Three Days to Success

Slap! Slap! Slap!

The Azure Dragon Fish seemed to sense the aggressive intent in Hong Ming's gaze, thrashing its body violently.

Hong Ming, however, had no time to spare for that now; his mind was deep in thought.

Which one to choose?

Should he take them all?

The conditions simply wouldn't allow it!

Hong Ming glanced at the panel. After three days of diligent practice, he had accumulated five points of Luck.

He turned his attention back to the four traits, weighing them carefully before reaching a decision: "I'll go with Breathing and Exhalation."

He had already solidified Water Proficiency, so that could be ignored.

Super Bite Force was of little use; there was no need to waste Luck solidifying it.

Clam-Seeking Spiritual Sense overlapped with Clam Harvesting Expert. While the latter might be inferior to the former, it was sufficient for his current needs.

The most important thing right now was to increase his cultivation progress, and Breathing and Exhalation would perfectly bridge that gap.

Having made his choice, Hong Ming communicated with the panel to solidify the trait.

[Consumed 5 points of Luck. Successfully upgraded the "Breathing and Exhalation" trait.]

Hearing the voice in his mind, Hong Ming immediately checked the changes to the trait.

[Breathing and Exhalation (Level 1 · Gold)]

The trait level had increased, promoting it from its original cyan status to a gold-tier trait!

The change in color signified an enhancement in its effects.

For a split second, Hong Ming felt a surge of impulse, eager to test the effects immediately, but he dismissed the thought just as quickly.

Now was not the time; he had to deal with the Azure Dragon Fish first!

He had already rehearsed how to handle the Azure Dragon Fish countless times in his mind.

He did not intend to sell it at the fish market; that would attract too much attention and potentially lead to trouble.

The best course of action was to consume it himself, and he wanted to take this opportunity to taste the effects of a Treasure Fish.

Processing the Treasure Fish on the boat was fine, but cooking it was not—that would invite unnecessary complications.

Hong Ming had already made up his mind. He rowed his small boat toward a secluded reed marsh, disappearing into the depths before dropping anchor.

After observing his surroundings for a long time, he began to process the Azure Dragon Fish.

The Azure Dragon Fish was only the size of a palm, resembling a crucian carp, with relatively hard scales.

Its tail shimmered with pale cyan scales that seemed to hold a faint light; when it thrashed, a blue glow appeared, which was the origin of its name.

According to Hong Ming's judgment, this Azure Dragon Fish was not yet an adult, likely a Treasure Fish of seven or eight years.

An adult Azure Dragon Fish would be at least ten years old, the size of half an arm, with a much deeper cyan color on its tail.

Processing it was no different from any ordinary fish. Hong Ming was familiar with the task and quickly finished, placing the fish into a pot to boil.

High-end ingredients often require only the simplest cooking methods; this was the perfect interpretation for a Treasure Fish like the Azure Dragon Fish.

Hong Ming added nothing more than a pinch of coarse salt, then sat at the bow of the boat, watching his surroundings while keeping an eye on the pot.

After about half an incense stick's time, the water boiled. Steam carrying a faint, refreshing fragrance curled around Hong Ming's nose, whetting his appetite.

His stomach felt as if countless tiny hands were reaching out from his throat, desperate to grab hold of such deliciousness.

Hong Ming suppressed this agonizing craving and waited a moment longer before picking up a bowl, plucking a piece of fish meat, and putting it into his mouth.

The moment it touched his tongue, a burst of freshness rushed straight to his crown, stimulating his spirit and invigorating him.

With a light press of his tongue, the meat dissolved like cotton candy, releasing a rich, crisp, and sweet flavor.

It slid down his esophagus without a hint of fishiness, releasing a warmth that felt like a spring breeze bringing life to the earth.

The warmth flowed into his limbs and bones, as if injecting massive energy into his body, dispelling the lingering soreness and fatigue from his daily martial arts training.

