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Chapter 899: The Dark and Silent Fish
Chapter 899: The Dark and Silent Fish
After a moment, Lu Chen returned to Shi Zichen.
"Friend Shi, Lu Chen has purchased a relatively ordinary set of fishing gear from the fish shop owner."
He chose a suitable fishing spot twenty to thirty feet away from the middle-aged cultivator, took out the Ink Jade Spirit Rod, and the Ice Silkworm Silk.
"Ink Jade Spirit Rod, a fourth-grade fishing tool. For a cultivator new to the world of treasure fishing, this is quite a fine starting point." Shi Zichen offered a brief appraisal.
"May it bring me good luck," Lu Chen smiled as he carefully wrapped the Ice Silkworm Silk around the rod, attached the Agarwood hook, and grabbed a fist-sized bait from the box, skillfully tossing it into the waters ahead.
He had chosen a spot where the current was relatively gentle, and the bait sank swiftly into the Thousand Treasures Spirit River.
"Let's start by luring them," he thought to himself as he baited the chenxiang hook with a small ball of special bait and cast it into the river.
Then, he focused his attention on the area around the hook.
Back when the tower's spirit had brought him here, it had warned Lu Chen about the peculiar effects of the river's water on one's physical body and divine soul. Thus, he dared not venture his spiritual sense into the river.
Time flew by as he fished. In the blink of an eye, an hour had passed.
Lu Chen and Shi Zichen each occupied their own space, quietly sensing the subtle changes in their lines and floats.
"Friend Shi, there's something Lu Chen doesn't understand. May I seek your guidance?" Lu Chen transmitted his voice to Shi Zichen, who was not far away.
"Please speak, Friend Lu," Shi Zichen replied without shifting his gaze, transmitting his voice as well.
"The spiritual fish, aquatic beasts, and other beings that inhabit this peculiar place, the Thousand Treasures Spirit River, are all of relatively high grades," Lu Chen began.
"In theory, their spiritual intelligence should also be fairly high. So, how is it that they can be lured and hooked by special baits?" he asked.
"There's something you don't know, Friend Lu. The sentient beings within this river have extremely simple spiritual intelligence," Shi Zichen transmitted his explanation.
"Generation after generation, they have lived in this river, their physical bodies fusing with the river water over time. The constant erosion of the water has reduced their spiritual intelligence to only the most basic instincts, causing them to be oblivious to the traps laid by baits," the middle-aged cultivator elaborated.
"I see," Lu Chen nodded slightly.
"Therefore, Friend Lu, you must never enter the river. Lest your divine soul be lost, your physical body assimilated, and you become a mindless shell," Shi Zichen cautioned.
"I've been fishing in this river for over a hundred years, and I've witnessed it more than once—cultivators being reeled in like mindless fish," he added.
"Thank you for the reminder, Friend Shi. I will certainly keep that in mind," Lu Chen quickly expressed his gratitude.
The two exchanged a few more words before once again immersing themselves in their fishing, still as statues.
Unbeknownst to them, three days passed, and Lu Chen still had nothing to show for his efforts.
He lifted the Ink Jade Spirit Rod, only to find the bait on the chenxiang hook completely untouched.
"Friend Lu, there's no need to be anxious. Fishing for treasures in the Thousand Treasures Spirit River is far more challenging than regular fishing in the secular world. It requires immense patience," Shi Zichen advised.
"It's not uncommon to go for months or even years without a single bite from a spiritual fish or aquatic beast," he added.
"Haha, if there's one thing Lu Chen has in abundance, it's patience," Lu Chen chuckled, transmitting his voice.
"To be honest, Friend Shi, I'm a spiritual herbologist. In my line of work, it often takes decades to nurture a high-grade spiritual herb to maturity. Compared to that, this fishing endeavor is but a short wait," he explained.
Shi Zichen nodded, his attention returning to his own Ravenstar Spirit Rod, no longer paying heed to Lu Chen.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, a thought flashed through Lu Chen's mind.
Lu Chen was delighted.
"A fourth-grade spirit fish, not bad. But why can't my line and hook sense any changes after it ate my bait?"
He wondered silently.
"Perhaps it only ate a small amount of the bait I used to set up the spot, or maybe it didn't swallow the hook."
He focused his attention near that area of the river, and that thought never crossed his mind again.
"Time to adjust the bait."
He gently flicked the Ink Jade Spirit Rod, and the ten-zhang-long, thousand-catty fishing rod instantly rose high.
Lu Chen reeled in the chenxiang hook and took out the wooden box containing his bait.
"It likes yin and water-attributed heavenly treasures and minerals... Let's add something extra to the mix."
He took out two stalks of Icebite Grass from his storage bag, crushed them, and mixed the azure grass shreds with the bait, infusing it with a faint icy chill.
Then, he added a drop of the fifth-grade spirit liquid, Ink Yin Spring, which contained an extremely pure and rich yin energy.
With this two-pronged approach, he was confident that the Dark and Silent Fish wouldn't be able to resist such temptation.
Lu Chen thought with satisfaction.
With a powerful flick of the Ink Jade Spirit Rod, the chenxiang hook swiftly sank into the swirling currents of the Thousand Treasures Spirit River.
After waiting for a moment, a familiar thought echoed in his mind.
"It's here. Eat to your heart's content!"
Lu Chen immediately became extremely alert, sensing every subtle change in the fishing rod.
The Dark and Silent Fish in the depths of the spirit river had never tasted such delicious bait before, and with its simple spiritual intelligence, it never considered the possibility of hidden dangers. It went wild, devouring the bait that Lu Chen had specially prepared.
In the air, the Ice Silkworm Silk suddenly sank.
Lu Chen was prepared and pulled it up forcefully.
The waters below churned with heavy waves, and a pitch-black giant fish appeared and disappeared amidst the currents.
"Did you hook a treasure?"
Shi Zichen, who was not far away, was drawn by the commotion on Lu Chen's side. He used a technique to secure the Ravenstar Spirit Rod on the riverbank and instantly appeared beside Lu Chen.
"It seems to be a Dark and Silent Fish, a fourth-grade spirit fish. Good luck, Fellow Daoist Lu," he said.
Shi Zichen had been fishing in the Thousand Treasures Spirit River for over a hundred years and had caught numerous Dark and Silent Fish, so he was experienced and immediately recognized the origins of the giant fish below.
Lu Chen didn't bother to reply and instead turned his arms into a crystalline jade color, pulling the Ink Jade Spirit Rod into an arc.
When he sensed that the pitch-black giant fish had relaxed its guard, Lu Chen suddenly jerked the rod, causing the chenxiang hook to firmly latch onto the fish, pulling it onto the shore.
"Indeed, it's a Dark and Silent Fish," the middle-aged cultivator said, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes.
For a fishing enthusiast, the greatest pain is when two people choose the same fishing spot, and one returns with a bountiful catch while the other leaves empty-handed.
It's not the fear of coming back empty-handed that's troubling, but the fear of the other person constantly reeling in catches.
He was experiencing that very feeling at the moment.
He had been guarding this fishing spot for over a month, but apart from sensing the presence of spiritual fish and aquatic beasts, he hadn't had any success in hooking them, let alone reeling them in. How could he not feel envious?
"Hehe, it's all luck. I accidentally hooked this giant fish."
Lu Chen smiled as he spoke.
His success was entirely due to his unique ability and his targeted improvement of the bait to increase the probability of catching the Dark and Silent Fish.
"So that method really works," he thought happily.
(End of Chapter)
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