The Failure Rate Is a Bit High

He quickly came back to his senses:

"Be careful around [Dongting]. They've had a grudge against the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple for generations. The South Sea is less of a concern. They were the farthest from the Northern Dark Sea back then, so they're relatively less hostile toward the Heavenly Peng lineage."

"Mm."

The two said nothing more.

Following the same method as yesterday, Yu Tunzhou stepped into the shallows, visualized his Primordial Spirit, and sensed where the water fortune's Qi activity lay.

This time, he was also trying to gather those gossamer threads of water fortune's Qi activity.

Ordinarily, one could sense Profound Qi after entering a meditative state, but to draw it in and expel it, one had to reach the seventh layer of a Qi Ingestion Method.

And so, Yu Tunzhou was like a man who entered a mountain of treasures only to return empty-handed, a man who held a wondrous treasure in his hand yet could not claim it.

"Watch out!"

Xie Linchuan suddenly seized Yu Tunzhou by the shoulder. Yu Tunzhou reacted too, and the two retreated at top speed.

Almost at the same instant, the river's surface exploded with a roar, sending waves soaring skyward. A massive black shadow burst from the riverbed with all its brute strength and slammed into the bank, smashing a huge crater into it and sending shattered stones flying.

The instant it broke through the water, the black scales covering its body gleamed coldly like iron, and its golden eyes blazed with ferocity.

Only then did Yu Tunzhou get a clear look at the whole creature.

It was no less than two zhang long, with scales thick and heavy as armor, their edges faintly traced with dark golden patterns. Its head was broad, its snout protruded, and two short barbels quivered slightly...

Cao Jianjia gripped her sword hilt and was about to step forward, but Ao Xiyu stopped her.

"We have to kill it in one strike, or it won't fall for the same trick twice."

Having failed to land its blow, the beast seemed angry. It thrashed on the surface for a moment before sinking back into the water, but it did not flee far. Its golden eyes stared through the surface at the four people on the bank, its hostility plain to see.

The four stood on the bank, looking gravely into the river.

That collision just now had made them frown deeply.

With that kind of brute force behind the charge, it would have been no surprise if a direct hit had killed someone on the spot.

After a brief standoff, the enormous Dragon Fish flicked its tail and sank silently to the riverbed. The surface grew calm again, as though that violent collision had never happened.

Ao Xiyu was the first to speak, her gaze sharp. "Did you get a good look? This creature's false dragon scales have already formed. It's comparable to a Form Refinement martial artist who has tempered their body. We have to find its vital point and have Jianjia kill it in one strike."

Xie Linchuan frowned deeply, his gaze falling on Cao Jianjia's sword. "Are you sure that sword can break through the beast's defenses?"

Cao Jianjia sneered. "Want to try it?"

Ao Xiyu said, "If the Cao Household's Fallen Blossoms can't break through that beast's false dragon scales, then no one in this grotto-heaven can."

Xie Linchuan's pupils contracted sharply. "That sword of yours is Fallen Blossoms? A divine object concealing its radiance? The Cao Household actually entrusted you with this divine sword so early?"

Cao Jianjia could not be bothered to say more to him.

She looked at Yu Tunzhou and raised her chin slightly. "I tried the method you taught me. It worked better than before, at least. Since you didn't lie to me, kick this fellow out, and I'll have your back on this."

Yu Tunzhou could not be bothered with her either. He was pondering something.

Ao Xiyu brought the conversation back to the matter at hand:

"Let's discuss how to divide the spoils first, then work out the plan."

"My proposal is that Yu Tunzhou lures out the Dragon Fish, while I identify its vital point and handle the aftermath. The two of us will have contributed the most, so we'll each take thirty percent. You and Jianjia can split the remaining forty."

Xie Linchuan nodded slightly. "That's a fair division. It saves us a lot of arguing."

"Now, as for dealing with the beast," Ao Xiyu said, "Yu Tunzhou will lure it out, and you'll assist Jianjia. I'll restrain it for a moment and find its vital point."

Yu Tunzhou said, "I only need to lure the beast out?"

Ao Xiyu frowned. "Don't think it'll be easy. You'll need to lure it into a trap we set beforehand. You saw how much force it had behind it just now."

Xie Linchuan said, "When are you planning to make your move?"

"The sooner the better, and we have to choose a time when no one else will come and interfere," Ao Xiyu said seriously.

"Then it has to be at night," Xie Linchuan reminded her. "But right now, we shouldn't go out at night."

"What layer of Qi Ingestion are you at now?" Ao Xiyu suddenly asked. "Jianjia and I are both about to break through to the fifth layer."

"I'm about the same."

"Then I have a proposal. We make our move once we've broken through to the sixth layer," Ao Xiyu said softly. "Afterward, we'll use the Dragon Fish's power to push through the subsequent bottlenecks."

