Chapter 93 : Chapter 93
Chapter 93. The Treasure Fish Disturbance
Azure Dragon Lake lay in the central valley encircled by several medicinal fields. Its surface was broad and clear as jade, reflecting the surrounding emerald mountains and the drifting clouds overhead.
Unknown water plants grew along the lakeshore, dotted with tiny wildflowers. When the breeze swept past, it carried the damp freshness of grass and trees mixed with a faint fishy scent from the water. It truly was a place of spiritual beauty.
At this moment, more than a dozen people had already gathered by the lake. Most were martial artists and herb farmers from Field Ding, all pointing at a large wooden bucket filled with water on the ground, their faces full of amazement.
When Xu Yuan and Tian Yang arrived, the crowd quickly made way for them.
The bucket was half full of clear water. Inside it, two large carp with scales faintly gleaming with a pale golden sheen swam restlessly.
Each one weighed at least four or five jin, and as their gills opened and closed, even the currents they drew in and expelled carried a trace of almost imperceptible spiritual energy fluctuations.
“Sir, look at the size of these things!”
The moment one of the young martial artists saw him approach, he excitedly said, “We just hauled them up with a specially made fishing net. They were really strong!”
A chorus of agreement and exclamations immediately rose from the surroundings.
To these martial artists, most of whom were only at the First or Second Meridian, as well as to the ordinary herb farmers, treasure fish at the Three Transformation realm were already rare and valuable prizes.
Whether used for their own consumption or exchanged for cultivation resources, they would both be a considerable help.
Xu Yuan stepped closer to take a look. The fishes’ bodies were plump, and the sheen flowing across their scales clearly marked them as far from ordinary specimens.
Still, for him, the qi and blood contained in these two Three Transformation treasure fish only amounted to a somewhat larger multiple of ordinary Three Transformation treasure meat. Better than nothing, but mainly just interesting as a novelty.
“Not bad. Being able to catch them, you deserve the greatest credit…”
Xu Yuan nodded and was just about to arrange how they would be distributed when a burst of hurried footsteps and a somewhat sharp female voice sounded from the distance.
“Stop! Put those two fish down!”
Everyone turned toward the voice.
They saw a group of five or six people striding quickly toward them.
At the head of the group was a tall woman who looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight.
Her skin was fair as snow, her features beautiful, and especially striking were her eyes, the corners of which tilted slightly upward, carrying a natural hint of seduction along with undisguised arrogance.
She wore a fitted black dress that clung tightly to her full, rounded curves, as though they might burst free at any moment.
Five horizontal stripes on her shoulder were especially eye-catching, showing clearly that she too was a Five Meridian Chief Guard.
The four martial artists following behind her all had formidable auras. One of them in particular, a middle-aged man walking beside her, had sharp eyes and was also at the Fourth Meridian.
“That’s the Chief Guard of Field Gengzi, Yang Caiyu.”
Seeing the questioning look Xu Yuan cast over, Tian Yang lowered his voice and explained,
“They say her background is no small matter, and she’s occupied her position in these medicinal fields for two full years. Her temperament… is also rather overbearing.”
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes. The newcomers clearly meant trouble.
Yang Caiyu strode up to them, first sweeping her gaze coldly across the onlookers. It paused especially on the faces of a few young herb farmers who could not help sneaking glances at her. She immediately barked sternly,
“What are you looking at? Look again and I’ll gouge your eyeballs out!”
At the sound of her voice, those few men were so frightened that they hurriedly lowered their heads.
Only then did she shift her gaze toward the treasure fish in the bucket, a trace of determination flashing through her eyes. She raised her chin and called out toward Xu Yuan’s side,
“These treasure fish were discovered first by the herb farmers of my Field Geng. They only went back to fetch a net, and in that brief moment you people took advantage and picked up the spoils. Now return them to their rightful owner.”
Before Xu Yuan could speak, an inconspicuous middle-aged martial artist nearby suddenly stepped half a pace forward. He cupped his hands toward Yang Caiyu and respectfully said,
“What Chief Guard Yang says is correct. I… just now saw it with my own eyes. It truly was the brothers from Field Geng who first noticed the traces of this school of fish.”
The moment he said this, many on Field Ding’s side had their expressions change.
Tian Yang’s brows furrowed tightly, and the way he looked at that man carried obvious anger.
Xu Yuan’s eyes turned cold, yet he merely glanced at Gao Xiaosong beside him. Seeing Gao Xiaosong’s calm expression and the slight upward curl at the corner of his mouth, Xu Yuan immediately understood.
