Wang Chen looked Lin Feng up and down as if seeing him for the first time. "Lin Feng, you really kept me in the dark! You never mentioned you were a Grade 6 Artifact Craftsman! That's some secret you held onto!"
Lin Feng chuckled. "How did you find out?"
"How?" Wang Chen shrugged dramatically. "Honestly, I doubt there's a soul left in the whole city who hasn't heard by now! Lin Feng, you're the talk of Zhenhai City! The massive incident on Demon Loong Island has caused a sensation, and your 'heroic deeds' there are being whispered everywhere. I only heard about it this morning, and in just half a day, I've already heard several versions! Some even claim you're a hidden master suppressing your cultivation, saying that sly Wu Luosen was dispatched by you in just two or three moves..."
Lin Feng laughed outright. "Haha! Who's spinning such wild tales? It wasn't nearly that dramatic. And besides, I'm not a Grade 6 Artifact Craftsman. I know practically nothing about forging artifacts; my specialty lies solely in repair."
Wang Chen's eyes widened in astonishment. "What? You can't forge them, only fix them? That's the first time I've ever heard of such a thing! You're not pulling my leg, are you?"
Lin Feng mimicked Wang Chen's earlier shrug. "Why would I lie? I truly only know how to repair artifacts."
"But everyone's saying you can even fix top-grade spirit artifacts! That part's true, right?" Seeing Lin Feng nod, Wang Chen couldn't help grinning. "Just how did you learn your craft? Fascinating... Haha!! Well, that means I never need to worry about damaging my treasures again!"
He settled into the seat opposite Lin Feng, leaning forward eagerly. "But never mind that for now! Quick, tell me the real story of what happened on Demon Loong Island. All these rumors flying around are wild exaggerations. I want the truth straight from the man who was there!"
Lin Feng smiled faintly. "Oh? Why don't you tell me what versions you've heard first? Then I'll see if there's anything to add."
Wang Chen obliged: "The rumor mill says that after your group landed on Demon Loong Island, you were ambushed by Wu Luosen and another evil cultivator right at the Quicksand Pits. Then, you all worked together to break their Soul-Snatching Formation. After that, Senior Yu Ping and you fought the two enemies head-on. Supposedly, you not only took out Wu Luosen first, but you scared off the other evil cultivator who was at the Nascent Soul late-stage..."
A faint glint flickered in Lin Feng's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged. He nodded calmly. "Well, if you already know all that, then there's really nothing more for me to add."
Thankfully, the connection to the Corpse Yin Sect remains hidden, Lin Feng thought with an inner sigh of relief. As Yu Ping had emphatically warned everyone before returning, revealing the Corpse Yin Sect's involvement would invite immense trouble. If more of their sinister members caught wind of it, endless complications would follow. The other cultivators weren't fools either; they knew provoking the Corpse Yin Sect was a death sentence, so they unanimously agreed to describe Wu Luosen's accomplice merely as an 'unknown evil cultivator.'
This suited Lin Feng perfectly. Drawing the attention of the Corpse Yin Sect would undoubtedly make him their primary target. Given his current strength, a direct confrontation was unthinkable; avoiding it altogether was the wisest course. Still, a lingering concern remained: if other members of the Corpse Yin Sect knew Wu Pang was on Demon Loong Island, they might investigate his disappearance and trace it back to him. However, that was just a possibility. He resolved to lay low for a while – no more excursions. Staying securely within the city, focusing on cultivation, was the safest plan for now.
"By the way," Wang Chen changed the subject smoothly, noticing Lin Feng's reluctance to dwell on the island's details, "I also heard you encountered a school of Flying Shadow Fish on the way back? How did you manage such incredible luck? Those fish are legendary treasures, virtually impossible to find! About a dozen have surfaced on the market already, fetching astronomical prices. Our Sea Treasure Pavilion spent a fortune just to acquire four..."
He leaned in, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Lin Feng, you caught some too, didn't you? How many?"
Lin Feng smiled. "Yes, I do have a few. Actually, even if you hadn't asked, I was going to ask for your help processing them."
With a sweep of his right hand across the table, a large ice box, the size of a washbasin, appeared. Inside lay ten perfectly preserved Flying Shadow Fish. He had already extracted the demon core and marrow blood; these were the prepared carcasses, ready for cooking.
