A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 65: The Fish Shoal Rides the Tide, Wave-Riding White Flood Dragon
Favorable wind and rain, abundant harvests!
Such auspicious signs caused everyone to applaud. π§π³π¦β―ππ¦π·π―ππ£π¦π.πΈπ°π
Song Qiying, clutching a folding fan in the chilly weather, couldnβt help but praise:
"Brother Bai is truly bold and strong, facing a gathering of hundreds without the slightest stage fright."
Miss Zhu echoed:
"Bai Qilang is indeed capable, no wonder the instructor holds him in high regard."
Sitting at the entrance of the East Market Shop, Liang Laoshu and Lao Dao from Tongwen Hall, these two elderly gentlemen together adding up to over a hundred years, were casually chatting.
"How is Ah Qi? My old eyes donβt make mistakes, right?"
"Certainly, the young master picks good apprentices, how can they be bad?"
The two exchanged a smile and glanced toward Bai Qi standing in the crowd, each showing a look of satisfaction and contentment.
Seeing the appreciated juniors climbing step by step, making a mark.
It indeed feels good.
"Ah Di, hold this for me."
In the deep autumn chill, Bai Qi removed his outer robe and inner garments, kicked off his boots and socks, then tied up his trouser legs, striding towards the pier.
"Truly, a fine physique!"
Han Li from Celestial Eagle Martial Arts Hallβs eyes gleamed, being the first to commend.
His father was one of the renowned experts, represented by the bear, eagle, tiger, and leopard.
As the future successor, Han Liβs vision and skills were not lacking, naturally seeing Bai Qilangβs exceptional musculature.
"Itβs a pity, when Liang Laoshu came asking, I should have agreed on behalf of my father.
Broad shoulders and back, sturdy and symmetric, upright and strong, an excellent direct descendant candidate!"
Deng Yong, from the Broken Blade Sect, also expressed similar sentiment:
"Itβs fortunate my master didnβt attend, if he truly recruited him, even the instructor wouldnβt know how to compete for an apprentice.
Proper training might nurture a physique combining dragon and horse! Perfect match for our sectβs Dragon-Tiger Linked Fist!"
In the martial arts circle, the spine is often called "dragon," while the legs are dubbed "horse."
A wide chest and back, with a narrow waist and hips that twist powerfully, are naturally good for training methods.
With a "dragon spine," executing "horse steps."
This is called "dragon and horse united!"
Highly suitable for practicing leg and body techniques, often achieving twice the result with half the effort.
Especially when training bones, it progresses swiftly with almost no bottleneck.
"This Bai Qilang, truly has a fine physique."
Miss Zhu from the Divine Hand Sect turned her face away, but her eyes couldnβt help drifting toward the riverbank.
Her words were identical to Han Liβs yet with a completely different implication.
Hu!
Bai Qi stood bare-chested, his whole body pulsating with Qi blood, radiating heat to dispel the clinging damp cold.
His feet in the icy river, facing Uncle Changshun, who had been waiting along with several temporary helpers, his voice was loud:
"Cast off! Into the river! Letβs fish!"
Ropes were untied, a dozen wooden oars paddled vigorously, several leading black-roofed boats lined up, trailed by schooners, sailing towards a nearby reed marsh under everyoneβs gaze.
The East Market Pier was elevated, together with the open river surface, enabling everyone to see clearly with full effort.
The fishermen gathering to watch didnβt number a hundred but at least eighty, including skilled individuals, all feeling puzzled:
"Can that place hide big fish? Iβve sieved that area with nets five or six times recently."
"I reckon the waterβs shallow, small fish and shrimp might be plenty, but good catches are hard to come by."
"Bai Qilang showed poor judgment and exposed himself; opening the fish stall, he should have gone to Mihun Bay."
"Isnβt he known for catching treasure fish in the East Market? If he doesnβt catch a few now, heβll struggle to save face..."
"What do you know, maybe heβs long prepared the catch, isnβt that what families do."
"Speaking as an outsider, no matter what tricks, you canβt conjure big catches out of shallow waters..."
Seeing numerous black-roofed boats shuttling under the reed marsh and casting nets, the crowd immediately erupted into noisy clamor and discussion.
The process of opening a fish stall involves nothing more than offering incense to the Dragon King, setting sail, casting nets, and fishing.
The more large catches they reap, the more prosperous future business will be represented.
For this, many fish stalls even bait heavily at night to gather fish schools, ensuring they donβt return empty-handed the next day, facing embarrassment.
Yet the operation of Baiβs Fish Stall indeed puzzled everyone.
Given the shallows in the reed marsh, what could they possibly catch?
But before long, these doubts all dissipated, suddenly silenced!
"Ah? This? Howβs it possible! Could someone have released fish underwater?"
The reed marsh everyone was intensely watching suddenly stirred up a big commotion.
As if dozens of hundreds of fish splashed, creating waves, and causing loud tumultuous noises.
"So many fish!"
