A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 52: Inner Pill, Demons and Monsters

"According to this, Wang Laizi used human flesh and blood as bait, and gathered not only Ghost Pattern Fish..."

That night, while diving to the fish nest by the willow bank of Mihun Bay, Bai Qi was dazzled by a fierce reddish glow and was drawn towards it.

A dozen Ghost Pattern Fish shouldn’t have such an intense color; recalling now, it likely was the Big Demon Fish that took Chen the Lame.

"Should we go over and take a look? Uncle Dao and Ah Di said Steward Lei of the fishery made a bold move, although he didn’t slay the Demon Fish, he dealt a heavy blow, leaving it half-dead at least?"

Hesitation flickered in Bai Qi’s heart; having just broken through one practice, his body felt like a mere appetizer for the mature Big Demon Fish, unable to withstand a few bites.

"Eh, why is there a fishy smell? So much blood..."

He remained cautious, carefully lying on the riverbed, inching forward. Before even getting close, he saw massive crimson streaks floating in the turbulent undercurrents.

The hue was so rich it couldn’t disperse, drawing many fish and shrimp quickly to swarm around.

Bai Qi hid the Evil-Breaking Spirit Eye, his gaze slightly focused, vaguely seeing a large black shadow several meters long drifting on the river surface.

"Could it be a catfish that became a spirit?"

His vision was exceptionally good, noticing the powerless droop of its black whiskers, the slick oily-yellow skin, and an eight-to-nine-foot-long grotesque scar on its back.

"It’s huge! Its body is longer than a ship, and a flick of its tail generates waves that can sink a sampan."

Bai Qi marveled, patiently and slowly diving, the water patterns faintly glowing on his forehead, wrapping him in water flow, seemingly concealing his presence.

Around him, flocks of fish and shrimp darted about, attracted by enticing smells, rushing to feast.

They gluttonously sucked the demon fish’s bloody discharge, then died abruptly in succession.

In less than twenty breaths, the nearby river surface was covered in a layer of pale white, striking to behold.

"Is the demon fish’s blood toxic?"

Bai Qi quickly withdrew, realizing the crimson strands were being isolated by layers of water waves.

"Water patterns! Protecting oneself! Truly, a fishing skill of extraordinary proficiency!"

About half a stick of incense later, the depths of Black Water River were silent, all fish, big and small, flipped belly-up as if they had been stuffed to death.

Bai Qi activated the Evil-Breaking Spirit Eye; the closer he got, the brighter the fierce reddish glow became.

Soon, he finally saw what it was.

It was a pinkish fist-sized blob of flesh!

There seemed to be bits of yellow paper stuck on it, enveloping something hard inside, resembling a human heart, still pulsating.

However, the heartbeat-like subtle pulse grew slower with each beat, as though about to cease forever.

"This demon fish is dying. It seems Steward Lei of the fishery truly has a reputation well-founded."

Bai Qi slightly relaxed, contemplated briefly, and made a decision.

He used the forceful move of Golden Toad Swimming from Eight Segment Skill, pushing off with his feet like an arrow shooting forward!

All his muscles instantly tightened, injecting a fierce energy into his arms, enhancing his five fingers.

Fast! Precise! Ruthless!

Like picking peaches, he broke through the thick blood discharge.

Grabbed the pinkish blob of flesh, and yanked it off directly!

Roar!

The dying demon fish still held some ferocity, opening a wide mouth with densely sharp teeth, seemingly wanting to devour him.

But ultimately, its injuries were too severe to struggle, flipping its massive body over with a plop, utterly motionless.

As person-high waves propelled by "crash," Bai Qi barely had time to examine his acquisition before being swept far away.

...

...

Cold winds pierced through Black Water River that night, unusually lively, with dozens of ships poised head to tail, torches crackling as if a winding serpent coiled.

People of different appearances either wielded oars or looked around, weaving through clusters of reed marshes, seemingly seeking something.

Suddenly, an excited voice rang out loudly:

"Steward Lei, found it!"

From the tailing ship, a disheveled middle-aged man stood.

Short in stature, with ordinary features, but his eyes shone bright, as if holding a deep glow within.

He looked as if he had just risen from bed, with hair loosely falling behind his head, robe buttons undone, eyelids drooping with drowsiness.

"Why shout so loudly for a dead fish? Do you think Master is deaf?"

Lei Xiong curled his lips, seeming annoyed, muttering a few complaints.

With a whoosh, he kicked a paddle.

Like an arrow released from a bowstring, it shot afar, splashing waves.

Following that, his feet lightly tapped, seeming airy but actually pressing the ship down.

With a borrowed force, the hem of his clothes fluttered open, his figure swept across like a swift lightning bolt, and he was several meters away in an instant.

"Steward Lei truly deserves the title of the top master of the fishery!"

"Otherwise, how could he be our tributor!"

