Treasure of the Spirit Fish

Teng Xiong had a magnificent physique, as if he had been cast from molten iron. Even in a calm state, he brought people the heavy pressure of a savage ancient exotic beast.

He was, after all, a Star Master of the Other Shore Realm—and one of the Exotic Beast Series focused on slaughter. A Star Guiding Realm cultivator was no different from a child before him!

What surprised him even more was that Chen Fusheng, who had only just embarked on the path of cultivation, had somehow gotten hold of such a massive creature.

Judging from the fish scales alone, it seemed to be a top-grade tonic that had already gained spiritual intelligence.

Of course, he had not imagined it was a spirit fish. He did not even dare to imagine that.

"Supervisor Teng, good morning."

"Supervisor Teng..."

The sky gradually brightened, and the Outer Sect Disciples began getting up one after another. Several disciples walking together happened to pass by. Their faces changed drastically the instant they finished saluting.

"This fish... It must weigh at least fifty pounds, right?"

"My mother, look at how shiny those scales are. It's definitely no ordinary thing. I've truly had my eyes opened today."

"Huh? Isn't this kid Chen Fusheng, Old Huang's grandson?"

The surrounding disciples were all shocked. Someone came over and reached out, wanting to lift the robe and examine it properly.

Chen Fusheng turned sideways and passed him, saying unhappily, "My sister told me to take this home. You can't touch it recklessly."

"Huang Li!"

The disciple's eyelids twitched. Huang Li was the famous genius beauty of the West Courtyard's Outer Sect. Although she was far inferior to Mu Zhen, she was still a well-known figure.

"Supervisor Teng, I really don't dare name a price. How about waiting for my sister to return from the Inner Courtyard? You can discuss the purchase with her," Chen Fusheng said.

A cold glint flashed through Teng Xiong's eyes. Was Chen Fusheng trying to use Huang Li to pressure him?

He knew that Huang Li had become a Star Master of the Inner Courtyard. Rumor had it that she was close to the descendant of some major figure in the Star Palace. But what did that have to do with people like them, who still lived in a dilapidated courtyard?

"I said for you to name a price. Do you want me to ask three times?" Teng Xiong's voice turned cold.

"Supervisor Teng, I truly don't dare sell this fish to you in private."

Chen Fusheng abruptly turned and walked into the courtyard. The nearby disciples were horrified. Who did not know Teng Xiong's temperament? To openly challenge him? He could forget about eating in the Outer Sect for the rest of his life!

Some disciples sneered inwardly. How much money could Teng Xiong give him? It was plainly an attempt to seize it by force.

There were also disciples who had struggled in the Outer Sect for more than a decade shaking their heads. A newborn calf was unafraid of the tiger. Chen Fusheng was destined to face obstacles at every turn in the future.

Teng Xiong was not merely a Dining Hall supervisor—he was also a Star Official. Opposing him was simply courting death.

"Heh, it seems your wings have truly hardened."

Teng Xiong strode toward the courtyard. His astral sea erupted with a thunderous tiger roar, and the enormous courtyard trembled faintly.

The disciples watching from outside the door were terrified. Teng Xiong was a Star Master of the fourth-grade Ferocious Tiger Series in the Other Shore Realm.

Although Chen Fusheng had secretly cultivated the Evil Tiger Diagram, Teng Xiong was even more like a demon beast that chose people to devour, his cold gaze seeming to swallow people alive.

Chen Fusheng silently turned around and looked at the man standing in the courtyard. By an unfortunate coincidence, he was standing precisely at the place where Teng Lin had died.

"Was that an earthquake?"

Inside the room, Lei San hurriedly looked toward the window.

Teng Xiong turned back and cast a vicious look at the disciples crowding the entrance.

"Run, run..." The disciples turned around and fled in unison.

"Heh, blood has to be spilled even when buying something?" Teng Xiong gave a sinister smile.

Lei San ran out. What was he trying to do?

"By your meaning, are you planning to forcibly seize an Outer Sect Disciple's private property?" Chen Fusheng looked up and asked coldly.

"So what if I am?"

Teng Xiong was thoroughly enraged. Wasn't it just eating a fish?

If word got out, at most he would receive some punishment. The Academy would hardly severely punish him over an Outer Sect Disciple.

Yet Teng Xiong had no reason to suffer punishment over such a trivial matter. He simply had not expected Chen Fusheng to dare refuse him again and again.

"My sister will be here at noon. Can't you wait a little?" Chen Fusheng tried his best to restrain his emotions.

"Do you think I believe this fish was given to you by Huang Li?" Teng Xiong acted without restraint, and his manner of eating grew increasingly ugly. He was only a step away from snatching it by force.

