https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-20-Fish-Stone-Pendant-Please-consider-favoriting-and-following-for-continued-updates-/13688155/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-22-The-Ultimate-Delicacy-The-Hundred-Herbs-Scripture-Double-Chapter-/13688157/
Chapter 21: Reunion with Chen Laodaifu (Please collect & follow for updates)
That night, Lu Qing slept deeply, not even dreaming. Xiao Yan didn’t wake up in the middle of the night like she usually did, crying out for him to comfort her. The two siblings enjoyed a restful, uninterrupted sleep.
Even Lu Qing slept so soundly that he was still half-asleep when Xiao Yan finally woke him up the next morning.
Still dazed, he helped Xiao Yan dress, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and tied her hair into two little puffs before finally starting his own morning routine.
Holding the willow twig toothbrush, he brushed mechanically, his gaze unfocused as it drifted across the room. After a few moments, something felt off. His eyes slowly sharpened, locking onto the bamboo poles above the bed.
Two empty Bamboo Woven Rings hung there—completely bare.
Damn it. Who the hell stole his two chunks of fish?
His first thought was the villagers. But he quickly dismissed it. Though life was hard for everyone, no one was desperate enough to steal a few pieces of fish. After all, yesterday, when he’d offered to cook fish for them all, they’d all politely refused.
And if someone really were stealing, wouldn’t they take the whole pot? Why just two pieces?
More telling was the fact that traces of fish flesh still clung to the bamboo strips—evidence that the meat had been ripped away with force.
Who steals like that? Making such a loud mess—why not just sneak quietly?
He regretted not hearing anything outside during the night. But after carefully scanning the area, he found something: several faint, flower-shaped mud prints on the wall. Each print had tiny holes around its edges.
Even the ground beneath showed similar marks.
Lu Qing stared at them.
Then, slowly, a faint white glow began to shimmer from within the prints.
White light?
Lu Qing’s eyes widened in surprise. He watched as two words materialized in the air:
【Mud Footprint: The shape suggests the track of a mysterious small beast.】
【The small holes in the print indicate sharp claws.】
As he read the words, a vivid image formed in his mind: a slender, unknown creature leaping from the wall, using its claws to propel itself forward, then yanking the fish straight off the bamboo pole.
Could it be a cat?
He paused. Wait—does this world even have cats?
He’d never seen one in the village. No one kept cats.
But now that he knew it wasn’t a person, he relaxed. It was just an animal. And judging by the footprints, it wasn’t large.
The village was nestled near the mountains. It wasn’t unusual for wild creatures to wander down occasionally.
Still, he’d have to be more careful from now on. Make sure all food was locked away, and the doors and windows were secured at night. Otherwise, if something like this slipped in and hurt Xiao Yan—well, that would be unacceptable.
Once he’d figured it out, Lu Qing wasn’t too worried. There was nothing he could do against a wild beast. He’d just have to be smarter about storing things after dark.
Then, suddenly, a thought struck him.
His eyes snapped wide open.
He bolted to the kitchen.
A few moments later, he emerged, visibly relieved.
Good. He’d kept the Red Moon Carp in the Wooden Basin and locked it in the kitchen. He’d even sealed it with a wooden lid and weighted it down with stones to keep it from jumping out.
Otherwise, that strange creature might’ve easily snatched it away.
With that little incident behind him, Lu Qing was now fully awake.
He didn’t tell Xiao Yan about the theft. Instead, he prepared breakfast. After they ate, the two of them took the Red Moon Carp in a Wooden Bucket and set off toward Chen Laodaifu’s small hillside home.
This time, Lu Qing deliberately delayed their arrival.
He was afraid that if he showed up too early, he might catch Chen Laodaifu practicing his martial arts—and then, temptation would be too strong. He’d be tempted to use his Abilities to simulate the old doctor’s Combat Technique.
The man had been kind to them, and Lu Qing wasn’t about to repay that kindness with betrayal.
So he avoided the risk entirely—sparing himself from testing his own moral limits.
His plan worked perfectly.
When he and Xiao Yan reached the small courtyard halfway up the hill, they found Chen Laodaifu just finishing his form, slowly lowering his arms.
“Chen Ye Ye! We’re here to visit you!” Xiao Yan called out, rushing forward with a bright smile.
“Well, well, Xiao Yan’s here!” Chen Laodaifu grinned, lifting her up with a chuckle. His wrinkled face lit up like a blooming chrysanthemum.
“Good morning, Chen Ye Ye,” Lu Qing said, bowing respectfully.
“Ah, you’re here. Why are you later than last time?” Chen Laodaifu asked.
“Because Brother slept in!” Xiao Yan giggled. “He didn’t wake up until I called him!”
Lu Qing’s face flushed slightly. “I was fishing all morning yesterday. I was a bit tired, so I slept in.”
“Sleeping in is fine,” Chen Laodaifu nodded. “You’re still growing. Rest is important.”
He glanced at both children’s faces. Their complexion had improved noticeably since the last visit. Seeing their healthy glow, he felt satisfied.
“Chen Ye Ye, yesterday Brother and I went fishing,” Xiao Yan chimed in proudly. “He caught a huge fish!”
“Oh? How huge?” Chen Laodaifu smiled.
“Really big!” Xiao Yan gestured with her hands, stretching them wide. “Bigger than me!”
“Bigger than you?” Chen Laodaifu raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He’d assumed she meant a fish of maybe two or three catties at most. But if it was truly as big as she claimed…
“Yeah! It was super tasty!” Xiao Yan continued. “And its body had shiny, beautiful stones on it. Brother made a pendant out of one and gave it to me! Look, Chen Ye Ye—how pretty is it?”
She pulled out the Fish Stone Pendant from under her shirt and held it up.
“This… is a Green Armor Fish Stone?” Chen Laodaifu’s eyes widened as he examined it.
Hearing that, Lu Qing’s heart skipped a beat. He feigned surprise.
“Chen Ye Ye… you know what this stone is?”
“Really? You don’t?” Chen Laodaifu looked genuinely surprised.
“No,” Lu Qing shook his head. “I found it in the fish’s throat when I was cleaning it. It looked nice, so I made it into a pendant for Xiao Yan.”
“Well, you’re lucky,” Chen Laodaifu said, turning the pendant over in his hand. “This Fish Stone is rare. Finding one like this is quite the stroke of fortune.”
He paused, studying it carefully.
“The fish you caught was most likely a Green Armor Fish—an old one, by the look of it.”
“Otherwise, it wouldn’t have produced a stone of such quality.”
“Once a Green Armor Fish Stone undergoes Jade Transformation, it gains a remarkable ability—it can calm the mind and soothe the spirit. And it’s also a valuable medicinal ingredient. When ground into powder and mixed with water, it can quiet a child’s nightmares.”
He paused, then looked up. “By the way… where exactly did you catch this Green Armor Fish?”
(End of Chapter)
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