Senior Brother Zhou, do you like silver hair?

Zhou Qing was momentarily stunned by Yan Xiaohu's words.

Soon, he understood the full story.

It turned out that three days ago, a sudden earthquake struck the back mountain of Divine Peak, followed by countless underground springs bursting forth.

Within a single day, a vast lake had formed.

People quickly discovered that spiritual power whirlpools would occasionally appear in the lake, and some parts of the surface would even freeze over for short periods.

The Sect Leader himself went to investigate and was delighted to find Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish living there.

The Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish was an extremely rare spiritual fish—not only was its flesh delicious, but it also served as a natural spiritual medicine.

A single fish was worth a fortune. If refined, it could strengthen one's foundation and nourish their vitality. With luck, there was even a chance of breaking through one's cultivation realm.

Because of this, the Sect Leader directly gifted the lake to Lu Yaoyao as a token of apprenticeship.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yaoyao didn't keep it for herself. Instead, she shared it, inviting all Core Disciples to come fishing.

Whoever caught a fish got to keep it. On top of that, she had prepared small gifts, refreshments, and an evening bonfire to formally get to know everyone.

It had to be said—Lu Yaoyao wasn't just beautiful; she also knew how to make people feel at ease.

"Let's go, let's go! This Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish is a priceless treasure you can't find on the market. If we get lucky and catch two, it'll do wonders for our cultivation!" Yan Xiaohu pulled Zhou Qing along.

Zhou Qing really wanted to refuse. After all, he still wasn't clear on Lu Yaoyao's true intentions. What if she had set another trap for him?

But the temptation of the Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish was too great. Especially after refining the Spirit Hidden Worm, his cultivation had surged to Qi Condensation Ninth Layer, just one step away from Foundation Establishment.

He knew about the Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish—it was practically a natural tonic. Its ability to strengthen the foundation and nourish vitality would be especially helpful for someone like him who had just broken through.

Besides, with so many people around, he might even rack up a few Ignorance Points.

"Come on, I know what you're worried about. Relax—we just won't provoke her. If she makes a move, we'll avoid her. Simple as that," Yan Xiaohu said.

After a brief hesitation, Zhou Qing agreed.

Not long after, when the two arrived at the back mountain of Divine Peak, a vast lake stretched before their eyes.

Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a mysterious, deep blue glow. The surface was calm, occasionally rippling with the faintest breeze, like an immortal's sleeve fluttering.

Spiritual energy rose in wisps, forming a thin, dreamlike mist over the lake.

Even the wild grass along the shore glistened with a moist luster.

By the lakeside, Core Disciples from various peaks were already sitting or standing, quietly fishing.

Their fishing rods were a motley assortment—some were jade rods faintly glowing with spiritual light, others were simple, ancient wooden rods.

Each face bore an expression of focus and anticipation, silently praying that a plump Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish would take the bait.

After all, according to Lu Yaoyao, there were only two or three of them.

"Damn it, we're late!"

Seeing this, Yan Xiaohu panicked. Unfortunately, Little Spirit Peak was just too far from Divine Peak.

"Find a spot, quick!"

Yan Xiaohu tossed Zhou Qing a fishing rod and bucket before rushing off in a certain direction.

Zhou Qing looked around and soon spotted Lu Yaoyao in the distance, fishing with her eyes closed. She stood gracefully, like a green lotus, drawing the occasional stolen glance from the surrounding Core Disciples.

Zhou Qing quickly hunched over and, while she wasn't looking, hurried toward a secluded spot.

He didn't care whether he caught a fish or not. As long as she didn't stir up trouble for him, he could quietly farm his Ignorance Points.

Of course, if he got lucky and caught an Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish, that would be a nice bonus.

Soon, Zhou Qing chose a spot overgrown with weeds. It didn't look like a good place to fish at all.

Its only advantage was that he couldn't see Lu Yaoyao, and there were two other Core Disciples across from him.

He was avoiding that girl without completely hiding himself.

Then, he stepped back, put his weight into it, and swung the rod forward with force.

The rod bent under the strain, arching like a bow, sending the line flying into the water ahead.

After that, he sat down and waited.

Time passed slowly, and soon a familiar sound rang out, making the corners of his mouth lift.

[Ignorance Points +1]

[Ignorance Points +1]

[Ignorance Points +1]

Lu Yaoyao opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings, quickly locking onto Yan Xiaohu in the distance.

She knew Zhou Qing had arrived, but she couldn't tell where he was.

She was about to stand up, but then seemed to think of something. She gritted her teeth and sat back down, murmuring softly.