Chen Fusheng suddenly said, "Oh, right. Miss Mu Zhen will be coming later too."

Teng Xiong froze. Chen Fusheng could speak with Mu Zhen? He absolutely did not believe that.

"Third Brother, make a trip and invite Miss Mu Zhen over," Chen Fusheng said, turning his head.

Lei San's mind was muddled like paste. That was Mu Zhen, the dream lover of countless disciples. Chen Fusheng knew her? And could even get her to come?

Teng Xiong's face darkened. Mu Zhen was the direct daughter of a top-tier wealthy household in Tian Yuan City. Her clan had powerful figures who were major figures in the Star Palace. Before someone like her, he was the one at the bottom.

He truly did not dare gamble on whether Chen Fusheng knew Mu Zhen or not. Yet if he simply left, where would that leave his dignity?

"Hahaha, what wind blew Supervisor Teng here?"

A booming voice suddenly rang out.

Wang Lie strode into the courtyard in high spirits. His astral sea churned with nine layers of radiance, making the disciples watching from afar tremble with alarm.

A faint golden glow radiated from both of Wang Lie's arms. The Vajra Fist had begun circulating, and his aura became even more powerful and terrifying.

"Fusheng, where have you been these past few days? Have you refined the Heart Source Pill Mu Zhen gave you? Liu Bai has already prepared the treasure ship and fishing nets. The four of us can reform our team and charge into the Black River again!"

Wang Lie's voice was thunderous, instantly stunning every disciple. Mu Zhen, the Heart Source Pill...

And Liu Bai too. He had latched onto the thick thigh of an Inner Courtyard senior sister, eating soft rice while acting invincible all day long.

"Haha, Supervisor Teng, you still don't know, do you? A few days ago, during the changes on the outskirts of the Black River, we happened to follow the Ebony Treasure Ship and fish in troubled waters. We obtained more than a dozen Silver Moon Treasure Fish. The resources I need to charge into the Other Shore Realm at the Star Palace are secure now!"

Wang Lie's voice grew louder and louder, and his confidence rose with it. He no longer had any fear of Teng Xiong.

The corner of Teng Xiong's mouth twitched slightly. "Then congratulations are in order."

"Congratulations to you too. Once I successfully break through, I'll hold a grand banquet. You absolutely must honor me with your presence."

Wang Lie laughed loudly. "Let's not talk here. Please, come inside."

"I have other matters."

Teng Xiong left with a cold face, his anger burning even hotter inside. Even my son Teng Lin couldn't climb onto Mu Zhen's lofty branch. What right does this little fry have?

After watching Teng Xiong disappear into the distance, Chen Fusheng's mood instead grew even more oppressive.

"If I had her cultivation, what would Teng Xiong amount to?" Chen Fusheng thought of Han Yu Rou first, his fists clenching tightly.

Wang Lie closed the courtyard gate, and the smile vanished from his face. "Fusheng, was it really worth opposing him over one fish?"

Wang Lie felt that Chen Fusheng had become too full of himself.

One had to bow one's head beneath another's roof. With Teng Xiong's strength and status, Chen Fusheng probably could not withstand it if he secretly made things difficult for him.

Sometimes, suffering a loss truly was a blessing. It was better than losing one's life, especially in the Outer Sect, where hundreds of disciples disappeared every year. How could the Star Palace investigate deeply?

"Lie-ge, I have my reasons." Chen Fusheng set down the burden weighing on him.

"You, kid... He may not dare touch you recently, but the future is hard to say. In my opinion, find a way to invite Mu Zhen over and give Teng Xiong a good shock."

Wang Lie also asked in astonishment, "Where did you get this fish?"

He casually lifted the robe and then squatted on the ground.

Wang Lie clutched his head with both hands, violently scratching his scalp as his entire body trembled.

Then his head buzzed. He flipped over and leaped onto the wall, warily scanning the surroundings.

Fortunately, everyone had left!

Chen Fusheng kept watching Wang Lie. It was not that he did not trust him, but the value of a supreme-grade spirit fish was simply too outrageous...

Wang Lie jumped down from the wall. Apart from the scales on its tail, every other part of the spirit fish radiated a golden glow, incomparably magnificent. If the robe had not concealed it, Teng Xiong might have killed them all to seize it!

"A severely wounded supreme-grade spirit fish? Am I dreaming?" Wang Lie murmured foolishly.

"Perhaps it really is a dream." Chen Fusheng let out a laugh.

"Ahem, ahem..."

Huang Tiancheng slowly walked over. He glanced at the spirit fish, then fixed his gaze on the golden spots on its head.

