Chapter 008: Mortals Must Not Call Themselves Gods

"I don't believe it," Qinghu said, enunciating each word. "I simply won't get married. When eldest brother returns, I'll tell him you taught me all this."

"There's venom in a wasp's sting, but none so poisonous as a woman's heart. Sister, I'm your own brother—how can you slander me like this?" Qingzhen instantly panicked and begged for mercy, "Please, I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I won't say anything reckless again, I apologize, I apologize. If I call you a shrew again, may I be doomed to never find a wife myself!"

"That's no punishment—if you never find a wife, wouldn't you be delighted? No, if you dare call me a shrew or force me to marry again, then you'll have to wed three wives in a year and father ten children in five years," Qinghu devised a new penalty for her fourth brother.

"Isn't that too cruel?" Qingzhen was utterly shocked.

"Who's cruel, who's cruel?" Qinghu glared at him, her eyes flashing like knives.

Qingzhen immediately groveled, "I'm cruel, I'm cruel."

"Hmph." Qinghu snorted heavily at him.

"So if I agree to this, you won't tattle on me to eldest brother?"

"Mm, I'll forgive you just this once," Qinghu replied haughtily, lifting her chin.

Qingzhen grimaced at the thought—three wives in a year, ten children in five! If he ever ended up that miserable, how could he live? But if he didn't agree, eldest brother would surely beat him to death.

Between a cruel punishment and a beating from eldest brother, which could he endure? The punishment, he supposed. Anyway, he'd already decided to watch his mouth and never call his little sister a shrew again.

"Alright, it's a deal. I won't call you a shrew anymore."

"And you can't force me to marry, either."

"Right, that's mother's concern from now on—I won't interfere," Qingzhen replied, utterly deflated.

"Hmph, then we'll consider this settled. Only little dogs break their promises. Once spoken, a word must be kept," Qinghu reminded him pointedly.

"Alright, alright," Qingzhen raised his hand in surrender.

"So after breakfast, you'll take the men to clear the wasteland, and Uncle Zhao will keep overseeing the house repairs?" Qinghu asked.

"And what about you? What will you do?" Qingzhen asked curiously.

"I'm planning to take Bai to gather some wild fruits," Qinghu replied confidently.

"Wild fruits? Where would you find wild fruits?" Qingzhen asked in surprise.

"On the little hill beside the abandoned fields. I saw lots of red and green ones—plenty, though they're a bit small," Qinghu explained.

Upon hearing this, Qingzhen immediately felt his appetite stir.

"I'll come too. I'll have Qingquan lead the others in clearing the land."

"Alright, then let's go together after breakfast," Qinghu agreed at once.

"But what will we have for breakfast? I can't stand these pancakes and plain porridge anymore. We've had the same thing for almost a month," Qingzhen complained.

"Then let's go forage something tasty and see if we can make breakfast out of it," Qinghu said. With her brother's suggestion, she too had lost all interest in plain porridge, pancakes, and pickles.

Even if the porridge and pancakes were made from spirit rice, eating the same thing every day would dull anyone's appetite.

"Forage? Where are we supposed to find food?" Qingzhen looked around, but didn't see anything edible.

"Just follow me."

Qinghu led her fourth brother, Deng Xiaolai, and Bai toward the lakeshore.

Once there, Qinghu faced the vast lake and called out loudly, "Fish, send your big sister something delicious!"

Qingzhen immediately burst out laughing. "So that's how you plan to 'forage'? As if there'd be anything to pick up! Do you really think the fish will obey you?"

Suddenly, a big grass carp, weighing at least ten pounds, thrashed its tail and landed right at Qingzhen's feet, splashing water all over his face.

Qingzhen's mouth fell open in shock.

Deng Xiaolai and Bai were equally speechless with astonishment.

Next, a multitude of grass carp began leaping from the lake, flying through the air and landing obediently at Qingzhen's feet.

Splash after splash—

Water droplets flew everywhere, drenching Qingzhen's face, shoulders, and clothes.

Qingzhen: "..."

He glanced at his little sister, then at the grass carp, each one seven to ten pounds, flopping and struggling for life on the ground, and managed a stiff, awkward smile. "What on earth is going on?"

In just a few moments, more than two hundred fish had leapt ashore—at least two tons of fish.

Astonished, he realized this lake was home to a massive school of grass carp, and, if he wasn't mistaken, each and every one was a genuine ninth-tier beast!

These were not the grass carp commonly bred for generations by humans, their savage blood diluted and their wildness tamed into docility. These were true beastly grass carp—each with fierce fangs, powerful vitality, and flesh brimming with spiritual energy.

"Little Hu, what is happening here? How did they leap out the moment you called?"

"They must know I want fish porridge today," Qinghu said with satisfaction.

"You want fish porridge, so they jump out for you? How does that make sense?" Qingzhen pressed, rubbing his aching head.

"Of course it makes sense. I want to eat, so they come," Qinghu replied with complete certainty.

"Then I want big white shrimp—why aren't any of those jumping out?" Qingzhen grumbled.

"Because you're not me," Qinghu teased, waving her little hand in front of his face.

"Looking for a beating, are you?" Qingzhen muttered in exasperation.

"Go ahead and try. I'll have Mother sort you out thoroughly," Qinghu retorted, utterly unafraid—after all, she had powerful backing.

Qingzhen winced.

"Then tell me, how exactly did these fish come ashore?" Qingzhen persisted.

"They came by themselves."

"I can see that, but why did they come ashore?"

"Because I wanted to eat."

"You want to eat, so they come? Do you think you're a deity? Or a Daoist Lord?" Qingzhen snapped.

"Fourth brother, you're so clever. You even know that I'm a deity," Qinghu replied with a beaming, sunlit smile.

Qingzhen: "..."

"Miss, one should not jest about deities, nor should mortals call themselves gods. Even if we do not worship them, we must show respect. Though most of the gods in human lands have been taken in and restrained by the Daoist Court, every year there are still wild gods who cause trouble," Qingquan said, having just finished his lesson and hurrying over to find his young mistress and master joking about deities.

Such words could easily incur the wrath of nearby gods, who would never tolerate mortals placing themselves as their equals. Mortals must never claim divinity for themselves, or else they would face the gods’ anger.