Through-the-Back Martial Hall

Shen Xiuhan was overjoyed. Every muscle in his body trembled as he jerked the rod upward!

This time, there was almost no meaningful resistance.

Splash!

Amid spraying water, a massive fish with its white belly turned upward was dragged from the surface.

The fish was as long as an adult's arm and as wide as two fists pressed together.

It looked utterly different from a Silver-striped Fish.

Its back bore no stripes, but rather an entire sheet of pure silver, like mercury spilling across the ground, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.

Most chilling of all, a razor-sharp bone spike about the length of a palm grew from the tip of its snout!

"Finally got it..."

Shen Xiuhan let out a long breath and was about to drag the Treasure Fish onto the ice.

Then, a sudden change erupted!

The Silver-backed Fish, which had seemed spent, sprang from the water at an unbelievable angle!

The sharp spike on its snout shot toward Shen Xiuhan's face like an arrow loosed from the bow!

"Fuck!"

Shen Xiuhan's scalp exploded with alarm, and cold sweat instantly broke out all over him!

Too close!

He had no time to dodge. Acting purely on instinct, he raised the bamboo rod in his hand and held it crosswise before himself!

Crack!

With a crisp snap, the bone spike smashed the bamboo rod in half!

A tremendous force traveled through the broken rod and slammed into his chest. Shen Xiuhan's feet slipped, and he crashed hard onto his back on the ice.

Crack!

A sharp sound of ice splitting rang beside his ear.

The palm-length spike grazed Shen Xiuhan's cheek and buried itself to the root in the ice less than two inches from his ear!

Had the bamboo rod not blocked it and thrown off its aim—

The Silver-backed Fish's final desperate strike would have pierced straight through his skull!

Shen Xiuhan broke out in a cold sweat, his heart pounding like a drum.

Before he could even catch his breath from the terror of escaping death—

The Silver-backed Fish, half its body nailed to the ice, began struggling wildly, its thick, powerful tail lashing left and right through the air.

Smack! Smack!

Poor Shen Xiuhan ultimately failed to escape the vicious creature's revenge. He was struck squarely across the face twice, the pain burning hot.

"You beast!"

Shen Xiuhan flew into a rage!

Rolling and scrambling, he lunged from the ice toward the fishing hole. Ignoring the cold, he cupped a handful of lake water filled with ice chips in both hands and splashed it onto the still-flapping Silver-backed Fish.

The bitter cold showed its might at that moment.

In an instant, the icy water froze solid.

That cunning and ferocious Silver-backed Fish was frozen into an ice sculpture in the blink of an eye!

After doing all this, Shen Xiuhan panted heavily and collapsed onto the ice on his butt.

As the adrenaline ebbed away, bone-piercing cold surged over him like a tide.

He had not noticed it while caught between life and death, but now he realized that his hands and feet were frozen numb, and his entire body would not stop shivering.

Shen Xiuhan did not dare linger. After catching his breath for a moment, he struggled to his feet.

He yanked the Silver-backed Fish from the ice and set it aside.

Then he lowered his head to look at the bamboo rod broken in two, smiling bitterly.

Shen Sanhuai's honest, dull-witted face rose in his mind unbidden.

This bamboo rod had been painstakingly whittled and polished by his father's own hands while he was alive.

If Shen Sanhuai knew beneath the Yellow Springs that the fishing rod he had made had saved his son's life, he would surely have been deeply gratified.

"Still... it's time to get a new rod." Shen Xiuhan calculated to himself.

This broken rod was sufficient for catching ordinary river fish.

But if he encountered a ferocious Treasure Fish like the Silver-backed Fish again, it would be impossible for it to withstand the struggle.

Wait!

Shen Xiuhan suddenly thought of something.

Now that he had caught the Silver-backed Fish, the Silver-striped Fish below would surely have been frightened. If he did not hurry and catch a few more, they would likely scatter soon, leaving no trace behind.

He hurriedly baited the hook with millet and cast it down through the ice hole again.

