Cultivation: When you do things to the extreme

It’s January again, and winter is getting colder.

On Wuze Lake, the cold wind is biting, but there are still countless boats going back and forth.

A small bay that was barely secluded was occupied by a small awning boat.

Green smoke rose from the boat, and there was a boy lying on the side of the boat, staring nervously into the water.

Suddenly, there was a splash, and a man emerged from the water. He quickly climbed onto the bow of the boat. Ignoring the biting cold wind, he grabbed a herring from his crotch and carefully put it into the fish basket.

After doing all this, the tense nerves relaxed, and the body felt the coldness of the lake water and the cold wind. The originally wheat-colored skin turned pale due to being soaked for too long, and the north wind shook it like chaff.

"Sister, give it!"

The boy rushed to her side and handed her a small gourd.

Ah Qing trembled, took the gourd and poured it into his mouth.

"Grrrrrr!"

The wine was already warm, and it was extremely strong in the mouth, as if a hot knife had been stabbed into the throat.

It is the favorite spirit of fishermen.

Fishermen work hard, are exposed to wind and rain, and are exposed to moisture day and night. They often suffer from serious and minor illnesses once they reach middle age, which is very torture.

Strong liquor can ward off the cold and strengthen the body, so it is very popular among fishermen, especially in winter. Without strong liquor as a base, no one dares to catch winter fish, for fear that if one fails, they will be thrown into the lake.

Although Ah Qing is a woman, a fisherman's daughter has to take charge of the family early and has learned how to drink wine early.

After taking a few sips of strong wine, a wave of heat rose up and spread into his limbs and bones, and his whole body came back to life.

But this was not enough. Ah Qing sniffed, wiped it casually, then picked up the fish basket and walked into the cabin.

In the cabin, the stove has been lit, barely releasing the heat to resist the erosion of the severe cold.

Ah Qing first put away the fish basket, then came to sit down by the stove, wrapping his thin and flat body in a tattered quilt, and the lost temperature gradually recovered.

The boy squatted beside her, his eyes full of worry but he didn't dare to say a word. It wasn't until the color returned to her pale face that he asked in a trembling voice: "Sister, are you okay?"

"fine!"

Ah Qing turned her head and saw the worried look on his face. She gave a gentle smile and stretched out her hand to rub his little head: "Sister, I caught the spirit fish. I will go to collect the reward later. It will be a full twelve taels." The money is enough to treat you and give you medicine. When you are cured, I will give you a wife and leave incense to our family, so that you can be worthy of your parents..."

When the boy heard this, he shook his head, hugged her arm and said, "I don't want a mother-in-law, I want a sister!"

Ah Qing smiled, said nothing, turned around and took the fish basket over. Looking at the little herring in the basket, he seemed to see the future and hope. He came to the water tank and put the fish in the basket.

"Sister, this..."

"This fish can't die. If it dies, the reward will be halved. It's just a tank of water. What's it compared to five taels of silver?"

Ah Qing shook his head and turned back to get dressed.

…

Half an hour later, the two came to the fish market.

At the fish market entrance, at the gatehouse, there were several people, or rather... several corpses hanging.

Several mutilated and battered corpses.

"Isn't that Third Master?"

"How did it become like this?"

"You don't know, this bitch, relying on some connections in the gang, dared to intercept the spirit fish that others had finally caught."

"The Flying Tiger Gang attaches great importance to this Lingyu. How could they allow their subordinates to be so bad at discipline? They pulled him out that night and beat him to death at the entrance of the fish market together with several thugs."

"Have a good death. These skin-cracking ghosts who are knocking bones and sucking marrow should have died long ago!"

"Thanks to Miss Li, she made the decision for us poor people."

"With the eldest lady here, the rules are the rules, no one can break them!"

"As long as you catch one spiritual fish, you will be tax-free for three years, plus a reward of ten taels of silver."

"To put it simply, it is difficult to catch ordinary fish in this cold winter, let alone the Laoshizi Spirit Fish?"

"Old Chutou knows, the day before yesterday he took his son with him to catch spiritual fish. As a result, both father and son were gone, and his mother-in-law cried so hard that the other one..."

"Hey, what's so unlucky about him? The spiritual fish didn't see it, but bumped into Black Yaksha instead."

"I heard that a lot of people from the rivers and lakes have come recently, and they often fight on the lake. The fights are so violent that several big boats have capsized."

…

Along the way, there were rumors and discussions.

Ah Qing turned a blind eye and, carrying a fish basket on his back, pulled Ah Di straight to the stall of Feihu Gang.

"Hey, isn't this Ah Qing?"

"What, you caught a spiritual fish too?"

There were already several fishermen at the stall, and they couldn't help but make fun of her when they saw her.

