The World is Difficult

Great Yun Dynasty, Dongyang Prefecture, Yangcheng County.

In the first month of the year, the currents of the Longxu River had already begun to surge.

Waves churned with mist, rushing downstream with relentless force.

Lu Cheng stood at the bow, his body swaying rhythmically with the pitching of the boat.

Several times he seemed on the verge of falling, but with a twist of his waist or a pivot of his legs, he steadied himself once more.

Just as the boat crested a wave and found a moment of stability, Lu Cheng exerted a sudden burst of strength from his core, twisting his torso to the right and swinging his arm to cast the fishing net outward.

The net traced an arc through the air, unfurling into a perfectly circular canopy.

It descended like a vast, ornate parasol, covering a large expanse of water before the bow.

"A fine display of the Maiden Scattering Flowers."

A low cheer came from behind Lu Cheng.

Old Man Ge stooped as he emerged from the cabin, his weathered face filled with admiration.

"It hasn't been long, yet your net-casting skills have already reached such a level."

Lu Cheng coiled the hand-rope of the net again, his eyes still fixed on the turbulent river as he replied softly:

"It is all thanks to your teaching, Uncle Ge."

Old Man Ge waved his hand dismissively.

"Heh, I've been rowing boats and casting nets on this river my whole life, and I've never seen anyone else like you."

He paused, his tone tinged with emotion.

"You lad, you truly have a sharp mind."

"It's a pity, in this world..."

This world was utterly wretched.

As Lu Cheng recalled the memories he had been piecing together, his thoughts drifted far away.

Aside from its auspicious-sounding name, the Great Yun Dynasty was rotten to the core.

For the common folk born into this era, it was nothing short of eight lifetimes of bad luck.

Take the local fishermen, for instance.

Fishing was a profession that pitted one's life against the wind and waves.

Yet, upon reaching the shore, they were immediately fleeced of fifty percent of their catch by the government as fish tax.

After that, they had to endure a twenty percent cut taken by the fish guild.

Though called a guild, it was actually a group of thugs and bullies colluding with officials to squeeze the fishermen dry.

If one refused to sell their catch to them, they would face all manner of harassment and targeting.

Scuttling boats and slashing nets were merely common tactics.

It was even common for these thugs to pose as river bandits while the fishermen were out at sea, forcing them to pay for a "bowl of wonton noodles" at knifepoint.

Those bullies had long since colluded with the authorities; even if lives were lost, the officials would conduct a perfunctory investigation before closing the case.

The nobility and officials in the capital were corrupt and lawless, while the local thugs were ruthless and cruel.

Only the honest, hardworking commoners were treated as lowly as dogs.

With officials and bandits acting as one, it was truly a living hell, tormenting the people without end.

Occasionally, those who tried to resist or fight for a sliver of survival were crushed without mercy.

The original owner's family had met such a fate.

His father, Lu Zhongyou, had been a renowned master of the Longxu River.

Relying on his skills, he supported his only son's education; though their life was tight, there was hope.

The original owner, while not a genius, had worked incredibly hard.

Young as he was, he had already become a scholar-candidate, and with two more years of study in literature and essays, passing the imperial examinations to become a xiucai would not have been a problem.

And a xiucai was qualified to seek a position at the county magistrate's office.

The Longxu River spanned over one hundred and thirty miles within Yangcheng County, with a fish tax clerk stationed every thirty miles.

Clerk Wang, who was responsible for the thirty-mile stretch near Lu Cheng, was himself only a xiucai.

By then, the Lu family would have finally crawled out of the mud.

Alas, good times did not last.

Just two months ago, Lu Zhongyou had struck a stroke of great luck and caught a three-foot-long Silver Sturgeon.

Sturgeon were already rare, and a Silver Sturgeon was exceptionally so.

Though three feet was not massive, after deducting the fish tax and the guild's cut, it would still have fetched over three taels of silver.

With these three taels, the original owner could have sought more academic guidance from the instructor.

This should have been a cause for great celebration.

However, the local fish market bully, You Lanchuang, insisted on purchasing the catch at the price of common fish.

How could Lu Zhongyou possibly agree to that?

