A Fisherman Never Makes Promises, Never Says No

At Shrek Academy's training ground, Flender stood before six people with a letter in his hand. Tang Hao had sent it. Tang San and Xiao Wu had already left with him.

"Five years." Flender put the letter away and swept his gaze over their faces. "We'll meet here again in five years. Until then, each of you will follow your own path."

Dai Mubai folded his arms. "In five years, I'll fight my way through the entire Star Luo Empire."

Zhu Zhuqing shot him a cold look. "Beat me first."

Flender coughed. "Enough. Take care of yourselves. When I see you in five years, I expect every one of you to be twice as strong as you are now."

The group dispersed.

Dai Mubai turned to Lin Yuan. "Where are you going?"

Lin Yuan rested his fishing rod on his shoulder. "Somewhere with water."

Dai Mubai laughed. "Is that all you've got to say?"

"I'm serious." Lin Yuan counted on his fingers. "Soto Lake, the Heaven Dou Moat, Star Luo Harbor, the hot springs in Sunset Forest—every well-known stretch of water on the continent has rare Soul Beasts. I'm going to fish them one by one."

Ma Hongjun came over. "Can I come? I don't want to go home and get yelled at."

Lin Yuan glanced at him. "Do you know how to fish?"

"No."

"Then what can you do?"

"Eat."

Lin Yuan patted his shoulder. "That'll do. You can taste-test my fish."

Ma Hongjun broke into a grin.

Ning Rongrong asked from beside them, "What about your Soul Power? Can you level up just by fishing?"

"Fishing is how I level up," Lin Yuan said.

Ning Rongrong clearly didn't believe him, but Oscar looked thoughtful. "His Martial Soul works differently from everyone else's. Catching rare Soul Beasts raises his Soul Power. If he fishes in waterways across the continent, it really could be more efficient than hunting Soul Beasts."

Ning Rongrong turned to Oscar. "How do you know so much about it?"

Oscar spread his hands. "I've studied his Martial Soul more than my own."

Ning Rongrong gave him a peculiar look. "Why study his?"

"I want to know what that rod of his is made of." Oscar looked utterly serious. "I make sausages, but I've never seen his Soul Power go up from eating one. His entire cultivation system is separate from ours."

Ning Rongrong glanced at him and said nothing more.

At the academy gate, Lin Yuan stepped outside and saw Xiao Ruoxue leaning against a tree. A sword hung on her back and a bundle lay at her feet. She looked as though she had been waiting a long time.

"Are you really going to travel around fishing?" she asked.

"Yeah."

Xiao Ruoxue came over and pulled a sheet of paper from inside her clothes. It showed the waterways around East City Academy, with three places circled in red.

"These three places have rare Soul Beasts. I spent a year looking into them."

Lin Yuan took the map and looked at her. "Why are you helping me?"

Xiao Ruoxue turned her face away. "I owe you two fish."

"You ate those two ages ago, didn't you?"

Xiao Ruoxue turned and walked off. After a few steps, she stopped without looking back. "Soto Lake is next. I'll wait for you there for half a month. If you don't come, I'll go on my own."

She left.

Lin Yuan put the map away and muttered to himself, "That fish is about to bite."

[Ding! A new cultivation route has been generated. Recommended first stop: Soto Lake. Rare Soul Beasts detected in the lake: Millennium Azure Water Turtle, Century Jade Carp.]

Lin Yuan shouldered his fishing rod and set off toward Soto Lake.

Half a mile later, a voice called from behind him. "Lin Yuan!"

Shui Bing'er stood at the fork in the road, still wearing that blue dress and that cool expression. She carried a basket containing two live fish.

Lin Yuan stopped. "What are you doing here?"

"The fish you gave me last time," Shui Bing'er said. "I kept them alive. I didn't eat them."

"Why not?"

Shui Bing'er was silent for two seconds. "I want to ask you something."

"Ask."

"That night you stole the fish, why did you leave one behind?"

