"HYAH!"
Old Man Jiangâs beard and hair stood on end. The Fish Spear in his hand became a blur, striking the head of the foremost Silver Knife Fish with pinpoint accuracy and knocking it to the ground in an instant.
Behind him, Su Yuâs brow furrowed. He swept his Fine Iron Fish Spear sideways, stirring up a whistling wind.
"SMACK!"
A Silver Knife Fish that tried a sneak attack was smashed hard against the gunwale. Scales flew as its body convulsed and slid onto the deck.
With their close coordination and defense, they temporarily held back the onslaught of the Silver Knife Fish school.
But the school of Silver Knife Fish was simply too numerous, and an accident happened the very next moment.
"PFFT!"
Up ahead, Old Man Jiangâs movements were half a beat too slow. A Silver Knife Fish grazed his arm as it flew by, its sharp fin instantly slicing open a gash. Blood stained his sleeve red.
He didnât even grunt, holding his ground at the front like a reef in the water.
Jiang Mu hid behind him, clutching the corner of his clothes, her eyes red-rimmed. Despite her anxiety and distress, she remained perfectly still.
She and her grandfather had faced many situations on the Black Water River, and she knew what she had to do at this moment.
With Old Man Jiang still holding the front line, the pressure on Su Yu lessened slightly. He kept an eye on his surroundings with his peripheral vision.
Suddenly, the number of Silver Knife Fish at the front increased again. It seemed they had reached the densest part of the school.
Old Man Jiang was immediately stretched thin. Despite roaring as he defended, more and more Silver Knife Fish bypassed his defensive line.
Two streaks of silver light carved strange, intersecting arcs through the air, heading straight for Jiang Muâs pretty face!
They were as fast as two flying Willow Leaf Sabers!
"Ah!" Jiang Muâs pupils shrank. The sharp, cold aura already stung her skin. She had no time to dodge!
In the nick of time, Su Yuâs figure exploded into motion. The deck boards beneath his feet groaned under the strain.
He closed the distance in an instant, his right hand flicking the Fish Spear upwards like lightning, precisely slicing the first Silver Knife Fish in two!
Immediately after, the second one was right in front of his face!
âNo time to swing the spear!â
Su Yu acted decisively. He channeled his Qi and Blood into his left hand, his tendons thrumming, and threw a punch!
"BOOM!"
The tough Silver Knife Fish was blasted apart in mid-air by the force of that punch! Flesh and shattered bone exploded into a red mist that scattered across the deck.
"Get behind me!"
Su Yu pulled Jiang Mu over with one hand, shielding her behind him.
The school of Silver Knife Fish was about to pass. Since he could easily save her, Su Yu certainly wasnât going to stand by and watch her die.
...
About fifteen minutes later, the annoying buzzing sound finally faded away as the school of Silver Knife Fish disappeared into the vast mist.
Old Man Jiang let out a long sigh of relief. Blood from his body dripped onto the deck. DRIP. DRIP.
"Grandpa!" Jiang Mu rushed over, her voice thick with tears.
"Hahahaha, itâs nothing! A small wound like this is nothing. Your grandpa isnât old yet..." Old Man Jiang laughed heartily. Although he was injured, it didnât affect his mood in the slightest.
The school of Silver Knife Fish hadnât harmed his granddaughterâthat was the most important thing. And it was all thanks to Su Yu.
He looked at Su Yu gratefully. "Thank you, Younger Brother Su!"
Su Yu just nodded calmly. It was a simple matter of lending a hand.
âOld Man Jiangâs strength is at a level where he could still break through three more times. It seems he was quite a figure in his youth. Plus, he has a good temper; heâs easy to get along with.â
Su Yu didnât mind making a friend of him.
"Old Man Jiang, is it still safe here? Should we leave?" Su Yu asked, looking at the distant mist to confirm.
"Itâs fine now. In fact, itâs safest right after a school of Silver Knife Fish has passed through. But thereâs no hope for fishing today. Letâs find a place to rest for the night."
Su Yu nodded and pulled in his fishing net.
He was in luck. Seven or eight Silver Knife Fish that hadnât managed to escape were still caught in the net, flopping about and flashing silver.
"As long as these Silver Knife Fish donât build up speed and arenât in a school, theyâre not dangerous," Old Man Jiang added.
He also pulled in his net, but unfortunately, the Giant Red Carp inside had already escaped during the chaos.
...
ăNight fell, and a cold moon hung high above the Boiling Mist Swamp.ă
White mist swirled over the waterâs surface. Two black-canopied boats were moored side by side next to a rock that sheltered them from the wind.
A dim yellow oil lamp was lit, dispelling the surrounding gloom and cold.
Su Yu picked out two plump Silver Knife Fish and quickly gutted them. After rummaging through the boatâs cabin for a long time, he found a chipped clay pot and prepared to fill it with some river water to boil the fish.
âTsk, how crude.â
Su Yu shook his head. âThis boat is just a rental. Aside from a flint, it didnât even come with salt.â
On the boat next to his, Jiang Mu had already set up a small iron wok, polished to a shine.
Lard SIZZLED in the wok, and the fragrance of stir-fried scallions instantly filled the air, making oneâs mouth water.
As Jiang Mu skillfully stir-fried, she stole a glance at Su Yu.