"The nighttime ban should last at least another ten days. That should be enough time for the three of us to break through to the sixth layer."

Xie Linchuan pondered for a moment, then said, "All right, ten days is enough. At the sixth layer of Qi Ingestion, our internal Qi will grow stronger, giving us a better chance and some room to deal with any unexpected emergencies."

Ao Xiyu said calmly, "Once we've divided up this Dragon Fish, reaching the eighth layer before the first dispersal should be no problem."

Xie Linchuan smiled. "I've met just about everyone from the various households in town. I reckon no more than two-thirds will be able to take part in the first dispersal of fortune."

Listening to the three of them, Yu Tunzhou grew increasingly puzzled, and then astonished.

Brother Xie is only at the fourth layer now, and close to the fifth?

No more than two-thirds will reach the seventh layer before the end of the month?

Is everyone progressing that slowly?

Wasn't the five-week period supposed to be a trial for the disciples of the various households?

So the failure rate is as high as one-third?

By that reckoning, as long as I break through to the eighth layer, I'll be among the front-runners, maybe even in the running for the top three?

"In this contest of Daos, aside from those few, there aren't many people worth our attention," Ao Xiyu said mildly. "We'll meet here again in ten days to make the final preparations."

With that, she said no more. She and Cao Jianjia exchanged a glance, then walked side by side toward town.

After the two left, Xie Linchuan looked at Yu Tunzhou. He had been somewhat worried that Brother Yu's progress would not be fast enough by the end of the month, but now that they had this Dragon Fish, there was no need to worry.

"Tunzhou, what layer of your Qi Ingestion Method have you reached?"

"My cultivation speed is all right. I just started late. I reckon it'll take another two days to reach the fourth layer," Yu Tunzhou said regretfully.

The fan in Xie Linchuan's hand paused. "You mean the third layer, right?" he asked hesitantly.

"I broke through to the third layer the day before yesterday."

Xie Linchuan looked up blankly. "You've been cultivating the Spark Instruction for only a week, and you're already at the third layer, almost the fourth?"

Yu Tunzhou asked in surprise, "Didn't you reach the third layer ages ago?"

Xie Linchuan's eyes widened. How can you compare them like that?

Before he began cultivating, he had made thorough preparations, familiarizing himself in advance with all the key points and taboos of cultivating a Qi Ingestion Method.

But before Yu Tunzhou obtained the Spark Instruction, he had not even known what a Qi Ingestion Method looked like!

"Was it true or not, what you said just now about no more than two-thirds of the people in town meeting the requirement by the end of the month?" Yu Tunzhou asked.

"Of course it was."

Xie Linchuan understood what this fellow was thinking and said helplessly,

"That requirement is already quite high."

"Even the great martial sects only require their disciples to reach the seventh layer of a Qi Ingestion Method within six months. We were all carefully selected, so naturally the requirement for us is much higher. That's why we have five weeks."

"That time limit is practically fixed. Even for me, the seventh layer isn't difficult, and I'll still have room to spare, but there's absolutely no time to break through to the eighth."

He seemed to remember something and pressed on:

"Just how many Dragon Fish do you get in a week?"

"Usually two or three, and they're not just for me."

The Dragon Fish Old Mo gave him each week also included Dingguang's share.

As for the two seniors who lived next door, they usually had a bowl of rice and a little vegetables.

"Then how are you cultivating so quickly?" Xie Linchuan asked, puzzled.

Breaking through to the third layer in a week, and nearly reaching the fourth-that was even a notch faster than him!

"I saved up some Dragon Fish before and salted them. My appetite grew a lot after I started cultivating, so I've been eating through my stock lately."

Understanding dawned on Xie Linchuan. So that's how it is.

Salted fish... Although they'd lose some of their efficacy, it's still a good way to preserve them.

But even eating Dragon Fish every day, could the Spark Instruction, with its incomplete True Intention, really be this fast?

It's almost as fast as my Eastern Extremity Longevity Qi Ingestion Method!

It seems the Spark Instruction is even more fierce and forceful than I expected...

Xie Linchuan was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you think you can break through to the sixth layer in ten days?"

"I'll do my best!"

Xie Linchuan perked up. "Good! If you can reach the sixth layer, that'll be enough!"

"I was wondering whether to find another friend, just in case something went wrong, but now having you is enough!"

"At the sixth layer of the Spark Instruction, your Qi vortex will have taken shape, and the abundance and power of your internal Qi will reach a whole new level."

Xie Linchuan's eyes flickered. "On the day we make our move, you only need to lure the Dragon Fish out. Don't attack it head-on, so you don't expose your strength."

"You're worried they'll turn on us and steal our share?"

"It's hard to say. There might also be an oriole waiting behind us." Xie Linchuan looked toward the town and said slowly, "Quite a few capable people came from the thirty-nine households this time."