"That’s right, among eagles, tigers, and leopards, who ranks first?"

Lei Xiong utilized the light-body technique of crossing the river on a single reed, cutting through the waves, and swiftly arrived at the source of the commotion.

He lifted his eyelids and indeed saw a large, plump fish lying sideways in the reed marsh.

The intense scent of blood had already faded a lot, and the crimson color on the water’s surface was almost gone.

It seemed to have been dead for quite a while.

"I said, a five hundred pound iron bow shot, struck by a Cloud-Splitting Hand, there’s no reason it could still be alive."

Lei Xiong seemed to complain and grumble:

"In the middle of the night, I’m worn out by the Black Water River’s cold wind, and in a year, I only take a few thousand taels of silver from your fishery’s respect, damn it, I’ll have to talk to He Wenbing about the price!

Killing a Demon Fish is risking my life, more money must be added!"

The Fishery Guard on the nearby black-awning boat pretended not to hear; Steward Lei was notorious for being lazy, preferring to lie down rather than sit, and sit rather than stand.

Every time something needed solving, without being invited thrice or four times, there was no hope at all.

"Hey? Where’s the Inner Pill? This Demon Fish must be at least three hundred years old! Such a big Inner Pill, where has it gone?"

Lei Xiong suddenly turned around, his eyes shooting out sharp gleams, coldly sweeping over the group of thugs on the black-awning boat.

It was like a sudden thunderbolt striking them.

Terrifying them, making their hair stand on end, as if they encountered a fierce beast in the mountains.

"Steward Lei, spare us!"

"We absolutely didn’t touch it!"

"It’s got nothing to do with me..."

A few robust men instantly became like limp shrimp, kneeling down, repeatedly kowtowing.

That’s the power of a top martial master, with an intensely focused spirit, once releasing his aura, it has a notably intimidating effect.

"I guess so too, this Demon Fish has absorbed some turbid energy, which is why it became a spirit, causing trouble everywhere and eating people.

The essence blood flowing out contains potent poison; even I don’t want to touch it, let alone you filthy lot."

Lei Xiong quickly retracted his gaze, not intending to make things difficult for the minions, with a slight hint of regret:

"It’s a pity about that century-old cultivated Inner Pill; if taken properly, tsk tsk, it could create someone with Bone Training Great Success out of thin air; I don’t know who got that lucky."

The Black Water River was treacherous with strong winds and large waves; since the Demon Fish’s corpse was found, it was enough to report back.

This Steward Lei had no interest in staying further and was planning to leave when he heard a Fishery thug flatteringly ask:

"Steward, there’s no Inner Pill, but there’s fish meat... I heard that treasure fish nourishes the tendons and bones, strengthens the blood energy; surely this Demon Fish wouldn’t be inferior, would you like to take some?"

Lei Xiong sneered with extreme contempt in his tone:

"You simpletons! Let me ask, do you know why the Demon Fish has the word ’Demon,’ and why the treasure fish has the word ’Treasure’?

Clearly, they both come from the Black Water River, eating the same grain, why do they become two different things?"

The thug’s face was all awkward as he lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Master Lei is teaching you a lesson: according to the Daoist officials and Immortal Masters from the Prefecture City, the Dao has been lost for a thousand years, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism was polluted due to a senseless calamity, termed ’Turbid Tide.’

Birds and beasts, plants and stones, if tainted by it, become ’demons’ that must be killed.

Mountain and Marsh Cultivators, side-door scattered people, if touched, become ’fiends’ destined to die.

This Demon Fish is entirely poisonous apart from its Inner Pill.

Eat a mouthful, and tomorrow you’ll go mad, stripped naked by your master and thrown into a pig cage to be drowned."

The thug was frightened, his face white as a sheet, secretly glad he hadn’t been greedy earlier.

"How did our Black River County’s hundred thousand households come to be? You may not know.

Master Lei mercifully tells you more, the five hundred miles of mountain paths, eight hundred miles of Black River, originally had twenty villages and eleven towns; over a century, all suffered demon calamities or fiend disasters, making them uninhabitable.

Therefore, they fled with their families, becoming laborers building river banks, carrying sandbags, mining and digging."

Lei Xiong let out sneering laughs repeatedly, looking back at the vast fog-enveloped Black Water River, almost as dark as ink.

"Don’t think being fishermen as lowly households is the worst thing in life.

Outside the county, there are tens of thousands of refugee servant households without any means to sell themselves as slaves!"

The Fishery thug quickly bowed, flatteringly said:

"Still, Steward Lei is experienced and knowledgeable; we rough folks have no idea about any demons or fiends."

Lei Xiong grinned silently, his otherwise ordinary face suddenly vivid, displaying an indescribable mix of sadness and joy:

"I myself am a refugee from Dazhu Village, how could I not know!"