It is a spring day with flowers in full bloom.
Outside Qingyang City, beside the Xushui Lake, people were gathered together, all looking out towards the lake.
There are small fishing boats crisscrossing the lakeside, and further away are fishing boats that are dozens of meters long. Whenever a fishing boat catches a large fish with a silver belly and green back, it will cause an uproar among the spectators on the shore. Some shrewd businessmen who have been waiting for a long time will rush over in their small spirit boats and frantically shout out prices to the fishing boats.
The Xushui Lake is famous for its Ling'an fish. Every Spring Festival is the season when the Ling'an fish appears, and many people come here to visit.
An adult Ling'an fish is about ten feet long, with tender meat, rich spiritual energy and a unique taste.
The most valuable part is its fish bladder, which is a top-quality refining material with a wide range of uses and is very popular among refiners. It is said that the older the fish bladder is, the better its quality is. An ordinary fish bladder can even be sold for millions of spirit stones.
There are many shops and a prosperous street along the banks of the Qushui Lake. The place is bustling with people day and night.
Not far from the street market, there is a tall building built by the water. The best view is from a four-story observation tower, which is transparent on all sides. Not only can you take in the bustling street scene, but you can also see the flowers and willows on the shore, as well as the fishing fleet on the surface of the lake.
In the observation tower, the mayor of Qingyang City was accompanying guests who had come from afar.
The lake breeze is warm and the veil is fluttering.
Several people were sitting by the railing upstairs. On the table was spiritual tea full of spiritual energy and fruits and snacks. In places that could not be seen around, many powerful human beings were lurking to guard the place.
Yang Shan, the mayor of Qingyang City, said, "Every spring, the Lake of the Water holds a fishing festival that lasts for ten days, and today is the fourth day. It is said that since the beginning of the fishing festival, the largest Ling'an fish caught has been six feet long, and we have not seen a ten-foot-long Ling'an fish yet. If you want a ten-foot-long Ling'an fish, you will have to wait a little longer."
The Ling'an fish is a treasure from head to toe, and they are not stupid. If humans want to catch them successfully, they need to use some skills.
Generally speaking, the length of the Ling'an fish that can be caught in the first few days of the Fish Hunting Festival will not be very good, so it depends on the next few days.
A young man in brocade clothes waved a jade fan and said with a smile: "A ten-foot Ling'an fish is indeed rare. I heard that this year the swim bladder of a Ling'an fish is being sold for three million spiritual stones, which is more than in previous years. Is this true?"
Hearing this, Yang Shan felt a headache and sighed, "It is true."
"Why?" The young man in brocade clothes looked interested.
"It is said that not long ago, an elder of the Weapon Refining Sect discovered that the swim bladder of the Ling'an fish can be integrated into certain water-based spiritual tools, which can increase their power by 30%..."
This 30% alone is enough to make people extremely crazy.
The human race possesses powerful creative talents, and the artifacts they refine are unmatched by the other five races.
In addition to powerful lethal weapons, there are also many convenient spiritual tools that can be used in life. These spiritual tools are sold to the other five tribes for use, improving the quality of life of the five tribes, and can be exchanged with the five tribes for the necessary refining materials.
There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. As long as the interests are sufficient, humans can be friendly with any race.
Of course, you also have to do some superficial work.
The human race can gain a strong foothold in the God-created Continent, not inferior to the other five races, because of the spiritual weapons they created.
Therefore, if a material that can increase the power of spiritual weapons appears, it is no wonder that people are so enthusiastic that the price of the originally stable Ling'an fish is raised, and the price of fish maw has soared to an incredible level.
But as the lord of Qingyang City, Yang Shan was not happy.
Ling'an fish is famous for its delicious taste, attracting many people every spring, consuming a large number of Ling'an fish. However, the number of Ling'an fish bred in the lake is limited, and the number that can be caught each year is fixed. Once it is exceeded, it will affect the sustainable development of Ling'an fish.
Driven by profit, there is no guarantee that some people will not ignore the growth of Ling'an fish and forcibly fish them to extinction for the sake of profit.
Whether it is the fish from the Jiangshui Lake or the Ling'an fish, they are both important sources of income for Qingyang Lake, and Yang Shan does not want to drain the pond to the limit.
