Liu Yu Arrived

On the seventeenth day of the eighth month, Year 5492 of the Yuanguang Calendar, Liu Yu reached Jade Pearl Island before nightfall.

In the rear courtyard pavilion of Qingxin Abbey.

"Eldest Senior Brother, what was so urgent that you sent an islander to Linghua Island to find me?"

"Good news! Wonderful news! You must be tired from the journey. Sit down and have some tea first."

Zhao Yi poured a cup of tea, pushed it toward Liu Yu, and spoke to him with a smile.

Seeing this, Liu Yu sat down, picked up the cup, and drank his tea at ease. He really was rather thirsty after rushing all the way here.

"How have things been on Linghua Island lately? Hm? Liu Yu, you've reached Minor Achievement of Meridian Opening! Good! Good! Good!"

"Yes. Refining that spirit pearl not only brought me to Minor Achievement of Meridian Opening, but also allowed me to begin cultivating the Lesser Celestial Circuit."

Liu Yu spoke with a smile, then continued:

"Oh, right, Senior Brother. After returning to Linghua Island, I activated the Spiritual Root Testing Platform to test Chunsheng's aptitude. He has a low-grade water spiritual root, with a spiritual energy sensitivity of 28, just a little short of a mid-grade spiritual root!"

A spiritual root sensitivity score between 10 and 30 generally meant low grade, 31 to 50 meant mid grade, and 51 to 70 meant high grade.

Anything higher was beyond what ordinary mortals could attain. Anyone born with such aptitude could be called a natural Dao physique!

"Daoist Mu spent so many years on Jade Pearl Island, yet he probably never tested the islanders' spiritual roots. Otherwise, how could Chunsheng have reached his teens before we discovered his aptitude?" Liu Yu said ruefully.

"Haha! In that case, Daoist Mu was our treasure-delivering boy, and Jade Pearl Island is our blessed land!"

"By the way, has anyone come to visit lately?" Zhao Yi asked.

"No."

"Mm. How is the spirit-nurturing powder production going?"

"In our spare time, the three of us worked together to make a hundred jin. We used up all the demonic beast bones in storage."

Zhao Yi nodded. Spirit-nurturing powder was generally sold to cultivators who farmed spiritual fields on the surrounding islands.

On Azure Cloud Island, it sold for one spirit stone per five jin. Zhao Yi and the others charged the same price, but theirs was excellent quality, made with generous quantities of ingredients.

Nearby cultivators always bought the spirit-nurturing powder they needed for the following year when the Little Wave Island trade fair began. They never went to Azure Cloud Island to buy it.

Azure Cloud Island was far away. A round-trip boat journey there cost two spirit stones.

It was already the eighth month. Counting the days, the spirit rice had begun filling out its grains. After that, it would take roughly another month and a half to ripen.

Once the spirit rice was harvested, it would be time to go to the Little Wave Island trade fair.

This hundred jin of spirit-nurturing powder would fetch twenty spirit stones at least.

"All right, it's getting late. You've spent the whole day traveling. Let's eat first. After dinner, I'll take you to see for yourself!"

The two rose and went to the kitchen.

"How much spirit rice did you bring this time? How many Essence-Nurturing Pills?"

"Senior Brother, I brought all of it-six jin of spirit rice in total. There isn't a single Essence-Nurturing Pill left."

Late that night, when all was quiet, Zhao Yi brought Liu Yu to Jade Pearl Spring. Zhao Yi told him about the spirit fish, leaving Liu Yu utterly astonished as well.

When the moon rose above the branches, the spirit fish emerged. Zhao Yi called Liu Yu over and pointed at the school. Liu Yu looked at the water, then turned to Zhao Yi.

Only then did Zhao Yi remember that Liu Yu could not see the fish. He sent him a voice transmission, telling him to use the Spirit-Piercing Dharma Eye.

A moment later.

"Senior Brother, these... these are spirit fish?" Liu Yu asked uncertainly.

"That's right. A whole school of spirit fish, fifty-seven in all."

"Senior Brother, can spirit fish be this small? Could these be fry?"

