He achieved the pinnacle of martial arts starting with breaking through the limits of Tiger Fist.

With his last bit of strength, Lin Zheng dragged the net ashore.

"Huff, huff"

Lin Zheng was panting heavily. The intense struggle he had just put in had almost exhausted him. Now that the situation was over, he plopped down on the beach.

Jiang Lin wasn't much better off. In a very short time, he fired three arrows, leaving his arms sore and almost straining his arm muscles.

"Hahaha."

Looking at the "treasure-guarding beast" that was dead beyond any doubt, the two couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Both of them had read the Long family's records and knew that these things guarded rare and precious treasures, so the harvest from this trip would definitely exceed their expectations.

After resting for 15 minutes, the two dragged the carcass of the water beast to a place far away from the water and hid it to prevent it from being eaten by fish in the water.

Before going back into the water, Jiang Lin made sure to bring a harpoon in case he encountered any other dangers.

As soon as he entered the water, he opened the "waterway map" and kept a close watch on the water area within a fifty-meter radius.

Jiang Lin led the way, followed by Lin Zheng. They covered the waterway in no time, and Lin Zheng picked up the harpoon that had fallen earlier and followed Jiang Lin into the cave.

Jiang Lin already knew that the cave wasn't very deep.

However, what he didn't expect was that the cave was not all water, but a closed space.

At this moment, the two surfaced from the water in the cave, and a platform about ten feet in diameter appeared in front of them.

The platform was covered with a thick layer of soil, and in the center stood a small sapling about two feet tall, radiating a soft glow.

On the sapling, three crimson fruits emitted an enticing aroma.

The two exchanged a glance, their hearts overflowing with joy like a tidal wave bursting its banks.

"Vermilion Fruit".

Without the slightest hesitation, the two recognized what was in front of them at the same time.

The "Vermilion Fruit" has the effect of cleansing the bones and removing acquired impurities; in other words, it enhances one's innate qualities.

The two people in front of them, one had average physical attributes, and the other was even below average.

How could one not be overjoyed upon encountering such a thing?

Upon closer inspection, these three fruits are somewhat different. One is the darkest in color, with only a ring of green marks on its vermilion skin.

The second one has more green and already has two rings of color.

The last one was only mostly red; the rest of it was a deep green.

This is clearly a sign of incomplete maturity; one can deduce it without even reading a book.

"oops."

Jiang Lin slapped his forehead, feeling annoyed.

The sixth brother hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Look."

Jiang Lin pointed to one of the tree branches, where there was a clearly fresh gap.

As expected, there should have been another fruit here before.

"No wonder this thing hasn't come out of its cave for so long; it ate the Vermilion Fruit and is advancing in its cultivation level."

Jiang Lin felt a pang of regret for the overripe fruit, but also secretly rejoiced.

If we had arrived a few days later, and this beast had finished absorbing the nutrients, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But what's done is done, and there's no use in being upset; the things still need to be divided.

"You choose first."

Jiang Lin gestured for Lao Liu to take it first.

After a moment's consideration, Lin Zheng said, "I have better qualifications, so I'll take this one."

As he spoke, he picked the fruit that had two green rings.

"OK."

Jiang Lin wasn't one to be pretentious; he simply reached out and picked the ripest fruit.

Then Jiang Lin continued, "Humans are different from beasts. The books record that each person is only effective on one Vermilion Fruit in their lifetime. What should we do with the remaining one?"

Lin Zheng was already satisfied with having received one, so he said, "You decide."

Jiang Lin thought for a moment, "Let's leave it for now and let it grow here. This place is secluded. When we leave, we'll block the entrance with stones and deal with it later."

Lin Zheng had no objection and nodded in agreement.

Emerging from the cave, the two worked together to roll several large rocks, completely blocking the entrance.

Back on shore, the two laboriously carried the animal carcass onto the boat before finally rowing back.

Once out of the foggy area, Jiang Lin looked at the sun; it was still not noon.

Jiang Lin rowed the boat to a bay near the Changning County dock and then anchored it.

"Should we eat this vermilion fruit when we get back to the martial arts school, or eat it first and then go back?"

Jiang Lin spoke up and began to discuss with Lin Zheng.

"It's safe to put it in the bag."

Lin Laoliu answered succinctly.

"Alright, you go first, I'll protect you."

It's not surprising that Jiang Lin raised such a question, because once the fish is sold at the dock, it will inevitably arouse suspicion.

When the time comes, each of the two brothers will have a Vermilion Fruit in their pocket, which will inevitably tempt others.

Now that we're in a safe place, we might as well eat first and then go back. That way, no one can do anything about it. Are they going to kill them and eat their meat?

……

When Lin Zheng woke up, it was already dusk.

At this moment, a large amount of black mud seeped from Lin Zheng's pores. It was not only covered in filth, but also smelled extremely bad. Fortunately, the two of them were on the water, making it convenient to clean themselves.

As Lin Zheng finished washing up and boarded the boat, he looked refreshed, and his previously sallow skin became firm and moisturized.

Seeing such results, Jiang Lin suddenly became impatient.

After Lin Zheng finished tidying up, he took out his fruit and swallowed it in one gulp.

A moment later, a scorching current exploded in his abdomen, and this magma-like heat surged to his limbs and bones, reaching every part of his body.

Then, a tingling sensation came from deep within the bone marrow, as if the bones were beginning to melt, followed by the feeling that new bones were slowly growing.

When I woke up again, it was already midnight.

"vomit."

Jiang Lin expelled a large amount of black mud from his body, which was more and smellier than Lin Zheng's.

He couldn't stand the smell any longer, so he jumped into the water with a "plop".

The clear water instantly washed away the filth from his body, and after a thorough washing, Jiang Lin found himself transformed.

His bronze skin, tanned from years of fishing, began to lighten, and his senses became more acute. Even his spirit was elevated, and his mind became increasingly clear.

The two rested briefly for half a night and returned to the dock the next morning.

First, they returned the boat and paid the rent. Then, they covered the animal carcass with a fishing net, found a wooden stick, and carried it to the fish market.

At the entrance of the fish market, Jiang Lin paid the entrance fee and was about to walk in.

"Wait a minute."

The guards at the gate stopped them.

"What are you carrying?"

"It's a fish."

"Fish?" The officer reached out and lifted half of the fishing net, revealing a small part of the beast's body.

"Ugh!"

A gasp of surprise.

"What an ugly fish."

The officer looked disgusted and waved for the two to leave. He had been working at the entrance of the fish market and had seen all sorts of strange things, so he didn't find it odd.

The two men, carrying the fish, had walked less than fifty meters when they were overtaken.

"Hey, buddy, wait a minute."

A man dressed like a shopkeeper caught up with them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, may I have a look at the precious fish you have?"

Jiang Lin felt a bit annoyed. How could he just casually observe people coming and going on the street?

"no."

Jiang Lin refused outright, and the two of them carried the fish to Long's fish stall.

The man dressed as the shopkeeper snorted coldly, returned to the shop, and summoned a shop assistant.

After saying this, the waiter ran off into the city.