Was I Actually a Cultivation Prodigy?

A full moon hung in the sky.

On Peach Blossom Spring Lake, a black-awning boat rocked gently, sending faint ripples across the water.

"I'm back!"

Xu Fan sat cross-legged at the bow. Recalling what had just happened in that other world, he felt a little excited.

He hadn't expected to obtain a cultivation method for immortality before he got one for martial arts!

Who would toil away practicing martial arts when they could cultivate immortality?

At a thought, the Taiji Dao Evolution Diagram deep in his eyes turned slightly.

"The Plain Luminary Supreme Yin Wondrous Instruction, a fifth-grade cultivation method of the Great Yin path. It can be cultivated to the consummation of the Purple Mansion Realm..."

"The Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao-Fetal Breathing, Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Golden Core..."

"Complete the six wheels of Fetal Breathing, then refine the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi corresponding to the cultivation method to become a Qi Refinement cultivator, with a lifespan of three sixty-year cycles."

After studying it carefully, Xu Fan couldn't help frowning.

From the earlier conversation between the Lu father and son, it seemed that Spiritual Qi related to Great Yin had already disappeared?

"Great Yin Spiritual Qi has disappeared from the Land of Wu, but what about here?"

Xu Fan raised his head slightly and gazed at the full moon.

"Do Emperor Flow Serum and Moonlight Yin Qi exist in this world?"

He recalled the essence of moonlight absorbed by the Taiji Dao Evolution Diagram. Did that count as a kind of Great Yin Spiritual Qi?

If none of them existed, he would have to switch cultivation methods to become a Qi Refinement cultivator, or use the Taiji Dao Evolution Diagram to deduce another method.

"I'll try cultivating first and see whether I have a Spirit Aperture. I can think about the Qi-gathering method afterward."

To cultivate the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao in the Land of Wu, one needed a Spirit Aperture, what was commonly called aptitude, a Spirit Root, or the like.

He calmed his mind and began circulating according to the cultivation method of the Plain Luminary Supreme Yin Wondrous Instruction.

"Yellow and azure, profound radiance, the upper Qi of moonlight, its light and mystery reaching every direction..."

Under the moonlight, Xu Fan's body gave off a faint glow, as if even the moon in the sky had turned its gaze upon him.

Only after half a shichen did Xu Fan open his eyes again:

"I've already cultivated my first wisp of Fetal Breathing Spiritual Qi?"

"I never imagined I was a cultivation prodigy!"

According to the Plain Luminary Supreme Yin Wondrous Instruction, once he cultivated nine nines' worth of Fetal Breathing Spiritual Qi, he could condense a Mystic Scene Wheel and become a cultivator with Law Power.

Didn't that mean he could form a Mystic Scene Wheel in six or seven days at most?

"It seems this world has spiritual vitality too?"

He had worried that this world might be different, that without spiritual vitality he wouldn't be able to cultivate immortality. Now it seemed he had worried for nothing.

"In that case, the martial dao of this world isn't so simple either."

Heaven knew, his experience in this life was shallow, and he knew very little.

In more than ten years of life, a lowly fisherman like him had never been able to go elsewhere. He couldn't even read, and could only learn things from others.

Martial artists and martial masters who possessed the strength to lift a thousand jin and could tear jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards apart with their bare hands were already remarkable figures in his eyes.

As for martial dao Grandmasters who could stand in midair, he had only ever heard people speak of them; they were no different from legends.

"I'd better form the Mystic Scene Wheel as soon as possible, so I have some means of protecting myself."

Once he formed the Mystic Scene Wheel, he would have Law Power and be free from the torment of illness and pain. Even without knowing any spells, he would at least be much stronger than an ordinary person.

In the month since he had transmigrated, he had learned well how little control a fisherman on Peach Blossom Spring Lake had over his own life.

His parents in this life, along with many other fishermen, had been forced by the Canal Gang to fish in the deep waters, and had never returned.

