Chapter 124, With a Heart Unburdened, Fishing in Taihu Lake

Translator: StarReader

 

Governor Zhao Juzhen, Imperial Envoy Wang, and others led the officials of Wu Region’s thirteen counties to pay a visit, followed by the high-ranking members of various groups.

 

Even the martial artists, wealthy merchants, and gentry from each county within the Wu Region flocked to Zhou Village to pay homage to Su Immortal Manor, hoping to catch a glimpse of an immortal and bask in his celestial aura.

 

Even the numerous villagers and fishermen of Zhou Village made a point of paying their respects daily. Even if they couldn’t enter Su Immortal Manor, they would offer a distant bow outside the gates, pleading for blessings and seeking the immortal’s protection.

 

The once quiet and peaceful remote water town of Zhou Village had, in just a few days, become bustling, with carriages and horses lining the roads, Su Immortal Manor’s gates resembling a marketplace in the prosperous Gusu County City.

 

Su Chen found it unbearable.

 

He couldn’t stand living in the Su manor in Zhou Village.

 

But he hadn’t yet decided where to go.

 

He simply hid himself on the Vastest Lake, a vast expanse of shimmering water, seeking a moment of tranquility.

 

…

 

A lone boat drifted aimlessly across the vast, shimmering expanse of the Vastest Lake. Su Chen sat upon the boat, holding a fishing rod, patiently waiting.

 

The reeds were dense and rarely frequented, and finally, a semblance of peace settled.

 

Aside from the occasional fishing boat appearing nearby, no fisherman recognized him, and naturally, no one disturbed his solitude.

 

His heart was still, his mind serene.

 

He savored this tranquility, hoping to contemplate his future path.

 

This mortal realm.

 

So many dashing heroes reveling in fleeting pleasures within the martial world.

 

So many chasing fame and fortune—where did it end?

 

One witnessed their rise to grandeur, their lavish feasts, and then the collapse of their towers.

 

Countless schemes and deceptions, a swirling chaos of shifting alliances, and then, a catastrophic defeat like a mountain tumbling down. All things were impermanent, rising and falling with the tide… the affairs and influence of the world rushed on like a stream, impervious to the erosion of time.

 

He held no desire for the splendor of the imperial court nor the power of the worldly elite.

 

The martial path had already reached its end.

 

These were not his destined places; then, where should he journey?

 

Su Chen sighed within his heart.

 

He had Wanderer’s Journey, his spirit coalesced, and he had already placed one foot upon the threshold of the immortal cultivation path, desiring only to unveil the face of this immortal cultivation world, unwilling to waste his years in idle meandering.

 

But a certain bewilderment lingered.

 

Where lay the path ahead?

 

Su Chen drew a map of the Central Plains’ mountains and rivers from his embrace, unfurling it as he scrutinized every detail.

 

This map of Great Tang was found within the residential quarters of Daoist Han Shan when he resided at the fire-ravaged Han Mountain Daoist Temple.

 

Daoist Han Shan often appeared and vanished without a trace, rumored to wander renowned mountains and rivers, seeking out esteemed individuals. A map of Great Tang was not unusual.

 

But this appeared to be merely a common map. Some places were circled with ink, marked with notes indicating spiritual items had been discovered there, or unusual phenomena had occurred.

 

Su Chen pondered; this was a map used by Daoist Han Shan; those places he circled were undoubtedly places he personally visited… searching for spiritual items needed to create talismans, or looking for something specific.

 

Mao Ziyuan of the White Lotus Society had mentioned before his death that Daoist Han Shan came from a place called Immortal City Zhaoge, a gathering of immortals.

 

Unfortunately, this map didn’t mark the location of Immortal City Zhaoge.

 

The map had been studied for several days, revealing no hidden aspects or clues.

 

Su Chen hoped to find Immortal City Zhaoge within it but didn’t know where to begin.

 

“If all else fails, I’m going to have to follow the trails of Daoist Han Shan, visiting the places he frequented, and see if I can uncover any clues! The Wu Region lacks immoral connections, but within the vastness of Great Tang, I often hear tales of immoral deeds. There must be a place where immorals gather somewhere in this world.”

 

…

 

Several fishing boats passed nearby, navigating past the small boats nestled among the reeds.

 

Some of the fishermen on these boats were casting nets and fishing while discussing the Immortal Su, who appeared in Zhou Village. Speaking of this mysterious Immortal Su, they each displayed reverence and gratitude.

