A Fishing Date, Spirit Rice Wine as Bait

The orange-red sun hung high in the heavens.

Scorching heat radiated across the land.

The cicadas' incessant "zhilalala" chirping filled the air.

Now and then, a faint breeze blew by, yet it brought not the slightest trace of coolness.

"Summer is way too unfriendly to a Wood Spirit Root." Xu Changqing slumped in a wooden chair by the doorway, his face a picture of utter despair.

He was clearly not afraid of the cold in winter, yet once summer came, he could not stand the heat.

The higher the temperature rose, the more listless he became.

And it was not just him.

Even the little yellow dog and the Pearl Chickens were utterly dispirited.

They had all huddled in shady corners, not daring to go outside at all.

At that moment, a Communication Talisman in his small storage pouch began to vibrate.

Xu Changqing took it out and saw that it was Hu Bugui.

"What is it?"

"Coming out to fish?"

"Aren't you selling dung?"

"It's too hot. Can't sell it!"

"Oh? Where are we fishing?"

"Just tell me whether you're coming or not."

"I want to, but I don't have any fishing gear."

"I've got some."

"Where do we meet?"

"Wait at the fork near the Core Administration Office. I'll be there soon."

With nothing else to do, Xu Changqing accepted Hu Bugui's invitation.

Though his fishing skills were nothing to write home about.

He was quite curious about what kind of fish they might catch.

Before leaving, however, he packed two jin of Spirit Rice Wine.

Then he went to the Grade-Two Spirit Field and picked a half-ripe watermelon.

"It's a bit far, so I won't bring you two. Rest well at home." Xu Changqing put a bamboo hat on his head, then headed toward the fork near the Core Administration Office.

Under the blazing heat, he could not help quickening his pace.

Hardly anyone could be seen along the way; almost everyone was hiding at home rather than venturing outside.

The fork was where he had rented a Flying Paper Crane on his last trip to Red Maple Valley Market.

He waited and waited... and waited some more...

At last, a series of booming vibrations sounded in the distance.

Xu Changqing turned to look and saw a camel charging toward him.

Hu Bugui sat between its humps, waving excitedly. "Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"You finally made it." Xu Changqing let out a sigh of relief.

The camel soon stopped before him.

Then it lowered its body slightly.

Seeing this, Xu Changqing immediately climbed aboard.

Once he was seated firmly, Hu Bugui shouted, "Run!"

At once, the camel thundered forward on all four hooves, racing ahead.

To be fair, it was indeed quite fast.

But it also kicked up a tremendous amount of dust.

Xu Changqing had no choice but to pull his bamboo hat lower, or his face would be filthy in no time.

Hu Bugui suddenly said, "You're so young. Why do you stay in the Spirit Fields all day long? When you've got time, come out and stroll around, have some fun."

Xu Changqing shrugged. "I'm more of a homebody."

"A homebody? You like houses?" Hu Bugui looked utterly bewildered.

Xu Changqing blinked, then explained, "Didn't I just join the Spirit Field Core? I don't dare let my guard down. I'm afraid the yield will fall short and I won't be able to complete the task."

Hu Bugui nodded lightly. "Understandable. I was the same when I first joined Beast Spirit Valley."

The two chatted idly, one remark after another.

Nearly half a shichen passed—about an hour.

The scenery ahead gradually began to change.

On the left stood a lush forest.

On the right flowed a sparkling river.

Quite a few fishing enthusiasts were already here.

In the height of summer, beneath the scorching sun, they sat firm as Mount Tai on their fishing platforms without uttering a word.

"There are too many people here. Let's go a little farther." Hu Bugui did not stop.

After they went several hundred meters farther, a left turn appeared.

There was hardly anyone in sight.

And even if there was, they were on the opposite bank.

Hu Bugui controlled the camel and gradually slowed it down.

Before long, they stopped beneath a patch of cool shade.

The two of them jumped down from the camel's humps one after the other.

As Hu Bugui took things out of his small storage pouch, he said, "If you don't feel like fishing, you can go down for a swim."

"There isn't anything in this river, is there?" Xu Changqing could not help recalling the Black Tortoise Companion Beast he had seen at the Water-Control Pavilion—the yellow Soaring Serpent that was a hundred zhang long.

Hu Bugui said mysteriously, "Other than the springs, all the streams and rivers in the Spirit Fields originate from that Black Lake at the Water-Control Pavilion."

Xu Changqing raised his brows. "You mean there really is something in there?"

Hu Bugui took a few steps closer to the riverbank and began picking a spot to fish. Then he said, "I heard that a black coffin once floated down this river.

"The blood flowing from its cracks killed every living thing in the water.

"Even the Immortal Elders were alarmed at the time."

This only made Xu Changqing more curious. He leaned closer and asked eagerly, "Doesn't that mean people already lived here before our Dongting Immortal Sect?"

"Seems like it." Hu Bugui was not very sure either.

After all, that had happened thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands, of years ago.

He was only a formal disciple who had joined Beast Spirit Valley a few years ago.

All his information had come from other people's mouths.

Maybe we should just go back. What if there really is danger? Xu Changqing thought.

"Are you fishing or not?" Hu Bugui had finished setting everything up. When he turned around, he found that Xu Changqing still had not moved.

"Uh... fishing." After thinking it over, Xu Changqing ultimately put away the thought of leaving.

It had not been easy to get out for a trip.

And his friend had invited him.

He could not spoil Hu Bugui's mood.

So, he found a spot nearby.

The hook, line, rod, and bait were all provided by Hu Bugui.

Xu Changqing, meanwhile, took out the Second-Grade Spirit Rice Wine and a half-ripe watermelon.

"Spirit Rice Wine." Hu Bugui's eyes lit up.

He had been craving this stuff terribly.

The jin he had brought back last time had long since been finished.

He had been wondering what excuse he could use, never expecting Xu Changqing to bring some over himself.

Xu Changqing chuckled. "Fishing by itself is too dull."

The two of them began fishing and drinking at the same time.

In the end, they caught no fish, but drank over half the wine instead.

Meanwhile, the fishing enthusiasts across the river caught one fish after another, reaping a bountiful harvest.

After a while, Hu Bugui said with a flushed face, "Something's not right. Why are all the fish over there?"

Xu Changqing watched closely and pondered, "That man seems to be using some kind of method."

Though the river was not swift, it was far from calm.

Yet the stretch of water across from them did not have a single ripple.

It was as still as a mirror. Something was obviously wrong.

"Then fish my ass!" The alcohol hit Hu Bugui, and he flung his hand angrily.

At once, the remaining half cup of Spirit Rice Wine in his hand splashed into the river.

Then something miraculous happened.

There had not been a single fish on their side.

But the instant the Spirit Rice Wine dissolved into the water, almost simultaneously—

Both their fishing rods began to shake.

Their fishing lines snapped taut in an instant.

"The fish bit?" Xu Changqing and Hu Bugui looked at each other, both astonished.

Splash!

Splash!

Before long, two fat, large silver carp were hauled from the water.

After that, it was as though they had broken some curse.

Fish came one after another.

"What's going on?" Zhao Ziyue was dumbfounded on the opposite bank.

He had used the Water-Severing Technique to halt a stretch of water before him.

Then he had scattered the bait he had prepared in advance.

Yet he had never expected that ever since those two appeared across the river—

The fish on his side had grown fewer and fewer.

By now, ten minutes had passed without a single bite.

But the other side simply could not stop catching them.

In just a short while, they had caught at least dozens of large silver carp!!!