C16 Fishing Storm

Screams echoed incessantly within the room as Yu Yin furrowed his brow in thought before approaching and knocking on Huajun's door.

Upon recognizing him, Huajun's face registered surprise.

Yu Yin quickly shared his plans to go fishing, his face bright with anticipation. He had spent the previous night restless, the worry of being penniless tossing and turning in his mind.

Huajun gestured for him to wait, disappearing into her room and soon returning with a stack of soft, pale yellow books.

The set included five exquisitely crafted volumes, each as thick as a hand and a foot in width, with pages made of fine silk.

"These are the fish compendiums commissioned by the City Lord for the academy," Huajun explained. "They detail various rare fish species and their prices. From now on, the fish you catch will be sold to the academy based on these standards."

"Take all five books and distribute them among your group, then head straight to the Fish Tower at the far end of the Great Pine Garden to collect your fishing rods."

With the door closed behind him, Yu Yin carried the books back to his room, quickly briefed Dongmen Ai, and then made his way to the end of the Great Pine Garden.

Fifteen compartments stood in a neat row, all constructed of green bricks and tiles. Except for the central room with a door and window, the rest were open-air chambers, with water buckets and fish ponds in plain view.

Above the central room hung a sign reading "Fish Tower." At the entrance, two individuals were deep in conversation.

"Fish Tower," Yu Yin whispered to himself, hesitating briefly before approaching the pair.

One was a burly man with thick brows, a long face, and fierce eyes, while the other was a young man dressed in a student's robe, handsome and refined.

Upon seeing Yu Yin, the young man's smile vanished.

Yu Yin hadn't expected to encounter one of the youths who had mocked him during the registration, prompting him to frown in displeasure.

"Qiu Zhi, what's wrong?" the burly man asked, taken aback by his nephew's sudden change in demeanor.

"I can't stand seeing that repulsive guy," Qiu Zhi remarked.

The burly man's gaze shifted between the two, seeming to grasp the situation. He asked Yu Yin, "What brings you here?"

It felt like the universe was conspiring to give Yu Yin trouble at every turn, leaving him at a loss for words.

"I was sent by the instructor to pick up some fishing gear," he explained.

"Just a poor kid thinking he can strike it rich by fishing. You're living in a fantasy," Qiu Zhi scoffed.

Casting a glance at the burly man, Yu Yin responded coolly, "I'm the steward of the Fish Pavilion. Follow me."

Yu Yin, noting the man's attire wasn't the academy's robe, followed him, puzzled, choosing to ignore Qiu Zhi's taunts.

Qiu Zhi was fuming with rage.

"The Qiu Family runs one of Xuanlong City's three major fish trading companies, the 'Qianqiu Fish Trading Company.' We also head the academy's four major fish pavilions. Kid, do you realize what that signifies?" Qiu Zhi blocked his path.

"So, you're saying the academy is your family's domain?" Yu Yin pushed past him, his tone icy.

Qiu Zhi nearly toppled over, shaking with anger.

"Kid, if we weren't at the academy, I'd take your life right here and now!" The burly man watched the exchange with a detached gaze.

"Heh... I'm quaking in my boots," Yu Yin retorted with a cold laugh.

The burly man inhaled deeply, retrieved a fishing rod and a bucket from inside the room, and tossed them on the ground.

"Take these and scram!"

Yu Yin grabbed the rod and bucket and walked away.

"You've got a long life ahead. I hope it's not cut short."

"I'll be waiting."

"Just don't choke on your food."

The burly man was silent.

"You'd be better off drowning yourself."

"I, Yu Yin, am blessed with good fortune. I won't die even if you do."

Qiu Zhi stood there, dumbfounded, as the two traded insults like fishwives.

"He's quite clever..." the burly man observed, watching Yu Yin walk away.

Qiu Zhi was perplexed.

"When I handed him the fishing rod, he knew I wouldn't dare to act," I explained.

"Why?" Qiu Zhi grew even more baffled.

"A hungry tiger only spares its prey for one reason: fear," the burly man murmured.

"Zhi'er, keep a close eye on this boy and report back to your uncle with any updates," he instructed.

Qiu Zhi nodded, half understanding, and gazed in the direction Yu Yin had gone, lost in thought.

Yu Yin made his way through the courtyard and the pine forest to the outskirts of the back mountain. A cliff towered over ten feet tall at his feet, with the lake below rippling in the wind. Realizing he might have taken a wrong turn, Yu Yin scanned his surroundings.

Following the cliff's edge, he soon reached a lakeside that stood two meters tall. Fishing wasn't Yu Yin's strong suit. He sat down cross-legged, cast his line into the water, and then turned his attention to a fish book, disregarding the rod.

The book categorized fish into four qualities, each with a corresponding price: top grade for 10 copper coins, supreme grade for 30 copper coins, supreme grade for 200 copper coins, and supreme grade for 500 copper coins.

"Are there really only three types of supreme grade fish in this lake?" he whispered to himself.

