White Dragon Carp; A Fish in the Belly

"Young Master Xu, didn't I tell you? This room is very dirty and uninhabitable..."

The sound of Xiao Yu drifted over, like a flickering candle flame in the dark, or like a demon hiding beneath the flame.

You Su stood still, a chill spreading to his feet like icy lake water. He slowly turned his head, his eyes regaining their clear, black-and-white appearance.

These past few days, while sailing through the sea of clouds on his Green Boat, he has been training his eyes every day, and now he can control the shape of his eyes at will.

"Xiao Yu was right, it is indeed quite dirty, and no one can live here."

You Su turned around, holding the oil lamp, but could not see the girl's face in the darkness.

Xiao Yu blinked and stepped aside, saying, "Young Master Xu, please come up first."

You Su did as he was told and stepped into the cabin. However, the cellar door was still not closed, and a cold, damp, and fishy wind blew in from inside, as if Vengeful Spirit were attacking You Su.

He forced himself to remain calm; he had seen far more terrifying scenes, and this was far from enough to break his reason.

"Xiao Yu, it's so late, aren't you asleep yet?"

"Does Young Master Xu feel that I'm bothering you?"

Xiao Yu covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Half of her face was dimly lit by the oil lamp, while the other half was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to discern her expression.

"It was wrong of me to trespass into someone else's room without permission, so how can it be considered a disturbance? Since no one can stay here, I'll just go back to the bow of the boat."

You Su closed the cellar door, and the dining table was neatly placed back on the cabin floor. He then put down the oil lamp and prepared to return to the bow of the ship.

The Xiao Yu gazed wistfully at his retreating figure from behind, then suddenly spoke:

"Young Master Xu... is that fortuitous opportunity at Jade Ring Pool very important to you?"

You Su didn't turn around, hesitated for a moment, and replied:

"Good."

"But Young Master Xu, you must understand that the goods displayed on the shop counter are not fortuitous opportunity; the flowers hidden among the cliffs are the fortuitous opportunity. And once you climb the cliff, turning back won't be so easy."

You Su gripped the hilt of the Ink Pine Sword. To prevent it from slipping out of his hand, the hilt was usually made rather rough. You Su had held the Ink Pine Sword countless times before, and he remembered every single rough groove on the hilt. At this moment, holding the sword, he felt confident enough to climb the cliff.

"I understand what Xiao Yu Girl is saying, but I have reasons why I must have this fortuitous opportunity."

You Su said confidently, then suddenly turned back to look at the girl who had given him several hints, and asked:

"Xiao Yu Girl came here hoping for a fortuitous opportunity, didn't she?"

"Young Master Xu is intelligent."

"Then it seems there's a compelling reason why you have to get it," You Su smiled. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have pretended to be someone else's granddaughter."

"Why can't they be two twin granddaughters?"

"Xiao Yu, you may not know this, but my ears are very sharp. I can even hear a cat stepping across the window at night. Yet I didn't hear Xiao Yu open the door or walk by. This can only mean that you deliberately concealed your voice with Technique Method. So you are different from Xiao Yu; you are a cultivator, but you have deliberately hidden your cultivation level."

Xiao Yu glanced at You Su, her eyes holding a hint of disdain, and said against her will:

"Young Master Xu is right."

"Only those with a connection to Jade Ring Pool can enter. I guess... the Xiao Yu Girl is playing the role of 'Xiao Yu' because of the fortuitous opportunity Jade Ring Pool that Old Yu has."

You Su's guess was not unfounded. The fact that Old Yu mortal, could become the only fisherman on Jade Ring Lake meant that he was no ordinary mortal and likely had some connection with Jade Ring Pool.

"If you already guessed it, there's no need to say it out loud and show off."

Xiao Yu finally shed her previous facade of being a hospitable fisherwoman; her voice was disdainful and noble, as if this were her true voice.

"I've said my piece, and I've already advised you. If you still want to enter the Jade Ring Pool, then so be it." Xiao Yu turned around, preparing to return to her room.

You Su called out to her, and asked hesitantly, "Xiao Yu... why did she become like that?"

"Old Yu never told me that he only accepted celestial treasures when selling fish, just to save money so that the Jade Ring Pool Immortal Master could save his granddaughter."

Xiao Yu waved his hand and said impatiently:

"Don't ask anymore, I need to rest."

