The Name of Eternals

Chapter 24: Fishing for a Dragon

It was a big one!

Li Hao immediately sensed from the immense struggle that whatever was in the water was no small creature. His heart raced, but he didn't panic. Instead of yanking the fishing line sharply—which could tear the hook from its mouth—he carefully loosened it a bit and then pulled it tight again.

Instantly, the previously calm black water surface erupted with violent waves, covering an area with a diameter of more than ten meters.

Li Hao could vaguely see a huge black shadow being slowly pulled from the depths of the water, struggling violently near the surface.

This shadow was massive and sinister, spanning seven to eight meters long. With its thrashing, the splashing waves extended even further.

Li Hao kept the fishing line taut, using a method of alternating tension to slowly bring the huge shadow closer to the shore.

The creature beneath the water seemed to realize something. It suddenly leaped out of the water, revealing a large, flat fish head filled with sharp teeth that looked like countless sharpened bamboo spikes.

With its emerald green eyes, the creature glared ferociously at Li Hao standing on the fishing platform. Seeing that it was just a seven- or eight-year-old child, the malice in the fish's eyes turned into anger.

"You ignorant brat, how dare you try to fish for your Grandpa Catfish!"

The fish demon spoke with a sharp, grating voice, and instead of resisting further, it swam rapidly toward the shore. The line that had been taut instantly went slack in the water.

"I'll devour you!!"

The distance of several hundred meters closed rapidly as the fish demon leaped from the water, lunging toward the fishing platform.

As the fish demon landed, text appeared before Li Hao:

[Fishing Experience +68]

[Fishing Path Advanced to Level 1]

At the same time, a flood of fishing techniques entered his mind.

However, Li Hao couldn't focus on absorbing and processing them at the moment. Instead, he tightened his scalp, concentrating on the immediate threat.

The foul-smelling mouth was now so close that he could see the pink flesh of the fish demon's throat.

Facing an enemy for the first time, Li Hao was both surprised and a bit nervous, mainly because the fish demon looked so terrifying. Fortunately, its movements seemed slow as a turtle to him.

In the Listening Rain Tower, he had learned three different body refinement techniques specifically to enhance his vision.

These techniques overlapped and complemented each other, significantly boosting his eyesight far beyond the usual capabilities of the Tongli Realm.

With a quick bite of his tongue, Li Hao regained his composure. He sidestepped and bent down, reaching out to grab the fish demon's sharp teeth before swinging it with a powerful spin.

All this happened in an instant, his actions fluid and seamless.

With a loud crash, the fish demon smashed into the mountain wall dozens of meters away, its tail slapping the ground frantically.

"What kind of monster are you?!"

The fish demon was dazed and bewildered, uttering a terrified question.

It wriggled its belly slightly, years of cultivation giving it a sense of impending doom. This white-skinned, delicate human child was terrifying—definitely not human but likely the descendant of a powerful demon.

Hearing the fish demon's words, Li Hao was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter.

But wary of any tricks the fish demon might have, he decided to finish it quickly and charged forward.

Suddenly, the fish demon's gills puffed up, and it spewed a black, foul-smelling sludge like a toxic arrow.

Li Hao, having prepared for unknown tricks, instantly sidestepped the black sludge and swiftly closed the distance with a powerful leap.

"No, spare me..."

The fish demon, frightened, tried to plead, but Li Hao's punch had already struck its head.

The sheer force of his physical blow made the fish demon tremble violently. With a crack, its skull caved in, and greenish brain matter splattered out. Li Hao couldn't dodge it in time, getting splashed with quite a bit.

A pungent stench hit him, making him almost gag.

No wonder the old man smelled fishy. Fishing for years, such things were unavoidable.

Though the fish demon's tail continued to twitch on the ground, it was likely just a reflex. It lacked the previous ferocity.

To ensure it wasn't playing dead, Li Hao punched it twice more, stopping only when the fish demon's head was reduced to a gaping hole, with brain matter gurgling out.

He thought to himself that next time he'd bring a sword when fishing. Otherwise, if he encountered something bigger and more dangerous, he might become the bait.

Of course, with Li Muxiu nearby, Li Hao was in no real danger. The old man's talisman hadn't even been triggered yet.

However, Li Hao preferred not to rely on others for everything.

After dealing with the fish demon, Li Hao recalled the newly acquired information in his mind. Many fishing techniques surfaced, making him feel as though he had been fishing for over a decade.

He knew how to read the water, gauge the line, and hide the hook... all these skills became second nature. Returning to the fishing platform, Li Hao tidied up his fishing rod and the tangled line. He baited the hook again with newfound finesse, molding the bait securely onto the hook with a few deft motions.

As he gazed at the black lake, what had once seemed uniformly dark now revealed distinct changes.

He could discern subtle movements of the water and see seven or eight meters beneath the surface. The ripples left by the earlier commotion formed patterns in his eyes, mapping out the underwater currents.

Through these currents, Li Hao deduced that there was something moving in the water a bit further away.

Near the fishing platform, the area had been disturbed twice already. Likely, all sizable creatures had fled, leaving it empty.

Li Hao had an idea. Rather than waiting passively, he chose to take the initiative.

He lifted the rod and walked along the shore, occasionally glancing at the water's surface to track the prey's direction through the underwater currents.

Soon, after walking about a kilometer, Li Hao stopped at a spot resembling a bay. He chose a solid earthen platform and cast his line.

This time, despite his strong swing, the heavy hook only made gentle ripples in the water, without the loud splash from before.

The line slowly descended to the lake's depths.

Li Hao crouched slightly, waiting patiently.

Within minutes, the float started moving.

Li Hao wasn't surprised. This cast had delivered the bait close to the underwater creature's vicinity—a doorstep delivery.

With a swish, the float vanished into the water. It was an impatient fellow.

Li Hao chuckled softly and sharply lifted the rod. A massive force tugged on the line, and from the initial struggle, Li Hao estimated the creature weighed about a ton. It was likely another Tongli Realm fish demon, whose intelligence hadn't fully developed yet. No wonder its movements underwater were detectable from a kilometer away.

He used a strategy of strong lifting and gentle pulling.

The rod swayed from side to side, each tug setting the hook more firmly, reducing the chance of it coming loose.

Soon, after seven or eight minutes of reeling, Li Hao pulled the exhausted fish demon from the lake.

[Fishing Experience +23]

The fish demon, viciously lunging at Li Hao, was easily punched to death and tossed onto a hill.

Li Hao then baited the hook again, ready for more.

There was more to be caught underwater.

...

...

"This old dragon is cunning, not revealing a trace."

High above the demon lake, Li Muxiu remained concealed, holding a nearly invisible line that extended vertically into the depths.

His fishing skills had long mastered line reading, allowing him to sense underwater activity. This skill was no different from directly scanning with his spirit, peering into the lake's depths.

He had cast his line stealthily, yet the old dragon remained silent.

Earlier, the small fish demon Li Hao caught had been eaten by another fish demon—big fish eat small fish.

But his goal wasn't merely fishing; it was dragon fishing!

"Never mind, it seems this old dragon is likely napping today. Who knows where it's hiding in these three thousand li of the black lake."

Li Muxiu shook his head slightly, glancing over the thousand-li expanse of the lake, stretching beyond sight.

With a sigh, he reeled in the line, bringing up a ten-meter-long, spike-covered fish demon—his bait for dragon fishing.

With a flick of his finger, the fish demon shrank to a palm-sized, black-spotted little fish, which he tossed into his basket.

"I wonder how the kid's doing. Hope he didn't lose patience and end up catching nothing."

Li Muxiu muttered, lifting the basket, and flew back toward where he left Li Hao.