Chapter 76: The Feast of the Odd Fish

Shen Chen stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter his mother had given him.

After his physical strength and blood energy were restored, Shen Chen's keen senses also returned. At this moment, the black shadows that quickly passed by were no longer as elusive as before. Relying on his eagle-like vision, Shen Chen could vaguely make out the outlines of those palm-sized black shadows. Without a doubt, they were indeed fish!

"Huh? So fast!" However, his first swift grab came up empty. He had clearly felt the slippery texture, similar to fish scales, on his fingertips, but in the end, he still failed to catch those black creatures.

"Hmm, a fish has the nerve to show off in front of me. I really don't believe I can't catch you. Since you've appeared in front of me, no matter what kind of odd fish you are, I'll eat you all!" Shen Chen, not to be deterred, waited for the right moment and continued to grab fiercely.

The momentum of his attack made even Shen Chen himself feel a bit nervous, fearing that he might pierce the water barrier sphere, which was like a bubble. If that happened, it would be a disaster. Even if he caught the black stone fish, he would still be suffocated by the water in the underground river.

Fortunately, the water barrier sphere released by the ancient mirror was incredibly soft and sturdy, probably not inferior to the legendary Heavenly Silk. No matter how Shen Chen struggled, there was no sign of it being pierced.

However, although the water barrier sphere was very reliable, Shen Chen's efforts for a long time still yielded nothing. Those black creatures swam so fast that it was almost supernatural. Every time Shen Chen's fingers were about to close, the black stone fish would suddenly accelerate and slip away!

At first, Shen Chen thought he wasn't focused enough or that his movements weren't quick enough. However, after dozens of similar situations, Shen Chen finally realized that these black creatures were truly not easy to catch!

This almost made Shen Chen drool. Seeing such rare delicacies swimming leisurely in front of him, and with his strength almost fully restored, he still couldn't do anything about these black creatures!

"What should I do? This is really a headache. Am I really going to starve to death here, and even be tempted to death by the rare black stone fish right in front of me? Is this really so tragic for me?"

After several more failed attempts, Shen Chen finally felt a bit disheartened, scratching his head in frustration.

On land, he had the Shadow Fox Step, a technique he had used for several months with great success, even evading the capture of the Underworld Palace's people. Now, in the underground river, these black creatures seemed to have learned the "Shadow Fox Step" in the water, swimming so fast that he was at a loss.

"Should I ask the ancient mirror for help again... Damn, do I still have any pride? Cough, cough..." Thinking about it, Shen Chen began to feel conflicted. He was sure that even at his peak, he would find it difficult to catch those fast-swimming black stone fish in the water. Even using the golden longsword in his hand, he still failed.

He had held the precious sword tightly since it fell into the underground river, fearing it would be lost. Even in his extreme drowsiness and weakness, he did not let go. The sword was too heavy to let go of, even in death. However, his sword skills, especially the "Purple Lightning Cloud Sword" and the "Nine Cuts of the Underworld," were quite remarkable. But now, floating in the water, the limited space provided by the thin water barrier sphere made it impossible to fully execute his sword techniques. The purple sword energy he swung was greatly reduced by the water resistance, making it ineffective against the black odd fish.

"Fine, pride is less important than life. I'll take the risk!"

After some deliberation, Shen Chen finally decided to swallow his pride and seek help from the ancient mirror.

The ancient mirror had just repaired its cracks to save his life, but now they had worsened. Logically, Shen Chen shouldn't ask for more from the ancient mirror. However, if he died, the ancient mirror would likely be sealed in this dark underground river forever, with no chance of repair.

Although this thought was a bit far-fetched, Shen Chen decided to try. He sat cross-legged, letting the water flow around him, and his consciousness quickly sank into his mind.

When he faced the ancient mirror again, Shen Chen felt deeply guilty. The mirror's surface was already covered with dozens of cracks, like dragons, which now looked even more menacing, as if they could collapse into fragments at any moment.

He slowly walked to the ancient mirror, his gaze flickering as he looked at the mirror floating before him. He cleared his throat and said, "Cough, cough... Brother Mirror, it's not that I'm greedy, but I'm really at a dead end. If you have a way, please help me catch two black stone fish. It will benefit both of us. I can only live if you have a chance to be repaired. Do you see the logic in this..."

After saying this, Shen Chen's face turned red, and it felt hot. Even a rascal has moments of embarrassment. Having been saved by the ancient mirror twice, even with his thick skin, Shen Chen couldn't bear the guilt. The ancient mirror was already on the brink of danger, risking its divine nature for him!

However, this ancient mirror seemed truly extraordinary, mysterious, and magical. After hearing his shameless request, it trembled slightly, as if nodding in agreement!

This made Shen Chen's heart race. Although he knew the request was excessive, he really hoped the ancient mirror would help him. Now that it had agreed, Shen Chen was so excited he couldn't speak.

