"Five-One-Two Waters: total Big Blue Fish yield, two thousand seven hundred jin. Average weight, three jin and seven liang."
The steward aboard the large boat took out a storage pouch and paid Chen Jianghe his wages.
Ninety-seven grains of spirit sand again.
His wages the previous year had also been ninety-seven grains of spirit sand. This seemed to be Xiao Hei's limit.
Big Blue Fish had not awakened their intelligence, but they could instinctively absorb spiritual energy, giving them the innate pedigree to grace cultivators' dining tables.
By comparison, Black Crystal Mystic Tortoises fell far short.
Xiao Hei had successfully awakened its intelligence after taking a Spirit-Opening Pill, but its innate pedigree was inferior to that of Big Blue Fish. Although it had already achieved Qi Induction into the Body, it still could not advance into the ranks of spirit beasts.
Big Blue Fish were violent by nature. Xiao Hei could keep them in check while they were fry, improving their survival rate, but once they grew, they no longer submitted to its control.
"If I want a breakthrough in total yield and average weight, Xiao Hei will have to advance into the ranks of spirit beasts."
Chen Jianghe understood the reasoning behind it.
But the Black Crystal Mystic Tortoise's innate pedigree was far too poor. It was nothing like what he had initially imagined-that it could advance within five or six years at most.
Even Big Blue Fish, which could instinctively absorb spiritual energy, could not advance into the ranks of spirit beasts, let alone a Black Crystal Mystic Tortoise.
After observing it over the past year or two.
Chen Jianghe felt that if a Big Blue Fish took a Spirit-Opening Pill, it would barely compare to a human with a five-element mixed spiritual root.
A Black Crystal Mystic Tortoise still fell some way short of a human with a five-element mixed spiritual root.
This left him thoroughly frustrated. Never mind his own five-element mixed spiritual root; he had never expected his bound pet's spiritual root to be even worse.
He did not even know whether a single Qi-Nourishing Pill could help Xiao Hei advance into the ranks of spirit beasts.
Still, whether it could help Xiao Hei advance or not, he had to buy that Qi-Nourishing Pill for it.
He had promised Xiao Hei that back then.
If he failed to honor his promise, damaging his authority as its master would be a minor matter; dampening Xiao Hei's enthusiasm for work would be the real problem.
He was still counting on Xiao Hei to help him feed the fish!
Without Xiao Hei's help, his annual wages would probably have been only a little over fifty grains of spirit sand. They could never have reached the outrageous sum of ninety-seven grains.
Moreover, Xiao Hei's help gave Chen Jianghe time to practice spells. That was also why he had mastered four spells while only at Qi Refining, Second Layer.
The Minor Water-Control Technique, Water-Avoidance Spell, Water Arrow Technique, and Lesser Cloud-and-Rain Art.
In fact, once he became proficient in the Minor Water-Control Technique, other minor water spells were easy to pick up.
He had wanted to practice the Water Escape Technique so he would have a means of saving his life, but his magical power was insufficient. He would need to reach at least Qi Refining Third Layer.
"Xiao Hei, until I return, stay hidden in the deep mud at the bottom of the lake. Whatever you do, don't come out."
"When work starts next year, I'll reward you with a Qi-Nourishing Pill."
Chen Jianghe sent the message to Xiao Hei through the Spirit-Turtle Mark on his spiritual platform. Before long, a string of bubbles rose from the lakebed.
He rowed the fishing boat toward Port No. 1.
"What's this? Has something happened?!"
Chen Jianghe stepped onto the port and looked at the Fisher-Farmers passing by. His eyes narrowed, and questions arose in his mind.
Most of the Fisher-Farmers at the port looked dispirited, their faces overcast with dark clouds. An indescribable sense of oppression hung over the entire port.
As he entered the marketplace, the vendors' cries that he could usually hear from far away were nowhere to be heard.
The mortals also wore worried expressions, as though something momentous had happened.
"Something affecting both the Fisher-Farmers and the mortals—could something have happened to the Yun Household?"
All year round, Chen Jianghe traveled only between two places and seldom interacted with the outside world. Especially during this year's fish dormancy period, he had bought a month's worth of daily necessities at a time so he could practice his new spell, the Lesser Cloud-and-Rain Art.
He arrived at the Welcoming Inn.
Gao Peiyao was already there.
Gao Peiyao was no longer the timid, somewhat malnourished little girl she had been two years earlier.
Two years of cultivation had brought a tremendous change to her bearing.
