Heavy Water

Seeing what the Ningxi Pearl could do, Zhou Er was overjoyed. With this pearl, he could speed up his study of spells.

It would save him at least thirty percent of the time.

"Thank you, Sister Fan."

Once again, Zhou Er experienced the joys of living off a woman.

Aside from losing face, he had yet to find any downside to being a live-in son-in-law.

"We're family. There's no need to be so formal."

Gu Fan said generously.

She spared no expense when it came to Zhou Er.

After the two shared a tender moment, Zhou Er quietly slipped into an empty room and equipped the Ningxi Pearl in his Equipment Slot.

[Name: Zhou Er]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Tenth Layer (27.19%)]

[Equipment Slot (3/3): Calm-spirit Cushion, Ningxi Pearl, Storage Bag.]

[Unsolidified Attributes: Mind Stabilization, Mystic Water Insight (White), Void Breaking (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Size Manipulation, Defensive Guard...]

The Size Manipulation attribute on the Ruyi Ring had solidified as soon as Zhou Er reached the Qi Refining Tenth Layer.

[Mind Stabilization: Stabilizes the soul; Spiritual Sense Strength increases by ten percent.]

[Solidification Condition: Meditate and cultivate for one thousand hours. (821/1000)]

However, the Mind Stabilization attribute still needed a little over a month to solidify.

From now on, if he wanted to equip anything else, he would have to temporarily remove the Storage Bag.

The ability to flash ten meters away was certainly useful, but he could only use it once a day, so there was no need to keep it equipped all the time.

For now, his main task was to focus on practicing the Water Mirror Technique.

After all, it was a second-tier spell, generally used only by Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and it consumed a great deal of mana.

Zhou Er had looked into it. With his current total Spirit Energy, he should just barely be able to cast a second-tier spell once.

After all, he had the Mana Abundance attribute, which increased his Mana Limit by thirty percent. He was not far behind a cultivator at Qi Refining Perfection.

Still, the Water Mirror Technique was more complicated than Zhou Er had imagined, and he made no breakthrough in the short term.

Fortunately, he was living on Fanhua Island, in Gu Fan's Cave Mansion, without having to pay rent. He was in no hurry to earn Spirit Stones.

For the time being, he could take the hours he spent making talismans each day and devote them to studying the Water Mirror Technique.

Gu Fan would not disturb him, though she regretted that she could not find him a teacher.

There was no shortage of Foundation Establishment Experts who had built their foundations on water within the Gu Family, but they were all busy. They could hardly come to the island to teach him.

"Brother Er, how about I spend a few more Spirit Stones and invite an Expert who knows the Water Mirror Technique to come teach you?"

Seeing Zhou Er absorbed in the Water Mirror Technique but troubled every day by its complexity, Gu Fan had this thought.

"No need, Sister Fan. I've found my direction, and I'm making progress every day."

Zhou Er shook his head. Hiring a Foundation Establishment Expert to teach him a spell would cost more than Spirit Stones; it would also incur a debt of gratitude.

The Water Mirror Technique was difficult, but Zhou Er had mastered quite a few spells already. It was not as though he had no clue where to begin.

The manuals Mother Gu had left behind contained detailed instructions, and Zhou Er could study them at his own pace.

But knowing the theory was one thing; actually casting the spell was another.

Fortunately, Zhou Er had the Mystic Water Insight attribute, which increased his comprehension of Water Attribute Spells by thirty percent. Though he spent hours on it every day, he could see himself improving.

The feeling of making progress day after day had him utterly absorbed.

"All right!"

Seeing that Zhou Er refused, Gu Fan did not press him.

She also began taking her own cultivation more seriously.

In the blink of an eye, more than three months passed.

The peach trees in Fanhua Island's Peach Garden were now laden with fruit.

Beneath the trees, Bai Zhuozhuo watched Zhou Er finish forming the spell, then asked,

"Son-in-law, are you ready?"

"Sister Bai, I'm ready."

Zhou Er conjured a water mirror in front of him, nodded, and replied.

Bai Zhuozhuo immediately swung her sword at the mirror. The Sword Qi struck the water mirror before Zhou Er, sending ripples across its surface, then was absorbed.

In the next instant, an identical streak of Sword Qi shot out of the mirror, but its power was far weaker.

Even so, Bai Zhuozhuo was deeply astonished.

He had mastered a second-tier spell in just over three months. Zhou Er's talent was truly extraordinary.

No wonder he had become a Talisman Master at such a young age. His comprehension really was exceptional.

"Congratulations, Son-in-law, on mastering the Water Mirror Technique."

Bai Zhuozhuo put away her sword and cupped her hands.

"I still have a long way to go."

Zhou Er shook his head. He was still dissatisfied with the Water Mirror Technique's results.

It took a long time to cast and consumed a lot of mana. Zhou Er could only cast it once with his current mana, and the reflected spell was still less than a tenth as powerful as the original.

