Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: A Sudden Change in the Yun Clan
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"Water Area 512, total yield of Great Bluefish, two thousand seven hundred catties, with an average weight of three catties and seven taels."
The manager of the large boat took out a storage pouch and settled Chen Jianghe's pay.
Ninety-seven grains of spirit sand again.
Last year's pay was also ninety-seven grains of spirit sand. It seemed this was Xiao Hei's limit.
The Great Bluefish had not gained sentience, but they could instinctively absorb spiritual energy, possessing the pedigree to be served on a cultivator's table.
In comparison, the Black Crystal Mystic Turtle was far inferior.
Xiao Hei had taken a Spirit Awakening Pill and successfully gained sentience, but its pedigree was inferior to the Great Bluefish. Although it had already drawn qi into its body, it was still unable to advance to the level of a spirit beast.
The Great Bluefish were naturally aggressive. During their fry stage, Xiao Hei could suppress them and increase their survival rate, but once grown, the Great Bluefish were no longer suppressed by Xiao Hei.
"If I want a breakthrough in total yield and average weight, Xiao Hei must advance to become a spirit beast."
Chen Jianghe understood the reasoning behind this.
But the Black Crystal Mystic Turtle's pedigree was too poor, far from what he had initially thought—that it could advance in five or six years at most.
Even the Great Bluefish, which could instinctively absorb spiritual energy, couldn't advance to become spirit beasts, let alone the Black Crystal Mystic Turtle.
After observing for the past year or two.
Chen Jianghe felt that if a Great Bluefish took a Spirit Awakening Pill, it would be roughly comparable to a human with five-element miscellaneous spiritual roots.
As for the Black Crystal Mystic Turtle, it was even a step below a human with five-element miscellaneous spiritual roots.
This frustrated him greatly. It was bad enough that he himself had five-element miscellaneous spiritual roots, but he never expected his bonded pet's spiritual roots to be even worse.
He wasn't even sure if a single Spirit Accumulating Pill could help Xiao Hei advance to become a spirit beast.
However, regardless of whether it could help Xiao Hei advance, he had to buy this Spirit Accumulating Pill for it.
It was what he had promised Xiao Hei.
Failing to deliver would be a minor blow to his authority as a master, but a major blow to Xiao Hei's work enthusiasm.
He was still counting on Xiao Hei to help him raise fish!
If not for Xiao Hei's help, his annual pay would likely be just over fifty grains of spirit sand, a far cry from the absurd ninety-seven grains.
Moreover, with Xiao Hei's assistance, Chen Jianghe had time to practice magical arts, which was why he had managed to master four of them by the second level of Qi Refining.
Minor Water Control Art, Water Aversion Charm, Water Arrow Art, and Minor Cloud and Rain Art.
In truth, as long as one mastered the Minor Water Control Art, other minor water-element arts were easy to pick up.
He had wanted to practice the Water Escape Art to have a life-saving technique, but his magical power was insufficient; he would need to be at least at the third level of Qi Refining.
"Xiao Hei, before I return, you must hide obediently in the deep mud at the bottom of the lake. Do not come out under any circumstances."
"When work starts again next year, I'll reward you with a Spirit Accumulating Pill."
Chen Jianghe sent the message to Xiao Hei through the spiritual turtle seal on his soul platform. A moment later, a stream of bubbles rose from the bottom of the lake.
The fishing boat rowed toward Port Number One.
"This is... did something happen?!"
Chen Jianghe stepped onto the port, his eyes narrowing as he watched the fishery farmers pass by, a sense of doubt growing in his heart.
Most of the fishery farmers at the port looked dejected, their faces clouded with gloom. An indescribable sense of oppression hung over the entire port.
Walking into the market, the usual shouts of vendors that could be heard from afar were now absent.
Even the mortals wore worried expressions, as if something major had occurred.
"For both the fishery farmers and the mortals to be affected at the same time... could something have happened to the Yun Clan?"
Chen Jianghe lived a simple, repetitive life, rarely interacting with the outside world. This was especially true during this year's fish hibernation period; in order to practice the new Minor Cloud and Rain Art, he would buy a month's worth of necessities at a time.
He arrived at the Yuelai Inn.
Gao Peiyao was already there.
The Gao Peiyao of today was no longer the timid, somewhat malnourished little girl from two years ago.
