Bountiful Harvest

Yi Feng paid no attention to the other two.

As for why he sat here, it was simply because there were two people nearby—compared to other spots, this place likely had more fish.

Yi Feng opened his spatial ring and rummaged inside.

He pulled out a fishing rod, ten feet long.

This rod had been crafted back on the small island of the Heaven and Earth Sect.

"Oh dear, only the hook is left."

Yi Feng examined the crude fishing rod, feeling a bit speechless.

It had been so long since he last fished that he couldn’t even remember where the float had gone.

But that wasn’t an insurmountable problem.

He stood up and began searching among the plants growing behind him.

Before long, he found a reed-like stalk.

He vaguely recalled using something similar to fish in his childhood back in his past life.

After attaching the makeshift float, Yi Feng started testing the water’s depth.

Being an amateur, he adjusted the float up and down, causing the rod to bob repeatedly and sending ripples across the water’s surface.

With such movements, it was impossible for him not to draw attention.

The silent maid behind Feng Qianyue couldn’t help but giggle.

"Young Mistress, look at that man! How absurd! Everyone who comes here to fish has top-notch equipment, yet he’s using a bamboo rod," the girl teased. "And his float? Just some random stalk he picked!"

Feng Qianyue remained silent.

But inwardly, she grew even more convinced that Yi Feng wasn’t here to fish seriously.

However, since the straw-cloaked elder on the other side hadn’t spoken up, she, as the newcomer, refrained from making a scene.

"Ah, what should I use as bait?"

Having finally fixed the float, Yi Feng realized he hadn’t prepared any bait.

He smacked his forehead in frustration.

If only he had asked Piaomiao Hong for some before they parted ways.

Then he remembered how, in his past life, he and his childhood friends used earthworms for fishing.

He could still recall that day—

A light drizzle fell as he proudly carried a bucket full of crucian carp caught with earthworms, strutting past the village entrance when he ran into Zhen from the neighboring village…

He would never forget the dreamy look in her eyes…

Yi Feng stood up again, took out a small shovel from his spatial ring, and began digging in the damp, shaded soil nearby.

Soon, he unearthed seven or eight earthworms.

He placed them in a small bottle with some soil before returning to the lakeside.

Once seated again, Yi Feng took out one earthworm, sliced it into segments with a dagger, and hooked one piece onto the line.

Plop!

The hook sank into the water.

Yi Feng finally began fishing in earnest.

Meanwhile, the maid behind Feng Qianyue covered her mouth in shock.

"Young Mistress, look at this weirdo! He’s actually using earthworms as bait!" she blurted out.

Feng Qianyue frowned, irritation flickering in her eyes.

To her, Yi Feng’s actions were nothing short of sacrilege against the sacred Yun Lake.

This lake was a divine gift bestowed upon the world by the heavens, to be revered.

Every creature within it possessed spiritual essence.

Thus, those who came to fish here used only the finest rods, lines, and hooks, with bait prepared through meticulous rituals.

Yet here was Yi Feng—not only using a bamboo rod but also defiling the lake with filthy earthworms.

Such vulgar behavior was utterly unworthy of Yun Lake’s sanctity and would surely invite divine retribution.

She couldn’t take it anymore and rose to her feet, ready to chase him away.

But just as she moved, a voice resonated in her mind:

"A calm mind precedes all things. Why trouble yourself with another’s actions?"

"It’s him?"

Feng Qianyue’s delicate frame trembled slightly as she glanced toward the straw-cloaked elder in the distance.

The elder had remained motionless the entire time, showing no reaction.

"Indeed, there’s no one else here but him."

She murmured to herself.

Right—what did Yi Feng’s behavior matter to her?

Even if he defiled Yun Lake, the laws of heaven would punish him. There was no need for her to intervene.

She had let her emotions get the better of her.

"Thank you for the guidance, Elder."

She nodded respectfully toward the elder and settled back into meditation,

resolving not to spare Yi Feng another glance.

Splash!

The sound of breaking water drew Yi Feng’s attention as he excitedly lifted his rod.

A small red carp, about an inch long, dangled from the hook.

"Hey, this spot really is great!"

Delighted, Yi Feng unhooked the fish, retrieved a woven creel from his spatial ring, and placed the carp inside, submerging the creel halfway in the water.

"Hey, hey, Young Mistress! That guy actually caught a fish! I wonder what kind it is—what luck!"

Little Ye exclaimed in disbelief.

"Silence, Little Ye."

Feng Qianyue, still in deep meditation, chided her maid.

"We need only focus on our own fishing. Pay no mind to others."

Inwardly, she was grateful for the elder’s reminder.

She had nearly let a vulgar man disrupt her peace of mind.

How laughable.

"O-okay…"

Scolded, Little Ye stuck out her tongue and fell silent.

Truthfully, Yi Feng was not a patient man.

Back on the Heaven and Earth Sect’s island, he had snapped his rod in frustration after sitting for an hour without a single bite.

But catching fish versus catching nothing made all the difference.

Now, he was thoroughly engrossed.

No sooner had he cast his line again than the float twitched once more.

With a flick of the bamboo rod, another fish—similar to the last—was hauled up.

Little Ye’s lips twitched as if she wanted to comment, but seeing Feng Qianyue’s undisturbed state, she wisely kept quiet.

The lakeside breeze brushed against their faces, carrying a refreshing coolness.

Gentle ripples spread across the water’s surface.

Time passed slowly.

The three on the southeastern shore fished in silence, ignoring one another.

Yet the contrast was stark—while the other two sat as still as statues, not even a scale to show for their efforts,

the white-robed young man in the middle kept pulling up fish one after another.

Every time he lifted his rod, he had a catch.

Gradually, Yi Feng’s creel neared full capacity.

At this point, the straw-cloaked elder—who had remained utterly motionless for who knew how long—finally turned his head slightly to glance at Yi Feng.

But just as quickly, he looked away, as if unaffected.

On the other side, Feng Qianyue, though initially composed after the elder’s advice, found her focus unraveling as Yi Feng’s relentless success grated on her nerves.

Despite her efforts to maintain meditative calm,

her mind grew increasingly restless…