Wang Mengde's heart sank.
He knew that today, there was absolutely no way he could keep all the Golden-Thread Spirit Trout.
Wang Mengde's thoughts raced, and he immediately said, "These Golden-Thread Spirit Trout aren't mine alone. Sixty of them belong to my Brother Qin."
As he spoke, Wang Mengde looked toward a Third Layer of Qi Refinement cultivator.
Qin Xiangnan looked to be in his forties.
Over the past six months, they had often gone fishing together with the others, and Wang Mengde had gotten along best with Qin Xiangnan.
Most importantly, Qin Xiangnan's younger brother was an outer disciple of the Evergreen Sect, with a formidable background that others dared not provoke.
The only question was whether he would be willing to help.
Wang Mengde felt tense.
Qin Xiangnan was slightly stunned, then a glimmer lit up in his eyes.
Sixty Golden-Thread Spirit Trout.
More than forty Spirit Sand per fish.
For sixty fish, that was over two thousand four hundred Spirit Sand.
So much Spirit Sand for free.
Qin Xiangnan gave Wang Mengde a long look, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.
This kid's mind worked fast, and he knew how to read the situation.
Qin Xiangnan pulled a talisman from his robes, swept his gaze over the surrounding crowd, and declared in a thunderous voice:
"Wang Mengde is my little brother. What do you think you're doing?"
The crowd's expressions shifted slightly at those words.
Qin Xiangnan had a Lightbody Radiance Talisman in hand. Even if they joined forces, they would not be able to keep him here.
And once they made a move, they would face exorbitant fines upon returning.
Rosy Cloud Island strictly forbade cultivators on the island from fighting, brawling, or killing one another.
Once discovered, they would be fined.
Most crucially, Qin Xiangnan's younger brother, Qin Xiangbei, was an outer disciple of the Evergreen Sect. Rumor had it that he was ruthless and vicious.
If he learned that his brother had been besieged, how could he possibly let them off?
A short, skinny cultivator immediately piled a smile onto his face. "Brother Qin, please don't misunderstand. Mengde discovered the Golden-Thread Spirit Trout and called us over to catch them. I was just thinking of thanking Mengde."
The others immediately caught on and hurriedly chimed in.
"Yes, yes, yes, thanking Mengde."
"Mengde, thank you so much. If not for that shout of yours, how could I have caught eight Golden-Thread Spirit Trout? That's worth five or six days of harvest for me."
"Brother Mengde is truly righteous. He found a school of Golden-Thread Spirit Trout and still thought of us."
More than a dozen people instantly joined in. The greed on their faces turned into grateful smiles in a heartbeat; they changed faces faster than fish in the sea.
They clasped their hands and smiled as they thanked Wang Mengde.
"Many thanks, Brother Mengde."
"I'll treat you to drinks later. I absolutely have to treat you to drinks."
"Brother Mengde is noble and righteous. We will remember this in our hearts."
"Mengde, come to my house another day. I'll have your sister-in-law cook you a proper meal."
Wang Mengde smiled and nodded in response to each of them.
"You're all too polite."
"We're friends who often put out to sea together. Naturally, good things should be shared."
His smile was mild, and his tone sincere.
At that moment, a middle-aged cultivator suddenly spoke up.
"Mengde, just now when you used the Entwining Silk Technique, you ensnared so many Golden-Thread Spirit Trout in one breath. Brother, have you cultivated your Entwining Silk Technique to the level of Mastery?"
His name was Zhou Tong, a Third Layer of Qi Refinement cultivator. He had rushed over early and had personally witnessed Wang Mengde use the Entwining Silk Technique.
The moment those words came out, the laughter around them abruptly stalled.
The others' expressions changed slightly as well.
They had been too far away. Just now, they had only focused on rushing over and had not noticed Wang Mengde's Entwining Silk Technique at all.
The level of Mastery?
From Initiation to Minor Accomplishment, then Major Accomplishment, and finally Mastery, every level of the Entwining Silk Technique was as far apart as heaven and earth.
Wang Mengde was only at the Second Layer of Qi Refinement, yet he had cultivated the Entwining Silk Technique to the level of Mastery. His talent for spells was simply too high.
