Chapter 27: Fishing for Trouble

Xiao Yifeng took a moment to survey his new team.

Captain Tang Pei was a tall, broad-shouldered youth with a seemingly open and forthright demeanor, though something about his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Vice-Captain Li Lifang was the complete opposite. He had a pair of shifty, rat-like eyes and prominent buck teeth, giving him a perpetually weasel-ish appearance. His dissatisfaction with his lot in life was written plainly on his face, and he seemed to radiate a low-level hostility toward everyone, especially Xiao Yifeng.

Then there were the rank-and-file members.

Zhu Ming was a slightly chubby young man with a simple, honest face. He looked a bit slow and dull—the team’s only Servant Disciple, clearly used to doing the heavy lifting.

Lin Mi was a woman in her twenties. Her face was ordinary, but her figure was voluptuous enough to stop traffic. Li Lifang’s eyes kept darting toward her curves whenever he thought no one was looking.

Finally, there was Ling Sisi. She was a True Disciple like Xiao Yifeng, a girl of fifteen or sixteen with a round, gentle face. She looked delicate, almost fragile, exuding an air of timidity that seemed out of place in the Enforcement Hall.

Xiao Yifeng greeted them one by one.

Most returned the courtesy politely. Zhu Ming bowed with the humble caution of a servant; Lin Mi smiled with practiced grace; Ling Sisi nodded shyly, looking like a frightened rabbit.

Only Li Lifang responded with a cold sneer and sarcastic remarks.

Once everyone was seated, Tang Pei clapped his hands.

“Alright, listen up. Our rotation duty this time is guarding the Wentian River. Normally, this is a cushy job—a vacation, really. But unfortunately, the New Year is approaching, which complicates things.”

He scanned the group. “We are responsible for the upstream section, just outside the sect proper. Now that Xiao Yifeng has joined us, our squad is at full strength, which should make the workload lighter. Time is money. Let’s move.”

Tang Pei strode out without waiting for a reply. Xiao Yifeng fell in line behind the others.

The six of them exited the Enforcement Hall and immediately summoned their flying swords. Within moments, streaks of light cut through the sky as they sped toward the sect’s periphery.

They arrived at a river junction. Here, two massive rivers merged into one churning body of water—the Wentian River. Upstream, these two rivers split further into four separate tributaries that snaked out from deep within the Wentian Sect’s territory.

Tang Pei signaled for a landing on the riverbank. The group descended, their boots crunching on the wet gravel.

“We will be stationed here for three months,” Tang Pei announced, his voice carrying over the rushing water. “Our primary task is security: prevent anyone from infiltrating the sect via the waterways.”

He held up a second finger. “Second, containment. We need to check for any Demon Beasts escaping from the sect’s breeding grounds. We can’t have them swimming downstream and terrorizing the mortal settlements.”

“Third,” Tang Pei continued, his expression serious, “is the New Year quota. We need to dive into the river and navigate the underwater currents to harvest Green-Eyed Swimming Fish. Specifically, we need their Inner Cores. But listen closely: only target fish at Level 4 Qi Condensation or higher. Leave the small fry alone. Understood?”

Lin Mi raised a hand, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “Captain, what exactly do you mean by ‘checking for escaped beasts’?”

“The Wentian Sect is a massive cultivation power,” Tang Pei explained patiently. “The Spiritual Qi inside our gates is dense, and we raise countless beasts in captivity. Disciples also keep spirit pets. Escapes happen. Aquatic beasts, in particular, love using this river as a highway to freedom.”

His tone dropped an octave. “Speaking of escapes, I received an internal alert. A handler from the Hall of Eternal Life let a Heavenly Luo Crocodile slip the leash. It’s a beast at the Grand Perfection of Qi Condensation.”

A ripple of unease went through the group.

“That crocodile is just a hair’s breadth away from Foundation Establishment,” Tang Pei warned, his eyes narrowing. “It’s extremely dangerous. It is highly likely lurking somewhere in these waters. If you see it, do not engage. Signal for backup immediately. Do not try to be a hero.”

Zhu Ming let out a long, suffering sigh. “Ai, why are our missions always like this? It’s always the tough, dirty work.”

Tang Pei glared at him. He didn’t mask his disdain for the servant disciple. “If you think it’s too tiring, feel free to go back to the sect and scrub floors.”

