Three Years

Chen Jianghe swam up to the lake's surface and returned to his fishing boat. He did not write to Yu Daniu to ask whether he had lent Wang Kui any spirit sand.

His relationship with Yu Daniu was only slightly better than his relationships with the other fisher-farmers. They were not close enough to talk about everything.

Wang Kui was also Yu Daniu's neighbor, so it would be understandable if Yu Daniu wanted to be on good terms with him.

As for Wang Kui's habit of borrowing without repaying, word had long since spread throughout the Outer Waters. There was no need for him to waste his breath.

No wall in the world could keep the wind from seeping through. Speaking ill of someone behind their back would invite hatred, which did not suit his discreet, cautious way of doing things.

Besides, people could teach someone over and over without getting through, while a single lesson from experience could make everything clear.

Entering the cabin, Chen Jianghe began cultivating. He circulated the Origin Returning True Water Art, absorbing and refining the thin spiritual energy above the lake, cycling it through his meridians to improve his cultivation.

Time slipped away, like a white steed flashing past a crack in the wall.

Three years flowed swiftly past like water.

Chen Jianghe was twenty years old. Compared to his lifespan of two hundred and forty years, he had traveled less than a tenth of the way.

Over those three years, Chen Jianghe's cultivation had improved. His Dantian Qi Sea had expanded to the size of an eyeball, and he estimated that he would break through to Qi Refining, Second Layer within a year at most.

Of the spells included in the Origin Returning True Water Art, he had learned the Water Arrow Technique in addition to the Minor Water-Control Technique and the Water-Avoidance Spell.

When cast, his water-aspected magical power could condense into a water arrow half a foot long, capable of piercing a wooden plank one finger thick.

His cultivation was still too low. A low-grade Water Arrow Talisman could release a three-foot-long water arrow capable of piercing the hundredfold-forged armor of the mortal world, equivalent to an all-out strike from someone at the Qi Refining Third Layer.

Still, he now had a means of attack.

He had also raised three batches of big blue fish.

In the first year, the total yield of big blue fish had reached two thousand three hundred jin, with an average weight of three jin and six liang, earning him eighty-three grains of spirit sand.

In the second year, the total yield of big blue fish had been two thousand five hundred jin. Their average weight had remained three jin and six liang, earning him eighty-five grains of spirit sand.

In the third year, the total yield of big blue fish had been two thousand six hundred jin, and their average weight had also increased, reaching three jin and seven liang, earning him ninety-six grains of spirit sand.

His total earnings over the three years came to two hundred and eighty-two grains of spirit sand. Adding the twenty-eight grains left after buying the Spirit-Opening Pill brought the total to three hundred and ten.

Subtracting the thirty grains of spirit sand he had spent over those three years, Chen Jianghe now had two hundred and eighty grains saved.

As before, apart from going to the port to buy daily necessities, he spent his time cultivating on his fishing boat, with no other recreational activities.

Naturally, he accumulated spirit sand quite quickly.

In the second month after taking the Spirit-Opening Pill, Xiao Hei had awakened spiritual intelligence. When Chen Jianghe went underwater, he saw that Xiao Hei could already sense spiritual energy and was drawing it in with a steady rhythm.

This made Chen Jianghe wonder whether spirit beasts needed no cultivation arts and relied entirely on the most basic method of breathing in spiritual energy and refining it.

Or perhaps, after spirit beasts awakened spiritual intelligence, they activated the legendary inheritance within their bloodlines.

Over those three years, although Xiao Hei had yet to enter a grade, Chen Jianghe could clearly sense the abundant spiritual energy within Xiao Hei, far more than in the big blue fish he raised.

Xiao Hei was probably close to entering a grade and becoming a spirit beast.

Thus, when the Yun Household came to collect the fish that morning, he had Xiao Hei burrow into deeper mud at the bottom of the lake to avoid being detected by the large ship's steward with his divine sense.

Should I buy Xiao Hei a Qi-Nourishing Pill ahead of time?

Chen Jianghe pondered this.

He now had two hundred and eighty grains of spirit sand saved, enough to buy a Qi-Nourishing Pill.

