Chapter 222 Waterway Taboos

Chen Mo opened his eyes, and his consciousness began to withdraw from the Moon Concealment Realm.

The gray fog receded like the tide, and the dim yellow lights came into view again.

He raised his hand, removed the mask, and put it back into his storage space. He then stood up and walked to the window.

The red moon is very bright tonight, hanging in the southeastern sky, surrounded by no clouds, hanging there all alone, dyeing the entire night sky with a faint crimson hue.

After looking up for a while, he slowly sat down cross-legged by the window, closed his eyes, and let his consciousness sink into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, there was nothingness and emptiness, like the chaos at the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth.

In the center of this chaos, a paper-figure-like ghost floats.

It had condensed to about a foot tall, was pure white, and had a delicate, jade-like texture.

The paper figure has a clear and distinct outline, with a head, body, limbs, and even the outline of facial features can be vaguely seen. Although the specific eyebrows, eyes, mouth, and nose have not yet been depicted, the feeling of it taking shape is already palpable.

Paper figure image.

Chen Mo's consciousness gazed at the paper figure, and an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

After months of diligent cultivation, from initially sketching a blurry phantom in his divine consciousness to now having this almost solid paper figure, every step has been hard-won.

He remembered that the first time, he couldn't even draw the outline of the paper figure.

My spiritual energy was exhausted halfway through cultivation, and I had a splitting headache that took several days to recover.

Later, the paper figure finally took shape, but it was only a thin, ethereal shadow that would dissipate with a gust of wind.

Later, the phantom began to solidify, changing from transparent to semi-transparent, and from semi-transparent to the snow-white color it is now.

Now, this paper figure is almost solidified.

This is the Yin spirit.

The paper figure is the embodiment of Chen Moyin.

The reason it takes the form of a paper figure is not because Chen Mo likes folding paper, but because the paper figure visualization technique he cultivates is based on paper as its form and spirit as its substance.

His family's "Paper Making Techniques of the Underworld" believes that paper is the medium closest to the soul; it is light, thin, and soft, yet it can bear ink and preserve thoughts.

Paper is the most easily embodied form of spirit.

Those who cultivate the Tao are divided into two spirits: Yin and Yang.

The Yang spirit governs external affairs and is the foundation of daily thinking and actions. Everyone possesses it, and it is acquired without cultivation.

The Yin Spirit governs the inner realm; it is that spark of spiritual light deep within the soul, something ordinary people can never touch in their entire lives. Only those who have achieved mastery in cultivation can condense it into a physical form within their sea of ​​consciousness.

Once the spirit takes form, it can detach from the physical body.

When one cultivates to a high level, one can even travel beyond the mundane world, reaching the highest heavens and the deepest hells, going everywhere without end.

However, it is extremely difficult for ordinary people to condense the Yin spirit into a physical form.

Chen Mo had seen many records about Yin Spirit cultivation in the files of the Inspection Bureau.

Those who follow unorthodox paths spend their entire lives immersed in this way. Some have cultivated for twenty or thirty years, yet the Yin spirit in their sea of ​​consciousness remains only a blurry shadow, unable to even solidify into a human form.

Some people managed to conjure a human form, but it was incomplete, missing arms and legs, with blurred facial features, and they couldn't even move.

Even worse, some people go astray and suffer damage to their souls while trying to condense their Yin spirit.

At best, they will go insane and become mentally unstable; at worst, their souls will be scattered, and they won't even have the chance to be reincarnated.

The reason for this is that the nutrients needed to nourish the Yin spirit are extremely rare.

Yin spirit cannot be cultivated simply by meditating and practicing qi cultivation.

It requires the purest and most yin power of moonlight, not the thin moonlight of ordinary moonlight, but pure moonlight that has been refined and condensed, with the impurities removed.

This substance is extremely rare in nature; it can only be collected in slivers when the moon is out.

