Chapter 00111: Silver Light Fish
# Silver Light Fish
Chapter 111
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 111: Silver Light Fish
In the bustling market of Mobei, a new owner had taken charge, yet no one seemed to notice the change.
Lan Xiaobu's reputation had far outstripped that of his predecessor, Bu Da.
He was known for being fair, not demanding too much in exchange for the spiritual stones.
Plus, with his arrival, the market was growing increasingly popular.
Although Lan Xiaobu held the title of market master, he rarely ventured out, spending most of his time practicing in the Master’s residence.
With a sudden influx of wealth, even his practice, which had been rigorous like the ancient paths, began to flourish.
Liu Min, a skillful assistant, quickly gathered over a hundred cultivation techniques and various medicinal recipes for Lan Xiaobu.
However, most of these techniques and recipes were rather common, not a single one boastful enough to stand out.
Yet, Lan Xiaobu was not concerned; to him, the quality of the techniques was secondary.
Even the most mediocre technique, if it held a glimmer of potential, could be beneficial.
All these techniques and recipes were inscribed into the Seven Sounds model by Lan Xiaobu.
During this period, he focused not on the Golden Crow Technique but rather on refining his Spirit Refining Technique.
He sought to change his cultivation method, so he no longer wished to practice the Golden Crow Technique.
However, because his collection of techniques was still small, he hoped Liu Min could acquire more, enabling the Seven Sounds model to merge them into an ideal cultivation method tailored for him.
Over time, it became well known throughout Mobei that there was a rarely seen market master.
This master was not to be underestimated, for after his arrival, no one dared to use their strength to bully others in the market.
The previous acts of oppression were nowhere to be found now.
As time went on, more and more people began to come to Mobei Market in search of destiny.
Its geographical location was quite favorable for lower-level cultivators, nestled between the Endless Sea and the Mobei Mountain Range.
With the added safety brought by Lan Xiaobu, the prices of properties skyrocketed.
Once, the Qianxian Chamber of Commerce was merely among the top five in Mobei Market.
But with Liu Min's reliance on Lan Xiaobu, it grew to become the largest commerce entity in the area.
...
The Endless Sea.
It earned its name due to the abundance of low-grade spiritual creatures known as Silver Light Fish.
These fish loved to swim near the surface, their bodies glowing gently.
Even in the dark of night, the sea sparkled silver, creating a stunning sight.
The value of a high-grade Silver Light Fish was significant, with a single one worth tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of spiritual stones.
Thus, one might think anyone in the Endless Sea could strike it rich.
However, this idea was misleading; while Silver Light Fish were spiritual creatures, they were not classified as monster beasts.
In fact, they came in three grades: high, mid, and low, with whispers of a special grade that had never been witnessed by anyone.
Aside from the high-grade Silver Light Fish, the middle and lower grades held little worth.
Even though many might think of catching them, their flavor was subpar, making them unappealing to pursue.
Ordinary Silver Light Fish shimmered silvery, while the high-grade ones radiated not just silver but gold in their glow.
The more gold, the more valuable the fish.
Within the Endless Sea, one could also find various spiritual herbs and materials for refining artifacts and talismans.
Thus, few cultivators specifically sought to catch high-grade Silver Light Fish, as it was said that they were hardly ever caught.
Along the edges of the Endless Sea lay many reefs.
At this moment, on a reef within the Endless Sea, a man and a woman lay in wait behind the rocks.
The man appeared to be in his thirties, of average build, his skin bronzed from prolonged exposure to the sun at sea.
The woman was tall and slender with a slightly dark complexion, her long hair tousled but her bright eyes revealing determination.
About a hundred meters ahead, a bamboo cage floated on the water, emitting a soft purple light.
Inside the cage glimmered a spiritual fruit, releasing a light fragrance.
“Uncle Xi, are there really special grade Silver Light Fish here?” the woman asked, her voice low yet melodious.
“Without a doubt. My father once told me they are found here, at the very least, we should find high-grade ones,” the man, addressed as Uncle Xi, replied, maintaining a hushed tone.
The woman sighed, “If we could just catch a special grade Silver Light Fish, my master would surely recover. Our Qianyun Sect would once again return to being a five-star sect.”
Uncle Xi’s voice was heavy with concern. “Even if the former sect leader regains his strength, it would only protect the Qianyun Sect from envious eyes. Returning to the five-star sect is now beyond our reach. Unless someone of remarkable talent arises from the Qianyun Sect, how many are there like that in the entire Yun Province?”
