Murderous Intent!

The next day.

Dawn had just broken in the east.

Shen Xiuhan pushed open the door and stepped outside.

A thin layer of ice had formed over the water in the vat at the corner of the courtyard.

Shen Xiuhan grabbed a wooden stick and shattered the icy crust, then scooped up a ladle of ice-cold water and splashed it over his face.

The chill pricked like needles, instantly washing away every last trace of drowsiness.

Inside, Shen Momo was still curled up beneath the blankets, sleeping soundly.

Madam Zheng, however, had risen long ago and was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. The faint crackling of burning firewood could be heard from the courtyard.

Shen Xiuhan exhaled a plume of white breath and turned back into the room.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, and a thought stirred in his mind.

[Today's intelligence has refreshed!]

"Intelligence," "Deduction," "Oracle," "Soul Return"...

"Hm?"

Shen Xiuhan frowned slightly.

He noticed that compared to yesterday, the system had suddenly gained four golden options.

Shen Xiuhan tried them one by one, only to discover helplessly that aside from "Intelligence," which could be opened, the other three were like reflections in water—at a touch, they scattered.

A moment later, the system sent back a vague response:

"Deduction" required him to refrain from using "Intelligence" for fifteen days before it could be unlocked.

"Oracle" required half a year.

"Soul Return"... required a full year.

Well then, what was there left to say?

"Open today's intelligence!"

The scene before his eyes abruptly changed.

Several pale golden points of light appeared out of thin air.

[Intelligence ①: Ma Xianyang, the third disciple of Through-the-Back Martial Hall's inner court, has been stuck at the Blood Tempering Realm for over two years. He wishes to rely on Treasure Fish to break through his bottleneck.]

[Yesterday, after seeing the Silver-striped Fish you caught, including several with five and six stripes, he concluded that you must know where the Silver-backed Treasure Fish is hiding!]

[His high-priced purchase of your fish and his sending Chen An to escort you home were both meant to lull you into lowering your guard. In truth, he had already asked the Golden Dragon Gang to set up watchers overnight at the inner city gates, fish market, and fish stalls.]

[The moment you appear with a Treasure Fish, to prevent the Bai clan from getting their hands on it, he will lure you to an isolated place, kill you, and seize the fish!]

Shen Xiuhan's mind boomed, and his pupils abruptly shrank to pinpoints!

Ma Xianyang...

He wanted to kill me!?

That lofty, righteous act yesterday had all been a disguise?

Shen Xiuhan sucked in a cold breath, and a chill shot up his spine.

The intelligence stated clearly that this man had been trapped at Blood Tempering for a long time and wanted to use a Treasure Fish to break through.

He must have investigated the details of every kind of Treasure Fish and understood the habits and traits of Silver-backed Fish. That was hardly surprising.

And because I am a tenant farmer of the Bai clan...

The White Family was one of Longcloud County's foremost powerful aristocratic families, controlling countless businesses within and beyond the inner city!

Together with the county yamen and Eastern Guard Martial Hall, it stood as one of Longcloud County's three dominant powers.

Though Through-the-Back Martial Hall had a resounding reputation, it would never dare clash head-on with the White Family!

Ma Xianyang feared that if I caught a Treasure Fish, the White Family would naturally take it away...

Then his opportunity would be cut off.

So...

Yesterday at the fish market, the moment he saw my several Silver-striped Fish, he developed murderous intentions!

Shen Xiuhan slowly closed his eyes, his fists gradually clenching tight.

Ma Xianyang... what a Ma Xianyang. I'll remember this!

After a long while, Shen Xiuhan slowly opened his eyes, his expression already calm again.

[Intelligence ②: Mei Shuangfeng, the hall master of Mei Martial Arts School in the inner city, bears an evil reputation but also possesses the spirit of the righteous path. Recently, she has been competing with Through-the-Back Martial Arts School for disciples, and neither side is willing to yield.]

[Her personal disciple Jiang Qinghong, limited by her cultivation, lost to Zhao Honggang, Through-the-Back Martial Hall's senior brother, in a sparring match on the arena. As a result, they have lost quite a few disciples.]

[Mei Shuangfeng is secretly seeking to purchase Treasure Fish, hoping that her disciple can break through, wipe away this humiliation, and restore the prestige of Mei Martial Hall!]

"Oh?"

Shen Xiuhan's eyes lit up, and a plan immediately formed in his heart.

If he could catch a Silver-backed Fish today, he could start with Mei Shuangfeng. Perhaps he could find a better opportunity to break the deadlock.

Setting that thought aside for the moment, Shen Xiuhan continued reading the other intelligence:

[Intelligence ③: Aunt Li learned from Chen An that you had earned money selling fish. She immediately urged Uncle Chen to demand repayment of the debt, but Uncle Chen and his son both refused, saying that the Shen Family was struggling and need not be pressed.]

