209: Chapter 209 Taoist Companion

The days that followed were plain and routine. Every morning, he patrolled the several fishponds under his charge, and in the afternoon, he shut himself in the side room to make fish bait using his Breeding Technique. His techniques at the Minor Achievement Realm became increasingly proficient, and the dark green pellets he produced were uniform and plump, with a spiritual power concentration that had risen by another notch compared to the previous batch.

In the evening, he took the freshly made fish bait to his private fishpond. The dozen or so carefully selected Treasure Fish had grown quite well, their scales silvery-bright and gill patterns clear, swimming in schools amidst the pale green fluorescent light of the water origin tree.

The Black Crocodile lay faithfully on the reef, its amber vertical pupils half-closed, its tail swaying slowly in the water.

That evening, just after he returned from the fishpond and placed the cloth bag containing the fish bait into the side room, he was about to fetch water to wash his face when the courtyard gate was knocked upon.

A Disciple acting as an attendant beside Field Master Zhou stood at the entrance, cupping his hands to deliver a message: "Elder Lin, the Fishery Master requests your presence at the Bamboo Building; there is a task to be arranged."

In the main hall of the Bamboo Building, blue smoke curled from a copper incense burner. Field Master Zhou sat behind a long desk, holding a freshly opened Sect message in his hand. He gestured for Lin Tian to sit, cutting straight to the point: "Elder Lin, the old Revered Master of the Mu Family in Qingshan City, Qingzhou, will be celebrating his birthday in a few days, and the Sect is sending a congratulatory gift. Our Yunhai Fishery must also prepare one separately; this is the old custom. My intention is to send you to make the trip with a Treasure Fish weighing over five catties."

Five catties. Lin Tian's eyes narrowed slightly when he heard this weight. The weight of a Treasure Fish is directly linked to its age; a three-year-old Treasure Fish is usually just over one catty, a five-year-old one can reach about three catties, and one over five catties is at least ten years old, if not older.

There were not many Treasure Fish of this age in the entire Yunhai Fishery; each one was individually numbered in the Fishery Master's ledger and was a treasure of the fishery.

Using a Treasure Fish of this level as a congratulatory gift meant that this Mu Family was truly extraordinary. However, he still shook his head: "Fishery Master, this Disciple still has some official business at hand that I cannot step away from. Could someone else go instead?"

Field Master Zhou picked up his teacup and took a sip, saying unhurriedly: "It wasn't me who selected you this time. It was Peak Master Su Hanyan who personally named you, insisting you must go."

Lin Tian was stunned for a moment. Peak Master Su Hanyan personally named him? For a task to deliver a congratulatory gift—not to go into the mountains to suppress a demonic cult—did it really require the Peak Revered Master to personally name him? He did not say anything more, left the Bamboo Building, and went straight to the Qixia Sect.

Upon arriving at the Peak Masters Hall of Zixia Peak, Peak Master Su Hanyan was standing by the window, holding a purple clay teapot and watering a potted plant. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, a rare, less cold smile appearing on her face, and she beckoned to the side: "Lin Tian, you've come just in time. Let me introduce you—this is Su Xiaoyue, my niece."

The bead curtain of the side hall was lifted from within, and a girl of about twenty years old walked out. She wore a pale green long dress with a cinched waist, a silver silk soft whip tied at her waist, and her black hair was casually pinned up in a flowing cloud bun with a jade hairpin. Her features were exquisite and bright, especially her pair of apricot eyes, which were bright and lively. As soon as she emerged from behind the curtain, she quietly sized Lin Tian up from head to toe.

Then, she bowed gracefully: "Greetings, Senior Brother Lin." Lin Tian cupped his hands and returned the bow: "Junior Sister Su, you are too polite." He then turned to Peak Master Su Hanyan, carefully choosing his words: "Revered Master, this Disciple truly has some matters at hand that I cannot step away from. This task, I'm afraid—"

Before he could finish, Peak Master Su Hanyan placed the teapot on the windowsill and gave Su Xiaoyue a look. Su Xiaoyue understood and said with a smile, "Aunt, I'll go out to get some fresh air first," before retreating out of the hall, casting a curious glance back at Lin Tian as she left.