Azure Dragon Lake was closest to Field Ding. Even if the people from Field Geng had discovered the fish first, there was no way Yang Caiyu could have rushed over this quickly after the news was sent back.
Most likely, Gao Xiaosong had secretly sent someone to tip them off. He might even have personally passed the message himself.
The bastard did not dare openly defy Xu Yuan, so instead he resorted to this underhanded trick, hoping to use Yang Caiyu’s hand to make Xu Yuan lose face?
The arrogance on Yang Caiyu’s face deepened. She cast Xu Yuan a glance, as though only now noticing him, and said blandly,
“So you’re Xu Yuan, the newly arrived Chief Guard of Field Ding?”
“I heard you only broke through to the Fifth Meridian not long ago. Young man, your luck is not bad. But what belongs to the rightful owner should return to the rightful owner.”
“These two treasure fish—I have a younger female cousin whose birthday is coming up in a few days, and I happen to be lacking a distinctive gift. These will do perfectly.”
Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if the treasure fish were already in her pocket.
Xu Yuan sneered inwardly, but his expression remained calm as he said,
“Chief Guard Yang says the fish were first discovered by Field Geng. Do you have any proof?”
“Besides, Azure Dragon Lake is a public body of water. Its produce has always belonged to whoever catches it. For Chief Guard Yang to open her mouth and demand to take them away—surely that does not accord with the rules.”
“The rules?”
Yang Caiyu gave a mocking laugh, her gaze shifting with disdain.
“In these medicinal fields, other than Lord Chief Overseer, my word is one of the rules. Chief Guard Xu has only just arrived, so perhaps there are some things you still do not understand.”
She clearly did not think much of Xu Yuan, this newly advanced Fifth Meridian martial artist.
Xu Yuan immediately smiled. What an overbearing, tyrannical woman.
“Why should two Chief Guards quarrel over such a trivial matter?”
At that moment, Gao Xiaosong’s eyes shifted, and he suddenly cut in,
“Since both sides value this item so highly, then according to the custom of us martial artists, why not… decide ownership by martial skill? The winner takes it. That would be fair.”
As he spoke, his gaze moved back and forth between Xu Yuan and Yang Caiyu, carrying a faintly provocative intent.
When Xu Yuan heard this, he almost laughed out loud.
Gao Xiaosong was clearly trying to watch him and Yang Caiyu fight. No matter who won or lost, Gao Xiaosong would get a fine show out of it and might even profit from the situation.
Xu Yuan was not afraid of anyone, but neither did he want to become someone else’s weapon.
“Guard Gao’s words are mistaken.”
Xu Yuan shook his head and suddenly spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly into every person’s ears.
“Chief Guard Yang and I both bear the heavy responsibility of defending our respective fields. How can we easily resort to fighting? If either of us were injured and the proper business were delayed because of it, no one could bear that responsibility.”
Then he shifted his tone and looked at Yang Caiyu.
“However, Guard Gao’s suggestion of deciding ownership by martial skill is not without merit as a solution.”
“I had originally intended to share these fish among the brothers under me anyway, so why not let the men below us handle it and have the brothers from Field Geng exchange pointers with them? We stop at the right moment. That way we settle superiority and inferiority, and add a bit of excitement besides. What does Chief Guard Yang think?”
Yang Caiyu frowned. She took Xu Yuan’s refusal to fight personally as a sign of cowardice, and the contempt in her heart deepened.
But since he had already put it that way, if she still insisted on personally making a move, it would instead make her seem too aggressive and lacking in magnanimity.
She had considerable confidence in the Fourth Meridian Field Guard under her command, so she immediately gave a cold snort and said,
“Very well. Then let the people below us have some fun first. But if you lose, don’t regret it!”
Xu Yuan smiled faintly, then turned his gaze toward Gao Xiaosong. His voice suddenly rose several degrees, carrying an unquestionable authority.
“Guard Gao, since you proposed this martial contest, then you shall represent my Field Ding in battle. If we win these fish, you will deserve the greatest credit, and naturally your share in the distribution will not be lacking.”
Me? Fight?
The moment he heard that, Gao Xiaosong’s face froze instantly.
His original intention had been to fan the flames. How could he have expected Xu Yuan to flip the situation around and throw him directly onto the fire?
Under the gaze of so many eyes, and especially as he felt the hidden expectation and pressure in the suddenly focused stares of his colleagues behind him, he instantly found himself riding a tiger and unable to get off.
…