https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-50-The-Pill-is-Forged-Two-of-the-Ten-Delicacies/13688189/
Chapter 49: Reaching an Agreement
"Little guy, you’re not seriously after my two Golden Loach, are you?" Lu Qing sighed, hand to his forehead as he saw the black little beast fixating on the kitchen doorway.
He couldn’t help but guess—yeah, that was it.
The two Golden Loach were still kept in the kitchen.
He remembered how the creature had circled around him earlier, sniffing intently. It must’ve caught the scent of the fish clinging to his clothes.
After all, he’d only just transferred them into the water barrel the previous evening, covering it with a wooden plank to keep them from leaping out during the night.
Fishy odor stuck to fabric like glue—hard to wash off in a short time.
And yet, this little thing had managed to pick out the distinct scent of Golden Loach from the muddled mix of fish smells.
That nose was something else.
The black beast didn’t respond. It just stared at Lu Qing, eyes unblinking.
But after days of sharing space, Lu Qing had come to read its expressions well.
It really did want those two Golden Loach.
Lu Qing groaned.
"Alright, little guy—let’s make a deal. You can eat any fish you want here, and if you’re still hungry, I’ll get you more. But I’m keeping one of the Golden Loach for myself. Is that fair?"
He didn’t care if the beast understood every word—he just started bargaining anyway.
But the creature only blinked slowly, then returned to its fixed stare at the kitchen behind Lu Qing.
Fine. Lu Qing now knew: this little monster was dead set on having the Golden Loach.
No use arguing. He’d have to compromise.
"Just one," he said, holding up a single finger, "I can only give you one. The other one I need—can’t give it to you."
The black beast studied him for a long moment.
Then, it nodded.
"You actually understand me!"
Lu Qing couldn’t believe it.
He’d suspected it before, but never dared to be certain.
Now, with this confirmation, he finally knew: this little creature had been pretending all along.
It had understood every word he’d said—and just played dumb.
When Lu Qing said it, the beast instantly resumed its innocent, blank expression, as if utterly clueless.
But Lu Qing wasn’t fooled anymore.
The thought that he’d been tricked by a tiny beast this whole time made him laugh—half exasperated, half amused.
He turned back to the kitchen, lifted the wooden cover, and pulled one of the Golden Loach out.
Then he returned to the courtyard.
"Just one, that’s all. Want it?"
The moment Lu Qing held up the wriggling fish, the beast’s eyes lit up like stars.
Before he even finished speaking, a black blur shot past his vision.
His hand went slack—his fish was gone.
When he blinked, he saw the creature already chewing on the fish, head snapping back and forth as it devoured it whole.
Lu Qing winced as it bit off the fish’s head in one snap.
That was over a hundred taels of silver right there.
But then he watched as the beast’s eyes crinkled with delight, its tail wagging happily, its belly already swelling with satisfaction.
He sighed.
Well, at least last night it had given him that priceless Century-Old Ginseng.
This was just repayment.
A fair trade.
The creature ate fast. In no time, the plump, two-pound Golden Loach was completely gone.
After finishing, it looked up at Lu Qing again.
Lu Qing jumped.
"Sorry, no more! The other one I need—I can’t give it to you!"
The beast gave him a sideways glance, almost like it was judging him for being stingy.
Then it sauntered over to the wooden basin of smaller fish and began eating, leisurely and proudly.
Lu Qing: …
So it wasn’t about the fish. It just wanted to finish the good stuff first.
Still, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
At least it wasn’t demanding the second Golden Loach.
If it had tried to steal it, he’d have been helpless to stop it.
But this little beast was surprisingly reasonable.
Watching it eat with gusto, Lu Qing crouched down.
"Little guy… you really like those kind of rare fish, don’t you?"
Now that he knew it understood him, his curiosity flared.
The little beast looked up at him, eyes bright and eager.
Lu Qing quickly added, "I’m not offering you the other Golden Loach, though—don’t get the wrong idea."
Hearing that, the beast immediately lowered its head and went back to eating, ignoring him.
Lu Qing didn’t mind.
"But listen—Golden Loach is off-limits. But if I catch another rare fish in the future, I’ll give it to you. Deal?"
The beast lifted its head again, puzzled.
"Let’s make a trade," Lu Qing pressed, seizing the moment.
"From now on, if I catch another fish like this Golden Loach, and you bring me more of those root things—like the one you gave me last night—I’ll swap it with you. What do you say?"
The root thing?
The black beast tilted its head, thinking.
Ah—yes, the plant root it had dug up and handed to the two-legged creature the night before.
It hadn’t known why it had done it—just some instinct, a feeling that the root was special.
Now it seemed… the man liked it.
And it remembered: there were still some growing in the mountains near its usual den.
Of course, digging up roots wasn’t hard for it.
But it wouldn’t make it easy.
After all, the man wouldn’t even give him a second fish.
Hmph.
The beast pretended to hesitate for a long time, then finally gave a reluctant nod.
Lu Qing had no idea how much cunning lay beneath that tiny, fluffy frame.
He was overjoyed when the beast agreed.
If this little creature could keep bringing him Century-Old Ginseng, then giving it all the rare fish he caught was worth it.
After all, Ginseng was infinitely more valuable than any fish.
So, one man and one beast—each convinced they’d won the better end of the bargain—had reached a peaceful agreement.
Even after eating one Golden Loach, the beast finished off every last fish in the basin.
It left the yard with a slightly round belly, waddling awkwardly over the fence.
Lu Qing shook his head, smiling.
True fish lover. Would rather eat itself sick than leave a single bite behind.
Once the little beast vanished into the trees, Lu Qing brought the wooden basin back to the kitchen, washed it clean, and headed to his room to sleep.
No more words.
The night passed quietly.
The next morning, Lu Qing rose early, practicing the Nourish Body Fist for several rounds.
Instantly, he felt refreshed and invigorated.
The technique truly lived up to its name—its purpose was healing and strengthening the body.
Just three days of practice, and he already felt his strength growing, his spirit sharper.
After a simple but nourishing breakfast, he grabbed Xiao Yan, took the bucket with the remaining Golden Loach, and headed toward the half-mountain cottage.
As he climbed the mountain path, his heart stirred with quiet anticipation.
According to his master’s words the day before, the Vital Energy and Blood Nourishing Pill should be ready today.
With that pill in hand, he was certain—his breakthrough into Qi Xue Jing was now within reach.
(End of Chapter)
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