Shulong Daojun

Panxi.

Near Xikou Village, there is a river all year round, flowing around the mountain.

Its form resembles a mountain embracing a stream, and its shape is like a dragon embracing a mountain.

Therefore, the character was chosen as "蟠".

According to the village elders, there is a dragon deep in the stream, with a yellow body and no horns, that eats tigers and can ward off evil spirits.

However, the dragon was never seen, but the golden carp were always present.

Fishermen often cast their lines in the village, stealing a half-day of leisure from their busy lives.

Under the old banyan tree, Lin Shu held a green bamboo pole, and as usual yesterday, tied an empty hook to it and let a long line dangle into the stream.

call out--

The long line is taut, three feet above the water, and then it stops falling.

A thin mist hung over the stream, and looking into the water, several dark shadows could be seen swimming about. Combined with the scattered rays of sunlight, they created a golden glow.

Suddenly, ripples spread out, and the shimmering gold disappeared into the water; it was as if a sound had come from within:

"Young Taoist priest, are you here to fish for carp again today?"

But then they saw an old man in hemp clothing, with a small gourd at his waist, a pole on his shoulder, and a basket in his right hand, looking over.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shu smiled and said, "That's not true. I'm fishing for carp that can transform into dragons."

Scales belong to the fish family; dragons are the chief of scaled creatures.

Fish are scaled creatures; if you raise them, they can transform into dragons.

The old man was puzzled. He knew a thing or two about dragons and carp; the former was fierce and good at swimming, while the latter was plump, firm, and delicious.

What is this scale-like insect?

After pondering for a moment and still not understanding, he simply shook his head, sighed, then patted the small gourd at his waist and said smugly:

"The little red worms I just caught are big and smelly; I guarantee the carp will come running at the smell."

"Young Taoist priest, would you like a ride?"

After saying that, the old man pulled out the wooden peg that was plugging the small gourd, smacked his lips, and said, "An empty hook without bait can't catch anything."

Lin Shu did not refuse, and replied with a smile, "Thank you."

If you can't catch a carp that can transform into a dragon, it would be a wonderful thing to catch a big carp while the sky is changing its color at dawn.

Not only can you enjoy something new and fill your stomach, but you can also shut your master up and avoid a lecture:

"You unfilial disciple! Instead of cultivating properly, you spend all your time thinking about finding and raising dragons. Are you trying to drive your master crazy?!"

Thinking of this, Lin Shu couldn't help but picture a white-browed Taoist priest jumping up and down, and his grip on the pole tightened suddenly.

The mystery of my unborn self has been revealed in a single day; only today do I know who I am.

If one obtains a copy of the "Dragon Book," which contains a wealth of knowledge and skills, and contains 108,000 methods for raising dragons, how could one not become a dragon tamer?

However, since he hasn't started raising dragons yet, he can only read through the introductory text to learn what a dragon is, what can transform into a dragon, and what kinds of dragons there are.

I've been fishing for carp in Panxi for half a month now, but I still haven't seen the carp that can transform into a dragon.

"I wonder if what you said earlier was true?"

Lin Shu suddenly recalled a passage from an enlightenment text that stated all dragon offspring possessed "literary talent," and he spoke up to confirm it:

"Are there really golden carp with unusual patterns on their scales here?"

The old man frowned, stroked his chin, and replied uncertainly, "I only caught a glimpse of that golden carp with dark patterns on its scales a few months ago."

Whether they've moved or not, or whether they've swum away to another place, I, this old man, have no idea.

I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint this humble Taoist priest.

"You're too kind, sir." Lin Shu said with a carefree smile, "Perhaps the time isn't right yet. I'll wait a little longer."

"The daylight is just right now, the perfect time for the carp to be hungry and bite the bait. Don't miss it, don't miss it."

The stream flowed swiftly and powerfully. The old man left behind two or three small red worms, then lifted his rod and went to find a shallow spot to bait his fishing spot.

The water here is deep and dangerous; he is not like the Taoist priest who has immortal abilities.

