"Thank you for your help, young master."
After the villagers of Shijia Village left, Luo Sanniang poured Xu Ming a cup of water and bowed slightly in gratitude.
She never imagined that the man she had simply given shelter to would end up saving her and her daughter.
"Thank you, young master," the little girl, Yaya, mimicked her mother's actions, bowing as she expressed her thanks.
"It's nothing," Xu Ming said, shaking his head. "I just couldn't stand by and watch."
"You're a good man, young master," Luo Sanniang said, smiling at him.
Xu Ming chuckled lightly. "I wouldn't call myself a good man. Didn't you see their expressions? Because I protected you, they'll now have to pick another family. The way they looked at me was full of resentment. While I saved your daughter, I've also caused harm to someone else."
Luo Sanniang shook her head. "Others may think that way, but to me and Yaya, you are a good man."
Xu Ming paused for a moment, then smiled. "Fine, if you insist, I'll reluctantly accept that."
"But, young master, you should leave," Luo Sanniang said earnestly. "This is my problem to handle. I let you stay here, and you paid me for the lodging. We're even. If you really get involved in this matter, it will be extremely dangerous."
"It's fine," Xu Ming replied, taking a sip of tea and glancing toward the courtyard gate. "I need to kill a flood dragon anyway to harvest some of its materials for talisman crafting."
"What do you think your village will decide, Sanniang?" Xu Ming asked.
An hour earlier, after the village chief left with the others, Xu Ming had been waiting for their response.
"I'm not sure," Luo Sanniang admitted, shaking her head. "But there are many people in the village who harbor hatred toward that Yellow Sand River Dragon King. After all, so many boys and girls have been sacrificed. If they had the strength, many men would have already gone to fight it."
"Let's see." Xu Ming gently swirled the tea in his cup. "If the villagers are still unwilling to defy the dragon, I'll take you and Yaya to Wudu. With the letter I write, someone from the Xu family will take care of you."
"Thank you, young master." Luo Sanniang knelt to the ground in gratitude.
Seeing her mother kneeling, Yaya quickly followed suit, dropping to her knees as well.
"There's no need for such formalities," Xu Ming said, hurriedly helping the mother and daughter to their feet.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Luo Sanniang and Yaya stood up, the sound of knocking came from the courtyard gate once more.
"Come in," Xu Ming said, knowing that the villagers had made their decision.
As his words fell, several burly men entered the courtyard, clasping their fists in respect. "The village chief invites the young master to his home for a discussion."
Xu Ming clasped his hands behind his back and took a step forward. "Let's go."
Nearby, Yaya, who had been playing in the dirt, quickly got up. She wiped her dirty hands on her skirt and trotted after Xu Ming with her short legs.
Before long, Xu Ming and Yaya arrived at the village chief's residence.
The chief's home wasn't much different from the other houses in the village, except the courtyard was slightly larger.
"Immortal Master."
Unlike his earlier attitude, the village chief now greeted Xu Ming with utmost respect, stepping forward and bowing deeply.
"The weather is hot. Please come in and have some tea, Immortal Master," the chief offered.
Xu Ming glanced at the village chief, then stepped into the courtyard and sat on a stone stool.
The chief closed the gate and respectfully poured Xu Ming a cup of tea before sitting beside him.
Xu Ming asked, "Have you made a decision?"
The chief nodded slowly and replied, "We've decided. We will leave the Yellow Sand River Dragon King to the Immortal Master."
"And the rest of the villagers agree with this?" Xu Ming asked.
The village chief forced a smile. "In past years, the children to be sacrificed were already decided well in advance. But this year…"
The chief glanced at Xu Ming and trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Xu Ming didn't need the village chief to finish his thought; he understood perfectly well what the man meant—
We had everything decided, but then you, a meddler, showed up.
The village chief sighed and said, "We discussed this for a long time, but no one is willing to take the place of Luo Sanniang's daughter. Moreover, quite a few of the men in the village are deeply resentful of that Yellow Sand River Dragon King. So… this is a chance."
The chief stood up, then deeply bowed to Xu Ming again. "Our Shijia Village will have to trouble you, Immortal Master."
Xu Ming looked at the old man in front of him. Instead of avoiding the gesture, he accepted the bow with a calm expression. "I wonder if the village chief could tell me more about this Yellow Sand River Dragon King."
The chief straightened up and nodded. "I will tell you everything I know."
Xu Ming asked, "Earlier, I heard from that boy's father that the Yellow Sand River Dragon King is at the Golden Core Realm?"
The chief confirmed, "Yes, though I don't fully understand what 'Golden Core Realm' means. But not long ago, the Yellow Sand River Dragon King reached a new level of power. He even held a banquet to celebrate, calling it the 'Golden Core Banquet,' and invited his demon friends. He also demanded we help prepare supplies for it."
"Good," Xu Ming said, his confidence growing. If the dragon had only recently broken through to the Golden Core Realm, it likely hadn't yet consolidated its power.
"But why does it insist on having pairs of young boys and girls? Do you have any idea, Chief?" Xu Ming asked. This was the part that puzzled him most.
For a powerful demon at the Golden Core Realm, acquiring and devouring human children should be easy. It could take as many as it wanted. Yet, it demanded only one pair each year, which seemed oddly specific.
The chief shook his head. "I don't know."
"When were you planning to conduct the offering?" Xu Ming continued.
"The day after tomorrow," the chief replied.
"How do you normally perform the offering?"
"We place a small boat on the river, loaded with sacrifices—chickens, ducks, livestock, and the pair of children. The boat drifts to the center of the Yellow Sand River, where a massive whirlpool appears, dragging everything down into the depths."
Xu Ming frowned. "The dragon doesn't show itself?"
The chief shook his head again. "It rarely shows up in recent years."
Xu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said in a low voice, "I'm not skilled in water combat, and fighting it in its lair puts me at a great disadvantage. Do you have any way to lure it onto land?"
"This…" The chief looked troubled but clenched his fists tightly. "I will try."
"I also need time to set up a formation to increase my chances," Xu Ming added.
"If the offering is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, there won't be enough time. You'll need to find a way to delay the ceremony," he continued.
"How long do you need?" the chief asked nervously.
"Four days," Xu Ming replied firmly, staring straight into the chief's eyes. "Four days from now, if the dragon isn't dead, I won't leave."