The woman’s spirits dipped, and just as she was about to reply, Uncle Xi suddenly motioned for silence, “Stay quiet. Something is approaching.”
At that moment, a Silver Light Fish with a nearly all-gold back swam into view, and upon seeing its glimmering golden sheen, the woman’s heart raced.
It was undoubtedly the legendary special grade Silver Light Fish, drawn in by their presence.
The fish circled beneath the bamboo cage for a while before leaping directly inside.
Just as this happened, Uncle Xi dashed forward, swiftly seizing the cage. “Stop!” shouted a voice, and two figures rushed toward them.
Within scant moments, Uncle Xi managed to deposit the Silver Light Fish into a box and stow it in his bag.
“Hand over what you have,” two burly men blocked Uncle Xi’s path, one on each side.
The two men exuded the salty scent of seawater and bore the marks of the ocean on their faces, clearly seasoned survivors of the Endless Sea.
“Why should we give you our catch?” the woman stepped forward, gripping a Qiankun Thorn, her voice freezing.
“Why? Because this isn’t the Endless Sea, and all treasures here belong to my family.” The man on the left brandished a Water-Splitting Thorn, a weapon specially crafted to survive in the sea.
Even if their strengths were equal, in the water, his weapon held the advantage.
“They are both powerful; don’t engage with them. We must escape together,” Uncle Xi advised the woman.
But before he finished speaking, the two men launched their magical treasures toward Uncle Xi.
Years of surviving in the Endless Sea had taught them the rule of striking first.
In a desperate retreat, Uncle Xi was swiftly ambushed by the man on his right, sustaining injuries.
Seeing Uncle Xi hurt, the woman without hesitation pulled out a talisman.
“No! Their strength is nearly the same as ours, but they are far more experienced in battle…” Uncle Xi urged, hoping to stop her.
Unfortunately, the woman activated the talisman just as the right-side man was about to retract his dual blades.
The dark energy blasted into his chest, sending him flying into the Endless Sea.
Uncle Xi had no time to chastise her; he summoned his treasure against the man wielding the Water-Splitting Thorn.
Seeing his companion hurled into the sea, the left-side man let out a howl and dove after him.
It was clear that he was not afraid of Uncle Xi but worried for his brother.
“Hurry up, we must leave. Those two are no ordinary opponents,” Uncle Xi insisted.
The two fled the Endless Sea at full speed.
The woman, somewhat regretful, said, “I’m sorry, Uncle Xi. I used the talisman my master gave me.”
“Forget about it. Now is not the time to dwell on that. Considering our situation, using it was a wise choice. Though their strength matches ours, their fighting experience far surpasses ours. Without the talisman, escape would have been far less certain.”
“We should return to the sect quickly. I worry that they may have more companions; if they catch up with us, we won't stand a chance,” the woman urged anxiously.
But Uncle Xi shook his head. “I fear we won’t make it in time. By the time we reach Qianyun Sect, they may have already pursued us. I suspect these two are known as the Twin Punishers of Labor from the Endless Sea.”
“Ah…” The woman recognized the name.
The two were brothers, named Qiang Buliao and Qiang Buyi.
They were called the Twin Punishers of Labor because they lived in the Endless Sea but never ventured out to seek treasures willingly.
All they acquired was taken, and the word ‘robbery’ truly defined their exploits.
Encountering these two meant one thing: run.
Even if one possessed superior strength, one could easily fall to their hands.
They moved through the sea with the same ease as one would on land; there was no distinction.
Countless cultivators had perished at the hands of these two brothers.
Uncle Xi’s tone turned grave. “It seems my suspicions were correct. Fortunately, you activated the talisman, or we would have perished in the Endless Sea. We cannot return to the sect yet; doing so would put us directly in their path. That one is cunning, with many tricks up his sleeve, and sure to have subordinates.”
“What should we do?” the woman asked urgently.
“The only option is to first head to Mobei Market. I’ve heard that Lan Xiaobu is known for his integrity and treats lower-level cultivators fairly. We can hide there for some time; otherwise, we might implicate our sect in our misfortune,” Uncle Xi suggested.
A distant shriek pierced the air, and Uncle Xi's expression changed. “Not good. He’s brought people after us. We need to move—now!”
The Twin Punishers were not known to fight alone.
They often worked solo, but when assistance was required, they could summon a whole gang of reckless thugs from the Endless Sea.
(The chapter ends here.)