Night Fishing for River Demons

The strongest River Demons were only comparable to Tendon Tempering martial artists. Most were equivalent to those in the Skin Refinement Realm, and dealing with them required no special weapons.

Under normal one-on-one circumstances, a capable martial artist could completely kill a River Demon.

As for spirits, most were fish, crabs, and the like that had gained intelligence.

Lu Shaolin also asked about the River Demons' habits and weaknesses. He planned to make one his target. With his perfected spear technique, it should not be difficult.

River Demons liked bloody flesh, possessed low intelligence, and mostly emerged at night. Some would even sneak into fishing villages by the river to prey on livestock, attacking humans when they encountered them.

Their weaknesses were their eyes and mouths. Their other areas were covered in scales. A martial artist at Perfected Skin Tempering could break their scales through sheer strength, but anyone below Perfected Skin Tempering who did not attack their weaknesses could only inflict superficial wounds and could not deal a fatal blow.

Originally, he had considered going directly to the External Affairs Hall, but changing jobs right after taking up his post would be too hard to explain to Yu Shan, the manager.

He had also heard Li Si say that even the lowest-ranking leaders in the External Affairs Hall had to be at Perfected Skin Tempering. He decided to wait until he reached Perfected Skin Tempering before going there, at least becoming a leader.

They talked until noon. Li Si and Ma San wanted to treat Lu Shaolin to a meal in the county town, and unable to refuse them, Lu Shaolin agreed.

Li Si summoned a carriage. The three climbed inside, and with a crack of the whip from the driver, the carriage headed for the county town.

After arriving in the county town and finding a tavern, the three began eating and drinking.

Lu Shaolin did not drink. Although Li Si said that drinking a little would do no harm, he still politely declined.

Though he did not drink, Lu Shaolin's appetite gave the other two quite a fright. A whole plate of food vanished in just a few bites of his chopsticks!

When it came time to pay, Li Si took out the silver with a hint of heartache. This meal had exceeded his budget.

After leaving the tavern, the three hired another carriage and returned to the docks.

That afternoon, it was Leader She's turn to patrol, so Lu Shaolin headed toward the pleasure boat.

When he reached the bank beside the pleasure boat, a black-clad man with triangular eyes looked Lu Shaolin over and said in a strange, mocking tone, "You must be Leader Lu! My leader said that he suddenly felt unwell today and needed to rest, so he asks Leader Lu to patrol in his stead!"

Lu Shaolin's eyes instantly turned cold. So every world had this business of bullying newcomers!

Behind him, Li Si's eyes widened in anger, while Ma San clenched his fists and was about to step forward to argue.

Lu Shaolin raised a hand to stop Ma San and said with a smile, "Since Leader She is unwell, as his colleague, I should naturally pay him a visit."

After speaking, he did not wait for the triangular-eyed man to announce him. With one step, he leaped onto the pleasure boat.

"You..." The triangular-eyed man glared furiously and was about to speak when a voice came from inside the cabin. "Cough, cough! Let Little Brother Lu come in!"

Lu Shaolin did not even look at the man as he bent down and entered the cabin.

There was still a tea table inside, along with three chairs.

A man around thirty, with a waxy-yellow complexion and prominent brow bones, was brewing tea.

"Cough... cough. You must be Little Brother Lu! Yesterday, I caught a chill and have been feeling somewhat unwell, so I'll have to ask Little Brother to patrol in my place." She Jiang did not rise. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he spoke.

"Easy enough, easy enough!" Lu Shaolin's expression did not change.

"I won't ask Little Brother to sit, lest I pass this chill on to you. Little Brother, go patrol!" She Jiang lowered his head and continued brewing tea as though no one else were there.

Lu Shaolin sneered soundlessly, turned, and left.

When he reached the bow, he leaped ashore in a single step and said to Ma San and Li Si, "Let's go!"

Ma San and Li Si exchanged a glance, then followed behind Lu Shaolin.

