Immortal Bestows Scales

"I heard the Blue Scale Carp appeared, which is a sign of good fortune and longevity, so I wanted to obtain it to add to the splendor of the Hall Master's sixtieth birthday."

"For the past month, I have not shied away from wind or snow, living in a thatched hut at Gorilla Beach."

"However, despite countless attempts in the cold depths, I found nothing."

"Until last night, a celestial being in blue robes descended in my dream, saying: 'I am the Seventh Prince Ao Hao of the East Sea Dragon Palace. I know of your sincerity and wish to bestow blessings upon Mr. Tong of Pingding City.'"

"'However, the Blue Scale Carp is a royal dragon bloodline, and also my own brother. Its fate is predetermined, and its life cannot be easily taken.'"

"'Therefore, I bestow upon you sixty-six immortal scales, each capable of adding one year to Mr. Tong's lifespan.'"

"After the blue-robed immortal finished speaking, he peeled off sixty-six fish scales from his own body and threw them to me."

"When I awoke, I felt the dream was too fantastical, thinking it was just a case of 'daydreaming, night-dreaming.' But then I saw sixty-six fish scales beside me."

"I don't know if it was real or not, but since the blue-robed immortal in the dream said, 'To bestow blessings upon Mr. Tong of Pingding City, one scale adds one year of life,' I assume the Hall Master is blessed, and the immortal used me as a vessel to bestow these blessings upon you."

Zhang Yu finished in one breath and opened the wooden box. Inside were indeed the extremely rare blue fish scales.

The guests in the hall murmured amongst themselves.

On festive occasions, offering auspicious words and bringing good omens has been customary since ancient times.

It's just that this story sounds… truly too fantastical.

Tong Baixiong chuckled, "I appreciate your sincerity. I accept it."

Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He admitted there was an element of gambling involved. But the blue scales were real; the immortal was his invention. How could anyone else know? On such a joyous occasion, no one would pick a fight over it, right?

"Wait a moment!" a voice called out.

Meanwhile, in the outer courtyard, a refined young man stood up, peeking inside.

"Fun, fun! First, a filial son offers scriptures, and now this one offers immortal scales. So many stories. Old Shi, should we join in the fun and make up a story too?"

The young man had little experience in the martial world, but he was well-read and intelligent. He saw the displeased expressions of Tong Baixiong's three sons from afar and, sensing their thoughts, couldn't help but show off.

"If an immortal were to bestow blessings, shouldn't he have appeared in a dream to the Tong brothers? Does this outsider have more sincerity than their own sons? This is going to backfire."

The man beside him quickly pulled him back, "Young Escort Leader, speak with caution."

The young man sat down, displeased. "Old Shi, why are you always so cautious? The Sun Moon Divine Cult is powerful in the North, but our escort agency is also prominent in the Southern martial world."

The man surnamed Shi gave a wry smile, "This... there is still a difference."

"Where's the difference? They have twelve halls, and we have ten branch offices."

"They have elders and hall masters, we have eighty-four escort leaders."

"They have divine skills. My father's Seventy-two Forms of Bixie Swordplay can defeat any opponent in the martial world, earning him great renown."

"Tell me, compared to the Sun Moon Divine Cult, in what way is the Fuwei Escort Agency inferior?"

The man surnamed Shi sighed and looked around. Fortunately, there were no members of the Sun Moon Divine Cult present. The surrounding disciples were either drinking and playing dice or focused on the situation inside the main hall. They paid little attention to the ramblings of a young man who hadn't even fully grown.

He couldn't bear to shatter the young man's pleasant fantasy and said softly, "Young Escort Leader, even if our agency's strength is not inferior to the Sun Moon Divine Cult, we must act with discretion. The Chief Escort Leader repeatedly instructed that the most important thing for our escort business is to make more friends and fewer enemies. Fuwei, Fuwei – fortune first, then power. Attracting hatred through high-profile actions will only lead to trouble. It's better to prosper quietly."

The young man thought for a moment and smiled, "Old Shi, you make a good point. Is this what they call 'playing the pig to eat the tiger'?"

In the hall.

Tong Baixiong looked at the person who had shouted "Wait a moment" and asked doubtfully, "What do you have to say?"

Tong Yukang walked into the hall, glanced at Zhang Yu, and chuckled, "Father, please listen. If these Blue Scale Carp scales were truly bestowed by an immortal, they would naturally bring blessings and longevity. But if they are just purchased scales from a dead fish, accepting them would bring bad luck, wouldn't it?"

Tong Baixiong hadn't thought deeply about it. The story of immortal-bestowed scales was hard to verify, and he didn't want to delve into it. However, since his son pointed it out, he now felt Zhang Yu was being too audacious, likely selling dead fish scales and fabricating a story to deceive him.

If this spread through the martial world, wouldn't it be a great embarrassment?

He stared at the young man kneeling on one knee in the hall and said sternly, "Zhang Yu, do you know the penalty for deceiving me?"

Zhang Yu's expression was firm, and he cupped his hands, "Please, Hall Master and Third Young Master, discern my sincerity. My intentions are pure, and there is no falsehood!"

