Fourth Level East Lake Pearl

"Hm?" Zhao Xing pricked up his ears and listened to the direction of the wind.

"What is it, sir?" After boarding the boat, Xu Laoba shook the water from his ears. He had dived too fiercely just now.

"Shh. Don't make a sound."

Xu Laoba immediately froze, his expression stiffening somewhat. Could there be something unclean? Surely not? He had paid respects to the Earl of East Lake during the day. His heart had been utterly sincere! He definitely hadn't thought about the Wang family's wife while praying.

"Row that way." Zhao Xing pointed in a direction. At the same time, Bright Eyes activated, expanding his range of vision.

Although the lake water obstructed his sight, at a depth of a dozen meters or so, as long as the water was not too murky, Zhao Xing could still see clearly.

"Right, right!" Xu Laoba punted the boat with all his strength. He no longer dared ask questions. Clearly, this young master had done this more than once. Xu Laoba felt that Zhao Xing was even better at spotting things than the River Scavengers.

What exactly are the wandering souls instinctively avoiding? Cold, light... That does fit the characteristics of an East Lake Pearl. But for an East Lake Pearl to affect ghosts, it would have to be at least Third Level, wouldn't it?

Zhao Xing focused on his spell, keeping Bright Eyes active without pause. It was just approaching the Dingmao Hour, when Ghost Wealth luck was at its strongest.

If he could not find it within a quarter hour, it would become difficult afterward.

When luck was strong, one could find treasure just by walking down the road. When it was weak, even if treasure fell into one's hands, one might not recognize it.

"If I still get nothing during the second Dingmao Hour, I'm afraid it will be hard to catch anything during the third as well." Zhao Xing grabbed a bamboo pole and worked together with Xu Laoba, hurrying in the direction of the wind.

After rowing with all their strength for half a quarter hour, Zhao Xing's eyes suddenly lit up. "Stop!"

Deep beneath the lake lay a submerged reef. Beneath one of the rocks was a dead turtle, with a pale blue pearl clamped in its mouth.

Because the reef grew in interlocking formations, the pearl could not be seen from the other three directions on the water. Only from Zhao Xing's position was it visible.

"A turtle? So that's what it meant. I thought it was some nonsense ghost talk... Xu Laoba, how deep can you dive?"

Xu Laoba patted his chest proudly. "Within thirty meters, there is nowhere Xu Laoba cannot reach."

Zhao Xing nodded. "Good. Enter the water here. After descending fifteen meters, you'll find a reef formation about ten meters across. Go to the southern side of the reef. At an interlocking point, descend diagonally for three chi and seven cun, and you'll be able to feel the treasure."

"Got it! Watch me, sir!" Seeing how certain Zhao Xing was, Xu Laoba rubbed his hands together and jumped into the water.

Zhao Xing remained quietly on the boat, watching.

Xu Laoba truly had not been boasting. He dove down with ease and, following Zhao Xing's directions, quickly found the blue pearl in the turtle's mouth.

Xu Laoba then slowly rose toward the surface, a streak of blue light rippling through the water.

"Sir, sir! There really is treasure!" Xu Laoba was excited too.

"Get up here, quickly." Zhao Xing hurriedly pulled him aboard.

"Hiss... ha, hiss..." Xu Laoba tossed the pearl onto the small boat. Once aboard, he kept drawing in sharp breaths. In the heat of summer, he actually felt cold, all because of this pearl.

"A Fourth Level East Lake Pearl—and an exceptionally rare Ice Pearl at that. This quality... it should count as mid-grade Fourth Level, right?" Zhao Xing picked up the pearl and examined it in his hand.

A chill seeped into his palm, as though he were holding a chunk of ice.

Xu Laoba could not endure it, but Zhao Xing, at the Gathering Yuan Third Stage, had no problem.

"Congratulations, sir! You found a Third Level East Lake Pearl." Xu Laoba hurriedly offered his congratulations. He could not tell that it was Fourth Level and thought it was only Third Level. After all, he had never seen a Fourth Level one in his life.

"I have you to thank as well." Zhao Xing smiled faintly and put away the pearl. "Once we return, you won't be short of reward money."

"Thank you, sir." Xu Laoba's face brightened. By their agreement, he was not entitled to a share, but if the boss was pleased enough to reward him, that was an unexpected gain.

For River Scavengers, receiving reward money was not a common occurrence. If it were a sure profit with no risk, the River Scavengers would have done it themselves. This business still carried a considerable risk of losses.

This single pearl alone is enough to make me rich overnight, Zhao Xing thought.

A Fourth Level East Lake Pearl was a treasure produced by a "seasonal change," and it could only possibly appear during a ten-year seasonal change. As for an Ice Pearl, it was even rarer. It could sell for at least five hundred taels!

"A Fourth Level Ice Pearl is most useful to martial artists. It can greatly reduce the damage that cultivating fire-element techniques or martial skills inflicts on the body. It can also assist the cultivation of water-element techniques. Find the right buyer, and doubling its price would not be unusual."

Having obtained the treasure, Zhao Xing's mood improved considerably.

He could have returned after finding the Ice Pearl, but since he was already here, there was still another Dingmao Hour. He might as well not miss it. Who would ever complain about having too much money?

Over the next hour and a half, Ghost Wealth luck declined.

However, relying on Bright Eyes, Zhao Xing found more than a dozen First Level East Lake Pearls.

Xu Laoba practically worshipped Zhao Xing.

Every dive brought a haul. He never came back empty-handed—how could anyone not be impressed?

If Xu Laoba told people about it after returning, even his boss probably would not believe him!

Time passed, but during Zhao Xing's next hour, he failed to find anything good. He only found an earring set with a green gemstone, likely dropped by some noblewoman while boating.

"A single one without its pair is probably worth only seven or eight taels."

"But it's time to head back." Zhao Xing checked the almanac.

It was already the fourth quarter of the Hai Hour. There would be no more gains afterward. Especially after midnight, if one still tried to seek Ghost Wealth, one would instead invite bad luck.

"Xu Laoba, let's head back." Zhao Xing decided to call it a day.

"Alright!" Xu Laoba was satisfied as well. Today's results were enough for him to brag to his companions about for a long time.

"Ah—"

"Someone fell into the water!"

"Get the big boat over there, save them!"

Suddenly, voices drifted over on the wind. Xu Laoba froze for a moment, then turned to Zhao Xing. "Sir, it sounds like someone fell into the water over there."

"I saw it, but someone has already gone in and rescued them. There's no need for us to worry."

"True enough. At East Lake, nine out of every ten people know how to swim." Xu Laoba began rowing toward the shore.

After passing a grassy inlet, they happened to encounter river lanterns drifting over, illuminating the inlet.

A small boat was moored in the grassy inlet. A young woman stood aboard it—it was Lin Baiwei, whom they had seen earlier.

Seeing the large boat and the lotus lanterns drifting toward her, embarrassment appeared on her face.

The appearance of Zhao Xing and Xu Laoba especially left her at a loss. She was soaked through, her graceful figure faintly visible beneath the glow of the lotus lanterns. What worried her even more was that her aunt was still in the water.

If the large boat came over and people gathered to watch, it would be no different from a public execution.

"Uh..." Xu Laoba hurriedly lowered his head, preparing to go around.

"There's no need for that." Zhao Xing stopped him. Then his Cloudcalling spell enveloped the entire grassy inlet, concealing both Lin Baiwei and Lin Sanniang.

"Thank you." A voice as soft as a mosquito's hum drifted through the wind.

Zhao Xing and Xu Laoba went ashore.