Although she wore a Fisher-Farmer's coarse cloth skirt, she had blossomed over those two years into a graceful young woman. Her skin was like congealed cream, her brows delicate and eyes clear, her nose straight and finely tipped, and her lips like cinnabar. With her classic oval face, she was unmistakably a beauty in the making.
"Qi Refining, Second Layer?!" From the fluctuations of Gao Peiyao's magical power, he could tell that her cultivation had already broken through to Qi Refining, Second Layer.
Gao Peiyao had embarked on the immortal path only two years ago, yet she had already caught up with him and Yu Daniu.
A four-element false spiritual root was stronger than a five-element mixed spiritual root, but only to a limited extent. Clearly, Gao Peiyao had probably taken Qi-Nourishing Pills.
And more than one.
A Qi-Nourishing Pill cost two spirit stones. If Gao Peiyao had taken two over those two years, that would have cost four spirit stones.
It seemed Old Gao had probably left her more than five spirit stones.
"Peiyao."
"Brother Jianghe."
Gao Peiyao rose and invited Chen Jianghe to sit, then poured him a cup of tea. The timidity she had once shown was gone from her face.
Before long, Yu Daniu also entered the private room.
Once everyone had arrived, Gao Peiyao asked the attendant to serve the dishes. Her speech was elegant and her manner poised, and she then took the seat of honor.
Gao Peiyao was hosting this year.
"Little Sister Peiyao, you've broken through to Qi Refining, Second Layer? How enviable. Brother Jianghe and I took six years."
Sensing the fluctuations of magical power around Gao Peiyao, Yu Daniu spoke with some surprise.
"Those who come before plant the trees, and those who follow enjoy their shade. It was entirely thanks to the spirit stones Grandpa left me that I could reach Qi Refining, Second Layer in just two years."
Gao Peiyao's voice was sweet and lilting, her eyes shimmering like rippling water.
At the mention of Old Gao, gratitude showed in Yu Daniu's eyes. If Old Gao had not given him a spirit stone, he would probably have reached Qi Refining, Second Layer a year later.
The wine and dishes arrived.
The three ate and chatted, and the conversation inevitably turned to the Yun Household.
Chen Jianghe was a homebody and poorly informed.
After being swindled by Wang Kui, Yu Daniu had also become withdrawn around outsiders. Whenever he came to the port's marketplace, he usually left quickly after buying his daily necessities.
He practically seemed to be competing with Chen Jianghe over who could be more of a recluse.
During her two years in the outer waters, Gao Peiyao had befriended several female Fisher-Farmers. They visited one another in their spare time, so she had picked up some news.
"What? The Yun Household's Foundation Establishment Ancestor is nearing the end of his lifespan!"
Yu Daniu cried out in shock.
Foundation Establishment Ancestors had long lifespans and could live for two hundred and twenty years. With some life-extending pills, their maximum lifespan could reach two hundred and forty years.
"The Yun Household's current ancestor reached Foundation Establishment only a hundred years ago. He should have nearly another hundred years to live, at the very least. How could he suddenly be nearing his end?"
When the Yun Household's Foundation Establishment Ancestor had reached Foundation Establishment was no secret. Chen Jianghe had heard about it too.
"I heard that a Foundation Establishment Pill appeared at Qinghe Market a month ago. The Yun Household's ancestor won it at auction, but someone ambushed him on his way back to Mirror Moon Lake. He was gravely injured, and the Foundation Establishment Pill was lost as well."
"What? Ambushing a Foundation Establishment Ancestor? Who would dare!"
"To gravely injure a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, the attacker must also have been a Foundation Establishment Ancestor."
Gao Peiyao raised her phoenix eyes slightly and spoke slowly.
Chen Jianghe understood why the Fisher-Farmers and mortals at the port all had faces shrouded in clouds of worry.
The mortals could earn plenty of silver at the port to support their families, and the Fisher-Farmers could earn a steady income at Mirror Moon Lake to fund their cultivation, all because of the Yun Household, a foundation establishment immortal clan.
If the Yun Household's Foundation Establishment Ancestor died without a new Foundation Establishment Ancestor emerging, the Yun Household would fall from a foundation establishment immortal clan to a qi refining aristocratic clan with deep reserves.
Never mind whether they could continue to hold their dominant position at Mirror Moon Lake-even their survival would probably be in question.
The Yun Household did, after all, have an enemy faction.
That faction was also a foundation establishment immortal clan.
(End of chapter)
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