The door was closed gently, yet it remained completely silent. You Su had never seen the girl chant or cast a spell; an invisible soundproof barrier had always been present beside her.

Their conversation just now would probably have sounded completely silent to outsiders. You Su was secretly shocked; the girl's control over Technique Method was so superb.

You Su tightened his grip on the sword hilt, stood at the bow of the boat, letting the lake breeze caress him. The lake surface was calm and still, but his heart was in turmoil.

This trip to Jade Ring Pool may not have been as simple as he thought.

But he couldn't bear to watch his Mistress be trapped in the Lotus Birth Pool day after day because of him. From the moment he set off on this journey, he had no intention of turning back.

As the first rays of dawn faded and the rising sun peeked out, the morning glow dispelled the autumn morning mist, its brilliance so dazzling that one dared not open their eyes to look directly at it.

Just then, a cool mountain breeze blew by, and the clouds and mist dispersed, revealing peaks, valleys, green lakes, lone boats, and smoke rising from their chimneys—like a timeless masterpiece painted by a great calligrapher and painter.

You Su put down the bowl; the steaming hot fish porridge had been completely devoured by him.

Xiao Yu sat beside her, elegantly wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. The handkerchief was made of luxurious Liuyun brocade, which seemed quite out of place in the hands of this fisher girl, but You Su did not notice this.

Old Yu merely glanced at the unusual handkerchief, paid it no mind, and stood up, saying:

"Let's set off after we finish eating."

"Thank you for your trouble, Old Madam."

Old Yu nodded, pulled out his pipe, stuffed some coarse tobacco leaves into it, and reminded him:

"You haven't paid your boat fare yet."

One hundred Spirit Stone is no small sum, and You Su wanted to take them all out, he would have to reveal that he possessed a storage Law Treasure.

While called stones, Spirit Stone stones are actually regular-sized stones, more akin to a standardized currency. Not all naturally formed stones containing Mystic Qi can be used as Spirit Stone; their size and Mystic Qi content must be verified by the relevant organizations of the sacred mountain, and they must be polished before being issued to the market.

Old Yu looked at the Spirit Stone that You Su had piled up on the table, almost forming a small mountain. A slight smile appeared on his lips, and his cloudy eyes shone with excitement. He muttered to himself:

"That's enough... that should be enough!"

You Su listened and suppressed the urge to ask Xiao Yu. Since the old man wouldn't even tell him about "Xiao Yu," he naturally wouldn't tell him either.

Old Yu carefully placed each Spirit Stone into a specially made black cloth bag he had bought. The spiritual light emanating from the Spirit Stone was also covered by the bag. Old Yu had several such bags, all accumulated from selling fish.

Xiao Yu has remained silent since she appeared this morning, no longer displaying the enthusiastic demeanor of yesterday. You Su guessed that perhaps her mission was complete and she no longer needed to act.

Then, seemingly reluctantly, Old Yu gave Xiao Yu something. You Su could only sense its extraordinary nature but didn't know what it was. You Su also couldn't hear the brief conversation between Old Yu and Xiao Yu. He could only scan their lips with his Divine Sense, but the sound must have been eliminated by Xiao Yu's soundproofing technique.

Old Yu then retrieved the anchor, and the boat quickly started moving, cutting ripples across the calm lake.

The closer You Su got to the center of the lake, the higher the concentration of Mystic Qi in the air became. He thought to himself that Jade Ring Pool truly deserved to be one of the Spiritual Life Blessed Land. If he had lived here since childhood, how could he possibly be an ordinary mortal with no affinity for the path of immortality?

A gentle breeze was blowing, and the boat moved very slowly. You Su couldn't see where the fishing boat had reached, but she knew that a lot of time had indeed passed.

He thought that Old Yu and frail, and even offered to row with him, but Old Yu refused without hesitation.

Old Yu was actually much stronger and more powerful than You Su had imagined; his rolled-up sleeves revealed thick, muscular arms. This old man could row very fast, but for these fishermen who had sailed on Jade Ring Lake for generations, the journey to Jade Ring Pool was like a pilgrimage. Going too fast would be an overstepping of this sacred place; after all, no one runs to make a pilgrimage.

As the air grew increasingly thick with moisture, You Su realized that the lone fishing boat had finally entered the mist and was approaching what the world considered the heart of the lake.

