Covering the Heavens: Fishing for the Heavens Starting from the Great Accomplished Holy Body

Li Qingshan pushed open the courtyard gate and saw Old Chen sweeping the floor. Old Chen also heard the noise and straightened up to look over.

Eyes facing each other.

Old Chen's squinty eyes suddenly widened.

His wrinkles smoothed out, he grinned, revealing a two-toothed smile, and exclaimed with delight, "Hey, Little Li, it really is you! You're finally back!"

He leaned the broom aside and strode over.

He looked Li Qingshan up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised affection and joy, muttering, "You've been gone for years without a word. I thought you'd forgotten about this old man!"

"You don't look like you've lost weight... your complexion is alright, but that lazy attitude hasn't changed at all!"

Looking at the still vigorous old man in front of him, Li Qingshan's eyes also showed a genuine smile, as if he were looking at a junior who was easy to take care of but occasionally needed to be remembered.

He nodded casually, "Yeah, I went out for a stroll. Old Chen, you're still in pretty good shape. I thought you'd caught the Dragon King of the River and been invited for tea while fishing."

"Pah, pah, pah! You brat, you never say anything nice as soon as you get back!"

Old Chen chuckled and teased, raising his hand as if to pat his shoulder, but then gently lowered it halfway down, only patting his arm instead. "I'm doing great, thanks to you, I'm eating well and sleeping soundly! But you, always appearing and disappearing like a ghost, how long will you stay this time?"

"We'll see. There's nothing urgent this time."

Li Qingshan's gaze swept over the much cleaner yard. "Why are you sweeping here?"

"Hey, I'm just bored!"

Old Chen rubbed his hands together. "Your yard is deserted all year round, and I feel it's a waste to see it lying around. I come over every few days to check on it, let it air out, and sweep up the fallen leaves, so it doesn't really become a den for stray cats and dogs. It's good that you're back; now I can finally relax."

"Come on, come on, don't just stand there, let's go to my house!"

Before Li Qingshan could answer, Old Chen had already enthusiastically grabbed his arm and was pulling him outside, saying as they walked, "You're in for a treat, kid! Don't even think about running away tonight, you have to come to my house for dinner!"

"My granddaughter is coming home tonight. Perfect timing, you young people can meet and chat!"

Li Qingshan, being pulled along by the old man, didn't resist and followed him outside, casually replying, "Oh? That girl's coming back?"

He vaguely remembered that Old Chen had mentioned it briefly when they were fishing together a few years ago.

When he mentioned that his granddaughter had cultivation potential and was taken away by a sect in the Central Region, the old man was both proud and reluctant to part with her.

"Of course! I heard she's improved a lot!"

Old Chen puffed out his thin chest, his face beaming.

He then lowered his voice, with a hint of mystery and pride, "Perfect timing, you're back. Let's meet and get to know each other!"

Li Qingshan gave a noncommittal "hmm".

He wasn't particularly interested in meeting any "promising girls," but seeing how enthusiastic the old man was, he didn't spoil the mood.

As we left the courtyard, it was still early before dinner time, and the sun was shining warmly on the river.

Old Chen glanced at the sky and suggested, "It's still early, there's no point in just waiting. How about we go to our usual spot and cast a line? Let's see if the fish in the river have forgotten about you while I've been gone these past few years!"

Li Qingshan had the same idea, so he nodded and said, "Sure, let's see if your skills have deteriorated."

"Hey, who do you think you are!"

Old Chen perked up, turned around and went back to his own yard, where he quickly took out two sets of spare fishing gear.

He always keeps some at home, thinking that it might come in handy if Li Qingshan comes back.

The two walked one after the other along the familiar path toward the river bend they used to frequent by the Hanjiang River.

A river breeze carrying moisture blew in, and there were scattered fishing boats in the distance; everything was much the same as it had been hundreds or even just a few years ago.

Old Chen walked ahead, rambling on about the trivial things that had happened over the past few years.

Who got married? Whose elder passed away? What new shop opened in town?

Li Qingshan mostly just listened, occasionally humming in agreement, his gaze fixed on the shimmering river surface, as if he were truly just an ordinary traveler returning home to visit his family and meet up with his old fishing buddies by the river.

......

The river bend is calm, and the old willows along the bank make it a perfect spot for fishing.

Li Qingshan took the ordinary bamboo pole handed to him by Old Chen, casually twisted the fishing line between his fingers, and checked the hook.

The movements appear casual, yet they reveal a familiarity and precision honed over many years.

With hundreds of years of experience in "fishing," even if it's just superficial "fishing" in real waters, he has long been a master in this art.

Bait the rod, lift the rod, and cast the line.

The fishing hook, baited with bait, traced a near-perfect arc in the air before silently landing in the river not far ahead. The float bobbed gently before settling firmly.

The series of movements was fluid and seamless, without a single unnecessary step. Old Chen, watching from the side, clicked his tongue in amazement: "You lad, your rod-swinging skills are still so beautiful! You've clearly been practicing a lot behind the scenes!"

Li Qingshan just smiled and didn't say anything.

His gaze was fixed on the buoy, but his mind had already drifted elsewhere.

To an outsider, the fishing line appeared to be submerged in the river.

But in Li Qingshan's perception, the ordinary fishing line seemed to undergo some kind of mysterious differentiation the moment it entered the water.

One line still connects to the fishing hook in the river, while another, more ethereal "line," which only he can perceive, quietly probes into that hazy "pool" that floats deep within his senses, yet contains endless time and space and possibilities.

What kind of "bait" should we use?

With a slight thought, a faint, almost imperceptible golden sand in the Sea of ​​Bitterness, yet imbued with the subtle aura of "cause and effect" and "time," was stirred and attached to the ethereal fishhook that was probing towards the "pool of heavens."

This is his catch from one of his early fishing trips: [Stardust and Sand].

It is said to be a remnant of the core of a destroyed ancient star. Over time, it has been tainted with a trace of the "end" fortune of the star's demise, making it quite suitable as bait. Moreover, the amount is extremely small and unlikely to cause too much of a commotion.

Double-line fishing, one real and one virtual, do not interfere with each other.

Old Chen also cast off his fishing rod, and the two sat side by side on the bluestone by the river, looking at the river and chatting idly.

He complained that fishing had been difficult lately, and wondered if some kind of monster had appeared in the river.

Li Qingshan occasionally responded with a few words, but his mind was mostly on the illusory "pool of heavens," waiting for the possible "fish season."

On the other hand, Li Qingshan's surface buoy started to move repeatedly.

With a flick of his wrist, he lifted the rod, a swift and clean motion bringing a palm-sized grass carp to the surface, its tail splashing out sparkling water.

He removed the hook, put the fish into the basket that Old Chen had brought, re-baited it, cast the line, and did it all in one smooth motion.

Not long after, the buoy moved again, and it was another grass carp.

Next, the third one...

On the other hand, Old Chen's float was like a stabilizing needle, occasionally swaying slightly, but when he lifted it up, he mostly caught empty hooks or only some small fish, which made the old man stare wide-eyed.