Their Little Goal: Keep the Spirit Skiff

"Brother-in-law, what did you catch?"

Hearing the commotion, Shen Qingyue came jogging over with a bamboo basket in hand. When she saw the Spotted Eel still writhing in Wang Mengde's hand, her eyes instantly lit up, and she exclaimed in delight:

"A Spotted Eel! Such a big one—it'll probably sell for eight spirit grains."

Normally, her brother-in-law worked hard all day and only earned two or three spirit grains on average.

That one Spotted Eel was worth three days' income.

"Not bad luck." Wang Mengde handed the eel to Shen Qingyue.

Shen Qingyue transferred it into the net bag, then suddenly realized something. She looked up at Wang Mengde. "Brother-in-law, your Spirit Eye Technique... broke through?"

Before, her brother-in-law could only tell where there were shrimp and crabs, but just now he had directly identified Purple Shells and Green-Claw Shrimp.

Seeing the hope-filled clarity in the girl's eyes, Wang Mengde nodded. "Yes. I gained some insight just now and luckily broke through. It's at minor mastery now."

"That's wonderful, truly wonderful." She was so excited that she gave a little hop on the spot, her eyes even reddening slightly.

With her brother-in-law's Spirit Eye Technique breaking through, their efficiency in gathering from the shore would greatly improve. Even if they only came to the reef area every day, their harvest would definitely surpass what it had been before.

Even if Chen the Pockmarked took away the family's spirit boat.

As long as her brother-in-law possessed this skill, the two of them could gather from the shore and save enough for the monthly rent. They would not be driven off Rosy Cloud Island and reduced to materials for evil cultivators or food for demons.

At last, there was hope for the days ahead.

Although the debt of five spirit stones still weighed heavily upon them, at least there was hope now.

Seeing her reddened eyes, Wang Mengde gently patted his sister-in-law's shoulder and said warmly, "Believe me. Our days will get better soon."

The improvement in the Spirit Eye Technique had confirmed the effects of the Heaven Rewards Diligence Fate.

As long as he practiced diligently, his spells could steadily improve.

The previous owner had trained both the Entwining Silk Technique and Fishing Technique to the peak of entry-level mastery. They were just one or two experience points away from a breakthrough.

His cultivation was also only two experience points away from breaking through.

Once his cultivation and both techniques broke through together, his speed of earning spirit grains would definitely increase greatly.

"Mm." Shen Qingyue nodded her little head hard.

"Brother-in-law, let's continue." Shen Qingyue clenched her little fist, brimming with enthusiasm.

"Alright."

Wang Mengde circulated the Spirit Eye Technique.

His gaze swept across the surroundings, taking in everything within a radius of four zhang.

"Qingyue, two steps ahead to your right. Under that clump of brown algae, there are three Green Crabs as big as palms."

Shen Qingyue answered crisply and immediately turned around. With swift movements, she used her hook to part the clump of brown algae swaying gently with the seawater.

Wang Mengde did not remain idle either. Carrying the fine-meshed net bag in his left hand, he walked toward a shallow sand pit.

He crept closer, fixed his eye on the right spot, and flicked his wrist. The net bag plunged swiftly and steadily into the water at an angle, skimming along the sandy bottom in a scoop.

Water splashed lightly. When the net bag rose, five nearly transparent Sand-Line Fish, each as thick as a thumb, were visibly twisting about inside in panic.

"Five Sand-Line Fish." Satisfied, Wang Mengde poured the fish into the little bamboo basket at his waist.

After that, the two worked together in this fashion, dividing the labor with remarkable efficiency.

Using the perception of his minor-mastery Spirit Eye Technique, Wang Mengde assigned tasks between them.

Ordinary shrimp, crabs, shellfish, and small fish posed little danger, so he directed his sister-in-law to catch them.

Anything somewhat dangerous, hidden in tricky locations, or requiring skill and a measure of spiritual power to capture safely, he handled personally.

Shen Qingyue's crisp cries of surprise and admiration rang out from the reef area from time to time.

"Brother-in-law, you're amazing!"

"Brother-in-law, you're incredible today!"

The girl's silver-bell laughter drifted through the faintly salty sea breeze, filled with the joy of harvest and admiration for her brother-in-law.

Wang Mengde had found it quite enjoyable at first, but the longer he listened, the more his modern soul felt that something about it was a little strange.

Then he became a little excited.

What a shameless bastard.

Wang Mengde silently berated himself. He then took a deep breath, calmed himself, and continued using the Spirit Eye Technique.

The rising sun gradually climbed higher, dispersing the last of the sea mist.

