Chapter 13: Wild Ambition

Cheng Feng was halfway home when he heard a familiar shout from the shadows in the distance: "Er Gou, is that you?"

"Dad, why did you come?" Cheng Feng asked in surprise.

Although the harvest was bountiful and the experience bizarre, walking alone for half the night still made him feel uneasy.

It felt as if something was following him from behind.

"I was worried something might happen to you on the road in the middle of the night, so I came to check," Cheng Fu said, still doting on his son.

Cheng Feng was also moved: "It's fine, Dad, I'm a grown man now. Did you see the fish that Lao Da and Lao San brought back?"

"I saw them. My Er Gou has become capable." As the night grew darker, Cheng Fu's face was unclear, but the sigh in his words was clearly filled with joy.

"Don't worry, Dad, our family will get better and better. When the time comes, the three of us brothers will provide for you and Mom together," Cheng Feng said with a hint of pride and comfort.

"Aye, aye, good child," Cheng Fu nodded repeatedly.

The chill of the middle of the night seemed to be washed away by the words of the father and son.

Home is the place where there is always a hot meal to eat, no matter how late you return.

The firewood was still burning on the stove, and the pot lid was covered.

Cheng Mu was clearly waiting at home for the return of the father and son.

Lao Da and Lao San on the side had already finished eating and were resting.

Seeing Cheng Feng and his father return, Cheng Mu hurriedly served the food.

Cheng Feng asked: "Mom, how was the fish harvest?"

Cheng Mu said: "Don't worry, they are all in water buckets. There is water, so they won't die overnight."

Cheng Feng felt reassured, so he started eating directly.

Cheng Fu looked at his second son, his face showing hesitation mixed with expectation.

He was deeply conflicted.

Cheng Feng was busy devouring his food and did not see Cheng Fu's hesitant face.

While eating, he talked to Cheng Fu about whether he could help take the fish to sell tomorrow.

They also discussed whether to sell them in batches or all at once.

After setting aside the portion for the helpers, the family had a surplus of 26 large fish and 22 small fish.

By the old rule, they would eat the small fish themselves, and prepare to sell the large ones.

They could sell them in at most two batches, otherwise the fish might not be well-maintained.

Dead fish wouldn't fetch a good price.

A total of twenty-six large coins, totaling two taels of silver and six large coins.

It could be considered a huge profit.

Thinking of the 13 large coins and 4 small coins he had for his bow,

Cheng Feng suddenly felt no pressure in his heart.

If he saved up a bit more, he should be able to buy a Hunting Knife.

The Hunting Knife that Cheng Feng had been longing for.

Back then, he could decapitate all the flowers and grass within a radius of ten miles with just a wooden stick.

If he had the real thing, it would be even more perfect.

After setting the plan, the whole family entered dreamland.

Over the next two days, Cheng Feng took Cheng Fu and Lao Da to the city.

They harvested a total of twenty-six large coins.

At the same time, he learned from the chatter of people on the street that there was a famine in the east of Great Zhou, the Imperial Court officials were ineffective in disaster relief, the people in the east had rebelled, and it was said that there was a Red Lotus Sect behind the instigation, which was now wanted by the government.

Cheng Feng felt nothing after hearing this.

Cheng Feng was currently in Qingxi County, one of the counties under Lianshan Prefecture City in Huangyun Dao, which was in the south of Great Zhou and did not border the east.

Being so far away, Cheng Feng just took it as a bit of entertainment.

But he also kept his guard up; the movies and TV shows from his past life told him that famine and natural or man-made disasters were unavoidable, but if you have grain in your hands, you won't panic in your heart.

With the autumn harvest imminent, since the family could earn some extra money, they wouldn't sell their own grain.

On the contrary, they had to prepare more, at least enough to last for half a year or a year as a reserve.

The place for storing grain at home was too small, so he had to build a basement, preferably one that could hide more.

It wasn't easy to go to the city, so according to the plan, every time they sold fish, they would take out a portion to buy things the family could use.

It couldn't be too conspicuous, and they couldn't buy too much.

