Chapter 1: The Fishing Old Man System

The carriage bumped along, and Su Ping slowly opened his eyes.

He had just had a dream.

He dreamed of the days before he transmigrated into this world of Immortal cultivation.

At that time, he had just turned twenty, in the prime of his youth, high-spirited and vigorous.

The long-lost memory of his hometown left Su Ping feeling a bit dazed.

Coming back to his senses, Su Ping couldn't help but sigh.

Time flies like an arrow; without realizing it, he had already been away from his hometown for twenty years.

Thinking back twenty years, when he had just transmigrated here, he had been quite lucky.

He had only just crawled out of the primeval forest in a sorry state and seen signs of human habitation when he encountered an Ascension Meeting being held in a nearby town to recruit disciples for an Immortal Sect.

Knowing this was a world of Immortal cultivation, how could Su Ping resist the temptation of cultivating Immortality and achieving longevity? He participated immediately.

Then, he was tested by an Immortal elder and found to have a Lower Grade Spiritual Root, logically becoming an Outer Sect Disciple of the Chiyuan Immortal Sect.

Although Su Ping had been warned by the Deacon who brought him into the sect at the time of his entry, that while a Lower Grade Spiritual Root could cultivate Immortality, most stopped at Qi Refining, and those who could reach Foundation Establishment were one in ten thousand.

As a transmigrator, Su Ping naturally tended to believe that he was that one-in-ten-thousand genius! Then... twenty years of bitter cultivation made Su Ping realize the truth.

Without a cheat, he could not be that exception! He also understood why the Immortal Sect would have accepted him, a person with a Lower Grade Spiritual Root who could never reach Foundation Establishment, in the first place!

Although the mortal kingdom where the Chiyuan Immortal Sect was located had hundreds of millions of people, only about one in one hundred thousand had a Spirit Root.

And the vast majority of those possessed Lower Grade Spiritual Roots.

For the Immortal Sect, to maintain its numbers, it could only recruit a batch of low-level Cultivators every few years to serve as Outer Sect Disciples, and this had almost become a convention.

Furthermore, as low-level Cultivators themselves, they were still quite valuable to the Immortal Sect.

Not to mention that rumored possibility of Foundation Establishment.

The Spirit Fields opened by the Immortal Sect, the Spirit Mines, and even helping those with cultivation skills—all these required these low-level Cultivators to shine and contribute to get things done.

In the twenty years Su Ping had been cultivating, in order to obtain cultivation resources and even complete the mandatory Immortal Sect tasks.

He had often planted Spirit Fields for the sect, dug in Spirit Mines, and even helped alchemists control fires, ground ink for Talisman Masters, and held flags for Array Masters.

The remaining time was spent on nothing but cultivation.

So much so that at forty years old, he had never once been to the Xianmiao Pavilion, nor had he ever been able to form a bond with a lovely female Cultivator!

Yet despite such hard work, the return was disproportionate.

Being of the same Lower Grade Spiritual Root, the hardworking Su Ping was stuck at the Qi Refining Third Layer, unable to make any progress.

His peers from the same period, although also possessing Lower Grade Spiritual Roots, were mostly between the Qi Refining Fifth and Sixth Layers.

The one who had done the best had even broken through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and become an Outer Sect Deacon of the Immortal Sect.

He was even brought out from time to time as a model among Outer Sect Disciples, encouraging junior brothers and sisters to work hard at farming and mining so as to exchange for more resources to cultivate well.

And Su Ping, a month ago, after his seventeenth failure to break through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

Had to recognize the reality that there was a world of difference even between Lower Grade Spiritual Roots.

Coming from Water Blue Star and possessing knowledge from another world, Su Ping did not walk into the dead end of cultivation like most old Cultivators.

Su Ping realized he should just lie flat and let go of his obsession with cultivating Immortality! Once the obsession was let go, Su Ping felt a sense of relief, and an intuition emerged that he could live a few more years.

Immediately, Su Ping found that Deacon from his same period and received the garrison task of guarding Jinque City in the mortal realm from him.

Jinque City was one of the many large cities in the mortal kingdom under the jurisdiction of the Chiyuan Immortal Sect.

For such an important mortal town, the Immortal Sect would usually arrange for one or two low-level Cultivators to guard it, preventing petty troublemakers while also serving in a supervisory capacity.

It was just that being a guardian in such a mortal city, far from Spirit Veins and lacking Spirit Qi, was almost equivalent to cutting off one's own path of cultivation.

Generally, only those Outer Sect Disciples who were old and frail, intending to return to the mortal kingdom to recuperate and enjoy life, would take it.

Although that Outer Sect Deacon was somewhat surprised that Su Ping would take this task.

He quickly realized something, did not mock or make things difficult, but expressed understanding and even gifted Su Ping a few Spirit Stones out of friendship from their time together.

This left Su Ping grateful, while also secretly sighing that it was no wonder others could serve as an Outer Sect Deacon with a Lower Grade Spiritual Root.