Of course, his proficiency was still low. With practice, he could gradually overcome these shortcomings.

"Here, Brother Er, Sister Bai. Have some peaches."

Gu Fan went to pick some spirit peaches and handed them to the two.

The three sat in the Peach Forest and began eating.

"Miss Fan, now that Son-in-law can stand on his own, I can leave without worrying. I'm planning to take a chance on obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill, so I'll be away from Fanhua Island for half a year. During that time, you'll have to rely on Son-in-law for protection."

After finishing her peach, Bai Zhuozhuo said.

Now that she had reached Qi Refining Perfection, she had to start thinking about Foundation Establishment.

"Sister Bai, we could wait for the auction in Bashui Immortal City. There may be a Foundation Establishment Pill there. You don't have to take such a big risk."

Gu Fan knew Bai Zhuozhuo wanted to enter the Yunmeng Marsh Secret Realm in the Chu State and obtain Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

The Yunmeng Marsh Secret Realm was a secret realm within the Chu State. Only Qi Refining Cultivators could enter, and it was controlled by the Three Great Sects of Chu. It opened once every ten years.

Anyone from the Chu State had a chance to enter and search for treasure, but after leaving, they had to turn over half of what they had found.

In theory, they were all people of the Chu State. Once inside the secret realm, they could work together, gather resources, and leave as a group.

But the secret realm was sealed off from the outside world, and no one could see what happened within it.

Besides, the secret realm's resources were limited each time it opened. Why painstakingly search for resources when you could take them from someone else?

So every time the secret realm opened, a considerable number of people died mysteriously—one-third of all those who entered.

And among those who made it out alive, anyone outside the Three Great Sects had gained very little. They could barely find anything useful.

No one could investigate what happened inside the secret realm. They could only accept their bad luck.

In essence, Bai Zhuozhuo's trip to the secret realm was a gamble.

But with her cultivation, her odds of winning were quite high.

"Miss Fan, auctions aren't held all the time, either. I'm already twenty-eight. I can't afford to delay any longer. Besides, my master was on good terms with several Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Yunmeng Sect. I'll travel with Yunmeng Sect disciples in the secret realm this time, so there may not be any danger."

Bai Zhuozhuo replied.

"If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author instead. Maybe it was just renamed!"

"All right, Sister Bai, be careful. If things go wrong, abandon everything you've found. Just make sure you come back safely."

Gu Fan nodded. She knew how fierce the competition for Foundation Establishment Pills was.

Without taking risks, it was difficult to obtain one.

Bai Zhuozhuo was only one Foundation Establishment Pill away from attempting Foundation Establishment. Gu Fan had no way to stop her.

"Don't worry, Miss Fan. Maybe I'll bring back even more Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures from the Yunmeng Marsh Secret Realm this time. Then I can exchange them for extra Foundation Establishment Pills, and there'll be enough for all of us."

Bai Zhuozhuo said with a smile. She was thinking of Gu Fan's Foundation Establishment, too.

"Sister Bai, I'm only at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer. There's no rush."

Gu Fan said.

"Sister Bai, I also plan to cultivate to Qi Refining Perfection before thinking about Foundation Establishment. I'm in no hurry for that Foundation Establishment Pill."

Zhou Er chimed in.

"It's fine. Better to prepare early."

Bai Zhuozhuo shook her head.

Of course, the more Foundation Establishment Pills, the better. After all, one pill could not guarantee a successful breakthrough.

The three stayed in the Peach Garden for a while, then returned to the Cave Mansion to cultivate.

The next day, Zhou Er and Gu Fan saw Bai Zhuozhuo off.

Gu Fan took out some of her father's belongings and handed them to Bai Zhuozhuo, saying,

"These were gifts my father received from several Foundation Establishment Experts of the Yunmeng Sect while he was alive. With these, those Experts should look after you a little more, Sister Bai."

"Thank you, Miss. After I leave, you and Son-in-law shouldn't leave the island without good reason. If you run into danger, hide in the Cave Mansion and wait for me to return."

Bai Zhuozhuo said earnestly.

"Mm! Don't worry, Sister Bai. I still have Brother Er with me."

Gu Fan nodded as well. She knew what to do.

As for Zhou Er, he figured he would have to avoid leaving the island for a while. He still needed to study the Water Mirror Technique and Heavy Water Cage, anyway, and had no plans to leave Fanhua Island.

After Bai Zhuozhuo left, Zhou Er and Gu Fan returned to the Cave Mansion together.

"Sister Fan, I have a few questions about Foundation Establishment Pills."

On the way, Zhou Er said.

"I heard Uncle Jiu say the family gets three Foundation Establishment Pill allocations every year. With Sister Bai's ability, couldn't she get one?"

Zhou Er asked.

Bai Zhuozhuo was the strongest Qi Refining Cultivator he had ever met, stronger even than the Late-stage Qi Refining disciples he had seen at the Xiayun Sect. Even among the Gu Family's Qi Refining Cultivators, she should rank in the top three.

