Lei Dong's daily supply of fish had puzzled him until now. He'd only noticed the unusual taste and its efficacy in replenishing blood and energy, slightly aiding his recovery. When he learned from the girl that she caught them herself each day, he hadn't questioned it further - merely feeling grateful.

Until today. The deaf-mute girl left her boat at midnight as usual, returning at noon with bruises marred across her body. It was obvious to anyone who saw her that someone had mistreated her.

Lei Dong's anger flared instantly. Unconsciously, he'd come to regard her as part of his inner circle. Though the girl was hideously deformed in appearance, there was goodness in her heart.

While he'd learned little else from Master Ghost Emperor, one tradition remained unchanged through generations - protecting those under their care. Lei Dong wholeheartedly endorsed this principle.

He lost control on the spot but after carefully questioning her, she refused to speak further. Not wanting to pressure her, he sent her away to continue learning written language. When dusk fell, he summoned that middle-aged scholar for answers and finally uncovered everything.

The island where Lei Dong resided was called Fisherman's Island - a place spanning tens of miles wide and over one hundred in length. Generations of fishermen lived here, selling their catch through designated traders to nearby islands. With numerous neighboring islands teeming with common folk, the fish fetched only enough to sustain basic needs.

Yet the sea harbored treasures. Some dared dive for precious herbs, pearls or rare stones - though more often than not they perished in the process. Sea monsters alone were deadly even to low-level cultivators, let alone ordinary fishermen.

The girl's father had been one such dreamer who never returned from his voyage. Young and alone, she inherited her father's rickety boat for survival. With help from kind-hearted old fishermen, she gradually learned to catch fish on her own. And somehow mastered a skill others couldn't - hunting golden spirit fish.

These creatures were notoriously elusive, measuring only about three feet long with uncanny speed. When disturbed, they vanished into deep waters so quickly that even cultivators struggled to capture them. A single success meant enough income for an entire year's subsistence - which explained why the middle-aged scholar couldn't comprehend their exorbitant price.

The girl had developed a peculiar method to attract these fish through her blood, though unscrupulous traders exploited her orphaned status by offering meager prices. Refusing trade earned her beatings each time she failed to catch any.

Hearing this, Lei Dong's eyes turned icy. "Continue."

Trembling, the scholar swallowed hard before revealing the worst: not only did they extort her for techniques, but the group had ties to powerful cultivator clans - with rumors that high-ranking practitioners had been seen among them.

"Tonight I'll accompany you both," Lei Dong said calmly while calculating risks in his mind. If these were mere petty criminals, he'd show no mercy.

Later at midnight when the girl set sail again despite her injuries, a black mist suddenly swirled around the boat. Lei Dong and the scholar materialized on deck to start their investigation.

Though startled by the sudden appearance of the gruesome ghost servant Lei Dong summoned to help with nets, the girl eventually guided them through techniques involving blood-laced bait. While they caught various sea creatures, the golden spirit fish remained elusive until finally one was secured in a net.

With that single catch, Lei Dong declared her as an official member of his sect now - vowing no one would dare harm those under his protection from then on.