Qi Zhaogu stepped forward and said, "Reporting to my adoptive father, for the past month, Zhang Yu has been living in a thatched hut at the cold pool downstream of Gorilla Beach. This is true. Although I haven't seen him enter the pool myself, I believe his sincerity is genuine."

The crowd on the scene immediately believed him a little more. Especially the members of the Sun Moon Divine Cult, who knew that the chances of catching a Blue Scale Carp from the cold pool downstream when Gorilla Beach was frozen were indeed the highest.

Tong Baixiong originally didn't want to investigate further and ruin the festive atmosphere. Seeing Qi Zhaogu step forward to corroborate, he smiled again, "So that's how it is. It must have been difficult for you. Then..."

Tong Yukang, however, interjected, "Blue Scale Carp are rare, but twenty-six have appeared in the past hundred years. Five years ago, two were caught. If one were determined, it wouldn't be difficult to spend some silver to acquire old fish scales to make up the numbers, and then weave a story."

Zhang Yu glanced at him. He had no enmity with Tong Yukang. In fact, he had only learned of this person's identity from Qi Zhaogu today. Why was he being so aggressive, as if they had a deep-seated hatred?

He didn't hold back either, "Third Young Master speaks with such certainty that I am falsely deceiving everyone. Do you have any proof?"

Tong Yukang saw that everyone in the hall was looking at him and couldn't help but feel a little proud. He smiled confidently, "Do you really think weaving a story can please Father and gain undue favor? Do you think there are no discerning individuals in the Tong family?"

Hearing this, Tong Baixiong's brow furrowed even more.

Zhang Yu shook his head, "My sincerity is as clear as heaven and earth. If Third Young Master says this of me, what else can I say?"

Tong Yukang sneered, "What a glib tongue! I see you won't shed tears until you see the coffin."

The guests in the hall began to discuss. They generally only knew that Tong Baixiong had two sons, but they had rarely heard of this Third Young Master, and he didn't seem to hold any official position in the cult.

Judging by his demeanor, it seemed he had solid evidence to expose Zhang Yu's lie publicly, making them even more curious.

At this moment, all eyes at the birthday banquet were focused here.

Jia Bu's relationship with Tong Baixiong was ordinary, and he was happy to watch the show. He said solemnly, "Nephew, do you have any proof?"

"Replying to Uncle Jia, the proof will be here shortly."

"Good! I've long heard of your outstanding literary talent and keen wit, nephew. I shall have my eyes opened today." Yellow-Faced Venerable chuckled, his old face resembling an orange peel even more.

Tong Yukang grew even more smug, failing to notice Tong Baixiong's increasingly grim expression.

He walked up to Zhang Yu, looking down at him from above.

"You claim the Seventh Prince of the East Sea Dragon Palace shed that blue scale in your dream last night?"

Zhang Yu calmly replied, "Precisely."

Tong Yukang, as if he had grasped the handle, his smile widened. He said, "Do you know there's a difference between scales shed after five years and those shed last night?"

"Even if special methods were used for preservation, making them appear similar externally, experts familiar with fish can still distinguish them accurately."

Zhang Yu sighed and said no more.

The guests in the hall, seeing the turn of events, thought to themselves that the play on stage should switch from "Magu Offers Longevity" to "Judge Di Investigates Cases."

Tong Baixiong looked at Sima Da, the island master of Long Whale Island, and Huang Boliu, the leader of Tianhe Gang, his expression grim. He asked, "Is this true?"

Sima Da hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "Third Young Master is indeed knowledgeable. It is true! Scales originally attached to the fish body are nourished by blood and marrow, hence their luster. If they have been detached for more than three days, the tiny blood vessels will dry up, and upon close inspection, this can be discerned."

"I only know this to be true for sea fish. Whether the Blue Scale Carp is the same, I dare not say for certain."

Tong Yukang laughed, "He said that the Blue Scale Carp came from the East Sea, so it naturally counts as a sea fish."

Huang Boliu, the leader of Tianhe Gang, also said, "Just as Island Master Sima said. In fact, whether it's a river fish or a sea fish, the principle is the same."

Tong Baixiong was silent for a moment, then said to the two, "Then examine them."

The two walked up to Zhang Yu, each picking up a fish scale and examining it closely.

Sima Da looked for a moment, then put down the blue scale and cupped his hands. "Elder Tong, I have seen clearly."

Huang Boliu nodded, "I have also seen clearly."

Tong Yukang quickly asked, "What are the results?"

I'd like to thank brothers Yuan Weisai, Nanbeichao 2, and others for their rewards of Qidian coins, monthly passes, and recommendation tickets. As I'm traveling, it's inconvenient to list all your names, apologies. I will post a separate chapter to thank you all later. I read every monthly pass, every recommendation ticket, and every positive review repeatedly and carefully. These are invaluable to a new author.

Because I've been very busy these past few days, I couldn't add extra updates. But just now, a brother sent me a recommendation ticket red envelope (I was startled at first, thinking it was a vote manipulation), and after asking others, I learned it was a recommendation ticket red envelope.

However, I can't see who sent it here, so I can only thank you all together here.

In fact, for a new author, I believe the most valuable things are your comments. I hope everyone will comment more. As long as they are not malicious negative reviews, I will read them.

Thank you again!