Two years of cultivation had brought about a tremendous change in her demeanor.
Although she wore the simple linen skirt of a fishery farmer, in two years she had blossomed into a graceful young woman. Her skin was like fine jade, her brows and eyes clear and lovely, her nose elegantly straight, and her lips like cinnabar. With a classic oval face, she was the very picture of a budding beauty.
"Second level of Qi Refining?!"
Judging from the fluctuations of her magical power, her cultivation had broken through to the second level of Qi Refining.
Gao Peiyao had only been on the path of cultivation for two years, yet she had already caught up to him and Yu Daniu.
Four-element pseudo spiritual roots were stronger than five-element miscellaneous spiritual roots, but only to a limited extent. It was obvious that Gao Peiyao must have taken a Spirit Accumulating Pill.
And more than just one.
A single Spirit Accumulating Pill was worth two spirit stones. For Gao Peiyao to have taken two in two years, she must have spent four spirit stones.
It seemed Old Gao had left her more than just five spirit stones.
"Peiyao."
"Brother Jianghe."
Gao Peiyao stood up to greet Chen Jianghe and gestured for him to sit, then poured him a cup of tea. The shyness on her face was gone.
Before long, Yu Daniu also entered the private room.
Once everyone had arrived, Gao Peiyao had the waiter bring the food. She spoke elegantly and carried herself with grace, then took the seat of honor.
This year, Gao Peiyao was the host.
"Little Sister Peiyao broke through to the second level of Qi Refining? How enviable. It took Brother Jianghe and me six years."
Yu Daniu said with some surprise, having sensed the fluctuation of magical power from Gao Peiyao.
"One generation plants the trees, the next enjoys the shade. It's all thanks to the spirit stones my grandfather left me that I was able to cultivate to the second level of Qi Refining in just two short years."
Gao Peiyao's voice was sweet and melodious, her eyes shimmering with light.
At the mention of Old Gao, a look of gratitude appeared in Yu Daniu's eyes. If Old Gao hadn't given him a spirit stone, his breakthrough to the second level of Qi Refining would likely have been delayed by a year.
The food and wine were served.
The three of them talked as they ate, and the conversation naturally turned to the Yun Clan.
Chen Jianghe was a homebody, and his information was outdated.
And Yu Daniu, after being swindled by Wang Kui, had become introverted around strangers. He would usually leave the port market quickly after buying his necessities.
It was as if he were competing with Chen Jianghe to see who could be more of a recluse.
Gao Peiyao, on the other hand, had spent two years in the outer water areas and had befriended a few female fishery farmers. She socialized with them in her spare time and had thus heard some news.
"What? The Yun Clan's Foundation Establishment Ancestor is nearing the end of his lifespan!"
Yu Daniu exclaimed in shock.
A Foundation Establishment Ancestor had a long life, able to live for two hundred and twenty years. With some life-extending pills, their lifespan could reach up to two hundred and forty years.
"The current ancestor of the Yun Clan only reached Foundation Establishment a hundred years ago. He should have at least another century to live. How could his end be so sudden?"
It wasn't a secret when the Yun Clan's Foundation Establishment Ancestor had achieved his cultivation level; Chen Jianghe had heard about it as well.
"I heard that a month ago, a Foundation Establishment Pill appeared in Qinghe Market City. The Yun Clan's ancestor won it at auction, but on his way back to Mirror Moon Lake, he was ambushed and severely injured. The pill was lost as well."
"What? Ambush a Foundation Establishment Ancestor? Who would dare!"
"To be able to severely injure a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, the attacker must also be a Foundation Establishment Ancestor."
Gao Peiyao said slowly, her phoenix eyes glinting.
Chen Jianghe now understood why all the fishery farmers and mortals at the port were so gloomy.
The mortals could earn a large amount of silver at the port to support their families, and the fishery farmers could have a stable income from Mirror Moon Lake for their cultivation—all thanks to the Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, the Yun Clan.
If the Yun Clan's Foundation Establishment Ancestor were to fall, and no new one emerged, the Yun Clan would fall from a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan to a Qi Refining family with a deep heritage.
Setting aside whether they could maintain their dominant position at Mirror Moon Lake, their very survival would become a question.
The Yun Clan had enemies.
Their rival was also a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan.