The Nine Dragon Coffin

Chapter 14 – Blindman Fishing (3)

Chapter 14 – Blindman Fishing (3)

Having seen Old Blindman’s abilities, Grandpa hurried over to his side and said, “Old sir, you’re so powerful. I’ve lived here for ten years and never knew there’s a huge snake in the well!”

Old Blindman chuckled at him. “Go look at the well.”

Grandpa walked to the well’s side. When he saw what was inside, he couldn’t believe his eyes. This dried well actually had a spring inside! Grandpa sprawled over the edge and gulped the water.

After drinking his fill, he turned to Old Blindman and said, “Immortal, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken your steamed bun! I have nothing to give you in return!”

“No need. You were able to give me half of the bark that could’ve saved your life, so what is a steamed bun in comparison?” Old Blindman asked. “Also, child, that isn’t a snake. It’s a Moongazing Eel. It comes out every full moon to gaze at the moon, thus earning its name. 

“Regular eels have a round head, but this eel has a triangular one. Its forehead has two lumps and it’s similar to both snake and eel. You can eat regular eels, but not the Moongazing Eel. It’s also known as the Bone-Dissolving Dragon. If you eat it, you’ll turn into a puddle of pus. It clogged up the well’s spring. That’s why the well dried. Now that I fished the Moongazing Eel out, the well will go back to normal. The villagers won’t die of thirst either.”

“But even if there’s water, it hasn’t rained in three years,” Grandpa said. “We can drink water with the well, but we still can’t farm. It’s impossible to use the well to water the crops. Sir, since you’re an Immortal, can’t you pray for rain for the villagers?”

“I have my own plans,” Old Blindman said. “I’ve fished out the Moongazing Eel and it doesn’t dare to attack me, but I can’t do anything about it because I’m blind. After I leave, it’ll definitely return to the well and things will still be disastrous. How about this? Come over. Tomorrow at midnight, do as I say.”

He called Grandpa to his side and whispered some things to him.

The next day, the villagers discovered that there was water in the well. They all fell to their knees and thanked their ancestors. Grandpa wanted to tell them that this had nothing to do with their ancestors and they should thank Old Blindman. But the man already told him not to let others know about this, so he decided not to.

One day passed quickly. At midnight, Grandpa followed Old Blindman’s orders and found a bowl. He filled it halfway with the well’s water. Holding it, he walked toward the direction that the Moongazing Eel had gone in last night. He had to walk steadily. He couldn’t let the water spill.

As he walked, he murmured, “The sun rises in the east as a speck of red. The half-bowl of water will become a dragon.”

He walked like that for a long while. Suddenly, he saw two huge yellow lanterns on the tree before him. They seemed to sense that he’d come and suddenly darted at him. A rancid smell attacked him. 

The next moment, a huge snake stood up before him. Those two huge yellow lanterns were the snake’s eyes. The fish hook still hung from its mouth, half a bit of red string still hanging from it. The snake loomed before Grandpa, staring firmly at him with those huge orbs.

Old Blindman had told Grandpa that he had to chant while walking with the half-bowl of water and he couldn’t be scared if he met the snake. Even so, when such a huge snake appeared and the b****y tongue was one step away, he still trembled in fear.

According to the Old Blindman, if Grandpa turned to run when he met the snake, he’d definitely get eaten. If he didn’t run and instead stared at the snake, it wouldn’t hurt him. So, even though he was afraid, he had to grit his teeth and continue. He raised his head, pushing down his fear, and met the snake’s eyes.

After a while, the snake suddenly spoke in human tongue. “Do you think I’m like man or god?”