No wonder Wang Mengde's fishing hauls had been so terrifying every time he went out recently.
So he had cultivated the Entwining Silk Technique to the level of Mastery.
Three spells: two at Major Accomplishment, one at Mastery. How could his fishing efficiency not be high?
The way everyone looked at Wang Mengde grew even more complicated.
Envy, jealousy, and a faint trace of awe.
Wang Mengde smiled and said modestly, "The main thing was that I got lucky."
Zhou Tong shook his head. "That wasn't luck. I've practiced for twenty years, and my Entwining Silk Technique is still wandering around the peak of Minor Accomplishment. Your talent really is..."
As he spoke, he sighed and did not continue.
The crowd sighed with feeling.
"Yeah, that talent for spells is truly impressive."
"If I could cultivate even one spell to Mastery, I'd wake up laughing from my dreams."
"Mengde, you have to properly share some of your experience with us another day."
Wang Mengde smiled and nodded, agreeing to each request.
Just then, a spirit boat abruptly turned around.
Zhao Youming gave Wang Mengde a cold look. With a dark expression, he steered his spirit boat away.
He had been the one who started today's affair.
In the end, he had offended Wang Mengde and failed to gain even the slightest benefit.
Still, Wang Mengde was only at the Second Layer of Qi Refinement. Even if his Entwining Silk Technique had reached Mastery, it was nothing special.
So what if he had offended him?
He drove away in his spirit boat without looking back.
He had been the first to rush over and had caught more than ten Golden-Thread Spirit Trout, equal to several days' harvest.
Time to go back and live it up.
On the other side, the tall, thin Zhou Lie also moved.
He glared at Wang Mengde, his gaze dark and gloomy.
As though failing to get a share of the spoils was Wang Mengde's fault.
Zhou Lie snorted coldly to himself. So what if Wang Mengde had mastered a spell? He was only at the Second Layer of Qi Refinement. What could he do to him?
He steered his spirit boat back to where he had been fishing and continued to fish.
Seeing this, the others also took their leave one after another.
They returned to their own spots and continued fishing.
Very soon, only Wang Mengde and Qin Xiangnan remained here.
Wang Mengde uncovered a lidded fish basket.
He used the Entwining Silk Technique.
The silk threads wrapped around the Golden-Thread Spirit Trout in the basket, precisely counting out sixty of them.
With a gentle lift of the threads, sixty Golden-Thread Spirit Trout flew out of the fish basket and landed steadily on Qin Xiangnan's skiff.
Neatly arranged, neither one too many nor one too few.
"Brother Qin, I have you to thank for helping me out of that bind today." Wang Mengde clasped his hands. "Please accept these sixty as a small token of my appreciation."
Qin Xiangnan's eyes lit up as he looked at those Golden-Thread Spirit Trout.
He repeatedly waved his hands. "It was a trivial matter, not worth mentioning."
"I should be thanking you for giving me so many Golden-Thread Spirit Trout."
Over two thousand four hundred Spirit Sand.
That was more than two months of his income.
With a hearty smile, Qin Xiangnan packed the Golden-Thread Spirit Trout into his own fish basket. Then he looked at Wang Mengde, his eyes carrying a hint of admiration.
"Congratulations on cultivating your Entwining Silk Technique to the level of Mastery."
Wang Mengde said modestly, "I was just lucky."
Qin Xiangnan sighed at those words.
He pondered for a moment. A trace of hesitation crossed his face, but he finally spoke.
"Mengde, to be honest, my Entwining Silk Technique has been at the peak of Minor Accomplishment for many years, yet I simply cannot advance an inch."
He looked at Wang Mengde with a measure of anticipation in his eyes.
"When you have time someday, could you perhaps give me some guidance?"
The moment he finished speaking, Qin Xiangnan immediately added:
"I know the rules. I'll pay Spirit Sand. I definitely won't let you help me for nothing."
Charging Spirit Sand for guidance in spells was the rule in the cultivation world.
It was only natural for a cultivator at Mastery to charge Spirit Sand when guiding someone at Minor Accomplishment.
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