In this state, unless someone laid eyes on him, it was absolutely impossible for either Treasure Fish or human to sense his presence.

Two hundred meters.

One hundred meters.

The Mental Gravity grew increasingly intense, to the point where he felt as if he were being forcefully pulled toward it.

Fifty meters.

Twenty meters.

He came to a complete stop, because he had now seen exactly what was forcefully tugging at his mind.

Ahead of him was the same woman from before.

She was suspended in the water.

Her body was elegantly poised, completely bare. Her eyes were half-closed, her expression serene and holy.

A full head of long hair drifted about her like dispersing ink, each strand emitting a faint, fluorescent glow.

Her arms were slightly parted, palms facing down, fingertips trailing, a posture as tranquil as an Immortal resting amongst the clouds.

Moonlight cascaded down, yet it wasn’t broken by the water’s surface. It fell in distinct lines, tracing her shoulders, collarbones, chest, the small of her back, the curve of her hips…

The water’s surface was still; not a single fish or shrimp dared to approach.

She just floated there, as sacred as the Nine Heavens Profound Lady, yet as unnervingly strange as a marionette, its life or death uncertain, manipulated by strings of moonlight.

What was even stranger…

Those puppet-string-like moonbeams were burrowing, strand by strand, into her body.

Her skin was already so fair as to be nearly transparent. Now, Chen Cheng could clearly see the essence of the moonlight flowing within her, radiating through her skin with the lustrous sheen of jade.

The small area of water around her was illuminated by her body.

‘Is she cultivating?’

‘Or performing some kind of special ritual?’

‘The Mental Gravity is pointing right at her. Doesn’t that mean… she herself is a Supreme Treasure?’

Countless questions flooded Chen Cheng’s mind.

But in the next instant, he turned and fled without a second’s hesitation.

Ever since his journey north, he had repeatedly warned himself: the Northern Territory was treacherous, and he had to be extra cautious.

He would absolutely not allow himself to get tangled up in whatever this was.

By the time the sun rose in the east, he had made it back to Guan Lan Pavilion without incident.

On the way back, he managed to catch another Treasure Fish and also harvested those two stalks of Treasure Medicine.

And so, in a single night.

On his own, he had gathered a total of eight Treasure Fish and Treasure Snakes, along with two stalks of Treasure Medicine.

A haul like this was enough to make any Same Tier Martial Artist green with envy.

At this rate, he was likely more efficient than almost anyone in the Fishing and Hunting Pavilions combined.

Even though his efficiency peaked on the night of a full moon, it was more than enough to solidify Chen Cheng’s resolve to choose either the Fishing or Hunting Pavilion.

On the way back, in fact, he had already weighed his options and made a final decision.

He would join the Fishing Pavilion.

Although his Moon Breath Characteristic could also locate Treasure Beasts and Treasure Medicine in the mountain forests, far more people could enter the mountains than could traverse the waters.

By joining the Fishing Pavilion, Chen Cheng would face much less competition.

「Sometime later.」

Chen Cheng had finished organizing his haul, changed into his Training Attire, and was practicing Health Tai Chi in the courtyard to restore his stamina and Heart Power.

Just then, there was a knock at his courtyard gate.

It was Zhou Wansen and Li Wenrou, arriving at the same time.

Chen Cheng welcomed them into the main hall.

After some brief pleasantries, Li Wenrou cut straight to the chase:

“Chen Cheng, my master—the Second Elder of the Fist Pavilion—heard about your accomplishments yesterday and was full of praise! He said that if you’re willing, you can become his disciple immediately!”

“Chen Cheng! The Fist Pavilion can’t compare to the Sword Pavilion!”

Zhou Wansen cut in anxiously, saying:

“Of the Seven Heroes of Mountains and Seas, four are from the Sword Pavilion, while the Fist Pavilion only has two. The superior choice is obvious!”

“My master is the Third Elder of the Sword Pavilion, and he also said he’s willing to take you as his disciple. Just give the word, and I can take you to him right now!”

“Elder Zhou!”

Li Wenrou argued back forcefully:

“Yesterday, Chen Cheng took a punch from Han Chou head-on, clearly relying on the Secret Transverse Horizontal. With such talent and Comprehension, it’s obvious he’s more suited for the Fist Pavilion!”

“Not necessarily!”

Zhou Wansen retorted gravely:

“Chen Cheng’s Root Bone may be slightly lacking, but the fact that he has achieved his current level of strength only goes to show the heights of his Comprehension, the quality of his Heart Nature, and the power of his Divine Intent!”

“The various Weapon Martial Arts of the Sword Pavilion are all more difficult to practice and master than those of the Fist Pavilion! Especially the Divine Essence True Intent of the Sword Pavilion’s arts—only a genius like Chen Cheng even has a chance to grasp it!”

“And taking a step back, at the Same Tier, when it comes to weapons versus fists and feet, no matter how you spin it, the Sword Pavilion always has the upper hand!”

“Oh, you’re so right, you’re right about everything!”

Li Wenrou pursed her lips, then abruptly changed tack.

“But here’s the thing: why don’t you tell Chen Cheng how fierce the competition is in the Sword Pavilion? Remember when you trained day and night until you were coughing up blood, only to end up relegated to the Outer Sect? Why aren’t you telling him about that?”

“This… I…”

Zhou Wansen was at a loss for words, because everything Li Wenrou said was true.

“Both of you, stop arguing.”

Just then, since the courtyard gate wasn’t locked, a figure strode into the hall. The voice was unmistakably cold, arrogant, and assertive.

It was Gu Qianqian.

She was carrying a Fish Guard in her hand, which she placed directly in front of Chen Cheng.

“Chen Cheng, my master is the Pavilion Master of the Dragon Pavilion. These are two extremely precious Golden Flesh Carp, a gift to you from her.”

Gu Qianqian paused, her tone growing more emphatic.

“They came empty-handed. This should show you how highly my master thinks of you! If you join the Dragon Pavilion, my master will certainly invest in your development!”

“Putting all else aside, with your Innate Iron Lung alone, your future in the Dragon Pavilion is bound to be bright.”

Having said her piece, Gu Qianqian simply stood before Chen Cheng. Her meaning couldn’t have been more clear: she expected an immediate answer.

Meanwhile, in Gu Qianqian’s presence, Zhou Wansen and Li Wenrou no longer dared to speak. They could only watch on anxiously, hoping Chen Cheng would choose their side.

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