Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: A Deep Conversation
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Midnight.
The moonlight, like water, spilled across the quiet lake, its surface shimmering.
Occasionally, a fishing boat or two would leave the harbor, disappearing into a veil of thickening mist.
Inside the cabin.
Chen Jianghe's qi returned to his dantian as he slowly concluded his cultivation. He had absorbed and refined seventy percent of the Spirit Accumulating Pill's medicinal power, equivalent to a year and a half of arduous practice.
The Spirit Accumulating Pill released a vast amount of pure spiritual energy the moment it entered his stomach. If he couldn't absorb and refine it all immediately, a small amount would inevitably escape with his breath.
His cultivation level was still too low. If he were stronger, he should be able to refine eighty percent of the pill's medicinal power.
That would be equivalent to nearly two years of arduous practice.
However, if he wanted to take another Spirit Accumulating Pill, he would need to wait a year for the pill's toxins to be completely purged from his body.
He couldn't risk damaging his foundation just for a temporary boost in cultivation speed.
Of course, he didn't have the spirit sand to buy a second Spirit Accumulating Pill anyway. Purchasing one had cost him two hundred and ten grains of spirit sand, and the small gathering had cost one grain. He was now left with only sixty-nine grains of spirit sand and some loose silver.
Even if he managed to save up enough spirit sand for another pill in two years, Xiao Hei would be his priority.
His own cultivation progress was important, but raising Xiao Hei was equally so.
In a way, Xiao Hei was his golden finger. He wasn't sure if Xiao Hei's sudden death would cause him to drop dead as well.
The outer waters of Mirror Moon Lake were mostly home to ordinary aquatic creatures and posed no real danger to Xiao Hei.
But what if creatures from the inner waters entered the outer region?
If Xiao Hei advanced to become a spirit beast, not only would his lifespan increase, but he would also boost the great azure fish yield. Most importantly, he would be able to protect himself in the lake.
—
The next day.
Old Gao sought out Chen Jianghe, saying he had something to discuss.
Fishing boat 512 hung a "Do Not Disturb, In Seclusion" sign. Inside the cabin, Chen Jianghe and Old Gao sat facing each other.
In the aquaculture zone, outsiders couldn't enter another's designated waters, let alone board their boat.
However, this was the harbor, so those rules didn't apply.
"Old Gao, what brings you here so suddenly?"
Chen Jianghe brewed a pot of Skyfull of Stars tea, poured a cup for Old Gao, and then one for himself.
"I'm old. Just wanted to find someone to talk to. Do you have time to chat with a dying man like me, Jianghe?"
Old Gao hadn't brought Gao Peiyao with him. He wore a smile, but his tone was desolate and low.
It held a reverence for death.
And the bitterness of having stepped onto the path of cultivation only to linger his entire life in the mid-Qi Refining stage.
"The path to immortality is difficult; it has humbled countless prodigies."
Chen Jianghe offered a word of comfort.
Even the most blessed prodigies couldn't guarantee they would reach Foundation Establishment or Core Formation, often wasting a century only to turn to dust. What hope did ordinary cultivators with five-element miscellaneous spirit roots like them have?
"Indeed."
Old Gao nodded, a reminiscent look in his cloudy eyes. He looked at Chen Jianghe and smiled. "When I was young, I was arrogant and foolish. I dreamed of reaching Foundation Establishment, of becoming a Foundation Establishment Ancestor who could command the very clouds and rain."
Chen Jianghe didn't reply, instead refilling Old Gao's cup.
When people grew old, they liked to reminisce, to tell others about their past as a way to ward off the fear of death.
The fact that Old Gao came to tell him these things showed his trust and that he valued their friendship of the past few years.
Chen Jianghe was also happy to listen.
This was all experience Old Gao had gained along his path. It was precious and could help him avoid pitfalls in his own early cultivation journey.
"I remember, in my eighteenth year with the Yun Clan, my cultivation broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, and the average weight of the great azure fish I raised reached three jin and eight liang."
"If I had just kept at it steadily, I could have been promoted to a high-grade Fishery Farmer in another five or six years at most. Ah..."
Old Gao let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with endless regret.
Chen Jianghe's heart jolted. He remembered Old Gao saying that he, too, had a five-element miscellaneous spirit root.
Arriving at the Yun Clan at fifteen or sixteen, reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining in eighteen years... a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator at thirty-three or thirty-four. For a cultivator with a five-element miscellaneous spirit root, that wasn't a slow pace at all.
Most importantly, Old Gao had a great talent for raising great azure fish.
Although Chen Jianghe's total yield of great azure fish this year was two thousand six hundred jin, with an average weight of three jin and seven liang...
...his own talent for aquaculture wasn't actually high. It was all thanks to Xiao Hei urging the fry to eat in the lake.
If Old Gao had become a high-grade Fishery Farmer before the age of forty, it was highly likely he would have broken through to the late-stage of Qi Refining.
Seeing Old Gao's regretful expression, and the fact that he was still only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, something must have gone wrong.
Old Gao continued:
"I was young and full of vigor, reckless by nature. I foolishly believed what others said and not only became a short-term miner but also joined a deep-well excavation. The reward for one trip down the well was ten grains of spirit sand, and with the commission from any spirit stones we dug up, you could make at least thirty grains."
"I remember one time, three of us went down to excavate a spirit mine and actually dug up over two hundred spirit stones. With the reward and commission, we each stood to gain nearly a whole spirit stone. And so, someone grew greedy and murderous."
"Because I was at the fourth level of Qi Refining and the other two were at the third, I was the one who survived the fight."
"Heh, three spirit stones."
"But those three spirit stones were the end of my path to immortality!"
Old Gao's voice suddenly rose, filled with regret and bitterness. "My dantian was damaged, my spiritual power leaking away. Forget about advancing my cultivation; just maintaining the fourth level of Qi Refining requires me to take a Spirit Accumulating Pill every five years."
Listening to Old Gao recount the tragedy of his youth, Chen Jianghe sighed inwardly. He had had such a promising future, but one misstep had led to eternal regret.
After a moment, Old Gao gradually calmed down. He looked at Chen Jianghe and said, "Jianghe, you have a steady temperament and handle matters with maturity. I'm sure you won't repeat my mistakes, so I won't say any more."
"Thank you for sharing this precious cultivation experience. This junior will remember the lesson."
Chen Jianghe clasped his hands in a salute.
At that moment, his resolve to not leave the waters of Mirror Moon Lake until he reached the late stage of Qi Refining grew even firmer.
The Yun Clan might exploit its low-grade Fishery Farmers, but it also offered them protection. As long as he was in the Mirror Moon Lake region, his life was safe.
He had a long life ahead of him. Sooner or later, he would reach the late stage of Qi Refining. There was no need to rush his cultivation.
"Jianghe, I have a feeling you'll go much further on the path of cultivation than I did. It's a pity my time is almost up, and there's not much I can do to help you."
Old Gao took out a cloth pouch and placed it on the table. "This is a spirit stone. I hope it can provide you with some help in the early stages of your cultivation."
"Old Gao..."
Chen Jianghe frowned.
"I only ask that you look after Xiao Yao a little in the future. Of course, if you encounter something beyond your power, you don't need to force yourself."
After speaking, Old Gao stood up and left the cabin.
Chen Jianghe watched Old Gao's thin, stooped back, feeling the desolation and helplessness of a man whose life was nearing its end.