"I don't know."

Su Mu shook his head because it's not like he insisted on guarding the river; it's that he needed to earn Favor Points through it to refine this river and leave.

Otherwise, who would bother guarding this broken river every day?

Moreover, he really didn't know how much longer it would take to refine this river.

....

"What's the matter?"

Su Mu furrowed his brows slightly and continued to ask.

"Nothing much."

"It's just... this old man has an impolite request and would like Brother Su to help."

"This is a little token of appreciation."

With that, the elder fished out a wooden box from within his wide sleeve and handed it to Su Mu.

"First, tell me what it is about. I can't promise I can help until I know."

In doing business, you don't agree before knowing the other party's request; this is a negotiation tactic.

The elder extended his right hand, closed his eyes, and began calculating something. After a while, he finally raised his head and said, "Approximately three months from now, a seventeen-year-old youth named 'Gui' will cross the river."

"I hope Brother Su can let him pass."

....

Hearing this, Su Mu smiled and replied, "Sure, that's not a problem."

He thought it was something significant, so he accepted the elder's wooden box and then asked, "Three months later, is it?"

"Yes, at the earliest three months, at the latest no more than six months."

"Thank you, Brother Su. This kindness the old man will remember always."

With that, the elder clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Su Mu in gratitude.

"It's nothing, no need for such courtesy. It's just a small gesture."

For Su Mu, this was merely a small effort, and he had already received payment for the crossing fee in advance. According to the rules, he would let him pass.

"If, after six months, that youth hasn't appeared..."

"Brother Su need not wait any longer; he's probably encountered something unexpected."

The elder slowly said.

"Is he your grandson?"

Su Mu asked.

This question made the elder fall silent, and after a while, he smiled bitterly and said, "You could say yes, or no."

"Rest assured, if he shows up, I will ensure he crosses safely."

Su Mu was a person with a strong sense of principle; if paid, he would do the job, and he truly disliked those who took money and didn't work.

"Thank you."

"Then I will no longer trouble Brother Su."

"I shall take my leave now."

Saying this, the elder took up the bamboo pole on his fishing boat and paddled downstream.

Going with the flow, the elder's fishing boat was much faster than when going against it, and the candlelight quickly disappeared at the end of the river....

After watching the fishing boat disappear, Su Mu finally retracted his gaze.

What a peculiar old man; he couldn't tell what Cultivation Realm he was, his abilities were opaque...

But the old man was at least amicable, unlike some who came to the river looking for trouble, appearing honest while suddenly drawing a weapon to strike.

He was the most sensible Cross River Man of the past two years.

....

Back on the shore, Su Mu first stored the wooden box and began carefully examining the new fishing rod.

The fishing rod, made from unknown wood, was very heavy but also very supple, extremely resilient, and the fishing line was special, extremely thin, less than a millimeter, barely visible upon close inspection.

Su Mu tugged it hard and found it very sturdy, so he stopped pulling.

Much like people testing the toughness of a glass cup by dropping it from a high-rise—eventually breaking it but rendering the cup useless.

Although Su Mu had many ways of capturing Treasure Fish nowadays, such as fish pens and nets, every time it was a top-tier Treasure Fish, he fished it up himself.

After all, the better the Treasure Fish, the smarter, and even if they were caught in a net, they would do everything possible to escape.

After putting away the fishing rod, he took out the wooden box.

Opening it, he found inside a Stone Blade, about eighteen centimeters long, lightweight in hand, but the blade was very blunt. Was it really sharp?

Then Su Mu took out a shell-like Defensive Treasure from his Space Ring to test its sharpness.

Grasping the Stone Blade, he struck at the treasure, and just as they touched, the shell-like treasure instantly shattered into fine powder, scattering into the air.

At this sight, Su Mu's eyes widened.

So powerful!

Su Mu then pulled out his Silver Dagger, lightly grazing it against the Stone Blade, finding no marks left!

Judging by its performance, this Stone Blade wasn't much different from the Silver Dagger, except the Stone Blade's attack was more violent, while the Silver Dagger could cut through anything with ease.

It seems this Stone Blade can be used as an Attack Treasure.

...

The night was quiet, except for the wild boar hanging, still shivering, everyone slept soundly.

At dawn, Su Mu set off early.

The wild boar, still strung up on the tree, looked despondent, hey, hey, hey! Can you give me a quick end? What's the point of leaving me hanging here?

Nannan, upon waking, rubbed her sleepy eyes, said good morning to Mrs. Liu, and went to the Cyan Ox's side.

"Uncle Niu, let's go."

Nannan climbed onto the Cyan Ox's back and headed along the river, in the opposite direction of her father...

Sitting atop the Cyan Ox, she held a small notebook, jotting detailed locations whenever she noticed anything unusual.

Because her father always said she shouldn't approach the river too closely, shouldn't swim in it, and shouldn't pick up any stranded small fish or shrimps. And if a riverbank section was washed away, she shouldn't rush to repair it.

In short, she shouldn't meddle with anything abnormal.

However, Nannan would record these anomalies to report to her father because it's his daily task.

Since Nannan could remember, she knew this river belonged to her family, and her father maintained and guarded it daily. In Nannan's eyes, this river was vital as their food depended on it; they lived off the river.

Therefore, Nannan tried her best to help her father, protecting this river together.

After a busy day, Little Nannan arrived home before her father.

Upon returning home, she grabbed a kettle from the front yard and went to the vegetable garden behind the house.

But entering the garden startled Little Nannan.

Immediately, she ran out of the garden, pacing anxiously in front of Mrs. Liu, waiting for her father to return home.

After a while, her father finally returned.

Nannan ran over, holding Su Mu's big hand, and said, "Daddy... it looks like something happened to our vegetable garden."

At that moment, Su Mu recalled the seed he planted yesterday, feeling a sense of foreboding, he hurried to the backyard.

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