The triangular-eyed man's smug laughter drifted from behind them.

"Leader, are we just leaving like this?" Ma San was the first to lose his patience, asking with a cold face.

"We'll settle this account another day!" Lu Shaolin waved a hand.

He could not openly fall out with them over something like this. Otherwise, he would earn a reputation in the gang for being unreasonable and lacking human warmth.

The man was sick and asked you for help, yet you refused?

If word got out, no one would think he was in the right!

"What realm is that She fellow in?" Lu Shaolin asked as they walked.

"Skin Refinement Mid-Stage!" Li Si replied.

Skin Refinement Mid-Stage. He had two hundred pounds more strength than Lu Shaolin. In a cramped place like that cabin, Lu Shaolin could not properly wield his long spear, so he might not necessarily have been a match for him.

"Mm!" Lu Shaolin nodded and continued onward.

The three returned to the tea stall, drinking tea, chatting, and sitting there all afternoon.

Once the time was up, Lu Shaolin went straight home.

After returning home and finishing dinner, he entered his bedroom to cultivate the Reckless Bull Force.

Half an hour later, Lu Shaolin emerged with delight written all over his face.

At that moment, the system panel before his eyes showed that the Reckless Bull Force had already reached the beginner level.

After washing up, Lu Shaolin went straight to bed to rest. Tomorrow, he would be hunting River Demons.

Early the next morning.

Lu Shaolin took his soft bow and went up the mountain. After staying there for an hour, he returned with three wild chickens.

He packed a coil of rope and two wild chickens into a burlap sack. After breakfast, Lu Shaolin carried the sack and headed directly for the county town.

Upon reaching the county town, he found a fishing-gear shop and bought a sturdy fishing net, spending three-tenths of a tael of silver.

Looking at the four-tenths of a tael he had left, Lu Shaolin gave a bitter smile. A single coin could stump a heroic man!

He stuffed the fishing net into the sack, then went to buy a jar of lamp oil.

Once everything was ready, he found a small stall, filled his stomach, packed ten meat pies, and headed for Blackwater River.

Blackwater River was called Blackwater River because its waters were extremely deep. Looking down into it, one could see only an expanse of blackness.

After walking along the bank of Blackwater River for half an hour, Lu Shaolin finally found a suitable shoal.

Not far from this shoal was a fishing village. The shoal was a stretch of sand, while thick weeds grew near the riverbank.

After choosing the spot, Lu Shaolin dug a pit in the sand, just deep enough to conceal him when he crouched inside.

Then he waited for nightfall. He would hunt River Demons here!

Three hours later, the sky gradually darkened.

Lu Shaolin took out the meat pies from their oil-paper wrapping and ate them clean. Then he took the wild chickens, fishing net, and rope from the burlap sack.

He looked up at the sky. The moonlight was excellent tonight, and beneath it, Lu Shaolin could see clearly.

The surface of Blackwater River ahead shimmered with rippling light.

Seeing that the time was about right, Lu Shaolin tied a rope around one wild chicken's neck, drew his saber, and carried the chicken to the riverbank.

With one slash, he cut open the chicken's belly and tossed it into the shallow water by the bank.

Blood slowly dissolved into the river. Lu Shaolin returned to the pit in the sand, gripping the rope in his left hand and his long spear in his right. Crouching low, he quietly watched the river's surface.

The time it took to drink a cup of tea passed, yet there was still no movement at all.

Lu Shaolin was not anxious. He waited quietly.

Suddenly!

A bald head emerged from the river.

Green pupils, a mouth full of sharp teeth, narrow pointed nostrils, and a face covered in scales.

Lu Shaolin's pupils contracted slightly. A River Demon!

The River Demon swam toward the shore, then rose to its feet. Bent over as it waded through the water, it walked step by step toward the wild chicken.

Only then did Lu Shaolin clearly see the River Demon's full appearance.