The Lurking Echoes of the River: A Deyang Fishermen's Tale of the Unknown

In the heart of Deyang, where the ancient Yangtze River meanders through lush greenery, there lived a young fisherman named Liang. His days were spent rowing his wooden boat across the river, his only company the occasional call of a seagull or the distant hum of a passing ferry. Liang was known for his calm demeanor and skillful hands, but there was a peculiar silence about him that made those who knew him feel as though they were walking on eggshells.

One misty morning, as the sun began to rise over the horizon, Liang set out for a day of fishing. He had been at it for a few hours when he noticed something odd. The water, usually a mirror of tranquility, seemed to ripple with an unseen force. The fish that usually swam near the surface were now darting beneath the boat, as if trying to escape from something. Liang, however, paid it no mind, assuming it was just a strange phenomenon that would pass.

As the day wore on, Liang's boat was drawn further from the main channel, and he found himself in an area of the river that he had never ventured into before. The trees around him seemed to whisper secrets in the wind, and the air was thick with an unexplained sense of dread. He felt a chill run down his spine, but he pressed on, determined to catch his quota.

Suddenly, the boat hit a submerged rock, and Liang nearly capsized. He frantically paddled, but the current was too strong. The boat began to drift, and Liang found himself fighting for his life. Just as he thought he was about to be swept away, a hand reached out and pulled him back into the boat. He looked up to see an old man with long, graying hair and piercing eyes, standing on the shore.

"Thank you," Liang gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

The old man nodded and said, "You should leave this place, young man. It is not a place for the living."

Liang, still shaken, asked, "What is it that I am to fear?"

The old man sighed and said, "This river is haunted by the spirits of a village that once stood here. They are trapped, bound to the water, and they seek release."

Liang's curiosity got the better of him. "Release from what?"

The old man's eyes darkened. "From their curse, which is as old as the river itself."

As the sun began to set, Liang realized he had been lured into a part of the river that was off-limits to him. He knew he had to find a way back to the main channel, but the old man's words echoed in his mind, casting a shadow over his journey.

As he rowed back, Liang's boat was once again drawn to the eerie shores. This time, he saw the remnants of the old village, its ruins half-submerged in the river. The sound of ghostly laughter filled the air, and Liang felt a chill run down his spine. He saw the outline of a woman, her face obscured by a veil, walking towards him. She reached out and touched his boat, and in that moment, Liang felt a surge of energy course through him.

The next morning, Liang returned to the village, determined to uncover the truth behind the old man's warnings. He spoke to the villagers, who were hesitant at first but eventually shared their story. The village had been cursed many years ago by a jealous god, who punished the villagers for their prosperity. The curse bound their spirits to the river, and they could only be released if a descendant of the village's founder performed a ritual to break the spell.

Liang, feeling a connection to the village and its people, agreed to help. He spent days gathering the necessary ingredients and learning the ritual from the oldest villager. The night of the ritual, Liang stood on the shore, the river before him a mirror to the sky. He chanted the incantations, and as the final words left his lips, the spirits of the village began to move towards him. The woman with the veil stepped forward, her face now clear and serene.

"Thank you, descendant," she said. "Your courage has freed us."

As the spirits vanished into the night, Liang felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He returned to his boat and rowed back to the main channel, the sun now setting behind him. From that day on, Liang's boat never strayed from the main channel of the river, and the villagers of Deyang were free from their curse.

The tale of Liang and the cursed village spread through Deyang, and the young fisherman became a local legend. His encounter with the spirits of the river and the old man's cryptic warnings were often told around campfires, a reminder that the world was filled with mysteries beyond human understanding.