Refining the True from the False: Becoming a God Starting with Devouring a True Dragon

"The boat is a covered boat, the boatman's surname is Liang, and the flag of the Crocodile Gang is flying on the boat. You can find out by asking around. Just say that I sent you."

Zhang Zaotou spoke softly.

"Wang Qixian thanks Lord Zhang for his guidance." Wang Qi bowed respectfully. "If you truly gain something from this, I will certainly offer you a perch as a token of my respect and good fortune."

The word "鲈" (lú) is a homophone for "禄" (lù), which in the context of government offices implies a salary that is plentiful. Therefore, many families with someone working in a government office would buy a bass to eat during festivals.

"Haha, then you'd better be careful, our Black River perch are notoriously fierce."

"It weighs eight pounds!"

Zhang Zaotou smiled and nodded.

This Wang Qi is not only handsome, but also skilled at raising falcons, and he can even talk.

With these qualities, even if this kid's martial arts talent is questionable, he certainly won't do too badly in the future.

"Alright, you don't need to see me off anymore. Focus on your training..."

Wang Qi watched Zhang Zaotou leave.

A single awning boat would cost at least twenty or thirty taels of silver, yet this guy had two.

And listen to their tone.

This isn't even the bulk of Zhang Zaotou's wealth; it's estimated that Zhang Zaotou has a total fortune of at least two hundred taels of silver.

"Now that he's a soap maker, he must be quite wealthy."

Wang Qi felt envious.

Only when you reach the point of being a soap maker can you probably eat meat every meal.

……

The Heihe River is adjacent to the county seat, and the government has diverted dozens of waterways, which are spread throughout the streets and alleys, solving the drinking water problem for the people.

Therefore,

In Heihe County, the fishing industry was powerful, second only to the martial arts industry, and on par with the rice industry.

This has transformed Heihe County into a true land of plenty, abundant in both fish and rice.

Along the edge of Heihekou, the docks along the riverbank are so crowded with boats that they almost completely block the waterway.

The river was surging and the sound of the waves rose and fell in my ears.

The clouds in the sky churned and roared against each other.

From a distance, it looks like a world collapsing inward, which can't help but inspire fear.

Meanwhile, flocks of birds roamed freely in the center of the 'collapsed world,' adding to the grandeur of the scene.

This was Wang Qi's first time leaving the city since he had traveled through more than half a month.

He came over right after lunch.

The fresh air invigorated him.

However, he didn't dare to delay and soon looked around and set his sights on the gathering place of the Crocodile Gang.

The Crocodile Gang... a major gang in the Heihe fishing industry.

Of these densely packed fishing boats, nearly a third were flying the Crocodile Gang's blue flag.

A third of the flags were red with the words "Heihe" on them, while the rest were more mixed up, with flags bearing the words "Perch," "Heihe Goddess," and even "White Rabbit."

As far as Wang Qi knew, rabbits seemed to be unable to swim.

Are the fishermen hanging this flag because they're afraid of dying too late...?

As Wang Qigang entered the territory of the Crocodile Gang, a tanned man wearing a vest approached him warily.

He glanced at Wang Qi's constable's uniform and asked, "What do you do?"

"Zhang Yuan, Zhang Zaotou asked me to come and catch fish."

"Zhang Zaotou's people."

The man smiled broadly. "The boat is at the southernmost point; just go there directly. The waters are rough lately, so be careful..."

"My name is Yu Dali. I'll just sit on the shore. If you need anything, just call me."

"Thank you, Brother Li."

Wang Qi nodded politely.

"Hey, don't call me Brother Li, just call me Dali!"

"Master Liang has been a fisherman for over twenty years. I heard that when his mother gave birth to him, he was born directly in the river!"

"You're a better swimmer than a fish! Even if you just follow Master Liang around and do the net-scooping, you can still make a lot of money, even if you only get a small share of the profits."

The man was quite enthusiastic, waving to Wang Qi every few steps, then, still feeling it wasn't right, he called over a member of the Crocodile Gang to lead the way before finally stopping.

The soap scraps are really useful.

That's what makes a person!

Wang Qi sighed inwardly, which only strengthened his resolve to climb the ranks.

"Master Liang."

Wang Qi boarded the covered boat and squatted down next to an exceptionally burly man. The man had taut skin and looked to be in his early thirties. But for some reason, he had a full head of white hair.

"This is premature graying of hair."

Before he could even ask, Master Liang smiled and answered for himself.

"I was introduced by Zhang Yuan, Zhang Zaotou. I want to catch some fish... to earn some extra money," Wang Qi quickly explained his purpose.

