**Chapter 15: Eighth Grade Opportunity**
**Chapter 15: Eighth Grade Opportunity**
Another two days passed.
Xiao Fan and Mu Qingyao were getting along well at home. After all, they had just consummated their marriage, and both were energetic young people, well aware of each other's tastes.
At the same time, several weeks' worth of food was stored at home, so there was no need to worry about provisions.
However, on this day, he expended considerable effort to rise from the comfort of his bed.
His eighth-grade opportunity was approaching.
If he missed this chance, he would likely forfeit the opportunity altogether.
Reluctantly, he pushed himself to get up.
"At noon, in the reed area of Yunmeng Lake, what kind of opportunity awaits?"
Xiao Fan felt a growing anticipation.
After saying goodbye to Mu Qingyao, he left home and headed to the dock of Osmanthus Village.
Traditionally, the villagers of Osmanthus Village dock their fishing boats at the pier.
Not long after, Xiao Fan found the awning boat that had been unused for quite some time and set off toward the reed area.
As a fisherman, navigating a fishing boat was a skill he had learned since childhood, making him quite adept at it.
Especially now that he had become a skin-tempering realm warrior, operating a fishing boat was even easier.
"Oh, isn't that Xiao Fan? Coming out to fish?"
"Of course! No matter how much property Lao Xiao left behind, he can't just sit idly by."
"I heard Xiao Fan was sick a few days ago, resting at home. Now that he's recovered, he naturally wants to go fishing. After all, no fishing means no food."
"It's not a good time to fish right now."
"Better than sitting home doing nothing."
"Right! It's good to come out and maybe catch something."
Many fishermen noticed Xiao Fan as they chatted among themselves. Osmanthus Village wasn't very large, and everyone was familiar with one another.
However, it was all casual conversation; they all wanted to venture deeper into Yunmeng Lake to land a good catch, so no one lingered long.
At noon, the sun reached its zenith.
Xiao Fan steered the awning boat into the reed-filled area where the lake was thick with vegetation.
Aside from himself, there were hardly any other fishermen around.
"Um?!"
At that moment, Xiao Fan felt a stirring in his heart; it seemed as if he sensed something.
The first thing he noticed was that a large pool of blood appeared in the reed area, staining the area red.
As he motored closer, he was startled to find a corpse dressed in black.
The deceased appeared to be in his forties or fifties, short in stature, with numerous sword wounds adorning his body.
His eyes were wide open, reflecting fear and unwillingness, unable to find rest.
Though Xiao Fan didn't know who this person was, he felt certain that the deceased had left behind some treasure.
"Is this an eighth-grade opportunity?"
He was taken aback; despite having encountered such situations before, he was still astonished.
His fate was extraordinary; it was incredible how he could predict future opportunities.
Had he not visited this spot at this exact time, he would have missed it altogether.
With this thought in mind, he maneuvered the boat closer to the corpse, turned it over, and quickly noticed a black package on it, bulging with contents.
Settling back on the awning boat, he opened the black package.
He immediately discovered it contained thirty taels of silver, along with various bottles and jars that seemed to be filled with unknown medicines.
Finally, he found two secret books.
One was an art of disguise, and the other was the "Cao's Poison Classic."
Although Xiao Fan was curious about the origins of these items, he understood that staying here too long was unwise.
It was clear the corpse hadn't been dead for long.
Moreover, the numerous sword wounds indicated that he had been slain by an enemy.
If he lingered, he might encounter those very enemies.
With this in mind, Xiao Fan wasted no time, revved the awning boat, and quickly departed the reed area.
Boom~~
Just as Xiao Fan left the reed area, a massive, strange black fish suddenly surfaced from the depths of the lake. It was as large as a whale, pitch-black, and exuded an ominous aura.
It had detected the scent of blood in the lake and swam toward it with astonishing speed, resembling a monster from the deep.
Suddenly, the monstrous fish leaped from the water and swallowed the corpse in one gulp, treating it as if it were merely a snack. Then it dove into the depths of the lake, disappearing into the abyss.
This corpse vanished without a trace.
Undoubtedly, had Xiao Fan arrived even a moment later, the body and the eighth-grade opportunity would have been lost forever.
Had he come earlier, he would have found nothing.
After some time, a black warship appeared on the lake, flying the flag of the imperial court.
A group of soldiers in court attire stood aboard.
Each soldier emanated a fierce aura, wielding sharp swords, keeping a watchful eye on the lake below.
These were elite troops, not to be underestimated.
The leader was Feng Hao, the county lieutenant of Tonghe County—the second highest authority after the county magistrate and a warrior of the bone-forging realm.
His strength was considerable.
"Master Feng, we've dispatched many to search the nearby lake."
"But the flower-picking thief Cao Jun has yet to be located."
A government official reported promptly.
"Continue searching," Feng Hao responded sternly.
"This Cao Jun was ambushed and seriously injured. He can't have fled too far."
"If that guy escapes, we may never catch him next time."
"He won't be fooled again."
County Lieutenant Feng Hao's face was grave.
The flower-picking thief Cao Jun was notorious, having caused chaos for decades.
Many female relatives of aristocratic families had fallen victim to this man.
His ancestor, Cao Yi, was notorious for his mastery of poisons and disguise.
If the target escaped and assumed a new identity, tracking him down would be nearly impossible.
With such expertise in disguise, even the most dedicated hunters would find it futile.
Moreover, Cao Jun was an expert at using poisons.
Even a warrior of the bone-forging realm could fall prey to his toxins if they weren't vigilant.
In previous sieges, Cao Jun had always managed to slip away unscathed.
This infuriated the entire city.
Numerous aristocratic families had banded together to put an end to the flower picker once and for all.
If they succeeded, it might not only benefit Tonghe County but also lead them to greater opportunities.
"Yes, Master Feng," many officials nodded in agreement.
They understood that capturing the flower-picking thief Cao Jun was a significant task. If successful, every officer involved would gain credit, resulting in monetary rewards.
Unfortunately, the flower picker Cao Jun had been consumed by the strange fish in Yunmeng Lake long ago.
Finding his body now was nearly impossible.
Thus, this group was destined to return empty-handed.
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