Whole Fish Banquet

The two fishing enthusiasts had spent the entire afternoon by the lake, so it came as no surprise that Dan Peak would be having fish for dinner. A full fish feast, no less.

Fish… Given that Dan Peak had dug such a massive lake, fish was a common meal here. Aside from a certain feline creature who adored fish, everyone else had grown somewhat tired of it.

And tonight was even more extravagant—a full fish feast!

While the couple in the kitchen were busily preparing the meal, a certain scheming little girl emerged from the research building. Drawn by the aroma, she made her way to the kitchen, only to scrunch up her nose, eyebrows, and eyes in displeasure at the sight of the culinary chaos.

It was clear—Master Long was not happy.

Her footsteps heavy, she stomped out of the kitchen with a series of loud "thuds" to express her dissatisfaction.

Outside, she spotted one of the culprits chatting leisurely with Dong Zhongyuan by the dinner table.

The afternoon downpour hadn’t lasted long, dissipating before sunset. Now, the wispy clouds at the horizon were bathed in golden light from the setting sun, streaking across the orange-blue sky like strokes from a painter’s brush—more vibrant than any oil painting.

Long Qiqi trudged across the damp grass and plopped herself down across from Lu Junxing and Dong Zhongyuan, as if ready to take on both prodigies single-handedly.

Her serpentine eyes fixed Lu Junxing with a venomous glare.

Being stared down by a literal snake made Lu Junxing’s back prickle with unease. He turned to her with a smile and asked, "Why are you staring at me like that, Fairy Qiqi? Do you need something?"

Long Qiqi crossed her arms, leaned back in her chair, and narrowed her eyes. "What’s a youngster like you learning fishing from Qin Ran for? Tsk! No future in that!"

"Youngster?" Lu Junxing glanced at the petite girl, aware that as a snake demon, she was over a thousand years old. He didn’t argue but instead asked, "What’s wrong with fishing?"

"Fishing…" The truth was, the dark-hearted little girl just didn’t want to eat fish. She blurted out, "Fishing ruins families for three generations!"

Lu Junxing pondered seriously before replying, "I’ve always been dirt poor. The only thing of value I own is my sword. As for the next three generations…" He burst into laughter. "What woman could understand me better than my sword? I doubt I’ll even have descendants.

"Ruined for three generations? So be it!"

"Then… then…" Long Qiqi scrambled for another excuse, mimicking Qin Ran’s nonsense. "Fishing breeds greed, disturbs the mind, and stunts cultivation—might even make you regress!"

"That’s not true," Lu Junxing shook his head. "Fishing actually calms my mind—"

"Fish?!" A loud roar interrupted him. "Where’s the fish?!"

No need to look—it was Dan Peak’s sole feline resident who never tired of fish.

A gust of wind later, a certain oversized furball appeared beside the table, planting his front paws on it as his big eyes darted around. "Fish? Where’s the fish? I can smell it everywhere! It’s driving me crazy!"

The gust tousled Long Qiqi’s skirt, and she angrily pinched the big-eyed creature’s ear. "All you ever think about is eating! Are you a pig?!"

"I’m not a pig!" Chasing the Wind retorted righteously. "Pigs can’t eat half as much as I can!"

"You—!" Long Qiqi was livid. She smacked his head with her other hand, only to hurt herself—his skull was too hard. Her hand turned red, throbbing with pain.

"Ah! I smell it—it’s in the kitchen!" Chasing the Wind effortlessly shook off her grip and bolted inside. "Dad! I want fish!"

In the kitchen, fish soup simmered in a pot. Qin Ran leaned against the stove, spatula in hand, arms crossed, a faint smirk on his lips as he watched Li Shiyin meticulously slice fish fillets at the cutting board.

It was a scene worthy of an oil painting—perhaps titled The Fish-Slicing Beauty.

The backdrop was the kitchen, the foreground a cutting board half-covered in blood and fish scales, a partial fish tail visible. Behind it, the alluring silhouette of a mature woman—voluptuous, pristine, beautiful—contrasted starkly with the gory board.

Ah, but Qin Ran knew nothing of art. He was simply… appreciating the view. Specifically, the way her round, perky rear swayed with each slice, tracing hypnotic curves that sent his pulse racing.

He never tired of watching, and the urge to reach out and relive the sensation grew harder to resist.

Amid this "domestic bliss," a certain furry troublemaker barged in, shouting, "Dad! Where’s the fish?! Fish?! FISH?!"

Without waiting for an answer, he began ransacking the kitchen. His powerful claws made quick work of the mess, though the pervasive fish scent confused his search.

Finally, he spotted a large wooden tub filled with fish—the afternoon’s haul from the two fishermen—swimming frantically in cramped quarters.

"Wow! So many fish!" Chasing the Wind’s eyes sparkled as he plunged a paw in, but his speed sent the fish darting away.

Undeterred, he unsheathed his claws, ready to skewer his prey.

"Chasing the Wind!!"

A thunderous roar made his ears twitch. He turned to see Qin Ran glaring at him.

If there was one thing the dim-witted cub feared, it was his father.

"Hehe… Dad, hehe!" He grinned sheepishly, hoping to charm his way out. "Fish for dinner, huh?" He belatedly noticed the wrecked kitchen and sensed an impending beating.

"Tonight’s menu is Full Tiger Feast," Qin Ran said coldly.

