Chapter 238: Insect Fishing

I've heard of fishing for fish, but I've never heard of fishing for insects, and what's this insect fishing master?

Hearing Wei Feng's words, Ye Zhangqing said with interest.

"Sounds not bad."

"Right, Senior Brother? It's still quite interesting to give it a try. With your strength, Senior Brother, you'll surely climb to the top of the list and become a true insect fishing master."

Listening to Wei Feng's flattery, Ye Zhangqing's mouth twitched. What the hell do I need an insect fishing master for?

Under Wei Feng's guidance, the two made their way to the square in Shu Cheng, where a huge stone tablet stood at the center.

This is the insect fishing master ranking that Wei Feng spoke of.

The list contains ten names, the ten people who have caught the most insects throughout the years. Moreover, this stone tablet is a treasure specially refined by a weapon refiner; once someone's insect catch exceeds that of a person on the list, the ranking changes in real time.

At a glance, I saw that everyone on the list was a cultivator, and their cultivation levels seemed not low either—even the Peak Master of Bai Cao Peak, Mu You, was on the list, ranked third.

"All ten people on this list are pill masters, after all, pill masters have a natural advantage in insect fishing."

Wei Feng explained from the side. Upon hearing this, Ye Zhangqing nodded, and the two then went to the designated place to register, receiving a token.

The token's function is to record the number of wood insects you've slain; each time you kill a wood insect, the token displays the corresponding number.

Just as Ye Zhangqing finished registering, a commotion suddenly came from the square.

"Look quickly, it's Master Zhang Chong."

"Gee, I never expected Master Zhang Chong to come to Shu Cheng again; is he here to challenge the ranking?"

"Definitely, Master Zhang Chong has always been ranked second; this time he surely aims to seize first place."

Following the sound, I saw an elder slowly walking over amid a crowd of people, and Wei Feng beside him also introduced him.

"This is Master Zhang Chong of the Dan Ge, an eighth‑rank pill master with Nascent Soul cultivation, ranked second on the insect fishing list, a skilled insect fisher."

Wei Feng seemed quite familiar with the people on the insect fishing ranking.

As they spoke, Zhang Chong had already arrived before Ye Zhangqing and Wei Feng, glanced at them lightly, and spoke in a calm tone.

"Disciple of the Dao Yi Sect?"

"Greetings, Senior."

Upon hearing that, Ye Zhangqing and the other also clasped their hands in salute; after all, the person is an eighth‑rank pill master and a senior, so returning the greeting is perfectly normal.

But Zhang Chong, however, spoke disdainfully.

"You haven't even grown hair yet, and you're trying to learn insect fishing from others? Hah."

"Is this old guy sick?"

Seeing this, Ye Zhangqing frowned slightly, wondering if he had offended this old fogey, why was he speaking so aggressively?

Moreover, whether I can fish insects or not is none of your damn business—what does an insect fishing master even represent? I can just mess around with it if I want.

After registering just like Ye Zhangqing, he turned and left immediately, but before departing, Zhang Chong again spoke disparagingly.

"Watch and learn what insect fishing really is, so you don't embarrass yourself later."

I damn well...............

Ye Zhangqing was simply speechless; this old guy must be sick, and I haven't provoked him at all.

On the other hand, Wei Feng seemed to know something inside, and he whispered to Ye Zhangqing.

"Senior Brother, don't pay him any mind; this guy has always been hostile toward the Dao Yi Sect."

"Have we Dao Yi Sect provoked him?"

"Not exactly, but the top of the insect fishing list is Chen Elder of Bai Cao Peak; this old fogey has always wanted to defeat Chen Elder, so he bears no goodwill toward our Dao Yi Sect."

"I see."

Too lazy to bother with this lousy old man, Ye Zhangqing picked up his token and also headed out of the square.

But Zhang Chong didn't know that countless eyes were already watching him from the shadows.

"This old fogey simply doesn't know his limits."

"Give him a little lesson—who's with me?"

"Exactly."

"Follow the plan; with this old fogey, today we'll make sure he can't catch a single insect."

Zhang Chong probably never imagined, even if beaten to death, that Shu Cheng hid over twenty thousand Dao Yi Sect disciples, and now those twenty‑plus thousand have him completely in their sights.

From the city all the way into the Lin Hai, that is, beneath the city.

To catch wood insects, one naturally needs to search within the Lin Hai.

Wei Feng explained to Ye Zhangqing a lot of knowledge about wood insects.

These wood insects could be considered a kind of demonic beast, but they are very weak—basically even ordinary people can kill them.

They like to bore holes in tree trunks and then destroy the wood from within.

So whenever you see a thumb‑sized hole on a tree trunk, you can almost certainly conclude that wood insects are inside.

But dealing with them one by one is very inefficient.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, one uses medicinal powder to drive these wood insects out, which is why pill masters are particularly strong at insect fishing.

The ten insect fishing masters on the list are all alchemists.

Upon hearing Wei Feng's explanation, Ye Zhangqing nodded slightly.

"Hah, you dare come fish for insects without even knowing what wood insects are?"

But just then, Zhang Chong appeared out of nowhere before the two, and again spoke disparagingly.

Seeing this, Ye Zhangqing simply couldn't be bothered with him; this old fogey is truly sick.

He turned and left, while Zhang Chong at that moment was smearing some unknown powder on tree after tree.

"Hah, this time I have specially prepared powder of my own making; it will surely let me win the championship in one go."

Zhang Chong was full of confidence, but just after he finished applying the powder and had just left, several Dao Yi Sect disciples appeared here.

Looking at the trunk covered in medicinal powder, several disciples of the Dao Yi Sect waited a moment, then soon saw wood insects crawling out of the trunk.

This old thing's medicinal powder is still quite useful.

You think so? They're actually masters at catching insects.

Hehe, but these are now cheap for us.

Stop the nonsense, take them all, take them all.

Several disciples immediately gathered all the wood insects, put them into specially made bags, and then with a flash disappeared from the spot.

Zhang Chong was spraying the medicinal powder in front, while the Dao Yi Sect disciples were collecting the wood insects behind.

Thus, after Zhang Chong finished his work and prepared to turn back to collect the wood insects, he found not a single one.

Strange, how could there be none?

Looking at the trunk that had been sprayed with medicinal powder, not even a shadow of a wood insect could be seen, and Zhang Chong frowned tightly.

It shouldn't be; this medicinal powder was something he painstakingly prepared, and its effect on wood insects is said to be excellent.

Once applied to the trunk, the wood insects would definitely be forced out, but now, why aren't there any at all?

Impossible, it shouldn't be like this.

Walking around the trunk and looking all over, Zhang Chong began to doubt life.

Could it be that there are no wood insects in this tree?

Suspecting this might be the case, Zhang Chong then switched to another tree, but the result was still that he saw not a single wood insect.

It's utterly absurd.

Just as Zhang Chong was bewildered and unable to figure it out, Ye Zhangqing and the others walked over, seeing Zhang Chong pacing around the big tree, and Wei Feng also gave a displeased laugh.

"Hey, isn't that the insect-catching master? How come you can't even find a shadow of a wood insect?"