Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

Chapter 179 - 131: Just Call Me Xu Haolong

The sunset hung low.

The leaping fish disturbed the water, creating ripples, even making the golden-red sunset seem fragmented.

The lake breeze blew, the reeds on the shore bent in unison, and a fishing boat emerged from the reeds, docking at the shore.

Along the extended lake shore, many buyers were eagerly waiting for the catch this boat would bring back today.

This lake was named Jade Ring Lake, covering a vast area that stretched beyond the eye’s reach. From a distance, there seemed to be a mist hovering over the lake’s center, possibly even undulating mountains, shrouding the lake in a veil of mystery.

People nearby all knew that behind the faintly visible mist and mountains was the unreachable abode of the Immortals.

Legend has it that at the center of Jade Ring Lake lies another lake within the lake, a true celestial pool called Jade Ring Pool. Ordinary people who are fortunate enough to taste a sip of its water can extend their life by decades. Compared to the rare spiritual fish within Jade Ring Lake, this is the true celestial treasure.

Fifty-four years ago, this lake was bustling with countless small boats and innumerable Immortals coming and going, making it quite lively.

But since fifty-four years ago, the number of small boats on this lake has drastically decreased, and no Immortals have visited here. Even the fishing boats on Jade Ring Lake would mysteriously disappear, and then reappear empty and docked at the shore the next day.

Initially, people thought those who disappeared had entered the Immortal Sect at the lake’s center, but growing rumors made people realize that this vast lake filled with spiritual energy might not be as simple as it seemed.

"Mr. Yu! Xiaoyu! What fish did you catch today?"

Among the buyers, a sturdy young man shouted at the old man and the girl who had just come ashore.

Mr. Yu and Xiaoyu were a grandfather and granddaughter pair who had been fishing in Jade Ring Lake for generations. While other fishing boats have mysteriously disappeared in the lake, only the Yu Family’s boat remains steadfast.

There were those envious who had once taken the Yu Family’s boat out to fish but couldn’t escape their fate of disappearing, making people gradually believe Mr. Yu was the lake’s chosen fisherman by the Immortal Sect.

"Mr. Lin! Sturgeon, pufferfish, and rouge fish, whatever you want!"

Xiaoyu said with a bright smile as she helped her grandfather with the fish basket.

"Wow, that’s great!" The buyers all exclaimed in admiration.

The restaurants in the cities near Jade Ring Lake all used Jade Ring Lake’s spiritual fish as their signature dishes. The Yu Family’s fishing boat, which never had any incidents, naturally became the sole supplier for all the nearby restaurants. Every time this grandfather and granddaughter returned with a catch, each restaurant would send a representative to purchase spiritual fish at high prices.

The grandfather and granddaughter laid out the dazzling array of fresh fish on the shore, and each representative started to outbid one another.

Clearly mortals, yet they weren’t competing with earthly gold and silver, but with items from the Immortal Family.

Mr. Yu sold fish not for silver coins but for Immortal items. People believed he was doing this to send his young granddaughter to the Immortal Sect and advised him to give up. With his fishing skills, he could easily become a wealthy man known within a hundred miles, and Xiaoyu could live a carefree life, almost like that of an Immortal.

Yet Mr. Yu stubbornly held onto his beliefs, ignoring the wealth of a cartload, welcoming broken talismans and broken swords instead without hesitation.

Soon, all these valuable spiritual fishes were sold out, and most of the gathered buyers left satisfied.

As he was leaving, Mr. Lin quietly slipped a few silver coins into Xiaoyu’s hand and advised:

"Xiaoyu, try persuading your grandfather. Instead of exchanging for these useless scraps, it’s better to find a good family for you to marry into."

Xiaoyu didn’t reply, simply returning the money and waving goodbye to Mr. Lin.

Standing tall and graceful, Xiaoyu had fine skin, tanned to a healthy wheat color from years of fishing. Now holding a pile of scrap metal exchanged for the fish, she furrowed her delicate brows and murmured:

"Grandfather, is relying on these things really useful?"

Mr. Yu took a puff on his pipe, his cloudy eyes gazing somewhere unfathomable, and said wistfully:

"We always have to try. Let’s go back."

"Oh..."

Reluctantly, Xiaoyu responded, ready to follow her grandfather back to the boat cabin.

"Old man, young miss, are you still selling fish?"

A clear voice called out, halting the grandfather and granddaughter.

A young man, not much older than a teenager, dressed in a simple black robe with a long sword in a black sheath at his waist. His hair was somewhat disheveled, and his demeanour bore traces of travel.

Xiaoyu, for some reason, felt a jolt in her heart. In her days spent constantly with the lake, it was her first time seeing such a young man as steadfast as a pine tree, yet as dark as ink.

"We still have a pufferfish, would you like it?" Xiaoyu said, somewhat dazed.

"That’s our dinner!" Mr. Yu, flicking the ash from his pipe, glared at his granddaughter, then glanced at the suddenly appearing young man, saying, "You better leave, sir. Today’s fish is already sold out; come early tomorrow if you’d like to buy more."

"Then I won’t buy fish, just ask for a bowl of fish soup. I’m an outsider, drawn by the fame, and I just want to taste a sip of the fresh fish soup from Jade Ring Lake. I hope the old man can make it happen."

You Su said as he took out three Spirit Stones, dense with Spiritual Qi, from his pocket.

Seeing these three Spirit Stones, Xiaoyu’s eyes immediately lit up with a strange gleam, and even the usually impatient Mr. Yu was slightly taken aback.

"Sure! Sure! Grandfather’s fish soup is the best! Sir, please come aboard!"

Xiaoyu hurriedly set down the scrap she was carrying and laid a plank for You Su, afraid this "big fish" might escape.

Seeing his granddaughter’s enthusiastic demeanor, Mr. Yu could only take another draw from his pipe and said wistfully:

"Come aboard."

...

The fishing boat wasn’t large, but the cabin was well-equipped, filled with the pungent scent of fish upon entering.

Mr. Yu was at the bow preparing dinner, the cooking smoke lightly drifting upward.

You Su sat on a fixed bench, accepting the hot tea the girl handed him, and softly thanked her.

Xiaoyu, for some reason, felt a bit flushed, sitting opposite You Su. She kept stealing glances at this handsome young man out of the corner of her eye.

"Where are you from, sir?"

"I come from Chuyun City," You Su replied with a smile.

"Chuyun City? That’s far away," Xiaoyu contemplated for a moment, then exclaimed.

"Does the young miss know of Chuyun City?"

You Su was also somewhat surprised; Chuyun City wasn’t particularly famous among the thousands of cities in Zhongyuan Continent.

"Don’t call me young miss. I don’t think you’re much older. Just call me Xiaoyu," Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue, continuing, "Were you thinking, ’How could a black-haired fishing girl like me know of such a distant city’?"

"Honestly, I didn’t have such thoughts. Rather, I’m astonished by Xiaoyu’s knowledge."

Xiaoyu smiled shyly: "It’s nothing. My father used to show me maps of the Zhongyuan Continent often. I’ve always wanted to leave Jade Ring Lake and travel, so I remember places far and wide very clearly."

"Xiaoyu is amazing," You Su sincerely praised.

"By the way, what’s your name, sir?"

You Su paused in thought, then smiled and said:

"Just call me Xu Haolong."