Devour

Chapter 418 Night Fishing

"On the eastern slope of Bailuan Peak lies the 'Tingtao Fishing Garden,' a tranquil retreat perfect for anglers. It also offers food and lodging. With good fishing gear and long enough fishing line, you can hook not only ordinary sea monsters but even whales..."

Wang Hong was introducing the exquisite details when he unconsciously looked down at the entire Bailuan Peak. His face suddenly changed and the words on his lips stopped abruptly.

That mountain was originally the location of the sect's spirit beast garden. Now, the blue phoenixes that lived there started to fly up in groups, flapped their wings, formed neat rows in the air, and then rushed towards the south.

The elders also noticed the sudden change and looked at their leader, whose face was ashen.

Wang Hong was stunned for a moment before he suppressed his inner anger and slowly said, "The head of the Spirit Beast Garden just sent a message saying that all the blue phoenixes on Bailuan Peak have abandoned their habitat and migrated en masse."

Wang Mingsheng said in disbelief, "The Qingluan tribe has been thriving on the island for many years and has always had a friendly alliance with the sect."

Master Li said in a serious tone, "Spiritual birds migrate usually out of survival instinct, which means this place is no longer suitable for living."

Pan Guanxia exclaimed in shock, "In the entire North Sea, Jingao Island has the most superior environment. Qingluan can't possibly find a better paradise in the surrounding waters!"

Common sense dictates that the best path for the Blue Luan flock is to head south to the Northern Linbing Continent in search of a safe haven. However, Jingao Island is over a million miles away, a long journey that would take days even for a spiritual bird of this caliber.

Cheng Bai weighed the pros and cons and said thoughtfully, "The North Sea is vast. They may not find a place to rest and replenish their energy during their journey. The potential risks are obvious. But why make such a difficult decision?"

Everyone at the table was silent and fell into silence.

Wang Hong considered for a moment and instructed, "Elder Wang Sheng, fly ahead on your sword to investigate the situation in the north. If you discover the source of the disaster, immediately inform the sect via a talisman. If you encounter danger along the way, remember not to linger in the fight but to turn back decisively."

"I obey your command!" Wang Sheng leaned over to receive the order, then raised his flying sword and stood firmly on it, flying north like a meteor chasing the moon.

Everyone had lost interest in eating and drinking, and the banquet ended in a hurry.

Cheng Bai, guided by his attendant disciples, arrived at Tingtao Fishing Garden to rest. He strolled around the fishing platform, gazing at the schools of fish swimming in the waters below the mountain, and leisurely observed the water depth and direction, preparing to fish.

Bei Tingjun had no such interest, so he went straight into the garden and chose a quiet room to rest.

Master Li also came to have fun in his spare time, and with a low smile he took out the fishing gear he carried with him.

It was a fishing rod made of purple bamboo, and under the moonlight, it was emitting a deep purple light, which was obviously of extraordinary grade.

Master Li's face lit up as he introduced, "Fishing tackle treasures are extremely rare! This scholar's purple fishing rod is a premium spiritual artifact, ranked 35th on the Tianbao List. It's the only one of its kind on the entire list, a treasure every angler dreams of."

Cheng Bai leisurely took out his Jingshen fishing rod and said with a smile, "I didn't expect the Master to enjoy such a refined hobby. I also have a fishing rod in my collection, and I think it's as good as any of my peers. I've heard that night fishing is quite difficult, so I'd appreciate your advice."

Master Li laughed heartily and said, "I've had enough to eat and drink, and my hands are itching to fish, so I thought I'd try my luck. Seeing how busy the water is tonight, with my powerful magic weapon, I might be able to catch a few big fish!"

He had no hesitation at all, and with the help of the moonlight, he skillfully put on the bait and cast the rod with just one hand. Not only were his movements swift, but his judgment was also accurate, just like a veteran in the fishing world.

Cheng Bai naturally did not want to be outdone. He quickly put on the meat bait, found a fishing spot, and gently swung out the fishing line.

Master Li's eyes were sharp, and he smiled as he appraised the rod. "A fishing rod made of blood jade? It's the same rare and heavenly material as purple bamboo. Your rod must be of a high grade!"

Cheng Bai took the opportunity to ask, "I don't have many fishing records. I wonder what rare and valuable catches you've caught?"

Master Li glanced at the surging sea, recalling his glorious past with a sigh. "Back then, I caught Megalodon, Leviathan Whale, and the like. I was even lucky enough to catch some Ice Demon Sharks and Krakens. It's a pity that the Aoki are so hard to come by, so I've never been able to catch one. I just missed a great opportunity... You can't catch a giant sea-eating monster with this kind of rod."

Cheng Bai secretly wiped his sweat as he listened, and chuckled softly, "Master is truly amazing!"

As he spoke, the fishing rod in Master Li's hand trembled slightly, and someone was already willing to take the bait.

