The Rat Cultivator

Chapter 157: Securing the Sinking Gold Carp

Ultimately, Wu Yuan had only satisfied his gluttonous appetite; the raid yielded no usable spiritual items. To any outside observer, this large-scale military operation would appear to be a massive strategic failure—a lot of noise for a meal of snake meat.

But Wu Yuan wasn’t anxious in the slightest. He closed his eyes, his mind turning to his greatest asset.

Karma Pearl. Where did the Red Refined Fire Snake hide the Sinking Gold Carp?

The answer surfaced almost immediately in the void of his consciousness.

[Blue Intelligence: The Sinking Gold Carp are stored in a Beast Taming Bag, hidden at the bottom of the Still Water Pool.]

Wu Yuan’s brow quirked. He knew the Still Water Pool. It was a small spiritual spring located where the eastern shore of Polong Lake met the base of Wolf Mountain. It had been the former home of the Jade Water Spirit Turtle before One Ear had harassed the turtle into fleeing to the Beaver Water Fortress.

Since then, the pool had been abandoned.

“Hiding in plain sight,” Wu Yuan mused. “It’s dangerously close to our new fortress. A bold move.”

He turned to Bibo. “Clean up the battlefield. I’ve already mobilized the troops; prepare for the inevitable clash with the Black Water Flood Dragon Snake.”

With that order given, Wu Yuan dissolved into a breeze, activating his Wind Walk Technique to vanish from the spot.

Minutes later, he arrived at the Still Water Pool.

It was an unassuming body of water nestled against a sheer cliff face. The Spiritual Qi here was thin—barely First Tier, Low Grade. From his vantage point on the cliff, Wu Yuan could see the narrow channel connecting it to the main body of Polong Lake.

He sniffed the air. His nose wrinkled.

“Faint. Fishy. Snake scent.”

“Sloppy,” Wu Yuan muttered to himself. “To leave a scent trail like this… he wasn’t cautious enough.”

In truth, Wu Yuan was being overly critical. The Red Refined Fire Snake was a veteran survivor. The scent was virtually undetectable to ordinary beasts; the Black Water Flood Dragon Snake hadn’t found it in weeks. But Wu Yuan possessed the Touch of Profound Spiritual Perception, a supernatural ability that, while focused on tactile sense, passively enhanced his overall sensory acuity. Combined with his Barbarian Beast physique, his senses were tuned to a microscopic level.

Wu Yuan leaped from the cliff, diving into the pool with barely a splash. His Demon Sense extended like invisible tentacles, scanning the silt until it locked onto a specific, ordinary-looking rock.

He swam down, hooked his claws under the stone, and heaved.

It gave way, revealing a dark, hidden underwater tunnel.

Wu Yuan didn’t hesitate. He slipped into the passage with the ease of a creature born to the dark. After ten minutes of navigating the winding, submerged corridor, he emerged into a hidden subterranean cavern.

The moment he broke the surface of the underground pool, streaks of golden light flashed through the water, scattering in panic.

Found you.

Wu Yuan extended his Demon Power, forming a telekinetic net that scooped two gray, dusty pouches from the water.

He probed the first Beast Taming Bag with his mind. Inside swam a school of Sinking Gold Carp, but they were small, emaciated, and sickly.

“Decoys,” Wu Yuan realized, impressed. “He kept these runts in an unsealed bag to mask the aura of the real treasure. If a thief found this place, they’d grab this bag and leave, thinking they’d struck gold.”

“If not for my intelligence network, even I might have been fooled.”

He turned his attention to the second bag. It was sealed with a complex demonic imprint. Inside, the true prize awaited—the elite stock, fat and glowing with potential. The Red Refined Fire Snake had poured all his resources into this specific batch, leaving the decoys to starve.

Wu Yuan performed one last sweep of the cavern. His senses pinged on something buried deep in the sediment. Digging it out, he found a jade slip.

A quick scan revealed its contents: a secret manual on cultivating Sinking Gold Carp, complete with the snake’s personal annotations and research notes.

“He really was all-in on this,” Wu Yuan murmured, tucking the slip away. “This will be perfect for Little Huang to study.”

Back at Little Green Mountain, inside the secure vein mine caves.

Wu Yuan stood before the chilling waters of his private pool. He carefully emptied the Beast Taming Bag, watching as the golden fish slipped into the water.

At first, they were sluggish, disoriented by the change in environment. But as Wu Yuan activated the Spirit Gathering Formation, the density of Spiritual Qi in the cave spiked. The carp began to dart around, their golden scales shimmering in the dim light.

Wu Yuan tossed in handfuls of high-grade spirit plants. The water churned as the fish began to feed.

“Raising them is one thing,” Wu Yuan muttered, watching the feeding frenzy. “But utilizing them is another.”

“Eating them raw increases blood and qi, but I’m already overflowing with vitality. It would be a waste of their unique properties.”

“The Dragon Bloodline is the key… but I have no desire to transform into a dragon-hybrid. I’m a rat, and I intend to stay one.”

He drummed his claws on the stone floor. “I wonder if Little Huang has a solution?”

Right on cue, a small yellow head popped out from behind a stalagmite. Little Huang stared at the pool, his eyes wide and sparkling.

“Boss! Those fish! They’re the same color as me!”

Wu Yuan rolled his eyes and patted the hamster’s head. “Don’t flatter yourself. They are gold. You are yellow. There is a difference in tax bracket.”

Little Huang puffed up, planting his hands on his hips. “Hey! That’s rude! I was going to help you figure out how to activate their dragon blood so they can support a second dragon phase, but now? Forget it! Figure it out yourself!”

Wu Yuan froze.

Activate the dragon blood? Second dragon phase?

He immediately pivoted, his face contorting into a mask of exaggerated regret.

“Oh! Curses! This mouth of mine!” Wu Yuan lamented loudly, slapping his own cheek lightly. “How could I speak so carelessly to the brilliant Little Huang? I deserve a beating!”

He raised his claw again, moving in slow motion, peeking at the hamster with one eye.

Little Huang’s anger evaporated instantly. Seeing his beloved boss about to ‘punish’ himself, the hamster panicked. He leaped up, hugging Wu Yuan’s arm with all his strength.

“Boss! No! I forgive you! Don’t hit yourself!”

Wu Yuan paused his claw mid-air, looking down with feigned skepticism. “Truly? You forgive this foolish rat?”

“Yes! Yes! I forgive you!” Little Huang nodded furiously, his eyes wet with concern.

“Well… alright then.” Wu Yuan lowered his arm.

Little Huang sighed in relief, dropping back to the ground.

Wu Yuan’s eyes narrowed. He mimicked the hamster’s stance, putting his hands on his hips and barking:

“Little Huang! Were you criticizing me just now?!”

The sudden shout scared the hamster so badly he tripped over his own feet, nearly tumbling into the carp pool. Wu Yuan caught him by the tail just in time, dangling the indignant furball in the air.

As Little Huang started to puff up again, Wu Yuan cut straight to the chase.

“What was that method you mentioned? Activating dragon blood? You’ve been here for weeks, why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

Little Huang’s attention shifted instantly. His anger replaced by academic excitement.

“Boss! It’s just a theory right now, but I think it has a huge chance of success!”