Lin Tian and his companions set off at noon and arrived here by dusk. The gentle sunset bathed the pond in soft light, making it extraordinarily serene. Flowers, grass, and trees grew lushly all around, with an occasional leaf falling into the water, stirring a tiny ripple.
The water moved, the trees moved, even the sun seemed to move, yet the elderly angler appeared motionless. He wore a coarse cloth outfit, old cloth shoes, and his hair, beard, and eyebrows were grizzled.
He leaned casually against a tree on the bank, sitting on the ground, engrossed in a book, seemingly unaware of the fishing rod in front of him.
Lin Tian noticed that the pond was crystal clear, with every pebble visible but inexplicably no fish. He doubted whether the elder was actually fishing or simply reading.
Since he had nothing else to do, Lin Tian paused and observed for a while, realizing still no fish were caught, but the elder was absorbed in his book, seemingly unaware of Lin Tian's presence.