"So fast! And it's a big one." Master Li cheered in a low voice, quickly put down a thorn-patterned Yishou Gui beside him, and decisively lifted the rod to fish out the hooked fish.

Cheng Bai looked closely, identified the species, and praised: "Phantom Killer Whale, a level 34 monster. Rare!"

With a roar of water, a dark blue sea creature over seventy meters long was dragged out of the water. Atop its head was a massive horn like a halberd blade. Even in the moonlight, its entire body remained dark, dangling like a small mountain at the end of the fishing line.

Master Li moved swiftly and shouted, "Come back and clean up the food!"

A faint green light rose from the thorn-patterned Yishou Gui and captured the phantom killer whale, pulling its huge body tightly into the small mouth of the gui. In an instant, everything was silent.

Cheng Bai's eyes lit up, and he deduced, "Food vessels are also made of green gold. They should be a complete set with Master's wine jar, right?"

Master Li, seeing that he knew the value of the item, complacently replied, "Indeed. The Luan Patterned Longevity Lei is ranked 30th on the Tianbao List, and the Thorn Patterned Yishou Gui is ranked 29th. Both are common soul artifacts bestowed upon me by the late Emperor. While they may not possess great power, they can still provide me with ample food and drink."

Cheng Bai's mind moved slightly, and he speculated: "There should also be a matching tripod to complete it."

Upon hearing this, Master Li's eyes flashed with regret, and he said calmly, "The tripod is a noble vessel, and it holds great importance! This scholar has served as an official for a short time, his achievements are limited, and his rank is low. He has not received any favor from the late emperor."

After saying that, he took the hook, baited it, and cast the rod again.

Cheng Bai was surprised and asked, "Master, you carry a lot of magic weapons with you, but why don't you have a good sword?"

Master Li said cheerfully, "I am only a scholar, not a vigorous general. I can adapt to changes by holding a pen, and I carry a sword in my heart, not in my body."

"Master's swordsmanship is extraordinary, and he has already reached the peak of the Wuyuan realm..." Cheng Bai seemed to have realized something when he accidentally glanced at the sea. He was shocked to see that the Zixuan fishing rod that Master Li was holding was shaking violently, and a big fish was hooked.

The entire Diaoyutai trembled slightly, and the sound of the water below was unusually loud. Master Li could be seen dragging up a large barbarian.

If the phantom killer whale just now was just like a small hill, then the sea monster hanging at the end of the fishing line is comparable to a small mountain!

It was about two hundred and fifty meters long, with bronze scales covered with rust-like patterns, bony fins standing tall like sharp blades, and huge lantern-like eyes glaring fiercely at the two people on the stage, looking very ferocious.

Cheng Bai was amazed at Master Li's success. "The Great Lizard, a level 43 monster, is much stronger than the Phantom Killer Whale."

However, Master Li remained calm and just shouted, "Come back and prepare the meal." The huge monster was like a tamed sheep and was taken in by the Thorny Pattern Yishou Gui.

Cheng Bai was surprised and asked, "Is the weapon spirit called 'Return'?"

Master Li didn't deny it and chuckled, "The treasure gui has 'Guilai' cooking it himself, which can perfectly preserve the monster's inner core, making the meat even more delicious. You can enjoy delicious fish tomorrow."

“How enviable!”

Cheng Bai suddenly felt that his own Jingshen Rod had been outmatched in actual combat, and was secretly surprised. "The sea is full of fish, especially with the help of more advanced magic weapons, so it should be a good harvest. Is it because my bait is not as good as Master's?"

As Cheng Bai pondered this, he suddenly saw someone beside him about to land another big fish. The waves surged at the end of the fishing line. Master Li reeled in his rod and pulled, bringing up a large ball of light as bright as a crimson flame.

The fish's scales were like burning iron, glowing and emitting heat like fire. It had sharp antlers on its head, and its hair and beard were like a lion's mane. Its majestic physique was even larger than that of the Phantom Killer Whale.

Cheng Bai was deeply impressed and exclaimed, "Hey! The Red Carp, a level 46 monster, is one level higher than the Ice Demon Shark!"

Master Li was overjoyed and said, "This is a rare treasure! I was a little reluctant to eat it. Refining it into the essence of red carp is a good medicinal ingredient!"

However, there was no place to release such a huge fish monster after it was dragged ashore, so Master Li put it all into the Thorny Pattern Yishou Gui. He was very satisfied as he weighed the unexpectedly rich harvest.

"The essence of the red carp is used to refine the supreme golden elixir - the powerful tiger soul pill, which is more effective than the flawless nirvana pill. Unfortunately, the other two elixirs, tiger soul grass and magic ganoderma, are hard to come by." Cheng Bai pondered, feeling a little depressed. "My luck seems to be off tonight!"