After walking for a while, the moisture suddenly disappeared, and the warm sunlight shone directly on You Su's face. Then there was a wind that was even stronger than before, bringing fresher air. It seemed that this place had become another vast world.

You Su noticed that Old Yu had put down his rowing hand, but the boat was still moving forward. There seemed to be an undercurrent flowing underwater, spontaneously guiding this foreign fishing boat.

Old Yu took a puff of his cigarette, then hummed a well-known old folk song among fishermen. At first glance, it sounded extremely naive, but upon closer listening, one could appreciate its vivid charm.

Old Yu seemed to be in a good mood, probably because after slaughtering his own fat sheep, he felt that his granddaughter could be saved.

You Su listened attentively to the song, she thought to herself.

Just as Old Yu was singing enthusiastically, the old fishing boat rocked violently. Old Yu almost fell because he lost his balance, but You Su caught him in time.

Xiao Yu also walked over with a look of fear on her face, exchanging bewildered glances with You Su. They were both entering the heart of Jade Ring Lake for the first time and had no idea what was happening.

There was no time for them to slowly question Old Yu. Dull thuds rang out one after another, and the boat began to rock violently. Some lake water was even splashed into the tilting boat, and the three of them could only barely maintain their balance.

"Old Yu, what happened?!"

You Su supported Old Yu with one hand and gripped the handrail on the boat tightly with the other. He could clearly feel something underwater constantly bumping against the boat!

Old Yu's gaunt face tensed up; he climbed onto the edge of the boat and peered into the water, a flicker of excitement burning in his murky eyes.

"It's White Dragon Carp! We've hit the jackpot!"

He abruptly broke free from You Su's support and ran to the cabin with a gait beyond his years. By the time he raised the blood-stained harpoon, the old man's demeanor had drastically changed.

Holding the harpoon, he was like an elderly general retiring to the countryside, once again grasping the sword that had been his companion for many years. You knew he was very old, but you also knew that he was not to be underestimated at this moment.

Before You Su could stop him, Old Yu had already thrown off his shirt, grabbed the harpoon, and jumped into the lake.

You Su didn't know whether he should go into the water to help. He was blind and naturally hated deep water. If blindness were combined with suffocation, no one would not despair.

The rocking of the fishing boat had stopped, but the underwater battle continued. Turbulent water splashed everywhere, and the huge, pure white carp and the shirtless old man seemed to be dancing a war dance in the water.

Old Yu, a fisherman of over fifty years, was an excellent swimmer. He seized the opportunity, straddled the white carp, raised his harpoon high, and fiercely plunged it into the White Dragon Carp's back.

Enraged by him, White Dragon Carp dragged Old Yu, who refused to let go, straight into the deep water!

The Xiao Yu stared blankly at the deep lake water below, then suddenly cried out in surprise:

"There's blood!"

You Su was startled, and with a "whoosh," the Ink Pine Sword was already drawn. He couldn't possibly watch this old man who was leading the way die here.

You Su stepped onto the edge of the boat, about to jump into the water, when suddenly a rumbling sound rang out, and something was swimming rapidly towards them from underwater!

The lake surface suddenly split open, accompanied by a huge white splash, and a pure white dragon carp carrying the old man burst out of the water, its six- or seven-foot-long body fully exposed in the air, its white scales reflecting dazzling light.

Old Yu still refused to let go of the harpoon in his hand, and he roared with all his might:

"Young Master Xu! Kill it!"

You Su Sujian's brows furrowed, and his Divine Sense swept over the fish and man who seemed to be suspended in mid-air. He channeled all his strength into his feet and instantly leaped high into the air, holding the Ink Pine Sword in front of him. The ink-black blade of the sword contrasted sharply with the white fish's body.

A clear, resonant sword cry rang out; black and white clashed, and what burst forth was a deep crimson blood!

This sword strike was as fast as lightning!

The lake water and blood dripped down like a torrential downpour, but they couldn't wet the You Su and the Xiao Yu at all. An invisible barrier stood in the air, like an umbrella made of qi.

You Su turned around and nodded to the Xiao Yu in thanks.

The splashing had subsided, and Old Yu, dragging his enormous fish-like body through the water, climbed onto the wooden trough on the boat. You Su quickly reached out and pulled Old Yu up.