[Aunt Li cried and made a scene without end, pointing at Uncle Chen's nose and cursing, "Chen, have you taken a fancy to that pretty widow next door?" Uncle Chen was so furious that smoke nearly came out of all seven orifices, and he shut Aunt Li inside the house for a thorough lesson.]

[They made a ruckus for a full hour, yet afterward they actually fell asleep embracing each other, leaving Chen An next door nearly sleepless the entire night...]

The corner of Shen Xiuhan's mouth twitched.

What the hell was that... You'd better mean a thorough lesson!

Shaking his head, he swept his gaze over the later entries, only to find that the remaining four pieces of intelligence still contained the same information he had seen yesterday.

It seemed that since he had yet to obtain them, they remained suspended upon the light screen.

[Intelligence ④: ...Silver-backed Fish, a Treasure Fish, have appeared in the shallows of Little Path Bay.]

[Intelligence ⑤: ...Inside a hole concealed by dry grass atop the largest dead tree in the withered woods is food hoarded by a Golden-Tailed Rat for the winter.]

[Intelligence ⑥: ...The original copy of the Transformation Force-level stance manual, "Through-Back Stance," is kept in the rear courtyard of Through-the-Back Martial Hall in Longcloud County's inner city.]

[Intelligence ⑦: ...Deep within Cloudwater Lake lie the belongings and inheritance of a true disciple of Sea-Fishing Tower...]

Of all this intelligence, the sixth and seventh entries currently appeared to be the most dangerous.

There was no need to mention Through-the-Back Martial Hall.

The manual was hidden in its rear courtyard, where experts surely gathered like clouds. It was a dragon's pool and tiger's den.

As for the belongings and inheritance of that true disciple of Sea-Fishing Tower...

Shen Xiuhan frowned as he searched his memories.

There was absolutely no force called Sea-Fishing Tower within Longcloud County.

It had to belong to another county, or even a prefectural city!

Moreover, that pale golden point of light lay far inside Cloudwater Lake.

The place where his father, Shen Sanhuai, had died at the claws of a water monster was merely a somewhat deeper stretch of water near the outskirts.

One could imagine that the depths of Cloudwater Lake were surely a perilous place.

"My strength is too weak right now. I absolutely cannot go there. I'll consider it later."

Shen Xiuhan silently made up his mind.

"Big bwother..."

Just as he was thinking, a sweet, sleepy murmur came from beside him.

Shen Momo slowly woke up on the bed.

Before Shen Xiuhan could rise—

The little girl rolled up in one motion and burrowed into his arms like a kitten, mumbling in a milky voice:

"Big bwother, Momo wants Grilled Fish Bones..."

Shen Xiuhan wrapped an arm around her and smoothed her rumpled, fluffy hair, chuckling softly.

"So greedy first thing in the morning?"

"Mother is busy making breakfast in the kitchen. There'll be meat today. Do you really still want Grilled Fish Bones?"

At that, Shen Momo's little face immediately filled with conflict.

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then shook her little head like a rattle-drum.

"Then forget it. Momo wants meat-meat! I'll eat Grilled Fish Bones at noon..."

Shen Xiuhan could not help laughing.

He found a hair tie on the kang table and, following what he remembered, somewhat clumsily tied her hair into a little upright tuft.

The little girl tried her hardest to roll her eyes upward, but no matter what she did, she could not see the top of her head.

She reached up and groped around with her little hand. The instant she felt the tuft of "silly hair" standing upright atop her head, she was overjoyed and collapsed onto the bed, giggling without end.

"So early in the morning, what are you laughing so foolishly about?"

Madam Zheng lifted the straw curtain with a tray in her hands.

In an instant, a rich fragrance filled the entire straw hut.

Several bowls of steaming millet porridge sat on the tray, along with several palm-sized cornmeal cakes.

The cakes were fried golden and crisp, their surfaces gleaming with appetizing oil. One look was enough to tell that they had been pan-fried in pork lard.

Even more eye-catching were the thin slices of cured meat in the bowl beside them. They had also been stir-fried in lard and were perfect with porridge.

"Wow, what a feast!"

Shen Momo's large eyes widened round as she reached out her little hand toward the cakes.

Smack!

Madam Zheng's quick hand lightly slapped the back of her hand in midair.

Madam Zheng stepped forward and lifted the little girl from Shen Xiuhan's arms.

When she caught sight of the little braid sticking skyward on Shen Momo's head, the corners of her lips curved into a smile. She held back her laughter, then carried the little girl straight outside.

"No manners. I'm taking you to rinse your mouth and wash your face first!"

"No! Big bwother, save me..."

The little girl flailed desperately in Madam Zheng's arms, letting out a string of mournful cries:

"Mother rubs Momo's face so hard! Momo's skin is going to get rubbed raw..."