History Has Fallen Ill

Chapter 66: Silver Dynasty, Silver Sun, Qi Jiguang!

During this period, the Mirror of the Heaven-Stealing Ghost had parsed part of the Diseased Domain’s rules and unlocked the ability to conceal its aura, successfully hiding the pressure of the mysterious creature.

But expecting the Silverline Red Trout to swallow a mirror was indeed a bit much to ask of the fish.

After all, they still knew what could be eaten and what could not.

Jiang Yan had thought he would have to wait until the sea dried up and the rocks crumbled. Unexpectedly, a human from the Diseased Domain was delivered to him. Naturally, he wouldn’t just stand by and watch him die.

Taking advantage of the moment when Water Boy approached, he released his pressure, successfully scaring off the fish school, and even gained a treasure fish in return.

However, in the end, Water Boy nearly drowned in the sea. In order not to let his efforts go to waste, Jiang Yan had no choice but to connect causality and plant his last remaining Cataclysmic Lotus on him, forcibly extending his life.

“Unknowingly, I’ve gone all in.”

Jiang Yan felt like he was playing an extremely malicious pay-to-win game, constantly forcing you to spend money.

Unconsciously, he had been emptied of all his assets.

It was fine not to spend, then just watch the fish at the bottom of the sea!

“Fortunately, it's White Fate, not Gray Fate cannon fodder.”

Jiang Yan murmured. In the fate system, all beings’ fate was divided into nine grades.

The lowest was gray, then white, followed by red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and finally purple.

The higher the fate, the greater the fortune.

Gray signified terrible luck, not guaranteed to survive even a day.

White represented the masses, with average fortune.

Water Boy mostly belonged to the White Fate. After being augmented by the Cataclysmic Lotus, a few strands of red fate were added.

After all, obtaining the Celestial Ghost Treasure Mirror could be considered a blessing in disguise.

Originally, Jiang Yan only intended to use him as a stepping stone to find a better fate target. But now, in order to escape the sea, he could only plant the Cataclysmic Lotus to nourish the other.

If he died, it would be a total loss.

“A slightly weaker starting character can still be played.”

Jiang Yan comforted himself inwardly, watching Water Boy and the others return to the village through the mirror.

It was a small fishing village near the coast, home to around several dozen households, with architecture resembling that of the Fujian and Zhejiang regions.

In the mirror, the two returned home and hastily ate some mashed fish meat. Worried that delay might bring unforeseen trouble, they quickly headed to the market to put the treasure fish up for sale.

In the scene, the humans of this Diseased Domain wore attire similar to that of the Ming Dynasty, and their bodies showed no signs of mutation, appearing just like an ordinary ancient world, only with the addition of some Transcendent Beings, and a dazzling Silver Sun hanging in the sky.

It was indeed easy to confuse, hard to tell which side was the real world.

No one knew how those Diseased Domain creatures managed to bypass the sun and treat the world like a cesspit.

“How much for the Silverline Red Trout?”

While Jiang Yan was deep in thought, the treasure fish was quickly spotted by a richly dressed middle-aged man. After some bargaining, it was sold successfully for six thousand copper coins.

When paying, the man used large red copper coins, each equivalent to a hundred small copper coins.

Water Boy had never seen so much money before and was momentarily stunned.

Beside him, Grandpa Hairong, biting a water pipe, took the money and carefully counted it. After confirming the amount, he grinned apologetically and said:

“We poor folk really have bad eyesight, sorry to waste your time. This treasure fish is yours now!”

“Hmm, if you have more treasure fish in the future, you can keep selling them to me. I’m at the Liu residence on East Street.”

The man nodded calmly and left with his servant carrying the treasure fish.

Grandpa Hairong handed the money to Water Boy, grinning widely: “You’ve got good luck, kid. Now not only do you have enough to pay your taxes, but it’s enough to feed your family of three for several years.”

“This is all thanks to Grandpa Hairong’s help!”

Water Boy handed over five large red copper coins, feeling the pain, but without this man, he wouldn’t have encountered the treasure fish.

He had to understand gratitude and reciprocation!

Grandpa Hairong accepted it straightforwardly and said in a low voice, “Later, take another fifteen large coins and give them to Master Zhou at the dock. Otherwise, having sold a treasure fish, plenty of folks will get jealous.”

Water Boy nodded, indicating that he understood.

Master Zhou was the dock manager, in charge of the fishermen’s voyages. Without his approval, it was considered illegal to go out to sea and would be seen as colluding with the Wokou.

After the two great mountains, Master Zhou and the tax official, had passed, Water Boy was left with only three thousand copper coins in hand.

Through the conversation and gathered information, Jiang Yan confirmed that this was a corner of the Diseased Domain belonging to the Silver Dynasty.

He hadn’t expected that Diseased Domain creature to dive so deep, arriving at the Silver Dynasty, even more terrifying than the Corpse-Dissolution Court.

In the markings of the Bureau of Historical Revision, it was classified as a [Oblivion]-level Diseased Domain, two levels higher than Turbid Stream-level.

Even if it wasn’t the main body of the Silver Dynasty, merely a split-off minor Diseased Domain, it would still not be below the [Dike-Break] level.

Danger meant opportunity.

There was a saying passed down in the Bureau of Historical Revision:

[In the real world, oil breeds mold.]