Ordinary sorcerers, in order to obtain moonlight, can only find an open space at night, set up ritual implements, burn incense and pray, and painstakingly collect it all night, only to obtain a few strands.

This is why the cultivation of Yin spirits has become one of the most difficult paths in unorthodox practices.

Many people cultivate for a lifetime, yet their Yin Spirit remains half-dead. It's not that they don't work hard; it's that they simply don't have enough moonlight to nourish it.

But Chen Mo is different.

Deep within his sea of ​​consciousness floated a precious mirror.

The Moonlit Treasure Mirror

It can absorb the sparse moonlight between heaven and earth, purify and condense it, and transform it into the purest moonlight power, which is continuously supplied to Chen Mo.

This also means that while others would need an entire night to collect the same amount of moonlight, Chen Mo only needs to activate the Moonlight Treasure Mirror to obtain the same amount in a quarter of an hour.

It's not that he's better than them, it's that he has a mirror that others don't have.

That is why his paper dolls were able to reach this point in such a short time.

If it were an ordinary sorcerer, it would be impossible to nurture a paper doll from a phantom to its current near-solid form in less than ten or twenty years.

This is his bottom line.

In unorthodox ways, opportunity is often more important than talent and hard work.

.......

The red moon outside the window gradually sank in the west, and the moonlight shone on Chen Mo, enveloping him in a faint crimson halo.

He sat cross-legged by the window, his breathing long and even, as if in deep meditation.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the Moonlight Mirror trembled slightly, and strands of pure moonlight overflowed from the mirror, which Chen Mo guided to flow into the paper doll's body.

The paper figure's outline became clearer, and the shadows of eyebrows and eyes could be faintly seen in the hollows of its facial features.

Time passed in silence.

The red moon set, and the sky changed from deep black to deep blue, and then from deep blue to grayish-white.

The footsteps of early risers and laborers could be heard from the alleyway in the distance. A tofu pudding vendor passed by the street corner, the wooden buckets at both ends of the carrying pole creaking and groaning.

Further afield, the deep, resonant whistles of ships on the Yangtze River echoed through the morning air.

Chen Mo's consciousness slowly withdrew from his sea of ​​consciousness, and he opened his eyes.

The sky outside the window was already bright, and the gray-white morning light cast a thin band of light on the ground.

Footsteps approached from outside the door and stopped at Chen Mo's door.

"Mr. Chen, are you up?" It was Tie Kun's voice.

Chen Mo stood up, stretched his stiff legs, and walked over to open the door.

Tie Kun stood at the door, having changed into a clean gray cloth robe, with the knife at his waist, and his hair neatly combed.

"Master Li sent me to call you. It's time to go to the dock after breakfast. Uncle Fu checked the cargo again last night, and it's already loaded onto the ship. We're just waiting for you to get there."

Chen Mo nodded: "I understand, I'll go down now."

Tie Kun turned and went downstairs.

He quickly washed up, changed into clean clothes, put his belongings into his storage space, checked the doors and windows again, and then went out.

In the lobby downstairs, Li Jinrong was already sitting at the table. The fat man was wearing a brand new navy blue Zhongshan suit today, his hair was combed and shiny, and his complexion was much better than yesterday, so it seemed that he had a good sleep.

Shen Yunjin sat opposite him, wearing a light yellow wool sweater over her clothes, her hair tied up, revealing a section of her fair neck.

She didn't eat much; she only drank half a bowl of porridge before putting it down.

"Chen Mo, come, come, sit down." Li Jinrong beckoned to him, "Eat quickly, we need to leave after you finish eating."

"Old Liu is already waiting outside. Tieye just went to the dock to double-check the arrangements on the ship."

Chen Mo sat down at the table, with a bowl of steaming white porridge in front of him and two small white porcelain dishes beside him. One dish contained three or four golden radish pancakes, and the other dish contained finely shredded pickles drizzled with sesame oil, giving them a glossy black color.

