From Beast Abilities to Sect Grand Master

"Make use of us? How?" Lin Fan was curious to find out.

"I need someone to get my father's fishing boat out to sea again, to prove that there's nothing wrong with it.

"He had a good catch earlier before he was badly injured.

"They say it's because my father offended the Water Monkey.

"Therefore, he is not allowed to go out to sea again, for fear that the other fishermen would be affected."

Xiao Tao said as her eyes turned watery from the tears she tried very hard to keep in.

It didn't take too long for Lin Fan to know what was going on.

Xiao Tao's father's accident might have been due to the other fishermen being jealous.

All the nonsense about the Water Monkey was just an excuse to stop her father from getting out to sea again.

This reminded him of some of the villagers in An Xiang village.

He sighed and said, "You guide us out to the eastern sea. Don't worry, we will pay you ten copper coins for the boat and service."

Xiao Tao's eyes gleamed with hope when she heard Lin Fan.

"When do you want to go? I need some time to prepare the boat," she said as her eyes danced around, looking at Lin Fan, Ho Ming, and Hun Yen Kun.

These were good people, and she wanted to remember their faces.

"You can stay here and wait for Xiao Tao to be ready. There are plenty of rooms to go around," Xiang Yun Feng said.

Lin Fan nodded and said, "We will be here waiting for you."

"It won't take long." Xiao Tao bowed and quickly hopped away back to her house to get the boat ready.

"Interesting," Hun Yen Kun fanned himself as he said.

…

Nan An village.

Evening.

Lin Fan decided to go to the inn in the village for dinner.

He wanted to gather more information about the area and the secret realm Zhao Qing Ying was pursuing.

The inn was the best place to do so.

Ho Ming and Hun Yen Kun also went along.

When they arrived, the waiters were polite and quickly arranged a seat with a good view of the sea for them.

They knew that some cultivators from Qing Feng Sect had arrived, and it was best not to make them dissatisfied.

Looking at the sea, Lin Fan saw that it was calm and suitable for seafaring.

This was good news for them.

After ordering food, Lin Fan sipped from his teacup and listened to the conversations happening around him.

"Are those the cultivators?"

"Yes."

"What shall we do now?"

"Shh…"

There was nothing useful for him.

Just chatter about them going out to sea in Xiao Tao's boat.

Indirectly breaking their lie about the Water Monkey.
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So, when the waiter came with the dishes, Lin Fan asked him instead.

"Have you heard anything unusual about the seas? Anything to do with people disappearing?"

"I'm not too sure. Sometimes, boats go missing if they meet with bad weather or beasts like sharks."

The waiter said apologetically, placed the dishes on the table, and left.

After taking a few steps, he turned around, slapped his forehead, and came back.

"I've heard old folks saying that they saw a golden shrine appear out of nowhere when they were young, near the rocky caves. But it's dangerous terrain, so no one tried to get near."

"Do you know where the rocky caves are?" Lin Fan asked.

"Sail out towards the east from the port; you will not miss it," the waiter replied.

Lin Fan thanked the waiter and glanced over at Ho Ming and Hun Yen Kun.

"We don't have much choice. There's too little information that senior martial uncle has left for us."

Hun Yen Kun said as he shrugged his shoulders.

…

Inside a wooden hut.

A few men sat with worried looks on their faces.

They had seen Lin Fan, Ho Ming, and Hun Yen Kun at the inn earlier.

Fearing that their lies would be exposed, they gathered to think of a way to stop Lin Fan.

"I heard these cultivators would slaughter a whole village if they felt like it."

One of them exclaimed.

Thud.

Someone with a long mustache slapped him on the back of his head.

"Nonsense. Those from Qing Feng Sect aren't known to do so. And those cultivators looked like weak scholars, if I'm being honest."

Long Mustache said and tried to psyche the others into doing his bidding.

The rest of them thought about it and nodded.

Lin Fan, Ho Ming, and Hun Yen Kun didn't look menacing.

Long Mustache might be right.

"So why don't we…" Long Mustache got close and whispered.

The rest of the men started smiling as they heard Long Mustache's plan.

It might just do the trick to absolve them of their lie.

The candlelight swayed as the wind blew from the sea, making the shadows of these men sway on the walls of the wooden hut.

…

Next day.

Xiao Tao was waiting for Lin Fan and the rest in the guest room early in the morning.

She even brought three buns for their breakfast.

"Morning. Our boat is ready to set sail anytime you want to. Here, have some breakfast first."

She placed the buns on the table for them as Lin Fan, Ho Ming, and Hun Yen Kun sat down next to it.

"Thanks. But I don't think it's enough for them; you have no idea," Ho Ming chuckled as he picked up one of the buns.

"I'm sorry, but it's all I have," Xiao Tao said.

Lin Fan shook his head, smacked Ho Ming on his back, and said, "Don't listen to him. After this, let's go to the inn for some tea."

He proceeded to munch down the bun.

Ho Ming and Hun Yen Kun followed suit.

They then went over to the inn and had a sumptuous meal with Xiao Tao.

Leaving many of the dishes for her.

There were so many delicacies she had never eaten before.

"I can't finish them all. Can I bring the leftover dishes back for my father?"

Xiao Tao glanced at the numerous dishes on the table and asked.

Lin Fan nodded to her request.

After the waiters helped pack the dishes in wooden containers, they left for the port.