Considering his Beast Soul advancement and the possibilities of hunting a Silver Horned Dolphin for its pill, Xu Kai came to the conclusion that he would be endangering his life.
He must first break into the intermediate stage to strengthen his beast soul and reduce risk.
Right now, he swam above the seabed; his skin tone almost made him one with the water.
The instincts of a Skylark took over, causing him to act like one. Just sensing his presence made several fish scamper to their hiding places.
'I've heard that the Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish comes with a price. That should be enough to provide for my lunch. I'm so hungry that I might finish ten bowls and then eat another ten at night, or possibly twelve.'
****
Xu Kai transformed into his human form and hid behind a large plant-covered stone, peeking at a 5-foot-long fish that had oval, bright green scales so compact that it looked similar to the scales of the dragons in the legends.
Apart from its iconic scales, another feature stood out. The fleshy whiskers were also similar to those of a dragon. The fish feasted on small fish swimming around in schools dozens of feet above the seabed where Xu Kai hid.
So he was below, watching it devour the helpless, smaller fish.
'It's a female and quite fat. Hehehe, there's no way I'm not getting at least ten silver coins for it!' Imagining ten silver coins, which were also a thousand bronze coins, Xu Kai's eyes shone with glee.
Right at that moment, the Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish spotted him, opened its fanged mouth and swam towards him.
It was enticed by his flesh.
Xu Kai stared at this scene, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Did the heavens favor him, or was this fish too greedy?
When the fish attacked, his right arm shot out, and he grabbed a whisker, causing its head to deviate.
His back collided with the soft bed, causing him to kick the fish's head and somersault backwards. Upon realizing that Xu Kai was not an easy target, the fish fled, but it failed to notice his beaming smile.
Suddenly, a dark shadow made it look up, only to see the gaping mouth of a Skylark!
Splash—! Xu Kai emerged on the shores of the sea with a large beast over his shoulder. Unbeknownst to him, the fish weighed 170 kg, yet he still felt its weight was manageable. For a fourteen-year-old, this was quite the feat!
He dashed into town with the beast over his shoulder, attracting the attention of almost everyone.
"Isn't that the Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish I saw on that poster?"
"You are discussing the fish; how is that young boy able to run while carrying it?" An elderly man, gripping a stick, inquired as his eyes widened.
It wasn't until Xu Kai encountered the buyer that he remembered his desire to maintain a low profile. 'Whatever. As long as they don't see my face when I transform or use my elements, I don't mind showcasing a bit of strength.'
Thud—! He dropped it on the counter, causing the wooden structure to shake. The buyer, who was a woman, had wide eyes.
"Xu… Xu Kai. How did you catch the Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish? No hunting group has found it for the past two weeks." The buyer exclaimed, staring at Xu Kai with wide, curious eyes.
"I just swallowed and vomited it." He shrugged, bewildering the woman. Xu Kai remembered how he slammed his tail against the fish, launching it to a rock where its bone broke—probably the one some people called the spinal cord.
The power of a predator weighing a thousand kilograms was too much for the fish. Not even its scales were strong enough to absorb the impact.
Once it was confirmed dead, he kept it in his mouth and brought it out at the shores, so he was quite honest.
"Eh?" She cocked her head.
Clap—! Clap!
"You swallowed a 5-foot-long, ferocious sea beast?" Cheng Yi scowled after clapping. Behind her were his two friends, who were also members of the Cheng family.
Xu Kai refused to even spare them a glance. "How much?" He asked the buyer.
"Ten—" She was about to reply when Cheng Yi lifted his hand, causing her to hold her tongue with her teeth.
"How dare you disregard me? It's probably because we're training in the same place. "We don't allow lowlifes like you to be there for this reason."
"Can we continue this later? I'm busy." Xu Kai said, still without looking at them. His eyes were on the woman.
"You're merely a sleeper! Even in a million years, you won't even enter the Foundation Building Realm!" Cheng Yi's friend sneered.
"Tch! You've had a remarkable amount of luck. First, you somehow killed a Skylark, and now you suddenly found the rare Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish that I asked for. You know, I really wanted to eat it but since you brought it... "
Flames coated his boots, and he slammed his leg on the fish, destroying the counter and half the shop in the process.
Cheng Yi stomped on the fish again, completely ruining it, before grabbing Xu Kai's clothes. "I will never forgive you for taking my slot! That jade tag is mine, and if you don't return it, I'll kill you!" His voice was deep, forced, and filled with violent implications.
He threw a punch at Xu Kai's abdomen, balling his fist, but to his shock, Xu Kai grabbed his clenched fist.
Cheng Yi's eyes narrowed when this happened. He released Xu Kai and dusted his hands.
"I feel like filth after touching that dirty trash." He scowled and left with his friends.
On the way, one of his friends gritted his teeth. "That brat is quite smart. He still refrained from attacking you! If he had done that, Elder Feng would not have been able to protect him."
Cheng Yi snickered, glancing at Xu Kai, who stood rooted to the ground watching them. "A little more, and he'll snap," he said.
Although doubting his sight, Cheng Yi saw Xu Kai's red eyes flickering with a cerulean gleam, which made goosebumps coat his arms.
It felt like he gazed into the eyes of a ferocious beast!