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Chapter 12 – Is Your Fish Skin Made of Gold?
Morning.
As dawn's first light brushed across the horizon, Huo Yuhao awoke naturally, stirred by the internal clock that years of habit had engraved in him. He turned his gaze toward the window—outside, the sky was clear and pure, not a single wisp of cloud to be seen. A few faint stars still lingered in the distance. After the heavy rain that had swept through the night, the world outside seemed renewed, washed clean, and brimming with fresh vitality.
Stretching lazily, Huo Yuhao rose and stepped out of his room. The door opposite his belonged to Huo Yun'er. Her windows were already open, sunlight spilling in, and from downstairs came the distinct sound of pots and ladles clattering.
Hearing his footsteps, Huo Yun'er poked her head out from the kitchen and smiled warmly."You're up. Come, breakfast is ready."
On the table, two bowls of steaming hot porridge awaited. Huo Yuhao sighed helplessly."Mom, you should've let me do this."
Carrying out two plates of side dishes, Huo Yun'er gave him a light glare."Your mother isn't that old yet that she needs her son to take care of her! You've already stopped me from going out to find work—what, do you want me to sit at home and grow sick from boredom too? Go wash your hands."
Huo Yuhao wisely shut his mouth. Heaven knew how much effort he'd spent last night persuading her to stay home and rest. If he argued again now, all that effort would be wasted.
"After I finish selling grilled fish today, maybe I'll stop by the flower shop," he thought. Something green would make the house feel warmer.
Mulling over which plants would best suit their small home, he finished his breakfast, told his mother he'd be heading out, and stepped into the streets of Heaven Dou City.
He didn't head for the blacksmith's workshop immediately. Instead, he made his way toward the city's bustling morning market. If he wanted to sell grilled fish, he first had to prepare his ingredients.
During the month-long journey to Heaven Dou City, Huo Yuhao hadn't wasted a single day of cultivation. Though the Sin of Arrogance had drastically expanded the capacity of his spirit power, his progress in cultivation itself wasn't ideal—but even so, it was far faster than in his previous life, where it had taken him five long years to reach the tenth rank.
Now that he had money, he no longer skimped on food. Combined with the rigorous physical training he had maintained over the past month, his body had grown far stronger than before—his meridians no longer felt fragile and overstrained like they once had.
At this rate, he could probably reach Rank 10 several years ahead of schedule—and then, he could finally head to the Star Dou Forest in search of Skydream Iceworm.
At the market, after a lively round of bargaining that left the fishmonger speechless, Huo Yuhao managed to buy fifty green-scaled fish at a price of two copper soul coins each, each weighing around two to three jin. After having them cleaned and gutted, he walked away under the stunned gaze of the merchant, heading off to continue his conquest of the market's vendors.
"By the heavens… whose kid is that?"
The surrounding stall owners stared in disbelief. Their expressions were a mix of amusement and shock—they had never seen such a sharp-tongued little brat before.
When all the necessary ingredients were finally bought, Huo Yuhao sauntered out of the market with the satisfied calm of a veteran merchant. Deep down, he silently thanked Zhu Lu once again—without the storage ring she had given him, selling grilled fish would've been nearly impossible. After all, lugging around that many fish to set up a stall elsewhere wasn't exactly convenient.
After retrieving the furnace from the blacksmith shop and buying several sacks of charcoal, his grand plan for "Huo Yuhao's Grilled Fish" was at last ready.
He had set a daily limit of fifty fish. Two hours of selling would be enough to finish them, leaving the rest of his time for cultivation and making soul tools.
As for pricing, back in his previous life, he had sold grilled fish for five copper soul coins each. This time, he decided to raise the price to ten.
Heaven Dou City was the empire's capital—everything here was more expensive. His costs had risen significantly; selling for five coins a fish would barely earn a profit. Moreover, his culinary skills had improved dramatically since his last life. The flavor was richer, the aroma stronger—naturally, the price had to rise with it.
There was another reason, too. The city strictly prohibited random street stalls to maintain its image. Vendors had to rent designated spaces within the official food street, and the stall fees varied depending on location.
Otherwise, one would have to spend their days playing a thrilling game of tag with the city's enforcement patrol—those ever-zealous men who shouted, "All evil shall be brought to justice!" at every turn.
"Hey there, little guy. You're setting up a stall?"
A middle-aged man wearing an officer's badge eyed Huo Yuhao curiously. Several others beside him looked over as well, equally intrigued.
"Yes, a grilled fish stall," Huo Yuhao replied simply.
Without further words, he took out a gold soul coin and slipped it discreetly into the man's hand."Any chance you've got a better spot available?"
The man's demeanor instantly transformed. His expression melted into a friendly smile, and he patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder."Not bad, little brother. Don't worry—I'll get you a great spot. Name's Huang Yu, but you can just call me Uncle Huang."
"Thank you, Uncle Huang. I'm Huo Yuhao—just call me Little Huo."
"Good, good! Come with me, I'll take you there myself."
That single gold coin had clearly earned him Uncle Huang's goodwill. After all, no one in this world dislikes money.
As they walked deeper into the food street, the nearby stall owners nodded respectfully at Huang Yu, and naturally, the curious glances they gave Huo Yuhao carried a new shade of respect as well.
While scanning for an open spot, Huang Yu said seriously,"Little Huo, since I took your money, I'll look after you a bit. This area doesn't have many rules—just don't cause trouble, and make sure to pay your stall fee on time every month. You're still young. If any of the other vendors give you a hard time, just mention my name."
Huo Yuhao nodded gratefully. The fact that Uncle Huang was personally helping him choose a stall meant he'd already accepted him as under his protection. Around noon, the food street was lively and packed with customers. After circling once, Huang Yu pointed to an empty spot near the center.
"How about here? Try it out today. If it works for you, go pay the fee. If not, I'll find you another spot."
"This one's perfect, Uncle Huang. No need to change. Thank you."
"Good! Then I'll leave you to it."
After sending Uncle Huang off, Huo Yuhao methodically pulled out his furnace and tables from the storage ring and set everything up. As the charcoal caught flame and began to glow red, "Huo Yuhao's Grilled Fish" officially opened for business—five years earlier than fate had originally intended.
Since the fish had already been cleaned by the fishmonger, all Huo Yuhao needed to do was spread his homemade sauce mixed with fragrant spices into the belly, brush a thin layer of oil over the skin, and begin grilling.
As he worked, the surrounding vendors found themselves momentarily speechless. They forgot to shout for customers, entranced by the skillful rhythm of his movements. When the first tendrils of rich, savory aroma drifted into the air, their throats involuntarily tightened. Saliva pooled in their mouths; even their eyes gleamed with hunger.
As Huo Yuhao calmly roasted the fish, he simultaneously felt the Sin of Gluttony within his spiritual sea stir faintly—absorbing the desire and craving emanating from those around him.
Finally, one of the nearby vendors couldn't hold back any longer. After swallowing hard, he asked,"L-Little brother, how much for one of those grilled fish?"
"Ten copper soul coins apiece. Uncle, would you like to try one?"
"What?! Ten coins!?"
The man's eyes widened. He glanced at the pile of raw fish beside the grill."They don't look that special! What, is the fish skin made of gold? Or the meat?"
(End of Chapter)