Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 793 You are Free

In Chen Xuan's view, a creature as spiritual and kind-hearted as a pufferfish should not normally join the bandits in their evil deeds.

Therefore, it is highly unlikely that its actions of stirring up trouble and colluding with river bandits to rob boats in this section of the river were voluntary. In fact, it might even actively help rescue boats that are in distress.

This creature may be playful at times, but aside from normal hunting and feeding, it rarely acts maliciously.

Yet it still cooperated with the river bandits to commit evil deeds, so the reasons behind this are worth examining.

Of course, it's also possible that it was raised by bandits from a young age and has developed feelings for them, which is why it obeys commands.

But Chen Xuan immediately dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared in his mind. What are water bandits? They are bad people. It is no exaggeration to say that they are vicious and ruthless. How could he expect them to have a heart for animals that die tragically?

Therefore, it's plausible that it was controlled by bandits and thus forced to do things against its will.

This puzzled Chen Xuan. This enormous pufferfish was already a beast with innate abilities, and its strength was comparable to that of a master of innate cultivation. Especially in its home field of water, even top masters of innate cultivation would find it difficult to do anything to it. So how did it end up being controlled by water bandits and becoming an accomplice to evil?

'It is kind by nature. Could it be that the bandits took advantage of this to deceive it and gradually bring it under their control? Or perhaps it was deceived and controlled when it was weak, or maybe it was rescued from a crisis and was repaying the debt of gratitude unwillingly,' Chen Xuan muttered to himself, rubbing his chin.

Regardless, Chen Xuan intended to try to stop it from colluding with the river bandits and harming passing ships. Such a kind-hearted creature should be happy.

Because of certain special impressions from his past life, Chen Xuan found it hard to have any intention of killing this lovable pufferfish. He would try to save it if he could, and if not, he would solve the root of the problem.

If this causes it to become unrestrained and wreak havoc on ships, we can simply take it to a secluded place, such as the Misty Marsh, which would be a good destination, and it could even keep the old crane company.

With a thought flashing through his mind, Chen Xuan turned to the others and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go check if there's anything wrong with it."

"Hmm, my lord, although I really don't want it to be bullied, if its ferocious nature is hard to change, I am not a stubborn person. I will make a decision when necessary, just don't cruelly abuse it. After all, if such a strange beast does evil, I don't know how many people will suffer," the little princess said earnestly, pursing her lips.

Nodding to show he understood, Chen Xuan wasn't a saint; he knew what he should and shouldn't do, and he wouldn't let his emotions control his thinking. He had always said that he wasn't a good person.

With a swift movement, he appeared on the river surface, standing as light as a feather, his body rising and falling with the waves.

The enormous pufferfish underwater continued to try to approach their ship, stirring up the water and creating waves, but all in vain. The waters around it, enhanced by Chen Xuan's true energy, were like a swamp. Although they wouldn't hurt it, they could hardly move. Frustrated, it would occasionally pop its adorable head out of the water and spit.

Its spit is no joke; it's incredibly powerful. Even a master of innate cultivation wouldn't dare to take it head-on without preparation, as it could be blasted to death. Moreover, it carries a strong icy aura that can freeze a person into ice.

Unfortunately, all its efforts were in vain. The water jet it sprayed was immediately shattered into mist and dissipated by Chen Xuan's formless and intangible true essence. The difference in their strength was too great.

The little cutie is quite stubborn; her bright, expressive eyes show a mix of grievance and determination as she keeps trying, seemingly determined not to give up until she achieves her goal.

At close range, Chen Xuan could clearly see fear in its eyes, as if it would suffer a terrible punishment if it failed to complete the mission and returned, forcing it to approach the ship again and again to launch attacks.

'What a terrible injustice it has suffered! Look how pitiful the child is. I'm sure I guessed right; it was forced to obey the bandits, stirring up trouble and profiting for them. Those bandits are truly despicable; how could they be so evil?'

Chen Xuan's heart softened. He decided to assess the situation first. If all else failed, he would try to have a "friendly" conversation with the bandits. He decided to ignore the people secretly watching from the sidelines for the time being.

Thinking this, he reached out and lifted his hand towards the river surface. His true essence, like an invisible hand, grasped the river water within a radius of two hundred meters. Amidst the surging waves, a large mass of river water detached from the river surface and flew into the air, among which was the enormous black and white pufferfish, which was imprisoned inside.

The little princess and her companions were used to this scene and showed no surprise whatsoever. On the contrary, the people secretly spying were stunned. Even the ships sailing in the distance were frightened and turned around, thinking that a water monster was causing trouble. They had to run away in time, in case it crashed down on them and caused the ships to be destroyed and the people to die.

