Han Fei said, “Hey! He Xiaoyu, the shrimp dumplings in this diner are awful. Do you want any?”
“You are giving them to me because they’re awful?”
Amused, He Xiaoyu grabbed Han Fei’s ears and shouted, “You’re still in the mood for food? Where the hell have you been? Everybody in the school is worried that Tang Ge will go crazy if you’re dead.”
Han Fei said, “Hey, hey, hey… Can you be a little gentler, or nobody will marry you in the future! Who says that I’m dead? I only took a tour on the ocean.”
He Xiaoyu said, “A tour? Do you know how many boats were sent to search for you? Even my father was depressed.”
Han Fei knew that the school searched for him only because they were worried that Tang Ge would blame them.
Han Fei said, “My boat was broken. I floated on the ocean for five days and five nights. Did anyone really come for me? Fine, if you’re not interested in them, let’s go to school.”
He Xiaoyu said anxiously, “How could your boat be broken? Come to the teachers with me.”
Before He Xiaoyu finished the last shrimp dumpling, He Xiaoyu had already dragged him into school.
On their way, people exclaimed now and then.
“Wasn’t Han Fei dead on the ocean?”
“Huh? Han Fei is still alive?”
“That’s not right! This guy was missing for more than a week. Why is he here again?”
“Han Fei must be in a relationship with He Xiaoyu. There’s definitely something between them.”
Pa…
Blushing, He Xiaoyu stuck the bamboo rod into the ground and scolded, “What are you talking about? I’ll beat you up if you don’t shut up!”
He Xiaoyu certainly had a violent tendency, or she wouldn’t be carrying this bamboo rod all the time.
However, the girl was only violent when she was angry. Han Fei seemed even more violent than she was.
Han Fei asked, “He Xiaoyu, aren’t we supposed to go to class?”
He Xiaoyu said, “What class? We’re graduating soon. We have to go to the teachers and tell them that you’re back.”
On their way, He Xiaoyu reminded him that the Fishing Trial, which was held once every three years, would start soon. All the teachers were busy offering the students guidance on how to survive and succeed in the trial.
Wang Jie was about to teach life-saving methods to a group of students, when He Xiaoyu came in with Han Fei.
Wang Jie was bewildered. “Han Fei, you’re not dead?”
Han Fei replied, “Sir, I’ve returned safely.”
Pa…
Wang Jie slapped Han Fei’s head. “You’re really a troublemaker. Everybody thought you died on the ocean. Do you know how many boats the school sent to search for you?”
Han Fei rubbed his head speechlessly. “Sir, I didn’t want it, either. Someone damaged my boat. I wandered for five days, eight hundred kilometers away in the general fishery!”
Wang Jie asked solemnly, “Huh? What happened?”
Wang Jie despised Han Fei before, but Han Fei did make a breakthrough when the test was drawing near, so he thought more highly of Han Fei now.
He certainly wouldn’t want anyone to set up his student. His students could die in accidents but not in schemes.
After Han Fei told him everything, Wang Jie frowned. “You mean a fisher higher than level nine, or even a fishing master, tried to kill you?”
Han Fei said, “Master, the port is already investigating it.”
He Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. A fishing master tried to kill you? Did they even need to try? They could’ve killed you with a slap!
Suddenly, Wang Jie stepped back and observed Han Fei.
While He Xiaoyu and Han Fei were confused, Wang Jie patted Han Fei’s shoulder.
Han Fei knew that Wang Jie had seen through his strength. It was another test.
“Ouch! That hurts! Why did you hit me, sir?”
Wang Jie, however, ignored him and stared at Han Fei weirdly. “When… did you reach level six?”
Wang Jie found it incomprehensible. I can understand if you reach a higher level every month, or even every half-month, but you stagnated for four years and reached level six from level two in only half a month. Is Tang Ge capable of that?
Suddenly, Wang Jie felt that he should ask Han Fei to do another Spiritual Heritage test. He did not believe that Han Fei had such talent.
As if he knew what was on Wang Jie’s mind, Han Fei said in a hurry, “Sir, no need to feel surprised. I had a spiritual fruit that my brother gave to me, and I soared to level six from level four.”
“Hu…”
Both Wang Jie and He Xiaoyu were relieved. That explained how fast his advancement was.
Then, Wang Jie glared at Han Fei with his eyes full of fury. A spiritual fruit? A spiritual fruit only upgraded you by two levels? You are truly useless! That’s a spiritual fruit!
Wang Jie was lost for words. Even he did not have any spiritual fruit yet. It was a waste that Han Fei could not absorb the power of the spiritual fruit.
Wang Jie did not want to talk to Han Fei anymore. His eyes reddened with jealousy.
He Xiaoyu, however, pulled Han Fei and asked enviously, “Han Fei, how does the spiritual fruit taste? Did you just advance after you took it?”
Han Fei looked at He Xiaoyu pitifully. You may have a fishing master father, but so what? He can’t pick any spiritual fruit, can he?
Han Fei said casually, “It was nothing. After I took it, my body burned and my veins bulged. Spiritual energy overflowed from my body. When I cultivated myself in the meantime, I heard the cracks of obstacles being broken…”
Pa…
Wang Jie slapped Han Fei’s head again. Overflow? Cracks? I’m already drooling just listening to you!
Wang Jie sniffed. “Go to the Fishing Trial Class now. Everyone has to be present.”
He Xiaoyu hurried to drag Han Fei away. She could tell that even she would probably be hit if they stayed any longer, because Wang Jie’s eyes were already red.
Soon after they left, He Xiaoyu asked in a low voice, “Han Fei, are we going to fight other people today?”
Han Fei turned around to her in surprise. “I don’t think that’s appropriate, is it? If I cause trouble the moment I come back, won’t I be kicked out?”
He Xiaoyu said, “There’s nothing to be scared of. I’m very close to level seven now, and I think I can make it with a dozen bowls of Swallowed Spirit Soup and a bottle of Fish Head Body Polishing Fluid… I can lend you my bamboo rod.”
Han Fei understood everything. Although the girl vomited last time, she had certainly benefited a lot from it, or she wouldn’t be encouraging him now.
However, Han Fei was also tempted himself. Although the Swallowed Spirit Soup was of little use to him anymore, he could still increase his spiritual energy by taking dozens of bowls of them.
They immediately made a deal that they would duel with other people when the class was over.
…
It was Han Fei’s first class. Nobody was willing to sit next to him. He Xiaoyu, as his temporary ally, sat there to show her support.
However, Wang Jie said gloomily immediately after he came in, “Do not sit next to each other. You are too little for relationships.”
Immediately, everybody looked at Han Fei and He Xiaoyu.
Blushing, He Xiaoyu said angrily, “I’m not in a relationship.”
Han Fei opened his hands helplessly. “Me neither. Everything between us is innocent.”
“Innocent?”
The moment he mentioned it, everybody looked at Han Fei weirdly, wondering when Han Fei became so shameless.
The class began.
Wang Jie spoke: “You must be familiar with the Fishing Trial by now. I’ll skip the specific details. All I want to stress is that you must not overestimate yourself. You know how many students are killed by the fish every year. Ten percent of them die, and fifty percent of them are injured…”
Wang Jie talked a lot. Han Fei had never heard it before, so he was rather interested.
The Fishing Trial was just a way to select excellent talents through fishing. Only by passing the trial could one awaken their naturally-endowed spiritual beast.
When everybody imagined their success, He Xiaoyu said to Han Fei in a low voice, “The spiritual beast is very awesome, so the higher your rank is, the better. If you are the first place, more power will be at your disposal when you awaken the spiritual beast, and your spiritual beast will be stronger.”