I was reborn after cheating on the aloof and powerful man.

Chapter 16, 3 River Town 4

"Aren't you afraid of me? Why?"

Sitting by the fire in just a thin shirt, Gu Mingfeng grew increasingly annoyed. If he hadn't been so cold and afraid of catching a cold, he wouldn't have listened to this pretentious woman.

He had encountered shameless women like this before; after all, he was Gu Mingfeng, the Prince Rui, a man of exceptional talent and beauty, skilled in both literature and martial arts!

How could a woman of low status, plain appearance, and no martial arts skills seduce him while treating him so rudely?

Besides, in this desolate wilderness, I could kill her instantly with a single palm strike.

"Instead of thinking about these things, Young Master Gu, aren't you hungry? Go catch some fish and we'll go find Junior Sister Mu together later."

"I can't! Where is Miss Mu?"

Upon hearing the mention of Mu Qingfeng, Gu Mingfeng stood up and looked at the girl with a puzzled expression. He had just walked around the small island, and there was no one else there besides them. Moreover, they were surrounded by water; leaving without a boat would be extremely difficult.

She touched her clothes; they were dry. Fei Xi took them from the wooden rack and put them on. Then she looked at the still self-righteous good-for-nothing. Perhaps her contemptuous gaze was too blatant, for the man immediately became enraged:

"There's nothing here. What use would it be for me to capture him?"

"You needn't trouble yourself with catching the fish, Young Master Gu. I'll take care of it. Since you're so confident, please get dressed and bring back three fish."

Wouldn't it be easier to just kill that woman?

Gu Mingfeng missed his target again and kicked a nearby tree, snapping it in two.

These fish are awful! I can't catch them no matter what I do!

He'd seen plenty of women who were two-faced. A smiling face might look gentle and charming, but the moment she opened her mouth, you wanted to kill her.

This woman is like a hateful fish; he really hates things he can't control!

“Go two inches east of where the fish appear.”

A gentle yet infuriating voice sounded from behind him. Gu Mingfeng looked at the person with a gloomy face. The other person didn't even look at him, picked some wild grass, washed it by the river, then gathered some dry branches and left.

Winter is bleak and everything withers, but the Three Friends of Winter can be seen everywhere in Nanxuan City, which is located in the Yangtze River Delta.

Looking at the small bamboo grove growing freely in front of her, Fei Xi couldn't help but sigh.

If only my junior brother had been stranded on this deserted island with me, Young Master Tie would be nice too.

She had been waiting in the thatched hut for almost an hour, and her stomach, which wasn't particularly hungry at first, was now growling with hunger.

She probably wanted the other person to catch three fish instead of the Third Prince of the River...

It takes an hour to catch just three fish?

There weren't many dead branches left, so she walked towards the river while observing what usable resources were available on the island.

His lithe figure moved like a graceful butterfly, lightly touching the water's surface. Each step was as light as a feather, seemingly unbound by gravity. The man's gaze was focused and resolute, fixed intently on the water. Each movement was elegant and ethereal, possessing a poetic beauty, as if he were performing a magnificent dance.

If he hadn't been empty-handed, Fei Xi would have loved to applaud and praise the fish-catching dance; it was truly a feast for the eyes.

People say that fishermen can catch anything except fish. Fei Xi wanted to add that Gu Shizi can't catch fish, but his fish-catching skills are more beautiful than those of professional dancers.

It's the fish that's ignorant and doesn't appreciate beauty, but what does that have to do with the tree?

She observed three seconds of silence for the broken tree, and while picking up the dead branches, she offered a word of advice.

It's not that people aren't afraid of not knowing; no one is born with knowledge. But some people, unable to humble themselves, would rather waste time throwing tantrums than turn around and ask her a single question.

Fei Xi silently made a mental note of this person, who was not only stubborn but also had a serious case of spoiled brat syndrome.

Getting this person to help her cut bamboo doesn't seem like an easy task. With a sigh, Fei Xi shook her head, resignedly took out her knife, and chopped at a bamboo stalk.

Although the knife could cut through iron like mud, it was still a bit small. As Fei Xi cut the bamboo into the desired shape, a fine layer of sweat inevitably appeared on her forehead.

When she returned to the thatched hut carrying several cut bamboo tubes, there were more than a dozen fish of different sizes lying on the ground, and a man was squatting next to the fish.

Upon seeing Fei Xi return, the other party snorted coldly, crossed his arms, and awkwardly glanced at her with a slightly hunched back. His eyes revealed a hint of expectation for praise, and his lips were slightly pursed, yet he deliberately feigned indifference.

This reminded Fei Xi of a cat she used to have, which would do this every time it caught a mouse and threw it in front of her. Its proud little face would be held high, looking like it wanted to be petted.

……

Fei Xi smiled sweetly at the man and complimented him:

"Young Master Gu, thank you for your hard work. Please go and fetch a few more buckets of water."

After the man left, Fei Xi lowered her lips, bit them lightly, and pressed her forehead against the veins that were bulging.

