Chapter 35: Time Management Master VS Sea King

In Huaxia, there are only a little over a hundred professional spirit anglers.

And tonight, right by Nameless Lake, there happens to be one, named Luo Zhixiang.

In his early years, Luo Zhixiang worked as a technician at a massage parlor by day, and moonlighted as a server at a dance hall by night; it was extremely grueling.

Later, he awakened the D-rank beast-type guardian spirit Meng Ji, but had no interest in killing and combat; instead, relying on Meng Ji's unconventional talent bonus, he became a professional spirit angler.

Meng Ji is an ancient ferocious beast, resembling a leopard somewhat, with patterns on its forehead, white fur, skilled at lurking and concealment, calm in the hunt.

Luo Zhixiang once won the National Spirit Fishing Championship.

These past years, relying on a custom-made spirit fishing rod that cost a fortune, he has swept through Huaxia's major spirit fishing grounds, catching countless treasure-class yaoling.

Most admirable is that, after gaining fame, Luo Zhixiang still maintains multiple jobs, straddling several industries; thus the jianghu reverently calls him "Time Management Master."

Luo Zhixiang has long wanted to test himself against a world-class spirit angler.

He walked out from the crowd, and the people around him automatically made way, straight up to Sea King Sheng Haosi, his gaze like short blades clashing: "Here, I am the strongest."

Just half an hour ago, he had fished up a valuable Pig Fish Spirit from Nameless Lake.

Invincibility is such loneliness.

It just so happened that Sea King Sheng Haosi proposed a friendly contest of fishing skill, which suited Luo Zhixiang perfectly; he very much wanted to know the gap between himself and an international-level spirit angler.

"Wow! Now there's a show to watch!"

"Explosive! Explosive! Time Management Master Luo Zhixiang VS Sea King Sheng Haosi!"

The scene instantly erupted in gasps.

One possesses a guardian spirit, Meng Ji, that can sense yaoling movements; the other wields a special artifact-spirit-type fishing rod spirit.

Tonight, this group exercise is bound to be rare, unprecedentedly spectacular.

Zhu Tongtong's pupils contracted, her heart beating somewhat uncontrollably.

Many second-generation spirit masters at the scene are merely amateur spirit anglers, treating it as a hobby.

For a master-level spirit fishing duel like this, almost none of them have ever watched live; today they finally get a chance to observe and learn up close — truly fortunate.

On an ancient tree not far off, Li Qingran watches quietly.

He has never competed against Luo Zhixiang normally, but has also heard of the Time Management Master's name.

But regarding Sea King Sheng Haosi's spirit fishing level, Li Qingran is very clear — very strong, very strong.

An artifact-spirit guardian spirit is no joke.

Looking globally, the number of people whose spirit fishing skill surpasses Sea King Sheng Haosi can probably be counted on one hand.

"You, the strongest?" Sheng Haosi pointed at Luo Zhixiang, speaking halting Chinese slowly: "Then how about we have a match?"

Sheng Haosi's expression was serious, not the slightest bit looking down on Luo Zhixiang.

He knew Huaxia had many reclusive experts who on the surface seem unremarkable, but once they act can blind you with brilliance.

He had heard that in ancient Huaxia, there was a Jiang-surnamed spirit angler who could catch yaoling with a straight hook and no bait.

This simply exceeded his imagination.

"Couldn't ask for more." Luo Zhixiang nodded: "Then let's follow international convention — each relying on their own ability, within one hour, whoever catches the higher-grade yaoling wins."

Sheng Haosi made a gentlemanly inviting gesture: "No problem, then we'll each find a spot; you go first."

Luo Zhixiang closed his eyes, and behind him Meng Ji was summoned; one person, one spirit carefully sensed the traces of yaoling beneath the vast Nameless Lake.

Thereafter, he strode to an inconspicuous spot by the lake and took out a golden-yellow spirit fishing rod.

This spirit fishing rod is no ordinary thing; it is the work of Huaxia's contemporary master craftsman, Gongshu Ci, who possesses the Guardian Spirit Artisan God Lu Ban.

Luo Zhixiang stroked the slightly rough rod body, heart stirring with excitement, eager to begin the contest: "I've chosen."

As long as he wins this match tonight, his reputation will surely soar, placing him among the ranks of world-class spirit anglers.

"My turn." Sheng Haosi ran a few steps, leapt onto a small boat, which moved without wind to about four or five meters from the shore: "I'm ready too."

A man temporarily granted referee qualifications shouted: "Then, the match begins! Countdown: one hour!"

As soon as the words fell, both men simultaneously made bait, hooked it, cast their rods...

Unhurried, orderly, straight to the heart of the matter.

Less than a minute after Sheng Haosi's float hit the water, it sank beneath the surface — a yaoling was hooked.

Then after about another minute, Luo Zhixiang's float also changed, trembling slightly.

Both began predicting the yaoling's movements, manipulating their spirit fishing rods, ready to lift at any moment.

With a tearing sound, Sheng Haosi pulled the spirit fishing line taut into a straight line, flicked the rod — a very beautiful motion, seamless — and flung the catch onto the boat deck.

According to the international spirit angling classification of yaoling: Ungraded, Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Supreme, Legendary.

Nine grades in total.

What Sheng Haosi caught was a Human-Faced Octopus, a Bronze-grade yaoling.

Luo Zhixiang was a bit slower; after a few rounds of give-and-take with the hooked yaoling, he finally landed it.

With a plop, an ugly, pitch-black, single-eyed spherical yaoling fell into the grass by the lake.

This is a Big-Eye Yaoling, a Black Iron-grade yaoling.

One hour later, the referee will convert the yaoling they caught into points based on grade, using different conversion ratios.

Higher score wins.

Black Iron: 1 point, Bronze: 10 points.

Barely five minutes in, the point gap between the two is already 9 points.

In the time that followed.

Sheng Haosi seemed blessed by the goddess of luck; every yaoling he caught was at minimum Bronze-grade.

While Luo Zhixiang still got Black Iron from time to time, even 0-point Ungraded yaoling.

The point gap between the two grew wider and wider.

From a single-digit gap, to double digits, to triple digits……

By the last ten minutes, Luo Zhixiang was completely out of sorts, his face extremely ugly: "So this is the Sea King's strength?"

Luo Zhixiang had always considered himself hardworking, cherishing time to improve his fishing skills, striving to be both fast and fierce.

But after today's battle with the Sea King Sheng Haosi, he realized the gap between himself and a world-class angler was still very, very far.

Sheng Haosi's perception of yao ling, his control over the fishing spirit rod, and so on, had all reached a height difficult to reach.

The fishing spirit rod seemed to have become a part of his body, doing as he wished, striking wherever he pointed.

Time's up.

In this one hour, Sheng Haosi gained a full 360 points.

While Luo Zhixiang only had a pitiful 43 points.

He didn't even reach a fraction of Sheng Haosi's score.

Sheng Haosi stood on the lone boat, his back figure appearing somewhat lonely and desolate, a slightly disappointed voice drifting into everyone's ears.

"Your fishing spirit level is too low; this kind of contest has no meaning whatsoever."