The pufferfish, trapped inside the giant water sphere, appeared extremely panicked. Its bright eyes showed a look of helplessness as it swam and struggled, trying to break free, but ultimately to no avail.

With a flick of his wrist, the large water sphere binding the pufferfish flew toward Chen Xuan. Of course, he didn't have the ability to control water; it was just a small application of his true essence. This extraordinary power, if used well, is almost omnipotent. Using it for simple fighting and killing only shows that one's thinking is too narrow.

After a moment's hesitation, facing the large water sphere so close at hand, Chen Xuan said, "Little guy, calm down. I think you can understand me, right?"

This creature is inherently intelligent. Even ordinary pufferfish can communicate simply with humans after spending time together. This is a true exotic beast, whose intelligence should be no less than that of a normal person. It just cannot speak or truly communicate unless it grows to the level of a grandmaster, like the old crane.

It is now fully capable of communication and can express certain intentions, which Chen Xuan's senses can easily understand.

Perhaps sensing Chen Xuan's goodwill, or perhaps it was the feeling of warmth emanating from Chen Xuan's cultivation of the natural way that made all things feel at ease, the pufferfish inside actually calmed down after he used a little force to vibrate the water sphere and transmit his voice. Instead of struggling, they swam towards Chen Xuan.

Through the water, the pufferfish looked at Chen Xuan with its bright, lively eyes, its body swaying gently, its eyes filled with curiosity, as well as a bit of bewildered fear and confusion.

These emotions were truly reflected in its eyes.

It calmed down and stopped swimming quickly. Upon closer inspection, Chen Xuan discovered that it had many scars on its body. For its size, they might just be minor skin injuries, but the process that caused them was anything but pleasant.

Just thinking about how it was sent by river bandits, given their inhuman nature, how much suffering must it have endured? Look how frightened the child is, with that terrified look in his eyes; he probably imagined the consequences of failing his mission and returning home.

The two were only about a meter apart. Chen Xuan looked incredibly small in front of it. Looking at it, Chen Xuan said with a kind face and gentle tone, "Can you understand what I'm saying? If you can, just nod."

The pufferfish inside the water sphere tilted its head as if in thought, and then nodded its head a few times.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan smiled slightly. It was indeed able to communicate. Thinking about it, it made sense. It often mingled with water bandits, so it wasn't surprising that it could communicate with an intelligence that was no less than that of an ordinary person.

That makes things easier. Chen Xuan asked, "You attacked us because you were instructed by someone, right? Those river bandits who have been entrenched in the area for years, those who frequently rob passing ships. If so, nod."

It wasn't a person after all, so Chen Xuan tried to explain in as much detail as possible.

The pufferfish tilted its head again, its eyes flashing with contemplation, clearly thinking and understanding. After a moment, it nodded in affirmation. Indeed, it hadn't intended to pay them any attention. They sent someone to demand a toll, and when communication failed, the person became enraged and was thrown into the river by the guards. Then they deployed their trump card—this pufferfish. After all, they sold peace charms precisely to combat the water monster causing trouble.

Chen Xuan's expression softened again, and he said, "Judging from your injuries, they often bully you, don't they?"

This time, the pufferfish nodded its head rapidly, its eyes filled with grievance and anger, but even more so with fear. If it weren't in the water, it would probably be shedding tears.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan sighed inwardly. Those bandits were simply using it as a tool. They must have frequently beaten and scolded it when they were unhappy. Otherwise, how could it have suffered such obvious injuries? How much conscience could bandits who were intent on committing all sorts of evil have?

With sympathy, Chen Xuan continued, "Do they often make you do things you don't like, things you don't want to do but have to, otherwise they'll bully you, right?"

It tilted its head and pondered for a moment, then nodded again, this time even wagging its tail. Its eyes looked pitiful and extremely aggrieved, as if it were saying that it had finally met someone who understood it.

Having secured the major case he wanted, Chen Xuan asked one last question: "So you were forced into this situation. They controlled you through some means, forcing you to obey them, right? And if you disobeyed, you would be abused."

As soon as the words were spoken, the pufferfish nodded its large head rapidly, looking so aggrieved that it was almost crying, like a helpless and pitiful child.

“I can help you break free from their control, but you can’t tell me directly how they control you. The problem is most likely with yourself, so I need to touch and examine your body. Don’t be afraid, it won’t hurt you, okay? Nod if you can,” Chen Xuan asked with a smile.

The problem must lie with it. Otherwise, without the bandits watching over it, it would have been free long ago. There must be some kind of control mechanism within it that makes it have to obediently return every time it goes out, or it might die!

