat anxiously. Maybe nobody could help. Then what could they do? But for now, all he could do was run. He’d already left so he could not turn back now. No matter what he had to get help somehow.

Luo Binghe finally stopped at the bottom of the mountain where An Ding Peak was, short of breath. He stroked the necklace given to him by his teacher and the energy held within reacted to Luo Binghe, lifting him up into the air. Flying only with energy was very different from riding on a dragon’s back. Back then, it was fun and carefree. But now… he’d do anything to be able to return to that time.

Luo Binghe landed in An Ding Lake. An Ding Lake was also quite dried up. Chewing on his lip, Luo Binghe went to look for the master of An Ding Lake.

“Are you here?”

“… ah, Shen-bro’s disciple. Come in.”

Shang Qinghua’s complexion didn’t look too well either.

“We need your help.”

“Qing Jing River is also dried up?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Shang Qinghua was suddenly quiet. He let out a deep sigh.

“It’s strange. It’s never not rained for this long. It’s like someone took all the water.”

“Do you have any guesses?”

“I did hear of a shaman who goes around spreading tales of a dragon laying down curses. I heard he killed and ate the dragon of Huan Hua River… Now he is spreading a rumor about the curse and together with the people are trying to capture the dragon. I tried to looking everywhere for the shaman but because of how elusive he is I haven’t been able to find them.”

“… a curse?”

“Yes. Anyways… now’s not the time to talk about this. This is only a temporary measure…”

Shang Qinghua disappeared into the room and returned with a medicinal herb that gave off a soft light.

“It’s called the Sun and Moon Dew Flower Seed and it’s a medicinal herb that revitalizes energy. Go and give it to him.”

“Thank you.”

“Go fast. I feel uneasy.”

With the herb in hand, Luo Binghe quickly went back. Curse? A dragon’s curse? That resentful look. The people holding weapons. A chill ran down his spine. He ran using his power past the limit his teacher had set. Like a sea that was shaken by a typhoon, the power fluctuated in his body.

In the distance, he could see a fire and losing half of his mind Luo Binghe ran. The pearl that his teacher gave him trembled on his chest.

When he finally reached the village, plop. Rain started to fall. That one droplet soon gave way to pouring rain.

“It’s raining!”

“Rain!”

“Finally!”

The people cheered, but Luo Binghe could not cheer with them.

“Thank you, Master Shaman. The dragon’s curse has been lifted.”

Someone bowed to a person wearing gold. Luo Binghe ignored everyone and numbly walked towards the river. On the river bank, a jade-blue dragon had his eyes closed as if he were sleeping.

“Shizun?”

The dragon was like a doll made of paper—empty, with no vitality. Luo Binghe touched the dragon’s body with a trembling hand and the smooth scales crumbled under his touch. Starting with that crack, the dragon’s body broke into dust. Above, the rain continued to fall. The dragon disappeared.

“A dragon without a yeouiju ^[3]. It’s only half a dragon.”

Someone muttered to himself behind Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe turned his head to look back. The man in gold looked at the area where the dragon had been with disdain.

“I guess I have nothing to hand over to Linguang-Jun.”

The shaman turned away. Luo Binghe blankly looked at the place where the dragon had disappeared, then turned his head.

The rain was falling.

The people were rejoicing.

The dragon was dead.

The people were shouting that the dragon’s curse was lifted.

Those people killed the dragon, killed his master.

The power that was running rampant inside of him suddenly exploded out. The ground began to rumble violently.

“Since you’ve taken from me, isn’t it only fair that I take from you?” Luo Binghe mumbled in a flat tone. The rain ran over his face.

The ground heaved. There was not even time for the people to scream.

That day a whole fortress was wiped from the map.

Disaster had fallen along with the rain.