In these two days, Cheng Feng bought some food for the family and two more kitchen knives.

The knives at home were really too old.

Since he had the ability, Cheng Feng wanted to settle the family down first.

Replace what could be replaced, and buy what was commonly used.

Having many things at home meant the family was living well.

The children who helped with Fishing these past few days were all saying good things about Cheng Feng.

The neighbors in the village were also more enthusiastic when talking to Cheng Fu and Cheng Mu.

But there were also those who hinted at whether he could take their own children along.

After all, it was a skill, wasn't it?

Cheng Feng hadn't even finished renovating his own home, so how could he care about others?

Except for this time when he needed to make a big catch and found a few children who were good at swimming to help.

Did he have to slowly teach those who couldn't swim?

If something happened, Cheng Feng could not bear that responsibility.

Cheng Feng instructed Lao Cheng, saying it was because he and Lao San had good swimming skills.

That night after the big fish gave him the Water-Avoiding Pearl, Cheng Feng gave it to Lao San to eat.

At that time, Cheng Lei was sleeping soundly, probably not knowing anything yet!

Lao San having eaten the Water-Avoiding Pearl made Cheng Feng feel even more at ease.

And after this, Cheng Feng had to find time to look for that third person's opportunity.

Cheng Feng asked people around him indirectly about what kind of place was thirty miles away from the shore.

People who had traveled far said there was nothing there.

It was just a stretch of cliffs and precipices, with a river flowing through the middle.

Cheng Feng imagined a scenario of falling off a cliff and dying in the water.

Regardless, Cheng Feng had to go and see.

If there was a lot of silver, his next step would be settled.

Perhaps he could also test the depth of his own talent.

Cheng Feng had privately tested the limit of the Water-Avoiding Pearl, and the result he got was that it was fine for at least seven hours.

Cheng Feng really breathed and swam in the water like a fish, but his body could not take it for too long.

Cheng Feng guessed it might be because of the water pressure.

He was still a child who was one year away from reaching adulthood at sixteen!

Even if he was very good at swimming, he was still an Ordinary person.

And his Panmian had also changed.

Name: Cheng Feng

Lifespan: 16 (62)

Talent: More Children More Blessings

Skills: Fishing (Proficient 89%)

Archery (Entry 1%)

In the few days after releasing the big fish, Cheng Feng was only practicing his swimming, but his Fishing Skill had increased by so much.

Cheng Feng could only attribute the reason to that magical Water-Avoiding Pearl.

Other than that, Cheng Feng really could not find any other reason.

This was also a good thing.

It let Cheng Feng understand that external objects could also increase skill proficiency.

This counted as a new discovery of the potential of Cheng Feng's Panmian.

But Cheng Feng knew this thing was not easy to find.

Just the fact that the big fish could talk had already let Cheng Feng understand an insignificant corner of this world.

And practicing martial arts and learning to read were also a part of Cheng Feng's plan, and the most important part of the map.

Before, Cheng Feng thought Great Zhou was similar to the ancient world of his past life.

If martial arts were very powerful, wouldn't it be fine if he just didn't provoke them when he was poor? Retreating three stages was always an option.

But the appearance of such a big fish that could speak human language—even if for a very short time—meant Cheng Feng had heard the word "magic" clearly.

Is it possible that one could learn magic in some place?

A further thought was: is it possible to cultivate to become an Immortal and gain longevity?

Cheng Feng gathered his scattered thoughts, but the big fish spitting out the pearl meant he was still a beneficiary.

It had always left a seed for Cheng Feng.

Just like in his past life, Cheng Feng was only an ordinary commoner who could not reach those privileged classes.

But in this life, that might not be the case.

Once the seed of hope is planted, it will take root and sprout with a little watering.

Growing the flower of desire.

That is Pandora's box, and also the motivation to move upward.

And Cheng Feng is still young; he can still search slowly.

As long as he finds that place, that place where one can learn.

As long as there is an exchange of experience, then Cheng Feng's Panmian will absorb it.

Cheng Feng is certain that once learned, the skill will form.

And all of this, as long as Cheng Feng knows where it is, he just needs to find that place.