Once she was far away, Peak Master Su Hanyan turned to look at Lin Tian and asked straightforwardly: "What do you think of Xiaoyue?" "I don't know her very well." "Do you think she is pretty?" Lin Tian nodded: "Pretty."

Peak Master Su Hanyan spoke in a tone as plain as if she were discussing something already arranged: "Then how about having her as your Dao Companion?" Lin Tian was completely stunned. After several breaths, he came back to his senses and said with a bitter smile: "Peak Revered Master, I have not had this thought yet."

Peak Master Su Hanyan remained unmoved: "You are not young anymore; it is time to think about it. Xiaoyue is two years younger than you, has good talent, and a good Family background. Although her temperament is a bit like a Young Miss, her heart is not bad. This time when you go to Qingshan City, you will go together. Spend more time together on the road and get to know each other. This matter is settled."

Lin Tian opened his mouth, wanting to struggle a bit more. Peak Master Su Hanyan glared with her phoenix eyes, and the majesty of a Peak Revered Master emanated from her: "There is no room for negotiation. This is a task, and the two of you must execute it together." Lin Tian was silent for a while, then finally sighed: "Very well."

The departure date was set for three days later. Lin Tian used these three days to shut himself in the side room and rush to make a batch of fish bait. With his Breeding Technique at the Minor Achievement Realm running at full power, he produced enough fish bait to fill three cloth bags.

He took this batch of fish bait to his private fishpond, handed all the bait to the Black Crocodile, reinforced the spiritual thread Restriction once more, and repeatedly urged it to feed the fish at fixed times and in fixed amounts, ensuring his Treasure Fish would never go hungry.

The Black Crocodile whined softly a few times and flicked its tail vigorously in the water to indicate it understood.

On the morning of the departure, Lin Tian met Su Xiaoyue at the fishery dock. Su Xiaoyue had changed into a light, convenient, moon-white outfit, with her silver silk soft whip wrapped around her waist and a delicate deer-skin satchel on her back, looking sharp and spirited.

The fishery side also sent over the congratulatory gift—a purple sandalwood box wrapped in several layers of brocade, containing half a box of spiritual spring water, with the five-catty, ten-year-old Treasure Fish slowly swaying its tail in the water.

Lin Tian carefully secured the wooden box onto the carriage, held the carriage shaft, and climbed aboard. Su Xiaoyue also hopped on lightly. The two of them, with one carriage, left Yunhai Fishery and drove along the official road toward Qingzhou.

On the first day, Su Xiaoyue was quite quiet, only occasionally lifting the carriage curtain to look at the scenery outside. By the second day, she couldn't hold back anymore. She fished a bag of candied fruit from her satchel and, while eating some herself, stuffed some into Lin Tian's hand: "Senior Brother Lin, try this. These are perilla plums I specially swiped from my aunt before I left."

Lin Tian took them, thanked her, ate one, and continued driving the carriage. Su Xiaoyue then asked him how old he was, how many years he had spent on Zixia Peak, and what sword techniques he usually liked to practice. He answered them one by one, his tone polite, his words sparse, and his face always wearing a polite yet distant expression.

Since she was young, Su Xiaoyue had always been the center of attention in her Family and the Sect, with people revolving around her wherever she went. In her twenty years of life, she had rarely encountered a situation like this where she initiated a conversation and the other party was indifferent.

On the third day, she got angry, pulled the carriage curtain shut, hugged her deer-skin satchel, and leaned into the corner of the carriage, not saying another word to Lin Tian for the rest of the journey. Lin Tian didn't mind; in fact, he found the peace and quiet rather rare.

While driving the carriage, he silently circulated the Wanling Seal in his mind, his Mental Energy in his Sea of Consciousness slowly growing through day after day of tempering.

The carriage swayed along the official road for over ten days, crossing the territory of the Qixia Sect and entering Qingzhou. Finally, on the evening of the tenth day, they saw the walls of Qingshan City. The dark gray walls shone with a warm luster under the setting sun, and the city gate was bustling with activity, even more lively than Yunzhou Prefecture. Su Xiaoyue poked her head out of the carriage, watching the city gate draw nearer. Unable to hold back the frustration she had been bottling up the whole way, she couldn't help but huff softly: "We've arrived."