Chapter 153: Fish-Spirit Tide

"Uncle Wan, why are you here?" Li Yuan felt quite surprised.

Except for telling his family, as well as a few classmates like An Nong and Gu Qianghan, no one else knew his itinerary.

But no one else knew.

"Haha, wasn't I fishing by the lake yesterday? I happened to run into your uncle and chatted about you," Wan Qinghe laughed: "That's how I knew you would be back today."

"It just so happens that I have to report for duty at the City Martial Hall today. After finishing my business in the morning, I thought it would be better to come and pick you up," Wan Qinghe laughed.

"That is truly a coincidence," Li Yuan replied with a laugh: "That's good, I can take Uncle Wan's aircraft to get home quickly."

Li Yuan didn't expose the other party—was it really such a coincidence?

Even if it were a coincidence, Uncle Wan had absolutely no need to come to the airport to pick him up.

It was over ten kilometers from the City Martial Hall to the airport.

"Sure, your holiday is short, it's better to get home early, I'll give you a ride," Wan Qinghe laughed: "Actually, with your rank, you could completely book a Martial Hall aircraft."

"I didn't think of that," Li Yuan laughed.

"Let's go."

The two passed through the inspection channel and walked toward the small aircraft parked hundreds of meters away.

On the aircraft.

"The situation has actually deteriorated this much?" Li Yuan listened to Wan Qinghe talk about the Jiangbei situation.

This was a topic Li Yuan had taken the initiative to bring up.

It was also what he wanted to understand.

"Yes, this year's attacks are unusual," Wan Qinghe nodded solemnly: "Ever since you obtained the Young Hero title at the beginning of the year, the scale has been increasing. August was the flood season... according to past years' conventions, after entering the dry season, by all logic, the Fish-Spirit Star Realm should be much calmer, but this year it has instead increased its offensive."

"Especially in the last month, it can be said that there is smoke everywhere," Wan Qinghe sighed: "Jiang City encountered small-scale attacks, but Shi Prefecture and Yizhou were even more tragic."

Li Yuan nodded slightly; he often watched the news recently and knew the general situation.

"The Fish-Spirit Race are humanoid creatures. By all logic, their intelligence is high enough; are they really that fearless of death?" Li Yuan frowned.

"The higher-ups speculate that a new round of 'Fish-Spirit Tide' is about to erupt," Wan Qinghe sighed lightly.

"Fish-Spirit Tide?" Li Yuan was puzzled.

He had never heard of it.

"This is a concept that the Martial Hall only recently proposed."

"As far as I know, the Fish-Spirit Race warriors like the ones you first encountered are actually similar to 'worker ants' in an ant colony. They absolutely obey the leader's orders; if the leader orders them to die, they will obey," Wan Qinghe said.

"Worker ants?" Li Yuan instantly thought of many possibilities. This kind of civilization model is not uncommon among the "alien civilizations" that human civilization has come into contact with.

"Their reproduction speed seems to be very fast... In the past few decades, the Fish-Spirit Star Realm has launched three super-large-scale attacks on Jiangbei Province."

"One was fifteen years ago."

"Another was thirty-three years ago."

"The earliest one was forty-seven years ago," Wan Qinghe said quickly: "According to records, before every large-scale attack, the number of small-scale attacks continues to rise."

"About every fifteen years?" Li Yuan said, though he thought more in his heart.

Fifteen years... it was the very year his parents died...

"Yes."

"So there is speculation that a new round of Fish-Spirit Tide is about to erupt," Wan Qinghe said: "It's just that the main direction of the Fish-Spirit Race's attack has not yet been clarified. Judging from existing signs, it is in the direction of Shi Prefecture and Yizhou."

"After all, that place is closest to the entrance of the Fish-Spirit Star Realm, and there are signs of large-scale Fish-Spirit Race warrior mobilization."

"The three large-scale attacks in history were all within a thousand kilometers of the entrance and exit of the Fish-Spirit Star Realm."