"How could anyone have put fry here? They were born and raised by nature!" Zhao Yi looked steadily at Liu Yu.

"I've been grinding spirit rice into flour and feeding them for a month now. A few of them have indeed grown."

"Spirit rice? Rice flour? These spirit fish only need rice flour? They don't eat anything else?" Liu Yu was very surprised. After all, spirit rice was easy to obtain, but fish feed was hard to find.

"I'm only feeding them spirit rice flour at the moment. In just a month, one of the two-inch fish has already grown to three inches," Zhao Yi said with satisfaction.

"What kind of spirit fish are they?"

"I'm not sure. They were probably ordinary fish that absorbed spiritual energy and became spirit fish in recent years. If they'd been spirit fish from the beginning, Daoist Mu would have discovered them long ago, having lived here for decades!"

Liu Yu nodded.

That was true. They had discovered this school of spirit fish after such a short time on Jade Pearl Island. Daoist Mu had lived here for decades; there was no reason he would not have found them.

Zhao Yi scattered three handfuls of rice flour. Once the fish finished their food, they poked their heads out of the water one after another to absorb the moon's essence.

"These fish can absorb moon essence too?" Liu Yu asked in surprise.

"Yes. I was just as surprised at the time."

"Ancient texts say that moon essence, also called Emperor's Flowing Essence, is a substance of utmost yin and utmost cold. It helps demonic beasts awaken their intelligence and transform into demons. When cultivators absorb moon essence, it can strengthen their minds and expand their Divine Sense. Perhaps these fish have some of those effects too!"

"The Zhao Family of Little Wave Island raises a type of spirit fish called Jade-Bone Fish. They grow five inches long and are translucent as jade. Eating them can slightly improve cultivation speed and bolster blood and qi. They sell for two spirit stones apiece at the market."

"Once the spirit fish in this spring grow to three inches, we can try eating one!"

Liu Yu calmly analyzed the spirit fish.

"Exactly, Liu Yu! I hadn't even thought of that! If these spirit fish can strengthen the mind, they truly are a heaven-sent treasure."

Zhao Yi spoke to Liu Yu as though he had suddenly seen the light.

The two stayed at Jade Pearl Spring until the roosters crowed and the fish returned to the dark underwater cave.

After their morning practice, Liu Yu spoke over breakfast. "Senior Brother, let me stay here and look after these spirit fish. The spirit rice harvest is coming up. You should go back and keep an eye on it."

"No need. You go back first. I'll return when the spirit rice harvest draws near. In the meantime, do your best to help Wang Qing break through to the Meridian Opening stage. Once he reaches it, we'll have a little less pressure on us."

"Mm. Wang Qing should be able to break through to the Meridian Opening stage before the Little Wave Island trade fair. He's been very diligent in his cultivation lately, often going into seclusion for several days at a time." Thinking of Wang Qing's recent efforts, Liu Yu could not help praising him to Zhao Yi.

"All the better!"

After breakfast, Liu Yu hurried away.

Once Liu Yu left, Zhao Yi resumed his demanding yet regular routine.

Time flew, and gradually another seven or eight of the spirit fish grew to two inches long.

On the sixth day of the tenth month, Zhao Yi returned from patrolling the sea and saw Wang Qing standing at the abbey gates. Something seemed a little different about him.

Only when Zhao Yi drew closer did he realize that Wang Qing had actually broken through to the Meridian Opening stage. His aura was still somewhat unstable; he had probably come over as soon as he broke through.

Seeing this, Zhao Yi smiled. "You broke through to the Meridian Opening stage in just three short months, Wang Qing! You certainly live up to your old reputation as Linghua Island's number-one genius!"

"Oh, come on, what number-one genius? Senior Brother, don't tease me."

Wang Qing flushed and, before his words had quite faded, continued, "Still, there really aren't many people in the nearby waters who've broken through to the Meridian Opening stage at eighteen!"

"Haha, that's true. The spirit rice on Linghua Island should be nearly ripe, right? Let's have something to eat and rest a little, then head straight back to Linghua Island."

Wang Qing nodded. The two packed their things and returned to Linghua Island that afternoon.