The young man in brocade clothes smiled with an ambiguous meaning, "The weapon refiners of the weapon refinement sect are indeed powerful, but it is still uncertain whether the swim bladder of the Ling'an fish can increase the power of water-based spiritual weapons by 30%."
Yang Shan's heart moved slightly, and he looked at him with burning eyes.
"Mr. Zhang, what do you think?"
Master Zhang waved his folding fan and said with a smile: "I don't have any brilliant ideas, you can ask His Majesty."
Your Majesty
Yang Shan subconsciously looked towards the man in white who was sitting by the window and looking out at the lake.
The man had his back to them and his face could not be seen. His jet-black hair was tied up high and he wore a white robe that dragged on the ground. The black hair and the white robe formed a sharp contrast.
Zhang Jinwei is a direct disciple of the Zhang family who came from the first city of the human race - Human King City. He has a noble status, which is why Yang Shan carefully accompanied him.
But could it be that the person who can be respected as the master by the legitimate disciple of Zhang family is the disciple of the Human King
No, there are five direct disciples around the Human King. He had met them before when he went to Human King City to report on his work, but he had never seen this young man in white.
Although the young man in white was wearing a mask and his face could not be seen, his exposed nose, lips and jaw all showed that he was a young man with handsome appearance.
Zhang Jinwei did not specifically introduce the young man in white, but when he occasionally spoke to him, he subconsciously made gestures that showed his respect for the young man in white, and even called him "Your Excellency".
Among the human race, the term "Your Excellency" refers only to those who are highly respected and powerful.
People like the Human King and the ancestors of the three major families deserve to be called the Supreme by the human race.
Perhaps because Yang Shan had been absent-minded for too long, the young man in white by the window glanced at him indifferently.
When meeting that pair of dark eyes without any luster, Yang Shan was dazed for a moment. When he came to his senses, he was horrified and quickly lowered his head, not daring to look at him.
These eyes seemed to have a terrifying power that could make people lose control.
Even a few moments of trance can be fatal.
Of course Yang Shan didn't dare to ask the Lord, and seeing that Master Zhang had no intention of saying anything, he could only sit aside silently.
Master Zhang and his group arrived in Qingyang City yesterday.
Although the Ling'an fish in the Xushui Lake is well-known, it is not a top-level spiritual creature and is not enough to attract the direct disciples of the three major families in the Human King City.
So when Master Zhang and his party expressed their intention to come to the Qushui Lake, although Yang Shan did not understand why, he did not dare to say anything. He not only arranged a place for viewing the scenery, but also accompanied them in person to avoid poor hospitality.
The observation tower fell silent for a moment, with only the noise coming from outside mixing together, making the place even more terrifyingly quiet.
Even though Yang Shan had a very good attitude, he still felt a little uneasy in this silent atmosphere.
At this moment, a clear and crisp voice came from outside the observation building.
"Sister Gu, Sister Gu..."
The voice was obviously that of a young girl. It was clear and pleasant, and came in the breeze, bringing a cool and refreshing feeling to people's hearts, and they couldn't help but sigh at the beautiful spring scenery.
Yang Shan couldn't help but smile and subconsciously looked out the window, looking for the source of the sound.
Most of the human spiritual practitioners have sharp eyes and ears and can see clearly even at a long distance. They soon saw a little girl of about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a green cloth and with her hair tied up with a colorful cloth, calling out towards the lake at a remote lakeside not far from the observation tower.
The little girl has a round face and round eyes, is very cute, and her voice is as clear as a lark.
Following the direction the little girl was looking, Yang Shan saw a small spirit boat painted with spiritual colors coming towards him.
There are countless small spirit boats like this on the lakeshore, and they are the fishermen's means of livelihood.
Generally, small spirit boats sail not far from the lake and catch some common fish and shrimp. Although they are not of the Ling'an fish level, because the water quality of the Shui Lake is good and full of spiritual energy, ordinary fish and shrimp are also extremely delicious and can be sold at a good price.
The way this little girl was dressed, it was obvious that she was a fisherwoman living in a fishing village near the Qushui Lake.