Ah Qing was speechless. He stepped forward and took off the fish basket from his back. At the same time, he clenched his fists and prepared for an argument.

Although the Flying Tiger Gang has used iron-blooded methods to scare the monkeys several times over the past month, and used the heads of several fishing tyrants to prove their attitude and determination, there is still no chance that anyone will be greedy and do something daring.

This fish is the future and hope of her siblings, and no one can ignore it no matter what.

so……

"It's indeed a spiritual fish!"

"Where was it caught?"

"Give me the fishing license and register it."

"This is the silver reward, you keep it."

"..."

Looking at the two chubby gold ingots in his hands, Ah Qing was a little distracted and couldn't believe that his fate could change so easily.

Compared with farming, fishing and hunting are taxed more heavily. After all, all the land in the world is royal land, and all the mountains, lakes and seas are owned by the imperial court. How can fishing and hunting, the imperial property, not be taxed heavily?

Three years of tax exemption is already a huge reward, plus these twelve taels of silver...

Ah Qing's heart skipped a beat and he woke up with a start. He didn't care about the envious eyes around him, picked up Ah Di and walked towards the drug store.

This money is hot!

Although there are rules of the Flying Tiger Gang, no one dares to do anything to them now.

But she knew, very clearly, that the rules of the Flying Tiger Gang would not always exist like this.

That Miss Li would not always "make the decision for them" like this!

When the spirit fish disappears, the rules of the Flying Tiger Gang will also disappear.

Everything will go back to how it was before.

When the time comes, her money and her person...

Ah Qing didn't dare to think too much, so she took her younger brother and hurried into the drug store.

"Ahem!"

In the dim medicine shop, there was an old man lying, with a sallow face and thin muscles, and a bone-crunched shape, like a sick man.

"Doctor Mo!"

Ah Qing looked respectful, took out a gold ingot and put it directly on the counter: "I'm here to get some medicine for my brother. I'll use the recipe you mentioned last time."

"oh?"

The old man sat up, looked at the Yuanbao on the stand, and then at the two siblings, with a playful smile on his face: "Did you catch a spiritual fish?"

"Um!"

Ah Qing nodded, forced a smile and said, "I happened to catch one."

"Yeah?"

The old man smiled, accepted the ingot, and looked at the two siblings: "Originally I didn't want to tell you, but now that the spirit fish has been born, it's time to have your destiny, so I'll tell you, your brother's disease, even if you use my prescription , it can only prolong life for ten years at most. If you want to really remove the root of the disease, you have to use another prescription!"

"this……"

Ah Qing was startled and at a loss.

If another doctor had said this, Ah Qing might have thought him a charlatan.

But this "Doctor Mo" is a well-known miracle doctor with a weird temper. He heals diseases and saves people all depending on his mood. This medicine shop is not open in the city, but in this small fish market. It is open and closed sometimes. Even the Flying Tiger Gang didn't dare to embarrass him, which shows what a master he is.

Her brother was suffering from a strange disease, and many doctors said he would not live to be five years old. Finally, when he saw Dr. Mo, he found a way to prolong his life and hopefully leave a lasting legacy for their family.

Such a miraculous doctor would definitely not lie to her.

Is there really a prescription that can cure Adi's disease?

Ah Qing's eyes narrowed, and he quickly took out the remaining five taels of silver: "Doctor Mo, how much silver does that prescription cost?"

"silver?"

Doctor Mo glanced at her, then shook his head and said with a serious smile: "That's not what money can buy."

“Isn’t it something money can buy?”

Ah Qing was holding the Yuanbao, where he was, at a loss.

"but……"

Doctor Mo changed the subject: "If you can catch me a fish as a bait, then I can distribute this medicine to you for free."

"fish?"

"What fish?"

Ah Qing was startled and came back to his senses: "Spirit fish?"

"It's the spiritual fish among spiritual fish!"

Doctor Mo smiled and said: "Among the spiritual fish, there is a king fish, whose whole body is shining with spiritual light. If a mortal eats one bite, it can extend his life for a hundred years. It can be used to make elixirs and medicines, and all diseases can be eliminated. If you can catch it, or find it, If it does, then I will treat your brother for free."

"Spirit Fish King?"

Ah Qing stood on the ground, looking stunned.

Doctor Mo continued: "The spirit fish is different from the devil fish and is not that fierce. That's why the Flying Tiger Gang mobilized fishermen to catch it. The same is true for the spirit fish king. Maybe even your brother can catch it."

"It's not difficult to catch it, the hard part is how to find it!"

"Ah Qing, I think you are also a lucky person, so I am telling you this."

"As long as you can catch the Fish King, I promise to cure your brother."

"Besides, don't make this matter public. It will be a good thing for you and me."