"Good... good, I'll withdraw my consciousness and wait for you to show your power, Brother Mirror. But don't worry, once I'm full, you can absorb the spiritual energy from the black stone fish's flesh. Don't be polite with me!" Shen Chen said, his voice trembling with excitement.

Then, he quickly withdrew from his mind, his physical eyes suddenly opening, full of excitement. He was eager to see how the ancient mirror would help him "catch the fish"!

In this anxious wait, finally, another black shadow passed in front of Shen Chen. However, this time, the black stone fish did not escape.

"Whoosh!"

Although Shen Chen did not move, as the black stone fish swam past him, a beam of seven-colored light suddenly shot from his forehead. No matter how fast the fish swam, it couldn't be faster than light. The black stone fish was hit by the seven-colored light and was instantly immobilized, as if the space around it had suddenly stopped.

This scene was too incredible. Shen Chen's jaw dropped in astonishment. At the same time, a black fish with a long, slender dorsal fin, resembling a carp but without scales, and with two long whiskers at the corners of its mouth, appeared before Shen Chen's eyes.

"Is this the legendary rare black stone fish..." Shen Chen was dumbfounded. He had never imagined that such a rare delicacy would appear before him. It was a precious dish highly sought after by many princes, generals, and powerful figures. Even a palm-sized one could cause a great stir outside. Only figures like the Underworld Palace's master or a state prince could have the opportunity and qualifications to enjoy it.

"Hum hum..." Just as Shen Chen was in a daze, the ancient mirror in his mind hummed, seemingly very dissatisfied with his inaction. Emitting the seven-colored light to immobilize the black stone fish was not easy for the ancient mirror, and it could not maintain it for long.

"Ah!" Shen Chen snapped out of his daze and quickly extended his hand, easily grabbing the black stone fish. At the same time, the seven-colored light from his forehead instantly disappeared.

Looking at the black stone fish struggling in his hand, Shen Chen did not hesitate. He bit into it viciously. It was said that this kind of rare fish would die within ten breaths of exposure to light, and its flesh would harden and become highly toxic after death. Although the light from the water barrier sphere was extremely weak, Shen Chen could not be sure if it would kill the black stone fish, so he bit into the fish's back without hesitation.

The next moment, a fresh and rich meat aroma melted in Shen Chen's mouth, with no fishy smell at all. It was cool, refreshing, and fragrant, with a full-bodied juice. The taste was indescribably delicious. Just a few bites made Shen Chen feel as if he were floating in a cloud.

At the same time, the black stone fish's ink-like blood stained Shen Chen's left hand, mouth, and clothes black. From a distance, it looked as if the young man was gnawing on an inkstone.

"Ouch..." The deliciousness was indescribable, but because he ate too hastily, Shen Chen soon suffered. A fish bone from the black stone fish's back pierced through his upper lip, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Damn, is this a fish bone or a steel needle? So vicious!" Shen Chen threw the almost eaten black stone fish and held his lip, cursing. This fish had few bones, only some main spines, but they were incredibly hard and sharp. A slight mistake had caused a fish bone to pierce through his upper lip, not just a simple puncture, but a deep penetration through his nose, which was very frightening.

The fish bones of the black stone fish were indeed very hard, even harder than steel needles. If accidentally pricked, Shen Chen's fate would be similar to what happened just now.

However, Shen Chen was not concerned about the pain at the moment. The black, ink-like flesh of the fish entered his stomach, and the hunger he felt before was gone, replaced by a warm sensation.

Feeling the warmth in his stomach, Shen Chen was overjoyed. The legend was true; the flesh of the black stone fish was indeed a rare treasure. No wonder even the rulers of vast territories and powerful figures drooled over it.

Shen Chen did not want to waste it and quickly began to refine it using the "Spiritual Inquiry Technique." His injuries were almost fully healed, and even without the regenerative power of the Yin-Yang Grass, he could endure the pain and torment brought by this advanced technique, so he was fearless!

Soon, the essence of the black stone fish's flesh was refined into medicinal and spiritual energy. The medicinal energy began to nourish the internal injuries, and the rich spiritual energy began to flow through Shen Chen's meridians and dantian. Before long, even in this dark and airless environment, Shen Chen's breathing became less difficult!

"Hum hum..." This time, the ancient mirror in his mind did not hesitate and began to absorb the spiritual energy in his meridians. With no immediate threat to Shen Chen's life, the ancient mirror had no need to be cautious.

Before long, the essence of the rare black stone fish, which would make many people envious in the outside world, was completely divided between Shen Chen and the ancient mirror!

"Brother Mirror, let's do it again!" Shen Chen laughed, eager to continue.

Soon, when another black shadow passed in front of Shen Chen, the ancient mirror acted again. The seven-colored