There are many such fishermen. They make a living by fishing and have to pay a fishing tax every year. However, the tax is not much, but they are not allowed to catch Ling'an fish.
I saw this small spirit boat moving flexibly among many small boats, moving left and right, and finally finding a way out in the narrow gap and successfully reaching the shore.
"Cai Cai, why are you here?"
A soft voice sounded, the tone was clean, like the soft whispers in the misty Jiangnan area, passing through the heart like water, leaving slight ripples, making people want to explore what the owner of this voice looked like.
Yang Shan lowered his eyes and looked over. There was a woman standing on the small spirit boat. She was wearing a water-proof hat and a green straw raincoat. She was standing there leisurely, with an elegant and leisurely demeanor.
Although her face could not be seen clearly, her demeanor did not seem that of a fisherwoman who was forced to make a living.
The little girl smiled happily at the woman on the little spirit boat and said crisply, "Sister Gu, it's getting late. My mother asked me to come over and ask you to go home for dinner."
"Okay, wait for me for a moment."
The woman on the boat said this, found a place to park the small spirit boat, and turned around to get the fish on the boat.
"Sister Gu, what did you catch today?" the little girl asked as she looked over her shoulder, and said in surprise, "Oh, there are Ling Bass, Huaxi Fish... and Qingling Crabs, Qinghua Shrimp... Oh, what big clams..."
Apparently today's harvest was good. The little girl was so surprised that she let out a clear and pleasant cry, which was particularly infectious.
Seeing the woman on the boat carrying two large buckets of fish onto the shore, the girl quickly said, "Sister Gu, I'll help you carry it."
"No, it's very heavy. I can carry it myself." The woman refused gently.
The woman carried two large buckets of fish and left with the little girl.
After walking a few steps, she suddenly looked towards the observation tower.
Yang Shan was startled by her. When he came to his senses, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised. As a spiritual cultivator, why would he be frightened by the eyes of a fisherwoman
How strange!
What's more, the viewing tower is equipped with a special spiritual formation. People inside can see outside, but people outside cannot peek inside. Although the civilians passing by are curious about the viewing tower, most of them know that they can't see anything and will not look here for no reason.
Could it be that she noticed my gaze
When Yang Shan was laughing secretly at his rare unreliable guess, he heard an emotionless and cold voice.
"who is she?"
Yang Shan asked subconsciously: "What?"
After asking, he suddenly realized that the voice was not from Master Zhang, but...
He looked at the young man in white who still had his back to them with an extremely surprised look. Except for Young Master Zhang, his identity was the most mysterious among the people here. Unless he and Young Master Zhang spoke, others would not dare to speak easily.
"That's the fisherwoman who just came ashore." Master Zhang said with a strange look on his face, "The one the little girl called Sister Gu."
Yang Shan: “…I don’t know.”
He looked confused. Although he was the lord of Qingyang City, it didn't mean that he knew every citizen under his rule. Although he was attracted by the little girl's voice calling "Sister Gu" just now, he really had no intention of exploring their identities.
At this moment, the man by the window turned his head and looked over.
He wore a silver half-mask that covered the upper half of his face. A pair of dark eyes without any emotion looked over at him, causing Yang Shan to shudder. When he realized what was happening, he said, "I'll get someone to check it out right away."
The young man in white looked at him steadily and hummed, "Don't disturb her."
Yang Shan quickly agreed, and his whole body was in a delicate state.
Not only him, but also Master Zhang next to him was the same. He was even more incredible than Yang Shan. He didn't even notice that the bone fan in his hand was crushed. When you look closely, you can see the confusion in his eyes.
Yang Shan left the observation tower and went to find someone to investigate the two fishermen.
Young Master Zhang, who was left behind, was restless. He kept stealing glances at the young man in white by the window. Without Yang Shan around, and with his own people around him, he was not afraid of making any inappropriate moves.
After a while, Zhang Jinwei realized that the young man in white didn't pay any attention to him, so he approached carefully and asked, "Your Majesty, why are you investigating that fisherwoman?"
Naturally, this statement did not receive a response from the other party.
