30: I know you are anxious

Evening.

"You have successfully learned a new ability — Shattering Stone Palm."

Seeing the message, Lin Xiu stopped practicing. "I've mastered three new Fighting Skills. That's enough for today."

It was getting late; almost dinner time.

However, before heading to dinner, Lin Xiu planned to catch a White Carp.

Yesterday, after seeing Lin Dun's injuries, he knew it wasn't a good idea to delay. A White Carp could be exchanged for a Medicinal Pill, so he might as well help Lin Dun solve his problem.

"With healing medicine to support him, Lin Dun's injuries will no longer be an issue and won't affect my experience grinding."

Walking to the lakeside, Lin Xiu first reeled in his fishing hook, took out the leftover bait from yesterday, and put it on the hook.

Throughout the afternoon, nearly a hundred people had come and gone from the lakeside, with some leaving and others taking their place.

Many people had caught fish, but not a single one was a White Carp.

"If they keep fishing like this, before a White Carp is caught, the lake will probably be full of fat pig-fish," Lin Xiu's gaze swept over the lake surface, which was covered in bait.

These guys were very generous with their bait to catch fish.

For the fish in the lake, today was like New Year's Day.

Many fish were even so full that they floated on the surface, blowing bubbles.

Just as he was about to cast his rod, Lin Xiu noticed Xiao Ning looking at him. The latter, sensing his gaze, immediately looked away.

"Do you have any other ideas? The sun is almost setting." Xiao Ning couldn't help but feel anxious, not having caught a White Carp.

Because it was almost dinner time, his purpose in catching a White Carp wasn't to complete a task, but to make it for dinner and send it to Xun'er.

"Don't worry, patience is the most important thing when fishing. After an afternoon of experimenting, I'll find a method soon." The young man gestured for Xiao Ning to calm down.

To catch a White Carp, he had tried over a dozen types of bait and chumming methods all afternoon, but none had succeeded.

What on earth was going on? Was the White Carp really that difficult to catch? Or was there none in the lake at all?

The young man stared intently at the lake surface; it was his first time experiencing such a failure in fishing.

At this moment, the young man noticed Xiao Ning looking towards Lin Xiu. Following his gaze, he also saw Lin Xiu's fishing method.

Casting the hook out again and again, then reeling it back in.

"Don't look anymore; I've thought of his method a long time ago. It's impossible for it to work." The young man shook his head.

In terms of fishing, Xiao Ning was a beginner and didn't understand anything, so he didn't refute him.

However, just as the young man finished speaking, Lin Xiu's fishing line, which he had cast out, suddenly tightened.

"A fish bit!" Xiao Ning's eyes widened, staring intently at the lake surface.

As the fishing line was reeled in, the taut line cut through the lake water like a sharp blade, and waves surged to both sides.

Amidst the splashing water, a fish as white as jade appeared and disappeared, its tail slapping the surface of the water, contending with the fishing line.

"A White Carp! It's a White Carp!"

"Holy moly, I finally saw what a White Carp looks like after a whole afternoon!"

"Is this luck or skill? How did he catch it so quickly?"

Everyone fishing by the lake was instantly drawn to the White Carp, looking with surprise or envy at the young man on the shore, who was reeling in his line expressionlessly.

The orange-red sunset shone on the lake, the surging water shimmering and reflecting light onto Lin Xiu's face and body.

No one could see any change in his emotions after catching the White Carp.

It seemed as if catching a White Carp was an extremely ordinary thing.

This scene made everyone present uncomfortable. They had used every method imaginable all afternoon to catch a White Carp, scattering a large amount of bait, but had not even seen a shadow of a White Carp.

In contrast, Lin Xiu had merely picked up his fishing rod and cast it twice, and a White Carp had bitten the hook.

As the White Carp approached the shore, Lin Xiu tugged hard on the fishing rod, and the jade-white fish flew out of the water.

The White Carp flew in mid-air, glistening brightly as the sunset shone upon it.

Grabbing the White Carp, Lin Xiu removed the hook, reeled in his rod, and turned to leave.

He could feel those gazes, and the more he felt them, the more cleanly he walked away.

"I need to slip away before they react, otherwise, if I get surrounded, dinner will be delayed again today."

Lin Xiu quickly left the lakeside.

A moment later, the lakeside erupted. Everyone imitated Lin Xiu's casting method. Some, lacking experience, accidentally got their fishing rods tangled with others', thinking they had a fish on the line, and reeled in desperately.

"I know you're in a hurry, but don't be. I've known his method since I was ten." The young man saw Xiao Ning looking at him and spoke first.

After reeling in his fishing rod, the young man didn't cast it out directly but made some changes to the hook. Clearly, he did have some experience in fishing and knew there was a subtle difference between float fishing and casting.

When he previously cast, he would also explain techniques to Xiao Ning beside him, teaching him how to cast.

For a time, the "whoosh whoosh" of air-breaking sounds was continuous by the lake, but no one caught a second White Carp.

The moment the sky completely darkened, Xiao Ning couldn't take it anymore. He reeled in his fishing rod, cursed at the young man, "Liar! If you don't have the skill, don't pretend, you're wasting my time!"

The young man didn't retort despite being cursed. He seemed completely obsessed, muttering things like "No, that's not right," "He clearly did it this way," "Why can't I catch one?"... He returned to the dorm.

Taking the packed dinner from Lin Dun, Lin Xiu handed him two jade bottles.

Looking at the bottles in his hand, Lin Dun's eyes showed confusion.

"These are healing medicines for external application. Apply them to your wounds; they can help promote blood circulation and reduce bruising," Lin Xiu explained casually, then buried himself in his dinner.

Elder Huo was an Elder of the Alchemy Department and had taught many students. During lessons, he would often test their alchemy skills.

Therefore, Elder Huo had many first-grade Medicinal Pills.

A hint of astonishment flashed in Lin Dun's eyes. He hadn't expected Lin Xiu to be so quick; he had only discovered his injuries yesterday, and now the healing medicine was already here.

Wanting to say a few words of gratitude, Lin Dun was cut off by Lin Xiu before he could even speak, who urged him to apply the medicine quickly so he could recover sooner and accompany him in training.

Not long after Lin Xiu finished dinner, Xiao Ning returned.

"Brother Xiu." With a smile on his face, Xiao Ning saw Lin Xiu with his back to him, and quickly moved to another direction. "Brother Xiu, I was wrong. Please forgive me just this once. I was blind. Brother Xiu, can you give me a chance?"

"Want to catch a White Carp?" Lin Xiu's lips curled slightly upward.

Xiao Ning nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of longing. The sweet smile Xun'er had shown yesterday after eating the White Carp was still vivid in his mind.

"Spar with me tonight. As long as you can make it enjoyable for me, I'll catch you one tomorrow." Lin Xiu showed a smile.

This smile, to Xiao Ning's eyes, inexplicably felt a bit cruel. He instinctively shivered and wanted to refuse.

However, Xun'er's smile quickly reappeared in Xiao Ning's mind.

"No problem. I've had enough rest these past two days. Tonight, I'll fight to my heart's content with you." Xiao Ning's eyes became firm.

"Good. Tomorrow, I'll definitely catch you the fattest one." Lin Xiu nodded with satisfaction.

Lin Dun's injuries needed time to heal, and he had been worried about how to make up for a day's worth of lost experience.

Now with Xiao Ning, all problems became simple.