"Grandpa, why did you get out of bed?" Chen Fusheng hurriedly supported him.

"I'm fine. Go move the spirit fish onto the stove."

Apart from the three bedrooms, the kitchen was the largest room in the small courtyard. It alone contained more than a hundred kinds of cooking utensils.

Lei San volunteered to butcher the fish, but in the end he could not cut it at all. Its scales were harder than stone.

"Wang Lie, cut open the fish's belly," Old Huang instructed.

Wang Lie chose a bone-cutting knife. With one hand pressing down on the fish's head, he used all his strength with the other to drive the knife into its belly and slowly cut it open.

"Old man, this knife is truly sharp. It must have been forged from refined steel, right?" Wang Lie was secretly astonished.

"You two wait outside."

Huang Tiancheng's words made Wang Lie's face turn black. He had wanted to stay and observe the cooking expertise.

Bang!

When the door closed, Huang Tiancheng reached his large hand into the fish's belly and rummaged around. Before long, he pinched out a yellow-jade-like pearl between two fingers.

"A top-grade spirit fish that failed to evolve once. The fish treasure probably has a thousand years of accumulation."

A smile spread across Huang Tiancheng's aged face. This object was worth several times more than a supreme-grade spirit fish—equivalent to half a Silver Moon Fish King!

Very few people knew that when a Silver Moon fish failed to evolve, golden spots would appear on its head.

The spirit fish relied on those spots to absorb the essence of the great sun, thereby nurturing a fish treasure within its body. It was equivalent to a demon beast's demon core!

A demon core was like a Star Master's astral sea, while a fish treasure was an extraordinary treasure that stored essence. In the Ten Thousand Li Black River, it was a supreme treasure!

Not to mention Star Masters of the Other Shore Realm, it was of tremendous help even to Star Masters of the Divine Wandering Realm.

At that moment, Huang Tiancheng pushed open the door and emerged. He unhurriedly instructed, "Fusheng, go tend to your injuries. Lei San, go invite Wang Dapang over. Wang Lie, come grind the ink and write out some prescriptions."

"What are we inviting him for?"

Lei San was a hundred and eighty unwilling. Wang Dapang was usually far too strict with them. The only thing that could be said in his favor was that unlike Teng Lin, he never docked their monthly stipends.

Wang Lie wanted to speak but stopped himself. Shouldn't they keep something like this outside the household?

"Just go. I have my own judgment."

Over the years, Wang Dapang's resentment toward him had been nothing more than a desire for the head cook's position. Huang Tiancheng understood the knot in his heart thoroughly.

A supreme-grade treasure fish could not only promote a Star Master's growth, but also improve their physique and the quality of their astral-sea energy. It held tremendous significance for breaking through to the Other Shore Realm!

But if they wanted to cook a supreme-grade spirit fish, Wang Lie was not qualified. Neither was Huang Tiancheng, with his severe injuries.

Lei San sprinted all the way to the Dining Hall. Wang Dapang dragged his feet and arrived with extreme reluctance.

He entered the room and glanced at the deathly silent Huang Tiancheng. Then he raised his chin with an icy air, his face full of unyielding arrogance. Anyone who did not know better would have thought Huang Tiancheng owed him several thousand star stones.

"What is it, Master Wang?"

Wang Lie slammed the table in anger. No matter what, Huang Tiancheng was his elder. Had Wang Dapang even lost the most basic manners?

Besides, the opportunity was right in front of him now, and he did not want it?

In Wang Lie's view, if a person could not seize such an opportunity, they would never rise again in the future. Perhaps Wang Dapang was simply not fated to have it.

"Are you questioning me?" Wang Dapang grew furious. How dare this Wang Lie bare his fangs at him? He would not be able to eat at the Dining Hall in the future!

"If you don't want to come, leave."

Wang Lie did not indulge him. Their cultivation levels were similar, but Wang Dapang was nearly forty and had no hope of reaching the Other Shore Realm in this lifetime.

Moreover, Wang Dapang's parents had both been servants of the Star Gazing Manor. He had no background or backer. If he had not painstakingly trained his culinary skills, how could he have attained his current position?

"Fine, fine. You invited me here, and this is your way of treating a guest? Absolutely absurd. This grudge is now established!"

Wang Dapang threw down those harsh words. Just as he turned around, the corner of his eye caught sight of the kitchen stove.

Like a puppet on strings, he walked over in a daze.

After a long while, Wang Dapang came trembling over, performed a great bow before Huang Tiancheng, and asked with utmost respect, "Master Chef, what do you need me to do?"