Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1618 - 884: Shattered Fear

Beside the Huishui River banks.

The Fisherman’s sudden roar crashed into Li Han’s ears like a bolt of lightning, rendering him completely dazed and wide-eyed. Yao Yiyao let out a playful laugh, teasingly remarking, "Li Dahan, you really are something else!" Li Qingyang simply found the whole display ridiculous; Li Han was usually so dependable, yet he had blundered in such a foolish way. Li Han didn't attempt to make excuses or back down; belonging to a wealthy family, he immediately took ownership of the error. "Sir, what are the damages? I’ll make it right!" he promised. The Fisherman, softened by the young man's sincere apology and possessing the calm nature of an old hand at the river, waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it, it’s just a busted phone." With that, he nudged his leg forward, ready to return to his line, showing remarkable grace. Sensing he had met a truly good-hearted person, Li Han felt all the more compelled to pay his due. "No, I must insist on compensation. How much was the phone? I’ll cover it right now!" As Li Han hurried to pull out his pockets, he sounded slightly flustered: "My apologies, I didn't bring cash, but I can send it via WeChat!" The Fisherman paused, laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

Xue Yuantong, having just finished skipping stones with a turtle, returned to her spot by the river and shared the ordeal with Si Yu, giggling through a voice message. Chen Siyu retorted: "Tongtong, what’s so funny? If WeChat doesn’t suit him, why not Alipay? Are you being silly?" Xue Yuantong stifled her laughs and focused back on her rod. The riverbank soon returned to its peaceful state. Li Han, left feeling slightly embarrassed, sat down quietly to lead his group back into fishing, eager to secure a victory.

Yao Yiyao stared down at the rippling water, feeling a strange intuition that she wouldn’t be tasting any of Xue Yuantong’s catch at lunchtime. Meanwhile, Xue Yuantong chatted away about plans: "I’m going to fry some fish today. I’ve never tried it, have you? You just butcher the live fish, cut them into segments, and sear them in the pan. They’re supposed to be incredibly crispy." Jiang Ning agreed, "Brilliant, you’re practically a master chef." Yao Yiyao added, "That sounds amazing." Yet, there was still no sign of a single fish biting.

As he waited, Jiang Ning pulled out his phone and typed into their group, "Someone just dropped a phone with a shattered screen into the river." Dong Qingfeng piped up: "What kind of model?" Jiang Ning replied: "Looked like a Coolpad Dashen F1." Dong Qingfeng chimed in: "I’m familiar with that model. It’s decent value, aiming for Xiaomi-level specs, though it’s really more of a Redmi equivalent." He rambled on about phones with the same zeal he usually reserved for discussing beautiful women. Lu Qiqi, chancing upon their conversation about Android, chimed in loftily: "I strictly use Apple." Dong Qingfeng replied: "Apple is fine, but you can’t swap the battery, the lifespan is questionable, it's single-SIM, and you need a special tool just to change cards." Cui Yu added: "Qiqi is always so particular. When I tried to offer my Xiaomi SIM tool last time, she claimed it would ruin her device." Lu Qiqi retorted: "Well, isn't it true? Even if an Android tool fits, it doesn't feel right, and it might damage the sensitive internal board." As an expert in mobile tech, Dong Qingfeng smirked and intentionally teased: "You’re right, Apple phones are quite temperamental. I get nervous every time I plug mine in that the power will ruin the battery health." Lu Qiqi agreed: "Exactly, the domestic current is just too unstable." Ma Shicheng chimed in: "Truly, every time I charge my Apple, it’s like I’m traveling to America just to gain a few percentage points of power." Wang Longlong replied: "You’re misinformed, Brother Ma; they’re assembled at Foxconn in Henan, so you should be heading to Henan!" Lu Qiqi’s face flushed a deep shade of beet red.

...After tucking his phone away, feeling quite pleased, Jiang Ning noticed a distinct shadow flickering in the water ahead. Moments later, Xue Yuantong and Yao Yiyao spotted it too. A large, yellowish-brown fish with a camouflaged pattern moved slowly along the bank, almost as if it were baiting the people on the shore. Xue Yuantong immediately jumped up, pointing at it while shouting: "You brazen fish!" She jerked her rod, trying to snag it, but without a harpoon, it was a futile gesture. She then set the rod aside, preparing to wade into the water to grab the creature. However, Yao Yiyao’s voice cut across the air: "Stop, you absolutely cannot do that!" Xue Yuantong froze and glanced over at her. Yao Yiyao’s expression was masked with genuine fear, her voice turning grave: "My father told me an old warning: 'Don't snatch birds from the summit, don't trap fish in the river.' These aren't normal fish; they're called 'guide fish'!" She lowered her voice: "Legend says these fish lead the living toward the underworld. They seem sluggish and slow, but the moment you try to catch them, they instantly become lightning-fast, dragging you further into the current until..." Yao Yiyao gestured emphatically: "By the time you realize you can't reach them, you've wandered into the abyss and will drown! These are nothing but death-bringers!" Xue Yuantong felt a chill run down her spine, looking down to see that her toes were barely ten centimeters from the surface, with that very fish gliding right by her feet. She quickly recoiled her feet, tucking them back as if she were hiding under her blankets at night. Yao Yiyao added: "My dad told me a story about a strong swimmer from their village who drowned because he tried to chase one, so never, ever try to catch them." Their commotion brought Li Qingyang over to investigate, and upon seeing the dark silhouette of the fish, she also recognized the beast. Having grown up in the same circle, she was well-acquainted with the folklore. Li Qingyang stared at the fish’s shadow, a cold sweat breaking across her skin as she exclaimed: "Is that... a guide fish?" Li Qingyang shuddered: "My grandfather warned me about them. Many people have perished because of those fish; you never truly realize how deep the river gets once you start chasing them!"