The Rat Cultivator

Chapter 141: Little Yellow Goes Fishing

The initial, explosive wave of medicinal potency from the Blood Essence faded, settling into a steady, nourishing stream that continued to bolster Wu Yuan’s cultivation.

Spiritual light flickered in his eyes.

“The effect is too good!” Wu Yuan muttered, his voice trembling with excitement. “If I had a few more of these, both my Qi Condensation and Body Refining cultivation could break through to the late stage! I could even use the surge of vitality combined with my Bloodline Spirit Runes to attempt a breakthrough to the Third Rank!”

Thinking about his bloodline level, which had stagnated for so long, Wu Yuan felt a pang of melancholy.

“I’ve deciphered more and more Bloodline Spirit Runes, but the threshold for a Third-Rank bloodline is truly a heavenly moat. Anything touching the Third Rank is as difficult as ascending to the stars.”

During this period, Wu Yuan hadn’t slackened in his studies. In fact, after mastering the logic of Formations, his comprehension of biological runes had accelerated. He had successfully inscribed two new Bloodline Spirit Runes, bringing his total to four.

These runes pushed his Second-Rank Top-Grade bloodline to its absolute limit, yet the gate to the Third Rank remained firmly shut.

However, even if the rank didn’t change, the physical benefits were undeniable.

Wu Yuan’s physique now far surpassed that of ordinary Barbarian Beasts. His Blood and Qi were so abundant that they rivaled a late-stage Body Refining cultivator. When fully unleashed, his aura rose like a towering column of smoke. Standing next to the armored Pangolin, one might struggle to decide who was the true brute.

This enhancement wasn’t just raw power; his recovery speed, muscle control, five senses, and even his intangible sixth sense had all been amplified. This, in turn, provided a massive boost to his Innate Divine Ability, the Touch of Profound Spiritual Perception.

“But the production of Blood Essence consumes far too many Demon Beasts,” Wu Yuan calculated grimly. “Relying solely on capturing strays isn’t a sustainable supply chain. It seems the Snake King needs to work harder. Snake Valley is a resource I cannot afford to waste.”

Wu Yuan ended his cultivation session and stood atop the Spirit Mulberry Tree, overlooking his domain.

Not far away lay a vast, artificial lake.

On the water’s surface, layer upon layer of Moon Reflecting Lotuses bloomed freely, resembling a sea of pink clouds bridging heaven and earth.

These were First-Rank Low-Grade spirit plants. Every full moon, when Lunar Essence scattered down, the lotuses would bloom. Their seed pods were plump, their stalks jade-like, and their roots crisp and tender—every part was a treasure. Moreover, they grew in clusters; a single root could eventually colonize an entire lake. Their value far exceeded that of the common Moon Spirit Grass.

Streams from various parts of Little Green Mountain converged here like silver ribbons, circulating the Earth Vein Spiritual Qi before nourishing the spirit fish stocks.

This lake, over a thousand meters wide, was the result of Wu Yuan’s terraforming project at the foot of the Great Bluestone Mountain.

And the spirit fish within it came from the north—from Polong Lake.

Although called a lake, Polong Lake was a completely different beast from Wu Yuan’s landscaped pond. It was a vast, inland sea, its surface area exceeding even that of Little Green Mountain.

The territory Wu Yuan currently controlled was roughly two hundred thousand square kilometers—the size of a human province. But while the Azure Spirit Mountain Range was vast, it was resource-poor.

Polong Lake was the opposite. It was an aquatic maze of whirlpools, swamps, and deep trenches, teeming with resources and life. It was practically a Water Demon Kingdom.

When the Green Roc Great Demon had descended years ago, he had only bothered to hunt the high-cultivation spirits. The weaker ones—the shrimp soldiers and crab generals—had escaped the purge by hiding in the deep mud.

This created a unique ecosystem. The current inhabitants of Polong Lake were numerous but weak. Any water demon with decent bloodline or strength had been eaten by the Peng Bird, leaving behind a population of terrified survivors. These demons rarely dared to come ashore, traumatized by the memory of the Great Demon, choosing instead to develop silently within the safety of the water.

This isolationism suited Wu Yuan perfectly.

previously, when Little Gray was conducting reconnaissance, he discovered that spirit fish and plants were booming in Polong Lake.

The most excited demon wasn’t Wu Yuan, but Little Yellow.

When the Golden Hamster first saw such a vast body of water, he was overjoyed. He completely forgot about the Purple Bamboo grove he usually tended with obsessive care. He dragged Little White out to explore the waters every day, constantly pestering Wu Yuan to come play.

Wu Yuan, busy with cultivation, had no time to babysit. So, he used a stalk of Purple Bamboo to craft a fishing rod for Little Yellow and patiently taught him the basics of angling.

This lesson opened the door to a new world for the hamster.

It had to be said—Little Yellow’s luck was preternatural. He never came back empty-handed. Every hook snagged a First-Rank Low-Grade spirit fish, and Middle-Grade catches were common.

However, there was a problem: Little Yellow could hook them, but he couldn’t fight them.

Spirit fish were strong. Little Yellow would often get dragged into the water, thrashing and squeaking, while Little White—mischievous by nature—stood on the bank laughing at him.

Poor Little Yellow returned soaking wet every day, sniffing and crying as he complained to Wu Yuan about the bullying fish.

Watching his teary-eyed commander gave Wu Yuan a headache.

“Little Yellow,” Wu Yuan said, adopting a sagely tone. “Do you know how the ancient human cultivators—the ones who invented fishing—caught Spirit Fish?”

Little Yellow looked utterly bewildered. He had never even seen a human; he only knew they walked on two legs and had weirdly long claws.

“How?” he asked curiously, eyes wide.

Wu Yuan kept a straight face. “They hold the rod in one hand and a Talisman in the other. When a fish is hooked, they slap it with a lightning spell to stun it instantly! There are even specialized techniques. I’ve heard that among the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, there is the legendary ‘Dragon Fishing Master’ class. They hook dragons! Although the lineage is lost… maybe you could be the next Dragon Fishing Master!”

Little Yellow’s eyes lit up like stars. “I don’t have Talismans… can I use a Magical Artifact to stun them?”

Wu Yuan nodded approvingly. “The rodent can be taught!”

Seeing the hamster vibrating with excitement, Wu Yuan continued his sales pitch.

“I will use the best spirit materials from Little Green Mountain to forge a customized kit for you. I’ll make a Harpoon Magical Artifact, specifically for spearing fish. I’ll inscribe it with Precision and Armor-Piercing Spirit Runes—it’ll hit the mark every time!”

“I’ll also forge a Fishing Net Magical Artifact, woven from the finest Blood Jade Spirit Silkworm silk. I guarantee not a single fish will escape.”

Wu Yuan gestured grandly. “Then, you will hold the rod in one hand and the harpoon in the other, roaming Polong Lake unmatched! You will be the terror of the deep!”