Chapter 175: The Master Angler
By the shores of the Lake of Life, the sun was setting.
Golden afterglow spilled across the emerald-green surface of the lake, dyeing the entire body of water a vibrant orange-red.
Bathed in the light of the setting sun, wisps of thick mist drifted like sheer veils, creating a scene of dreamlike, ethereal beauty.
In the distance, the ancient forest stood silhouetted against the light; the occasional cry of a bird returning to its nest only served to heighten the sense of tranquility.
Jiang Li’er sat by the lakeside.
She propped her right cheek in her hand while clutching a fishing rod in her left.
Her long golden hair fluttered gently in the breeze, a few playful strands brushing lightly against her cheek.
Her crimson eyes—those striking, ruby-red orbs—were currently fixed unblinkingly upon the bobber floating on the water’s surface, her gaze intense and utterly focused.
It’s been so long—why hasn’t a single fish taken the bait yet?!
She grumbled silently to herself.
Why is fishing so difficult?
Can’t these fish be a little more proactive and actually bite the hook?
Don’t make me take matters into my own hands!
Jiang Li’er’s patience was slowly but surely wearing thin.
What she didn’t realize was that, at that very moment, the silver-scaled fish beneath the water were swimming about in leisurely fashion.
Occasionally, they would cast a glance at the utterly unremarkable fishhook, then—finding it completely uninteresting—they would flick their tails and swim off in another direction.
The hook itself was completely bare.
Yes...
Jiang Li’er had forgotten to put any bait on it.
Another quarter of an hour passed.
The bobber remained utterly motionless.
Jiang Li’er could take it no longer!
Staring at the bobber—which showed not the slightest sign of movement—she flew into a rage and slammed her fishing rod onto the ground!
"You useless piece of junk!"
The fishing rod lay there pitifully on the grass, innocently bearing the brunt of its owner’s wrath.
Jiang Li’er rose to her feet and glared fiercely at the emerald-green waters of the lake.
A dangerous glint flickered within her crimson eyes.
She raised her right hand.
From her fingertips, she first drew forth a wisp of golden Soul Power.
The Soul Power swirled slowly within her palm, resembling a miniature vortex. She focused her mind, compressing the Soul Power and twisting it at high velocity.
The tiny specks of light gathered ever more densely, gradually coalescing from a hazy glow into a rapidly spinning ball of energy.
The energy ball whirled furiously in her palm, emitting a low, humming drone; the surrounding air was churned so violently that it seemed to twist and warp.
Spotting a dense school of fish clustered beneath the surface, Jiang Li’er gave a sharp flick of her wrist!
With a piercing shriek as it tore through the air, the golden energy ball—resembling a shooting star—slammed violently into the water!
"BOOM—!!!"
A dull, thunderous roar!
The energy ball exploded with shattering force beneath the water!
A violent shockwave of soul energy instantly overturned the surrounding lake water! Spray surged skyward, transforming into countless glistening droplets as it caught the light of the setting sun.
As the spray settled, the lake’s surface gradually returned to calm.
However, the water was now blanketed with the pale, upturned bodies of fish.
The Silver-Scaled Fish floated belly-up on the surface, motionless and still.
In their vacant eyes, there seemed to be a silent accusation: Have a conscience when you do things... have a conscience...!!
Gazing at the lake teeming with floating fish, Jiang Li’er broke into a satisfied smile.
She clapped her hands together, beaming with triumph: "Hehe—that’s my style!"
"I really am a little fishing prodigy!"
She found two large leaves, washed them clean in the lake water, and began gathering her catch.
One... two... three...
She picked up the plump, Silver-Scaled Fish one by one, placing them onto the leaves. With every fish she gathered, the smile on her face grew a little wider.
By the time she finished, the two leaves were piled high—holding at least a dozen fish, if not more.
Cradling her haul, Jiang Li’er walked over to a flat rock by the lakeside and began cleaning the fish.
Scaling, gutting, rinsing the entrails...
Her movements were practiced and fluid; clearly, this was not her first time performing such a task.
Just as she finished cleaning the last of the fish, Jiang Bai returned. He emerged from the woods and, upon seeing the shimmering pile of silver fish lying before Jiang Li’er, paused in slight astonishment: "Did you catch these?"
Jiang Li’er tilted her chin up proudly: "Of course! I happen to be a master angler!"
Jiang Bai walked over to the lakeside, glanced at the fish on the ground, then cast a look at the few stragglers still floating on the water’s surface; the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
He could more or less guess what had happened.
But he chose not to call her out on it.
He simply smiled, sat down beside Jiang Li’er, and began to build a fire.
...
The bonfire blazed to life, its orange-red flames licking at the fish as they sizzled and crackled.
The flesh gradually turned a golden-brown, and as droplets of fat dripped onto the glowing embers, they released wafts of savory aroma into the air.
Jiang Li’er sat beside the fire, hugging her knees to her chest, her eyes sparkling brightly as she gazed at the roasting fish.
"Jiang Bai."
"Mm?"
"How were the Soul Beasts Uncle Di Tian found?"
Turning the fish over as they roasted, Jiang Bai nodded: "They were quite good."
