Chapter 52: Catching a Little Anti-Fan

Within the sect, An Xinjie strived to excel in everything, always aiming for the absolute top.

Even when it came to fishing, she refused to lose to anyone.

Therefore, the moment her fishhook plunged into the ocean, An Xinjie's entire focus poured into the fishing line making contact with the sea surface.

She stood motionless on the sandy beach, her arm gripping the fishing rod as if petrified by a spell, without the slightest tremor.

If Wang Chu were not present, Hong Zhongyuan might have showered this junior of the sect with high praise for her unwavering concentration.

Unfortunately, there were no ifs.

In reality, Hong Zhongyuan's current focus was the exact opposite of An Xinjie's; his attention was entirely locked onto Wang Chu's fishing rod and line.

About a quarter of an hour later, while there was still no movement from Wang Chu's side, An Xinjie's fishing line reacted first.

An Xinjie, who had just moments before seemed sealed in ice, instantly flashed a sharp look in her eyes. She forcefully lifted the fishing rod with her arm while spinning the reel beside it, beginning to haul the fishing line back in.

Before long, a plump, large fish weighing several tens of catties was dragged ashore by her.

Seeing that the fish she had caught on her very first attempt was actually this massive, An Xinjie could not help feeling a secret thrill of triumph. She hastily turned her head and said to Hong Zhongyuan, who was staring fixedly at the sea surface beside her:

"Senior, look! I caught one, and it's huge!"

She looked just like a child seeking praise from an elder. After saying this, she even cast an immensely proud glance at Wang Chu, who was lounging beneath the parasol, as if saying:

"Hmph, it seems I am far more capable than a half-baked amateur like you."

In her imagination, the old man beside her would gaze upon her with newfound respect in the very next second and lavish her with praise.

Wang Chu, too, would cast looks of envy and jealousy in her direction.

However, An Xinjie's fantasies failed to materialize into reality.

In reality, Wang Chu merely smiled at her—a smile brimming with subtle, unfathomable meaning.

As for the old man beside her, he merely swept a brief glance in her direction, said not a single word, and immediately returned his gaze to Wang Chu's fishing line.

This reaction instantly swept away all of An Xinjie's joy, replacing it with endless puzzlement and stifled gloom.

This man lounging lazily beneath the parasol was utterly unserious and hadn't even caught a single fish.

Yet she, diligent and wholly devoted, had reeled in a massive fish before this man did.

On what grounds was the old man treating her with such icy indifference?

Harboring this gloomy sentiment, An Xinjie spoke up once more:

"Senior, this junior has already caught a big fish, why do you..."

The old man frowned, interrupting An Xinjie's challenge, and retorted sharply:

"It is merely a commonplace, utterly ordinary Laizhou flaky fish. Would you have the old man set off firecrackers to celebrate for you?"

These words struck An Xinjie's chest like a heavy hammer, leaving her feeling oppressed and struggling to breathe.

A commonplace, utterly ordinary... mere fish?

She stared at Wang Chu with a look of lingering defiance, pointing at his face:

"Then what about him? Has he ever caught any fish?"

Slap!

The old man directly delivered a fierce backhand slap across An Xinjie's face:

"Insolent wretch! How dare you show such disrespect to the Young Master!"

Hearing that An Xinjie had actually dared to point fingers and gesture wildly at Wang Chu, the old man's heart tightened instantly, and he flew into a towering rage.

Ignorant junior, are you trying to cut off this old man's path to immortality and ascension?

Feeling the burning sting spreading across her cheek, An Xinjie's eyes grew hazy and she froze in sheer astonishment.

Then, she cupped her face in her hands as a sour ache welled up in her heart, blurring her vision.

From childhood to adulthood, she had always been the proud favored daughter of the heavens in everyone's eyes.

Not to mention being slapped publicly in front of others, she had never even been scolded.

Yet now, she had been publicly struck across the face by the very sect elder she respected the most.

And the most laughable part was that the reason for it was her disrespect toward an outsider—an ordinary person who looked completely unremarkable...

"Why..."

A tear slipped from the corner of An Xinjie's eye, her lips trembling:

"Why?"

Before the furious, dark-faced old man could answer this question, the fishing line on Wang Chu's side moved once again.

Wang Chu, who had been watching with great relish, had no choice but to withdraw his gaze and pick up his fishing rod.

"Oh, here comes another one. What kind of fish will it be this time?"

Amidst his soft murmur, a third fish, its mouth hooked by the barb, leaped out from beneath the water's surface.

The old man hurriedly cast a nervous glance toward the sea, followed by a look of utter perplexity.

It was a fish wreathed in black mist.

Just like the previous fish, this one was not particularly large.

Yet one could conclude with absolute certainty that this fish was by no means ordinary.

However, the old man had no idea what species of fish it was.

Even though he had read numerous books concerning fish and his knowledge of marine fish species could undoubtedly be described as vast and profound, for a moment he could neither recognize the variety of this fish nor fathom its utility.

"Oh, I've caught a little blackie."

Wang Chu seemed to recognize this kind of fish, having caught one previously.

As he hauled the fish ashore, his expression was filled with delight.

Staring intently at the fish, the old man hesitated for a moment before finally failing to suppress his curiosity:

"Young Master, is this fish called a 'little blackie'?"

Wang Chu had already lifted the fish into his hand. He pointed at the black mist enveloping its entire body:

"Heh, exactly. Look at how pitch-black it is all over, and yet small—isn't that just a little blackie?"

Hearing Wang Chu's explanation, An Xinjie, who was still grievance-stricken and shedding little pearly tears, felt deeply resentful.

What little blackie or whatever.

Isn't it just a small black fish?

What's so remarkable about it? I bet you just made up that name on the spot out of nowhere!

If the old man hadn't been standing right beside her, she would certainly have blurted all these thoughts straight out.

However, after being slapped by the old man, An Xinjie had become much more obedient.

She feared that if she spoke her mind, the old man would fly into a rage once more.

Therefore, she could only grumble softly within the confines of her own heart.

Meanwhile, after listening to Wang Chu's explanation, the old man observed the fish in Wang Chu's hand with utmost seriousness, his expression tangled in complex thoughts.

What this fish was called didn't really matter; a "little blackie" it was, then.

The crucial point was what practical use it actually possessed.

Whether this fish could help him, Hong Zhongyuan, break through the Integration Realm and step into the Tribulation Realm was what concerned the old man the most.

Harboring this thought, and failing to deduce anything concrete even after prolonged observation, the old man had no choice but to seek instruction from Wang Chu once again:

"Young Master, can this little blackie be eaten?"

Although certain fish were exceedingly precious, they could not be consumed; if a cultivator rashly ingested them, there was a high likelihood their soul would scatter and they would instantly perish.

Wang Chu licked the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue:

"It can be eaten, and the flavor is exceptionally good. Although the little blackie doesn't look like much on the outside, the meat inside is extremely tender and sweet."

The old man nodded, brought his hands together in a salute, and asked further:

"Then after consuming this fish, will it be able to assist this junior in making a breakthrough?"

The corners of Wang Chu's mouth curled up slightly:

"Just eating a tiny bit of it will be enough for you to break through."

The old man's eyes widened, his shoulders trembling:

"Then what if one were to eat the whole thing?"

"Then you would undoubtedly explode and die from the sheer excess of energy."

Wang Chu stated truthfully.

The old man nodded, placing absolute and unwavering faith in Wang Chu's words.

He drew a deep breath and made a monumental decision that could potentially alter the entire course of his life:

"Young Master, this junior wishes to exchange his entire life's accumulated wealth to purchase a tiny fraction of this fish. I wonder if the Young Master would be willing?"