Sea Island Cultivator

Myriad Star Sea.

Surging waves crashed against the rocky shores of a sea island, startling the seabirds fishing on the reefs into flapping their wings.

This sea island was shaped like a pair of gourds leaning against each other. It had one large and one small freshwater lake, hence its other name: Twin Lakes Island.

Besides the two freshwater lakes, Twin Lakes Island also had vast plains and forests, as well as a towering, sprawling mountain range—the Red Copper Mountain Range.

"Third layer of Qi Refining, I finally broke through!"

Inside a Cave Mansion in the Red Copper Mountain Range, a young cultivator in a green robe opened his eyes. His hair was tied in a Daoist topknot, his face was like polished jade, and his eyes shone like stars. He spoke excitedly.

Before the young cultivator, a Spirit Eye three inches across was bubbling with spiritual energy.

Seeing this, Chen Daoxuan did not have time to celebrate. He hurriedly took a stone disk covered in Formation Patterns and carefully sealed the Spirit Eye that was leaking spiritual energy.

Only after the Spirit Eye stopped emitting spiritual energy did Chen Daoxuan let out a sigh of relief.

This Spirit Eye was the Chen Family's last one, supporting the cultivation of the family's only two cultivators.

Once the Spirit Eye dried up, Chen Daoxuan and his Thirteenth Uncle, Chen Xianhe, would be left with no choice but to refine the spiritual energy drifting through the air.

When that time came, their cultivation would inevitably be hindered, and they would find it difficult to advance another step.

After tidying himself up, Chen Daoxuan stood and walked out of the Cave Mansion.

The moment he stepped outside—

A graceful maid came jogging over, fragrant sweat beading her brow. She called softly, "Young Master, the Clan Leader requests your presence."

After speaking, the maid looked at Chen Daoxuan, a trace of reverence appearing on her pretty face.

"I understand. You may leave first."

"Yes."

After the maid departed, Chen Daoxuan used the Wind Riding Technique and flew toward another peak in the Red Copper Mountain Range.

Chen Daoxuan was sixteen years old this year. He had already spent a full sixteen years in this unfamiliar world.

In his previous life, Chen Daoxuan had been a mechanical engineer in Hua Country on Earth. After dying in an industrial accident, he had been reborn into this world.

Because he retained the memories of his past life, he had been excited for a long time after learning that this was the cultivation world from the novels and films of his former world.

But under reality's merciless lash, that passion was quickly worn away.

In Chen Daoxuan's view, the cultivation world was far crueler than the civilized society of his previous life.

That cruelty was not reflected merely in killing and bloodshed, but even more in the absolute monopoly the major powers held over cultivation resources.

In this world, sects and great Cultivation Families controlled nearly all cultivation resources.

Small families and Rogue Cultivators could only receive the scraps and leftovers that sects and great Cultivation Families disdained.

The Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island, where Chen Daoxuan lived, was a typical small Cultivation Family.

At its peak, the Chen Family had produced thirteen Qi Refining cultivators.

Although it had no Spirit Vein, it possessed seven Spirit Eyes for cultivators to use in their cultivation.

Not to mention that the Chen Family also controlled a miniature first-grade Spirit Mine—the Red Copper Mine.

As his thoughts turned over—

A mountain peak filled with towering pines soon appeared before Chen Daoxuan.

This was the Cave Mansion of Chen Xianhe, the other cultivator of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island.

As one of the last two surviving cultivators of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island, Chen Xianhe's cultivation was much higher than Chen Daoxuan's. He was already a cultivator at the sixth layer of Qi Refining.

"Thirteenth Uncle!"

Outside the Cave Mansion, Chen Daoxuan called out respectfully.

"Come in."

A somewhat aged voice came from within the Cave Mansion.

Chen Daoxuan entered at the sound of the voice. He saw an old man in a grayish-white robe, his hair tied in a Daoist topknot. Though his hair was white, his complexion was ruddy and youthful. He sat on a Jade Bed, gazing steadily at him.

This old man was Chen Daoxuan's clan uncle, the current Clan Leader of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island, Chen Xianhe.

"Thirteenth Uncle, you wished to see me?"

Unexpectedly, the instant the old man saw Chen Daoxuan, a flash of delight passed through his eyes. He then hurriedly rose from the Jade Bed, crossed the distance in a few steps, and said excitedly, "Daoxuan, your cultivation..."

"I just broke through to the third layer of Qi Refining."

Chen Daoxuan nodded.

Speaking of his recent breakthrough, Chen Daoxuan's face was also full of joy.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Chen Xianhe said "good" three times in succession, then continued, "Who would have thought that after beginning cultivation at six, you would break through the Houtian Stage, then the Innate Stage, and reach the third layer of Qi Refining in only ten short years? Heaven truly blesses our Chen Family!"