Li Yuan nodded slightly.

The speculation is reasonable.

"So, the military and the two major Martial Halls have only recently launched large-scale operations along the Xianghe River," Wan Qinghe said: "Like some mechanical armies and combat martial artist units in Jiang City, they have already been secretly transferred to Shi Prefecture and Yizhou."

"Then what about other directions in Jiangbei Province?" Li Yuan hesitated.

"There's no way," Wan Qinghe shook his head: "No one dares to confirm whether the Fish-Spirit Race will launch a Fish-Spirit Tide, and once they do, where the main attack direction will be."

"Our strength is limited, we can only secretly do key defense. Once there is a large-scale attack, we will concentrate our strength to provide support... The Fish-Spirit Star Realm is ultimately not a key Star Realm."

Li Yuan sighed lightly in his heart.

Indeed, there are many Star Realms within the borders of the Xia Nation, and there are even more Star Realms in the entire human civilization.

There are many Star Realms with greater threats than the Fish-Spirit Star Realm... Human civilization's strength is limited, and it can only defend key areas.

Some Star Realms, like the "Luo Bu Sea," have large armies stationed there all year round, engaging in large-scale fierce battles with alien civilizations... The resources consumed every year are an astronomical figure.

In comparison, the Fish-Spirit Star Realm is indeed not very conspicuous.

"Don't think too much, Jiang City is still relatively safe," Wan Qinghe laughed: "You go home today to accompany Uncle and Aunt, and come to my house for dinner tomorrow noon."

"I've already agreed with your Instructor Xu; he doesn't live far," Wan Qinghe gave a reason Li Yuan couldn't refuse.

"Sure," Li Yuan laughed.

Not long after.

The aircraft returned to the Nanhu Starfire residential area, arriving at the edge of Li Yuan's villa.

Li Yuan and Wan Qinghe got off the aircraft.

"Uncle Wan."

"Wait a moment, I brought you a gift, take it back with you," Li Yuan laughed: "The gift was sent back in advance, I was originally going to give it to you when I visited you."

At the villa entrance, Li Zhangzhou and Chen Hui, who had already been notified, walked out with smiles.

"Uncle, Aunt," Li Yuan put down his bag.

He took the gift box from Li Zhangzhou's hand and returned it to Wan Qinghe: "Uncle Wan, I didn't know what else to bring, inside is a set of Kunlun Martial Arts University's 150th-anniversary alumni souvenirs."

"I entrusted a teacher at school to remake a copy," Li Yuan laughed: "Although the anniversary has passed, it can be considered a memento."

Wan Qinghe was also a graduate of Kunlun Martial Arts University.

"Many thanks," Wan Qinghe laughed. Last year was Kunlun Martial Arts University's 150th anniversary, and he couldn't make it.

He was quite regretful.

Wan Qinghe had only mentioned it to Li Yuan once, and he didn't expect Li Yuan to keep it in his heart.

He brought him a souvenir.

"Sure, then I'll go first," Wan Qinghe laughed: "Remember to come to my house tomorrow."

"Good."

Wan Qinghe returned to his own villa in the Nanhu Starfire residential area.

"Iron Tower," Wan Qinghe skillfully made a call and laughed: "Li Yuan has already agreed to come for dinner, so don't decline, come together."

"Li Yuan was just talking about visiting you on the aircraft, shouldn't you master and disciple gather more?"

He hung up the call with Xu Bo.

Wan Qinghe thought for a moment and sent a message to Song Yi: "Li Yuan has already returned to Jiang City today."

He closed his smart wristband.

"This Song person owes me another small favor," Wan Qinghe revealed a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Old Fei."

"Your status is too high, it's not easy to get on good terms with Li Yuan's family," Wan Qinghe muttered in his heart: "My status and strength... are just right."

"Heh! In some aspects, you have to learn from me."

After returning home and giving the gifts to his uncle and aunt.

