Chapter 916: The Silver-Horned Giant Fish
Chapter 916: The Silver-Horned Giant Fish
"By the way, Fellow Daoist Shi, there's something I've been wanting to ask you, Fellow Daoist Lu," Lu Chen said.
"Please, go ahead, Fellow Daoist Lu," Shi Zichen replied politely, having just taken a small sip of the Icesoul Spirit Brew.
"I've heard that one can often hook demons and evil creatures in the Thousand Treasures River. Is that true?" Lu Chen inquired.
"I'm just a spiritual herbalist myself, Fellow Daoist. If I were to accidentally come across a demon, I'd probably be risking my life. So, I wanted to ask for your advice, Fellow Daoist Shi. How does one avoid these demons and evil creatures?" Lu Chen asked, his curiosity piqued.
He possessed three Soul Insect Fungi that held great allure for demons, but he was concerned that his current strength might not be sufficient. If he were to hook one by accident, it could bring more risk than reward. Thus, he hoped to gather more information from the experienced fisherman, Shi Zichen.
However, considering the possibility that Shi Zichen might have a keen interest in fishing for demons himself, Lu Chen decided to approach the topic cautiously by asking indirectly.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, there's no need to worry," Shi Zichen assured him. "Yes, there are demons and evil spirits in the Thousand Treasures River, but they are extremely rare. They usually lurk in specific locations or only appear during spiritual tide bursts, increasing the probability of encountering them."
"So, when fishing for treasures normally, the chances of coming across demons or evil creatures are minuscule." Shi Zichen provided a detailed explanation to ease Lu Chen's concerns.
"I see," Lu Chen nodded slightly, feeling relieved. "Thank you for clarifying, Fellow Daoist Shi. My hands are itching to try my luck as well." He gave a slight bow to Shi Zichen.
"I wish you luck in catching countless spiritual fish and aquatic beasts," Shi Zichen said warmly.
Lu Chen then walked downstream along the riverbank for a few miles before choosing a suitable spot. He took out the Ink Jade Spirit Rod, along with his bait and other fishing gear, and began to prepare.
With everything ready, he swung the spirit rod with force, causing it to glow and extend to over thirty-three meters in length. The fishing line, made of ice silk, carried the Aquilaria hook down into the Thousand Treasures River.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
"How strange," Lu Chen muttered, a puzzled look on his face. He vigorously raised his arm, bringing the hook, still laden with bait, up from the depths of the riverbed.
For this attempt, he had specially scattered a large amount of custom-made bait, hoping to lure the Dark Oblivion Fish. Yet, to his surprise, no spiritual fish had taken the bait.
"I guess I'll have to think of something else," he said to himself. "For now, let's switch to the regular bait."
While the regular bait might not have a strong allure for a particular type of spiritual fish, it held a general appeal to most spiritual fish, increasing the likelihood of a bite.
Once a fish took the bait, he would be able to gain insight into its detailed information and make targeted adjustments to his strategy.
After changing the bait, Lu Chen focused his attention on the vicinity of the hook.
Five days passed, and suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.
Black Corpse Fish, a fourth-grade spiritual fish. Possesses simple spiritual intelligence and accumulates various evil and bizarre corpse energies within its body. Prefers the flesh of deceased demon beasts and cultivators. Has an extremely strong polluting ability, and consuming it may lead to a certain probability of mutation.
"Bad luck!" Lu Chen exclaimed inwardly. "I was hoping for treasures, but instead, a spiritual fish filled with corpse energy has taken the bait."
The Black Corpse Fish had an incredibly strong polluting ability. Even the evil and bizarre spiritual plants in the Fengyuan Star Cave would be unable to absorb it.
There was no point in reeling it in, and doing so would only waste his energy as he would have to deal with the overwhelming corpse energy. Thus, Lu Chen decided to cut his losses and not bother bringing it up.
