Su Yu quickly activated his Bibo Fishbone Skill and attacked the Red Scale Carp.
The Red Scale Carp was quite strong, but it was still a fair bit weaker than the Golden-Threaded White-Scaled Fish he had caught before. Moreover, Su Yu had now broken through three times, and his power had grown immensely.
Thus, it only took a moment for Su Yu to surface, holding the large, fiery-colored fish.
Aboard the black-canopied boat, Su Yu gazed at the beautiful Red Scale Carp, feeling content.
'It's a bit bigger than I thought. Looks like it'll sell for ten taels of silver.'
'This underwater cave beneath the cliff is a real treasure trove. Rare fish show up every now and then. When I get the chance, I have to explore its depths. Who knows, there might be even more valuable things inside.'
Su Yu placed the Red Scale Carp in the boat's hold. It was still alive, so he could just sell it as soon as he returned.
Eating it himself wasn't worth it. While the fish was considered rare, it was a tier below a true treasure fish and wouldn't replenish much of his Qi and Blood.
Its main appeal was its delicious and nourishing meat, making it a favorite among wealthy dignitaries.
The Black Water River stretched out, a vast expanse of mist and waves.
On the river, a black-canopied boat cut through the waves, pressing deeper into its waters.
Along the way, other boats passed by. Their occupants would simply nod at one another without further interaction.
Since this was Su Yu's first time venturing this deep alone and he was unfamiliar with the complex waterways, he began trailing an experienced-looking black-canopied boat from a safe distance.
"Hey, you!" a pretty girl shouted at Su Yu from the bow of the boat ahead. She was wearing a short, floral-print outfit, her hands planted on her hips. "Why are you following us?"
Su Yu was taken aback. He quickly cupped his fist. "My apologies, miss. This is my first time in the deepwater area, and I don't know the way. I was just hoping to follow you for a while. I mean no harm."
On the Black Water River, tailing another boat was a major taboo. It could easily be mistaken as an attempt to steal fishing spots or to commit robbery.
Many boat owners had their own private fishing routes and knew of special spots teeming with fish.
The pretty girl pouted, sizing up Su Yu with a displeased expression, uncertain whether he was telling the truth.
Just then, an old man ducked out from under the boat's canopy. His hair and beard were both white, but his bronze skin was stretched taut over muscles as gnarled as the roots of an old tree, making him look exceptionally hardy. His cloudy old eyes looked Su Yu up and down.
"Young man, where are you from?"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Su Yu answered truthfully, "Sir, my name is Su Yu, from Qingxi Village. My ancestors have been fishermen for generations."
"Qingxi Village?" The old man's expression softened slightly. "I've had drinks with your Village Chief, Wang Yuechi, a few times. How... has he been lately?"
A thought crossed Su Yu's mind, and he replied honestly, "A while ago, something unclean got into the village. Uncle Wang was injured, but thankfully, he's all right."
"SHH—!" The old man's expression changed. He pressed an index finger to his lips and glanced nervously at the deathly still surface of the water around them.
"Never speak of ghosts and spirits on the river! You'll invite bad luck!"
Seeing Su Yu fall silent, the old man breathed a sigh of relief. "Just call me Old Man Jiang. This is my granddaughter, Jiang Mu. Since you're a junior from Village Chief Wang's village, you can follow us for a stretch. But when we reach the fork, we'll go our separate ways."
"Thank you, Elder Jiang."
The two boats continued on, one behind the other, cutting through the waves.
Along the way, Old Man Jiang watched the water's surface, casting his net from time to time. He hauled in a catch with almost every cast, quickly landing a good number of large fish.
The girl, Jiang Mu, was not one to sit still. Cradling a large carp that had just been pulled from the water, she jutted her chin at Su Yu. "Hey, Su the kid! See how amazing my grandpa is? He's already caught over ten pounds of fish. What's with you? You haven't cast your net once. Did you come out here just to enjoy the scenery?"
It was clear that Old Man Jiang's fishing skills were truly impressive; he was an old hand who had spent his life on the river.
