First Attempt
"Yes, the Boundless River, only a river like this could produce such Exotic Object as Dao Soul," Zheng Kun sighed.
Gu Yuanqing looked up at the upstream of the river, and under the Void Piercing Heavenly Eye, he could see a large number of buildings in the far distance.
"Is that the Residence of the Illusionary Spirit Sect?"
Zheng Kun nodded and said, "That's right. More than 6,000 miles upstream from there, all of it belongs to the Illusionary Spirit Sect. That area is close to the upstream, where Dao Soul gather. In the middle, there are several Ancient Fishing Platform. It is said that High Antiquity Mighty Figure being set up these platforms. They are the best fishing spots on the Boundless River. However, to enter, one must hand over an Ancient Coin every seven days."
Gu Yuanqing said, "Why don't you go there, Brother Zheng? Seven days for one Ancient Coin isn't too expensive for Void Heaven Cultivator. Since it's easier to fish there, you should have a greater harvest, right?"
"My methods are insufficient. Dao Soul prefer movement to stillness. Although there are more Dao Soul there, the currents are swift and turbulent, with hidden currents everywhere. Even with my Profound Grade Fishing Rod rod, I wouldn't be able to withstand the Vital Energy for long. Daoist Friend's cultivation far surpasses mine; you might as well give it a try."
"Is that so? Never mind, I'm new here and not familiar with the Dao of Fishing for Dao Soul. I'll see later." Gu Yuanqing withdrew his gaze.
Zheng Kun laughed and said, "Actually, it's better for us independent Rogue Cultivator to fish outside. There are too many people and too many eyes there. Disciples from the Sect gather there, and there are often Celestial Person fishing on the Ancient Fishing Platform. If we catch something good, it will cause a lot of trouble."
Upon hearing the words "Celestial Person," Gu Yuanqing decided to find a secluded spot to fish. The Ancient Realm could hardly rely on the power of North Spring Mountain, and now it didn't want to get too close to the Celestial Person.
Besides, he didn't know how the Heavenly Fishing Method would be used in this Boundless River, so avoiding the attention of others was the best option.
"Then let's choose a place to start. I can't wait." Gu Yuanqing smiled.
"Daoist Friend, you'll need patience. Fishing for Dao Soul is not like fishing; it's common to go ten days, half a month, or even several months without Motion and Stillness. It all depends on luck."
After traveling more than a thousand miles downstream, Zheng Kun stopped.
He seemed relieved. "The waters here are calm and still, perfect for fishing. I once caught two Profound Tier Dao Soul here within a month. Last time I came, the spot was taken, but thankfully it wasn't here today."
Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "Then I'll observe and learn for a while before finding another place to fish."
Zheng Kun laughed loudly, "Based on what Daoist Friend, I will certainly not keep the experience I have gained through trial and error to myself."
Zheng Kun found a place to sit down, took out his Fishing Gear from his Storage Bag, and activated his True Essence, instantly transforming the Fishing Gear, which was less than three feet long, into a length of tens of feet.
"To capture Dao Soul, one must use True Essence and Dao Resonance as bait, which is the condensation of one's own understanding of the Great Dao. The purer the Dao Resonance, the easier it is for the Dao Soul to take the bait. How to condense it better is something you, Daoist Friend, must explore and comprehend on your own. There are a thousand methods for a thousand people, and each person's cultivation and Dao level are different."
As Zheng Kun spoke, a faint blue light flickered on the fishing hook, which in the blink of an eye condensed into a ball the size of a fist.
"I am skilled in the Wind Dao, so I can condense the Fishing Bait of the Wind element and the Dao Soul I catch tend to be Wind Dao. Of course, this is not always the case. Great Dao are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, so other Dao Soul may also take the bait. It all depends on luck. After all, in this Boundless River, Divine Sense that falls in will be obliterated by the myriad Daos. No one knows what kind of Dao Soul are around in this river."