"Okay, go ahead."

…

Ah Qing left the drug store, but Doctor Mo's words were still in his mind.

Spirit fish?

King of fish?

One bite can add a hundred years to your life?

Is there really such a treasure fish in Wuze Lake?

Why has she never heard of it?

Even if there was such a fish, could she catch it?

There is also the Flying Tiger Gang, if they know that someone has caught the Spirit Fish King but does not turn it in...

Ah Qing was excited, walked a little faster, and left the fish market in a hurry.

That night...

"Sister, do you want to go out on the boat at night?"

An oil lamp hung on the bow of the awning boat. In the dark night of Wuze Lake, it only illuminated the size of a grain of rice, and it flickered brightly and dimly when the north wind blew.

"You stay in the cabin, the wind is strong at night, don't blow you into the water."

Ah Qing was wearing a raincoat and standing on the bow of the boat, rocking the oar and staring at the bottom of the water.

According to the Flying Tiger Gang's atlas and Doctor Mo's statement, one of the characteristics of spiritual fish is that it can emit light. No matter what species of fish, as long as it can emit light, it is a spiritual fish, and the brighter the better.

"If there really is a Spirit Fish King, it would be like a lantern in the water."

"Unfortunately, Wuze Lake is too wide and deep. Even if the Spirit Fish King shines like a lantern, trying to find it is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"You can't see it at all during the day. Only at night can you have some hope."

"But even at night, the light shines through the water. You have to dive to find it."

"But the weather is so cold, the water is so cold, and there are scary monster fish like Black Yaksha in the lake."

"No, we can't go down. Dad and Mom, your spirits in heaven, please bless me to encounter the spirit fish to treat my brother..."

The north wind howls, disturbing my thoughts.

Ah Qing was startled, came back to his senses, and continued to watch, hoping to see a dreamy light.

However, there was darkness, boundless.

Only a few large ships in the distance were brightly lit, and some small awning boats also cruising around with oil lamps hanging on them.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one who wanted to "try her luck."

"No, there are too many people. Even if we bump into each other, we can't grab them."

"You can only go to places with few people, but there are black yaksha activities in the center of the lake."

"correct……"

As if thinking of something, Ah Qing turned the bow of the boat and headed towards another body of water.

The black-topped boat was getting farther and farther away, and the lights around it were getting scarcer.

This is a "barren" water area. There is suspected to be an underground water vein below, or an underground water vein that can only be entered and cannot be accessed. Therefore, there are few fish and few fishermen come.

In the past, she was young and not aggressive enough to compete with other fishermen, so she could only come to such a place to fish, and over time she became familiar with it.

Although there are spiritual fish born today, this place remains the same, the fish are still sparse, and there are not many fishermen. For a lonely person like her, there is a slight chance...

"Sister, look!"

A cry calls back the mind.

"What's wrong?"

Ah Qing followed the sound and saw his brother lying by the window, staring ahead with surprise.

Ah Qing raised her head and looked again, only to see ahead, a awning boat parked on the lake, with a lamp hanging on the bow, but unlike her pitifully small fish oil lamp, this lamp was as bright as a star. sun.

"That's a lamp made of black fish oil. Only that kind of oil can light such a lamp!"

"How can a awning boat use such a light?"

"Could it be..."

Ah Qing's heart skipped a beat, and he looked around and saw an old man sitting on the bow of the awning boat under the light.

He was wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat on his back. His hair was gray and withered, his face had clear ridges and spots, all showing the vicissitudes of time. He was an ordinary old fisherman.

But this old fisherman...

He was sitting on the bow of the boat, holding a very thin and long bamboo pole in his hand, and was fishing.

This bamboo pole is extremely long. Although the thick end is just right in the hand, the thin end is a little uncomfortable at the front. It is three points thinner than my daughter's little finger.

The fishing rod is more than eight feet long, but the tip is so thin and made of green bamboo. People can't help but wonder, if a fish is caught, will the front end be able to withstand it?

No, in this place, you can’t even catch a few fish with the net. What can you catch by fishing? It’s still in the cold winter and the north wind blows at night...

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Before his thoughts could be settled, he saw the fishing rod sinking, the fishing line pulling extremely fast, and a black shadow appearing under the water.

"this……"

Ah Qing stood on the ground, a little stunned.

The old man's expression remained unchanged, he just raised the pole with one hand.

"boom!!!"

Lifting the fishing rod, it was like whipping up a whip, and the strength suddenly exploded into strength. The water surface exploded immediately, and a black shadow flew out and landed on the board of the boat.

"This is……"

"Kuroyaksha!"

Ah Qing's eyes narrowed and he looked at the big black-scaled fish that was caught, with a look of horror in his eyes.