In the heat of the dispute, Lu Zhongyou steeled his heart and tossed the Silver Sturgeon back into the river.

This act naturally infuriated You Lanchuang, and by the third day, Lu Zhongyou and his boat had vanished from the river.

Anyone with eyes knew who was behind it, but what could be done?

The original owner had no path to justice and, in a fit of rage, sought revenge against You Lanchuang.

He ended up beaten to the brink of death.

If not for his neighbor, Old Man Ge, who sought medical help and medicine, he would never have survived until the moment Lu Cheng took over his body.

The loss of two lives had no impact on You Lanchuang; instead, it only deepened the fear he inspired among the fishermen.

Such is the nature of these chaotic times.

Seeing Lu Cheng remain silent, Old Man Ge sighed.

"Ah Cheng, the world is just like this; there is no other way."

"Everyone knows your father died unjustly, but those thugs... we cannot afford to cross them."

Cannot afford to cross them?

That is not necessarily true.

Lu Cheng closed his eyes slightly.

Deep within his sea of consciousness lay a golden light that had traveled with him.

[Heavenly Mandate: Ten Thousand Laws Converge]

Inheriting the mandate of heaven above and descending to the human realm below, all laws of the world converge upon my person!

For any skill or technique, Lu Cheng only needed to learn it once, and [Heavenly Mandate] would deduce the most perfect path to the pinnacle.

From then on, it would be as if a grandmaster of that craft were constantly by his side, offering tireless guidance.

Talent, aptitude, and comprehension were no longer limitations for Lu Cheng.

If once wasn't enough, he would do it ten times; if ten wasn't enough, he would do it a hundred!

With this talent, Lu Cheng could aspire to all the laws of this world.

And [Heavenly Mandate] did not disappoint him.

In just over a month, he had practiced three ordinary fishing skills to a realm others could hardly reach:

[Fishing]
[Grade: Mortal]
[Realm: Perfection (Cannot be upgraded)]
[You have mastered all the intricacies of fishing in rivers, lakes, and seas. From identifying tides, crafting bait, and luring schools, to casting nets, sorting, and keeping the catch, you have almost no rivals.]
(Observing water ripples reveals the fish run; listening to the waves identifies hidden currents. Casting the net is like the sky turning upside down; pulling the ropes is like the earth drawing back. With a cast like this, you might even catch a dragon.)

[Swimming]
[Grade: Mortal]
[Realm: Perfection (Cannot be upgraded)]
[You have fully grasped the nature of water currents. Maneuvering, leveraging force, and concealing your tracks in the water have become almost instinctive.]
(You can step on waves to catch your breath and stand still in turbulent whirlpools; underwater, you can hold your breath to dive and use currents to travel at high speeds. Now, the only thing limiting you is your own body.)

[Fish Spearing Technique]
[Grade: Mortal]
[Realm: Mastery (92/100)]
[You have mastered the distinction between water resistance and the illusion of fish shadows. You are proficient in the five-character essence of "Probe," "Lure," "Pierce," "Intercept," and "Flip." Whether launching a surprise attack in still water or chasing and piercing against the current, you strike true every time.]
(With a spear in hand, treading waves and chasing tides, the fish and shrimp of the four seas tremble in fear; as the wrist follows the waist, power pierces the tip, and the turtles and crabs of the five oceans wail in despair.)

Now, [Fishing] and [Swimming] had reached perfection, and [Fish Spearing Technique] was only a hair's breadth away.

But relying solely on these three fishing skills would make for a very difficult life.

As for the path of scholarship, given Lu Cheng's background, he could at most become a minor official with temporary stability.

To truly establish himself, there was only one path.

That is the Martial Way!

In this world, martial artists are supreme.

And the Martial Way is not the ordinary physical combat of his previous life.

Martial artists with fists harder than refined steel and strength enough to lift a cauldron are considered merely average.

Legendary martial arts masters can shatter mountains, cleave cliffs, overturn rivers, and churn the seas with a mere gesture!

In Yangcheng County, there are quite a few martial arts schools that open their doors to take on disciples.

Lu Cheng only needs to save enough tuition to begin learning martial arts.

