Blue-Scaled Crocodile
(The... Uh, some readers have said things have felt a little padded lately. When a book runs this long, there really are bound to be slumps; sometimes it feels like my thoughts are running dry. Sometimes I just feel like I've written too many fight scenes, and I want to relax a little myself. I haven't handled some plot points very well. My writing ability is limited for now, indeed. After all that, all I can say is that this book won't end badly; I'll finish writing the Immortal Realm, and I'll try to make the later scenes bigger in scope. Whether I can bring my ideas to life well is a real test of a writer's skill. I'll do my best. I really want to make this book better.)
The veins on young Gu Ye's neck bulged like earthworms as he strained against the fish with the rope of the net in his hands.
The seven young men worked together, repeatedly pulling against the fish in a fierce tug-of-war.
Lu Xiaotian and Xiang Qingcheng watched with great interest. They had spent all this time in the cultivation world, heads down and striving forward, and rarely had a chance to experience ordinary people's lives from so close. Xiang Qingcheng held Lu Xiaotian's arm, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Brother Tian, once we have nothing left to worry about, let's live like this too. Far from strife and slaughter, growing crops, hunting for the food we want, and losing ourselves in the mountains and rivers. We'll do only the simplest things." Xiang Qingcheng's face was full of longing.
"There'll come a day when we can." Lu Xiaotian's eyes held a trace of yearning. He had cultivated and fought his way through life until now. He had a heart