He paused for a moment, then added: "Four of them agreed to stay—all of them possess cultivation levels exceeding ninety thousand years. Once they’ve fully recovered from their injuries within the tower and broken through the one-hundred-thousand-year threshold, you’ll be able to absorb them."
Jiang Li’er’s eyes lit up: "Four? I thought you said there were only three?"
Jiang Bai smiled: "There’s an extra one—just keeping it in reserve."
He flipped another fish over and continued: "What’s more, among them is a Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear, as well as a Golden Earth Dragon."
Jiang Li’er froze in astonishment, then immediately her eyes widened in sheer delight! "Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear?!"
Her voice rose several pitches: "That is a being possessed of ultimate offensive power! Their dreadclaws can rend anything apart—they are said to be utterly indestructible! Even a defensive-type Soul Beast of the same rank couldn’t withstand a single strike from a Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear!"
Jiang Bai nodded: "That’s right."
"And the Golden Earth Dragon," Jiang Li’er continued, "that is the king among Earth Dragons, possessing a bloodline nearly akin to a true Dragon! Its strength, defense, and vitality are all top-tier!"
Jiang Bai said, "Once they break through to the 100,000-year cultivation level, they will serve as your eighth and ninth Soul Rings. At that point, your combat prowess as a Titled Douluo will be absolutely off the charts!"
Watching her look of sheer excitement, Jiang Bai couldn’t help but smile: "So, cultivate diligently and wait for them to achieve their breakthrough."
Jiang Li’er nodded vigorously, her golden cowlick bobbing along with the motion: "Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!"
She accepted the roasted fish Jiang Bai handed her, blew on it to cool it down, and took a cautious bite.
The fish meat was tender and juicy, carrying a faint, natural sweetness. Its rich aroma burst forth within her mouth, compelling her to close her eyes and savor the flavor with deep appreciation.
"It’s delicious!"
Jiang Li’er’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she began to devour the fish in large, hearty bites.
Watching her look of utter contentment, Jiang Bai smiled, then picked up a roasted fish of his own and began to eat as well.
The setting sun dipped low in the west, casting a golden light across the lake’s surface. Intertwining with the water’s emerald depths, the light shimmered and rippled, creating layers of ethereal, dreamlike halos.
And so, the two of them sat there before the campfire—side by side, eating their roasted fish—without exchanging a single word.
Yet, the unspoken rapport and warmth shared between them were more moving than any words could ever be.
...
A few days later.
Inside the Tower World.
The four Soul Beasts were currently experiencing the greatest miracle of their lives.
Accelerated by the effects of the Nine-Colored Glazed Pagoda, and bolstered by the pure essence of heaven and earth continuously channeled by the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, their recovery speed was nothing short of astonishing.
Wounds that would have otherwise taken decades—or even centuries—to heal were now closing up at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Their damaged Life Origins, too, were being ceaselessly repaired and replenished. What shocked them even more was that their cultivation levels were also rising at a rapid pace!
Their cultivation—originally spanning over ninety thousand years—broke through the ninety-five-thousand-year mark, then ninety-eight thousand, and ninety-nine thousand... all within the span of just a few days.
And then...
"Boom—!"
The Golden Earth Dragon was the first to break through—or rather, the first to return to its former realm.
One hundred thousand years!
That realm it had once lost—that level from which it had fallen—had returned just like that, without a single warning sign?!
There was no Heavenly Tribulation.
No thunder.
Nothing at all.
It simply broke through, as naturally as breathing.
The Golden Earth Dragon stood frozen in astonishment.
It raised its head, gazing up at the nine-colored, flowing skies within the tower, its eyes filled with utter disbelief.
Where was the Heavenly Tribulation?
Where had it gone?
Immediately afterward, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear broke through as well.
It, too, reached the one-hundred-thousand-year mark.
And likewise, there was no Heavenly Tribulation.
Then came the Scarlet Flame Demon Tiger.
Followed by the Golden-Feathered Splitting Eagle.
All four Soul Beasts had successfully broken through to the one-hundred-thousand-year realm!
They exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with a mixture of shock and utter bewilderment.
Then, in perfect unison, their thoughts turned to that young man clad in white.
So that was what he had meant when he said he would "handle the Heavenly Tribulation" for them.
He wasn’t going to help them withstand the tribulation; rather... he was going to make it so there was no tribulation at all?!
A massive question mark simultaneously arose in the minds of the four Soul Beasts: Just how powerful... was this human?
Powerful enough to bypass even the Heavenly Tribulation?!
They had lived for tens of thousands of years, yet they had never heard of such a thing.
But the reality lay right before their eyes.
They had no choice but to believe it.
At the same time, whatever lingering traces of reluctance or resistance they had harbored in their hearts completely vanished into thin air.
To cultivate within this human’s world—free from the threat of the Heavenly Tribulation, and able to bask in such incredibly dense ambient energy—was a stroke of fortune beyond their wildest dreams.
Sacrifice?
So be it; let there be a sacrifice.
After all, having lived for tens of thousands of years, they had lived long enough.
Moreover, the recipient of their sacrifice was the Auspicious Beast.
Although she had taken on a human form, she was, at the very least, one of their own.
...