…………

"Master, we have arrived at Linyue Lake." Just as Su Ping was reminiscing, a pleasant and soft female voice suddenly came from outside the carriage.

It was Ping'er, the personal maid sent by a local noble family after Su Ping arrived in Jinque City and accepted the fine fields and beautiful residence gifted by the City Lord Mansion, reminding him that their destination had been reached.

Su Ping responded, slowly lifting the curtain and stepping down from the luxuriously decorated carriage.

To Su Ping, who had experienced a technological civilization, the carriages of this world were not comfortable.

But there was no help for it; Spirit Qi in the mortal kingdom was thin, and recovering the Dharma Power he used was quite troublesome.

Plus, Su Ping had used all his previous savings for cultivation, and now he couldn't even take out a Dharma Artifact for transport, so a carriage was already the best choice.

As a Cultivator who had accepted his fate, in this world lacking entertainment, if one didn't study skills, all that was left was listening to music in pleasure houses and enjoying the scenery.

Su Ping was very clear about his position; after arriving in Jinque City, he did not refuse the noble gentry who tried to curry favor with him, and he quickly accumulated a considerable family fortune.

After getting a bit tired of listening to music in private for a while, he followed his steward's suggestion and chose this Linyue Lake to enjoy the scenery.

Located in the suburbs, Linyue Lake was a famous scenic spot in Jinque City and also a great fishing resort.

It was rumored that there were Red Kite Spirit Fish in the lake surrounded by mountains, and as long as one could catch one, it would allow even a mortal to cultivate Immortality.

Among the young masters and misses of various families who lacked Immortal Fate, there was no shortage of those who came in groups to enjoy the beautiful scenery and try their luck at catching one.

Occasionally, one could have a catch or two, and then have it processed into a delicious dish by the professional chefs of the nearby Linyue Villa; eating the fish one caught by the lakeside was also considered a fine thing.

Su Ping arrived at the lakeside, feeling the breeze brushing against his face.

He nodded slightly, acknowledging that this beautiful scenery was no less than the famous spots of his hometown.

However, judging by the concentration of Spirit Qi in the lake water he sensed.

The rumors of Spirit Fish were ninety-nine percent likely to be a lie spread by the local landlord for the sake of fame.

In water like this, even the Xiaohei Spirit Fish, which were the easiest to raise in the Immortal Sect, would degenerate into ordinary fish if released into it, let alone any Red Kite Spirit Fish that could change one's root bones and aptitude.

Of course, Su Ping did not intend to expose this lie.

Making money, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

In any case, he was a specially invited guest, and all consumption at this Linyue Lake was free.

Su Ping took the fishing rod from the hands of the servant following closely by his side.

Although there were no Spirit Fish in the lake, since he had already come, wouldn't it be a wasted trip if he didn't do a bit of Fishing?

Su Ping even planned to quietly use a tiny bit of Dharma Power to gather the schools of fish in the lake, so that his first time Fishing in this life could be a complete success, making him the greatest angler in the history of this lake! Anyway, there was no way to cultivate to become an Immortal and achieve Changsheng.

Might as well have some fun and be carefree, right? Sitting on the wooden stool thoughtfully placed by the little maid, Su Ping swung the fishing rod while his gaze swept across his surroundings, already pondering the question of where to erect a statue of himself as the greatest angler so that the feng shui would be good.

Accompanied by a gust of wind.

The fishing rod carved out an afterimage, and the hook, baited by the servant, submerged into the lake water.

Plop! The sound of it entering the water was not loud, yet Su Ping suddenly widened his eyes.

He looked with some uncertainty at the virtual panel that had suddenly appeared below the corner of his eye.

He somewhat suspected that he had been looking forward to a cheat for too long, to the point that his mind had developed a problem.

Closing his eyes and exhaling, he silently recited the Heart-Cleansing Incantation once before opening his eyes again.

The corners of Su Ping's mouth could not help but curl upward.

It was not an illusion!

His golden finger had truly been activated!

It was just that this was too ridiculous; it actually required becoming an angler to activate! Could it be related to the fact that he was just playing a certain open-world fishing mini-game before he transmigrated? 【Angler Fishing System Activated】

【Current Fishing Level: Level 1 (0/100)】

【Current Fishing Spot Rating: First Tier Low Grade】

【Current Fishing Spot Accumulated Available Fishing Attempts: (100/100)】

【Available Fish Species: Small Green Fish, Big Green Fish, Green Spirit Fish, Red Blood Rainbow Carp】

Seeing the virtual panel clearly, Su Ping suppressed the excitement in his heart and raised the fishing rod, preparing to cast again.

He intended to figure out what exactly this golden finger of his was for, and what it could bring him! After resting for a period of time, Xiaobai has finally decided to start a new book! I hope you still remember Xiaobai, please show some support! (σ≧▽≦)σ.

(End of this chapter)