Chapter 191: Chapter 95: When the Seas Overturn, Incense Rises on Earth

He saw the cold-blooded ferocity of demons time and again.

But he... also had a side that was like a demon.

If this were just a game, perhaps he would find it fun, but it wasn’t.

If he became a demon, he would surely be rejected by people.

If he was not a demon, he would not be able to protect his loved ones.

Li Xuan scratched his head, suddenly realizing that he was being a bit sentimental. As long as he wasn’t discovered, it would be fine. With his skills now, if he wanted to hide it from his family, who could know?

As for Wei Yao, she was already halfway into madness; and Rose, she was essentially linked with demons...

"Have you eaten yet?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Tian Yuan suddenly asked with a smile.

Li Xuan shook his head.

Tian Yuan said with a smile, "A sister you know brought fish to our house. I originally said you hadn’t returned yet. Now you should go and see her, and by the way, pick which fish to eat?"

Li Xuan asked, "Who?"

Tian Yuan replied, "Zuo Hong."

...

...

"Greetings, Prince Qing..."

The woman in red quickly stood up and bowed as she saw the man walking in.

This was Zuo Hong, once one of the twelve dock masters of the Qing River Shipping Gang, known as "Wave-Born Red Flower." She was someone with deep roots in the martial world and a socialite. She helped Li Xuan back in the day, more or less.

But things have changed, and Zuo Hong hardly dares to claim the title of "sister."

However, Li Xuan smiled and said, "Sister Zuo, it’s been a while."

He had a mask, yet also sincerity.

Returning home in fine clothes, not forgetting a coarse wife, nor forgetting old friends.

"I dare not..." Zuo Hong said with her head lowered.

She wasn’t "reckless" or "innocent," understanding the ways of the world, so even though Li Xuan called her "Sister Zuo," she dared not respond.

Even if she knew in her heart that perhaps Li Xuan was still the boy she knew, she dared not acknowledge him.

This kind of understanding person, there are indeed many. Otherwise, why would they say "the high places are cold," why once reaching high positions, do they become solitary?

Li Xuan helplessly said, "Sister Zuo helped me a lot back then. If there’s anything in the future, just come to Prince Qing’s Mansion. As long as you say a word, if Li Xuan can do it, I’ll help you."

Zuo Hong was stunned for a moment and glanced at the helpers who came with her.

She knew... with just that sentence, no one in the shipping gang would dare touch her.

Her initial thought of seeking protection from notable figures has fully materialized.

But the man before her, originally her route to climb towards Prefect Cao Shuda, unexpectedly became her strongest support, a mountain much grander than a prefect.

"Thank you..."

Zuo Hong replied sincerely.

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Tian Yuan smiled from the side and said, "Prince Qing has come to pick fish, hasn’t eaten yet."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Hong quickly stood up and respectfully led Li Xuan to see the fish she brought.

She talked and laughed as they walked, entirely taking on a socialite persona facing a significant figure.

Barrels of fish from the shipping gang were placed by the fish pond of Prince Qing’s Mansion, and since there was no notice, the fish hadn’t been dumped into the pond yet. Seeing Li Xuan arrive, disciples of the gang nearby quickly paid their respects.

Li Xuan looked at those fish but didn’t see "the black fish with buck teeth and iron-like scales". Zuo Hong squatted down with a smile, rolled up her sleeves, and was about to reach into the barrel to introduce each fish.

However, just as Zuo Hong began to move, Li Xuan said, "Let someone else do it."

Being this close, if anything unforeseen occurred, he could immediately react. Therefore, theoretically, even if there was a mutated fish hidden among these fish baskets, the investigator wouldn’t be in danger.

But since Zuo Hong had helped him in the past, if he could avoid letting her take risks, Li Xuan would naturally do so.

Zuo Hong, thinking Prince Qing didn’t want her to personally undertake such tasks, was about to speak when she saw Li Xuan’s serious expression. She paused, retreated as if having seen a poisonous snake, and then called a gang disciple to come over.

The disciple, though unaware of what had happened, reluctantly stepped forward.

Li Xuan watched intently.

The disciple then began introducing each fish as he caught them.

"This is a red-mouth carp, this is a black fish, this is a white-striped grass carp, this is a spring bass..."

"These are ornamental fish. This fish with a golden head is called a golden-helm, here..."

The disciple pointed and counted: "Brocade blanket, printed head red, wrapped head red, connected gills red, head to tail red, ink eye, snow eye, amber eye."

After counting here, he cautiously lifted a small barrel and said, "This barrel contains rather rare fish, called crystal blue."

Li Xuan looked over and saw the crystal blue fish, blue like jade, white like blood, with visible guts, indeed a worthy ornamental fish.

It was evident that the gang couldn’t find the dan fish, so they intentionally helped him collect these beautiful fish.

After a thorough search, no anomalies were found.

Li Xuan casually selected some fish and instructed the dining hall to prepare them.

Then he walked and talked with Zuo Hong around the mansion.

"Prince Qing, why did you hold me back earlier?" Zuo Hong couldn’t help but ask.

Li Xuan didn’t answer but countered with a question: "Has anything unusual happened at Qing River recently?"

Zuo Hong thought for a moment and quickly replied, "The waves are quite big, and there are many fish at the upstream hideouts, quite a few directly rushing into the fishing nets.

Um... the water line has risen considerably as well.

Yesterday’s heavy rain probably raised it even more, likely flooding the riverbank soon.

The peach blossom pavilion at the edge of Yanzi Dock is probably gone too.

The gang leader fears water disasters and is already evacuating members.

Yet, it’s only early spring... water disasters shouldn’t be happening."

Li Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "Sister Zuo, go back and tell Lin Jianfeng and Yao Qiu not to fish in the river these few days, just stick to unloading business."

"Ah?" Zuo Hong gasped.

Li Xuan said, "There are demons in the water."

To prevent the gang from dismissing his warning, he added, "The kind that can destroy Hundred Flowers Mansion."