Chapter 7: The Legendary Secret to Raising Fish

Chapter 7: The Legendary Secret to Fishkeeping

Whether or not Master Yue had fallen victim to the so-called “Fragrance Law,” Zheng Jian, at any rate, hadn’t received any resentment points from him.

“What a loss!” Zheng Jian thought with some regret. Clashes between masters were always lethal—once so straightforward, Master Yue was now a changed man. He could even spar with Zheng Jian in verbal jousts, blow for blow.

“Wait, weren't we supposed to have me focus on growth while you roamed the wilds? Why are you back in my lane just because you leveled up?”

“I’m running low on resentment points lately. I need to come up with a plan.”

…

On his way down the mountain, Zheng Jian passed a river teeming with fish, large and small. Perhaps the people of Mount Hua were simply kind-hearted—these fish seemed to thrive undisturbed.

With nothing better to do, Zheng Jian mused that he might as well catch a couple to keep. If they died, he could always stew them…

No sooner thought than done. He quickly slipped off his shoes and socks, stepping into the cool, refreshing water. Spotting a fish of moderate size—though he had no idea what kind it was—he simply wanted a bit of fun.

In a flash, years of martial training kicked in. With a sweep of his hand, wrapped in true energy, the fish was caught in an instant—a move as earth-shattering as it was decisive.

“Heh, guess all that Mount Hua training wasn’t for nothing. If I ever fall on hard times, I could always be a fisherman and never starve.”

He carefully gathered the fish and a large orb of river water in his hand, true energy swirling, the fish still able to swim back and forth inside its watery prison.

“Isn’t this just like the legendary Heavenly Net technique of the Ancient Tomb School’s Dragon Maiden?” Zheng Jian thought, rather proud of himself as the water orb stabilized.

Fortunately, Master Yue hadn’t come along; had he seen Zheng Jian employing his hard-earned Zixia True Energy to catch fish, he’d likely have exploded on the spot.

Harnessing his inner strength, Zheng Jian flew down the mountain, the fish in his palm as steady as ever—leaving more than a few passing Mount Hua disciples utterly dumbfounded.

Back in his room, he found a water jar and carefully transferred fish and water together. One look—“Not bad. Lively little thing.”

Zheng Jian was pleased. For the fish, the world hadn’t changed much—just smaller boundaries and still pure river water, wild and fresh.

Suddenly, Ling Shan burst in, all big bright eyes glued to the water jar, already sparkling with excitement.

“Wow! Senior Brother, are you planning to keep a fish?”

“Yes, I’m going to fatten it up and eat it,” Zheng Jian replied casually.

From Ling Shan, he earned a hundred resentment points.

“How could you eat such a cute little fish?” she protested.

“What else should I do? I can’t watch over it every day. I need to train, so I can venture into the world, right wrongs, and become a famed hero!”

Ling Shan gaped at him, dumbstruck, her world crumbling.

Another hundred resentment points.

“My little junior sister is just too gullible… No, too good. Getting points from her is almost too easy,” Zheng Jian mused, delighted. Compared to the shrewd Master Yue, young Ling was as naive as ever—he’d be remiss not to collect a few extra points after gifting her that dagger.

With a sly glint in his eye, Zheng Jian adopted a serious tone. “How about this? I’ll entrust the fish to you. You look after it.”

Ling Shan’s interest was piqued, but she hesitated. “But I don’t know how to keep fish…”

Zheng Jian grinned. “It’s simple. I’ll teach you the secret. Just remember: one, three, five, seven.”

Seeing her confusion, he explained, “Feed it once a day, change the water every three days, clean the jar every five days, and every seven days—switch to a new batch of fish! See? So easy.”

Ling Shan had been listening attentively—until that last part. “Switch to a new batch of fish every seven days?” Her mind went blank.

From Ling Shan, he received six hundred sixty-six resentment points.

“You’re bullying me! I—I’m telling my father!” she finally burst into tears, eyes brimming with unshed tears. She realized she’d been tricked by her unscrupulous senior brother again.

Poor junior sister!

Zheng Jian had expected this and, without looking up, said, “Alright, enough crying. Later, bring your second senior brother and come eat fish. I’ll use extra fennel and less cilantro—don’t forget your bowls and chopsticks.”

Ling Shan immediately stopped, sniffled, and hesitated. Few people knew, but she was well aware: her senior brother’s cooking was not only inherited from Madam Ning, but had even surpassed her in some dishes. That taste…

“Well… alright. For the sake of eating fish, I won’t tattle this time,” she muttered between sniffles.

Just then, Ling Huchong strode in, wine jug in hand. “Senior brother, I heard you caught a fish barehanded and even carried it back in river water?”

Zheng Jian nodded. “Haven’t killed it yet. What brings you here so early?”

“I’ll help you clean the fish! Get it all ready so you can cook,” Ling Huchong offered eagerly.

“What’s there to clean? No need. Think about it, the fish lives in water every day—why does it need cleaning? If you soaked in water every day, would you need a bath?” Zheng Jian reasoned.

Ling Huchong and Ling Shan both stared at him, utterly bewildered, exchanging blank looks.

Senior Brother was truly a genius.

From Ling Shan: two hundred resentment points. From Ling Huchong: three hundred.

Outwardly calm, Zheng Jian was inwardly delighted. The resentment points were rolling in—surely the legendary, perfect junior disciples of Mount Hua!

With enough points saved up for another draw, how could he not be happy? Sometimes he drew duds, but often enough, the prizes were useful and well worth the cost.

That night, after everyone returned to their rooms, Zheng Jian lay in bed and quietly opened the resentment system in his mind. With over a thousand points in his balance, he felt a rush of sudden wealth…

Such is the simple, uneventful daily life on Mount Hua.

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