[In the Silver Dynasty, silver breeds Ming soldiers.]

However, according to what Jiang Yan had seen and heard, although silver here was expensive—three thousand copper coins for just one tael—it still circulated as currency.

The largest denomination commonly seen among commoners was usually the Large Red Copper Coin.

“Silver Dynasty… Logically speaking, silver is tied to the cultivation system. Why is it still circulating as currency instead of being fully nationalized?”

Jiang Yan found this odd and pondered that there must be other reasons behind it.

Unfortunately, Water Boy was just an ordinary fisherman and did not understand the Transcendent system.

In the scene,

With money in hand, Water Boy now walked with a straightened back. He spent a little over a dozen copper coins at the pig butcher's to cut a small piece of meat and went home to celebrate.

Until late at night,

He waited until his mother and younger sister were asleep before stepping outside, pulling the treasured mirror from his bosom, examining it in the moonlight, and softly asked:

“Mirror, are you an immortal's treasure?”

Buzz!

The mirror’s surface glowed faintly, as if responding.

Water Boy was overjoyed, his expression excited:

“What kind of powers do you have? Can you turn stone into gold?”

“I wish I had that…”

Jiang Yan was speechless. He originally wanted to form words to show some class, but remembering that this kid couldn’t read, he gave up on any profound presentation.

Then,

The mirror’s surface flowed and a scene appeared.

Within was a rising mist and towering, splendid palaces of gold and jade. Everything exceeded Water Boy’s comprehension, making him think of the legendary Heavenly Palace.

In an instant, the Heavenly Palace collapsed into obliteration, leaving behind only a pitch-black chaotic sea.

A twelve-grade Black-red Lotus Platform rose from within. Atop it sat a mysterious robed figure whose appearance couldn’t be seen clearly.

“I am the Heavenly Venerable of Salvation from Suffering in the Cataclysmic Sea of All Heavens. Was it you who prayed?”

Water Boy had never seen such a spectacle. He immediately fell to his knees and cried out “Immortal Grandpa”, “Sea God Grandpa”.

All he remembered was the word “Sea”.

Jiang Yan continued his deception: “To obtain a treasured mirror capable of accelerating the comprehension of cultivation methods and spells, and enhancing perception, is your destiny.

With it, you should be able to become powerful in this world and live a prosperous life. If you ascend, come to the Cataclysmic Sea of the Return Ruins to meet me, and I can accept you as a registered disciple.”

After speaking, the mystical scene vanished, and the mirror returned to its ordinary appearance.

The reason he didn’t make exaggerated promises was because Jiang Yan understood a truth.

People always value what’s hard to obtain.

The more eager one appears, the more worthless it seems.

To Water Boy, who lived in poverty, what he needed most was wealth. Telling him he could become strong through the mirror—

That was enough.

Otherwise, there was a chance he might pawn the mirror.

As for its ability to scare off fish… Jiang Yan wouldn’t tell him that. He wasn’t some Grandpa-on-hand, unwilling to accompany him on fishing trips every day.

After hearing this, Water Boy looked conflicted and sat silently by the door all night.

The next day, as the sun rose and shone on his face, he made a decision.

“I’m going to enlist!”

Feeling the shocked gazes of his mother and younger sister, Water Boy swore to let his family live a good life.

Although the mirror could assist in cultivation, he didn’t know any cultivation sects. The little money he had could barely cover tuition at a martial hall, but due to his low birth, if he didn’t continue paying, he wouldn’t be able to learn anything.

It was better to enlist. They provided food and housing, offered resettlement funds and military pay, and even taught orthodox cultivation methods.

The only downside was… he would have to face those Wokou and pirates who possessed strange abilities, and the mortality rate was extremely high.

Because of this, the local Tiger Camp was constantly recruiting.

Water Boy was already physically strong and had no issues with his background, so he quickly passed the recruitment conditions.

When registering, he even gave himself a name.

Chen Shui!

“Come on, I’ll take you to see the Transmission Officer and receive your cultivation method!”

The officer in charge of recording stood up and led a group of new recruits into the military camp.

On both sides of the camp stood burly soldiers, their bodies covered in muscle, with white silver blood threads flowing through their veins. Their physiques gleamed, as if they were silver men.

Killing intent radiated from their bodies. Just a glance at the recruits brought a terrifying pressure, frightening the newcomers into bowing their heads like quails, which drew much laughter.

Jiang Shuiwa lowered his head and followed the officer step by step.

The deeper they went, the denser the blood and qi became. From Jiang Yan’s perspective, it gathered into a white silver fierce tiger coiled across the heavens, its tiger eyes fixed on the sea, exuding a solemn killing aura.

In front of the Transmission Camp, a massive flag bearing the character 【戚】 fluttered in the wind.

Thinking of the name “Tiger Camp”, the coastline, the Wokou, and other elements—

Jiang Yan suddenly understood. So it was Qi Jiguang, General Qi the Tiger!

He wondered whether that Jia Jing Daoist, who trained his body into a crane-like form, was also present?

After all, in this world, one could truly ascend. Even if it meant ascending into the depths of the Historical Long River, he didn’t know to what extent they had mutated.

While thinking, Jiang Yan gained his first harvest in this world.

It was the foundational cultivation method received by Jiang Shuiwa, named—

Mystic Capital Six Yang White Silver Dragon-Tiger Qi