Xiao Hei's body was now brimming with spiritual energy. All that was needed was an opportunity to draw that energy inward and advance to become a spirit beast.

A Qi-Nourishing Pill should help Xiao Hei complete that advancement.

After a little thought, he felt that something was not quite right.

This was the second time he had promised Xiao Hei a reward as an incentive. Giving the reward ahead of time would encourage Xiao Hei to grow lax.

After all, Xiao Hei had produced no outstanding results in raising the big blue fish over those three years. Although Xiao Hei becoming a spirit beast would also increase his own lifespan, two hundred and forty years was entirely sufficient for him at present.

A moment later, Chen Jianghe made his decision.

He would buy a Qi-Nourishing Pill, but not for Xiao Hei to take. He would take it himself. With his current cultivation, taking one Qi-Nourishing Pill should allow him to break through to Qi Refining, Second Layer.

That would also spare him a year of arduous cultivation.

To others, saving spirit sand to buy a Qi-Nourishing Pill for a breakthrough would seem perfectly normal.

If he kept saving spirit sand without ever spending it, not only would others start coveting it, they would also find it puzzling.

This year's big blue fish had already been collected, and it was time to head to Port No. 1 to fulfill the three of them's agreement to meet once a year.

"During this year's Fish Dormancy Period, Old Gao sent word that he was leaving Mirror Moon Lake. He hasn't sent another message since. I wonder whether he's returned from outside."

Over those three years, both Old Gao and Yu Daniu had changed somewhat.

With the end of his lifespan approaching, Old Gao had grown gloomy and unhappy, no longer as mild-mannered as he had been in the first two years. At their gathering the previous year, he had even lost his temper with Yu Daniu.

It had been over Yu Daniu lending spirit sand to Wang Kui.

In the past, Old Gao would at most have offered Yu Daniu a few words of advice. He certainly would not have lost his temper and berated him.

It was only at the previous year's gathering that Chen Jianghe learned Yu Daniu really had lent Wang Kui spirit sand.

Wang Kui had merely exaggerated the amount.

It had not been sixty grains of spirit sand, but thirty.

At first, Yu Daniu had not wanted to lend Wang Kui spirit sand either. He knew a little about Wang Kui's reputation in the Outer Waters.

But he could not withstand Wang Kui's relentless pestering. Wang Kui had lowered the amount from sixty grains to thirty and made all manner of solemn promises.

In the end, out of regard for their relationship as neighbors, Yu Daniu had lent Wang Kui thirty grains of spirit sand, with the agreement that he would repay it after the following year's fish collection.

Yet after the next year's fish collection, the moment they met at the port, Wang Kui had approached Yu Daniu with a beaming smile.

Yu Daniu had thought Wang Kui was about to repay the thirty grains of spirit sand he had borrowed. He had even felt ashamed for misunderstanding Wang Kui because of hearsay.

He had never imagined what would happen.

The first words out of Wang Kui's mouth had been a request to borrow spirit sand, rather than an offer to repay those thirty grains.

And this time, Wang Kui had opened his lion's maw wide, asking to borrow eighty grains of spirit sand outright.

Naturally, Yu Daniu had refused.

But as Wang Kui repeatedly lowered the amount he wanted to borrow, finally adding threats and inducements, Yu Daniu had still ended up lending him twenty grains of spirit sand.

Wang Kui had even sworn on his parents that he would definitely repay Yu Daniu fifty grains of spirit sand the following year.

Yet when they met after another year's fish collection, Wang Kui had once again asked to borrow spirit sand with a smile on his face.

He had said nothing about the fifty grains he had already borrowed.

He had even lowered the amount to five grains of spirit sand.

But this time, Yu Daniu had refused to lend Wang Kui anything, no matter what he said. For that, Wang Kui had loudly hurled abuse at him at the port.

Not only had his fifty grains of spirit sand gone down the drain, he had also gained an openly declared enemy.

Unable to swallow his anger, Yu Daniu had recounted the incident during their gathering at the Welcoming Inn, only to receive a scolding from an agitated Old Gao.

The gathering had ended on an unhappy note.

Chen Jianghe arrived at the market in Port No. 1 and walked into the Welcoming Inn. He did not know whether Old Gao and Yu Daniu would come this time.