"The whereabouts of the Dao Soul are uncertain, and the depth of the Boundless River is unknown. How deep the Fishing Line sinks depends entirely on one's own judgment. Although some people have summarized some experience, it varies depending on the location. For example, here my Fishing Bait sinks about thirty feet, but if there is a place I often go six hundred miles downstream, the Fishing Bait will sink about seventy feet."
"Some say that the deeper the Dao Bait sinks, the greater the chance of catching Dao Soul. However, the deeper it sinks, the stronger the underwater currents become, and the greater the consumption of true Primordial Spirit. Daoist Friend, it is best to choose a shallower spot for fishing first and find the most suitable method. After all, fishing for Dao Soul is not a matter of a day or two, nor can we wait all day long. When fishing, we usually cultivate or condense ancient Ancient Coin at the same time."
Gu Yuanqing listened quietly from the side. Zheng Kun, just as he had said before, did not hold back and recounted everything that happened during the fishing trip.
Although these things are all very basic, they are summaries of experience, which can save Gu Yuanqing a lot of effort.
"Daoist Friend, you may give it a try first. After all, there are many things I can't think of if I just talk about it."
Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Brother Zheng for guidance."
"There's no such thing as giving pointers or not; it's just an exchange. We Cultivator face countless difficulties on our path, and we should support each other along the way. Besides, the Boundless River is teeming with Dao Soul. Whether we can catch one depends on our own abilities. If we catch Dao Soul that doesn't align with our own cultivation level, we can even exchange them."
Gu Yuanqing also sat down about three zhang away and took out his Fishing Rod.
Although he claimed it was his first time fishing for Dao Soul in the Boundless River, he had experience fishing for Demon Beast on North Spring Mountain, so he was not unfamiliar with this.
The Black Iron Fishing Rod reached its limit when it grew to a length of several dozen feet; after all, Yellow Tier Fishing Gear was no match for Profound Tier.
Zheng Kun watched Gu Yuanqing begin his work and then chuckled, "This first step, condensing the Dao Bait, is quite difficult. After all, the Dao is inherently impermanent, and its manifestation is different from what we use in daily combat. Combat involves True Essence driving the movement, with Dao intent accompanying it, while the Dao Bait is a condensation of pure Dao Resonance. I remember it took me almost three days back then..."
Zheng Kun stopped abruptly as he spoke, because he noticed a faint glow shimmering on Gu Yuanqing's fishing hook, where a fist-sized Earthen Water Dao Resonance had solidified.
He smacked his lips, couldn't help but glance at Gu Yuanqing a few more times, and after a long while, he sighed, "I was overthinking it. Daoist Friend's cultivation and understanding of the Great Dao are far beyond what I can compare to. The purity of the Dao Resonance in the Dao Bait you condensed is even better than that of someone like me who has been fishing for hundreds of years."
Gu Yuanqing laughed and said, "Not at all. I had just heard about fishing for Dao Soul in the Boundless River before, so I made some preparations before entering the Ancient Realm."
As Gu Yuanqing 'Dao Bait entered the water, he immediately felt the surging current formed from Vital Energy constantly pulling and washing away his Dao Resonance.
Zheng Kun then said, "The water of the Boundless River is formed from the power of all Daos. Maintaining the Dao Resonance within the water is the second difficulty. Many Daoist Friend lack experience, and their Dao Bait is washed away as soon as it enters the water. Back then, I... However, with Daoist Friend cultivation and understanding of the Earthen Water Dao, it shouldn't be too difficult."
He originally wanted to say that it had taken him several days to stabilize the Dao Bait in the Myriad Dao River, but then he remembered the scene of Gu Yuanqing easily condensing the Dao Bait just now, so he stopped himself from speaking.
"That's absolutely right!"
Gu Yuanqing nodded in agreement. He felt that as the Dao Bait entered the water, the Vital Energy in the river seemed to change rapidly under Dao Bait influence, as if various Daoist intentions were constantly impacting the Fishing Bait. If he hadn't had the experience of Heavenly Fishing, the Dao Bait would probably have dissipated in no time.