Wang Chen peered into the box, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Oh damn!! You can't be serious!! You caught this many?!" He started counting frantically. "One, two, three... ten!! How in the world did you manage it? And you just froze them in a block of ice like they were common seafood? You absolute barbarian! What a waste of heaven's gift!!"
He looked genuinely pained, as if witnessing a beloved treasure being desecrated. Muttering under his breath about the travesty, he hurriedly pulled ten small, radiantly clear boxes emitting intense cold from his own storage ring. He carefully transferred each fish into a separate box. "...Thankfully it hasn't been long; the flesh shouldn't be badly damaged..."
Lin Feng blinked, momentarily taken aback, then couldn't help but chuckle. He genuinely hadn't known the proper way to preserve Flying Shadow Fish carcasses. This was precisely why he'd intended to ask Wang Chen, a professional spirit chef, for help.
Once all ten fish were safely stowed in their specialized containers, Lin Feng spoke up: "I know they're a fine spirit ingredient, supposedly offering significant benefits when consumed. I was hoping you could prepare them. As for payment… let's share the feast. How does that sound?"
Wang Chen stared at him, stunned for a second, then his face lit up with pure delight. "Seriously?!"
"Of course," Lin Feng replied warmly. "Good things are best enjoyed with good company. Makes them more valuable. Besides, there's no way I could eat all this alone."
Wang Chen rolled his eyes dramatically. "Obviously! Were you planning a ten-course fish banquet?! The spiritual energy in one Flying Shadow Fish is enough for three or four Golden Core cultivators. It's more potent than swallowing ten Level 3 Spirit Nourishment Pills! And you need to wait at least half a month between servings, otherwise you'd just be wasting its power."
"Really? There's such a rule?" Lin Feng was genuinely surprised. He hadn't realized the fish were so incredibly potent – one sufficing for multiple people and outperforming ten precious pills! His initial surprise quickly gave way to pleasure. "In that case, let's enjoy one today. We can save the rest for later. Consuming two a month... that should last nearly half a year. Heh."
Spirit cuisine and elixirs were complementary resources; one didn't negate the other. While there was a limit to how much pill energy one could absorb, supplementing it with high-grade spirit cuisine provided an additional boost. Lin Feng could easily refine the Level 3 Spirit Nourishment Pills he needed for cultivation, ensuring a steady supply. He usually didn't skimp on spirit food either, opting for quality meals. However, Flying Shadow Fish were in a completely different league. If Wang Chen's claims held true, these ten fish would cover his spirit cuisine needs for the next half year.
Wang Chen looked slightly puzzled by Lin Feng's plan. "You're keeping them all to eat? Not planning to sell a few for spirit stones? Flying Shadow Fish command an incredibly high price, you know."
Lin Feng, who had no shortage of spirit stones, shook his head firmly. "No, I'll keep them. But eating them over several months... will the preservation be alright?"
"That shouldn't be a problem," Wang Chen assured him after a moment's thought. He nodded decisively. "Alright then! If you trust me with them, I'll keep them stored properly! Whenever you want one prepared, I'll handle it! Deal?"
Lin Feng smiled. "Perfect. Let's have the first one today. I'm eager to see if it lives up to your glowing praise."
Wang Chen jumped to his feet eagerly. "You got it! Sit tight then! I'll prepare this Flying Shadow Fish feast for you myself! I guarantee it won't disappoint!"
…
In the afternoon, pleasantly full and satisfied, Lin Feng strolled down the bustling streets, heading back towards his cave dwelling.
The Flying Shadow Fish had proven worthy of its legendary status. Even purely on taste, it was exquisite, flawlessly delicious. More importantly, Lin Feng felt a warm, potent energy radiating steadily from his stomach, permeating slowly through his entire body. It truly felt as potent as digesting a large handful of Level 3 Spirit Nourishment Pills. Wang Chen's description had been spot on. Eager to fully absorb this bounty of spiritual energy, Lin Feng was now keen to return home and cultivate.
He walked leisurely through the city's streets and alleys. However, as he approached the cave dwelling district in the northern part of the city, an unexpected sight stopped him in his tracks.
There, at the foot of the hill leading to his dwelling, a large crowd had gathered and was blocking the entrance to his cave...