Chapter 12

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Guo Li took up a good position. As he had not tried fishing like this in a long time, his skills were quite rusty. The first time he tried reeling in the net, all of the fish escaped.

He glanced at the system interface to check on the progress of unlocking the third skill. There was still a little bit of experience needed before he could unlock this new skill. Guo Li spent some time thinking before putting aside the net in his hand. He decided to pull out some of the nearby aquatic plants first to earn some experience points.

After placing the net back on the shore, Guo Li started to pull out the aquatic plants. As most of the plants were algae, he only needed to pull them out with his hands. Occasionally, there would be some plants with roots that needed a few strong tugs before they were successfully pulled out.

He lowered his head and worked hard on pulling out the aquatic plants. Soon enough, Guo Li was sweating profusely. When he was thirsty, he would ask Wukong to fetch some sweet mountain spring water. When he was tired, he would sit on the shore and rest for a while. From time to time, he would spot some fishes swimming in the depths of the lake.

Under the scorching heat, Guo Li finally unlocked the new skill [Congregate] after working hard for two hours.

[Note: The Congregate skill draws the fish in the lake together. While it is in effect, it is also easier to discover large groups of fish!]

After reading the system’s description, Guo Li’s eyes lit up. This function was awesome. When he started fishing later, he would be able to use this powerful buff!

He turned his head and looked at the pile of aquatic plants by the shore. There was already a small hill of them. These aquatic plants could also be sold to the players who needed them in the future. After all, if they purchased the golden carp from Guo Li, they would need to improve the golden carp’s living environment. To that end, the aquatic plants from Guo Li’s lake were treasures that they had to buy. Without these aquatic plants, the golden carps they bought would not be able to survive for a long time due to the effect of having changed their living environment.

After unlocking the new ability, Guo Li was eager to give net fishing another go. He picked up the fishing net by the shore and got down to work again.

As Guo Li had been pulling out aquatic plants left and right, the nearby fish had all been frightened away by him. After walking around the lake for a while, Guo Li found a new spot and waded in to fish.

After casting the net, he walked along the bottom of the shallow edge of the lake for a while before suddenly lifting up the net. This way, he could prevent the fish from escaping the net.

After picking up the net, Guo Li was beaming with joy. There were a few loaches twisting about in the net. Each of them was as thick as a thumb and as long as a palm.

“Good lord, there are loaches in the lake!”

Guo Li smiled and brought the net and the loaches ashore. He shouted for Wukong, “Go and bring over the few containers and jars that we accidentally fished up yesterday.”

Wu Kong ran over to the place where they were stored and soon brought them over.

Guo Li filled the containers with water from the lake and placed all the loaches that were caught inside the containers. He then turned around and went back to fishing.

Loaches were very delicious, and were usually prepared either by building them into soup or stir-frying them with chili. Guo Li did not have the equipment required to stir-fry yet, but it would not be a problem to boil some fish soup.

After casting the net a second time, more than ten fat loaches were fished up. He then went back ashore and put them in the containers before continuing to fish.

Wukong squatted next to the containers and teased the loaches swimming in the pot, making happy noises from time to time.

Thanks to the mud at the bottom of the lake, after a few rounds of loaches were fished up, the net was damaged and nearly broke. Suddenly, when he pulled up the net, Guo Li received a surprise.

[Ding! Treasure-seeking loach obtained!]

[Note: The treasure-seeking loach can search for treasures hidden underwater!]

Reading this, Guo Li raised his eyebrows. Treasure-seeking loach? It could search for treasures hidden underwater?

“This is a rare find!”

While muttering to himself, Guo Li looked down at the loaches caught in the net. One particular loach happened to be golden, and golden scales could even be seen covering the surface of its body.

This loach was the treasure-seeking loach that the system had mentioned earlier. Its appearance was indeed extraordinary and, just like the thousand-year-old turtle, it had to be tamed.

During the taming process, the treasure-seeking loach needed to be fed some mud clams and water insects.

Guo Li hurriedly placed the treasure-seeking loach in a container. When he had been fishing earlier, he had indeed caught many such water insects, but Guo Li had thrown them all away. As such, he had to try and catch some again.

Looking at the damaged fishing net, Guo Li could only pray that the net would not break at this time. He still had to rely on it to catch the water insects.

This time, he proceeded very carefully; afraid that the net would break. After a few rounds of fishing, he managed to catch a number of water insects and placed them all in the treasure-seeking loach’s container for it to eat.

After five minutes, Guo Li was left rubbing his forehead in confusion. The treasure-seeking loach did not seem to be very interested in the water insects.

Helpless, he picked up a couple of water insects and placed them on the ends of two tree branches. He then tried teasing the treasure-seeking loach with them. The treasure-seeking loach instantly became interested when it saw the insects on the tree branches.

Guo Li saw it and smiled to himself. “It’s like a little kid. Looks like I’ll have to play with you before you’re willing to eat.”

After Guo Li teased and played around with it a few times, the treasure-seeking loach suddenly moved. It gobbled up all of the insects on the branches at blinding speed.

The taming process was a gradual one, and needed to be done over time. Guo Li picked another water insect and used it to play around with the treasure-seeking loach. Soon enough, it was gobbled up again.

In the system interface, the experience bar of the treasure-seeking loach was increasing rapidly. He just had to feed it a few more times before it would be successfully tamed.

After Guo Li fed it more water insects, the system’s notification rang out.

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully tamed the treasure-seeking loach. The treasure-seeking loach has acknowledged you as its master.]

[You have obtained a new ability: Treasure-seeking!]

[Note: Treasure-seeking. Search for treasures within the range of the treasure-seeking loach’s senses. Track the movements of the treasure-seeking loach as it searches for treasures.]

“Damn, it’s so awesome!” Guo Li was beside himself with excitement.

With this treasure-seeking loach, I no longer need to worry about underwater treasures going undiscovered.

‘If I manage to find a bunch of these treasures, I’ll be rich!’

Guo Li began to dream about finding treasures.

After the system notification faded, Guo Li looked into the container and put his hand in it. The treasure-seeking loach, which was originally afraid of Guo Li, actually clung onto his arm.

This feeling was very strange and indescribable. A sense of intimacy arose from the bottom of his heart.

Since the treasure-seeking loach had been tamed by Guo Li, they were now master and servant. Guo Li placed the treasure-seeking loach in the lake and watched as the treasure-seeking loach slowly swam around his legs.

The golden treasure-seeking loach seemed very attached to Guo Li. After it was successfully tamed, it could be placed back into the lake, as it would not abandon its master and escape.