Lingdou City, the capital of the Douling Empire, still hummed with activity at night. Despite it not being a festival, many people walked through the streets—strolling, chatting, or browsing various shops. Spirit Masters passed by, laughing loudly with friends, or observing displays of goods at local stalls.
Wang Nan and Ma Xiaotao walked side by side, having left the hotel about half an hour ago. Despite their hunger, they hadn't found a place to eat yet, but they had already run into some of their teammates.
"Xiao Nan, Xiao Tao, you're here too?" Gongyang Mo stood at the entrance of a shop, waving at them, with Xi Xi and Ling Luochen beside him.
"What are you doing here?"
Wang Nan glanced around and saw that the shop only sold small wooden carvings. It seemed to be a souvenir shop aimed at regular people, with no connection to Spirit Masters or Soul Masters.
"Oh, you don't understand a girl's thoughts," Gongyang Mo said teasingly, then turned to Ma Xiaotao, "Want to come in and take a look?"
Ma Xiaotao glanced at Wang Nan, and after a brief pause, she nodded. "Since we're already here, might as well."
As they entered the shop, the owner, a man in his fifties with no spirit power, quickly greeted them.
The shop owner, unable to sense their spiritual presence, treated them as ordinary customers. "Welcome, esteemed guests. You're here to pick out souvenirs, right? You've come to the right place. Each item in my shop is inspired by various folk legends from the Douling Empire. Truly meaningful souvenirs!"
Wang Nan, intrigued, picked up a wooden statue. Despite his discerning eye, he had to admit the owner's craftsmanship was impressive. The detail was intricate, with lifelike features in each carving.
"Did you carve these yourself, boss?" Wang Nan asked, inspecting a small, delicate dragon.
"Ah, I'm not afraid to admit it," the shopkeeper chuckled nervously. "I awakened a spirit that's a carving knife, but I don't have the Innate spirit power to cultivate. So, I make a living carving wood."
Wang Nan studied the owner closely. He realized if the man had spirit power, he might have become a skilled Soul Master.
Gongyang Mo had wandered off to speak with Ma Xiaotao, but Wang Nan's attention was drawn to a crescent-shaped wooden statue hanging at the back of the store.
"Boss, you mentioned these carvings are based on legends. What's the story behind this one?"
The shopkeeper's eyes followed Wang Nan's gaze. Smiling, he said, "This is the Water God, a revered figure from my hometown."
"The Water God?" Wang Nan was surprised. He had never heard of such a deity, especially not one related to water in this world. Wasn't the Sea God the primary deity in the continent?
"Yes, the Water God," the owner said. He took the statue down carefully, brushing off dust, and placed it on the table. Wang Nan could now see the statue more clearly—it had scales and a body shaped like a carp, complete with a head and a tail.
"Boss, I'm reminded of a similar story from my hometown," Wang Nan said casually. "In that version, the Water God required the sacrifice of a pair of virgin boys and girls each year to ensure good weather and bountiful harvests."
At his words, Wang Nan noticed a subtle shift in the shopkeeper's expression, a brief flash of unease.
"Boss?" Wang Nan asked again, studying the owner's face.
The shopkeeper chuckled nervously. "Hahaha, no, no! The Water God is a divinity, there's no such thing! Hahaha," he quickly waved his hand. "But anyway, if you like the Water God statue, I can wrap it up for you. You can buy other carvings too. But, this one's special—please, leave it here. It brings me good fortune."
Seeing the owner's nervousness, Wang Nan was suspicious but decided not to press further. He picked out a couple of other carvings and placed a gold coin on the counter.
"These two look nice. I'll take them, please wrap them up."
The shopkeeper's eyes widened at the sight of the gold coin. "Aye, aye, I'll get them wrapped up right away."
As the shopkeeper wrapped the wooden carvings, Wang Nan casually asked, "So, what's the legend behind this Water God statue?"
The shopkeeper sighed and began. "The legend has been passed down for thousands of years, though no one really knows how it started. Some say it was once a Spirit Beast with a carp spirit, others say it was a Spirit Master. Regardless, it wasn't always a divinity—it was originally an elder from the Heavenly Scale Sect."
Wang Nan's interest piqued at the mention of the Heavenly Scale Sect. He hadn't heard of it before. "The Heavenly Scale Sect? What is that?"
"Ah, yes, the Heavenly Scale Sect... it's a unique sect that only accepts disciples with a Beast Spirit, specifically those with scales. Their special technique allows them to transform their Spirit into a true Dragon."
Wang Nan's eyes widened at the mention of dragons. "A true Dragon?"
"Yes. The story of this Water God involves a failure in their Dragon transformation. After that, the Water God found itself in a river and survived. Since then, the banks of that river have been blessed with good weather and abundant harvests. It gradually became known as the Water God."
As the shopkeeper finished, he glanced uneasily at Wang Nan. Wang Nan, sensing the change in the atmosphere, nodded in understanding. He was about to say more when Gongyang Mo and Ma Xiaotao came back, holding some carvings themselves.
"How's everything?" Wang Nan asked, turning to his companions.
Ma Xiaotao looked at the carvings with amusement. "Just a bit of fun, but this place does have some decent pieces."
Wang Nan nodded, still thinking about the story the shopkeeper had shared. Something about the Water God statue seemed strange, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"Thank you, boss," Wang Nan said, tipping the shopkeeper before turning to his friends. "Let's head out."
The three of them exited the shop and made their way down the street. Wang Nan's thoughts lingered on the mysterious Water God statue and the connection to the Heavenly Scale Sect. Something told him this was a puzzle he would need to solve in the future.