Zhang Jinwei didn't care. He wondered in his heart, could it be that there was something special about the fisherwoman that attracted his attention? Then he would keep a close eye on her to prevent any accidents.
**
Gu Jiu carried two buckets of fish and took the little girl An Cai to the nearby market to sell fish.
Although you can sell them by the lake, and fishmongers will come to collect them, but fishmongers like to bargain for you. It is better to take them to the market and sell them yourself, so you can earn an extra spirit stone or two.
Arriving at the market, Gu Jiu walked to the back door of a restaurant as if he was familiar with the place and found the fat chef of the restaurant.
The fat chef saw them and said with a smile, "Miss Gu, Caicai, you are here to sell fish again today. What fish do you have today?"
Caicai reported today’s harvest in a clear voice.
"Oh, really good, they are all big and full of energy, just what we want." The fat chef took the fish out of the bucket, checked them, and picked out the ones he liked.
He picked up one and a half buckets, and the remaining half bucket did not meet his requirements.
Gu Jiu didn't care and just took it back for a snack.
After the fat chef paid their bill, he discussed with Gu Jiu, "Miss Gu, our restaurant is going to entertain distinguished guests tomorrow. Can you send us a few flying star fish before noon tomorrow morning?"
Flying star fish is a fish that appears under the stars and the moon. It can only be caught in the early morning and is difficult to catch. Most fishermen cannot catch it, but its meat is really good, not worse than Ling'an fish, and the price is very good. Catching a flying star fish can offset several months of hard work.
"Okay." Gu Jiu said readily.
The fat chef saw them out with a smile.
Gu Jiu carried half a bucket of fish and went home with little girl An Cai.
This is a small fishing village by the Qiushui Lake. The population of the village is about 300. The houses are built along a stream, and the people live in a remote place at the end of the village.
People in the small fishing village make a living by fishing, and Anjia is no exception.
Gu Jiu came to the human land in the winter of last year. He practiced along the way and unknowingly arrived at Qingyang City.
It was also a coincidence that I got to know the mother and daughter of the An family.
When she arrived outside Qingyang City, she was spotted by a blind bully who thought she was an ordinary person and wanted to take her away. Gu Jiu was naturally not afraid and taught the bully a lesson. Unexpectedly, the bully had no way to deal with her and turned to ordinary people to vent his anger. An Cai Niang, who had just returned from her mother's home, happened to pass by and became one of the victims.
Before Gu Ji had gone far, he turned back and gave the bully a lesson, and made him mend his ways and never do evil again.
Because of her life-saving grace, An Cai Niang warmly invited her to her home as a guest. Gu Jiu was not in a hurry to go to the city, so she went.
There is no other way. Because if you bring a monster with you, even if it is a low-level monster, the demonic aura cannot be hidden. If you rush into the city rashly, you will definitely be discovered. It is better to observe the situation outside the city first.
As soon as I entered the door, I could smell the aroma of food floating in the air, which made me hungry.
Aunt An's voice rang out, "You guys are back, go wash your hands and have dinner."
An Cai ran to the kitchen and heard a surprised voice, "Mom, there is braised fish today, which is my favorite."
Gu Jiu placed half a bucket of fish in the yard, went to fetch water to wash his hands, and washed his hands with scented soap until they were fragrant. Then he went into the kitchen to serve the dishes to the living room.
Aunt An brought a large pot of braised fish to the table, next to which was a pot of milky fish soup and a few side dishes.
She first served Gu Jiu a bowl of fish soup and said softly, "Miss Gu, you've worked hard today, eat more."
Gu Jiu took a sip of the fish soup, and the rich fish flavor spread in his mouth. He drank the whole bowl in a few gulps and said, "It's not hard. I have great strength and good eyesight. Fishing is not difficult for me."
Aunt An smiled and served her a bowl of white rice.
Gu Jiu eats very fast, but his eating manners are not ugly. He has a natural elegance and looks pleasing to the eye.
An Cai stared at her and tried to imitate her manners. Although her manners were not standard, she managed to imitate them pretty well.
An Cai-niang found it both funny and joyful, and hoped that her daughter could learn more from Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu enjoyed the meal very much. He didn’t know whether it was because the fish in the Shui Lake were so spiritual, or because Aunt An’s cooking skills were really good, but there was no food that she cooked that was not delicious.
