"What are these things?"
The entire trap was filled with river sand, mixed with some small shrimps. Not to mention any big catches, there wasn't a single big fish to be seen.
Su Mu gathered up the trap and dumped out all the river sand, letting the small shrimps go.
He planned to weave a few more traps to cast a wide net.
Su Mu found a kind of vine on the shore. It was a pale purple color, soft in texture, and highly malleable, making it perfect for weaving baskets.
Using a basketry technique, he wove five traps quickly out of a dozen stems of the purple vine.
It must be said, Su Mu was truly skilled in this kind of craft; the weaving was tight and the structure solid, even quite pleasing to the eye.
Holding five traps, Su Mu returned to the shallow water area from before. Rolling up his pants, he headed to where the silk grass was densest, usually where fish like to gather.
He skillfully placed the five traps, and after finishing this, Su Mu went on with his own tasks.
The next day.
Su Mu got up early and headed to the Silk Grass Waters to see if there were any big catches today.
The first trap was just like yesterday, filled with river sand and small shrimps, very disappointing.
When he lifted the second trap, he discovered a strip of tattooed spicy strip. Indeed, as soon as a trap is placed, a water snake is easily caught!
The water snake was too ordinary, so Su Mu released it.
The third and fourth traps were completely empty, with nothing inside.
There was only one trap left, and Su Mu anxiously lifted it to find it still full of mud and river sand.
Damn it!
Could it be another empty haul?
Just then, Su Mu noticed some movement in the mud; there was something inside!
He lifted it out, took it to the shore, and when he dumped out the mud, he found a round, pancake-like soft-bodied creature resembling an octopus, curled up in a ball.
An octopus??
No, it didn't look like an octopus.
Upon closer inspection, he found it was a Kong Yao!
Kong Yao, also known as boss fish, hoe fish, pot lid fish, tigery.
Usually residing on sandy bottoms in colder sea areas, often shallowly buried in sand, with only its eyes and blowholes exposed. It hides during the day and forages at night.
Su Mu had some pretty decent knowledge of fish, so he quickly identified it based on its characteristics.
This Kong Yao was about forty centimeters long and twenty centimeters wide. Normally, its exterior would be brownish-yellow, but this one was a purplish-red.
For some strange reason, Su Mu felt a connection with this Kong Yao and decided to form a contract.
[Do you wish to contract?]
"Yes"
With just a thought, Su Mu instantly established a spiritual connection with the Kong Yao.
The Kong Yao, which had been shivering just a moment ago, now directed a sense of goodwill towards Su Mu.
Su Mu placed the Kong Yao in the water, saying, "Go, and bring me any good treasures you find."
Upon saying this, the Kong Yao stayed put, appearing somewhat bewildered.
It seemed not very bright.
The Kong Yao remained still for several seconds, as if confirming something, before slowly sinking to the riverbed.
Though there wasn't a big catch today, contracting with a Kong Yao was still some kind of gain.
Su Mu set the traps back into the water.
There are lots of treasure fish in this river, and Su Mu certainly intended to make use of them.
...
[Congratulations, you repaired a breach in the river channel, Favor Points +50]
....
[Congratulations, you saved a fish entangled in water plants, Favor Points +10]
....
[Congratulations, you helped a stranded turtle, Favor Points +15]
...
[Congratulations, nothing happened today, a peaceful day. For successfully guarding, you receive additional Favor Points! Favor Points +100]
Today was quite lucky, receiving a total of 300 Favor Points.
While repairing a breach on the riverbank, Su Mu sensed an alignment and walked towards a certain point downstream.
Arriving at the shore, he saw the Kong Yao floating sluggishly on the river surface.
When Su Mu approached, the Kong Yao flipped itself over, with a small green sapling clasped in its mouth.
"Is this your welcome gift for me?"
Su Mu took the green sapling, planning to inspect it closely.
Are there trees that grow in rivers?
Bringing it to his nose, he could smell a strange fragrance, which filled his nostrils. He instantly felt relaxed and his entire body immensely refreshed.
Su Mu's eyes lit up.
What a treasure!
Noticing a one-centimeter-deep wound on the left lower body of the Kong Yao, Su Mu decided to heal it using Favor Points.
[Would you like to spend 20 Favor Points to heal?]
"Yes"
In the next second, the wound began to heal.
Feeling the changes in its body, the Kong Yao seemed to be stunned again, its pitch-black eyes fixed on Su Mu.
"Go play."
Not until Su Mu spoke did it slowly leave.
...
Su Mu took the small green sapling to the front of the stone house. From previous experience,
he decided not to boil it this time, and instead swallowed it in one go, then he would slowly refine it later.
He swallowed it in one go and then sat cross-legged to meditate.
In the next second.
Su Mu's face turned red; no matter how he circulated his cultivation technique, he couldn't digest the small green sapling, and the sapling seemed to start growing in his stomach!
He felt a wave of nausea and spat the sapling back out.
As soon as the sapling hit the ground, it burrowed into the soil, taking only three seconds.
The sapling took root immediately and started to grow!
In just one hour, it grew taller than Su Mu himself.
...
The next day, when Su Mu woke up, he found a willow tree in front of his stone house!
The trunk was as thick as an embrace, the tree reached three meters high, and its wide canopy completely covered Su Mu's stone house. One by one, the faintly green glowing willows hung down.
In just one night, it had grown from a sapling into a towering tree!
This willow tree seemed to possess some kind of intelligence, as a branch drooped in front of Su Mu.
In the next second, this branch snapped off on its own, falling into Su Mu's hands.
He grasped the branch tightly and discovered that it contained an immense amount of energy!
....
Holding the willow branch, Su Mu did not use any cultivation technique. He lightly whipped it at a shield in front of him.
Crack—
A shattering sound was heard, and a highly solid [Captain America's Shield] was instantly split in two!
.....
This shield was a prize he had won not long ago through a lottery, and he had tested it himself for its high level of defense, yet it was so easily turned into shards with just a gentle whip. The power was evident!
Most crucially, he didn't use a single bit of spiritual power; it was just a casual whip.
.....
"Perfect for a weapon."
Su Mu gleefully remarked, gazing at the willow branch in his hands.
Suddenly, the willow tree dropped another branch, which landed in front of Su Mu.
This branch had something growing on it.
"What is this thing?"