Book 7: Chapter 43: I Received Fish, Returned Dao

East Port Town, on Breath River.

Several dozen fishing boats surrounded a region, this place extremely lively.

As a sturdy hemp rope was slowly pulled, a two meters long steel bar cage slowly emerged from the water.

Suddenly, water murmuring sounds could be heard, large amounts of white foam and splashes rushing out from the steel bar cage. The things inside sent water flying everywhere, even making the steel bar cage and fishing boats above rock about.

“Caught something!”

However, cheers of joy instead erupted from these dozens of fishing boats. The four strong fishermen who were pulling the hemp rope stood steadily at the front of the boat, not panicking at all despite the intense swaying. With a huala sound, this large steel cage finally left the waters. Following shouts of approval, it was dragged onto the boat.

Inside the steel bar cage, there were two massive and vicious large fish struggling about, smashing against the steel wires, releasing loud noises.

These two large vicious fish that still carried the coldness of deep waters were precisely Ironhead Dogfish.

Two smaller fishing boats got closer. A youngster dressed in a black short sleeved gown, precisely the Fish Market’s young master Xu Sheng, released a cheer. Five or six individuals then moved out, using special wooden forks to restrict the two large fish. Then, a large deerskin sack was produced from each boat. With a thunk noise, they were then thrown into a ship’s water tank.

Another burst of cheers sounded.

Before the sounds of cheers disappeared, when Xu Sheng and the others were just wiping off their sweat and the water that splashed onto them, almost everyone uniformly turned their heads towards this sudden noise.

A small boat traveled down from the upper reaches of the river, a graceful green-clothed youngster standing at the front of the ship.

“Young Sir Lin!”

Suddenly, sky shaking cheers of joy sounded on the river surface again.

The boat Xu Sheng was on quickly rushed up, excited as they greeted Lin Xi with smiles from the distance.

Lin Xi bowed, returning their greetings. He pointed towards the terrace of that small riverside building not too far away.

The two ships headed towards that terrace.

…

“Thank you all so much for always catching fish for me, however, after today, there is no need to send any more fish.” Lin Xi and Xu Sheng stood on the riverfront terrace. While looking at the fishing boats that were still bringing in cages, Lin Xi turned around, quietly saying this to Xu Sheng.

Xu Sheng’s face became slightly rigid, a bit hesitant, but he still said, “This means, the rumors regarding sir being transferred soon are true…”

Lin Xi nodded. “I am a cultivator, my identity also a bit special, so regarding where I am transferred to, it still needs to be kept a secret from the public. However, three days later, I indeed will be transferred out from Swallow Descent Town.”

Xu Sheng remained silent for several breaths of time, and then he raised his head to look at Lin Xi, saying, “Sir Lin… the fish we capture, we can help you hold onto them, or help send them to you.”

“I understand your good intentions.” Lin Xi shook his head. “Only, the place I am going to really isn’t convenient, difficult for things to be delivered.”

Xu Sheng couldn’t help but say, “Sir, you are headed to Dragon…”

Lin Xi nodded with a bit of self-mockery as he said, “My opponents all know I am going there, that is why for me, this isn’t really something worth hiding. However, I don’t want my family to feel too worried about me, so I didn’t speak about it directly. That is why it is good if you alone know of this.”

Xu Sheng remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly set his resolution, his eyes releasing radiance. He bowed towards Lin Xi and said, “Sir, please let me follow you!”

Lin Xi patted Xu Sheng’s shoulder, shaking his head seriously.

Xu Sheng’s head hung down.

Lin Xi looked at him and calmly said, “I know you don’t fear death, and I also know what you are thinking. You don’t want to see someone like me die, so even if you could only take on a single blade for me, it will be good. However, for me, before I have certainty in ensuring your safety, I won’t agree to this type of request. The reason why I am seeking you out today is precisely to tell you… that if you want to help me, by staying here, you might be able to help me way more in the future.”