As he spoke, Chen Xianhe's expression darkened again. "It is a pity that our Chen Family has declined. If your elder clan brothers were still here, we would have bought you a Meridian-Opening Pill no matter what. Then you would not have wasted five years lingering in the Mortal Realm."

In this world, whether ordinary mortals without spiritual roots or cultivation seeds born with them, all had to undergo cultivation in the Mortal Realm.

That was, the two realms Chen Xianhe had mentioned: the Houtian and Innate Stages.

For mortals, the ninth layer of Houtian in the Mortal Realm was the end of their lives. Without spiritual roots, mortals could never refine spiritual energy and set foot upon the immortal path.

For cultivators, the greatest purpose of the Mortal Realm was merely to nourish the physical body and open the meridians throughout it, laying a foundation for refining spiritual energy in the coming Qi Refining Stage.

Chen Daoxuan began cultivating at six, yet did not break through to Qi Refining Stage One until he was eleven.

After another five years of cultivation, he had only advanced to the third layer of Qi Refining, averaging one layer every two and a half years.

To be honest, such a cultivation speed was nothing worth mentioning in sects or Great Immortal Clans, but in a small family like the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island, it was exceptionally rare and precious.

After all, compared with great Cultivation Families, the cultivation resources of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island were scarce to the extreme. Even compared with Rogue Cultivators, they were not much better off.

Inside the Cave Mansion.

Seeing the guilty look on his clan uncle Chen Xianhe's face, Chen Daoxuan quickly consoled him. "Thirteenth Uncle, why say such things? If you had not saved me during the Demonic Beast unrest in Changping County ten years ago, Daoxuan would have long since gone to the Yellow Springs. How could I have today?"

Hearing Chen Daoxuan say this, Chen Xianhe seemed to recall the warm days after he had rescued Chen Daoxuan and kept him by his side to teach him. A faint smile could not help appearing on his face.

Seeing his Thirteenth Uncle's expression improve, Chen Daoxuan promptly changed the subject with a smile. "Thirteenth Uncle, you called me here because of the Red Copper Mine, correct?"

"Mm."

When Chen Daoxuan brought up serious business, Chen Xianhe's expression also turned solemn. "Though the Red Copper Mine is only a miniature vein, our Chen Family can stand firm on Twin Lakes Island entirely because of this Spirit Mine.

"Unfortunately, after three hundred years of mining, the output of the Red Copper Mine has declined year after year. At its peak, it produced over a hundred jin of Red Copper Ore annually; now, it produces less than five jin a year.

"I estimate that this Spirit Mine is about to run dry."

Hearing this, Chen Daoxuan could not help feeling heavy-hearted.

The Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island had no Spirit Vein. Its only cultivation resource worth mentioning was this Spirit Mine.

Yet no matter how carefully they mined it, the Red Copper Mine was ultimately only a miniature Spirit Mine. That it had lasted three hundred years was already the result of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island's repeated frugality.

Seeing that Chen Daoxuan remained silent, Chen Xianhe continued, "Since the Red Copper Vein is about to run dry, rather than continue mining it carefully and sparingly, we might as well mine it with all our strength!"

"Thirteenth Uncle, this..."

Chen Daoxuan was stunned.

The Red Copper Mine was, after all, the lifeline of the Chen Family of Twin Lakes Island. Aggressive mining meant that the Chen Family would abandon this lifeline. For a Cultivation Family, that was undoubtedly the act of a prodigal.

But the quick-witted Chen Daoxuan understood clearly that Thirteenth Uncle's greatest reason for doing this was to provide him with resources to learn Artifact Refining.

Looking into Thirteenth Uncle Chen Xianhe's resolute eyes, Chen Daoxuan's lips moved. The words of refusal reached his mouth, but what emerged instead was, "Your nephew will obey Thirteenth Uncle's instructions."

The two discussed the details of mining the Red Copper Mine for a while longer, then Chen Daoxuan bowed and took his leave.

Only when he reached the entrance of the Cave Mansion did Chen Xianhe's voice come from behind him. "Daoxuan, now that you have advanced to the third layer of Qi Refining, that Spirit Eye of the family will likely no longer be enough to support the cultivation of us both. From now on... let it be used by you alone!"

These words exploded in Chen Daoxuan's heart like a bolt from the blue, bringing him to an abrupt halt.

Chen Daoxuan turned around, his eyes reddening as he looked at the white-haired old man seated upon the Jade Bed. He knelt respectfully and kowtowed deeply to him.

"Go on, go on!"

Chen Xianhe waved his sleeve, a gratified smile appearing on his face.