Hot Feather, Cold Winter

"What did you two get this from?"

"From the bottom of the water? It was floating there on its own? You saw it glowing and brought it back?"

Liang Qu had taught the two beasts how to judge treasure fish: just see whether they looked different from ordinary fish, whether their colors and shapes were distinctive and rare.

The two beasts had etched those words deep into their minds. When they saw the glowing feather, they knew it was not a fish, but they still felt it was a good thing and brought it back.

The reasoning was not wrong.

The feather was enormous, a full three feet long and one foot wide.

Liang Qu tried to reach out and touch it, only to be forced back by the astonishing heat radiating from the feather.

Good lord, it was so hot. No wonder Cannot Move and A Fei had not dared carry it back in their mouths. They had handled it like roasting sweet potatoes.

A gigantic feather, astonishing heat.

Liang Qu immediately thought of the Blazing Flame Giant Bird that had flown through the sky during the battle between the two demons last night.

Without surprise, this feather had fallen from its body, drifted here with the current, and been found by the two beasts.

Toad Brother, you did well. You killed a Great Demon, and I still got to drink a little of the soup.

Liang Qu controlled the water to roll up the feather. Only after the heat had been carried away by the water could he try touching it.

The quill was hard as iron, gleaming with a cold, steely luster and glowing in the darkness. The barbs, on the other hand, were soft and felt excellent to the touch. But without water constantly washing over it to cool it down, it was far too hot to touch at all.

What use was a single feather?

Bird beasts did not have Marsh Essence to absorb. Even using it as a hand warmer meant worrying that his clothes would catch fire.

Liang Qu fell into deep thought, unable to figure out how to use it.

Still, anything from a Great Demon had to be precious. He would take it back and let Master and Senior Brother take a look. Perhaps they would know what it was for.

Liang Qu did not stint on praise. "Well done! From now on, if you see something that isn't a fish but is very unusual, you can bring it back."

Having received praise, the two beasts spun in circles underwater, churning up violent currents.

After splashing around for a while, Liang Qu surfaced. Seeing that the time was about right, he instructed Cannot Move to return and guard the lotus roots, while the Fat Catfish was to explore the nearby waters more thoroughly.

Especially the nearby Shallow Water Area. It was to look for sunken ships, human-made objects, treasures, Treasure Plants, and Treasure Fish. If it could find more feathers like this, or even a part of that Great Demon Water Beast, that would be even better.

Liang Qu very much wanted to know how much Marsh Essence a piece of such a Great Demon's body could possess.

Not only the waters near Yi Xing City—those near Yun Jiang Wharf and Ping Yang Town could be explored as well.

A Fei's body shape was now enormous. As long as it did not rashly enter the Deep Water Area, it would basically face no great danger.

Dragging the feather, Liang Qu climbed back onto the skiff and glanced into the waterproof compartment. Apart from ordinary fish, there were two carp, one yellow croaker, and one tigerfish inside, all decent varieties.

When he returned to the wharf, dawn had fully broken. Liang Qu sold his catch to Lin Songbao.

"Doesn't seem like much today. Why are there only two baskets?" Lin Songbao helped carry the fish baskets into the Fishing Wharf, but when he opened them, he was startled. "Whoa, so many good fish? One yellow croaker, two carp, and a tigerfish? Did you poke into a fish nest?"

"Just got lucky today."

"You're amazing. Everyone else catches less and less in winter, but you keep catching more and more." Lin Songbao gave him a thumbs-up. "It comes to three hundred and forty-six copper coins. How about I give you three qian of silver?"

Lin Songbao was no fool. Although his father had said nothing, he knew something astonishing must have happened to Liang Qu. The discount he offered was even greater than before. Three qian of silver would normally exchange for at least three hundred and sixty copper coins.

"Much obliged!"

"You're welcome. Since you're here, I don't need to look for you. The restaurant has already been booked—Earth Character C Suite at Lang Yun Tower tonight. My father asked whether you want us to send a carriage to pick you up."

Liang Qu wanted to show the feather to Senior Brother, so he shook his head. "No need. I'll be going into town today too."

"All right. Keep it safe—your money."

After taking the money, Liang Qu turned and went onto the boat. He soaked the linen shirt he had taken off in cold water, wrapped it around the feather, and headed home. As he passed the Fishing Wharf, he saw someone else selling fish there.

"Song Bao, help me weigh it again. Could it be wrong? Look how big these fish are."

"Uncle Chen Hu, didn't we weigh them just now? Fifty-three copper coins is correct. After deducting the forty-five percent boat rental fee, that leaves thirty copper coins."

"Th-this is too little, isn't it? Song Bao, raise your hand a little, give me more, just a little more." The dark-skinned middle-aged fisherman forced a smile and kept making a lifting gesture with one hand. "My boy is only eight, still growing. You've seen him—he's only this big, and he calls you big brother."