Shen Yunjin looked up at him, pursed her lips, and picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth.

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The dinner table was quiet. Only after Chen Mo put down his chopsticks did Li Jinrong stand up, pat his stomach, and say, "Let's go to the dock."

The black Ford was already parked in front of the inn. Old Liu was wiping the car windows with a rag when he saw them come out, and he quickly opened the back door.

Li Jinrong got in, Shen Yunjin sat next to him, and Chen Mo sat in the passenger seat.

Jiangning is much more lively in the early morning than at night.

It took about half an hour for the car to reach Xiaguan Wharf.

The dock was already bustling with activity.

The fog on the river had not yet dissipated, and the gray water obscured the view of the opposite bank.

Tie Kun stood at the entrance of the dock waiting for them. When he saw the black Ford drive up, he took a few steps forward, opened the car door, and said, "Mr. Li, all the cargo has been loaded onto the ship. Uncle Fu and his men are guarding it on the ship."

"The boat captain is waiting on the boat. He said he has some things to tell us before he leaves."

"What did you say?" Li Jinrong got out of the car and straightened his collar.

"The rules and taboos for traveling by water," Tie Kun said. "This boat captain's surname is Long, and he is known as Master Long. He has been sailing on the Yangtze River for thirty years and has a very good reputation."

"He's a stickler for old customs. He said that traveling by water is different from traveling by land. There are many taboos on the river, and he wouldn't dare to set sail without explaining things clearly."

Li Jinrong nodded: "Okay, let's talk about it on the ship."

The small steamship was moored on the east side of the dock. It was an iron-hulled steam-powered vessel, painted dark gray, about twenty meters long, with a high bow. The stern of the boat trailed a thin tail oar.

The ship has two large white characters, "Jianglong," printed on its hull. The characters are somewhat faded, indicating that it is an old ship that has been used for many years.

There is a small passenger cabin in the middle of the ship, with glass windows on all four sides, and a few tables and chairs inside.

More than thirty wooden crates were piled on the deck, covered tightly with tarpaulins and tied with several ropes.

Uncle Fu, accompanied by several guards, stood beside the box. When he saw Li Jinrong and his group board the ship, he clasped his hands in a respectful gesture from a distance.

Chen Mo followed Li Jinrong onto the ship.

As I stepped onto the deck, the boat rocked slightly, and the river water made a splashing sound under the hull.

He reached out and touched the gunwale to steady himself, then glanced around.

The cabin wasn't large, but it was very clean. The tables and chairs were polished to a shine, and there was a pot of daffodils on the windowsill; I wondered who had grown them.

The captain only came out of the wheelhouse after seeing them board the ship.

Mr. Long is estimated to be around fifty years old. He is not tall, but he is very strong.

He was wearing a gray-blue short jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his thick forearms, which were tattooed with a blue dragon whose tail snaked from his wrist to his elbow.

He was wearing a tattered straw hat with the brim pulled low, covering half of his face.

"Master Li?" Master Long's voice was deep, with a heavy Yangtze River accent.

"My surname is Long, and I'm the boss of this ship. Let me state the rules first. If you gentlemen can abide by them, then we'll leave."

"If you can't keep this order, please find someone else. I can't break the rules even if I have to stop sailing this ship."

Li Jinrong cupped his hands in greeting: "Please speak, Master Long. This is our first time traveling by water, so please enlighten us if we don't understand anything."

Grandpa Long took off his straw hat, revealing his entire face.

There is a long scar on his forehead, stretching from the left eyebrow to the right hairline, as if he had been cleaved by something.

He hung his straw hat on the iron hook at the cockpit door, turned around, and scanned Chen Mo and the others with his eyes, as if he were sizing them up.

"The first rule for traveling by water," Master Long held up one finger, "is that you are not allowed to say 'capsize,' 'sink,' or 'overturn' on the boat. Anyone who slips up will have to slap themselves three times, or I'll have to take action."

