Chapter 137: Chapter 104: Angling

Chen Qing’s life at the Nanzhe No. 7 Fishery quickly settled into a routine.

He focused his main efforts on Cultivation.

The Fishery’s daily affairs were handled in perfect order by Zhang Wei. His patrols and records were meticulous, saving Chen Qing a great deal of trouble.

Li Tie, Wang Shuosheng, and Sun Xiaomiao each attended to their duties, while Old Zhao carefully tended to the precious fish fry. Everything was well-organized.

In his spare time, Chen Qing made another trip to the Tingchao Armory. He spent eight hundred taels of silver to Imprint a Secret Technique called the *Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique*.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, and success is certain.]

[Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique, entry-level (1/100)]

This *Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique* was no simple fishing skill. It was a unique Technique that combined a special frequency of True Qi and the use of Spiritual Will to guide water currents and lure fish to the hook.

Its core lay in “spirit-attracting.” It used one’s own True Qi as a lure to simulate natural water currents rich in Spiritual Qi. This would cause the creatures in the water, especially the highly perceptive Treasure Fish, to mistake the hook for a tasty morsel or a safe haven. They would then approach on their own and lower their guard, which, in theory, would greatly increase the chances of catching them.

It also included exquisite skills for sensing subtle changes in the water currents and judging the movements of fish schools.

A predecessor’s note was written at the beginning of the scroll, pointing out the technique’s limitations: “Though this method is wondrous, it requires True Qi for spirit-attracting. Like ripples spreading through water, it can easily draw the attention of nearby Exotic Beasts. Fishing in the wild thus becomes exponentially more dangerous. Be cautious! Be cautious! Furthermore, Treasure Fish gradually develop spirituality and are unlike common fish. Spirit-attracting also requires the right time, the right place, and the right bait to be effective.”

Chen Qing wasn’t too concerned about this.

The Fishery itself was within the Sect’s sphere of influence and had patrols around its perimeter. Compared to the peril-filled Ten Thousand Poison Swamp or the depths of Qianchuan Marsh, the risks were manageable.

From then on, a new figure could often be seen by the water’s edge at Nanzhe No. 7 Fishery, holding a fishing rod and occasionally staring intently at the water’s surface.

Chen Qing discovered that fishing for Treasure Fish was far more difficult than he had imagined.

Although the *Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique* was profound, its success rate in practice was not high.

The spirituality of Treasure Fish far surpassed that of ordinary fish, and their perception of danger and abnormalities was extremely keen.

Before fishing, he first had to chum the waters and find the spot. The choice of bait was also highly particular, as different Treasure Fish had different tastes. Even the weather had a significant impact.

When the sky was clear and the water was as smooth as a mirror, the Treasure Fish tended to dive deep. Their vigilance was extremely high, making them the most difficult to catch.

When a gentle breeze rippled the water’s surface, or during a light drizzle when the sky was slightly dim, the Treasure Fish were a bit more active, making it a relatively better time to fish.

But during fierce storms with howling winds and crackling lightning, it was not only dangerous, but the Treasure Fish would also hide deep and not emerge at all.

Even with such thorough preparations, the results were inconsistent.

Sometimes, he would chum a spot for a long time, locate the fish’s den, choose the right bait for the weather, and execute the *Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique* flawlessly, only to wait for half a day and attract nothing but a few large, ordinary fish, with no sign of a Treasure Fish.

Other times, if he was lucky, he could successfully attract one or two young Treasure Fish to tentatively approach the hook, but they would often detect that something was amiss and flee with a flick of their tails.

Therefore, Chen Qing wasn’t greedy. Catching one or two young Treasure Fish was already considered a decent harvest. More than that, he enjoyed the immersion of his Heart and Spirit, becoming one with nature.

As his *Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique* reached Minor Achievement, the catch rate for Treasure Fish seemed to increase slightly.

Chen Qing would give any Treasure Fish he caught to Liu He to handle.

Liu He’s culinary skill was another bright spot in life at the Fishery.

She came from a common background. Her father was the head chef at an old, established restaurant in Yunlin Prefecture City, and having grown up around it, she had developed excellent cooking skills.

The Treasure Fish Chen Qing caught already had unusually tender flesh and contained gentle vital energy, but Liu He could always bring out their flavor to the absolute fullest.

Given Chen Qing’s current status, eating a few Treasure Fish was no big deal.

However, most of the Treasure Fish in the fishing ponds were young, rarely older than five years. Their flavor and the Spiritual Qi they contained were far inferior to the wild five-year or even ten-year-old Treasure Fish from the true Qianchuan Marsh.

「The peaceful days continued for more than half a month.」

During this time, two senior brothers from the Cyan Wood Institute, Xu Danyan and Xu Qi, came to visit Chen Qing separately.

Not long after Xu Qi left, Luo Xinyi also came. Her words were filled with concern, and she rambled on, saying he could seek her help if he ran into any difficulties.

Chen Qing was very courteous to all of them, fulfilling his duties as a host.

「That night.」

The moon was hidden and the stars were few. The surface of the water was black as ink, with only the faint lights of a few guard posts at the Fishery visible.

Chen Qing sat cross-legged in his room.

Before him was the congratulatory gift from Captain Pang for breaking through to the Embracing Pill Force, as well as a letter. There was news from the investigation into his father, Chen Wu.

The letter stated that Chen Wu’s name was registered on the roster for the Dragon-Breaking Gorge section of the Qianren Canal project.

Two years ago, a major collapse had occurred at Dragon-Breaking Gorge.

In the official records, his father was listed as missing. Pang Qinhai had investigated; the collapse was said to have been catastrophic, with rock layers overturning, boulders piling up, and an Undercurrent Swell.

Chen Wu had most likely perished in the collapse. His body was either buried deep beneath the rubble or had been swept away by the undercurrent, leaving no remains.

In a world where life was as cheap as grass, death was capricious, and accidents were the norm.

At the end of the letter were Pang Qinhai’s words of consolation: the dead are gone, and countless bones lie buried beneath the canal’s foundation. He urged Chen Qing to temper his grief.

Chen Qing read it word by word and let out a soft sigh.

He had long anticipated this outcome.

After all, the canal was incredibly dangerous, and countless people died there every year. Chen Wu was just an ordinary fisherman; his chances of survival had not been high.

Chen Qing put the letter away and turned to look at the Fishery’s ledgers beside him, along with the monthly catch records and supply consumption accounts submitted by Zhang Wei.

The Fishery’s operations appeared to be orderly. The production records for Treasure Fish, Clam Pearls, and Jade Lotus Buds also barely met the standards required by the Sect.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep