The catch inspired my entry: Persistence will eventually lead to invincibility.

"Sea pirate..."

Chen Shi wondered to himself, what kind of organization is this?

While he was pondering, Shen Lang had already made up his mind and quickly made arrangements.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Chen Shi finally asked, "Master Shen, are those 'water thieves' you mentioned earlier our enemies, the Canglang Gang?"

"Not bad." Shen Lang nodded slightly.

"A gang of beasts who prey on the water, they occupy the riverbanks and rob merchants and travelers. They are known as 'water thieves' because they are skilled at using grappling hooks and grappling hooks to board ships. Whether it's a merchant ship or a small boat, anyone who is targeted by them is bound to suffer a calamity. They are like plucked feathers from a passing goose and skinned beasts as they go."

"Although my Canglang Gang does not claim to be a prestigious and righteous sect, we do understand one rule—if you take someone's money, you must solve their problems. The merchants and common people of Sanli Town pay a monthly tribute of 'filial piety money,' and my Canglang Gang will naturally ensure their safety."

Chen Shi nodded thoughtfully, realizing the difference in the Canglang Gang.

They're not some gangsters or thugs who gather together under the guise of "righteousness" to oppress the poor. They're the ones who actually do things once they get paid!

No wonder the people of Sanli Town were so grateful to them.

"Alright, this matter is none of your concern. I'll take care of it later. Your current task is to cultivate this 'Canglang Blade Technique' to the third level. At that time, your combat ability will see a slight improvement," Shen Lang instructed.

"I understand!" Chen Shi clasped his hands in farewell.

Curiosity was stirring within him, but Chen Shi knew in his heart that investigating the water thieves now would not only be unhelpful but would also become a burden, and might even put him in danger.

After leaving Canglang Hall, he immediately sailed back to port.

After a while, the small boat slowly approached a familiar mudflat—the very spot where the eel traps had been set the day before.

After a whole night, you should have gained something by now.

"I wonder how many we can catch?" Chen Shi thought with anticipation.

He naturally hoped that all four eel traps he set would yield a catch, but such a thing is not something that can be achieved simply by wishing for it.

He lifted the first eel trap. The moment the bamboo trap left the water, the eels inside thrashed about in panic, but to no avail.

"One...that's enough." Chen Shi smiled slightly and tossed it into the bucket. This one piece fulfilled the remaining conditions for advancing [Water Control] to the fourth tier.

Then he checked the remaining three eel traps.

The harvest was surprisingly plentiful.

The remaining three eel traps failed to attract more eels, but they did attract a lot of crabs and small crayfish. Although they are not as valuable as eels, the sheer number and weight of these traps meant they could still fetch a good price.

After loading the catch onto the boat, Chen Shi added a new batch of bait and moved the eel traps to different locations. Once he had done this, he excitedly jumped onto the small boat, his gaze falling on the bluish-brown eel still swimming inside the bucket.

"It's a pity I couldn't catch more, otherwise I could have taken the extras to town to sell for money, or used them for the next stage of advancement."

Chen Shi thought to himself as one hand landed on the eel.

In an instant, golden characters appeared out of thin air before my eyes.

[Advanced path completed!]

[Water Control (Level 3) → Water Control (Level 4)]

[Water Control (Level 4): Controls 500 kg of water at will, completely at your disposal. Can clearly sense water within a three-meter radius and vaguely sense water within a ten-meter radius, slightly reducing your movement within the water.]

[Advanced route: Catch 200 whitebait and 10 eels]

The weight after controlling the water reached a terrifying 500 pounds!

A glint of light flashed in Chen Shi's eyes.

"Controlling 500 jin of water is equivalent to the weight of three strong men. Just condensing it into a giant water sphere would be quite powerful. Moreover, I can use it to stir up the water, making it easy to capsize small boats. Combined with [Great Strength] and [Canglang Blade Technique], I can fight both at long range and in close combat. The strength I unleash in the water should be no weaker than that of the elite disciples in those martial arts schools."

This is Chen Shi's assessment of his current combat strength.

He knew very little about martial arts, only that the martial arts instructors at the martial arts school possessed powerful punches, which was his only concern. As for the elite disciples, they hadn't yet reached the level of the instructors at the town's martial arts school, but in a life-or-death struggle, they still had a chance of winning.

This worry stemmed entirely from the young master of the Li family whom I had met earlier.

Although Shen Lang intervened to save the day, there was no guarantee that the young master of the Li family wouldn't do anything to him. After all, Shen Lang had crippled one of the young master's hands, and he definitely wanted revenge. But if he couldn't defeat Shen Lang, he would surely find a way to vent his anger.

As for who they will contact, the answer is obvious.

After all, Chen Shi wasn't as powerful as Shen Lang, making him easier to bully.

"I'm still too weak. If I possessed combat power like Master Shen, who would dare to provoke or bully me? Those who fawn on the strong and oppress the weak simply believe that people like me, so-called 'lowly', have no status or strength, born only to be slaves and bullied. If I want to change this situation, I must become stronger!"

Chen Shi made up his mind, then with a slight thought, looked at the panel.

【Canglang Blade Technique (Tier 2): The moves are crude yet practical, focusing on vital points】

[Advanced route: Catch 50 whitebait.]

Like water control, advancing the Canglang Blade Technique to the third rank also requires white minnows, and the amount consumed is quite considerable.

"My Water Control has reached level four. While whitebait is easy to catch, eels are hard to find. If I prioritize using Water Control on the whitebait I catch, it won't significantly improve my strength in a short time. But the Canglang Blade Technique is completely different."

Master Shen has already made it clear that if I cultivate my swordsmanship to the third level, my strength will experience a slight increase. Therefore, prioritizing the use of the whitebait I catch to advance the [Canglang Swordsmanship] is my optimal solution at present.

"I'm still missing two blackback bass for the [Mighty] attribute upgrade, which I can obtain by fishing at night."

Chen Shi has already made plans for the next period of time.

............

By the time Chen Shi returned home, it was already evening.

"Brother Shi'er, where have you been? Why didn't you come back all night after you went out last night? I was so worried about you." tide Niang said in a slightly reproachful tone, while considerately taking the items her husband was carrying.

"I caught a few big fish last night and was so tired that I fell asleep on the water. This morning I caught some crabs and crayfish to sell in town. I came back as soon as I finished my work," Chen Shi said cheerfully.

This is his home, and his wife is standing before him.

All pretense and defenses that one puts on in public can be removed.

It's a little space where he can truly relax.

"...I'm hungry," Chen Shi said with a hint of excitement.

"Then I'll go cook now," tide Niang said, and hurried toward the kitchen.

But just as she was about to leave, Chen Shi picked her up.

Xi Niang's fair cheeks flushed instantly. She patted Chen Shi's shoulder hard, trying to break free: "Shi... Brother Shi, what are you doing? I still have to cook. That kind of thing... can wait until later..."

Chen Shi seemed not to hear him and went straight to doing what he wanted.

He's exhausted and needs complete relaxation. Not just physically, but also mentally.

......