The Silver Snow Eel Economy

Following Ye Tian back to the bedroom, Hu Liena had a confused expression, faintly showing some speculation.

"Brother, could the hail cause a disaster?"

The hailstones outside were quite large. If they hit someone, it would probably hurt.

"Yes," Ye Tian replied irritably. This hailstorm was truly extreme. He estimated that his businesses would be affected. For instance, the 100,000 Fire Spirit Chickens on Soul Mountain would suffer. If the hail hit their heads, they'd be seriously injured, if not killed. This alone would result in losses of nearly ten million gold soul coins.

Not to mention the crops on his farms. He owned more than just the Butterfly Farm. Any farm that grew crops was likely to suffer losses. Business this year was going to be tough! Ye Tian couldn't help but sigh. This hailstorm and typhoon were quite the unwelcome surprise.

Frowning, he looked at Hu Liena and waved his hand, "It's late, Nana, you should go rest."

"...Oh."

It was clear that Ye Tian was in a bad mood. Not wanting to disturb him further, Hu Liena bowed her head and left quietly.

…

The hail and typhoon lasted for an entire week before the weather gradually cleared. As soon as the typhoon subsided, Li Haitian immediately sent people to assess the damage on Golden Ao Island.

The results were severe.

Many small boats in the harbor were destroyed. The island's independent outposts, mostly wooden houses, were all but wrecked. The hail on the ground had fused into a solid sheet, resembling a crystalline ice continent. Luckily, the Li family had many servants, and before long, paths connecting the various courtyards were cleared.

Ye Tian stepped out of his bedroom and into the courtyard, looking up at the sky. The sun wasn't very bright. He stretched. This was his first time coming to the courtyard in a week. Gazing at the sky, filled with fluffy white clouds, Ye Tian knew it was time to return to the eastern coast.

"Young master, Miss Nana is waiting for you outside the side courtyard," Zhou Long approached and reported with a bow.

"Alright, I know." Ye Tian smiled and lowered his raised hand, heading outside.

A few days ago, during a pirate attack, a fleet from the Spirit Hall had come to help. Due to the typhoon, the Spirit Hall forces had stayed temporarily on Golden Ao Island. The leader seemed to know Nana well. Ye Tian only found out about this yesterday. No wonder Nana hadn't come to play with him recently—she had run into an old acquaintance.

Just as he left the courtyard, he ran into Li Jiuchuan, carrying something in her hands. Dressed in a long dress embroidered with cherry blossoms, she smiled brightly at Ye Tian, lifting the delicate lunchbox in her hand. "Young Master Ye Tian, I made this Silver Snow Eel myself. I wanted to invite you to taste it."

With that, she opened the box, revealing neatly arranged, golden-brown eel pieces. Steam was still rising from them, indicating they had just been cooked.

"Thank you, Jiuchuan." Since she had brought it over, it would be rude not to accept. Ye Tian rubbed his hands together, gently picked up a piece, and put it in his mouth.

The outer skin was crispy and fragrant, while the fish meat inside was incredibly tender, melting in his mouth. Even someone like Ye Tian, who usually wasn't easily impressed by food, found this dish exceptionally delicious.

As Ye Tian was savoring it, a voice came from behind him.

"What are you eating?"

Hu Liena, drawn by the smell, came over to Ye Tian's side, her big Kazilan eyes glaring at Li Jiuchuan.

Li Jiuchuan smiled sweetly and pointed to the lunchbox in her hands. "Silver Snow Eel."

Hearing the name, Hu Liena's eyes lit up in amazement.

"This is a rare species! I've only seen it once in Spirit City."

She almost let something slip. She remembered that one year, the Heaven Dou imperial family had once gifted this type of fish to Spirit City. However, this deep-sea fish was incredibly hard to catch, so it was a one-time gift. One had to admit, Silver Snow Eel was a delicacy that left a lasting impression.

"Nana, try some," Li Jiuchuan smiled as she handed the lunchbox forward.

Hu Liena was eager to grab a piece but then remembered Li Jiuchuan was present, so she made her movements more graceful. 

"Haha, I won't be polite then."

She took a small bite and nodded in approval. "It's truly delicious. It would be wonderful if we could have this often."

"Silver Snow Eel lives in the deep sea, so it's not easy to come by," Li Jiuchuan explained as she also picked up a small piece and took a bite. "Recently, because of the typhoon, a group of Silver Snow Eels got disoriented by the ocean currents and ended up in the shallow waters, where some fishermen managed to catch about a dozen."

She lifted the delicate lunchbox in her hand and smiled. "So, getting more of this anytime soon won't be easy."

Ye Tian looked at the remaining half-piece of Silver Snow Eel in his hand, thoughtfully. "Do you have more of these, Jiuchuan?"

"The fishermen didn't eat any of them and sold them all to my family. They're being kept in the kitchen. If you want them, Young Master Ye Tian, I can give them all to you."

Hu Liena thought Ye Tian was asking for her and brightened, nudging him playfully. "Brother, you're the best."

Looking at her sparkling eyes, Ye Tian sighed helplessly. "This isn't to take back and eat. Silver Snow Eel can thrive in both deep and shallow waters, so I'm thinking of breeding them."

"Breeding?" Hu Liena's enthusiasm immediately waned upon hearing Ye Tian's idea. Without the immediate gratification of eating, her interest halved. At the same time, she couldn't help but admire Ye Tian's foresight. If Silver Snow Eels could be bred and sold to the nobility, it would likely be a highly profitable venture.

Li Jiuchuan, surprised, asked, "Young Master Ye Tian, you know how to farm fish?"

"I know a bit," Ye Tian replied with a modest smile. This wasn't much of a feat for him. After receiving system rewards with various breeding-related books, he had been exploring different techniques, all with the goal of nurturing a skilled workforce for when the need arose.

The Fire Spirit Chickens at Butterfly Farm were a good example. Before the hailstorm, breeding these chickens brought in millions of gold soul coins annually. In fact, Ye Tian owned not only spirit beast farms but also several fish farms, although they were only breaking even or even losing money each year.

The reason was simple—seafood harvesting on the Douluo Continent was still in its early stages. There were plenty of fish in the ocean, and fishing was far more cost-effective than farming.

But a species like Silver Snow Eel was different. It was hard to catch, and its price had always remained high. However, it was perfectly suited for aquaculture. Once he obtained the fry, he could quickly breed a large population. A new, highly profitable industry was on the rise.

Hearing Ye Tian's plan, Li Jiuchuan was astonished. As expected, talented people excelled in all areas. She knew that Silver Snow Eel was valuable—each one could sell for over a thousand gold coins—but she had never considered farming them.

Perhaps this was the difference between her and Ye Tian. Ye Tian truly was remarkable, able to quickly recognize the value of Silver Snow Eel and find a way to turn it into gold soul coins.

(End of Chapter)

(T/N: "Kazilan eyes" refers to large, striking, and beautiful eyes, often compared to those enhanced by eye makeup, like in Kazilan's ads. It's a playful way to compliment someone's expressive eyes.) 

P. S

The fic will receive 1 chapter update on daily basis starting tomorrow onwards. :3

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