The deep waters of Peach Blossom Spring Lake were full of treasure fish and strange beasts, but they were also more dangerous. It was said that even martial masters didn't dare venture there alone.

Strange beasts sometimes appeared in the shallows too. Encountering one meant certain death, so the shallows weren't absolutely safe.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

"So this is Law Power?"

On the black-awning boat, Xu Fan sat cross-legged beneath the bright moonlight, carefully sensing the Law Power in his Dantian.

"This feels amazing!"

As soon as he formed the Mystic Scene Wheel, he felt as though he had shed his mortal body and exchanged his bones. His hearing and sight were sharper, and his body was brimming with strength.

These past days, he had fished during the day to fill his belly, then cultivated until midnight, condensing at least ten wisps of Fetal Breathing Spiritual Qi each day.

Tonight, he had finally condensed the Mystic Scene Wheel, entered the Embryonic Breathing Realm, and gained Law Power!

"The Plain Luminary Supreme Yin Wondrous Instruction says Mystic Luminary, Circulation, and Jade Capital are the three gates of Fetal Breathing, and the hardest to condense. Now that I've tried it, it seems ordinary enough."

"Unfortunately, that rubbing didn't contain any spells. I have Law Power, but no art to protect my path."

"Next time I enter the Land of Wu, I should find some spells to learn."

Xu Fan lowered his head slightly and looked at the shimmering surface of the water. Law Power flowed over his eyes, allowing him to see through the reeds beneath the boat and spot quite a few large fish hiding there.

This was the most superficial and crude use of Law Power. It wasn't as effective as casting a spell, and it consumed more Law Power.

In just a few breaths, Xu Fan noticed that he had used up more than half the Law Power in his body.

Yet he grinned with unrestrained delight!

"Now that I have Law Power, I finally don't have to worry so much about putting food on the table."

With his steadily improving fishing skills, knowing where the fish were would surely greatly increase his chances of catching them.

He could even catch treasure fish hidden deep in the water!

"With my current strength, I can afford to take the risk of selling a treasure fish."

An ordinary large fish weighing two or three jin sold for only around ten copper coins, while salt, rice, oil, and cloth were expensive at the fish market. Sometimes, even getting enough to eat was a problem.

Treasure fish were bought at a fixed price at the fish market: one tael of silver per jin, or a thousand copper coins. They would take as many as anyone could bring.

Even after sixty percent was deducted, his share for the smallest treasure fish would still be seven or eight hundred copper coins, enough to cover half a year's expenses.

"Some treasure fish are easier to catch at night. I'll recover the Law Power I used up, then give it a try."

Xu Fan let out a long breath. In both his previous life and this one, he had never had as much to look forward to as he did tonight.

In the month since he had awakened after transmigrating, his life had been far harder than surviving in the wilderness, and he had lived in constant fear.

Now he could finally see the first light of dawn!

After spending more than a shichen recovering, he eagerly poled the black-awning boat out to fish.

Thanks to the wondrous use of Law Power and his own passable fishing skills, he finally caught a treasure fish after several failed attempts.

"This Silver Moon Rainbow Trout weighs about three or four jin. That's enough for me to have a good meal and exchange the rest for some better daily necessities."

At the first hint of dawn, Xu Fan poled the black-awning boat toward the fish market dock. In the water jar, the treasure fish kept ramming against the bamboo basket.

The local salt was bitter, and the coarse rice was hard to swallow.

If he hadn't needed to stay alive, he really wouldn't have wanted to eat them.

But fish alone wasn't filling, and without anything else he would have no strength.

After mooring the black-awning boat, he paid three copper coins as usual and strode into the fish market, carrying the bamboo basket covered with leaves.

Some of the fishermen with stalls on either side knew Xu Fan fairly well, and they all stared curiously at the basket.

Three months ago, a strange phenomenon had appeared in the sky, and the martial master from the Canal Gang had ordered many fishermen into the deep waters, causing quite a few deaths.