The family ate lunch together happily, which was prepared by Aunt Chen Hui early in the morning.

"Does Uncle Wan often go fishing by the lake?" Li Yuan asked while eating, listening to his uncle talk about some things at home.

"Mm," Li Zhangzhou nodded and laughed: "It's hard to say whether this Hall Master Wan likes fishing or not, but he quite likes chatting."

Li Yuan couldn't help but laugh.

His uncle had no other hobbies, just fishing.

"Uncle, it's fine, you guys chat about whatever you want," Li Yuan laughed: "In the future, if there's anything I can help Uncle Wan with, I naturally will."

"It should be like that; he has shown kindness to our family," Li Zhangzhou said.

Slowly.

Li Yuan chatted about some things at school. Some things couldn't be leaked according to the rules, but most of the content could still be chatted about... but Li Yuan didn't explain that he was going to roam the Star Realm after the holiday ended.

Good news can be shared with elders early, allowing them to be happy for a while longer.

For example, returning home—Li Yuan told his uncle and aunt a week in advance.

But bad news or dangerous things are best told late, so they worry less.

"Are Qianqian and Muhua boarding at school?" Li Yuan was puzzled.

"Yes."

"The Martial Hall's affiliated junior high school is like that. Except for weekends, they can only come home on Wednesday night," Chen Hui laughed: "They can come home tomorrow."

"Then that's fine, I'll go pick them up tomorrow," Li Yuan laughed: "Give them a surprise."

It had been a long time since he saw his younger brother and sister.

On the first day home, Li Yuan was exceptionally happy in his heart, chatting with his uncle and aunt for a long time.

After dinner, a guest came to the house.

"Hall Master Song?" Li Yuan revealed a smile: "Please sit."

"Li Yuan." Song Yi was all smiles, quite elegant, and brought several gifts.

After some exchange.

She had no other purpose for coming; it was purely a visit, and she left after sitting for less than a quarter of an hour.

"Those who can be a Hall Master of a side are all sharp-nosed," Li Yuan sighed to himself.

Uncle Wan is like this, and Song Yi is the same.

Li Yuan saw through Song Yi's thoughts clearly, and he didn't refuse the other party's good intentions.

"All I need to do is make myself stronger," Li Yuan saw through the essence at a glance.

After nine o'clock at night, his uncle and aunt went to sleep separately.

The underground martial arts room was brightly lit.

"Time to start a new day of cultivation," Li Yuan revealed a smile: "From now until seven tomorrow morning, that's ten hours."

It was also a holiday.

Other students have to socialize, catch up with relatives, and rest at night, so their cultivation time will be greatly reduced, but for Li Yuan... a holiday?

It just changed his cultivation time from all day to half a day.

All day, half a day in the true sense.

"At least I can't delay the visualization method and Source Power absorption," Li Yuan thought to himself.

Skills—Li Yuan had already reached the fourth-stage limit, and even if he cultivated crazily time and time again in a short period, it would be hard to break through.

Relaxation is not necessarily a bad thing now.

However, whether it is the growth of mental power or the growth of physical fitness... it is all a matter of grinding.

Not a single day can be delayed.

"'Heavens Stars'." Li Yuan sat cross-legged, closed his eyes to meditate, and with a thought, he operated the life Star Pulse in his body, causing countless Source Power to surge in.

Source Power operated, coursing through his whole body, passing through every part of his body, causing his muscles, bones, and flesh to constantly transform.

December 16th, noon.

Li Yuan went to Wan Qinghe's house.

Besides Xu Bo, there was also a Vice Hall Master of the Starfire Guanshan Branch Hall, "Vice Hall Master Zuo," participating in the banquet.

Back then, it was she who represented the Starfire Martial Hall at Li Yuan's "Young Hero Commendation Conference," so she was quite familiar with Li Yuan.

"Instructor, you joined the 'City Patrol Team'?" Li Yuan listened to Instructor Xu Bo's account.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 154 =====