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

Nanling Bay.

Chen Shi knew this place; it was a shallow body of water with many lotus flowers on the south side of the Fallen Dragon Marsh.

It wasn't far from where he usually fished.

Now, with the [Water Control] feature, they can arrive within 15 minutes.

"Judging from what they're saying, this treasure fish seems to be incredibly strong. If I catch it, I might be able to obtain some information about its power," he speculated to himself.

As the saying goes, delay can lead to unforeseen changes.

Therefore, Chen Shi planned to get there first.

Treasure fish are always sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Just because you have information doesn't mean the fish has to be yours.

However, Chen Shi wasn't sure if he could catch this precious fish.

First, the martial arts apprentice had only heard that the treasure fish appeared in Nanling Bay; second, he might not have the strength to deal with the treasure fish that required several strong men to catch.

"No matter what, I have to try my luck. With my ability to control water, I might be able to capture that giant treasure fish. If it really gives me a power-boosting attribute, I'll be able to protect myself on land in the future," Chen Shi thought to himself, quickening his pace.

Inside a small house in Ludang Village.

Chen Shi ate dinner but did not go into his room.

He took a swivel net and walked toward the sampan moored on the shore.

tide Niang came out of the room, looked at Chen Shi with a puzzled expression, and said softly, "Brother Shi, where are you going so late at night?"

"When I was selling fish this afternoon, I heard someone say that the fish in Nanling Bay are quite fat. I'm going to go and see if it's true," Chen Shi explained patiently.

"Brother Shi'er, be careful..." tide Niang reminded him.

"Hmm." Chen Shi nodded, his figure blending into the darkness.

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

Falling into Longze, Nanling Bay.

Chen Shi steered the sampan, weaving through the lotus blossoms.

The bright moonlight shines on the petals, adding a touch of hazy beauty.

Although the lotus flowers under the moon were beautiful, Chen Shi had no interest in them.

Right now, all his attention is focused on finding the treasure fish.

"Nanling Bay is such a small place. I've explored almost the entire area, and although there are indeed many large fish underwater, I still haven't been able to find the treasure fish that the martial arts students were talking about. It seems my luck wasn't good; I missed the time when the treasure fish appears here. Tonight, I'm afraid I'll be 'coming with high hopes but leaving disappointed.'"

Chen Shi frowned slightly, a feeling of disappointment welling up inside him.

He planned to return first and come back tomorrow to search for the treasure fish after he finished fishing.

Fallen Dragon Swamp is not a safe body of water, especially at night.

This is the time when the spirits and monsters in the marsh are most active, and Chen Shi doesn't want to encounter them. He knows that his current strength is still too weak, and encountering these underwater creatures would almost certainly mean certain death.

Just as Chen Shi was about to sail home, a sound came from ahead.

"Splash! Splash!"

A series of palm-sized splashes of water rose up.

It looked like something was fighting underwater.

Could it be a treasure fish?

Such a conjecture popped into Chen Shi's mind.

Just as he was about to step forward to check, a splash of water suddenly erupted.

First, a small fish the size of a palm darted out of the water in a panic. Then, a green figure shaped like a shuttle burst out of the water and, in mid-air, its huge mouth covered with fine, sharp teeth swallowed the white fish whole.

Although it was only for a moment, the fish scales that shimmered with a bluish light had already confirmed Chen Shi's identity.

That large blue fish just now was actually a treasure fish!

Looks like I've arrived just in time.

Chen Shi was overjoyed and quickly steered the sampan to chase after the large blue fish that had dived into the water.

He had thought he would go home empty-handed tonight, but now it seemed unlikely.

With his ability to control water, Chen Shi quickly caught up with the bluefish.

He quickly threw out the spinning net that he had prepared earlier.

This casting involves anticipation. Because of the layer of water separating them, the grass carp may appear closer, but in reality, they are farther away. Therefore, to catch them, the net must be cast forward by a body length.

The fishing net unfolds as it spins and sinks precisely into the water.

Chen Shi held a rope in his hand, the other end of which was connected to a seine net. He was filled with anxiety, unsure whether the haul would be successful, after all, the fish they were trying to catch was a precious specimen.

"Pat! Pat!"

The sound of splashing water came from the vortex net, and the thick rope connecting the net was also shaking frequently.

Feeling the powerful yet frantic struggle coming from his hand, Chen Shi knew he had succeeded!

Just as he was about to pull the fish out of the net, the struggling force suddenly disappeared.

The net is broken!

Almost instinctively, Chen Shi made this judgment.

And that is indeed the case.

This two-foot-long bluefish was not only fierce but also incredibly strong. With just a slight struggle, it tore through the fishing net and regained its freedom.

However, the blue treasure fish did not immediately flee.

At this moment, it was like a victor, mocking Chen Shi, using its powerful tail to slap the water surface, splashing water droplets at Chen Shi.

"Pah!" Chen Shi spat and wiped the water off his face.

"You should have realized long ago that a treasure fish that requires several strong men to catch can't be trapped by a fishing net. But... how can a mermaid be bullied? Even without the fishing net, I can still catch you." Chen Shi said coldly.

The method he mentioned naturally refers to the ability to control water.

At this moment, this was the only way to help him catch the precious fish before him.

Previously, it wasn't used because it was needed to maneuver the sampan. But now, this blue treasure fish seems too confident. After breaking free of the fishing net, it didn't immediately flee but instead smugly approached to provoke them.

For Chen Shi, this was a tremendous opportunity.

"Don't even think about running again!" Chen Shi thought to himself.

In an instant, a perfectly round and enormous water sphere slowly rose into the air.

Inside, isn't that the blue treasure fish locked up?

The azure treasure fish, sensing something amiss, tried to escape, but it was too late. This was no fishing net; its struggles were futile and would only drain its strength and energy—exactly what Chen Shi intended to do.

The blue fish struggled with its tail, but couldn't escape this small space.

"If I didn't have the ability to control two hundred pounds of water, I would have been completely fooled by you tonight, and you would have escaped right under my nose." Chen Shi was secretly delighted and focused even more intently.

His actions will deplete the fish's energy and strength, as will his own.

However, Chen Shi was confident that he could get the blue treasure fish into his fish basket before he was completely exhausted.

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

In the blink of an eye, nearly fifteen minutes had passed.

The treasure fish, suspended an inch above the water's surface within the enormous water sphere, was now completely still. It wasn't dead, but it had exhausted all its strength and was utterly powerless to resist. During this time, the blue treasure fish had tried many methods, but it couldn't escape the water sphere. Despite its immense strength, facing water was like punching cotton—completely futile.

As for Chen Shi, his energy expenditure was naturally also enormous.

He hadn't expected the treasure fish to last so long. In the last period, he almost relied on sheer willpower to keep going, not wanting to give up and let the treasure fish escape, otherwise catching it would be even more difficult.

"Come here!"

Chen Shi wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke in a commanding tone.

In an instant, the water sphere shrank dramatically until it could just envelop the shape of the treasure fish, and slowly approached him.

"Come on, let me see what entries we can get."

The moment Chen Shi put the blue treasure fish into the fish basket, the panel appeared.

[Fishing and hunting in countless lakes, imbuing the body with spirit]

[Catch: Small Green Fish]

[Successfully imbued with spirit, obtained the attribute: Mighty Strength]

[Immense Strength: Adds an extra 200 jin of strength, and replenishes Qi and blood.]

[Advanced Path: Catch five blackback bass.]