The Rat Cultivator

Chapter 142: Sinking Gold Carp

Wu Yuan’s fishing lessons had thoroughly befuddled Little Yellow. Even Little White, eavesdropping nearby with a half-eaten carrot in his paw, found himself tempted by the prospect of becoming a legendary “Dragon Fishing Master.”

Of course, Wu Yuan wasn’t irresponsible. He assigned a Pangolin guard to shadow them, specifically tasked with stunning any spirit fish too powerful for the hamster to handle.

After all, these were precious resources. Wu Yuan loved eating fish above all else, and waste was not an option.

In the end, the ordinary fish caught by Little White were released into the large artificial lake outside, while the high-grade spirit fish snagged by Little Yellow went straight into the cold storage pond in Wu Yuan’s underground cave.

However, Wu Yuan’s ambitions for Polong Lake went far beyond a simple fishing trip.

The lake possessed vast water-attribute resources that Little Green Mountain sorely lacked. To secure them, Wu Yuan had quietly deployed a specialized task force: the new Bibo Beaver Clan.

Awakened from the general rat population, this clan numbered nearly several thousand. Some even possessed a dual bloodline of Spirit-Gathering Rat and Bibo Beaver, pushing their potential to the First-Rank Top-Grade.

Leading them were the veteran beavers who had escaped the East Sea Dragon Palace alongside Bibo. Under his careful tutelage, their strength had soared, with most possessing fifty to sixty strands of Demon Power. Bibo’s own son, a prodigy with seventy strands, was nearly as strong as Big Old Black.

They integrated seamlessly into the southern waters of Polong Lake, establishing a fortified perimeter that served as Little Green Mountain’s forward operating base.

At first, some blind local water demons tried to attack. But upon seeing the shiny, chisel-like incisors of a thousand angry beavers, most fled in terror. If a high-cultivation demon dared to press the attack, they would find themselves ambushed by Bibo himself, lurking in the shadows.

Over time, the denizens of Polong Lake learned a simple truth: the South belongs to the Blue Water Beavers. Do not trespass.

Fortunately, the major powers of the lake—the Black Water Flood Dragon Snake and the Red Refined Fire Snake—were too busy fighting each other to care about a few beavers.

These foreign heavyweights assumed the Bibo Beavers were just another refugee group from the East Sea Dragon Palace. Seeing that the beavers were disciplined, defensive, and uninterested in expansion, the Snake Brothers tacitly acknowledged their territory.

It was a chaotic time for Polong Lake. The local demons were weak but numerous and united against outsiders, launching guerrilla attacks everywhere. The foreign warlords were fractured, vying for the title of “Lord of Polong Lake” while trying to suppress the locals.

This chaos was the perfect cover for the Bibo Beavers to fish in troubled waters.

It was precisely because of this secret stronghold that Wu Yuan dared to send Little Yellow out fishing.

The returns were bountiful. Wu Yuan’s cold pond was now overflowing with spirit fish, and his Bamboo Pond was stocked with Middle-Grade aquatic spirit plants. Low-Grade plants were now relegated to the common lake outside—a luxury unimaginable just a few months ago.

Wu Yuan looked at his hoard, his eyes filled with covetous desire for the rest of Polong Lake.

Deep beneath Polong Lake, in a secluded, phosphorescent cavern.

The Red Refined Fire Snake stared with burning eyes at the deep pond in the center of his brother’s lair.

The water sparkled under the soft glow of embedded Moonlight Pearls. Inside, ten magnificent carp swam lazily, their scales shimmering with mesmerizing golden-red light, like living clouds at sunset.

But what truly captivated the demons were the patches of golden “Dragon Scales” on their flanks—rhombus-shaped armor interwoven with natural water-spirit patterns. They shone with a noble, hard brilliance.

These were the Sinking Gold Carp.

The Red Refined Fire Snake involuntarily slithered forward, overcome by primal desire. He slammed into a transparent, solid barrier.

Thud.

He pressed his body against the invisible formation, his eyes a complex mix of fanaticism and hesitation. His body trembled with the urge to pounce.

“These ten Sinking Gold Carp already possess the Dragon Form,” he muttered feverishly. “If I eat them, I will definitely awaken a True Dragon Bloodline. I will become a noble Dragon Genus, no longer a lowly snake demon!”

Saliva dripped uncontrollably from his jaws, hissing as it hit the formation barrier. The barrier rippled with white light, repelling the corrosive drool.

“Hiss… hiss!”

The Red Refined Fire Snake let out an urgent, greedy sound.

“Little Brother,” a cold, hoarse voice drifted from the shadows behind him. It carried a faint chill and a distinct edge of killing intent. “Do you like the Sinking Gold Carp Big Brother is raising?”

The Red Refined Fire Snake, previously lost in desire, sobered instantly.

He slowly peeled himself off the barrier, coiling his body defensively. He turned around, forcing a stiff smile.

“These Sinking Gold Carp are excellent, of course. I wonder… can I get a share?”

The Black Water Flood Dragon Snake emerged from the darkness. He grinned, but the expression offered no warmth.

“Of course. As long as you help me capture the entire Polong Lake.”

“With the blessing of Providence, these First-Rank High-Grade carp will have a chance to advance further and awaken a Second Dragon Form. Then, eating them might allow you to shed your snake body and transform into a Flood Dragon!”

The Red Refined Fire Snake’s eyes glazed over, intoxicated by the vision of himself as a majestic Flood Dragon, dominating all lesser demons.

“Of course!” he nodded rapidly.

But then, his tone shifted. Clarity returned to his eyes as he stared fixedly at his brother.

“But if you give me three Sinking Gold Carp in advance, I’ll help you.”

His needs differed from his brother’s. The Red Refined Fire Snake was impatient; he just wanted the dragon blood now. The current carp were sufficient for his immediate goals.

The Black Water Flood Dragon Snake, however, played a longer game. He needed the carp to evolve further to support his own transformation.

To the younger brother, asking for three seemed modest.

The Black Water Snake’s expression hardened. He locked eyes with his brother and spoke slowly, each word heavy with pressure.

“All the resources I collected in Polong Lake have gone into this pond. I have invested years of accumulation into them. You do nothing, contribute nothing, and yet you demand three?”

“Brother, isn’t that inappropriate?”

Staring at the unyielding younger snake, the Black Water Snake paused, then softened his tone. “Little Brother, even if you take them, you can’t raise them properly. Why not leave them with Big Brother for now?”

The Red Refined Fire Snake snapped, his greed overriding his fear. “I’m not raising them—I’ll eat them right now! Just tell me: will you give them or not!”

The Black Water Snake fell silent, calculating furiously.

The Sinking Gold Carp have only a 20% chance of gaining a Second Dragon Form. If I give him three, and the remaining seven fail… my path is ruined.

But I can’t clear Polong Lake alone anytime soon. I need his strength.

I must transform into a Flood Dragon quickly to have a chance at becoming the Cave Heaven Lord. But how do I make this idiot drop the idea?