In the days that followed, Shen Xuan seemed to have forgotten all about getting married.
Whenever he sold Talismans at the Shop or bought materials for Talisman Crafting, Shopkeeper Ding reminded him a few times, but Shen Xuan remained oblivious.
"This Shen Xuan really doesn't want to get married anymore!"
Shopkeeper Ding sighed to himself, lamenting the missed opportunity.
He knew how much Shen Xuan's Water Control Talisman skills had improved.
At this rate, it wouldn't take long for him to reach a Talisman Completion Rate of thirty percent and become a Mid-grade Talisman Master.
A Mid-grade Talisman Master!
With a little more refinement, he could earn three hundred Spirit Stones a year using nothing but his Water Control Talisman skills.
He could secure an Attendant position in any Foundation Establishment Cultivation Family.
If Shen Xuan weren't a little too old, Shopkeeper Ding would have wanted to marry off his granddaughter, who had an Inferior Spirit Root, to him.
"The family elders are moving too slowly! If they'd acted when he'd just broken through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage, he might have accepted a female cultivator from the Ding Family with an Inferior Spirit Root."
"Now, Shen Xuan is already on the path to becoming a Mid-grade Talisman Master, and his ambitions have grown."
Shopkeeper Ding assumed Shen Xuan had politely turned down his offer because he was holding out for a better Dao companion.
For a Mid-grade Talisman Master, being just past sixty was nothing much.
As long as he could earn Spirit Stones steadily, finding a young female cultivator with a Low-grade Spiritual Root would be easy.
"Fortunately, he sells his Talismans at my Shop and buys his materials here too. He can still make some contribution to the Ding Family."
Shen Xuan couldn't help it.
His schedule was packed, and he didn't want to waste time and energy just to earn a few extra Spirit Stones.
As he traded with Zhao Chunsheng more often, the two gradually grew familiar and developed a measure of trust.
Hearing that Zhao Chunsheng enjoyed a little Spirit Wine, Shen Xuan had specially bought a jug of Pear Blossom Drunk.
A jug of low-grade first-tier Spirit Wine cost two Spirit Stones.
Zhao Chunsheng came by with Green Feather Fish once again.
After paying him, Shen Xuan invited him to stay for a simple meal.
Zhao Chunsheng readily agreed.
Shen Xuan drank tea in place of wine and kept Zhao Chunsheng company.
Before long, Zhao Chunsheng had finished the whole jug of Spirit Wine.
Slightly tipsy, he began chatting with Shen Xuan.
It turned out that after Zhao Chunsheng broke through to Qi Refining Level 7, he had begun paving the way for his two sons' Dao Paths.
He was lucky: both his sons had Spiritual Roots, and they were Mid-grade Spirit Roots at that.
His eldest son had a talent for Alchemy and was learning it under a High-grade Alchemist.
His second son liked Artifact Refining and was an apprentice at a High-grade Artifact Master's Shop.
The two sons' tuition cost a large sum every year.
And they were still a long way from completing their apprenticeships!
For all these years, Zhao Chunsheng and his wife had supported them by hunting Monster Beasts.
Thinking of his wife and children, he didn't dare go to dangerous places, so his hunting income was nothing special.
Their life was a constant struggle to make ends meet.
So even after his breakthrough, he hadn't moved away, but continued living on the outskirts of the Market.
Shen Xuan's guess had been confirmed.
Zhao Chunsheng really was short on Spirit Stones.
The reason was the tuition for his two sons.
This left Shen Xuan sighing with emotion.
A parent's heart knew no bounds!
But it also strengthened his resolve not to have children for the time being.
The Cultivation World was a turbulent place, rife with danger and hardship.
With his current cultivation at Qi Refining Level 4, he was treading on thin ice and hadn't even found his footing.
Why bring children into the world, only to harm them and himself?
A year later.
In the training room.
After the Mysterious Jade Talisman withdrew its golden light, Shen Xuan slowly opened his eyes.
[Talent: Water Control Beginner (2/100)] [Water Control Talisman: Proficient (24/200)] [Dao Rhyme: 268]
It was as if his brain had been thoroughly washed with clear water.
In an instant.
He sensed the Water Spiritual Qi in the training room far more clearly.
His affinity had increased noticeably.
His Divine Sense stirred.
A tremendous boom erupted in his mind!
In a flash, he seemed to be in the middle of an endless ocean.
His body became a gigantic Green Feather Fish, swimming through the vast sea as fast as lightning.
He could easily control the movement of every drop of seawater.
It was as if, with only a thought from his Divine Sense, he could command the power of the current, master the seas and rivers, and overturn them in a storm.
Time seemed to freeze.
An instant.
Or perhaps an eternity.
Amid a sea of Dao Rhyme, Shen Xuan's consciousness became a Green Feather Fish several feet long, appearing and disappearing in the great river as he raced through the water.
The resistance of the current was so slight that he could almost ignore it.