As the wind stirred the waves and birdsong filled the silent valley, tranquility enveloped the area. As dusk fell, Yu Yin, fishing rod in hand, leaned against the shore and drifted off into a deep sleep.

The sound of footsteps startled him awake. Turning, he saw Huajun approaching with Zhang Ziyue.

"We've been looking all over for you. How's the catch?" Huajun asked cheerfully.

Yu Yin's eyes briefly met Zhang Ziyue's fishing rod and bucket, a flicker of emotion passing through him. Huajun chuckled upon noticing the bone-dry bucket, as if everything suddenly made sense to her.

Surveying the expansive lake, Yu Yin furrowed his brow and said, "Master, I've been sitting here all day and haven't caught a single fish. How will I ever pay my tuition fees?"

"Every time I come here, I easily catch at least one or two fish. Looks like you're not having much luck," Huajun said with a smile, gesturing for Zhang Ziyue to join them.

"Zhang Ziyue's family has its hardships too. Maybe you two should pair up for fishing in the future; it'll keep you from getting bored," she suggested.

"Hello, Brother Yu," Zhang Ziyue greeted, her cheeks flushed.

"I'm actually a year younger than you, so just calling me by my name is fine," Yu Yin replied, looking at her.

Huajun drew a bucket of water from the lake, then took Zhang Ziyue's fishing rod and retrieved a small wooden box from the bucket, opening it.

Upon seeing the writhing mass of disgusting white maggots inside the box, Yu Yin expressed his surprise, "What are these?"

With a slight stiffening of her pretty face, Huajun looked up at him. "What do you use for fishing?" she inquired.

Yu Yin was confused.

Her silent response caused Huajun's mouth to twitch slightly before she abruptly grabbed his fishing rod. Upon seeing the pristine hook, she couldn't help but be amused.

After she explained, Yu Yin was left staring, dumbstruck, at the maggots in the box.

"Yu Yin, you can use them too," Zhang Ziyue offered, her face still red.

"Okay, thanks," he accepted.

"Using the mentor's things to curry favor, you're quite the strategist, aren't you?" Huajun teased with a half-smile.

Zhang Ziyue's face turned as red as blood, her hands nervously rubbing her cheeks.

"Yu Yin, you're welcome to use them, but you'll need to agree to one condition. No deal otherwise!" Huajun said cheerfully.

Yu Yin looked puzzled.

"It's simple. The first fish you catch, regardless of its quality, you'll give it to me. How about that?"

Yu Yin appeared torn. It was money, after all, and even ten copper coins were hard for him to part with.

"Smart kid, remember there's no such thing as a free lunch," she chided.

"Fine, I agree," he conceded.

Zhang Ziyue blinked at his evident reluctance.

As the sky dimmed to a dusky yellow, the three sat side by side, quietly watching for any sign of fish in the lake.

Huajun turned to Yu Yin. "Yu Yin, the mentor has a question for you. Of course, you're free to not answer."

Yu Yin gave her a sidelong glance.

"Could you share the exact measure of your talent?" Huajun inquired.

Zhang Ziyue also turned her head, piqued by curiosity.

Yu Yin remained silent. His time at the weapon shop had taught him the value of discretion; he was hesitant to disclose his full capabilities.

"Is it over 80?"

Silence...

"Perhaps 70?"

Still, silence prevailed.

Noticing his reticence, a flicker of disappointment crossed Huajun's eyes. A talent below 70 was exceedingly common at the academy, and she deemed it unnecessary to probe further.

"Master, may I ask what your talent is?" he queried.

"Mine? 78 Heart Strength."

"Is that considered high?"

"You cheeky fellow, the master's talent ranked in the top 20 of the previous cohort. What do you think?" Huajun retorted with a glare.

"Has anyone ever had a talent of 100?" Yu Yin asked, a spark of interest in his eyes.

Huajun was inwardly startled; her keen perception didn't miss the gleam in Yu Yin's eyes. His question seemed to betray more than he intended.

"A full talent?" Though taken aback, she maintained her composure.

Just then, Yu Yin's fishing rod dipped sharply. "We've got a bite!" he exclaimed, instinctively pulling hard.

"Wait! Hold on!" Huajun cautioned, snatching the rod from him.

Yu Yin was taken aback.

"Fishing isn't about sheer strength, you silly boy. Watch and learn."

With a graceful arc, Huajun flicked the rod, and in a fluid motion, a foot-long silver fish was flung onto the shore.

"Heh, seems the mentor's luck is on point today," Huajun remarked, her eyes gleaming at the sight of the fish.

Eagerly consulting a fish guide and making comparisons, Yu Yin was astounded.

"Incredible! A top-grade fish. You know, the mentor has only caught a handful of these in the last five years," Huajun said with a mischievous grin, watching him.

"Yu Yin, you're incredible," Zhang Ziyue said, her face alight with envy.

As Yu Yin watched Huajun place the fish into Zhang Ziyue's wooden bucket, his heart ached.