"Hehe, hehe!" Chasing the Wind played dumb. "Dad, tiger meat tastes terrible!"

"How would you know? You’ve never tried it." Qin Ran advanced, spatula raised. "I hear it’s delicious—great for stamina!"

"Bye, Dad!!"

Chasing the Wind snatched three or four fish in his jaws and fled.

The Xuanming Spirit Tiger’s legendary evasion skills—honed under the blade of ancient sword immortals—were clearly the result of such training.

Qin Ran fumed but couldn’t catch up. He brandished the spatula but held back from throwing it.

If he threw it, he’d have to retrieve it. And wash it. Not worth the effort.

…Definitely not because he’d miss.

"Chasing the Wind is so unruly," Li Shiyin sighed, arranging the sliced fish onto a large plate. "Like a child who never grows up."

"What do you mean ‘never grows up’?" Qin Ran set the spatula down and tidied the mess. "He’s only six."

Finished with the fish, Li Shiyin grabbed another from the tub and—whack!—killed it with the blunt side of her knife. She then turned, the bloodied blade pointing at Qin Ran, and emphasized, "A six-year-old tiger is already an adult!"

"Adult or not, he’s still a tiger," Qin Ran shrugged. "What’s a little mischief for a tiger?"

The one who scolded and hit Chasing the Wind the most was also the one who doted on him the most.

"Chasing the Wind isn’t fully grown yet. If he were, he might even rival a Dao Integration cultivator. Otherwise, all the resources we’ve poured into him would’ve been wasted," Li Shiyin said skillfully scaling the fish. "But he’ll grow up eventually. What about his partner? Have you thought about it? If you don’t let him cultivate into a demonic beast and take human form, he won’t be able to marry a human cultivator. That means we’ll have to find him a Mystic Nether Spirit Tiger… Master, where are we supposed to find one?"

"What’s the rush? There’s still plenty of time!" Qin Ran chuckled.

"Rush? Master, you plan everything meticulously, but for this, you have no plan at all?" Li Shiyin was baffled.

"Nope," Qin Ran replied. "Romance is a personal matter, a lifelong affair. It’s best not to interfere. If I accidentally play the villain, Chasing the Wind would resent me forever. This isn’t something you can plan."

"Right, you carefully plotted your own romance, weaving a trap just for me to fall into. But for others, you don’t care," Li Shiyin grumbled irritably.

"Who told you to be so greedy, unable to resist the temptation of sweet bribes?" Qin Ran laughed smugly. "But for Chasing the Wind, it’s not entirely that I have no plan."

"Oh?" Li Shiyin perked up. "Do tell."

Qin Ran tidied up the mess Chasing the Wind had made, then walked over to Li Shiyin and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Aren’t we going on a trip later? We’ll take Chasing the Wind with us. We’ll explore the world, visit the Heavenly Demon Domain. That place is full of demonic beasts—he’ll have no trouble finding a partner there."

"Hey!" Li Shiyin squirmed as Qin Ran’s hands tickled her waist, making it hard to focus on filleting the fish. She swatted at his hand with her left hand. "Be serious, Master! I’m trying to work here!"

"I’m just giving you pointers on filleting!" Qin Ran retorted.

Helpless against his shamelessness, Li Shiyin turned around, brandishing her kitchen knife threateningly. "Careful, or I’ll slice you up!"

But the moment she said it, she found it amusing and grinned. "This Sword Immortal’s blade work is impeccable. I’ll carve you into ten thousand slices, each perfectly even."

Qin Ran nodded solemnly. "Really? Ten thousand slices? Do I even have that much meat? Go ahead, give it a try. I’m curious too."

"Absolutely! Don’t you dare doubt your wife’s swordsmanship—" Li Shiyin was cut off by the sudden smell of something burning. She gasped, pointing the knife at the pot. "Ah! Master, your fish soup!"

"Oh no!" Qin Ran smelled it too.

"Tsk, tsk. Wine and beauty ruin a man," he lamented, shaking his head. "The embrace of a gentle woman is a hero’s grave."

"Pah!" Li Shiyin shoved Qin Ran away as he tried to nuzzle into her arms. "You’re no hero."

"And why not?"

"Always burrowing into a woman’s embrace!" she scoffed.

"Nonsense!" Qin Ran declared righteously. "A man who loves his home is a true hero! A man who doesn’t care for his home isn’t even worthy of being called a man."

"Pah! What twisted logic!" Li Shiyin spat lightly.

After redoing the fish soup, they prepared a whole feast—steamed fish, braised fish, fish slices, even sashimi—until the table was fully laden.

As night fell, under the starry sky, the warm glow from the second floor of the little wooden house illuminated the group gathered around the table for their grand fish banquet.

"What a shame there’s no wine…" Lu Junxing sighed. "It lacks flavor."

"Hahaha, Uncle, just let him have a drink!" Dong Zhongyuan urged. "This guy cares not for beauty, gambling, riches, or power—only wine and the sword. Now he can’t even wield his sword, and he’s denied wine too. He might as well die."

"Then let him die. Early or late, death comes for us all," Qin Ran replied. "If he can’t even endure a little abstinence, what good is he?"

"Ah—!" Lu Junxing howled. "I’ll run you through with my sword!"

In the end, Lu Junxing still didn’t get his wine.