The tide began to rise slowly, swallowing the lower reefs and tidal flats.

The spiritual power in Wang Mengde's dantian was nearly exhausted, and his head felt somewhat heavy from casting the technique continuously.

He stopped the Spirit Eye Technique and rubbed his brow.

"Brother-in-law, are we continuing?" Shen Qingyue dug out a razor clam and looked back at Wang Mengde.

"My spiritual power is depleted." Wang Mengde waved a hand. The spiritual power reserves of the first level of Qi Refinement were simply too little.

Instead of being disappointed, Shen Qingyue comforted him when she heard that.

"Brother-in-law, you've already been amazing today."

Then, as though presenting a treasure, she lifted the heavy bamboo basket and net bag, a satisfied smile on her face. "We've already harvested so, so much today. Look..."

The bamboo basket contained Green Crabs, Flower Crabs, Swimming Crabs, and other crabs of all sizes, tied up with straw rope.

There were also Sand-Line Fish.

The net bag held the Spotted Eel, along with all kinds of sea snails—Iron-Shell Snails, Spicy Whelks, Sesame Snails—as well as shellfish such as clams and razor clams.

Although, aside from the first two Cloud-Pattern Crabs and the later Spotted Eel, most of this seafood contained not a trace of spiritual power and was merely ordinary seafood, the quantity was truly considerable.

Shen Qingyue counted on her fingers and made a rough calculation before crying out in surprise:

"Brother-in-law, all this seafood together can easily sell for ten spirit grains. With the Spotted Eel and Cloud-Pattern Crabs included, it'll be close to twenty spirit grains."

The girl's bangs were damp with sweat and stuck to her smooth forehead. Her little face was flushed with excitement, yet her eyes shone astonishingly brightly. Looking at their overflowing harvest, she could not suppress the smile at the corners of her lips.

Twenty spirit grains.

For the former "Wang Mengde" and Shen Qingyue, whose average daily income had only been two or three spirit grains, this was a bumper harvest.

Looking at the heavy harvest before her and thinking of the hope brought by her brother-in-law's breakthrough in the Spirit Eye Technique, the girl felt herself brimming with motivation.

The girl raised her head and looked at Wang Mengde, her black, bright eyes filled with excitement. "Brother-in-law, from now on, we'll leave before dawn every day.

"At this rate, twenty a day, two hundred in ten days, and in one month... we'll save up spirit grains very quickly.

"Maybe we really can gather those five spirit stones before Chen the Pockmarked's deadline and keep our spirit skiff."

The more she spoke, the more excited she became. Her cheeks flushed red, full of certainty and longing for the future.

Looking at the girl's youthful, vibrant smile, Wang Mengde felt as if he had been infected by her spirit. His mood brightened and eased as well.

Seeing that her brother-in-law had also revealed a relaxed smile, Shen Qingyue seemed to grow bolder. She stepped closer, lifted her head, and looked earnestly at Wang Mengde with those black, shining eyes.

"Brother-in-law, then let's set a little goal: keep our spirit skiff."

Meeting the girl's clear, trusting gaze and feeling the dependence and determination in her words that tightly bound their fates together, Wang Mengde felt a heavy sense of responsibility and a desire to protect her rise in his heart.

"Alright. Let's set a little goal: keep our spirit skiff."

"Mm."

Having received an affirmative answer, Shen Qingyue seemed to have received the most important promise of all. An incomparably brilliant smile blossomed across her little face.

She vigorously waved her clenched little fist and repeated crisply toward the steadily rising tide, "Keep our spirit skiff."

The sea breeze swept past, lifting several mischievous strands of hair before her forehead.

Sunlight pierced through the gradually dispersing mist and fell directly upon Shen Qingyue's upturned face.

The sixteen-year-old girl still retained traces of childishness in her features, but one could already glimpse the beauty she would possess in the future.

Her black, bright eyes reflected the sky's light and the sea's colors, sparkling so purely that they held not the slightest impurity.

Bathed in golden morning light, her entire body radiated vigorous youthfulness and vitality.

Looking at that pretty face so close to his own, Wang Mengde's heartbeat quickened slightly.

The next moment, Wang Mengde silently cursed himself as a beast. He then turned around, slung the bamboo basket of seafood onto his back, picked up the heavy net bag, and headed for shore, saying in a low voice:

"Qingyue, the tide is getting higher and higher. Let's go back and sell these things at the docks first."

"Alright."

Shen Qingyue answered cheerfully, quickly gathered up the tools, and followed Wang Mengde with light steps.

One before the other, the two walked toward the shore across the reefs and wet sand, which the seawater had soaked ever deeper.