Chapter 15: Big Fish! The Magical Fish Stone

At a winding bend in the river, Lu Qing finally discovered a new prime fishing spot.

【Primary Fishing Spot: Rich in nutrients, lush with aquatic vegetation—perfect feeding ground for fish.】

【Above, rare fruits grow—delicacies beloved by certain strange fish. Fishing here may bring unexpected rewards.】

The faint white glow emanating from the area was even more intense than that of the previous Prime Fishing Spot.

"Above, rare fruits grow?" Lu Qing looked up, scanning the bank of the fishing spot.

Soon, several peculiar plants caught his eye. Under the scan of his Abilities, these plants also radiated a soft white light.

【Blood Apricot Tree: Bears Blood Apricots—non-toxic, medicinal.】

【Legend says the fruit contains a special substance greatly favored by certain rare fish.】

"Blood Apricot?" Lu Qing stared at the small, crimson berries hanging from the branches—no bigger than a fingertip.

Was this the rare fruit that strange fish loved?

A spark of excitement flickered in his mind. He stepped forward.

Fortunately, the Blood Apricot Trees weren’t tall. He easily gathered a handful of the bright red fruits.

"Brother, those fruits look so delicious!" Xiao Yan, seeing the plump red berries in Lu Qing’s hands, couldn’t help but swallow hard.

"These aren’t for eating," Lu Qing said, though the Abilities had confirmed the fruit was non-toxic.

But it was also marked as medicinal. Since it was medicine, he wouldn’t risk giving it to Xiao Yan.

"Not for eating? Then why did you pick them?" Xiao Yan tilted her head, puzzled.

"To fish," Lu Qing explained. "Some fish really like these fruits. I want to see if I can use them to catch a big fish."

"A big fish that eats fruit?" Xiao Yan’s eyes widened.

"Yeah. Fish eat all sorts—earthworms, fruits, corn, even grass."

"Even corn and grass?!" Her eyes grew even wider.

She’d never known this before. It felt magical.

"So you can’t eat them, Xiao Yan. They’re for catching the big fish."

"Okay! Xiao Yan understands!" She nodded vigorously.

Compared to fruit, the big fish fascinated her far more.

"You stay here, okay? I’ll tidy up the area a bit."

After warning Xiao Yan not to wander off, Lu Qing strapped his short-handled axe firmly to a wooden pole and began clearing the weeds and small trees along the bank.

This kind of preparation was second nature to him. In his past life, he’d done it countless times. In no time, the bank was cleared and transformed into a proper fishing spot.

As for the Blood Apricot Trees, he left them untouched. After all, they were White Light-level plants—valuable, and not something to be cut down casually.

With the spot ready, Lu Qing prepared to fish.

No baiting, no chumming. They didn’t have enough food at home to waste like that.

But the river here was rich in resources, and thanks to the Abilities’ precise selection, he had a natural advantage. Even without chumming, he was confident he’d catch something.

Sitting by the bank, he decided to start with earthworms—ensuring their food supply for the next two days.

He threaded an earthworm onto the hook, cast it into the water, and set the float.

No surprise—the spot was the brightest among all the ones scanned. The moment the hook hit the water, before he even had time to fully settle, the float began trembling.

Then, with a sudden jerk, it plunged straight down.

Lu Qing snapped his wrist back with a sharp flick. A sharp whoosh echoed through the air as he yanked the fish up.

It wasn’t big—a small, two-finger-wide white fish.

Lu Qing raised an eyebrow. So this was the most common fish here. Always around.

"It’s a white fish!" Xiao Yan cried out, clearly seeing the catch.

"Yeah, a white fish. Looks like we’re in for a good haul today," Lu Qing said, plucking the fish from the hook and dropping it into the bucket.

The quick success gave him a strong sense of optimism. Maybe today, he really would catch a big one.

Excitement surged through him.

But then, things took an unexpected turn.

After catching a few more small fish, he cast the line again. But this time, silence.

No movement. No bite.

Hours passed. Still nothing.

"No bite," Lu Qing mused. "Either the fish are gone… or a big one’s down there, driving the small ones away."

He’d seen this before. With experience, the conclusion was clear.

He pulled the hook up, removed the earthworm, then reached into a small cloth pouch.

"Secret Weapon!" Xiao Yan instantly recognized it—the item he’d tucked away when they left home.

Lu Qing opened the pouch and pulled out a few golden kernels.

Fresh corn. He’d gotten them that morning from Wang Sheng next door. His plan? Use them as bait.

In his past life, when he went fishing for big fish, corn was his go-to. Carp, grass carp—they loved it. Never failed.

He didn’t know if it worked in this world, but he had to try.

If corn didn’t work, he’d switch to the freshly picked Blood Apricot.

He threaded a plump, fresh corn kernel onto the hook and cast again.

He didn’t expect what happened next.

The moment the hook hit the water, before the float even settled, Lu Qing was still half-crouched, ready to sit—when suddenly, without warning, the float vanished beneath the surface.

The line snapped taut. A massive force ripped through the rod, nearly throwing Lu Qing off balance.

But he reacted fast—stepped forward, planted his feet, and steadied himself.

"Trying to sneak attack, huh?" He grinned, gripping the rod tightly. He could feel the power.

This was definitely a big fish.

No fish under five pounds could generate this kind of pull.

Whoosh!

The fish below fought back, tugging so hard the line screamed.

"Think you can slip away? Not a chance!"