While speaking, he also activated the [Fish-Attracting] spell.

He himself didn't feel any change, unlike the moment he activated the [Power Suit], when he felt as if he could control everything for a certain moment.

"Oh~"

Master Liang showed no surprise. "Several young men like you have come here in the past few days. They seem to be candidates for yamen runners."

"I heard that Master Huang has given an order that anyone who doesn't complete the external training within three months must leave."

"This is tough. Those who practice martial arts... it's not slow to master external skills in one or two years. Three months? This is deliberately trying to drive them away."

"That's right..." Wang Qi continued, "but what can we do?"

"They are said to work in the government office, but in reality they are still of low social status, and it's considered good if they can even get food to eat."

Wang Qi's complaints came to an abrupt halt; speaking too intimately with someone you barely know is a major taboo.

How good a swimmer are you?

Liang Baitou asked.

"A landlubber."

Wang Qi told him the truth.

"What are you doing catching fish if you can't swim?" Liang Baitou's expression changed. "Isn't this ridiculous?"

He then abruptly changed the subject, asking, "Who is Zhang Zaotou to you?"

"He's my boss."

Wang Qi replied.

Liang Baitou frowned, looked Wang Qi up and down, and then his eyes gradually changed from suspicion to amusement. Then, as if he had thought of something, his body suddenly trembled.

"It's not what you think!"

Wang Qi quickly explained.

"I understand!" Liang Baitou nodded heavily.

"The young man knows a bit about unconventional methods," Wang Qi said with a smile.

"That's certainly remote enough," Liang Baitou chimed in, "but I don't mind."

Wang Qi's face stiffened. "It's really not what you think."

Seeing this, Liang Baitou asked, "Then you must have superb fishing skills?"

Wang Qi shook his head. "How many fishermen have you ever seen who can make a living by fishing?"

The most proficient skill of anglers is to catch no fish, followed by baiting the fishing spot.

If you want to make a living by fishing, you might as well join the Beggars' Guild and beg for food.

"That's true."

This kid came empty-handed.

It was neither water-resistant nor did it have any tools.

Can you really blow fish out of the water with just your mouth?

Liang Baitou was even more surprised. He was a fisherman for over twenty years, a fisherman who lived directly in the water.

He really couldn't think of it for a moment.

Besides spearfishing, fishing, and netting, what other methods are there for people to catch fish?

"So what exactly is your shady business?"

Liang Baitou carefully examined Wang Qi.

"Come on, let me see it."

Liang Baitou chuckled and joked, eager to see what strange methods this landlubber in the government office had for catching fish.

Wang Qi walked past Liang Baitou to the very front of the boat, facing the Black River.

My gaze slowly turned to the flock of birds flying across the river.

His [Subduing] effect has a limited range, roughly ten meters or even less. To capture a skilled fisherman like the Water Crow on the river, he would need to use the [Fish-Attracting] spell in conjunction with it.

suddenly,

A water crow swooped down from mid-air like an arrow towards Wang Qi's direction!

It's working!

Wang Qi stared intently at the other person.

Its streamlined body descended with the wind, its legs tucked tightly behind it, its black feathers gleaming with a greenish-brown metallic sheen. The water crow resembled a poisoned arrow.

Fifty meters, thirty meters, twenty meters... ten meters!

boom!

Water splashed up, and the black figure disappeared into the water.

The next instant, the water crow emerged from the river, its beak revealing a bass that was still struggling to survive.

It gracefully flicked water droplets, proudly displaying its swift speed and superb hunting skills.

Then he slowly looked around, his gaze meeting a pair of golden eyes...

flapping.

Under Liang Baitou's watchful gaze, a wild water crow, carrying its freshly caught trophy, obediently flew to the bow of their boat and landed on the boy's arm.

The handsome young man naturally took the bass from its mouth, muttering to himself.

"A great start, a good omen."

"It seems that Heihe might be my lucky place."

Wang Qi grinned. He hadn't expected that the first bird his [Subjugation] had tamed upon arriving at the riverbank would be a water crow, and the first fish the water crow caught would be a perch.

It seems the combination of [Attract Fish] and [Subdue] will allow me to easily catch these skilled fishermen.

The path to making money is now secure!

Liang Baitou could no longer laugh.

He was even a little angry, "Why should this water crow give you the fish?!"

This scene completely overturned his more than 20 years of fishing career.

This isn't fishing, it's outright robbery!

He could accept being robbed outright.

But this is still a blatant act of robbery where both parties consent...

You can even blow the fish out of your mouth!

Now, which fisherman can stand this?