Chapter 42: The Fourth Stage East Lake Pearl

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing stood still, tilting his ear to listen to the wind.

"What's wrong, Young Master?" Old Xu Eight asked after boarding the boat, shaking the water from his ears. He had just been drenched.

"Shh, don't make a sound." Old Xu Eight immediately froze, his face showing a hint of stiffness. Could there be something sinister? It couldn't be, right? They had paid respects to the Earl of East Lake during the day. Old Xu Eight was sincere in his heart! When they paid respects, he hadn't thought of the Wang family's daughter.

"Row over there," Zhao Xing pointed in a direction. At the same time, his Bright Eyes technique began to exert its power, expanding his field of vision. Although the lake water was an obstacle, with a depth of over ten meters, as long as it wasn't too murky, Zhao Xing could see clearly.

"Oh, oh!" Old Xu Eight rowed with all his might. He didn't dare to ask more questions now. Clearly, this Young Master wasn't doing this for the first time. He felt Zhao Xing was even more perceptive than the river catchers.

"The wandering spirits instinctively avoided it. What exactly is it? Cold, bright—these match the characteristics of the East Lake Pearl. But for an East Lake Pearl to affect wandering spirits, it should at least be at the third stage, right?" Zhao Xing focused his technique, his Bright Eyes never stopping. It was precisely the time of the Ding Mao hour, the strongest moment for ghostly fortune.

If they couldn't find it within a quarter of an hour, it would be difficult to find later. As the saying goes, the strength of fortune varies with time; at strong moments, treasures can be picked up while walking, but at weak moments, even if a treasure falls into one's hands, they might not recognize it.

"If we haven't acquired it by the second Ding Mao hour, I'm afraid it will be hard to capture by the third," Zhao Xing said, picking up a bamboo pole and, together with Old Xu Eight, headed in the direction of the wind.

After rowing vigorously for half an hour, Zhao Xing's eyes suddenly lit up: "Stop!"

At this moment, in the deep part of the lakebed, there was a dark crevice. Underneath a rock lay a dead turtle, with a faint blue pearl in its mouth.

Because the crevice was an intersection of growth, it was invisible from the surface in three other directions, only visible from Zhao Xing's position.

"A turtle? So that's what it meant. I thought it was some nonsensical ghost talk... Old Xu Eight, how deep can you dive?"

Old Xu Eight patted his chest confidently: "Within thirty meters, it's all within my reach."

Zhao Xing nodded: "Good, dive from here. After going fifteen meters deep, you'll find a cluster of crevices about ten meters wide. Head to the south side of the crevice, there's an intersection. Dive diagonally down three feet seven inches, and you'll find the treasure!"

"Alright! Young Master, watch me!" Old Xu Eight, seeing Zhao Xing so certain, rubbed his fists and jumped into the water.

Zhao Xing quietly observed from the boat.

Old Xu Eight wasn't bluffing. He easily dove down, following Zhao Xing's directions, and quickly found the blue pearl in the turtle's mouth.

Subsequently, Old Xu Eight slowly resurfaced, a faint blue light shimmering in the water.

"Young Master, Young Master! There's really a treasure!" Old Xu Eight was excited.

"Hurry up," Zhao Xing urged, pulling him onto the boat.

"Haha, ha~" Old Xu Eight tossed the pearl onto the small boat, panting heavily after coming up. Despite the hot weather, he felt a chill, all because of this pearl.

"A fourth-stage East Lake Pearl, and an extremely rare Ice Pearl at that. This quality... could it be considered a middle-grade fourth stage?" Zhao Xing picked up the pearl, examining it closely.

A chill spread from his hand, as if he were holding a block of ice. Old Xu Eight couldn't bear it, but Zhao Xing, at the third stage of Gathering Essence, had no problem.

"Congratulations, Young Master! You've obtained a third-stage East Lake Pearl," Old Xu Eight congratulated, not realizing it was a fourth stage. He thought it was only a third stage, as he had never seen a fourth stage in his life.

"I owe it to you," Zhao Xing smiled slightly, putting the pearl away. "When we return, your reward won't be lacking."

"Thank you, Young Master," Old Xu Eight beamed with joy. According to the agreement, he wasn't supposed to get a bonus, but if the boss was happy and rewarded him, it was an unexpected gain.

As a river catcher, they rarely received bonuses, because if it were stable and profitable, the river catchers would do it themselves. This business carried significant risks.

"Just this one pearl is enough to be called a windfall," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

A fourth-stage East Lake Pearl, a treasure born from 'fortune changes,' and it only appeared once every ten years. As for the Ice Pearl, it was even rarer, worth at least five hundred taels!

"A fourth-stage Ice Pearl is most beneficial to martial artists. It can greatly reduce the wear and tear on the body from practicing fire-based techniques or martial arts, and it can also aid in cultivating water-based techniques. Finding the right buyer, the price could easily double."

Having obtained the treasure, Zhao Xing felt much more at ease. Originally, finding the Ice Pearl was enough to return, but since they were already here and there was still one more Ding Mao hour, they shouldn't miss it. Who would complain about having too much money?

In the next half hour, the ghostly fortune declined.

However, with Zhao Xing's Bright Eyes, he found over a dozen first-stage East Lake Pearls.

Old Xu Eight was simply in awe of Zhao Xing.

Every dive yielded results, never returning empty-handed. How could you not be impressed?

When they returned, even the boss wouldn't believe it!

...

Time passed, and Zhao Xing's next hour yielded no good finds, only discovering an earring embedded with green gemstones, likely dropped by some noblewoman while boating.

"Just one isn't enough, probably worth seven or eight taels."

"But we can go back now," Zhao Xing checked the time.

It was already the Yi hour, and there wouldn't be any more gains, especially after the child hour. Trying to capitalize on ghostly fortune then would only bring bad luck.

"Old Xu Eight, let's head back," Zhao Xing decided to call it a day.

"Alright!" Old Xu Eight was also satisfied. Today's haul was enough for him to brag to his companions for a long time.

"Ah—"

"Someone fell into the water!"

"Quick, row the big boat over, save them!"

Suddenly, voices carried over with the wind. Old Xu Eight paused, turning to Zhao Xing: "Young Master, it seems someone fell into the water over there."

"I see it, but someone has already gone in to rescue them. We don't need to worry," Zhao Xing replied.

"True, in East Lake, nine out of ten people know how to swim," Old Xu Eight said, starting to row towards the shore.

After passing a grassy bay, they happened to encounter a river lantern floating by, illuminating the bay.

They saw a small boat docked there, with a young girl standing on it—it was Lin Baiwei, whom they had seen earlier.

Seeing the big boat and the river lantern approaching, she couldn't help but show a look of panic.

Especially with the appearance of Zhao Xing and Old Xu Eight, she felt even more at a loss.

Because she was soaked, her graceful figure was faintly visible under the lantern's light, and what worried her more was that her sister was still in the water.

If the big boat came over and people gathered around, it would be a public punishment.

"This..." Old Xu Eight quickly lowered his head, preparing to turn around.

"No need for such trouble," Zhao Xing stopped him, then used his Cloud Technique to shroud the entire grassy bay, making Lin Baiwei and Lin San Niang disappear from view.

"Thank you," a faint voice like a mosquito's came with the wind.

Zhao Xing and Old Xu Eight reached the shore.

(End of Chapter)