68: Chapter 63: Flying Fish on Ice 68: Chapter 63: Flying Fish on Ice After the stones were heated red-hot, they would continue to emit heat and were difficult to cool down even in ice water.

The place Jiang Xuan chose wasn’t in the middle of the river, but at a river bend, relatively close to the shore, with the ice about a foot thick.

“Plop!”

As time passed, the ice surface was gradually heated by the scorching stones, melting into a pit, and at one point, a large stone directly fell into the river.

Subsequently, other stones also successively fell into the river.

Jiang Xuan pointed to a not-so-distant spot and said, “Use this method to make a few more ice holes!”

“Okay!”

Although they didn’t know why Jiang Xuan wanted to make ice holes, the enthusiasm for the work was very high, and Gou Teng and others immediately went to melt the second ice hole.

Chi Shao stood beside Jiang Xuan and curiously asked, “Are these holes made for fishing?”

Jiang Xuan was using a sharp stone to widen the ice hole when he heard Chi Shao’s question and turned his head to say, “Not fishing, it’s for catching fish.”

“Catching fish?” Chi Shao felt confused.

“Yes, just scoop them directly with a vine basket.”

Jiang Xuan’s words left Chi Shao feeling incredulous.

Are fish that foolish?

Just scoop them with a basket, wouldn’t they swim away?

However, her question didn’t linger long, as there was suddenly activity at the ice hole.

“Splash…”

A big fish suddenly shot up from beneath the water, spread a pair of transparent wings after leaving the water surface, glided for a moment, and then plopped down onto the ice.

“Flying fish!”

Jiang Xuan exclaimed joyfully.

This type of fish was the one that entered and later flew out of his fish trap the first time he set it up, infuriating him greatly at the time.

Though he had set many traps since, he never caught such a fish again, leaving a significant regret in his heart.

He never expected that today, under such circumstances, he would encounter a flying fish that leapt out on its own.

“Flap, flap…”

The flying fish on the ice flapped its tail in panic, but it was not a bird.

Its wings could only be used for gliding and couldn’t actually take it back into the sky.

“Ha ha, now you can’t run away!”

Jiang Xuan walked over excitedly and grabbed the flying fish, leaving it no chance to escape again.

The flying fish had many sharp bone spikes on its body, including at the tips of its transparent wings, and after being poked twice, Jiang Xuan quickly wise up.

He directly lifted the fish’s wings and gripped the softer body beneath, thus avoiding the spikes.

This flying fish was substantial, feeling heavy in hand, Jiang Xuan estimated it to be over ten pounds, and the force it exerted while struggling was considerable.

Jiang Xuan happily placed it into a lidded vine basket and covered it with the lid.

Chi Shao and the nearby Vine Tribe members, as well as those Wanderers, were so stunned upon seeing this flying fish that they couldn’t even speak.

However, this was just the beginning, and the next scene was enough to drive everyone crazy!

“Splash, splash…”

There came a great commotion from the river beneath the ice hole.

“Whiz, whiz, whiz…”

Soon after, a series of flying fish darted out of the water, spreading their wings like a large flock of birds, gliding through the air, and finally landing on the ice.

This scene was exceedingly rare; who among the tribespeople had ever seen this?

“Flap, flap…”

Dozens of plump flying fish slapped their tails on the ice, driving everyone in the Vine Tribe crazy.

“Quick, catch them!”

Gou Teng shouted and then excitedly dashed toward the nearest flying fish.

Others weren’t willing to lag behind; even slipping on the ice didn’t bother them as they pounced upon the flying fish.

“Food, food!”

Jing Jie, clutching a flying fish in his arms, trembled with excitement and, at that moment, unbeknownst why, felt a strong urge to cry.

When the flying fish jumped out by themselves, Jing Jie’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed.

Jiang Xuan hadn’t lied to him; there really was a way to obtain a large amount of food in winter.

The Wanderers’ emotions were also visibly out of control; some hugged the flying fish and wailed, while others embraced the fish and laughed.

At that moment, no one laughed at them, because even Jiang Xuan felt like he was dreaming.

“Whiz, whiz, whiz…”

Yet it hadn’t ended.

More flying fish surged from the ice hole, spreading their wings and gracefully gliding through the air before landing on the ice.

“Quick, put these flying fish into baskets and carry them back to the tribe!”

Jiang Xuan shouted, and everyone quickly responded, swiftly packed the flying fish into the vine baskets.

Soon, they filled every basket they had brought!

Once out of the water, the flying fish did not thrash around for long, quickly becoming frozen solid, one by one stacked in the baskets, looking incredibly satisfying.

Jiang Xuan said to Chi Shao, “Sister, you take them back with the fish first and return once you’ve stored them properly!”

“Okay!”

Chi Shao immediately picked up a basket, and even though her status was already that of a Witch, she never slacked off during work nor let anyone else help her.

Batch after batch of fish were hauled back to the tribe.

The Wanderers who stayed there saw the enormous haul and went crazy, practically wanting to lean on the fish and kiss them.

This river was in a rather remote location, with no neighboring fishing-skilled tribes, making the fish resources extremely abundant.

The flying fish were merely the first to shoot out, and soon more fish gathered around the ice hole, some leaping out of the water, others opening and closing their mouths in the water, breathing air.

Jiang Xuan led a group to feverishly scoop up these fish, while others hustled like ants, carrying the caught fish back to the tribe in vine baskets.

This frenzy persisted through half a day before gradually subsiding.

The fish swimming to the ice hole dwindled in number, while the stockpile of fish in the Vine Tribe had reached an astonishing quantity.

Jiang Xuan finally ceased his efforts, marking the ice hole areas with several branches before letting the ice holes freeze over again.

“With so many fish, plus our stored food, it should last us a long time.”

Jiang Xuan returned to the bamboo house, gazing at the pile of fish as tall as a small mountain, feeling immensely gratified.

Of course, he knew that today’s abundance was due to the unexploited fish in the river being so plentiful.

If repeated too many times, picking up fish like today would become a challenge.

Jiang Xuan wasn’t planning to drain the pond for fish.

Once they got through this winter, he intended to develop more ponds and cultivate more fish, rather than constantly fishing from the river.

He even considered attempting to cultivate fish fry himself in the future.

If successful, he wouldn’t have to worry about running out of fish to eat.

In the evening, Jiang Xuan carried two large flying fish to the house where the Old Witch lived and gave them to him to eat.

“Catching fish even in such heavy snow?”

The Old Witch found it hard to believe, but the facts were before him, and he had no choice but to believe.

Once again, he marveled that the Vine Tribe always seemed to bring surprises.

The Old Witch curiously asked Jiang Xuan how they had caught the fish.

Jiang Xuan simply said he accidentally discovered that when breaking open the ice during winter, the fish would jump out themselves.

After listening, the Old Witch repeatedly expressed his amazement, feeling that Jiang Xuan harbored many secrets, but he didn’t probe further.

Living to his age, he had seen plenty of strange events and understood that not everything could be fully explored and understood.

That night, everyone in the Vine Tribe ate fresh, newly-caught fish, and even the Wanderers were able to enjoy a hearty meal.

As for the surplus fish, in such cold weather, there was no need to worry about spoilage; they could be kept for gradual consumption.

…

Look at this roasted flying fish; doesn’t it resemble a “monthly ticket”?