"Heh, wonderful, wonderful, Brother Ye will apologize to you. Then hurry up and fetch me some fish to eat," Ye Xiu bowed deeply to A Jiao, sporting a dopey grin.

"Oh, so you're claiming to be the big brother now? Looking at you, you can't be much older than me. I insist on calling you Ye Xiu, not 'Big Brother'," A Jiao declared, tossing her head back with a defiant air.

"Anything works. Just get us something to eat quickly. I'll even call you Big Sister later," Ye Xiu was absolutely famished. "Hurry up, hurry up, my dear auntie."

"Hahahaha, what's the rush? It's just a few fish. I'll get them for you right now," A Jiao was thoroughly amused by Ye Xiu's antics. She immediately drew two small tridents from her waist and began spinning them expertly in her palms.

Ye Xiu focused his gaze. Those tridents were only the length of ordinary daggers, yet they were exquisitely crafted. Every blade surface shimmered with an extraordinary brilliance, and the handles were carved with intricate dragon and fish motifs. Setting aside their function as weapons, they were clearly works of art.

Seeing Ye Xiu's look of astonishment, A Jiao herself became energized. She crossed and moved her hands, and the two tridents continuously spun streams of pale blue light. In just an instant, she flung both hands forward, and the tridents shot violently into the seaside before them. With a dull thud, a spray of water several meters high erupted from the surface.

"Wow, impressive," Ye Xiu never expected such formidable power from a seemingly delicate girl. He was just about to clap his hands in praise.

A Jiao's movements hadn't ceased. The towering spray of water startled numerous lively fish. Moreover, A Jiao's movement technique was surprisingly excellent. She gracefully swept aside her pale blue skirt and leaped into the water. However, the very instant her right foot touched the surface, she soared upward as if merely skimming a water lily, snatching a struggling large fish and slamming it onto the shore with one palm. That wasn't all. She spun and flipped, miraculously using the surface of the water in mid-air as a stepping stone with her right foot to propel herself to another spot, kicking another large fish onto the bank. Though this kick carried force, it somehow allowed her to rebound to her original position before delivering a punch that knocked the third fish loose.

"Damn, how can she be this fierce?" Ye Xiu was so stunned he scrambled to his feet, quickly stepping forward to catch the flying fish.

"Ah..." A Jiao finished her display with a soft sigh, spreading her arms as she floated gently down from the air. Just before reaching the water, she made a tiny final splash, allowing her graceful form to alight upon the shore.

"My esteemed warrior is truly remarkable. This little brother yields," Ye Xiu, seeing the food source secured, immediately reverted to his smooth-talking demeanor.

"Hmph. This is just the water surface. I am the foremost master among the Water Tribe," A Jiao stood proudly, supremely arrogant. "From now on, if you play with me, I will cover for you. No one will dare bully you."

"Yes, yes, yes. I pay my respects to the foremost master of the Water Tribe," Ye Xiu flattered her playfully, then pointed slyly at the fish on the ground with a wicked smile. "What say you, Master? Let me witness your grilling skills. Let's see if it tastes good."

"You..." A Jiao knew Ye Xiu was teasing her and wished she could just use her tridents on him right then. Unfortunately, having shown off earlier, she was now too committed to back down gracefully. She merely tucked her weapons back into her sash, pouted, and scooped up the fish to squat down and start the barbecue.

"Hey, have you even considered how you're going to start a fire?" Ye Xiu questioned again, full of doubt. "Are you guys planning on rubbing sticks together? I have a tinder box here; actually, I have matches, a lighter, everything. But you wouldn't understand if I told you."

"Hmph, just watch," A Jiao was naturally unwilling to concede. She gathered the sticks and wood pieces she had found earlier, piled them on the riverbank, skewered the three large fish upon them, made a few gestures with both hands held before her chest, and then gave a slight shake.

After a soft whoosh, whoosh, white smoke began to rise slowly, and soon, scattered sparks of flame appeared.

"I..." Ye Xiu, who had been fumbling for his own fire-starting implements, was utterly dumbfounded by the sight. "Are you serious? Do you know Qigong?"

"What Qigong? Stop making a fuss," A Jiao shot him a disdainful glance and began manually turning the fish on the rack. "Anyone here who has learned even a little bit of skill knows the way to start a fire. Unlike you, who is so useless." Ye Xiu nodded and gave A Jiao a thumbs-up. He had to admit, this so-called 'Three Sword Realm' truly astonished him.

Before long, the enticing aroma of roasting fish mingled with the sea breeze drifted over. A Jiao walked over to Ye Xiu, holding a perfectly grilled fish with a mischievous grin. "Ye Xiu, look, it's ready."

"Wow, truly the work of a master, so fragrant!" Ye Xiu confirmed with a nod, reaching out to take it, only for A Jiao to deftly pull it away. "What..."

"You still haven't told me why you came here, how you arrived," A Jiao remembered their earlier banter and was quite serious now. "If you don't tell me, I won't give you any to eat."

"Oh, come on, sit down and I'll tell you everything," Ye Xiu patted the ground beside him, gesturing for A Jiao to sit. "How did I get here? It was through a magical artifact, actually, but this thing is very mysterious. You need to close your eyes first."

A Jiao was even more astonished upon hearing this. She immediately sat down next to Ye Xiu with the fish in hand, tightly shutting her eyes. "Don't you dare lie to me! You saw my skills just now; they're top-tier. If you dare trick me, watch how I flatten you."

"I know, I know. Don't open your eyes. Wait until I tell you to open them," Ye Xiu peeked over mischievously and gently took a bite of the fish in A Jiao's hand. The flavor was truly exquisite. If only they had a few more spices, it would rival the roasted fish he used to eat near his home.

"Are you done yet? How much longer do I have to wait?" A Jiao grew impatient, shaking her hand incessantly. This jiggle happened to swing the other fish right to Ye Xiu's mouth.

In less time than it takes to speak, Ye Xiu snatched it with his mouth, devouring a huge chunk of the fish. Due to the force, he actually snapped the wooden skewer clean off.

"You dare trick me!" A Jiao realized she had been played. She dropped the fish and delivered a sharp palm strike toward Ye Xiu's chest. Ye Xiu saw the attack coming and instantly braced himself with his hands on the ground, executing a full 360-degree spin before leaping backward several meters. "It's just two fish! Is it necessary to be so harsh?"

Seeing that Ye Xiu also possessed some martial skill, A Jiao suddenly felt a surge of fighting spirit. "So Ye Xiu, you know a bit of Kung Fu after all! I despise being tricked the most in my daily life. Watch me teach you a proper lesson today!"