The Whisper Beneath the River

  Yingtian Clan... City of Shi Yang

  The city of Shi Yang, under the Yingtian Clan's domain, was bustling with activity.

  A vast, lively marketplace stretched out, filled with the shouts of merchants, the chatter of buyers, and the mingled scents of spices and fabrics carried on the autumn air.

  Everywhere you looked, vibrant colors abounded... bright silks, fresh produce, and glittering trinkets... while a wide, crystal-clear river flowed through the heart of the market.

  A cool breeze drifted over the water, hinting at the coming winter.

  Autumn had painted the riverbanks in hues of gold; great trees leaned over the edge, their fiery red, orange, and yellow leaves gently falling into the rippling current.

  A small boat rested motionless near the bank, secured by a single rope.

  Leaves had gathered on its roof, casting soft shadows across its surface.

  Inside the boat, beneath that dappled shade, someone lay fast asleep, a fan covering their face.

  From a nearby shop, a young man named Qing Yu emerged, carrying a heavy sack on his shoulder.

  His simple clothes and the merchant's seal hanging from his belt clearly identified him as a trader.

  He glanced towards the boat and shouted loudly, his voice cutting through the market's din:

  “Xiao Tang! How long do you plan to sleep? We’re already running late!”

  The shout echoed over the water, reaching its intended recipient.

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  Startled, Xiao Tang jolted upright, and in his haste, fan and the handkerchief that had been on his chest slipped into the river and was swept away by the current.

  He stared after it helplessly, sighed, then climbed down from the boat with a sulky expression and walked towards Qing Yu.

  But Qing Yu was still fuming.

  “Brother Xiao, you know we have to reach the Hegong Clan by sunset today!

  Mei gui has been waiting for us for three whole days... we promised to deliver the Fox Nuts before the festival.

  If we arrive late again, she’ll definitely be angry with both of us!”

  Instead of apologizing, Xiao Tang flashed a proud grin.

  Hanling on his hip, he said confidently:

  “You must have forgotten that I, Xiao Tang, am the most skilled boatman in the entire Yingtian Clan!

  Sunset? Hah! I’ll have us at the Hegong Clan before noon!”

  Qing Yu rolled his eyes.

  He knew his friend well; Xiao Tang was all talk and no substance.

  Still grumbling, he lifted the sack and stepped into the boat.

  He placed it in the open section where the sun could dry the fox nuts and warned:

  “Make sure the fox nuts doesn’t fall into the water.”

  Then he turned back towards the market to fetch another.

  Time passed quietly.

  Then suddenly… Xiao Tang froze.

  A strange sensation stirred within him... a sharp, unsettling pull deep in his chest.

  He clutched at his heart, confusion flickering across his face.

  “What… what is this feeling? It’s like something is tugging… from inside me…”

  His body trembled.

  A wave of dizziness swept over him, and before he could call for help, he lost his balance and plunged into the river.

  The splash was loud.

  People turned at once; startled cries filled the air.

  “Someone fell into the water!”

  But beneath the surface, something far more terrifying was unfolding.

  Xiao Tang’s body sank deeper and deeper, his limbs paralyzed as if bound by invisible chains.

  He tried to move, but nothing obeyed him.

  His breath grew shallow, then stopped.

  The last traces of air escaped his lips, rising towards the distant shimmer of the surface above.

  And then… he saw it.

  Through the dark water, a white mist... no, a white figure... drifted towards him, slow and ethereal, like a ghost.

  It moved closer… closer… until it hovered before him.

  At that instant, Xiao Tang’s soul was wrenched from his body.

  In a flash of pale light, his spirit left the flesh that could no longer breathe.

  And as his soul rose unseen toward the heavens, the white figure entered his body.

  The river calmed once more, as if nothing had happened.

  Only the fallen leaves floated quietly on the water’s surface,

  whispering secrets that no one would ever hear.