 

Immortal Su helped the government and disciple to exterminate the Whale Gang, allowing them to sell fish in each county town without paying the Whale Gang’s weighing fees, relieving the fishermen of a heavy burden.

 

It was said that the governor and the magistrate had both visited Zhou Village to pay their respects, and even the current emperor had been stirred to seek the way of immortality and requested Immortal to be appointed Imperial Teacher in Chang’an.

 

These days, various unbelievable rumors have been spreading across the martial world. With each telling, the stories changed, growing increasingly fantastical.

 

Su Chen heard the fishermen’s chatter from afar and could only smile wryly. Thankfully, few had seen him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have a moment’s peace in this secluded spot of the Vastest Lake.

 

Suddenly.

 

The fishing rod he was using twitched.

 

Su Chen glanced down and saw the lake surface beneath the boat ripple with a dark current.

 

A massive shadow, the size of a house, swam beneath the lake, as if a colossal beast had bitten onto the fishhook.

 

“Well, isn’t this a coincidence!”

 

Su Chen’s heart jolted, and he gripped the fishing rod, channeling a bit of spiritual power into it.

 

Instantly, the fishing line glowed with a cerulean light, taut as steel, and incredibly resilient. It allowed the immense creature to drag the small boat across the lake without breaking the line.

 

Beneath the lake, the creature seemed to realize it had been hooked and, clearly angered, began to thrash in the water. Waves rolled, and even the small boat rocked violently on the surface.

 

The few fishing boats in the distance, the fishermen witnessing this anomaly beneath the lake, were suddenly terrified, their souls scattering.

 

“No good, it’s a fish monster! ”

 

“The fish monster has come out to cause trouble; row away quickly! ”

 

“Young man, that’s the Vastest Lake fish monster; let go and run quickly! ”

 

These experienced old fishermen, seeing this bizarre scene in the lake, immediately knew that a terrifying fish monster had emerged, and with changed expressions, shouted at Su Chen on the small boat in the middle of the swirling vortex.

 

This Vastest Lake fish monster was a legendary terror in these waters.

 

Fishermen whispered tales of this great fish monster, with no one knowing precisely how long it lived.

 

Passed down through generations, from grandparent to grandchild, the fishermen claimed this immense creature had terrorized Vastest Lake for at least four or five centuries. Its massive body possessed incredible strength; if a fisherman’s nets ensnared it, the creature could drag entire fishing boats across the lake and tear through even the strongest nets.

 

Were that all there were to it, it would be troubling enough.

 

But within the last century, the creature had become truly dreadful, having transformed into a water demon capable of unleashing demonic art within the lake—limitless and terrifying demonic arts that can sink fishing boats straight to the bottom.

 

Almost every few years, it emerged to wreak havoc, sinking one or two fishing boats and shattering lives.

 

When fishermen encountered the fish monster, the consequences ranged from capsized boats and devastating losses to being swallowed whole. The mere sight of this great beast sent shivers down every fisherman’s spine.

 

Even those seasoned swimmers, or the pirates of the Whale Gang, were powerless against it.

 

Numerous experts sought to hunt and kill it in Vastest Lake, but it appeared and vanished with uncanny ease, its whereabouts unknown. It had been spotted in other lakes, dozens of miles, even hundreds of miles away. Then, in half a year, it reappeared in Vastest Lake.

 

Those experts who managed to cross paths with it had all been defeated.

 

Fishermen throughout the Wu Region regarded it with profound reverence, annually performing rituals and offerings at the shores of various lakes, praying that the great fish monster would not stir up trouble and that the harvest would be bountiful.

 

Now, a massive whirlpool, over a hundred feet across, erupted beneath the surface, greedily sucking in lake water.

 

The small boat was already deep within the churning vortex, seemingly destined to be swallowed and dragged down to the lakebed.

 

“This is… water demonic art?! ”

 

Su Chen’s eyes narrowed as he stood on the boat, gripping the fishing rod, its tip glowing with an ethereal blue light, preventing it from being pulled from the hook.

 

It was a remarkably ordinary fishing rod and line, a line that under normal circumstances couldn’t withstand even a few dozen kilograms of force.

 

However, he used spiritual power to reinforce the fishing line, instantly making it as tough as steel, nearly impossible to break even with several thousand pounds of force. Combined with a skillful reeling technique, it wouldn’t be easily snapped.

 

Sometime prior, he had also witnessed this very fish monster unleash water demonic art in a lake at the foot of the Vaulting Mountains.

