The Dayu River system stretches for millions of miles, nurturing countless living beings.
As its tributary, the Qing River also generously nourishes the land, providing vital water sources for Yunshui County and other nearby towns. Within the river depths lie numerous treasures, spiritual materials, and opportunities.
However, the vast waters are extremely dangerous, harboring not only precious fish but potentially demonic creatures. Ordinary fishermen can't venture there, and even martial artists find their movements severely restricted underwater, making treasure hunting difficult.
But Li Pingcan currently had no such worries—he was as comfortable as a fish in water!
A single Blood Qi Species salamander carp was worth twenty-five taels of silver. As for actual treasures, they started at a minimum of one hundred taels. To him, this was an entirely untapped natural treasury!
"Although these are just Blood Qi Species algae, individually they're not as valuable as precious plants, but there's just so many of them here."
After careful observation, he became certain.
Plants generally require photosynthesis, yet this algae grew three feet long in the dark river depths—clearly "abnormal." Only Blood Qi medicinal herbs could take root at the bottom of a great river without needing leaves for photosynthesis.
Li Pingcan grew excited. A quick count showed about ten plants, worth one to two hundred taels in total.
Yet he remained motionless.
Invisible water currents pulsed, waves of pushing force continuously emanating from the depths.
Fuzzy light refracted through bubbles violently forming and rising.
Something was approaching!
Li Pingcan hid within a crevice of the reef, avoiding turbulent currents as his fish eyes stared intently outward.
In his vision, a fish came sneaking along. Its scales were reddish-brown, vividly colored, about a foot long—clearly not large, yet it carried a wildly thrashing green-shelled crab in its mouth. The size difference between them was astonishing.
This was a treasure fish!
Li Pingcan was secretly amazed. He hadn't expected to encounter a treasure fish so soon after entering the Qing River. Here, even Blood Qi Species were just food.
The reddish-brown fish swam left and right, ensuring no "observers" were present before dropping the crab into a patch of red algae, then swimming away.
"What's it doing?" Li Pingcan wondered.
An idea struck him, and he stealthily followed the fish. Within its territory were seven or eight red algae plants—completely overrun by green-shelled crabs.
The crabs wantonly destroyed the algae while the red fish frantically transported them batch by batch to another algae patch.
"Could the red fish have planted these algae itself?"
"Is it redirecting the problem? By moving the crabs to ruin someone else's algae field, its own remains safe?!"
Li Pingcan was dumbfounded, reminded of damselfish known as "farmers of the sea" in his past life.
Seizing an opportunity, he transformed into a crucian carp and approached: "Brother, I can help you move these crabs—"
Before he could finish, the red fish flared its fins angrily, shouting rudely: "Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!"
This treasure fish's intelligence seemed limited, hence the repetitive response.
But was saying it three times really necessary?!
As a Druid, when had he ever suffered such insult? By rights, he should kill the fish to vent his anger. But realistically, [Water Manipulation] excelled at control and could make fish swim faster, yet couldn't form water blades strong enough for instant kills.
Underwater, both Druid skills and martial artists' mobility were severely limited.
If he transformed back human, using Oak Stick Technique to pierce with branches might kill the reddish fish after a struggle, but the commotion would be too great.
Instead, he had a better plan.
Back at the original red algae field, a more vibrantly colored fish with golden tail fins returned to its territory. Furious, it picked up a crab and bit down—instantly splitting the crab in two, strands of crab roe floating out.
Such terrifying teeth! Even a Blood Qi martial artist's bones would be pierced by that bite.
Keeping his distance, Li Pingcan used [Animal Speech]: "Brother, I know who's been dumping crabs in your field."
He repeated the message concisely, appearing helpful while staying alert to react accordingly.
The golden-tailed fish gradually understood, its initial wariness turning to gratitude: "Thanks, bro!"
Then its fish eyes glared toward its neighbor's direction, seething: "Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Though not highly intelligent, this golden-tailed fish was clearly friendlier than the previous one!
"I can't stand fish that redirect trouble onto others! Let me help—I'll show you the way!"
Li Pingcan quickly curried favor. A communicative treasure fish was valuable; he'd firmly be this bro's ally.
The two fish swam forward and immediately encountered the "troublemaker" red fish—caught red-handed with a crab in its mouth.
Seeing its enemy, the golden-tailed fish attacked instantly, its sharp teeth aiming viciously.
But as neighbors, their combat abilities were evenly matched. The red fish easily dodged with a tail flick, fanning its fins arrogantly in mockery.
Li Pingcan struck suddenly. [Water Manipulation] summoned undercurrents from all directions, trapping the red fish momentarily no matter how it struggled!
The golden-tailed fish charged forward as the currents reduced drag, arriving instantly to bite hard at the red fish's soft belly.
Blood dispersed instantly, scales scattering.
Enraged by pain, the red fish broke free from one current and prepared to counterattack—only to be pinned down by another surge.
The golden-tailed fish pounced again, this time aiming for the head!
"Eat some red algae..."
"I grew it all myself—crunchy and delicious..."
The golden-tailed fish swam around Li Pingcan repeatedly, expressing gratitude in fragments.
"No need for thanks, we're bros."
Li Pingcan floated leisurely. With this fish, he didn't need to tread carefully like with White Lady, nor perform soliloquies like with Grandpa Peach Tree.
Listening to its chatter, he felt unusually relaxed.
Moreover, this trip brought bountiful rewards—not just the treasure fish corpse and seven or eight Blood Qi red algae, but also a lake pearl discovered in the nest!
Li Pingcan recognized it—a Cold Water Pearl. Placed during cultivation, it reduced risks of qi deviation, highly sought after by martial artists and constantly in short supply.
"I'll place it in the training room—good for both dad and older brother."
As he planned this, he enthusiastically slung a fin over the golden-tailed fish: "Little Gold, do you grow these algae just to eat?"
If he could learn this cultivation technique, he might not need to sell all the algae.
But Little Gold paused, then shook its head.
"Not... not all. The ceremony is coming... offering for Dragon Immortal..."