Xu Sheng’s head suddenly rose up, his eyes flickering with even greater brilliance.

This was a radiance of absolute dedication.

Lin Xi wasn’t in a rush, smiling as he looked at the bustling river surface, slowly saying, “The produce of this Breath River coastal area is extremely abundant, by staying here, there are many conditions blessed by heaven. Moreover, previously, I heard that there was more than one great merchant company who admired your ability. I’ve never doubted my own eyesight either. Moreover, the most important thing is that you are extremely young, still at an age quite suitable for cultivation.”

Xu Sheng didn’t understand the true meanings behind Lin Xi’s previous words, but the last line instead made him raise his head in disbelief.

“In Yunqin, I cannot be considered a formidable cultivator.” Lin Xi looked at Xu Sheng and said with a smile, “But the things I know are far more vast, far greater than them, so I can understand the theories behind cultivation easier than them… This world’s cultivation is actually not as mysterious as normal people think, not that mysterious and complicated. This is especially the case these past few days, I’ve always felt like the basis of cultivators is just having stronger willpower than ordinary people… I have an idea, just that I don’t know if it is correct or not. Perhaps this is something perfect for you to help me try out.”

Xu Sheng’s expression was a bit in awe. He listened to every single word Lin Xi said extremely carefully, remembering them. He said quietly, “What is it?”

“There is actually only one way for people of this world to become cultivators, which is to continuously concentrate their mind, concentrate their spirit. Those spiritual pills are only some substances that can nourish and strengthen willpower, equivalent to shortening this process.” Lin Xi frowned slightly, as if he was also investigating it himself, slowly saying, “There are some warriors and soldiers who unknowingly break into the ranks of cultivators, I believe that it was the many instances of life and death battles and situations where they had to concentrate that forced their willpower to unknowingly become greater. You should also know that things like Ironhead Dogfish and Old River Lump, for cultivators, are great mending foods. This great mending food is also just some substances doing work… Spiritual pills are merely large amounts of this type of substance. That is why even without those spiritual pills that could make one attain instant success and step into the ranks of cultivators… If an ordinary person always trained in concentrating their mind, always eating these things, there is a high chance of them entering the ranks of cultivators.”

“The heavens should be fair towards each individual.”

Lin Xi looked at Xu Sheng, pointed towards the sky and seriously said, “The reason why most people cannot step into the ranks of cultivators in their entire lives is because their wills aren’t sturdy enough, impossible for them to truly concentrate either… moreover unable to frequently obtain great mending foods beneficial for cultivators.”

“Aptitude only decides cultivation speed, as for whether one can become a cultivator, the key lies in our hearts…”

Lin Xi seriously said, “For cultivators, the most difficult part is lighting the soul force seed, the first step in sensing one’s own spiritual power. As long as this first step can be crossed, cultivation isn’t actually some mysterious thing that can’t be touched… I already discussed this with Second Grandpa Zhang, regarding Martial Skills and some future cultivation matters, if there is anything you don’t understand, you can ask him. Only, for this first step, you have to try and see if you can achieve it.”

Xu Sheng looked at Lin Xi, at Lin Xi’s eyes that were full of faith, then nodded forcefully. Only, his voice carried a bit of confusion and bitterness, “I will do my best to try…  this training of concentrating the mind, as for how to do it, it is just concentrating the mind on one thing? There are no restrictions on the exact method?”

“ I came to understand many things in these past few days. In order to confirm these thoughts, I also tried to reference many books.”

Lin Xi chuckled and said, “I saw a rather interesting record, moreover a military recording that definitely doesn’t have any errors. Great Mang Dynasty had a cultivator named Li Ku who was extremely formidable. Many cultivators in Great Mang Dynasty called him Roadside Li Ku, or Shrimp Watching Li.”

“This formidable cultivator Li Ku from Great Mang, in the past, was someone who Thousand Devil Nest saw as too slow, someone they weren’t willing to take in. To put it simply, Thousand Devil Nest thought that he was too stupid, too dumb, that there is no way he can have much accomplishments.”