Some children danced with joy, exclaiming.
Even from a distance, under the bright daylight, the shimmering flickers were visible.
These were the reflections of many large fish scales, dazzling everyone!
"The Dragon Kingβs blessing? Bai Qilang is blessed by the Dragon King!"
In these times, whenever something defies logic, people tend to attribute it to supernatural forces.
At this time of the year, right before winter, itβs absolutely impossible to lure a large school of fish into the big net just by chumming.
No matter how skilled a fisherman may be, it would still be difficult!
"Am I dreaming? Iβve sailed so many times and seen so much, but this..."
Uncle Changshun stood on a black-tarped boat, staring wide-eyed, giving his thigh a hard pinch.
Those high-quality goods that are rarely seen, packed closely together, swam vigorously toward them, as if eager to jump into the fish basket themselves.
This isnβt fishing at all; itβs like picking up money!
"Oh no, I was afraid that the bait wouldnβt be enough when preparing it, so I had Ah Di use more; he added five drops of blood at once, and the effect is too good!"
Bai Qiβs eyelid twitched. Itβs been less than half an hour, and the fish were almost piling up like mountains, with Uncle Changshun and several hands breathlessly busy, seemingly unable to catch them all.
"If I had known the Sea Driving Skill was this powerful, I wouldβve restrained myself."
In his decade of fishing, Uncle Changshun had never felt so good; every time he pulled in the net, it was heavily loaded onto the boat, almost too heavy to lift.
A hand, unable to believe it, held up a Tiger Head Barb worth twenty taels, looking up at the sky:
"Oh my! Brother Qi truly has the Dragon Kingβs protection!"
Uncle Changshun immediately glared:
"Get to work! Silver coins are falling into our pockets, yet thereβs so much chatter!"
Everyone joyfully fished. Suddenly, a wave rose on the calm river surface, caused by a big fish struggling to escape the laid net.
A hint of golden light flashed, catching Bai Qiβs eye:
"Itβs that Golden Rainbow Trout! It seems to have grown bigger! I misjudged before; itβs at least twenty pounds! It too was enticed into the net by this fragrant bait!"
He rejoiced, immediately grabbing a wooden oar, steering the boat to push away the swarming fish, heading toward the long-coveted treasure!
As the saying goes, a pound of fish has the strength of ten!
This Golden Rainbow Trout weighed heavily, causing quite a commotion.
Wave after wave crashed like a storm, its sharp teeth nearly tearing the fine, tough silk fishing net to shreds.
"Ferocious eater, loves to fight... the fish record was right, but unfortunately, it met me, the top-tier fisherman of Black Water River!"
Bai Qi was fearless, rowing even faster.
With the robust strength from Minor Achievement in Muscle Training, how could he not capture a twenty-pound treasure fish?
Moreover, he had both fishing skills and the Eight Sections Technique!
"You want to bite me?"
Bai Qi navigated the boat just in time to encounter the Golden Rainbow Trout emerging from the net. Upon seeing someone blocking its path, the spindle-shaped fish body leaped forward, pouncing like a predator.
Standing at the bow, his Qi Blood surged instantaneously, causing his large sinews to contract and expand, unleashing ferocious power!
Clutching tightly with his five fingers, he delivered a punch!
Directly striking the Golden Rainbow Trout, dazing it, making it crash heavily back into the Black Water River!
Splah!
Another wave erupted, shaking the black-tarped boat back and forth.
"Trying to escape now? Too late!"
Bai Qi jumped into the water, using his river-darting skill, swiftly darting like an arrow, swimming even faster than the Golden Rainbow Trout.
...
...
"Brother Baiβs aquatic skills are truly unbelievable..."
He Tai gaped; as the Young Master of the Fishery, he had seen plenty of water adventures and skilled swimmers.
But someone as fierce as Bai Qi, fighting waves barehanded like a Flood Dragon turning rivers, was indeed a first.
"If I were underwater, I might not be his match..."
Han Li, just entering the second practice, twitched at the corner of his eye. Bai Qilang, once in the water, was far more formidable than on land.
If given a short blade, he feared he himself would be done for.
About half a stick of incense later, Uncle Changshunβs black-tarped boat and the sampan slowly approached the shore.
The others remained unconcerned, all eyes fixated on the now-calm Black Water River.
Splah!
The silence, as quiet as the grave, lasted a while before finally being broken.
Water droplets cascaded from the hair, like crystalline fragments of jade. A sleek and agile figure, akin to a Flood Dragon, suddenly surfaced, lifting the no longer struggling Golden Rainbow Trout over its head.
Under the sunlight, the fish scales gleamed like golden foil, making the eyes of many fishermen red with envy.
"What a Wave-Riding White Flood Dragon!"
Not far from the East Market Pier, Ninghai Zen, dressed in his Celestial Cyan Robe, sat cross-legged atop a tree crown.
Hearing the thunderous cheers echoing, he stood up with a smile, and swiftly departed.