"Hold on, I have to hold on. If I change anything, I'll lose everything. And besides... I need to find out who my mother is..."

[Ignorance Points +1]

[Skill Shard +1]

Zhou Qing, who had been on the verge of dozing off, jolted awake, thinking he'd misheard. He quickly looked at the panel.

[Name: Zhou Qing]

[Age: Nineteen]

[Cultivation: Qi Condensation Ninth Layer]

[Cultivation Method: Taiqing Mysterious Qi Art]

[Innate Skill: Reduce Presence]

[Level: LV1 (64/100)]

[Skill Shards: 2/3 (Unobtainable)]

When he saw there were indeed two skill shards, he felt a surge of excitement. Now he only needed one more to acquire a new innate skill. Coming here really had been the right call.

Staring at the motionless fishing rod, he shifted to another lounging position, ready to catch a few more winks. Just then, a clear, crisp voice rang out from behind him.

"Senior Brother Zhou, how's the fishing going?"

Zhou Qing immediately sat up straight. Turning around, he saw Lu Yaoyao leaning forward slightly, her eyes bright as stars, curved into crescent moons, the corners of her mouth lifted in a perfect arc. Her voice was as clear as a bell, carrying a hint of playfulness and curiosity.

In the past, being approached by a beauty—especially while fishing—would have made him insufferably smug. But now, ever since that thought of "her seeking revenge" had taken root, he was far more guarded.

He quickly rose to his feet and said, "Ah, it's Junior Sister Lu. No luck, no luck—my fortune's always been terrible. I'm just here to fill the numbers. I'm thinking of trying another spot."

With that, Zhou Qing began to reel in his line, ready to leave.

But Lu Yaoyao said, "I think this place is fine. Maybe an Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish will swim by soon."

Zhou Qing let out a dry chuckle. In this godforsaken corner? Not a chance in hell.

Before Zhou Qing could respond, Lu Yaoyao suddenly leaned in, blinking with curious eyes, and asked, "Senior Brother Zhou, what kind of girl do you like?"

Zhou Qing instinctively stepped back, his guard shooting up.

Something's wrong!

Definitely something very wrong!

Is she setting a trap for me?

"Do you like silver hair?" she asked expectantly, playing with her own hair. Zhou Qing was surprised to notice that beneath her jet-black strands, there was a faint layer of silver.

Zhou Qing took another step back. So that's where this was going.

He quickly said, "Junior Sister Lu, I don't like silver hair. I like green hair."

"Green hair?" Lu Yaoyao froze, utterly shocked.

Zhou Qing nodded. He was about to speak again when the rustle of footsteps sounded.

Li Daoxuan, the chief of Divine Peak, along with his four junior brothers, hurried over carrying their fishing gear.

Zhou Qing quickly laughed it off. "Right, green hair. Well, Junior Sister Lu, you go ahead. I'll find another spot."

After saying that, he hastily made his escape.

Lu Yaoyao stood rooted to the spot, frowning deeply.

"Green hair? That can't be right!"

Meanwhile, Li Daoxuan and the others jogged over, exchanging bewildered glances at Zhou Qing's hasty retreat.

Lu Yaoyao asked, "All you senior brothers, do you prefer girls with green hair or silver hair?"

The group was puzzled, but quickly answered in unison, "Black hair."

Zhou Qing found another spot. Only after confirming that Lu Yaoyao hadn't followed did he let out a long sigh of relief.

Then came a wave of smugness.

"Heh, throwing such blatant hints at me? I'm just not taking the bait. Bet that pisses you off."

Afterward, he walked to the water's edge, took a good look at himself, and patted his chest.

"I'm decent-looking, but not so much that someone would fall for me at first sight. Let's be real—Li Daoxuan is better-looking than me. Whether it's status or cultivation, he and I are worlds apart. When something's off, there's always a reason."

Zhou Qing muttered to himself. He had already decided that once he got back this time, he'd ask his master. He wanted to know if his master had ever killed anyone who resembled Lu Yaoyao. After all, this was his master's karma—why should he have to bear it?

Then, he cast his fishing rod out again and settled in to wait quietly.

On the opposite bank, someone occasionally reeled in a fish or two, but none were Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish. They cursed and cast their lines again.

Zhou Qing, however, took the opportunity to lie down. He no longer cared about the Ice Soul Dark Scale Fish at all—he might as well use this chance to farm some Ignorance Points.

But just then, Zhou Qing suddenly felt a chill, even shivering involuntarily.

"What's going on?" Zhou Qing looked around, but when he saw the lake surface before him, his pupils contracted.

"No way!!!"