“That is why back then, when many youngsters wished to take on masters in Thousand Devil Cave and learn cultivation, a famous master in Thousand Devil Nest pointed at a gutter by the side of Thousand Devil Nest’s road, telling him to watch the shrimp in this gutter. If a shrimp jumped out on their own, landing into his hands, then he would take him on as a disciple.”

“This famous master originally looked down on how dimwitted he was, wishing to back out of an awkward situation, but Li Ku was so slow he didn’t even hear the strong mockery behind the words, actually really sitting down at the side of the road under a date tree, reaching out his hand every day, not moving at all as he looked at the shrimp in the gutter. It is rumored that many times, he looked extremely focused, unaware of even thunder and rain, eyes only staring at the small shrimp in the gutter. Regardless of how the seasons passed, he continued to sit by the side of the road, this continuing for three years. Many people who passed by mocked him for staring at the shrimp, mocking him for being an idiot, actually dumb to the point where he would actually treat that Thousand Devil Nest famous master’s words as true. However, that Thousand Devil Nest famous master, unknown if it was because he didn’t want to go back on his words or if he sensed his sincerity, in the end left Thousand Devil Nest, arriving at the side of the road in front of Li Ku, really wishing to take him as a disciple.”

“However, the moment he saw Li Ku, this Thousand Devil Nest formidable cultivator was instead stunned.” Lin Xi looked at Xu Sheng, even his own voice couldn’t help but carry a bit of admiration as he asked, “Do you know why?”

Xu Sheng was a bit stunned, saying, “Don’t tell me it was because Li Ku already became a cultivator?”

Lin Xi chuckled, nodding in satisfaction. “The fact that you said this means that you already understand the things I said to you before a bit… Indeed, that Thousand Devil Nest formidable cultivator’s shock was because he discovered Li Ku actually long crossed the first step, his cultivation moreover already not low.”

Xu Sheng couldn’t help but become attracted to this real story, asking, “So this Thousand Devil Nest famous teacher then officially took in Li Ku as a disciple, bringing him back into Thousand Devil Nest?”

Lin Xi shook his head and said, “Thousand Devil Nest and Purgatory Mountain are Great Mang’s cultivation holy lands, the famous masters inside… are true famous masters. This famous master indeed officially took in Li Ku as his own direct disciple, but he didn’t bring him back to Thousand Devil Nest, instead having him continue to watch shrimp by the side of the road. It was because he could tell… that with Li Ku’s nature, with his naturally formed cultivation, his soul force cultivation would instead rise even faster. If he passed down a new cultivation method, it might instead hinder Li Ku’s advance.”

“Li Ku continued to sit by the side of the road for five years. One day, after five years, the water in the gutter before him was stirred by his strength, the shrimp jumping out, guided into his palm by his power. This is something only a State Knight level cultivator could do. Only then did that Thousand Devil Nest famous master bring him into the Thousand Devil Nest.”

Lin Xi didn’t say any more.

Xu Sheng knew that the ending was precisely that Li Ku became Great Mang Dynasty’s most formidable cultivator, while matters regarding the very best of Great Mang Dynasty’s cultivators was still too far from him. What he had to consider was merely the bit of reasoning Lin Xi wanted him to understand.

He nodded again, and then gave Lin Xi an extremely respectful bow.

It was because he knew that Lin Xi came today specially to teach him the dao.

Lin Xi also patted this youngster’s shoulder again with a smile.

When he looked at this outwardly ordinary looking dark skinned youngster, he knew that in terms of cultivation, Xu Sheng’s age was already a bit older. However, for some reason, he just had a feeling that this fella was going to become quite the outstanding cultivator.

“They are both surnamed Xu, the same Xu Family… In the future, if East Port’s Xu Family can suppress your Judicial Sector Xu Family, how great would that be?”

Lin Xi couldn’t help but say this inwardly to himself in an irresponsible manner.

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