Li Lifang chimed in with a wretched grin. “Yeah, Zhu Ming. If you were a high-status True Disciple like Xiao Yifeng here, maybe you could cry to your Master and get out of it.”

Zhu Ming shrank back, muttering, “How could I dare… I’m just a servant. I don’t have that kind of fortune. I was just grumbling, Captain…” He quickly changed the subject. “Captain, are the Green-Eyed Swimming Fish hard to kill? And how do we store the cores?”

Xiao Yifeng frowned internally. Why is this Li Lifang targeting me? I’ve kept a low profile. I haven’t offended anyone. Is the class divide between True and Ordinary disciples really this deep?

Tang Pei ignored the bickering. “The fish are low-level trash—Level 3 or 4. Their cores are just used as fusion agents for alchemy; otherwise, the sect would have wiped them out years ago. They school together and are lazy swimmers. Collecting them is easy money.”

He grinned. “Plus, the cores can be exchanged for Sect Points. This is a golden opportunity to fill your pockets.”

The mention of Sect Points visibly relaxed the group. Greed was a powerful motivator.

Tang Pei retrieved six small green beads and six white jade bottles from his storage bag, handing them out.

“These are Water-Avoiding Pearls. Infuse them with Qi, and they’ll create a bubble around you, allowing you to move and breathe underwater freely. The bottles are for the cores. You each get one set. Do not lose them—they are property of the Enforcement Hall and must be returned in three months.”

Xiao Yifeng examined the pearl. It was the size of a longan fruit, a deep, swirling blue. It looked mundane, but he could feel the faint hum of water-attribute Qi within it.

“Now, for the team assignments,” Tang Pei said, pointing upstream. “Since there are four main tributaries feeding into the river, we’ll split into four groups.”

“Zhu Ming, you’re with Lin Mi. Taking one tributary together should be manageable for you.”

“Ling Sisi, you lack combat experience. You’re with Li Lifang. Vice-Captain Li will look after you.”

Tang Pei paused, his gaze shifting to Xiao Yifeng. “As for Xiao Yifeng… you’ll act alone, like me. We will each be responsible for one of the remaining two tributaries. We rendezvous here in three hours. Any objections?”

He gave Xiao Yifeng a look that was laden with hidden meaning.

Xiao Yifeng’s brow furrowed slightly.

The math was simple: six people, four rivers. It made sense for the strongest—the Captain and Vice-Captain—to go solo. Assigning a newcomer at Level 7 Qi Condensation to cover a river alone was highly irregular. It was dangerous, especially with a near-Foundation Establishment crocodile on the loose.

He’s isolating me, Xiao Yifeng realized. But why? To haze me? Or is there something else?

However, Xiao Yifeng didn’t protest. Being alone actually suited him better—it meant he could use his trump cards without worrying about witnesses.

He was about to nod when a timid voice broke the silence.

“Captain…”

Ling Sisi raised her hand weakly. She looked terrified to speak, but she pressed on. “Senior Brother Xiao is new to the team, and his cultivation is… well, similar to mine. Isn’t it a bit unsafe to make him guard a tributary alone?”

Tang Pei frowned, annoyed by the interruption. “There are four rivers. Someone has to go solo.”

Ling Sisi glanced between Li Lifang and Xiao Yifeng. She bit her lip, gathering her courage.

“I… I think the Vice-Captain is highly skilled, just like you, Sir. He is more than capable of handling a river by himself. I can partner with Senior Brother Xiao. Although I lack experience, together we should be strong enough to handle one tributary.”

The atmosphere instantly turned frigid.

Li Lifang’s face contorted, turning an ugly shade of red. He glared at Xiao Yifeng with naked venom. To be swapped out for a rookie—implied to be stronger only because of his rank—was a slap in the face.

Zhu Ming looked at Ling Sisi in shock, amazed the shy girl had spoken up. Lin Mi watched with an amused smirk, enjoying the drama.

Tang Pei thought for a moment, weighing the dynamics. “Fine. That was my oversight. We’ll do as you suggest.”

He shrugged dismissively. “You two are both True Disciples anyway. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of high-class topics to discuss.”

Li Lifang let out a cold snort. “Exactly. The elite True Disciples probably look down on filth like us.”

Without waiting for a response, Li Lifang spun around, chose a river at random, and stormed off without looking back.