Chapter 343

Xuan Ling had long guessed that the "elder" Ye Fan spoke of was a woman, and as a woman herself, she grew ever more admiring.

Female cultivators often have it harder than male cultivators, yet this elder of Ye Fan's household could already traverse the starry realms to reach other continents, which is truly admirable.

Xuan Ling asked only that one question and did not pursue it further, turning her attention to the lip balm in her hand.

She tried it, and it worked well, painting her small lips pink and pretty.

Xuan Ling felt a burst of delight and began examining the other items.

Ye Fan introduced them one by one; Xuan Ling grew happier the more she listened, more delighted the more she tried, and after a bit of fussing she had her makeup done to a fare-thee-well—when she looked in the mirror, it was truly a hundred times better than the rouge and powder she bought herself in the mundane world.

"Not bad; these things really suit my taste, little one. I have two opportunities here—pick one for yourself."

Saying that, Xuan Ling waved her hand and produced two treasures; as soon as they appeared, golden light spilled forth, and at a glance they were clearly fine items.

Xuan Ling looked at Ye Fan and said:

"Both of these are top-tier magical implements; even if your cultivation reaches the Nascent Soul stage they will still aid you. One is a flying vessel, the other a talisman brush."

"I sense the aura of runes about you; you must be studying talisman drawing, right? Then why not choose this talisman brush?"

As Xuan Ling finished speaking, Ye Fan indeed stared at the talisman brush with a look of surprise.

He had been worrying about not having a good talisman brush, and lo and behold, Elder Xuan Ling arrived just in time like charcoal in the snow.

Yet Ye Fan did not reach for the talisman brush; instead he turned his gaze again to the flying vessel.

He had ridden Senior Brother Song's flying vessel before, and compared to that, this one was like a petty witch seeing a great witch.

The flying vessel that Elder Xuan Ling produced was clearly a top-tier specimen among flying vessels at first glance.

More importantly, the entire vessel's design is most pleasing to the eye; one look tells you it's the sort of thing a girl would like.

Ye Fan hesitated a bit, thinking this flying vessel would surely win the favor of his fairy‑like elder sister, yet the talisman brush is precisely the magical implement he needs most right now.

After much hesitation and inner conflict, Ye Fan still cupped his hands and said to Xuan Ling:

"Supreme Elder, I would still like to take this flying vessel; I intend to give it to my household's elder."

Hearing that, Xuan Ling opened her mouth, quite surprised.

"Your household's elder probably wouldn't look upon this magical implement favorably, would she?"

After all, a flying vessel is nothing more than a flying magical implement, at most with some defensive functions; truly speaking, among all magical implements it can only be considered an entry‑level auxiliary implement, not worth much.

Ye Fan, however, said:

"Elder Xuan Ling, you may not know that the plane where my sister now resides lacks spiritual energy; this implement is just right for use there."

Hearing that, Xuan Ling had no doubt; she glanced at Ye Fan, then at the cosmetics on the table that satisfied her, pondered a moment, and said:

"Then I'll give you both items; let this flying vessel be my gift to your sister."

"If we happen to meet again in the future, you could recommend me to your sister, and I would grow ever more eager to see her."

Xuan Ling was truly curious: how could a mighty being capable of crossing starry realms go to a continent devoid of spiritual energy?

On that spirit‑less continent, how do ordinary people manage to survive? And yet they can produce so many strange yet wonderfully useful things.

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan immediately felt excited, thanked Xuan Ling, and put away both magical implements.

At that moment, Dao Lingzi, who stood nearby, finally figured out how to use this new fishing rod and immediately began to put it into practice.

But after fishing for a while, he shook his head, feeling somewhat disappointed.

"This fishing rod should be fine, but it's still useless for catching these spirit fish."

Hearing that, Xuan Ling comforted him:

"Husband, keep a calm mind; the spirit fish in the Three Pure Pool are inherently heavenly‑earthly spiritual beings, already possessing spiritual awareness—how could they be caught by such petty tricks?"

Dao Lingzi sighed: "The reasoning is naturally sound, alas, it's a pity—looks like I, in this lifetime, won't get to eat spirit fish..."

Ye Fan watched, growing ever more curious about what the spirit fish actually taste like.

He glanced at the bait his sister had given, still lying to one side, which Dao Lingzi the Elder had not used, and after a moment's thought he said:

"Supreme Elder, why not try using the bait my household's elder gave?"

Dao Lingzi glanced at it and immediately shook his head.

"Earthworms and the like are bait used by mortals to fish; I know that these spirit fish are said not to eat at all, surviving solely on the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon. Throwing bait into the Three Pure Pool would probably just pollute the water—no, no."

Ye Fan, hearing that, did not press further, performed a salute, and left.

After he left, Dao Lingzi hesitated a moment, then picked up the bait, muttering under his breath:

"Why not give it a try just once?"

Having spoken, he really did give it a try.

He hooked a lively earthworm, thought it over, and then Dao Lingzi tossed a piece of worm cake in as well.

"Husband, what did you throw in?" Xuan Ling also came to the pool's edge to watch; seeing the worm cake, she frowned and moved to the side.

Dao Lingzi said solemnly:

"This is worm cake, specially used for making a bait bed; it can draw passing fish to gather."

Dao Lingzi spoke while observing the situation in the Three Pure Pool.

In theory, spirit fish do not gather together; they swim freely and rarely form schools.

Even if he were to put spirit herbs, spirit medicines, or elixirs into the pool, it would still be hard to arouse the spirit fish's interest.

But as soon as that worm cake hit the water, those spirit fish seemed to stir.

"Here they come, here they come—husband, quick look, these spirit fish really are swimming over."

Xuan Ling cried out excitedly, and Dao Lingzi's eyelid twitched at once.

"Indeed it's miraculous—spiritual pills and elixirs leave them unmoved, yet they take an interest in this mortal‑made bait?"

Dao Lingzi refused to believe it, staring fixedly at the spot where he had dropped the worm cake as a good number of spirit fish gathered; after a moment's thought he picked up the remaining piece of worm cake, walked to the opposite bank, and tossed it in.

Not long after, the spirit fish one after another turned and surged forward, vying with each other, and soon they were scrambling in the water.

Seeing this scene, Dao Lingzi could not help but believe it.

He hurriedly began fishing, and in just a few breaths he caught two spirit fish, both lively and jumping, their bodies wrapped in spiritual aura.

Dao Lingzi: "!!"

After fishing for three hundred years, thinking for three hundred years, trying all kinds of fishing methods, he was ultimately defeated by mortal bait!

Dao Lingzi suddenly thought of something, immediately put away his fishing rod, and said to Xuan Ling:

I, as your husband, will go to the mundane world for a trip and return shortly.

Before his words even finished, he vanished.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Dao Lingzi rushed back to the side of the Three Clarity Pool, having bought the currently popular bait from the mortal city pool, and tried again.

Strangely, the mortal bait no longer works.

"Could it be that the fish have had their fill of worm cakes?"

Dao Lingzi still refused to believe it, again taking the earthworm Ye Fan gave him to fish, and soon enough he actually caught one.

Xuan Ling couldn't help but think to herself:

"It seems the thing given by Ye Fan's sister is not ordinary; husband, do you still remember that boiled egg?"

"No matter how you look at it, it's just an ordinary egg, yet its effect is better than that of a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Ye Fan's sister is truly not ordinary..."