With black scales like armor and sharp teeth, it is the famous strange fish in Wuze Lake - Black Yaksha.

This fish is as powerful as an ox, and even more powerful than a tiger or leopard in the water. It often attacks fishermen and can even capsize fishing boats. Many fishermen lose their lives to it every year.

But now...

"boom!"

The black fish, which was three feet long and weighed more than a hundred kilograms, was kicked directly into the fish cabin by the fisherman, and then stopped moving. It seemed to be a dead fish. It did not have the majesty and fierceness of the "Black Yaksha" in the past.

"This man kicked Kuro Yaksha unconscious?"

"How can it be?"

"Is this the legendary martial arts master?"

"I heard that many Jianghu people have come to Wuze Lake recently..."

"Forget it, it's better to stay away."

The old man sat down and started fishing again.

Ah Qing also woke up with a start and shook the oar to leave.

At this time, I saw...

In the darkness, a bright light flashed.

"Spirit fish!"

Ah Qing's eyes narrowed and she was about to jump into the water, but at the last moment, her reason stopped her.

Although there was light in the darkness, it was not beside her boat, but in the center of the lake, in front of the old fisherman.

That's a master who can catch Black Yaksha. Are you looking for death if you rob him?

Ah Qing decisively chose to give in.

The old man didn't go into the water either, he was still fishing with a bamboo pole, which made Ah Qing secretly anxious.

"The spirit fish is not as fierce as the black yaksha. It is just faster, stronger and glowing than other fish. It is the fastest to catch it in the water. When will this fish be caught? Maybe it will just run away. , isn’t this person afraid?”

"Yes, the spirit fish costs ten taels of silver. Even if it is tax-free, it is only twenty taels. Black Yaksha can still sell it for this price. Of course he doesn't care. It would be great if I also had this ability..."

"Bah bang bang!"

Before he finished his words, there was a sound of water. The fisherman raised his fishing rod, and a shining spiritual fish flew out of the water and landed in front of him accurately.

The fisherman then stretched out his hand, took off the hook, and threw the spirit fish into the fish basket aside.

Wait, fish basket?

Ah Qing's heart skipped a beat, and when he looked around, he saw the old man sitting next to him. In the fish cabin, there was a fish basket, a fish basket with sparkling light.

That is……

"Spirit fish?"

"So many spiritual fish?"

"He caught so many spiritual fish?"

"this……"

Ah Qing looked at the fish basket, dumbfounded and unable to accept it.

At this moment...

“The old man’s fishing skills are indeed unparalleled!”

"In less than midnight, you can get hundreds of spiritual fish."

"awesome!"

"There are countless wonderful people in the world, and tonight is another eye-opener."

Loud words came from all directions.

Ah Qing was startled, regained consciousness, and looked around.

In all directions, I don't know when it will be bright, but they are all lights lit by the black forked fish oil.

The lights were bright, and there were boats, even refined speedboats and canoes, which were not ordinary fishermen's boats with awnings.

The boat was flying very fast. Although there were a few people on board, no one was supporting it. I don’t know where the power came from.

In a blink of an eye, several small boats surrounded him from all directions, but they kept a distance and gestured to the old man from a distance, and each said his name.

"I'm going down to Jiangning Mansion to see Feihong. The heroic spirit of heroes from all over the world has given him the name Feihong Sword!"

"I'm Li Batian of Jiangning Mansion. My friends in the Jianghu family joked about the Iron Arm Fist. I really can't bear it."

"Chen Hongtao in Ningzhou Prefecture..."

"Ning Bufan is in Xiajiangzhou Prefecture..."

"I've met senior!"

Several people announced their homes, but the old man didn't respond.

The atmosphere was awkward for a moment, then tense.

In the end, it was Na Li Feihong who spoke up: "May I ask senior Gao's name?"

After hearing this, the old man responded: "A wandering man, how can I talk about his name? He is just a fisherman on the lake."

"It turns out to be Senior Diaosou!"

The words were neither cold nor cold, but Li Feihong still followed the donkey down the slope and said with cupped hands: "Senior Yaxing, we are fishing tonight. We have prepared a banquet on the boat. I wonder if senior can sell me some thin noodles?"

"Not for sale."

The fisherman held the fishing rod and said indifferently: "Where did it come from? Go back to where it came from. Don't scare my fish here."

"this……"

Several people looked at each other and all frowned, but they still said bravely: "To be honest with you senior, this matter about the spirit fish in Wuze Lake is of great importance and is not for our family's personal interests. If senior insists on doing this and is unwilling to negotiate, then I All we can do is wait..."

"how?"

Diaosou took over the words: "If you want to take action, hurry up. It's only half way through the night, and there's still half a day left to fish."