"Sister Bai isn't a member of the Gu Family. I hired her to protect Fanhua Island."

Gu Fan explained,

"Sister Bai is my master's disciple, but she has few ties to the family. Besides, though the Gu Family gets three Foundation Establishment Pills each year, two are claimed well in advance. The last one is the only one left for everyone else to compete over."

"Only one?"

Zhou Er was stunned.

"That's right! Outstanding direct descendants can receive several Foundation Establishment Pills in a row, until they break through to Foundation Establishment. That already takes up many of the pills, so there are fewer available in the following years. On average, the other clan members have to compete for that one Foundation Establishment Pill each year."

Gu Fan nodded and said.

Besides, many Foundation Establishment Experts used their authority to reserve Foundation Establishment Pills for their direct descendants long in advance.

If Gu Fan's parents had still been alive, she would have had a Foundation Establishment Pill reserved for her early on, too.

Unfortunately, after her parents died, someone quietly took that allocation away.

After that, Zhou Er asked Gu Fan a few more questions about Foundation Establishment Pills.

The Gu Family's remaining Foundation Establishment Pill allocation was awarded at the annual Family Grand Competition.

Any member of the Gu Family under the age of thirty could take part.

Even outsiders like Zhou Er, a live-in son-in-law, and female cultivators who had married into the Gu Family were allowed to participate.

The winner of the Family Grand Competition would receive that Foundation Establishment Pill.

Although Zhou Er had reached the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, he was still far from Qi Refining Perfection.

Even by the end of the year, he could at most reach the Eleventh Level of Qi Refining, still well short of Qi Refining Perfection.

Though he had plenty of attributes and could force himself to take a shot, doing so would inevitably expose his trump cards in front of the Gu Family elders. It would not be a wise move.

So Zhou Er decided to skip this year's Gu Family Grand Competition and wait until next year, when his chances were better.

For now, he would build up his strength and improve everything he could.

After that, he only needed to keep practicing the Water Mirror Technique, then move on to the Heavy Water Cage.

After Bai Zhuozhuo left, Zhou Er felt the mood on Fanhua Island grow unsettled.

The islanders seemed somewhat unwilling to follow orders.

After all, Gu Fan's presence was far less imposing than Bai Zhuozhuo's.

Still, they were members of the Gu Family, with the family backing them, and the islanders had all once served Gu Fan's parents.

Though they were somewhat lax, they continued working on Fanhua Island as usual and were still fairly obedient.

Zhou Er had no part in running Fanhua Island. He did not understand the situation well and did not interfere, but he had a vague sense that something was wrong.

He could not quite say what, exactly.

In the blink of an eye, another two months passed.

Zhou Er had completely mastered the Water Mirror Technique, and he had refined a teacup's worth of heavy water for the Heavy Water Cage.

For the heavy water in the Heavy Water Cage to be useful, he needed at least one cubic meter.

Heavy water weighed several times as much as ordinary water. The heavy water Zhou Er had refined weighed twice as much as regular water.

Judging by the amount he could refine now, he would need two thousand tons of heavy water.

That was nowhere near enough. He could only build up his supply slowly, and he also needed a Storage Artifact that could hold the heavy water.

[Mystic Water Insight (White): Comprehension of Water Attribute Spells increases by thirty percent.]

[Solidification Condition: Master five Water Attribute Spells. (3/5)]

Two more spells were needed to solidify the Mystic Water Insight attribute.

Once he mastered the Heavy Water Cage, he would only need one more. Zhou Er still needed to look through the spells his mother-in-law had left behind and find one he could learn quickly, preferably a first-tier spell.

Soon, Zhou Er came across the first-tier spell Rainmaking.

It gathered clouds and brought down rain, allowing one to water spirit plants, though its range was not particularly large.

Still, the advantage of Rainmaking was that it was relatively easy to learn and took less time to master.

Of course, that did not mean Rainmaking was useless.

When not fighting anyone, Rainmaking was more useful than other offensive spells.

After all, during a drought, Rainmaking could bring a little vitality to spirit plants.

Once he had chosen a spell, Zhou Er only needed to practice it step by step. He didn't need to think any more about this entry.

Instead, the Cicada Concealment entry of the Golden Cicada Slough had always been what troubled Zhou Er most.

The Golden Cicada Slough was a keepsake from Gu Fan's father. Even though they had been married for a hundred days, he still didn't know how to bring it up.

No matter how he put it, it would sound terribly wrong, and Gu Fan would definitely get angry with him.

But after thinking it over, Zhou Er realized that Gu Fan didn't burn incense every day, nor did she make a point of inspecting the slough.

As long as he could make something similar to replace it, he could take the original without anyone noticing.

Once the Cicada Concealment entry had been fixed in place, he could quietly put the Golden Cicada Slough back.

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