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Chapter 20: Fish Stone Pendant (Please consider favoriting and following for continued updates)
Lu Qing didn’t take out the Fish Stone from the Green Armor Fish in front of Wang Da An. Instead, he kept it safely within the fish’s body all along.
It wasn’t that he was stingy or unwilling to show it—no, the truth was, he simply didn’t know how to explain it. Now that there was no one around to interrupt, it was the perfect moment to retrieve the stone.
He went to the kitchen, where the massive fish head sat in a wooden basin. Carefully, Lu Qing split the head open and located the Fish Stone deep in the throat area.
But when he saw the stone, he was utterly stunned.
In his past life, he’d once caught a giant green carp weighing over twenty jin, and that fish had also yielded a fine Fish Stone. Back then, however, the stone had been soft and gelatinous—after extraction, it needed thorough cleaning, drying, and careful treatment before it became a usable, high-quality stone.
Now, when he touched the Fish Stone embedded in the Green Armor Fish’s throat, he found it hard as stone. It had already undergone a full hardening process.
Lu Qing grabbed a small wooden spoon and gently scooped the stone out. After rinsing it clean and drying it thoroughly, he examined it closely—and his astonishment only deepened.
The stone was about two centimeters in size, half a centimeter thick, shaped like a fan shell. Its texture was smooth and firm, resembling jade—cool to the touch, perfectly polished, with a rich, warm feel.
The quality of this Fish Stone far surpassed the one from his previous life, even the one he’d meticulously cared for.
Holding the stone, which felt like polished jade in his palm, Lu Qing sensed a subtle sense of calm wash over his mind. He knew it wasn’t imagination.
In his vision, a faint, radiant white light shimmered around the stone.
> [Green Armor Fish Stone: A fully developed Fish Stone formed by an adult Green Armor Fish. Undergone Jade Transformation.]
> [Legendary lore states that a Jade-Transformed Green Armor Fish Stone, when worn close to the body, possesses the power to soothe the soul and steady the spirit.]
After a few minutes of careful inspection, Lu Qing realized the stone’s quality was flawless—no polishing or shaping needed. It was ready to wear as is.
He fetched some tools and carefully drilled a small hole into the thinner end of the stone. Fortunately, despite its jade-like hardness, the Fish Stone wasn’t as brittle as true jade. It was workable. After a few minutes of patient effort, he created a perfectly smooth hole.
Then, he retrieved the leftover hemp thread, twisted it into a strong, durable cord, and threaded the Fish Stone through.
And just like that, a simple, elegant Fish Stone Pendant was complete.
Admiring his handiwork, Lu Qing called Xiao Yan into the house.
“Brother, what do you want?” Xiao Yan asked, bouncing in with wide, eager eyes.
“I made something special for you,” Lu Qing said, holding up the pendant.
“What is it?” Her face lit up.
“Here.” He let the cord dangle from his fingers, letting the stone sway gently in the air.
“Wow! What is this? So beautiful!” She gasped, her eyes wide with wonder, staring at the shimmering stone.
“This is a pendant,” Lu Qing explained. “I made it from the Fish Stone of the big fish. From now on, you wear it close to your body. That way, you won’t kick off your blanket at night anymore.”
He gently placed the pendant around her neck, then tied the cord securely—small enough that she couldn’t pull it over her head, ensuring she wouldn’t lose it by accident.
“Thank you, Brother! I love it so much!” Xiao Yan beamed, her fingers tracing the smooth stone with delight.
This was the first piece of jewelry she’d ever owned—and it was made of such a beautiful, glowing stone. Kids were naturally drawn to anything shiny and pretty, and this was no exception.
The more she looked at it, the more she adored it.
“Just remember,” Lu Qing warned gently, “don’t lose it. If you do, I can’t go catch another big fish for you.”
“I promise, Brother! I’ll take great care of it!” Xiao Yan declared with serious determination.
Satisfied that she’d understood, Lu Qing let her play with it and turned his attention back to the kitchen. It was time to clean up the fish head.
For dinner, the siblings feasted on a full fish head meal—half roasted, half stewed into a rich, savory broth. They ate with pure satisfaction.
“Brother, the big fish was delicious,” Xiao Yan murmured as she lay in her little bed later that night, patting her still-full belly.
“As long as you’re good, I’ll cook you more delicious meals,” Lu Qing said, tucking her in.
Originally, Xiao Yan had slept with her parents. But after they passed, she’d been restless at night, crying. The original Lu Qing had moved her small bed into his room, and since then, she’d slept peacefully.
“Yeah, I’ll be good!” she said, her fingers brushing the pendant at her neck.
“Then it’s time to sleep. We’ve got to go see Chen Ye Ye tomorrow.”
“Mmm… I miss Chen Ye Ye too,” she mumbled, her eyelids growing heavy.
Soon, her breathing slowed, and she drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Lu Qing gently pulled the thin blanket over her, tucking her in.
She’d had a long day—fishing with him, helping carry the fishing rod, playing in the yard for hours. To be tired enough to fall asleep so easily was a good sign.
Once he was sure she was deeply asleep, he lay down on his own bed.
But sleep didn’t come right away.
His mind was racing with thoughts of tomorrow.
Tomorrow was the day he’d go to Chen Laodaifu for acupuncture.
As promised, every session would be followed by half an hour of study—learning to identify medicinal herbs.
Identifying herbs wasn’t the real challenge. With his Abilities, he had no doubt he could master it quickly.
What mattered was how he could use this opportunity to earn the old doctor’s trust and respect.
And then there was Wang Da An’s mention of the Big Market. He needed to think carefully about that too.
The food they’d borrowed from neighbors had already been used up significantly.
Even more urgent: salt and oil were running dangerously low.
They’d be gone in just a few days.
He had to find a way to earn money fast.
It wasn’t planting season—so the fields wouldn’t yield anything anytime soon. And he didn’t even have enough money to buy seeds.
That left only one option: the Big Market.
But what exactly was the Big Market like?
From Wang Da An’s warning that noon, it sounded like there were special rules to follow…
The thoughts spun in Lu Qing’s mind, growing heavier with each passing moment.
His eyelids grew heavy.
And finally, exhaustion claimed him.
The house fell silent.
The brother and sister slept peacefully, wrapped in quiet.
Outside, the night was cool, the sky a vast tapestry of stars.
Suddenly, a dark figure slipped silently into the yard, landing lightly on the ground.
Its eyes turned toward the eaves, where strips of dried fish hung, glistening in the moonlight.
(End of Chapter)
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