With a vigorous flick of his wrist, he swung the rod, sending the hook flying back onto the shore. He then used his spiritual power to knock the bait into the river.
After cleaning the faint corpse energy that remained on the Ink Jade Spirit Rod, he returned to Shi Zichen's side and watched him fish for half a day before heading back to his chosen spot.
He cast his line once more, but the Black Corpse Fish seemed to have disappeared without a trace, and no further information about it surfaced.
Silver-Horned Giant Fish, a fourth-grade spirit fish. Possesses immense size, weighing several thousand pounds. Has simple spiritual intelligence, a giant horn on its head that contains pure thunder spirit essence, and a preference for various thunder-attributed heavenly treasures. Its meat, when processed, can temper the bodies of cultivators and beasts, enhancing physical strength.
"Excellent! I've hooked something!" Lu Xuan's heart thrilled with excitement.
The bobber floating on the turbulent True River looked serene, but he knew that beneath the surface, a fourth-grade spirit fish was about to take the bait.
"Did it get away?"
Soon after, as he sank his consciousness into the True River, the thought disappeared.
Lu Xuan remained calm and confident about reeling in the Silver-Horned Giant Fish.
The creatures living in the Thousand Treasures True River had undergone mutations over time due to the constant wash of its unique waters, affecting both their souls and physical forms.
Their spiritual intelligence had simplified, lacking the cunning of typical high-ranking beasts of the fourth and fifth grades. Only basic instincts remained.
To extract them from the river, fishing was the most viable method.
Cultivators could not enter the river, for if they fell in, they would quickly lose their minds or be devoured by the myriad creatures within. Even if they survived, they might become bait for fishermen millennia later.
Using a net or an artifact to capture them was not very feasible.
After all, the number of spirit fish and aquatic beasts in the river was relatively small compared to the vastness of the waters. The chances of catching them with a net were minuscule.
Additionally, finding a net artifact capable of capturing high-ranking spirit fish and aquatic beasts would be far more challenging than finding a rod with the same effect.
Perhaps only large sects would be willing to invest in such an endeavor.
For ordinary cultivators seeking to fish for treasures, the most cost-effective method was the primitive rod-and-line approach.
To the spirit fish and aquatic beasts driven by the instinct to feed, bait was far more alluring than nets or artifacts.
Once a creature took the bait, it came down to a test of strength between the fisherman and his catch.
The cultivator's physical body, soul, the grade of the spirit rod, the treasure used as bait, and timing were all factors that influenced the success of the endeavor.
Of course, the most challenging aspect was enticing the spirit fish or aquatic beast to bite in the first place.
However, this was not a significant concern for Lu Xuan.
He could make precise adjustments based on the preferences of various spirit fish and aquatic beasts, maximizing the allure of the bait. This, in turn, increased the likelihood of attracting a large number of them.
"The Silver-Horned Giant Fish weighs several thousand pounds. Even after removing the inedible parts, it will be enough to feed the spirit beasts in the cave abundantly." Lu Xuan thought to himself.
"Thunder-attributed heavenly treasures... I have several kinds in the Gluttonous Insect Pouch. Let's use the Thunder Burst Lotus Seeds."
Having cultivated in the Thunderfire Planet Cave for many years, he had amassed a rich collection of thunder-attributed heavenly treasures.
Thunder Burst Lotus Seeds, Thunder Death Crystals, Ethereal Wood Green Thunder Liquid, and Dark Green Thunder Liquid...
After much consideration, he decided that the fourth-grade Thunder Burst Lotus Seeds were the most cost-effective option.
Lu Xuan extended his palm, and five or six silver-white lotus seeds appeared in his hand.
He clenched his fist, crushing the seeds into a fine powder that glimmered with faint threads of thunder light.
Then, he took out a portion of bait and mixed the silver-white powder into it.
Thus, he created a special bait that the Silver-Horned Giant Fish would find irresistible.
(End of Chapter)
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