 

Su Chen abandoned the small boat and instead strode across the lake’s surface, riding the waves.

 

His fishing technique was exceptionally refined, alternately loosening and tightening the line.

 

The fish monster at the lake’s bottom possessed immense brute force but couldn’t break free from the hook. Whenever it relaxed its strength, Su Chen would pull it taut, sapping its force and preventing escape.

 

“T-this is immoral! ”

 

“Could he be Immortal Su? ”

 

The fishermen on several boats in the distance stared in disbelief as a young man strode across the lake’s surface, engaging in a fight with the enormous fish monster.

 

An hour later, the fish monster’s strength significantly diminished, and it finally collapsed from exhaustion.

 

Seeing his opportunity, Su Chen exerted a sudden surge of force, propelling himself across the lake’s surface. The tremendous force dragged the massive fish monster from the swirling vortex in the water, pulling it across the lake’s surface.

 

He sprinted several miles, leaping onto the lakeshore.

 

He cast the fishing line.

 

“Boom!”

 

The enormous body of the fish monster was hurled onto the shore, crashing onto the ground and disorienting it, leaving it dazed and confused.

 

“A fish monster, of all things—it seems fate truly brought us together! Last time, you swallowed me, nearly turning me into fish food. Imagine that—you actually took the bait! This time, it’s my turn to savor the taste of your massive fish monster flesh. Grilled, perhaps? Or stewed for a more nourishing meal? ”

 

Su Chen produced a small knife for gathering herbs and strode toward it.

 

The fish monster displayed a look of terror.

 

It had dominated the lakes of the Wu Region for centuries, never having encountered a person of such ferocity. He yanked its massive fish body out of the water and slammed it onto the shore.

 

Once ashore, its water demonic art lost much of its power; it was no match for this formidable man.

 

It ceaselessly wriggled its body, retreating in fear, its massive head repeatedly bowing to Su Chen in a plea for mercy.

 

The fish monster begged incessantly, only to find that it couldn’t sway Su Chen’s intent to kill it. Finally, it collapsed and expelled a spirit pearl, the size of a goose egg, shimmering with a vibrant blue, overflowing with spiritual water.

 

It pushed the pearl forward, offering it to Su Chen, repeatedly bowing its head, begging for its life.

 

Su Chen saw the brilliant blue spirit pearl and was taken aback, picking it up.

 

This fish monster actually possessed some measure of intelligence, displaying a desperate plea and even understanding the concept of bribery.

 

“What is this? What’s it for? ”

 

The spirit pearl was merely the size of a river stone, emitting a faint, ethereal blue light, crystal clear and translucent.

 

The moment it touched his hand, Su Chen was immediately struck by an intensely rich concentration of spiritual water, almost overflowing.

 

The concentration of spiritual water within the pearl far exceeded that of the numerous spiritual items he had previously gathered. This was a true spiritual treasure, not mere materials for crafting talismans.

 

A water spirit pearl?

 

Su Chen vaguely began to understand something.

 

This fish monster had lived for hundreds of years and was no longer an ordinary spotted stonefish.

 

This water spirit pearl, it seemed, was the source of this fish monster’s spiritual power, something cultivated over hundreds of years. It was only with this spirit pearl that it could perform water demonic art.

 

It was now willing to offer this treasure, but it was to save its life.

 

Su Chen held the water spirit pearl in his hand. Having obtained the spirit pearl, he felt it was best not to try to kill it.

 

After thinking it over, he ultimately spared its life. “Very well, I’m sparing you. Do not come out to commit evil deeds again, or you will eventually be killed.”

 

The fish monster hastily nodded, banging its head several times, and with its bulky fish body twisting, it hopped and rolled down into the Vastest Lake, disappearing quickly beneath the surface.

 

Having lost the water spirit pearl, it lost its demonic power and became an ordinary large fish.

 

“This spotted stonefish, having lived for hundreds of years in the lake, actually became a fish monster, cultivating a water spirit pearl. There are some wondrous treasures in this world.”

 

Su Chen rubbed the water spirit pearl in his hand.

 

But for the moment, he didn’t know what immortal cultivation practitioners could use this water spirit pearl for.

 

The spiritual energy was so abundant; it must be a good thing.

 

This was truly useful for the immoral.

 

He had originally thought that after understanding it in a few days, after Ah Chou’s seventh day, after the paper money had been burned in commemoration, he would begin his journey to leave the Wu Region and seek his cultivation path.

 

Unexpectedly, he obtained a watery treasure from this fish monster before leaving.