As the old man's figure receded into the distance, Lin Shu's mind stirred, and he took out an item from the storage bag at his waist.

It is the size of a pearl, wrapped in a layer of wax. Once peeled off, it reveals a lustrous white pill with a wonderful fragrance.

croak——

In an instant, one could hear the croaking of frogs, the chirping of birds, and the rustling of insects...

Big and small, swimming in the water, flying in the sky, running on the ground, they all rushed out in groups, twitching their noses in unison.

Lin Shu, holding a white ball in his hand, watched the carp swimming towards the roots of the banyan tree, their mouths constantly darting around, and smiled with satisfaction:

"You get what you pay for; things bought with spirit stones are definitely different."

He looked down at his feet, found a puddle of water, and gently tossed the white pill into it. Then he found a river stone to weigh it down.

The white pill dissolves slightly in water, and its medicinal properties spread along the flowing stream, carrying with it a unique fragrance that travels further and further into the unknown depths.

Nearby, the carp that had just taken a sip of water suddenly stiffened, then, as if they had tasted something disgusting, they swung their tails and flew away.

Lin Shu looked at it and couldn't help but chuckle to himself: "The Scent-Enticing Pill smells good but tastes bad, and it has a fatal attraction to spirits and monsters."

This bait in my hand is specially prepared for fish; I don't believe you won't take the bait today.

On this day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

Normally, although there is often a thin mist by the stream, it will dissipate with the sunrise, thus revealing the mountain scenery and the water's movement.

At one point, the carp scattered in fright, the thin mist gradually rose, and the surroundings were shrouded in a hazy fog.

Lin Shu subconsciously looked down and saw that the white mist at his feet had accumulated to half a foot, like snow.

I could also hear the sound of treading water, coming from afar and getting closer, as if someone was coming.

He stared intently ahead, silently retracting the bamboo pole in his hand. The long line on it wrapped around the pole, tightening as the empty hook tightened, transforming it into a long stick.

As the sound drew closer, a massive black shadow, about ten feet tall, suddenly appeared in the white mist. It resembled a fish with limbs and walked slowly with awkward steps.

An extremely strong fishy smell spread out, making people want to vomit.

A moment later, the dark figure stopped beside the rocky hollow, lowered its massive head, and stiffly stretched out its five fingers, haphazardly sweeping the river stone.

Lin Shu took it all in his eyes. Although his body did not move, his heart was pounding wildly in his chest, exploding in his ears, making him feel dizzy.

With a carp's head and golden scales covering its body, adorned with dark patterns, this was undoubtedly the golden carp the old man in hemp clothing had mentioned.

It was also the carp he wanted to catch that could transform into a dragon.

While I was pondering, the dark-patterned golden carp had already swept off the river stone, its head pressed tightly against the hollow of the stone, using its mouth to suck the white pill into its belly.

Perhaps it was overjoyed, for its pectoral fins glided lightly, and its forked tail swayed from side to side, stirring up the surrounding white mist.

But not long after, its wide-open eyes suddenly widened in surprise, and its mouth opened and closed rapidly. Water mixed with small pieces of bone rolled out from the gill covers on both sides and spilled all over the ground.

"It stinks, doesn't it?" Lin Shu chuckled.

He shook his head and sighed, "You can't eat things of unknown origin, what if they're poisonous?"

"Having magical power but not cultivating wisdom, he deserves this calamity."

Before he finished speaking, he raised his hand and sent the green bamboo pole flying through the air, piercing the open fish's mouth and cutting it right through.

The scales were unusual, indicating they were a dragon species, and there were also rumors of them devouring tigers. When Lin Shu first heard these rumors, he already had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

This dark-patterned carp has likely grown powerful, transforming into a local mountain spirit, possessing minor skills, and enjoying eating flesh and blood imbued with spiritual energy.

Ordinary things cannot be caught by fishing.

Empty hook, no bait? Not at all.

He had cultivated Taoism for several years, and he himself was the bait for this person.