Chapter 48: Warm Feather, Cold Winter

"Where did you get this?"

"From the water? Floating on its own? You saw it glowing and brought it back?"

Liang Qu had taught the two beasts how to identify treasure fish: simply check if they looked different from ordinary fish, with unique and rare colors and shapes.

These words were deeply etched in the beasts' minds; when they saw the glowing feather, they knew it wasn't a fish, yet still felt it was something valuable, so they brought it back.

The logic... was not wrong.

The feather was huge, fully three feet long and one foot wide.

Liang Qu tried to reach out and touch it, but was forced back by the astonishing heat radiating from the feather.

Good heavens, so hot; no wonder Bu Bu Neng Dong and A-Fat didn't dare carry it in their mouths, like handling roasted sweet potatoes.

A massive feather, emitting astonishing heat.

Liang Qu's first thought was of the giant flaming bird flying in the sky during the battle between the two demons last night.

Barring any surprise, this feather must have fallen from that creature, drifted here with the waves, and was discovered by the two beasts.

Brother Toad, you did well! Killing a great demon even lets me sip some of the broth.

Liang Qu controlled the water flow to lift the feather; only after some of the heat dissipated could he attempt to touch it directly.

The quill was hard as iron, gleaming with a cold, rigid luster, shining brightly in the darkness, while the vanes were extremely soft and pleasant to the touch; it was just too hot to handle without cooling it with water first.

What use is a single feather?

Birds and beasts cannot absorb the essence of water and marshes; using it as a hand warmer would risk setting one's clothes on fire.

Liang Qu fell into deep thought, unable to figure out how to use it.

But regardless, an item from a great demon must be precious; taking it back for Master and Cao Shixiong to see might reveal its purpose.

Liang Qu did not stint on praise: "Well done! From now on, bring back anything that isn't a fish but looks unusual."

Praised, the two beasts began spinning in the water, churning up violent currents.

After splashing about for a while, Liang Qu surfaced; seeing the time was about right, he instructed Bu Bu Neng Dong to return and guard the lotus roots, while Fat Catfish was to explore the nearby waters further.

Especially the shallow waters nearby: check for any sunken ships, human artifacts, treasures, treasure plants, or treasure fish; finding another feather like this, or even a part of that aquatic great demon, would be best.

Liang Qu was very curious how much essence of water and marshes a part of such a great demon's body might contain.

Not only the waters near Yixing City, but also those near Yunjiang Wharf and Pingyang Town, were worth exploring.

Nowadays, A-Fat's size was quite enormous; as long as he didn't rashly enter deep water zones, there would be little danger.

Dragging the feather back onto the sampan, Liang Qu glanced into the waterproof compartment; besides ordinary fish species, it contained two carp, one yellow croaker, and one tiger fish, all fine varieties.

Returning to the wharf, daylight had fully broken; Liang Qu sold his catch to Lin Lin Songbao.

"Doesn't seem like much today, only two baskets?" Lin Lin Songbao helped move the fish creels into the stall, but upon opening them, he was startled, "Whoa, so many good fish? One yellow croaker, two carp, one tiger fish? Did you stumble into a fish nest?"

"Just got lucky today."

"Impressive! In winter, everyone else catches less and less, yet you catch more and more." Lin Lin Songbao gave a thumbs-up, "That comes to three hundred and forty-six cash; shall I give you three Great Qian of silver?"

Lin Lin Songbao was no fool; although his father had said nothing, he knew something astonishing must have happened to Liang Qu, so he offered an even greater discount than before; three Great Qian of silver would normally exchange for at least three hundred and sixty cash.

"Many thanks!"

"No need for thanks; since you're here, it saves me a trip to find you. The restaurant is already booked: tonight, Langyun Tower, Earth Hall, Room Bing-3. My father asked me if you'd like a carriage sent to pick you up."

Liang Qu needed to show the feather to his senior brother, so he shook his head, "No need, I'm going to town today anyway."

"Very well, keep this safe; here's your money."

Taking the money, Liang Qu turned back to the boat; he soaked the hemp robe he had taken off in cold water, wrapped the feather in it, and headed home. Passing the fish stall, he saw others selling fish there as well.

"Lin Songbao, weigh it again for me, did you make a mistake? Look how big this fish is."

"Uncle Chen Hu, didn't we just weigh it? Fifty-three cash is correct; deducting the forty-five percent rental fee for the fishing boat leaves thirty cash."

"Th-this is too little, Lin Songbao, please show some mercy, a bit more, just a bit more." The middle-aged fisherman with dark skin piled on a smile, one hand making a pleading upward gesture, "My boy is only eight, growing fast; you've seen him, just this tall; he calls you older brother."