When the fish surged again, Lu Qing didn’t panic. He gently loosened his grip—releasing most of the tension—then snapped it back, regaining control.

This new fishing rod had been certified by his Abilities to withstand a hundred pounds of force. He wasn’t about to let a fish break it.

"Brother, you can do it!" Xiao Yan whispered, her tiny fists clenched tight.

She was scared to shout—afraid of scaring off the big fish.

The next half hour became a battle of wits and strength.

Back and forth, Lu Qing tugged and pulled, slowly wearing down the fish.

Finally, he felt the resistance weaken.

"Finally worn out," Lu Qing sighed, relieved.

That struggle had taken a toll on his own strength. If it weren’t for the recent acupuncture from Chen Laodaifu, restoring his vitality, he might not have made it.

When the fish was utterly spent, it could no longer fight.

After one final surge, the fish broke the surface.

Finally, the two could see what they’d been battling.

"Such a huge fish!" Xiao Yan gasped, eyes wide with awe.

Even Lu Qing was stunned.

That body—those sleek, powerful curves—this fish had to be over ten pounds.

He suppressed his excitement, keeping a firm grip on the rod.

Fishing, especially with a big one, demanded focus until the very end. One slip, and all the effort could be lost.

Even then, something went wrong.

He realized—he had no net.

Of course, he couldn’t be blamed. They didn’t even own a net—no net bag, no basket, nothing.

Without a net, he couldn’t risk pulling it in. He had no choice but to keep playing it out.

He kept reeling, tiring the fish further, until it was completely limp.

Only then did he let Xiao Yan hold the rod, while he leaned over the bank, ready to grab the fish with his hands.

It was risky. A fish this size, even exhausted, could still lash out with a single tail swipe—enough to knock someone unconscious.

But this one was done.

In the end, everything went smoothly. The fish was safely hauled onto the bank.

"Brother," Xiao Yan exclaimed, measuring the fish with her hands, "this big fish is taller than me!"

"Looks like it is," Lu Qing said, glancing down. The fish was over a meter long. When lifted, it really was taller than Xiao Yan.

"Let me see what kind of fish this is."

The fish had a long, sleek body. Its scales were tight and shiny, like armor plates—radiating a fierce, dignified presence.

Lu Qing activated his Abilities.

The moment he focused, a strong white glow spread across the fish’s body.

"White Light…" Lu Qing felt a flicker of disappointment.

He’d hoped for a Red Light-level catch. But then he reminded himself—he’d been greedy.

If this fish were Red Light, could he even have pulled it out? He’d only seen two Red Light things in his life—Chen Laodaifu, and snow silk.

Both were extraordinary. One a cultivator, the other a rare treasure.

If this fish were Red Light, it might have special abilities. Maybe it could pull him under instead.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Calm now, he turned to the new text that appeared.

【Green Armor Fish: A large fish, armored in green scales—ruler of the river. Contains a Fish Stone.】

【Legend says mature Green Armor Fish grow a Fish Stone in their throat. When ground and worn, it brings peace of mind and calmness.】

Lu Qing’s eyes lit up.

Fish Stone!

This fish—just caught—contained a Fish Stone!

He wasn’t unfamiliar with Fish Stones. In his past life, he’d once caught a wild grass carp over twenty pounds, and it had one inside.

A businessman once offered him ten thousand yuan for it—money he refused.

Why? Aside from his fondness for it, there was a long-standing rumor in the fishing community.

That Fish Stones from fish with enough age could bring protection.

He didn’t know if it was true in his past life.

But here, his Abilities had confirmed the Fish Stone had the power to calm the spirit.

And Xiao Yan… ever since her parents passed, she’d struggled with sleep. She often woke in the night, trembling, needing to be held to fall back asleep.

If this Fish Stone really could help… it would be priceless.

Excited, Lu Qing nearly tore the fish open on the spot.

But he held back. Reason prevailed.

"Brother," Xiao Yan asked, frowning, "how do we take this big fish home? The bucket’s too small!"

She’d measured it. The fish was taller than their wooden bucket. It wouldn’t fit.

"Don’t worry," Lu Qing said confidently. "I’ll weave a grass rope and carry it on my back!"

Ten or twenty pounds? No problem. The fish was already caught—how hard could it be to carry it home?

"Then… should we keep fishing?" Xiao Yan asked.

This time, Lu Qing paused.

In his experience, after such a long fight, the whole area would be disturbed. Fish would scatter.

But then he remembered the Blood Apricot.

According to the Abilities, it was a favorite of certain rare fish.

As a seasoned fisherman, he couldn’t ignore the curiosity.

What made a fish rare? What kind of abilities did it have?

Even the Green Armor Fish hadn’t been labeled rare. So what was so special about these “rare” fish?

After a moment of hesitation, he decided to try again.

After all, maybe they weren’t scared of the Green Armor Fish. Maybe they weren’t driven away.

With hope, he filled a bucket with water, submerged the fish’s head, and placed it in the bucket—then returned to his spot.

But he set a rule: only one more hour.

If nothing bit after that, it was time to go home. A dead fish wasn’t as tasty as a fresh one.

He repositioned, then directly hooked the Blood Apricot onto the line.

Cast into the water. Wait.

Minutes passed. Then half an hour.

No movement. The float stayed still—like a statue.

"Guess it’s really gone to pieces," Lu Qing sighed. The result wasn’t surprising. He’d just been holding on to a sliver of hope.

"Let’s go home."

Just as he began gathering his gear, something happened.

The float suddenly plunged straight down into the water.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end