Morning mist lingered by the lakeside.
The black-haired youth hummed a tune as he squatted by the lake, fixing his fishing rod. The bamboo pole had cracked, so he casually wrapped it with hemp rope a few times, nodding in satisfaction.
"Hehe, fixed. Today it'll last me another three hundred fish!"
He patted his basket, full of eager anticipation.
…
Meanwhile, the entire continent had gone mad.
Ever since he casually roasted the dungeon's origin, the world became convinced:
—The true Dao of the Ancient God, the Heavenly Emperor, was fishing!
Across mountains, rivers, and seas, cultivators propped up rods, sitting cross-legged, chanting the "Sacred Words of the Ancient God" while waiting for fish.
Some fished for three days and three nights, truly breaking through realms.
Some caught a shabby fish and suddenly comprehended new techniques.
The whole continent erupted.
"The Dao of the Ancient God—only through the fishing rod!"
"With rod in hand, the Dao is mine!"
"The Holy Sect of Fishing is born!"
…
In just days, the "Holy Fishing Rod Sect" rose to prominence, centered around the rod itself.
Cultivators fought madly for fishing rods, even throwing away spirit weapons and divine swords for a simple pole.
"Sword? Who wants a sword?! The rod is the true Dao!"
"Out of the way! That bamboo's mine!"
"Aaahhh! The Ancient God fishes the world—I must follow too!"
…
At the divine kingdom by the lake, the holy son led tens of thousands of disciples, faces devout, stepping before the black-haired youth.
"Ancient God, Heavenly Emperor! This humble disciple offers you this, our supreme treasure!"
He raised a lavish rod of divine iron, inlaid with gold and jade, runes flowing, brilliance dazzling.
"Please accept the Holy Rod!"
…
The youth blinked, scratching his head: "This… is a fishing rod? Why's it so gaudy? Can it even catch fish?"
He gave it a shake, nearly smashing his own foot from its weight.
"Pfft, this thing's way too heavy. My shabby bamboo rod's way better!"
Looking at it with disdain, he tossed the priceless "Holy Rod" aside, hugged his bamboo rod with a grin:
"Still, the old buddy feels right."
…
Boom!
The crowd froze, then broke into tears.
"The Ancient God scorns the Holy Rod—proving the true Dao lies in simplicity!"
"Yes! Gaudy things are illusions—only the plain bamboo rod is truth!"
"Record it! Sacred Words of the Ancient God—The Dao is utmost simplicity!"
At once, a new wave of madness spread across the nine heavens and ten lands.
Cultivators threw away their divine-iron rods and spirit-treasure poles, scrambling instead to hack down common bamboo.
Within days, bamboo groves were stripped bare, prices skyrocketing.
…
The youth twitched his eyelids, watching the chaos at the lake with confusion.
"Damn, did everyone suddenly get addicted to fishing? Copying each other, all chasing bamboo rods, tossing out the good ones?"
Shaking his head, he sighed: "Young people… always chasing trends."
…
Then, the holy son knelt again, trembling as he shouted:
"Ancient God, Heavenly Emperor, the Holy Fishing Sect has been founded—please grant us your Dao!"
…
The youth blinked: "Huh? Dao? If you really want to learn, just catch more fish and eat them."
He flicked his rod, and within moments pulled out a colossal fish ten zhang long, slamming it onto the ground with a splash.
"See that? Fishing takes patience—gentle hands, not brute force."
…
Boom!
Heaven and earth shook, cultivators collapsed in tears.
"Sacred Words of the Ancient God—The Dao requires patience, not haste!"
"Sacred Words of the Ancient God—Cultivation must be gentle and steady to attain truth!"
Countless broke through on the spot, weeping rivers.
"Too profound! Too magnificent!"
…
The youth plopped onto a rock, hugging the giant fish with a goofy smile:
"Hehe, fish soup tonight!"
Overjoyed, he had no idea that every gesture had already become the root of faith for billions.
…
That night, flames roared on the divine kingdom's altar.
The Holy Fishing Rod Sect was formally declared.
Billions of cultivators cried out in unison:
"The rod is the Dao!"
"Fishing is cultivation!"
"The Ancient God, the Heavenly Emperor, supreme and sole!"
…
Meanwhile, in his hut, the black-haired youth slept soundly, clutching his bamboo rod in his arms.
In his dreams, he sat by the lake, hauling up a fat, golden fish, grinning ear to ear.
"Hehe, tomorrow I'll catch an even bigger one!"