Lin Chu and Xu Fan were among the few unfortunate souls whose parents had never returned.

A few days ago, Lin Chu had caught a treasure fish, but he hadn't been very sensible and had ended up losing an arm. One could say his means of making a living had been cut off.

Could Xu Fan have caught a treasure fish too?

"Little Xu, what good catch did you get today, covering it up with leaves?"

"Yeah, could it be a treasure fish?"

"Lift them and let us have a look."

The familiar fishermen along the way chimed in one after another, practically reaching for it themselves.

"I got lucky. I netted one last night."

Xu Fan scratched his head and put on an honest, simple look, keeping up his usual persona.

That had been his survival strategy ever since his memories awakened: keep as low a profile as possible and pretend to be an honest man.

Most fishermen were dirt poor, and even the few fishing gangs on the lake that specialized in extortion weren't willing to take risks for a few copper coins.

So as long as he didn't attract attention, hardly anyone would deliberately make trouble for him.

"It really is?!"

"That's strange. First Lin Chu, and now you too. Is there something behind it?"

Ignoring the fishermen's chatter, he soon reached the place in the fish market that bought treasure fish.

"Master Qian, this is a Silver Moon Rainbow Trout."

Xu Fan set down the bamboo basket, forced a smile, and removed the leaves covering it.

"Oh? The number of treasure fish caught at the fish market has at least doubled over the past three months. Even a wet-behind-the-ears brat can get lucky and catch one?"

The speaker was another of the fish market's managers, a thin, frail-looking man in a brocade robe, with a goatee and plenty of white hair. He looked to be in his fifties.

He glanced at Xu Fan in surprise, then picked up the bamboo basket and placed it on the scale.

"Decent size. Just barely three jin and one liang."

Qian Jiao waved a hand, and an attendant soon brought three taels of silver and a hundred copper coins.

"Thank you, Master Qian. Thank you, Master Qian."

Xu Fan accepted the money obediently and thanked him repeatedly.

Even though he knew the weight had been shorted, he said nothing more. The Silver Moon Rainbow Trout weighed nearly four jin; there was no way it was only a little over three.

He had only just cultivated Mystic Luminary, and there was no need to rush his revenge. He could now live to be a hundred and twenty.

He would have plenty of time and means later.

"The Canal Gang has always conducted its business fairly. This is what you deserve."

Qian Jiao spoke with a beaming smile, then reclined in his chair again. What the young man before him thought didn't matter.

Never mind shorting the weight-what if he killed and robbed him?

The fish market didn't rely entirely on fishermen for its livelihood. Rather, it was these lowly fishermen who needed the fish market.

If not for the sake of continued development, why would they let these fishermen have a bite of the treasure fish they caught?

"You're right, Master Qian."

"I'll remember the Canal Gang's kindness."

Xu Fan showed no dissatisfaction. Smiling, he tucked the silver into his robes.

As he turned to leave, he came face-to-face with someone who looked familiar.

"Liang Chi, lad, you're here again?"

"This is the third treasure fish you've caught this month, isn't it?"

Qian Jiao rose in surprise, his gaze falling on the bamboo basket in the newcomer's hand. He spoke in wonder and puzzlement:

"Could it be that you've found a place where treasure fish hide?"

Xu Fan slowed his steps and turned to look at the young man passing him, whose complexion was too ruddy for a fisherman.

Surprised, he immediately circulated Law Power over his eyes.

"His Qi and Blood are abundant, even more so than Qian Jiao's?"

He remembered Liang Chi because they often ran into each other near the reeds on Peach Blossom Spring Lake.

Their fishing waters were next to each other, and both made their living alone, which was why he remembered him.

He hadn't expected him to be someone playing the pig to eat the tiger.

Fishermen couldn't enter the city, and the fish market certainly didn't sell any martial arts. Where had he learned them?

Though puzzled, he didn't ask any questions and calmly passed him by.

After paying the stall-fee deduction, he left the fish market and headed for another street.