Lin Yuan remembered. He had left one fish there instead of catching it.

"It was too small. I left it to grow."

Shui Bing'er stared at him for a long time. "You're... strange."

"How so?"

"You're a Soul Master, but you act like a fisherman. You're blatantly cheating, yet no one can do a thing about it." Shui Bing'er walked over and pushed the basket into his hands. "Here are your fish. I want you to teach me how to fish."

Lin Yuan froze. "What?"

"I said I want to learn to fish." Shui Bing'er's expression was earnest. "I'm a water-attribute Soul Master. I should have a natural affinity for water, but I don't know how to fish. Teach me, and I'll help you fish in Skywater Academy's waters. There are rare Soul Beasts there, and outsiders can't get in."

Lin Yuan looked at the two fish in the basket, then at Shui Bing'er's earnest face.

"All right." He handed the basket back. "Keep the fish. Tomorrow at dawn, Soto Lake. Don't be late."

Shui Bing'er took the basket. The corner of her mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

She turned and left.

Lin Yuan stood where he was, looking toward the directions in which the two women had vanished. Suddenly, five years of cultivation didn't seem as though they would be too dull.

[Ding! Harem route unlocked: Xiao Ruoxue (tsundere type · swordfish), Shui Bing'er (composed type · Ice Phoenix). Tip: a fisherman never makes the first move, never says no, and never takes responsibility.]

"Is this system even respectable?" Lin Yuan asked.

[Yes, but the host may become less respectable.]

Lin Yuan's mouth twitched. "Be normal."

[Understood. Switching to serious mode. Tip: Your current cultivation route has been planned. First stop: Soto Lake. The host is advised to raise his Soul Power to Level 30 as soon as possible to unlock his third Soul Ring.]

Lin Yuan nodded and walked toward Soto Lake.

As he walked, something occurred to him. "System."

"Hmm?"

"What level do you think I can reach in five years?"

The system fell silent for three seconds.

[Calculating... At your current cultivation rate, estimated Soul Power in five years: Level 60 to Level 70. With an exceptional opportunity, you may surpass Level 80.]

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Level 80?"

[Tip: The host acquires Soul Rings differently from ordinary people. If you find Soul Beast fish of the appropriate age, you will condense Soul Rings far faster than conventional Soul Masters.]

[Complete 100% of the Illustrated Compendium to evolve your fishing rod into its second form: the Carbon-Fiber Rod.]

Lin Yuan looked at the Bamboo Rod in his hand. It was as fresh and green as when he had first awakened it, but he could vaguely feel that it had grown a little heavier and a little tougher.

"The Carbon-Fiber Rod..." he murmured. "What's the third form?"

[Third form: Diamond Rod. Fourth form: Sea God Rod. Fifth form: unknown.]

"Unknown?"

[Answer: Insufficient information on the fifth form. Unable to calculate. Based on database projections, however, the fifth form may be related to Godhood.]

Lin Yuan stopped in his tracks.

"Godhood?"

[Tip: Continue increasing your Illustrated Compendium progress and Soul Power Level to unlock the relevant information. Current advice: focus on cultivation. Do not look too far ahead.]

Lin Yuan smiled and kept walking.

"All right. I won't look too far ahead."

"First, I'll catch that Millennium Azure Water Turtle in Soto Lake."

As the sun set, Lin Yuan walked along the main road to Soto Lake with his fishing rod on his shoulder. In the distance, the lake reflected the evening clouds, its surface glittering.

Behind him, Ma Hongjun caught up, panting. "Lin Yuan! Why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!"

Lin Yuan didn't look back. "Fishermen don't wait for anyone."

"Why not?"

"If you wait, you'll lose the best fishing spot."

Ma Hongjun was speechless.

System notification:

[Ding! Five years of cultivation officially begin. Current Soul Power: Level 28. Current harem members: 2.]

[Assessment: Host, your future is boundless.]

Lin Yuan swung his fishing rod over his shoulder.

"Let's go."

"Soto Lake. First stop."