"I really can't. Last time I calculated five extra coins for you, and my father scolded me when I got home. Besides, Uncle Hu, you know that Yun Jiang Wharf next door takes fifty-two percent."

"Ah..."

On Azure Stone Street, Liang Qu listened for a long while. Only when the cold, wet linen in his hand had grown hot did he slowly stroll home.

The weather was getting colder and colder, and the water temperature was brutally low. Leave your hand in the water for only a short while, and it would freeze purple.

When it was too cold, fish metabolism slowed, reducing their need for food. They also gathered in deeper waters, where it was warm enough.

They would not come out, would not move, and stayed deep down. With the fishermen's methods, they could not catch them at all. Even if they did, they could not sell them for a good price. The current was slow, oxygen was scarce, and little matter circulated through the water. The fish had nothing to eat, leaving them thin and small. The bluestone slabs were no longer as dark as they had been two months ago. Every winter was like this, as if all the world's colors had been frozen into retreat.

There were more women with waxy yellow faces in the Yellow Mud Alleys on both sides of the stone road than there had been in autumn. Wrapped in yellowed old padded jackets, they curled up on the steps. Whenever wheels rumbled over the stone slabs, they would raise their heads for a look.

Liang Qu saw a girl about his age sitting on the steps and smiling at him. Her malnourished face was thin and yellow, and her dry hair was like wild grass—not pretty in the slightest. He lowered his head and walked past without expression.

Besides the women in old padded jackets, there were now many more children in Yellow Mud Alley. They gathered together, burning dry firewood picked up from who knew where. The older ones were thirteen or fourteen, their faces full of sorrow; the younger ones were only five or six, long clear streams of snot hanging from their noses as they played finger games together.

There were old women begging along the streets as well.

"Phew..."

Thick mist billowed from Liang Qu's nose and mouth. He stood in place for a long time.

"Motherfucker!"

"Hey!"

Liang Qu called out, set the oil-paper packets on the ground, then turned and left.

"What is this?" A boy stepped forward, pinched open an oil-paper packet, and shouted, "Ah, buns! They're buns! So many buns—more than ten!"

"Yay, hot buns!"

"Don't grab, don't grab, there's enough for everyone."

"I'll hand them out, I'll hand them out. Little brother, you're the youngest, so you get two."

A few alleys away, Liang Qu set down oil-paper packets one after another and quickly left.

This is fucking annoying.

Two qian of silver, gone.

Liang Qu suddenly grew angry. There was no target, no reason, no purpose. He was simply angry.

Maybe he was angry at his own excessive kindness. Maybe he was angry at this fucked-up world. Maybe he was angry at why those pitiful wretches had to keep wandering before his eyes.

It felt as though fire flowed through his blood vessels. Everything around him was cold, yet he alone burned like a live coal.

Only after taking several deep breaths did Liang Qu calm down.

When he returned home, he threw the Great Demon Feather, still wrapped in the linen shirt that had nearly dried from the heat, into the water vat where ice had formed. Before long, the ice melted from the heat, and both cloth and feather sank beneath the water.

Liang Qu set his stance and began Skin Refining.

The day of breaking through was drawing closer and closer. It was almost the final kick at the gate.

Everything Liang Qu possessed now could be called a different sort of "a dog swaggering on the strength of its master." But once he became a true Martial Artist, he would be relying on himself to complete his transformation, no different from an ordinary man becoming a scholar.

His blood and Qi circulated, suddenly spreading through his Four Limbs and Hundred Skeletons, flowing toward the outermost layer of skin and membrane. After a long while, his flushed red skin gradually returned to a healthy ruddy color.

Liang Qu could feel his body becoming a little tougher again. There was no change to the touch, but once he came under attack, some deep transformation would take place, making him exceptionally resilient.

The improvement in his strength dispelled more than half the gloom in his heart. Carrying the pastries he had bought earlier, he headed to Chen Qingjiang's house nearby.

He was two days late. Fortunately, the pastries he had bought were mostly Peach Crisp, which did not spoil easily in winter and had not changed much from when they were first bought.

He knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Who is it?"

"Me!"

"Sounds like A Shui. I'll go take a look."

"Is that A Shui? Qing Jiang, you must thank him properly."

"I know, Father."

Voices drifted from inside the house.

Suddenly, a small head popped up over the low wall beside him. "Ah, it's Water Bro!"

Liang Qu raised the wooden box in his hand and shook it twice. "Shunzi, open the gate for me. I've got something tasty for you."

"Coming!"

Xiao Shunzi jumped down from his stool and ran to the courtyard gate, opening it before charging over impatiently. Liang Qu smiled, opened the box, and took out a piece of Peach Crisp, stuffing it into Shunzi's hand.

"Mmm, so sweet!"

Shunzi stuffed his mouth full in one bite, catching the crumbs that fell with his other hand. His face was full of astonishment.

Chen Qingjiang had only just reached the door when he saw the Wu Fang Zhai label and was greatly startled. "A Shui, why are you giving Shunzi something so expensive? What a waste!"