Li Jinrong paused for a moment, then nodded: "I'll remember, don't say those words."

"Article Two."

Lord Long held up a second finger, "No bleeding is allowed on the boat. Women's menstrual pads are not allowed on board. If you bring them, throw them overboard. It's not that I look down on women, it's just that the River God is superstitious about it."

"Miss..."

He looked at Shen Yunjin, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment.

Shen Yunjin remained calm and said indifferently, "I didn't."

Master Long nodded and held up his third finger: "The third rule is that if you hear someone calling your name on the river while sailing at night, you are not allowed to answer."

"No matter how familiar the voice is, or how much it sounds like someone you know, you are not allowed to answer. Whoever answers will jump into the river themselves, so as not to implicate the rest of the boat."

There was a moment of silence on the deck after he said that.

Li Jinrong's expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.

Tie Kun remained expressionless, his right hand unconsciously touching the hilt of the knife at his waist.

Chen Mo stood on the ship's side, looking at the lingering mist on the river, silently memorizing Master Long's rules.

Master Long held up his fourth finger: "The fourth rule is that anything on the boat, no matter what it is, is not allowed to be retrieved if it falls into the river. Whether it's valuable or not, once it's in, it's in. Whoever reaches out to retrieve it, I'll cut off their hand."

"The things in the river belong to the river god; if you try to take them, you'll have to pay with your life."

"Fifthly, every night I will light an incense stick at the bow of the ship. You may walk around on the deck until the incense burns out."

"After the incense has burned out, everyone must enter the cabin and not come out or make a sound. No matter what noises or sounds are heard outside, you are not allowed to come out."

Li Jinrong opened his mouth as if to say something, but after looking at Chen Mo, he swallowed the words that were about to come out.

After looking around and seeing that no one objected, Master Long withdrew his five outstretched fingers, put his straw hat back on, and pressed down the brim.

"These are the five rules. If you can abide by them, then abide by them. If you can't, it's not too late to get off the ship now."

"We can keep to the rules," Li Jinrong said. "Don't worry, Master Long, we'll follow the rules."

Master Long glanced at him, then at Chen Mo, his gaze lingering on Chen Mo's face for a moment longer.

"The ship will depart in half an hour. You can walk around on the deck, but do not go into the wheelhouse."

After saying that, he pushed open the cockpit door and went inside.

The river breeze blew across the deck, carrying a strong, fishy smell.

Chen Mo stood on the gunwale, looking at the river in the distance.

The fog is slowly dissipating, and the outline of the opposite bank is becoming faintly visible.

Several warships flying the Rising Sun flag were moored in the middle of the river, their cannons pointing to the sky.

Li Jinrong walked over and lowered his voice: "Chen Mo, do you think those rules that Master Long mentioned are true or just a charade?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said something that made Li Jinrong even more uneasy: "It's better to believe it's true than not to believe it's not. The rules for traveling by water weren't passed down overnight; they're the result of decades or even centuries of experience. Since he said so, let's stick to them."

Li Jinrong nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Tie Kun walked over, holding a route map in his hand. Pointing to the markings on it, he said, "Master Li, if you're going from Jiangning to Ganzhou by waterway, first go upstream to Hukou, then enter Poyang Lake, and then go upstream along the Gan River to Ganzhou."

"The whole journey is about 1,400 to 1,500 li. If the wind and water are favorable, it will take five or six days. If there is headwind or rain, it can take seven or eight days."

"So long?" Li Jinrong frowned.

"Water transport is like that, much slower than trains."

Tie Kun folded up the route map and put it in his pocket. "But it's more stable than the highway, not as bumpy as riding in a truck. Besides, the boat captain is an old hand; he's been running this route for decades, he could do it with his eyes closed."

Li Jinrong sighed, leaned against the gunwale, looked at the mist on the river, and muttered, "I hope nothing else goes wrong on this journey."