With the [Heavenly Mandate] in his grasp, a mere nobody like You Lanchuang doesn't even qualify as a minor nuisance.

Even the tuition is no longer a major problem.

In a few days, the spring flood season will arrive.

As schools of fish migrate, it is the peak season for Fishing.

At that time, a large number of fish merchants from other regions will arrive to purchase the catch.

The fish guild cannot manage everything, nor do they dare to act too recklessly.

The fishermen can then slightly avoid some of the exploitation and conduct private transactions with those fish merchants.

A catty of fish handed over to the fish guild only nets three copper coins, but selling it to a fish merchant fetches seven!

Furthermore, before his accident, Lu Zhongyou had mentioned to the original owner the specific area of water where he had caught a Silver Sturgeon.

According to Lu Zhongyou's judgment, that location is a spawning ground for the Silver Sturgeon.

During this period, Lu Cheng has also scouted the area multiple times and has indeed discovered traces of the Silver Sturgeon.

Even if he only catches one Silver Sturgeon, he can secure at least ten taels of silver.

The funds for practicing martial arts will immediately be worry-free.

Once he enters a school and takes on a master to learn martial arts, he will finally have someone to rely on.

Vile scoundrels like those in the fish guild will no longer be able to stand in his way.

Casting these thoughts aside, Lu Cheng exhaled deeply.

Applying force to his hands, he began to pull in the net ropes.

Once the fishing net in the water had completely closed, Lu Cheng pulled the net while shouting to Old Man Ge behind him:

"Uncle Ge, it's time to haul the net."

"Aye, coming." Old Man Ge perked up and hurriedly leaned over.

The old man and the youth pulled the fishing net out of the water, and Old Man Ge was instantly grinning from ear to ear:

"Good heavens, this haul is truly incredible!"

As he spoke, he excitedly untied the net and dumped the fish into the boat to sort them.

Mature fish went into the baskets, while the young fry were tossed back into the river.

Lu Cheng, meanwhile, was gathering the net, sighing inwardly:

My heart was burning, and I didn't hold back my strength; this haul is much larger than usual, and it's bound to attract attention.

"Splash!"

"Splash!"

Amidst the sound of small fish hitting the water, two dull thuds of heavy objects hitting the water suddenly mixed in.

Behind him, Old Man Ge whispered, half-explaining and half-warning:

"Catching this much in one morning is too eye-catching; let's release two of the big ones."

Lu Cheng nodded without speaking.

He quickly stowed the fishing net, ducked into the cabin, and leaned against the bulkhead to rest.

Although [Fishing] has reached perfection, the morning's work had basically exhausted his strength.

The task of steering the boat was naturally left to Old Man Ge.

The small boat rocked as it cut through the waves, quickly moving away from the center of the river.

The two chatted a bit at first, but gradually Lu Cheng fell silent and drifted into a light nap.

I do not know how much time passed, but the fishing boat gradually steadied.

After a while, the scent of fish began to permeate the air.

Lu Cheng opened his eyes, covering his nose with one hand and steadying himself against the boat with the other.

Even after more than a month, he still could not quite adapt to the sudden stench of fish.

"Hold on, we're docking."

Old Man Ge called out toward the cabin in a low voice, and the boat's speed slowed drastically.

Then, with a "thud," it came to a complete stop.

In an instant, a fishy odor magnified a thousand times rushed violently into the cabin.

A violent clamor of shouting and arguing followed close behind.

Lu Cheng listened to the noise, sensing something unusual.

This was a fish collection point where fishermen from nearby villages and towns came to settle their accounts with the fish merchants.

Because of this, disputes often occurred here.

Yet, today's commotion was unusually loud.

Lu Cheng's heart sank, and he rose to quickly exit the cabin.

Once he saw the situation on the shore, his brows furrowed tightly.

On the bank, two tattered fish baskets lay discarded on the ground.

A few fish were scattered to the side, gasping in vain.

Outside the weighing shed, fishermen clutching harpoons and thugs gripping clubs were locked in a fierce, shouting standoff.

Both sides were at daggers drawn, on the verge of coming to blows.

Just then, a nauseating voice cut through the tense atmosphere:

"Sigh, that's enough, have you finished squawking yet?"