Can't a grown man use his brain and think about whether the two of them can eat that much fish?!

From afar, Gu Mingfeng smelled the aroma of grilled fish. The girl gripped a small knife tightly in her hand, her eyes focused and resolute. Her movements were swift and skillful; she grabbed the fish's head and slammed it hard against a rock, instantly immobilizing it. Then, her fingers flew as she quickly scraped off the scales with the knife, carefully gutting the fish and removing its internal organs. She then made several cuts on the fish, stuffed some wild grass into its belly, and placed it tilted over the fire, sticking a wooden stake inside.

Throughout the entire process, the girl's expression remained consistent. Her technique was skillful and dexterous, without a single superfluous movement; every action appeared so natural and fluid, possessing both strength and rhythmic beauty.

If Gu Mingfeng hadn't been certain that the girl had no internal energy, he would have suspected that she was a master deliberately hiding her strength.

Those who practice martial arts all possess internal energy (qi). A martial artist can tell if someone is skilled in martial arts simply by observing whether they possess internal energy. Even if someone practices external martial arts, it doesn't mean they lack internal energy. External martial arts cultivate qi in the physical body, not in the dantian (lower abdomen).

The internal energy of different people varies depending on the martial arts they practice.

As a member of the royal family and the only son of Prince Rui, although this was Gu Mingfeng's first time traveling in the martial arts world, he had been carefully trained and was very familiar with the martial arts of various schools.

The characteristic of the internal energy of the Qingcheng School lies in its continuous and uninterrupted power, flowing naturally like clouds and water. Combined with its Tiangang Palm, the school's movements are flexible and varied, sometimes shifting and dodging, sometimes advancing and retreating with a sense of purpose, and every step contains infinite potential.

The gestures are incredibly varied, sometimes powerful and vigorous, sometimes graceful and gentle, like a dancer gracefully moving about.

In attack, Tiangang Palm skillfully employs subtle techniques, rather than relying on brute force. The internal energy flows continuously, and through body rotation and hand gestures, the power is concentrated at a single point for a sudden burst. This continuous, sustained power generation method gives Tiangang Palm's attacks tremendous penetrating and lethal force.

In defense, the Tiangang Palm skillfully utilizes body movements and hand techniques to neutralize the opponent's force, thus deflecting their attack. Simultaneously, it can launch a swift counterattack, using continuous force to make the opponent unable to defend against it.

The Heavenly Gang Palm's power is inexhaustible, not only in the force of its moves but also in the practitioner's cultivation of internal energy. Through long-term practice and training, those who practice the Heavenly Gang Palm can develop profound internal energy, making them increasingly powerful in battle with boundless staying power.

Looking at the entire martial arts world, the Heavenly Gang Palm is definitely a top-tier martial art.

Unfortunately, since the death of the righteous man, no disciple of the Qingcheng Sect has been able to effectively utilize this palm technique.

Reflecting on my sparring with Miss Mu's senior brother today, although his palm strikes were powerful, his internal energy was still insufficient. This kid is not to be feared.

On the contrary, it's this so-called senior sister of the Qingcheng Sect. This woman is putting on airs; she must be playing hard to get to attract his attention.

Hmph, this young master will not fall for it!

For Miss Mu's sake, let's let her off the hook for now.

"Young Master Gu, please."

The grilled fish placed in front of him interrupted Gu Mingfeng's thoughts. He hadn't eaten anything since morning, and the sun was almost setting; he was so hungry he didn't want to eat anything at all.

Besides, there are no seasonings at all, and the fish is so fishy, ​​it definitely won't taste good if it's just simply grilled like that.

But the grilled fish in front of him was a bit unexpected for Gu Mingfeng. The grilled fish looked quite good, and the aroma was irresistible, making his stomach rumble. While the girl looked down to flip the fish, he elegantly took a bite of the fish.

Hmm? ...Hmm! ...The taste is quite good.

Gu Mingfeng was slightly surprised that his usually discerning palate had so easily accepted the taste of grilled fish.

The grilled fish had no fishy smell at all; although it didn't have much flavor, it had a unique sweetness characteristic of river fish. Beneath the slightly crispy skin, the fish meat was tender and subtly sweet. Remembering what he'd seen before, he asked directly:

What's inside the fish?

"Xie Bai, is Young Master Gu satisfied with this fish?"

That's infuriatingly funny face... Gu Mingfeng turned his head away and snorted coldly:

"It's barely edible."

Although he acknowledged in his heart that the other person had grilled the fish well, he maintained an arrogant expression and refused to utter a single word of praise.

His beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed with satisfaction. He savored the grilled fish with the haughty elegance of a cat, and in no time, the fish was completely devoured.

After Gu Mingfeng finished eating five fish, he waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to continue grilling.

Fei Xi, having forced herself to eat one, curved her lips into a smile, revealing her pearly teeth, and said:

“This fish isn’t free, Young Master Gu, you have to pay for it with your own flesh.”