Seeing the grimy, chipped clay pot in Su Yuâs hands and his pitiful expression as he prepared to simply boil his fish in plain water, the young woman couldnât help but let out a little laugh.
"Hey, Su XiaoâI mean, Brother Su!"
she called out in a clear, bright voice, her little face flushed red in the firelight. "Come eat with us!"
Su Yu glanced at the steaming, fragrant wok, then back at the cold water in his own hands, and decisively accepted the offer.
"Then Iâll impose on you."
Carrying the two prepared Silver Knife Fish, he leaped lightly over to their boat.
Jiang Mu took the fish, pursing her lips into a smile that revealed two cute little canines. "You can chat with Grandpa for a bit. The food will be ready soon!"
Su Yu went to the bow of the boat and started chatting with Old Man Jiang. He soon learned many of the Black Water Riverâs secrets from the old fisherman.
Besides the Boiling Mist Swamp, the Black Water River had several other strange and mystical places. The most famous among them was a place called the Black Dragon Throat.
The place was elusive and normally invisible. When it appeared, it was a massive whirlpool that could swallow the heavens and devour the earth! Legend had it that an underground river flowed beneath it, leading to a Dragon Palace that was the lair of an ancient evil flood dragon...
"Grandpa, Brother Su, come and eat." Jiang Mu finished preparing the meal and set it on a small table.
Su Yu came closer and saw that the meal was sumptuous and looked delicious.
There was braised Silver Knife Fish, glistening red in a rich, dark sauce; steamed Red Oil Fish, its oils seeping out with a fragrant aroma; and several steaming hot smoked meat flatbreads.
"Younger Brother Su, donât be shy! Dig in! My granddaughterâs skill at cooking fish is second to none!" Old Man Jiang took out a gourd of distilled liquor and poured a bowl for Su Yu.
Su Yu accepted the bamboo chopsticks from Jiang Mu and waited for Old Man Jiang to take the first bite before taking one himself.
"Mmph!"
The flesh of the Silver Knife Fish was fresh, tender, and delicate, practically melting in his mouth. Paired with the rich sauce, it was absolutely incredible!
âJiang Muâs cooking really is one of a kind. Iâve been eating fish for so many years, but Iâve never tasted any this good.â
"Delicious!" Su Yu praised sincerely.
Hearing this, Jiang Mu smiled sweetly, her eyelashes curving into crescents.
...
After eating and drinking their fill.
Su Yu had not only satisfied his appetite but had also gained a good amount of Qi and Blood.
He returned to the bow of his own boat and, by the light of the moon and the warmth flowing within him, began his Pile Skill practice.
[White Ape Six Changes Skill Level +3]
[White Ape Six Changes Skill Level +3]
...
[Martial Arts]: White Ape Six Changes (Major Achievement 160/3000), Bibo Fishbone Skill (entry-level 95/100), Coin Toss (Minor Achievement 120/500)
[Techniques]: Casting Net (3 Breaking Limits)
[Breakthrough Points]: 0 (Progress: 15%)
The Red Oil Fish had replenished a good deal of his Qi and Blood, and his Pile Skill had increased by ten points.
After a full day of continuous underwater fishing, his Bibo Fishbone Skillâs level had also increased considerably. Perhaps tomorrow he would have a chance to break through to the Skilled level.
"Brother Su, what happened to your hand?" Just then, Jiang Mu, standing on the bow of her boat, suddenly spoke up as she looked at Su Yuâs hand.
Su Yu looked down and saw that the skin on the back of his hand was broken. It must have been scraped by a bone fragment when he punched the Silver Knife Fish earlier in the day.
"Itâs nothing serious. Itâll heal in a few days."
"That wonât do!" Jiang Mu pouted, looking cross. She jumped onto Su Yuâs boat and ran over to take his hand for a closer look.
"You must have hurt it when you saved me..." Looking at the long wound, Jiang Mu recalled the scene of Su Yu saving her, and her eyes reddened again.
"Wait a moment." With that, she returned to her boatâs canopy, retrieved a small wooden box from inside, and came back to Su Yu.
She opened the medicine box. Inside were numerous small bottles and jars, bandages, silver needles... It was quite well-stocked.
"Let me treat it for you," she said, gently pushing Su Yu down to sit.
The young woman lowered her head, carefully cleaning the wound with fresh water before sprinkling medicinal powder on it.
The moonlight was like water, spilling onto her jade-like profile, so radiant that it seemed to dim the moon itself.
They were very close.
A sweet fragrance lingered at the tip of Su Yuâs noseâthe scent of young apricot blossoms, fresh and lively.
"There!"
Jiang Mu looked up, admiring her handiwork with satisfaction, a sweet smile on her face.
Su Yu looked down, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
The neat, almost cute little bow looked completely out of place on his hand, a hand used for killing and practicing martial arts.
"Ahem! Xiaomu, come back and get some sleep!" Old Man Jiangâs cough came from the canopy of the neighboring boat.
"Oh... coming!" Jiang Mu stuck out her tongue. With her hands behind her back, like a nimble butterfly, she ambled back to her own boat, looking back every few steps.
Standing on the bow, she turned around and waved at Su Yu, her smile especially brilliant in the moonlight. "Brother Su, see you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow."
Jiang Mu bent her knees slightly, spread her arms, and leaped gracefully back into her cabin. The curtain fell, concealing that wisp of apricot blossom scent.