Old Yu was visibly excited after climbing onto the boat, water dripping from his clothes. He looked at You Su with admiration and said:

"Good lad! That was a precise strike! Pull the fish!"

You Su smiled and nodded in response, then bent down and together with Old Yu, pulled the enormous White Dragon Carp up.

The White Dragon Carp was dead, but its body was not stiff; it was still trembling on the boat deck, its huge eyes wide open, and large amounts of thick, fishy blood flowing from its head.

You Su's sword strike was not only accurate, but also ruthless.

The Ink Pine Sword could cut through iron like mud, and with You Su's Mystic Qi enhancement, the sword pierced straight through the White Dragon Carp's head, resulting in its instant death.

Old Yu was clearly exhausted, collapsing on the edge of the boat and panting heavily. The fishing boat, however, returned to calm and silently sailed forward.

After a while, Old Yu finally managed to sit up, put on the robe he had just taken off, and said excitedly:

"This White Dragon Carp is a rare and extraordinary fish in Jade Ring Lake! I haven't seen one in almost thirty years!"

You Su was also secretly surprised that a fish as tall as a person could be raised in freshwater. He carefully examined it with his Divine Sense and found that the Mystic Qi on the fish was extremely dense, many times denser than the killifish he had eaten yesterday. It was almost like a swimming Spirit Stone, no wonder it could grow so huge.

"It's just a fish. You've been fishing here for fifty years, and you haven't seen one in thirty?" The Xiao Yu looked the White Dragon Carp up and down in disbelief.

"These aren't fish you can just see whenever you want. To be precise, these aren't fish from Jade Ring Lake, they're fish from Jade Ring Pool, they just escaped through underground currents."

Old Yu walked over to the White Dragon Carp and stroked its pure white body with his hand, as if he were appreciating a rare treasure.

"This White Dragon Carp is the biggest I've ever seen! I remember when I first learned to fish, my father caught a White Dragon Carp that was only half my length, and that one alone attracted countless immortals who fought over it! I bet this one wouldn't even be worth a hundred Spirit Stone!"

"But... since it's a fish that escaped from Jade Ring Pool, won't catching it incur the wrath of the Jade Ring Pool Immortal Master?"

According to rumors, the Jade Ring Pool Immortal Master should not agree to let outsiders obtain the spirit fish they raised.

"Jade Ring Pool belongs to the immortals, Jade Ring Lake belongs to mortals. This fish, once it enters the mortal realm, is like an immortal descending to earth. It can eat all the fish in the lake. Do you think I should kill it? Can I kill it?"

You Su had already witnessed the power of the fish that had collided with the boat; it was indeed a dominant force in the open lake. However, he still had some doubts and asked:

"Then why does it attack fishing boats?"

Old Yu then took a gleaming fish-cutting knife, pinned down the still-wriggling fish, and said impatiently:

"Perhaps they mistake us for enemies invading their waters! Young Master Xu, you've done me a great favor, so I won't keep it all to myself. I'll cut off half of the fish belly and give it to you! Xiao Yu, come and have a taste too!"

Old Yu didn't care too much about You Su's problem. He was only concerned about getting rid of the rare White Dragon Carp as soon as possible, so that it wouldn't be left on the boat and seen by the immortals of Jade Ring Pool after it was put into the pond.

"Kill him now?" You Su asked in astonishment.

"Even we old fishermen who have been eating fish for decades rave about the belly of this White Dragon Carp. Its flesh is as white as snowflakes, and it tastes best when eaten raw. Sliced thinly and translucent, you'll know what a truly divine fish is once you taste it!"

Old Yu was extremely excited, but You Su could understand his feelings. For these impoverished fishermen who spent their days fishing, the White Dragon Carp that ran out of Jade Ring Pool was nothing short of a windfall.

At that moment, Old Yu had found the right spot and swiftly plunged the kitchen knife into the fish's belly, the blade immediately stained with bright red blood.

Old Yu tightened his grip on the knife handle, then swiftly sliced open the belly of the White Dragon Carp. Even with such a spirited fish, the internal organs inside still reeked of a fishy stench.

The old man skillfully pulled out all the organs. Xiao Yu frowned as she watched this scene, and You Su, who shouldn't have been able to see these organs, also frowned.

Just like when he first saw the Lantern Ghost, he saw a small Xiao Yu inside a scarlet fish belly.