This time, the pufferfish didn't just nod in response. Instead, it approached Chen Xuan directly, its head sticking out of the water sphere. Tears even slid down its big eyes, and it made a pitiful "ooh" sound as it got close to Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan understood its meaning, which can be translated as "Save me".

It no longer wanted to continue its previous life; it wanted freedom, happiness, and revenge against those who had bullied it!

It moved very carefully and spoke very softly, as if it was afraid that Chen Xuan would misunderstand. After all, there was a huge difference in size between the two, and Chen Xuan's mouth wouldn't even be big enough to fill a tooth gap.

Chen Xuan gently placed his hand on its adorable, large head and smiled, saying, "I'll check you out right away. If all goes well, it'll be resolved quickly, and you'll be free. If it's troublesome, I'll personally go to them to set you free and make them pay for the pain they inflicted on you and the countless others they've bullied."

The pufferfish gently nuzzled Chen Xuan's hand with its large head, nodding and shaking its head while making a "yoyo" sound.

Chen Xuan understood its meaning. It meant that if it gained its freedom, it hoped to take revenge on the river bandits and atone for the mistakes it had been forced to make.

It is extremely intelligent and knows what it has done, none of which it did willingly. It wants to be itself again, and there will be no more water monsters causing trouble here. Instead, there will be a new spirit beast to protect passing ships, provided that it gains its freedom.

Even though it has suffered too much injustice, its kind nature is etched into its bones, purer than that of humans, showing no signs of turning evil, but rather feeling more ashamed of its own mistakes.

"Okay, I'll help you regain your freedom and won't interfere with anything else. I believe you won't let me down."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan gently entered its body to investigate, not letting go of any abnormality. Although animals are different from humans, many essential things are the same. Any abnormality on its body could not escape Chen Xuan's careful investigation.

There's nothing we can do about it; we need to get to know them. After all, no matter how intelligent a pufferfish is, it can't tell you how it was controlled. Chen Xuan's cultivation level isn't high enough, and he can't use his spiritual power to observe directly.

After a moment, Chen Xuan seemed to understand something and said, "I roughly understand your current situation. You've been given a slow-acting poison, and you need to take the antidote regularly to alleviate the suppression, otherwise you'll die from the poison. No wonder you have to obey them. That's one reason. There are also Gu worms residing in your heart, which also need to be suppressed with regular medication, otherwise they'll eat your heart and kill you. They've given you double insurance. If you fight them to the death, they'll control the Gu worms in your body to make you hesitate to act. They're really cautious."

Perhaps Chen Xuan had said a lot, because its eyes were somewhat blank, and it couldn't understand for a moment.

Without withdrawing his hand, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "I'll help you detoxify and remove the Gu worms, freeing you from your fate of being controlled. You'll be free soon, relax, there won't be any pain."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan poured his true essence into its massive body, gently cleansing every corner.

As a semi-expert in alchemy, Chen Xuan could tell that the pufferfish was poisoned the moment he came into close contact with it. He only tested it as a precaution. Fortunately, he did test it, otherwise he would not have been able to see the Gu worms in the pufferfish with the naked eye. If he rashly tried to detoxify it, he would have disturbed the Gu worms and done more harm than good.

Upon hearing this, the pufferfish's eyes lit up with immense joy, and it kept making "yoyo" sounds, as if it were really saying, "Really?"

"Of course it's true," Chen Xuan said, withdrawing his hand in a short while. He patted its head and laughed, "Alright, now you're free."

Internal energy can help people detoxify, let alone the torrent of true energy he cultivated at the Grandmaster level. One wash would clean it up completely, without needing any specific antidote.

As for the worms that were entrenched in its heart, they were killed by the shock before they could even react, turning into minced meat and being expelled along with the toxins in the pufferfish's body.

The main approach is simple and straightforward. With cultivation at Chen Xuan's level, there's no need for him to be careful or rack his brains.

Having read the "Ten Thousand Gu Medicine Manual," he said that the Gu worms used by the water bandits on the pufferfish were child's play, and could be dealt with directly without any special methods.

As a mythical beast, how could the pufferfish not sense the changes within itself? When Chen Xuan withdrew his hand, it felt completely relaxed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. It made cheerful "yoyo" sounds, and tears of excitement welled up in its bright eyes.

It had longed for this day for far too long.

The big head nuzzled Chen Xuan carefully to express its gratitude, calling out happily while tears streamed down its face. Its bright eyes looked in a certain direction, flashing with deep-seated hatred.

Now that it is free, those bandits who once bullied it are going to be in big trouble, really badly!

Although pufferfish are kind by nature, they are not without grudges due to their high intelligence; they just don't inflict that hatred on innocent people. Animals are often more clear about their grudges than humans.

...(End of this chapter)