Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

To transform into a ferocious beast like a crocodile, one needs the strength of the fourth level of the Blood Path. Such a person is generally called a manager, in charge of a certain matter in the village.

The crocodile in front of us is probably the manager of the fishermen's quarters, in charge of all the fishermen.

Liu Xingmo dared not be negligent: "Old steward, this tortoise is my contracted beast, its name is Bao Hei."

"You're quite something, young man," the crocodile sniffed hard, then continued in a muttering, old woman's voice, "You want to go out of town and gain some experience?"

"My hands are itching to cast a few lines. I'll also take this opportunity to learn from you seasoned veterans and broaden my horizons. I'll write about it in the newspaper later and let the whole village witness the courage of these old fishermen." Liu Xingmo subtly flattered him.

"Oh... the patrol team has strict rules. You didn't want to go, so you ended up here?" A smile seemed to appear on the crocodile's lips. "Coming out of town with us will at least provide some protection, preventing you from being gored by a passing wild boar. Don't you think so?"

"Well..." Liu Xingmo was speechless for a moment.

As the saying goes, old ginger is spicier.

His thoughts were directly exposed, and he probably couldn't even hide the fact that Bao Hei was a rare innate beast.

The crocodile manager didn't make things difficult for the young man: "Alright, I understand. But you've come at the wrong time. Winter is coming soon, and the river will freeze over, so we'll all have to go home to hibernate. Come back next spring when the river thaws. I'll take good care of you, young man."

"Thank you, old steward!" Liu Xingmo said, then shamelessly continued, "Could I come along for the next few days? I just want to take a look around."

"Oh?" The crocodile's eyes darted around, as if he could see through the ship's deck, peering at the old turtle in the cabin. "I understand. Stay close to Master Bao these next couple of days and don't cause him any trouble."

"Thank you so much!"

The crocodile flicked its tail and plunged into the turbulent river.

The otter approached him: "I'm Master Bao, Bao Ya. You'll be working for me for the next few days."

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"There aren't many young men who can earn our manager's high regard, and you've never met one who's so willing to help you like this before!" Master Bao stared with his round eyes, looking the young man in the canoe up and down. "No wonder he's a storyteller, he's got some skills..."

"Haha, you overestimate me. I'm just an ordinary person."

As night fell, the fishermen returned from outside the city one after another. They still had plenty of catch to haul away and sell.

Liu Xingmo arranged a time to meet the next day, then took his leave.

Baohei, that guy, silently buried himself in his food on the boat, until he was so bloated he couldn't shrink back into his shell.

Liu Xingmo was both angry and amused. He couldn't drag the stinky turtle away, so he had to use his soul imprint to punish it before it was driven back into the water and embarked on its journey home.

Judging by the time, we'll first take the waterway back to Beicun, then drive for several hours along the birch-lined avenue. We need to get here early tomorrow to meet at sunrise.

Liu Xingmo simply settled down in Beicun.

The entire Beicun village is built along the water, from the Xueyang River upstream to the Dabazi Lake downstream, with stilted houses stretching along the water's edge.

Countless black-painted bamboo poles are planted in the river, supporting rows of light and sturdy bamboo houses.

The bamboo houses have terraces and side rooms, as well as insect enclosures and fish ponds. They are of varying heights and connected by walkways, layer upon layer, one after another.

Liu Xingmo found a hotel to stay in.

At dinner time, I went to the lobby on the first floor, sat at a table by the window, and enjoyed the lake view outside.

Under the cover of night, the lights blend together, like fireflies flitting about on a summer pond.

The river reflects the bamboo houses and buildings on the water, depicting another illusory underwater world.

This is a great place; you can even fish from home.

Before long, a large bowl of stewed fish was served. The delicate white fish meat was sprinkled with bright green scallions, and the aroma was irresistible.

The main dish is a palm-sized water chestnut, already cooked and split in half. It can be eaten by scooping it up with a white porcelain spoon.

As Liu Xingmo ate, he scrutinized the other diners in the hall, while also eavesdropping on their conversations. It was an occupational hazard of his.

One of them boasted, "Our voyage opened up a new trade route. We encountered a storm, and the entire fleet was almost wiped out! But guess what happened next?"

"Speak quickly, stop dawdling," someone urged.

The man took a sip of his wine and said, "Suddenly, a pod of dolphins appeared! They're a tribe of wondrous creatures from the ocean, who led us to a safe haven and traded rare items from the sea for the elixir we had!"

"What is it? How rare is it?" someone asked.

The man replied, "Seven-colored coral! It has the ability to condense spiritual energy. It can be consumed as a high-grade earth-level spiritual medicine, and it can also be used to refine magical artifacts!"

Liu Xingmo's heart stirred.

Condensing spiritual energy is the main content of first-level cultivation.

If the claim about the seven-colored coral is true, it can quickly raise one's cultivation level by one rank, just like the pill given by my great-grandfather.

If the condensation effect can be applied to tools, then the alchemical tools it creates can greatly improve Sumari's efficiency in making potions.

In the lobby, others joked, "Such important information, and you just spilled it? You're going to get a good beating when you get back!"

The man wasn't annoyed: "Since the fleet manager didn't say to keep the news under wraps, then it's okay to talk about it! Let me tell you, this coral is one of the dolphins' most prized possessions. Our manager has an agreement with them to continue trading at this time next year!"

Liu Xingmo couldn't sit still any longer and asked, "After the seven-colored coral was brought into the village, where did it end up? How much did it sell for?"

The man smiled and picked up a piece of loose peanut with his chopsticks: "I don't know about that; that's something important people have to worry about."

Liu Xingmo noted down the information about the seven-colored coral and inquired about other news as well.

Beicun Wharf is an important window for Heilongzhai to communicate with the outside world. The village's special medicines and remedies are sold out by dugout canoes in exchange for various useful products from the outside world.

Liu Xingmo wanted countless things, but being short of money was always a major problem that plagued him.

We still need to find a way to start with Bao Hei and see what role his unique luck ability can play.

The next day, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Liu Xingmo woke up early in the morning, checked out of the hotel, and left.

Thick fog hung over the rivers, and the water villages and towns were shrouded in a vast expanse of mist and clouds.

Riding on my old turtle, I followed the roadside signs and continued on my way.

Coincidentally, the fish market owner from Xizhen Market came here to buy fish.

Liu Xingmo returned the fish-scale nameplate and asked him to pass on a message home.

Then, they followed the other fishermen, cutting through the waves in the river, to the meeting place.

Rows of dugout canoes, flags waving, set sail. The canoes were filled with strong fishermen, eagerly awaiting their catch.

It wasn't very clear in the fog, but there were several giant beasts, swinging their thick, long tails, churning in the yellowish, turbid river water.

It looks like they're all crocodiles!

It should be the contracted beast of that crocodile manager from yesterday.

With such combat capabilities, this trip should be safe.

Liu Xingmo was excited as he swam with the fleet toward the dam gate.