https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-47-Catching-Another-Rare-Fish-the-Golden-Loach/13688186/
Chapter 48: A Great Nourishing Delicacy
【Golden Loach: A rare fish, entirely golden in hue, adept at burrowing.】
【Contains spiritual essence within its flesh—tender, delicious, and immensely nourishing. It replenishes yin and yang, making it a supreme tonic.】
【Legend has it that Golden Loaches always appear in pairs—male and female—staying inseparable. They never wander alone.】
Staring at the creature in the bucket, its body glowing faintly white-red like a mudskipper, Lu Qing felt a surge of excitement.
Sure enough, this was a rare fish.
And not just any rare fish—this one was on par with the Red Moon Carp.
But what truly thrilled him was the third note’s revelation:
Golden Loaches were said to always come in pairs.
That meant there was another one still lurking beneath the water!
Though he wasn’t sure whether the other had fled after the earlier commotion, Lu Qing couldn’t resist trying his luck.
He threaded another Blood Apricot onto the hook and cast it back into the depths.
He’d expected to wait long—perhaps in vain.
But to his astonishment, the float plunged into the water almost instantly.
“Already?!”
Lu Qing was taken aback, but he reacted fast, gripping the fishing rod without hesitation.
There was no struggle this time.
After a brief tussle, another Golden Loach was hauled out.
Staring at the two Golden Loaches wriggling in the bucket, Lu Qing fell silent.
He’d seriously underestimated just how powerful the Blood Apricot’s allure truly was.
An "uncommon fruit" as labeled by Abilities—no wonder it attracted these rare fish in such numbers.
He wondered what mysterious property it possessed that made even the most elusive creatures risk everything to devour it.
Lu Qing tucked a few Blood Apricots away, intending to ask his master later if he knew anything about this strange fruit.
He rehooked another Blood Apricot and resumed fishing.
But this time, luck didn’t favor him.
Hours passed. No bite. Not even a single common fish.
“Strange… could it be that these rare fish have territories? That only one kind appears at a time?”
Lu Qing frowned.
After a moment’s thought, he lifted the hook, replaced the Blood Apricot with an earthworm, and cast it down again.
This time, it wasn’t long before the line twitched.
A swift, smooth flick of the wrist, and a small white fish soared into the air, flipping its tail in mid-flight.
Lu Qing stared at the tiny fish on the hook.
Silence.
“Of all places… you’re here again.”
He concluded there were no more rare fish beneath the surface.
Without another Blood Apricot, he switched back to earthworms and kept fishing.
After a while, dozens of small white fish were pulled from the water.
With the ones already at home, it was more than enough for the black little beast’s meal.
With the fish supply secured, Lu Qing prepared to pack up.
It was a pity—he’d hoped to catch a couple of large fish for the little beast to feast on.
But the presence of the Golden Loaches seemed to have driven all the big fish away.
Even when he switched to corn kernels, nothing stirred.
No big fish, no choice.
The black beast would just have to stick with small fish.
Still, they weren’t bad—plenty tasty, really.
“Xiao Yan, time to go home.”
After gathering his things, Lu Qing called out to the little girl, who was sprawled on the grass nearby, busy with something of her own.
“Coming, Brother!”
She trotted over, grinning, clutching a small bundle of wildflowers.
She’d been picking flowers.
“Brother, look! I picked these just now—aren’t they pretty?”
She waved the bouquet proudly.
“Very pretty,” Lu Qing said, nodding.
He gently brushed a stray blade of grass from her hair.
“Haha, I knew you’d like them!”
Her face lit up with pride.
Seeing her happy expression, something stirred in Lu Qing’s chest.
“Xiao Yan… do you ever get bored when we come fishing every day?”
“What’s ‘bored’?”
She tilted her head, eyes wide with curiosity.
“Well… do you ever feel unhappy?”
Lu Qing rephrased.
“No way!” she declared seriously. “As long as I’m with Brother, I’m never unhappy. There are flowers to pick, butterflies to chase—so much fun!”
“…Alright then.”
Lu Qing had no reply.
He’d almost decided to leave her behind next time, letting her play with other village children.
She often wandered off after meals to join the other kids in games.
But if she didn’t mind… he’d wait.
Back at home, he emptied the small fish into a bowl, leaving only the two Golden Loaches in the bucket.
Lu Qing stood in thought.
What should he do with them?
Sell them… or keep them for himself?
Deep down, he wanted to eat them.
First, his master hadn’t been to town lately—how long would they survive outside the river?
If they died, the loss would be heartbreaking.
Second, he no longer needed money as desperately as before.
Rare fish were unpredictable—chance encounters.
Selling them felt like wasting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
And third—most importantly—the Golden Loach’s reputation.
According to Abilities, it was a supreme tonic.
His Nourish Body Fist had just begun, and Qi Xue Jing was within reach.
But his body had never recovered fully from that terrible illness.
His foundation was weak.
These two Golden Loaches could be the key to fixing that.
After a long pause, Lu Qing made his decision:
He’d keep both for himself.
But he wouldn’t eat them alone.
Tomorrow, he’d take them to the half-mountain cottage and share them with his master.
Last time, he’d caught the Red Moon Carp—meant as a gift—but ended up selling it for money.
Since becoming his disciple, he’d only received kindness, never given anything in return.
Now, with another rare fish, he finally had a chance to repay even a fraction of the debt.
His plan was perfect.
But fate had other ideas.
Later that night, after Xiao Yan had fallen asleep, the black beast returned, scratching at the door again.
As usual, Lu Qing set out a bowl of fish.
But this time, the creature didn’t rush to the food.
Instead, it sniffed the air, ears twitching. Then its eyes lit up—like it had sensed something.
It circled Lu Qing, then sat still, staring intently at him.
“Huh? Not hungry? I even added extra fish today.”
Lu Qing frowned.
Had the little beast changed its mind?
“Awo!”
The beast let out a soft, high-pitched cry.
Lu Qing froze.
He’d never heard it make such a sound before.
Earlier, it had only growled—low, warning, menacing.
This was different—gentle, almost kitten-like. Adorable.
But he didn’t have time to marvel.
Because after that little cry, the beast fixed its gaze on the kitchen area—just behind him.
And then it hit him.
Recalling how the beast had reacted to his scent earlier…
A chilling thought crept into his mind.
Could it be…?
(End of Chapter)
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