Chapter 900: Newbie Protection
Chapter 900: Newbie Protection
Lu Chen approached the dark-eyed fish and with a single palm, he pressed it down, immobilizing the giant fish, which lay docilely on the ground.
He then captured it into an ordinary spirit beast bag and hung it casually on his waist.
"Friend Lu, this dark-eyed fish tastes exquisite, but there's one thing to note. Before cooking, you must clean it thoroughly to wash away the True River essence within the spirit fish. Otherwise, consuming too much of it may have adverse effects on cultivators." Shi Zichen warned with a serious expression.
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," Lu Chen replied with a smile.
Having caught such a high-grade spirit fish so easily, he was in a cheerful mood.
Shi Zichen returned to his spot with the Uyao Spirit Rod in hand. Holding the fifth-grade spirit rod, he felt a sense of dissatisfaction.
"Without catching any fish, even the best equipment is useless." He adjusted his mindset and continued to sit by the riverbank, quietly fishing.
However, before two days had passed, there was movement from Lu Chen again.
Turning to look, Shi Zichen saw the handsome young man holding his fishing rod high, tugging against a massive fish.
"Another dark-eyed fish? Has he stumbled upon their nest?" Shi Zichen wondered inwardly.
Although the dark-eyed fish was only a fourth-grade spirit fish and not particularly rare in the Thousand Treasure True River, it was still a high-grade spirit fish.
For the numerous cultivators who stayed by the river to fish for treasures, catching a dark-eyed fish was considered a bountiful harvest.
It was certainly better than returning empty-handed.
"I didn't expect Friend Lu to be so skilled in fishing. To catch two dark-eyed fish in such a short time is impressive." Shi Zichen approached Lu Chen, a hint of subtle sour grapes in his tone.
"Friend Shi is too kind," Lu Chen replied.
"I once heard a rumor," Lu Chen continued, "that novice fishermen often inexplicably catch all sorts of spirit fish. It's said to be a 'newbie protection period.'"
"Perhaps I'm experiencing that now," Lu Chen said with a smile as he removed the second dark-eyed fish from the agarwood hook.
This second fish appeared noticeably larger than the first, with dusky black spiritual light shimmering across its scales. It unleashed streams of water arrows at Lu Chen, revealing its fierce nature.
"That's possible," Shi Zichen nodded, using this reason to console himself.
He returned to his fishing spot and subtly shifted closer to Lu Chen's position.
Lu Chen seemed not to have noticed and remained at his original spot, using his specially prepared bait to lure the dark-eyed fish from the depths of the True River.
Perhaps due to the limited number of spirit fish below, the third one took even longer to arrive than the previous two.
It wasn't until the tenth day of fishing that Lu Chen caught his third dark-eyed fish.
"Three of them!!!" This time, Shi Zichen couldn't contain himself. He approached Lu Chen and exclaimed, "Perhaps you have a special connection with these dark-eyed fish, or maybe the bait you bought from the fish shop is particularly attractive to them."
"Of course, the most likely reason is that this spot you've chosen happens to have a lot of dark-eyed fish, making it easy to catch three of them," Lu Chen mused.
When Lu Chen had been preparing the bait earlier, he had been extremely discreet, and Shi Zichen, who had been focused on his float, hadn't noticed.
"Friend Lu, catching these three spirit fish is your good fortune. I'm just feeling a bit unbalanced, that's all," Shi Zichen explained, seeing Lu Chen's reaction.
"I understand, it's only natural to feel a bit envious of these three fourth-grade spirit fish. Friend Shi, with your skills, you'll surely reel in a treasure that far surpasses them," Lu Chen said with a smile.
"Especially with high-grade spirit fish like the Dark-Eyed Fish," Shi Zichen added.
"I wonder what it would feel like to catch a fifth-grade or even higher-grade treasure from these waters," Lu Chen mused to himself.
With his unique ability, he was confident that with proper preparation, he could hook even higher-grade spirit fish or aquatic beasts.
"If I happen to catch some rare spirit fish or water monsters, I could try raising them myself," he contemplated.
"The True River holds countless mysterious treasures of unknown origins. I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to reel in a high-grade spirit seed or two." His thoughts wandered with excitement.
"I must keep my ability to create special bait a secret. That way, I can acquire more treasures and avoid unnecessary troubles," Lu Chen decided. Should the major sect powers learn of his unique capability, they might coerce him into serving their interests. He valued his freedom and preferred to avoid such constraints.
"When I get back, I should try to collect some spirit bamboo seedlings or seeds to craft an even higher-quality spirit rod. I should also upgrade my fishing line and hooks," Lu Chen contemplated. The ink jade spirit rod in his hand was only a fourth-grade item, and he knew that when fishing for higher-grade treasures, he would need equipment that could withstand the strain.
After catching the third Dark-Eyed Fish, Lu Chen remained in his spot for another five days, but no new information about the Dark-Eyed Fish appeared in his mind.
He guessed that he had probably fished out all the Dark-Eyed Fish in that area, so he decided it was time to leave.
"As amazing as these spirit fish are, I mustn't get too engrossed. My spirit herbs are the most important," Lu Chen reminded himself. "The spirit herbs in the Lightning Fire Star Cave are almost ready for harvest."
With that, he carefully stored away his ink jade spirit rod and other treasures, then approached the middle-aged cultivator who seemed as immobile as a statue.
"Friend Shi, I shall take my leave. Here, I gift you this Dark-Eyed Fish. May you catch even more extraordinary spirit fish and water beasts in the future," Lu Chen said as he took out a Dark-Eyed Fish from his storage bag and presented it to Shi Zichen.
"Friend Lu, in less than half a month, you've caught three fourth-grade spirit fish. That's an incredibly high success rate. Won't you consider staying a bit longer to try for more?" Shi Zichen asked, a hint of surprise in his voice as he hesitated to accept the fish.
"No, I recall you reminding me at the beginning not to get too engrossed in fishing and neglect my cultivation," Lu Chen replied with a peculiar smile, his words carrying a subtle implication.
"Of course, and more importantly, I have a cave dwelling filled with spirit herbs that require my attention and care. If I stay away too long, it might hinder their growth," he added, his expression turning serious.
"I see. It's clear that spirit herbs hold a higher priority in your heart than fishing for treasures," Shi Zichen nodded in understanding, then took the Dark-Eyed Fish.
"Thank you, Friend Lu. I shall partake in this delicious fish and share in your good fortune," Shi Zichen said, feeling a surge of goodwill towards Lu Chen for so readily offering him a fourth-grade spirit fish.
"We'll meet again, Friend Shi," Lu Chen bid farewell, cupping his hands in a polite gesture before mounting his silver-white sword light and soaring into the endless void.
Shi Zichen watched until Lu Chen's figure completely vanished from sight, then returned to his spot, his eyes fixed intently on the float bobbing in the True River.
Soon after, he reeled in his Uyao Spirit Rod, his expression calm and collected, and moved to the spot where Lu Chen had been fishing.
(End of Chapter)
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