When staying in the An family, what Gu Jiu is most satisfied with is the three meals a day, the taste of which is something that ordinary people cannot make.
After dinner, it was already dark.
Aunt An carried the half bucket of fish that Gu Jiu brought back to the small pond in the backyard. The small pond was divided into several spaces, and the fish were placed according to their types. People could come and catch them when they wanted to eat.
A little later, when Aunt An finished her work and returned to her room, Gu Jiu handed her two spirit stones.
"No, no!" She quickly refused, "You've given me enough, I can't accept it."
"Take it." Gu Jiu stuffed it into her hand. "I made a lot of money today, and I can go fishing with your small boat. This is considered rent. I know you don't want to take advantage of me, but you have to think about Caicai. She is twelve years old this year. In a few years, she will get married, right?"
Aunt An was stunned for a moment, then put it away silently.
The small spirit boat was left by An Cai's father, who died when his daughter was eight years old. Because Aunt An didn't know how to fish and Cai Cai was still young, she rented out the small spirit boat and used the rent to support her life.
The family had no income and lived on the rent of the small spirit boat, which was very tight. Aunt An could only take some sewing and mending jobs and lived a poor life.
Fortunately, when An's father was alive, he arranged a marriage for his daughter. The in-laws had a close relationship with the An family and would give them some subsidies from time to time.
But Aunt An was a strong-willed person and did not want to accept it, for fear that her daughter would be looked down upon because of this matter when she got married. At the same time, she wanted to save some dowry for her daughter, otherwise her life would become even more miserable.
Until Gu Jiu arrived, she was a good fisherman, catching a lot of fish every day and paying the rent generously.
Aunt An knew that she was intentionally subsidizing them, and she was very grateful. She knew that Gu Jiu liked her cooking, so she took the time to make all kinds of delicious food for her every day.
The eldest lady is living very comfortably in the An family and will not leave in the short term.
Anyway, practicing cultivation is practicing cultivation no matter where you are. Going fishing every day is also a form of practicing cultivation.
This is what she realized on her way to the human race. Cultivation is not just about fighting and killing, but also about practicing in the world.
At night, Gu Jiu sat under the lamp and took out the small ball of fur from the spirit beast's bag.
The little fur ball opened his eyes, looked at her, chirped at her, then closed his eyes again and fell asleep.
Gu Jiu touched its fur and felt a little worried.
Since leaving the Demonic Land, the little fur ball has fallen into a coma, as if he never gets enough sleep, and no one knows why. Gu Jiu guessed that it might be because the human land is full of spiritual energy, and without the replenishment of demonic energy, he can only fall into a deep sleep to maintain himself.
But she was unwilling to leave the little fur ball in the devil's land.
Just leave it like this for now.
She put the sleeping little ball of fur next to her pillow, sat cross-legged, and began to practice.
**
City Lord's Mansion.
Yang Shan hurried to the guest house and told the guests the news he had found out.
"Your Majesty, Master Zhang, we have found the information about that girl. She is now living in the An family in Xiliu Village, ten miles away. I heard that she came to the An family last winter. As for where she is from, we have not found out yet."
Because she is an outsider, it will take some time to find out her background.
Zhang Jinwei glanced at the young man in white standing by the window and asked, "What's her name?"
"Gu Jiu."
Zhang Jinwei glanced at the young man in white again and asked in a mysterious way, "Is he handsome?"
Yang Shan: “…”
Feeling the gaze of the young man in white, she shuddered and said with a stammer, "Very, very beautiful."
Zhang Jinwei also became nervous. If he was not afraid of appearing too cowardly and tarnishing the Zhang family's reputation, he would have wanted to hug Yang Shan and tremble together.
What does your Excellency mean
Unfortunately, the young man in white had no intention of explaining to them. He sat quietly in the room all night, and only stood up after dawn.
Zhang Jinwei, who had been sitting with him all night, was dozing off. When he noticed the noise, he quickly stood up.
When he found the young man in white leaving, he didn't care to tidy up his appearance and followed him out, asking, "Your Excellency, where are you going?"
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