https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-178-Stirring-Up-the-World-a-Madman/12619210/
Chapter 179: A Deal is Struck, the Treasured Rod
"A deal? What kind of deal?"
The white-bearded elder's heart stirred with caution. This junior martial uncle had always been unpredictable, and no one could fathom his true thoughts. Yet, his methods were notoriously cunning and ruthless. In his prime, he had earned a notorious reputation for his vicious schemes. Even now, as a crippled man, the elder remained wary of him.
"Aren't you curious about the great upheaval that occurs only once every ten thousand years? If you set me free, I'll tell you all about it," the shadow offered.
"I'm afraid that's impossible, junior martial uncle," the white-bearded elder replied, troubled. "The chaos you caused in those days was too great. The master intended to have you executed, but it was only through the relentless pleas of your junior martial brothers that your life was spared. Even now, the master sends people every three years to confirm that you are still imprisoned. If I let you go, I fear our Sword Pavilion will be in deep trouble."
"What's so difficult about that? Just declare that I'm already dead and fabricate some evidence to deceive them. Surely, as the leader of a sect, you can manage such a minor matter?" The shadow's voice held a hint of impatience.
The white-bearded elder fell silent. After a long pause, he said, "Junior martial uncle, you are already advanced in years and in poor health. Why do you insist on leaving? Wouldn't it be better to spend your remaining years in comfort within the sect? If you find your current dwelling unsatisfactory, I can arrange for you to move to a more pleasant location."
"Enough nonsense! I've had enough of being imprisoned here for decades! I'll ask you one last time—will you let me go or not?" The shadow's voice echoed with irritation.
Once again, the white-bearded elder fell silent, a hint of hesitation crossing his face.
Noticing this, the shadow continued, "Junior Martial Uncle Xiao Jianwen, I know you are a man of integrity and always put the sect first. Let me be clear: this upcoming upheaval, which occurs only once every ten thousand years, is a monumental event that will determine the survival of our Sword Pavilion. If we are not adequately prepared, not only will we fail to maintain our current standing in Jiezhou, but we may also face oppression and annexation. In a more dire scenario, we could even be invaded and utterly annihilated, our legacy erased!"
"Junior Martial Uncle, are you speaking the truth?" The white-bearded elder asked, his body trembling slightly.
"I swear by our master's name that I speak nothing but the truth!"
The white-bearded elder recalled the words of his late master, who had spoken of how this junior martial uncle had always been unruly, fearless, and defiant towards everyone except for their master, whom he deeply respected. Their master had rescued him from the chaos of war and raised him. Now that he had invoked their master's name, it seemed likely that what he spoke of was not mere exaggeration.
The white-bearded elder's heart was torn.
The shadow did not press him further, allowing him time to think.
The cave fell silent once more, save for the gentle sound of flowing water.
After a while, the white-bearded elder's face hardened with determination, as if he had come to a decision.
He asked, "Junior Martial Uncle, what do you plan to do once you leave?"
"What can I do? I'm just an old, crippled man with only a few years left to live. I merely wish to spend my final years exploring the world outside. I've been confined in this cave for decades, and I don't even know what the outside world looks like anymore," came the reply, tinged with melancholy.
Hearing the sadness in his junior martial uncle's voice, the white-bearded elder felt a pang of guilt.
While it was true that his junior martial uncle had brought his fate upon himself, it was he who had carried out the imprisonment all those years ago. Witnessing his junior martial uncle's current state, he couldn't help but feel a sense of remorse.
Moreover, his junior martial uncle was right—with his advanced age and crippled cultivation, even if he were released, he wouldn't be able to cause much trouble.
The white-bearded elder's heart was heavy with indecision, but he finally relented. "Junior Martial Uncle, I can set you free, but you must agree to a few conditions."
"Of course," the shadow replied, a hint of excitement in its voice. Its hidden face twisted into a strange and sinister smile.
...
Far away in Jiezhou, Lu Qing was completely oblivious to these developments.
At that moment, he was leisurely fishing by the river. He had chosen the spot where he had previously caught the strange fish.
Little Li sat by his side, eagerly watching the float bobbing on the water's surface.
Although Little Li had been enjoying a good life in the county town, with fresh fish to eat every day, it had been a long time since it had tasted the strange fish, and it missed them dearly.
"Don't worry, Little Li. We haven't fished here in a while, so the strange fish should have gathered again," Lu Qing said, ruffling Little Li's head affectionately.
Little Li nuzzled Lu Qing's hand affectionately before returning its gaze to the float.
Lu Qing couldn't help but chuckle at Little Li's anticipation, and he, too, became more focused. He didn't want to disappoint his eager companion.
Perhaps because they hadn't fished at this spot for a while, the strange fish had indeed returned.
It didn't take long for Lu Qing to sense a slight tug on the fish hook baited with blood apricots. Soon after, the float sank abruptly, and a powerful pull transmitted through the fishing rod.
However, with Lu Qing's current strength, such an ambush had little effect on him. He held the fishing rod steadily, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"This fish hook of mine is a newly crafted Thousand-Refined Fish Hook. If you can pull it away, I'll consider you impressive," Lu Qing said confidently.
Indeed, during this trip back, Lu Qing had upgraded his fishing gear.
The fishing line was still made of snow silk, an incredibly durable material that had never snapped despite his frequent use.
He had searched for other types of silk lines in the county town, intending to stock up on backups, but none had compared to the superior quality of snow silk.
Perhaps there was no better fishing line than snow silk, for he had yet to discover one, so he saw no reason to switch.
The main upgrade he had made was to the fish hooks.
Previously, Lu Qing had commissioned Magu to forge some fine iron fish hooks in the county town, but he still felt they could be improved.
Like most anglers, Lu Qing always felt that no matter how good his gear was, there was room for enhancement.
Coincidentally, Lu Qing had been spending a lot of time in the Casting Heart Forge lately, so he decided to craft a batch of Thousand-Refined fish hooks.
Lu Qing still remembered the indescribable expressions on Lin Lao, the master craftsman, and his apprentices' faces when they saw the fish hooks he had forged.
Perhaps, in the eyes of these craftsmen, using Thousand-Refined iron to make fish hooks was an incredible waste of high-quality material.
Out of respect for him, they refrained from commenting.
With the addition of the Thousand-Refined fish hooks, Lu Qing's fishing rod had leveled up. A faint golden glow emanated from it when he used his ability to examine it, indicating that it was now a true treasure.
With such a priceless rod, Lu Qing had no doubt that it could handle any strange fish that came its way.
Indeed, as he had expected, the powerful fish beneath the surface posed no challenge to him anymore.
Before long, a beautiful fish was yanked into the air, struggling against the line.
(End of Chapter)
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