In the Cultivation World, it was widely known that with the thinning of Spirit Qi, dragons had long vanished from this world.
It was said that deep within the Dead Sea dwelled a five-thousand-year-old giant python, the spiritual creature closest to a dragon.
Yet among the people of Thousand Canals, when the sluice gates opened, not only did a silver dragon descend, but colorful clouds filled the sky, petals danced in the air, and celestial music echoed.
Memory can deceive. When a long-awaited event occurs, people instinctively embellish it until imagination becomes reality.
Three people spreading a rumor can create a tiger, let alone when hundreds swore they witnessed the miracle with their own eyes. They described every scale and whisker of the silver dragon with vivid detail.
In truth, the opening of the sluice gates lasted only slightly over half a day, and the water flow was moderate, far from the earth-shaking, thunderous spectacle described by the people.
Thousand Canals was sparsely populated, with only a third of its waterways dug, barely filling six canals to supply water to twelve villages.
The river shimmered under the summer sun, its silver brilliance a stark contrast to the dark ancient wells.
After years of drought, the people of Thousand Canals finally saw flowing, wind-swept living water again.
When the third team of River workers returned home on their day off, carrying grain and meat, their wives lit fires and cooked fragrant meat stew. Neighbors opened their doors and windows, gazing enviously at the rising smoke.
Families had initially worried, but saw their husbands and sons return with rosy cheeks, radiant spirits, and some even slightly plumper than before.
Upon hearing details of the river construction, they wept with joy.
In their excitement, they surrounded the newly returned Minister of Agriculture:
"To have such a miracle, we should go to the God Temple and pay respects to Song Xian Guan’s golden statue."
Liu the Carpenter frowned sternly: "You all know this isn’t allowed. The God Temple is sealed shut. Song Xian Guan never had a golden statue made and forbids worship."
His fellow villagers weren’t intimidated and teased: "Minister, please make an exception. Carve a wooden statue of Song Xian Guan for us. We’ll place it in the village, set up a longevity tablet, and worship quietly without anyone knowing."
Liu Er coughed twice, lowering his voice: "Well, that could work, but don’t tell anyone I carved it."
Liu the Carpenter’s statues were lifelike and uniquely spirited.
Even those who had never seen Song Qianji felt this was how an Immortal Official should appear—composed and magnanimous, gentle yet authoritative.
Villages far and wide rushed to imitate. Wooden, stone, wax, and various other statues of Song Qianji were placed in every village ancestral hall and on household altars.
Incense smoke rose into the clouds, gathering over Thousand Canals like a giant beast breathing mist.
Invisible luck converged from all directions like tiny streams, flowing into the Immortal Official Manor.
Meanwhile, Song Qianji, who pretended to master "Qi Observation" and "Heavenly Vision," remained oblivious to the danger right before him.
He was bending down, gently blowing open a budding pink lotus.
His unbound black hair cascaded onto the emerald lotus leaves.
After moving to the new Song Courtyard, his little lotus roots no longer had to crowd miserably under the eaves or rely on Focusing Light Talismans for artificial lighting.
After days of warm summer sun, layers of green leaves covered the water’s surface, holding glistening droplets that slid with the breeze. The flower buds on the lotus stems were heavy, with broad, white petals edged in pink, resembling plump, oversized peaches.
Under his touch, the tightly closed petals slowly unfurled, revealing the small, tender green lotus seedpod hidden within.
Song Qianji couldn’t help but smile.If he could dig a lotus pond to specially cultivate different varieties and colors of lotus roots, he could make stir-fried lotus root slices, lotus seed soup, and osmanthus foxnut—surely that would be better than eating noodles every day.
A lotus pond half the size of Yaoguang Lake would be enough for him to plant all summer long, Song Qianji thought.
That night, Ji Chen came as usual to learn chess. After losing three games in a row, he resignedly began gathering the pieces when he suddenly heard Song Qianji say:
"It's almost time."
Ji Chen was startled, thinking his terrible play that night had disappointed Song Qianji:
"Don't say that, Brother Song! I'm still far from mastering this, I can still be saved!"
"Not you." Song Qianji stood up, dragged his lounge chair to a suitable spot under the flower trellis, and gazed up at the hazy moon. "Go."
After that, Song Qianji continued his daily routine of busily working in the fields.
But from 9 PM each night, he would receive no visitors, discuss no matters, neither rest nor meditate—only lean back in his lounge chair, breathing lightly while silently practicing the "Spring Night's Joyful Rain" cultivation method.
To others, however, he appeared completely motionless, as if his spirit had wandered elsewhere.
No matter who asked what he was doing, he only gave two words: waiting for rain.
Everyone was baffled and confused.
Ji Chen tentatively suggested: "Brother Song, Thousand Canals hasn't seen rain in three years. Why don't I spend some money to hire a few grand formation masters to set up a cloud-rain formation in the sky? Maybe we could squeeze out a few drops? If they fall to the ground, it would count as rain, right?"
Song Qianji smiled and refused: "Won't work."
"Then... we're really just waiting like this?"
"Waiting."
Ji Chen muttered: "Rain isn't like Fellow Daoist Zhao—he comes when you wait for him. Ah, who knows when we'll get another Fellow Daoist Zhao to wait for."
After Zhao Ren was released, Ji Chen still missed him occasionally. To be precise, he missed the feeling of testing formations on a living person.
Every day he played chess, studied game records, and practiced formations, but it always felt like empty theory—something was missing.
Ji Chen found Meng Heze practicing sword techniques, and the two began their Thousand Canals duo routine again.
"Brother Song is like that every night—aren't you going to advise him?""
Meng Heze shook his head: "No."
Ji Chen was surprised: "Why not?"
Meng Heze looked up at the sky: "Because once before, he really did wait for rain to come."
The news that Song Xian Guan was waiting for rain spread from the Immortal Official Manor into the countryside, reaching every village.
OpenNovel