Chapter 003: The Crimson Armor

"Yes, Master Shen," replied the eldest of the seasoned farmers among the mortals, bowing respectfully.
What else was missing? They would have to give it some careful thought.

Seeing everyone so busy, Qinghu simply picked up her beast-taming gourd and took Xiaobai along to the lakeside. The water was cool; even at the height of summer, the lake remained a deep, clear blue. Qinghu uncorked the gourd, and the tiny, silvery, almost translucent fish fry—each no longer than a thumb and as slender as a chopstick—darted joyfully into the depths.

"This place is full of food! Hee hee hee."
"Wanna eat, wanna eat, so hungry, so hungry."
"Master, master, we want to go eat meat."
"Let's go, let's go, eat meat together?"
"Let's go, let's go."

The little fish sent a torrent of simple messages to Qinghu: hunger, joy, the desire to play and eat. So, with a resigned air, she set aside a small section of her soul just to respond to their chaotic chatter, soothing them with simple replies—go play, go eat, eat well, grow strong. Every fish received a gentle reply; none were neglected.

Delighted, the little fish flicked their tails, forming schools that swam off into the depths.

"Sigh, four months of raising you, and you’re still so small. I know our family’s not well-off, so we couldn’t afford the best food for you. Now we’ve arrived at this wild lake, you can finally eat and drink your fill. Someday, when I find suitable soul jade, I’ll make a responsive avatar for you, and then I’ll always be able to reply."

With all the fish swimming off, Qinghu closed the response section. She squatted by the lakeshore, her little hands cupping her cheeks, watching with understanding as a small group of fish surrounded a half-foot-long crucian carp in the shallows. In just a few breaths, they dispersed, leaving only a pale fish skeleton drifting to the lakebed.

"My, you eat fast. Now you’ve plenty to eat, but your sister is still hungry. Why don’t you bring me something to eat too?"

Qinghu sent out her spiritual sense, communicating with the fish. Before long, schools of them dove into the depths. Their master had given an order; they had to do their best!

Click, click, click...

Giant river crabs, each as large as a water vat’s opening and covered in fiery red shells, scuttled rapidly onto the shore as if something were chasing them from behind.

Qinghu burst into laughter at the sight.
"Brother, Fourth Brother, come quick! The delicacies are coming ashore!"

Her fourth brother dashed over like a bolt of lightning, jumping past his little sister and charging straight for the defenseless crabs.

Crack, crunch—every crab was quickly dispatched.
"Aren’t these ninth-tier fierce beasts, the Crimson Armor Crabs? Steamed Crimson Armor Crab is the signature dish at Hundred Flavors Pavilion back home!" Shen Qingjin could barely keep from drooling.
"Quick, get someone to roast them! We’ll mix the meat with sauce and eat it straight away," Qinghu said, her hunger growing.
"Isn’t it a bit early? It’s not even noon yet."
"By the time all these crabs are roasted, it’ll be noon," she retorted.
"Fair enough. Qingquan, hurry and get people to carry the crabs over for the young masters to roast." Qingquan was her fourth brother’s personal attendant.
"Rest assured, young master, I’ll see to everything."

When Shen Fangxu returned from Mount Plum, he found his daughter and son each occupying one side of a brand-new wooden table, with enormous platters of snowy white meat before them.

The two little ones each clung to a platter, dipping the meat in sauce and shoveling it into their mouths.
"This is delicious, absolutely delicious! No wonder it’s so expensive—seventy gold coins a pound," one exclaimed.
"So pricey, yet I could eat two pounds myself," Qinghu mumbled through mouthfuls.
Qingjin chimed in, "It’s expensive, but eating it like this is pure joy. I could eat five pounds!"

"What in the world could you eat five pounds of?" Shen Fangxu asked, exasperated, as he approached the table.
"Father, you’re back already?"
"If I hadn’t come, would you two have left anything for your father? Not even a thought to save me a taste," he grumbled, eyeing the many platters of white meat.
"No way we’d finish it all! I killed dozens of Crimson Armor Crabs—each yields several pounds of meat. Only that silly Qinghu insists on eating just the crab legs. These platters are all crab leg meat. Father, sit and eat! Qingquan, bring my father freshly roasted crab meat."

"Is this truly the meat of ninth-tier Crimson Armor Crabs? Where did you get it?" Shen Fangxu’s confidant quickly fetched a chair, and Qingquan brought over more steaming crab meat.
After a quick wash, Shen Fangxu joined the feast without hesitation.
"They crawled up from the lake," Qingjin reported, patting his full stomach, while keeping his father updated.
"There must be many fierce beasts in this lake," Shen Fangxu remarked, concern clouding his enjoyment.
"And isn’t that a good thing? Otherwise, what would we eat?" Qinghu asked, puzzled. "The clan only gives us a little grain—barely enough for a month."

Shen Fangxu coughed, speechless, eyeing his daughter until she guiltily lowered her head.
"These Crimson Armor Crabs aren’t easy to catch, are they?" he asked as he continued eating.
"They’re fierce in the water, sure, but once on land, they’re at my mercy," Qingjin boasted, brimming with pride—he was, after all, at the sixth stage of Qi Refining.
"You must still be careful. The last six lords of Serpent Coil Mountain all died here," Shen Fangxu warned, sharing the news he’d learned. "Don’t think this mountain is a safe haven."
"I’ll be careful, Father. I’ll protect little sister," Qingjin promised.
"Good," Shen Fangxu nodded and resumed eating. Only after consuming seven or eight pounds of crab meat did he sigh with contentment, "It’s been ages since I’ve eaten my fill."

The siblings exchanged a look, speechless. As if anyone could eat their fill every day.
"At least, even if you two fail in the end, you’ve managed to enjoy the treatment reserved for clan elders here," he remarked.
"Father, are you leaving today?" Qinghu asked.
"Yes, I can’t stay here long," he replied, washing his hands.
"Then, once you’re back, be sure to describe our situation as miserably as possible to Grandfather the clan leader. At least try to wring a bit more out of him for us. Don’t you dare mention how well we’ve eaten or how splendid the house is." As she spoke, Qinghu handed her father the beast-taming gourd.

Shen Fangxu’s expression turned odd at her words.
Qingjin couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
"Grandfather would never give me more than five hundred gold coins anyway—it’s hardly a fortune. Father, don’t be too modest. It’s all for me in the end."
Their laughter rang out, unrestrained.
"You pair of little rascals. Hmph!" Shen Fangxu left in a huff.
"What? Was I wrong for telling the truth?" Qinghu asked her brother, puzzled.
"No, you were just too honest. Father’s not ready for that level of truth."