Unfortunately, he was still one step too late.

Shen Xiuhan had reacted quickly enough, but the school of Silver-striped Fish had already lost all interest in feeding.

After casting several times, he caught only three four-striped Silver-striped Fish. Then the water fell completely dead, without another bite.

As for the five-striped fish he had thrown back earlier, it had long since vanished who knew where.

"Forget it. I can't be too greedy. This Treasure Fish is already the greatest haul."

Shen Xiuhan sighed and decisively reeled in his line.

He turned to look at the Silver-backed Fish on the ground. After some thought, he did not stuff it into his fish basket.

A common man was innocent, but possessing jade became his crime.

Since Ma Xianyang had already placed watchers around—

If he brazenly carried a Treasure Fish through the streets, he would almost certainly die.

So the Treasure Fish could not be brought into the city!

Shen Xiuhan's thoughts stirred, and a plan came to mind.

He gathered the loose floating ice around the fishing hole, collecting it all onto the ice and wrapping the Silver-backed Fish tightly in broken ice chips.

Then he cupped several more handfuls of piercingly cold lake water and splashed them over it again and again.

The lake water quickly froze.

In less than a moment, the Silver-backed Fish had frozen into a huge block of ice.

Then Shen Xiuhan carefully hid it deep within the dense reeds.

He covered it with snow, blending it perfectly into the snowy landscape. No one could tell what lay inside.

After finishing this, his gaze shifted.

On his retina, the pale golden point of light representing the Treasure Fish still flickered quietly.

"The marker's still there, so I don't have to worry about losing it." Shen Xiuhan relaxed.

He stuffed the three newly caught Silver-striped Fish into his broken bamboo basket, grabbed the snapped rod, and strode through the wind and snow toward Longcloud County.

Longcloud County, inner city.

The city walls stood lofty, their blue bricks covered in a thick layer of snow.

The city gates stood wide open, with people streaming in and out.

There were peddlers carrying shoulder poles, women with baskets on their arms, and martial artists with sabers and swords at their waists hurrying along.

"Candied hawthorns! Hey, candied hawthorns!"

"Fragrant tea! Come have some fragrant tea! Two copper coins a pot!"

"Steamed buns, fresh from the steamer! Piping hot steamed buns!"

Shen Xiuhan entered the inner city gate and walked at an unhurried pace. After only a few steps, he suddenly glanced at the teahouse on his left.

By the window sat two men facing each other, dressed in the brown robes of the Golden Dragon Gang.

One was rather thin, with high cheekbones.

The other had the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear, his robe hanging open despite the bitter cold.

The two appeared to be casually chatting over tea, but Shen Xiuhan keenly noticed that their eyes had remained fixed on him, seemingly casually, all along.

Ma Xianyang's men!

Luckily, I thought one step ahead and didn't bring the Silver-backed Fish into the city. Otherwise...

Shen Xiuhan kept his eyes forward, his expression unchanged, and continued walking into the city without slowing.

Once they saw him go far away, the thinner man set down his teacup, wiped his mouth, and said:

"No Treasure Fish aura."

"Mm. Just ordinary river fish."

"I'll follow him. You stay here and watch whether that brat has someone else bring the item into the city."

"I know."

Shen Xiuhan strolled unhurriedly to the roadside, cupped his hands to a vendor selling frozen pears, and asked for directions to the Through-the-Back Martial Hall.

Then, carrying his fish basket, he headed straight for the South Market alleys, as though completely unaware that someone was trailing him from afar.

Before long, an imposing gateway came into view.

Its doors were painted vermilion, and its bronze studs shone brightly.

Above the gate hung a plaque with a black background and golden lettering, bearing four large characters—

"Through-the-Back Martial Hall."

The brushwork was vigorous and forceful, revealing an air of sharp aggression.

After he stepped onto the stone stairs, the prickling sensation of being watched at his back vanished without a trace before long.

Shen Xiuhan swiftly glanced back and caught only the sight of a thin figure from behind, flashing away as it turned into a side street.

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