It felt as if a pair of gentle hands were massaging him, and every tendon and bone in Hong Ming's body relaxed in the silence.

Even his pores seemed to come alive, exuding an indescribable sense of refreshing comfort.

Having tasted the Treasure Fish meat for the first time, Hong Ming felt an unspeakable sense of well-being throughout his body. He couldn't wait to pick up a second piece.

The Azure Dragon Fish had few bones and plenty of meat, which made it easy for Hong Ming to eat. Soon, wisps of white steam began to rise from the back of his head.

Before long, Hong Ming had finished the entire fish, not even sparing the broth.

The intense medicinal effect, comparable to taking five doses of blood-nourishing medicine, rampaged through his body, leaving him feeling unbearably hot.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Hong Ming went to the bow of the boat, spread his feet wide, and rooted himself firmly, slowly assuming his stance.

[Coiling Dragon Stake +10]

[Coiling Dragon Stake +9]

[Coiling Dragon Stake +11]

The sounds in his mind rose and fell, sounding truly wonderful.

These were more astonishing values than at any other time!

He had gained an average of ten experience points per session, nearly doubling his previous results.

Only after practicing the Coiling Dragon Stake five times in one breath did the strange sensation within Hong Ming's body begin to subside.

However, the medicinal potency brought by the Treasure Fish was not so easily exhausted; it still lingered within Hong Ming, slowly being digested.

Not to mention the long term, at the very least, for the next few days, Hong Ming would not need to worry about blood-replenishing medicine.

Relying solely on the Treasure Fish within him, he could maintain the highest intensity of cultivation every day.

[Coiling Dragon Stake (Entry 276/500)]

Taking advantage of the break, Hong Ming checked his progress and immediately beamed with joy.

"At this rate, within three days, I will surely be able to cultivate force and become a Bright Force martial artist!"

This timeframe, all things considered, would not exceed twenty days, far less than the deadline imposed by his fate.

The massive boulder pressing down on Hong Ming's heart seemed to have been largely removed, and his expression became much more relaxed.

The harvest this time was even greater than he had imagined.

It was the dual effect of the Treasure Fish and the entry that had multiplied his cultivation efficiency, compressing the time to within three days.

"Time to head back!"

Having resolved his greatest worry, Hong Ming packed up simply and began his return journey.

After returning the boat, he took a stroll through the fish market on his way.

It happened that the heavy rain had just stopped, and the vendors at the market were sparse; he did not discover any useful entries during his search.

Glancing at the sky, which had dimmed once more, Hong Ming did not delay any longer and hurried back to the military town.

His luck was good; shortly after he arrived, dense rain began to fall like a curtain, shrouding the entire world.

Hong Ming found a pavilion, intending to practice there.

After practicing for a while, he suddenly heard a burst of hurried footsteps approaching from afar, accompanied by an inquiry: "Hong Ming, have you seen Qin Hao?"

Hong Ming recognized the man as Zhang Tao, who, like Qin Hao, was a scout.

"No." Hong Ming shook his head.

He had been focused solely on cultivation during this period and had very little interaction with Qin Hao.

He looked at Zhang Tao, whose eyes hid a flicker of anger, and asked with a slight change in expression: "What happened?"

"It's nothing. If you see him, remember to tell me. I have urgent business with him!" Zhang Tao replied impatiently.

He then strode past Hong Ming and left without looking back, every step seemingly filled with urgency and rage.

Did Qin Hao provoke Zhang Tao?

Hong Ming was thoughtful, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Qin Hao rarely made enemies; it didn't seem like him to provoke Zhang Tao.

Without dwelling on it, Hong Ming decided to warn the other party if he happened to see Qin Hao later.

After this interlude, he continued his cultivation, but unexpectedly, he encountered many more people looking for Qin Hao during that time.

From their words, Hong Ming learned the reason: "Qin Hao caught a Treasure Fish?!"