One insight after another rose in Shen Xuan's heart.
So this was the Green Feather Fish's Water Control Talent?
It really was a born expert at controlling water!
Shen Xuan was overjoyed.
Qinglong Bay Market stood on the banks of the Longze River.
The Longze River flowed into the East Sea, stretching for thousands of miles, nourishing the land and sustaining countless living beings.
The river teemed with Spirit Fish, Monster Beasts, Spirit Plants, Spirit Mines, and countless other treasures.
Aquatic treasures were extremely difficult to obtain.
Humans were ultimately nowhere near as adept at Water Law as aquatic Monster Beasts, and the pressure of the deep water made it hard for human cultivators to even move.
Shen Xuan knew that, as a human, he couldn't control water nearly as deftly as a Green Feather Fish.
Still, he was already very satisfied.
His affinity for Water Spiritual Qi had greatly increased, making it easier to cultivate Water Law.
With only a thought from his Divine Sense, he could command the power of the surrounding currents and make them serve him.
"As expected of the fastest Spirit Fish in the Longze River. Even at the Beginner level, it can greatly increase one's strength in the water. Once cultivated to a higher level, it'll be like adding wings to a tiger in places with abundant Water Spiritual Qi. Spiritual Power will surge endlessly like the sea, and one's strength will multiply."
"This is Water Control Talent!"
If it granted such abilities at the Beginner level, what would happen once it reached Proficient and Mastery?
Could he really command the seas and rivers, overturning them in a storm?
Shen Xuan focused his gaze on the Mysterious Talisman.
[Spiritual Root: Water 12/100]
It had increased by a full two points!
Normally, once one passed the Low-grade Spiritual Root threshold, each further improvement became more difficult.
The Green Feather Fish's Water Control Talent had given him two points of Spirit Root Aptitude in one go!
He only needed to copy it four times to raise his Water Spirit Root to 20 points and advance to a Mid-grade Spirit Root!
A Mid-grade Spirit Root was an aptitude that could make a push for Foundation Establishment!
Shen Xuan's heart leaped with excitement.
"Steady! Stay calm!"
Shen Xuan got up and paced back and forth across the training room more than ten times, gradually calming himself down.
"Right, there's also Dao Rhyme!"
He sat down cross-legged again.
Shen Xuan pointed his Divine Sense at the row of golden, ancient characters describing the Water Control Talent.
"Add points!"
His Dao Charm Points slowly dwindled.
At the same time, his Water Control Talent Proficiency began to rise.
Shen Xuan burned his boats, spending all 268 of his Dao Charm Points at once.
[Talent: Water Control Proficient (82/200)]
At the Beginner Stage, one point of Dao Rhyme increased Proficiency by one point.
At the Proficient Stage, the Dao Rhyme cost doubled.
Shen Xuan slowly opened his eyes, his mind filled with new insights into Water Control.
This time, he felt as if he had become a Green Feather Fish, living and hunting in the great river for hundreds of years and accumulating countless Water Control techniques.
And that wasn't all.
[Water Control Talisman: Mastery (12/400)]
The Water Control Talent had directly raised his Water Control Talisman skills to the Mastery Stage!
Two months earlier, he had crossed the threshold and become a Mid-grade Talisman Master.
Now, his Water Control Talisman skills had improved by leaps and bounds, greatly increasing his ability to earn Spirit Stones!
[Cloud Rain Technique: Proficient (28/200)] [Water Shield Technique: Mastery (16/400)] [Water Blade Technique: Mastery (12/400)]
These were the only three Water Attribute Spell Techniques he knew.
The Cloud Rain Technique was a basic Spell Technique for Spirit Planters.
It was the first Spell Technique Shen Xuan had learned after arriving at Qinglong Bay Market.
When he heard that most Spirit Planters lived in hardship, he gave it up.
The Spirit Planter who had taught him worked from dawn to dusk. After paying the land rent, the Spirit Rice he harvested was only enough to cover his rent and put food on the table.
He had neither the energy nor the time to cultivate.
The Water Shield Technique and Water Blade Technique were used in combat. They had both been at the Proficient Stage, yet they had automatically advanced to the Mastery Stage too.
"So the Water Control Talent can improve the Proficiency of all Water Law techniques!"
Shen Xuan could hardly contain his delight.
He'd gained so much tonight; he ought to celebrate!
He got up and stepped into the bedroom.
Ding Yuyao was half-asleep.
Suddenly, a tremendous force bound her.
Then the ground heaved and the sky turned upside down!
Afterward.
Ding Yuyao asked in confusion, "Husband, what happened?"
"Nothing! I've been a little worked up lately."
"Husband, you're so wicked!"
"And you call that wicked? The little temptresses at Tianxiang Pavilion are the real wicked ones!"
"You're not allowed to go!"
Shen Xuan wore a mischievous grin.
"That depends on how you behave, Yaoyao!"
"All right! I'll let you see what I'm really capable of!"
Before you continue