As for Jiang Mu, she was an energetic girl who kept striking up conversations with Su Yu, boasting a little each time.
Su Yu just smiled without responding.
'His goal on this trip wasn't common fish; they weren't worth much. He was after rare fish at a minimum—or even better, a treasure fish!'
After about an hour, the river grew deeper and the current more turbulent. Several forks appeared ahead as the boats entered the deep waters of the Black Water River.
Su Yu was just about to take his leave of the pair ahead when that subtle, mysterious pull struck him again!
Though he hadn't cast his net, he had been continuously using his Listening Wave Positioning Trait to sense the water around him.
Within his senses, a long, slender shadow in the deep water ahead was ramming at high speed into a school of large-headed fish, leaving the scent of blood spreading in its wake.
'Here it comes!'
A sharp glint flashed in Su Yu's eyes.
He immediately grabbed the heavy Iron Wire Net. Channeling power through his spine, he cast it with lightning speed. The net sailed through the air in a perfect arc, whistling as it precisely descended upon the patch of water stained with blood.
'A hit!'
The rope in his hand went taut instantly. A massive force shot up the line, making the web of Su Yu's hand go numb. This clearly wasn't the strength of an ordinary fish. Su Yu quickly began to jerk the rope, wrestling for control against the great fish in the net.
"Superb technique!"
Aboard the boat ahead, Old Man Jiang's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but shout his approval. 'An expert reveals his skill with a single move.' The timing and power of that cast were far beyond what any novice could manage!
Jiang Mu's eyes widened as well, and she craned her neck to get a better look. "Did he catch a big one?"
She started to steer their boat closer, but Old Man Jiang quickly pulled her back.
Su Yu's Net Casting Skill was now masterful. He quickly wore down most of the great fish's energy and was on the verge of hauling it aboard.
SPLASH!
Like a cornered beast, the great fish was exceptionally ferocious. As it was about to be dragged onto the boat, it thrashed wildly, churning the water into violent waves.
"Watch the gaps in the net!"
Old Man Jiang had a keen eye. He saw at a glance that the fish was trying to use the waves to stretch the net open and escape.
'Trying to run?'
Su Yu was also experienced. Knowing it would be difficult to land the fish with the net alone, he didn't hesitate. He stripped off his shirt, revealing lean, powerful muscles, grabbed a Fish Spear, and dove into the water.
The water was dim, but Su Yu locked onto his target in an instant.
It was a strange, dull-grey fish about three feet long, with a spindle-shaped head.
"Wave-Piercing Stab!"
As Su Yu swam, he put a spin on the Fish Spear and drove it forward. It plunged into the great fish's body, and the creature writhed in pain as blood bloomed in the water like a crimson flame.
With the Fish Spear embedded in his prey, Su Yu felt a wave of relief. The great fish had no chance of escape now.
He pinned the struggling fish by clamping the Fish Spear under his arm, then began hauling on the net rope with his free hand, intending to bring his catch to the surface.
GLUG GLUG GLUG...
From the dark, deep riverbed far below him, a string of bubbles the size of human heads suddenly rose.
Startled, Su Yu quickly looked down.
He saw an enormous black shadow, like a great slab of bluestone, moving ponderously along the riverbed.
Beneath the massive shadow, a smaller one seemed to be creeping toward a patch of glowing plants.
The commotion from Su Yu subduing the great fish had successfully attracted the massive shadow's attention, and it began to rise rapidly toward the surface.
When it was still dozens of yards away, Su Yu finally got a clear look at the shadow. It was a gigantic crab.
It was the size of a millstone, its entire carapace possessing the metallic sheen of black steel, looking incredibly thick and coarse. The twisted markings on its back vaguely formed the image of a crying, ghostly face, a sight that sent a chill down the spine.
Even before it drew near, a swing of its shield-like left pincer stirred up a powerful undercurrent that churned the water violently.
'Danger!'
Su Yu's heart leaped in alarm. The sheer power radiating from this giant crab was clearly not something an ordinary person could handle, especially not at the bottom of the Black Water River.