"Really can't do it; last time I overcharged you by five cash, I got scolded by my father when I got home. Besides, Uncle Hu, you know the nearby Yunjiang Wharf takes a fifty-two percent cut."

"Sigh..."

On Blue Stone Street, Liang Qu listened for a while until the cold, wet hemp cloth in his hand grew warm, then slowly paced home.

The weather was getting colder, and the water temperature was appallingly low; immersing one's hands in it for even a moment would turn them purple from the cold.

When it's too cold, fish metabolism slows down, reducing their need for food, and they gather in deeper waters where it's warm enough.

Not coming out, not moving, staying deep; with the fishermen's methods, they simply cannot be caught, and even if caught, they won't fetch a good price, because slow currents mean low oxygen and little circulation of nutrients, leaving the fish with nothing to eat, thin and small...

The blue flagstones were not as dark as two months ago; this happened every winter, as if the brilliance of all things had frozen and shrunk away.

In the yellow-mud alleys flanking the stone-paved road, there were even more sallow-faced women than in autumn; wrapped in yellowed old padded jackets, they huddled on steps, lifting their heads to glance whenever the sound of grinding stones echoed.

Liang Qu saw a girl about his age sitting on a step, smiling at him; her malnourished face was thin and yellow, her hair dry and yellow like wild grass, not attractive at all; he lowered his head and walked past expressionlessly.

Besides the women in old padded jackets, the yellow-mud alleys were now filled with many children; they gathered together burning dry firewood scavenged from who-knows-where, the older ones thirteen or fourteen with worried faces, the younger ones only five or six with long trails of clear nasal discharge, all playing finger games together.

There were also old beggar women walking the streets.

"Hmph!"

Thick mist exhaled from mouth and nose, Liang Qu stood in place for a long time.

"Damn it all!"

"Hey!"

Liang Qu called out, placed the oil-paper parcel on the ground, turned, and walked away.

"What's this?" A boy stepped forward, pinching his fingers to open the oil-paper parcel, then shouted, "Ah, steamed buns! They're steamed buns! So many, over ten!"

"Great, hot buns!"

"Don't snatch, don't snatch, there's enough for everyone."

"I'll divide them, I'll divide them; Little Brother, you're the youngest, have two."

A few alleys away, Liang Qu set down oil-paper parcels one by one, then hurried off.

So damn annoying.

Two Great Qian of silver, gone.

Liang Qu suddenly felt irritated, with no target, no cause, no purpose, just irritation.

Perhaps he was irritated by his own excessive kindness, perhaps by this damned world, perhaps by why those wretches had to loiter before his eyes.

It felt as if fire flowed through his veins; everything around was cold, yet he alone was as hot as a burning coal.

Taking several deep breaths, Liang Qu finally calmed down.

Arriving home, he tossed the great demon feather, wrapped in the nearly dried-out hemp robe, into the ice-covered water vat; soon the ice surface melted from the heat, submerging both cloth and feather in the water.

Liang Qu assumed his stance and began refining his skin.

The day of breakthrough was drawing nearer, almost within kicking distance.

Everything Liang Qu possessed now could be called a different kind of "bully relying on the master's power," but once he became a true martial artist, that transformation would be accomplished by himself, equivalent to an ordinary person becoming a Licentiate.

Blood qi circulated, suddenly spreading to his limbs and bones, flowing toward the outermost layer of skin.

After a long while, his reddened skin gradually returned to its normal ruddy hue.

Liang Qu could feel his body had become tougher; although it felt unchanged to the touch, once attacked, some deep-level change would occur, making it extremely resilient.

This improvement in strength dispelled most of his pent-up frustration; picking up the pastries he had bought earlier, he headed to Chen Qingjiang's house next door.

Two days late, but fortunately, the pastries he bought were mostly peach crisps, which don't spoil easily in winter, showing little change since purchase.

He knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Who is it?"

"It's me!"

"Sounds like Liang Ashui; I'll go check."

"Is it Liang Ashui? Qingjiang, you must thank him properly."

"I know, Father."

Voices of conversation came from inside the house.

Suddenly, a small head popped up over the low wall nearby: "Ya, it's Brother Shui!"

Liang Qu lifted the wooden box in his hand and shook it twice, "Little Shunzi, open the gate for me, and I'll give you something delicious."

"Coming!"

Little Little Shunzi jumped off the stool, clattered to the courtyard gate, opened it, and rushed over eagerly; Liang Qu smiled, opened the box, took out a peach crisp, and stuffed it into Little Shunzi's hand.

"Mm, so sweet!"

Little Shunzi stuffed his mouth full in one bite, cupping the fallen crumbs with his other hand, his face filled with astonishment.

Chen Qingjiang had just reached the doorway; seeing the Wufang Zhai label, he was greatly shocked, "Liang Ashui, how could you give Little Shunzi such expensive things? You're wasting them!"