Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Yu Daniu's Value
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Three days ago, Yu Daniu had first received Chen Jianghe's reply. The letter's contents had shaken his resolve to leave the alliance.
The Yun Clan's situation was unstable. If he left the alliance now, he would have no one to rely on should a crisis truly erupt. With his early-stage Qi Refining cultivation, he would surely become another skeleton at the bottom of the lake.
Just as Chen Jianghe had written, even if he were to leave the alliance, he should wait until the Yun Clan's situation stabilized.
'Brother Jianghe is right. I don't owe Zhou Miaoyun anything. I paid a price in my own interests to receive her talisman-crafting legacy. Now that my talisman skills haven't amounted to anything and I can't pass the legacy on, any future benefits from my agreement with Zhou Miaoyun are void.'
'Every act of mutual aid within the alliance is driven by self-interest.'
Yu Daniu was sincerely grateful for Chen Jianghe's heartfelt words. If not for that reply, he would have certainly withdrawn from the alliance at this year-end gathering.
Now, he had no intention of leaving.
Unless Chen Jianghe and Gao Peiyao both decided to ostracize him.
After he had thought things through, he received a letter from Zhou Miaoyun, instructing him to go to Port Number One in three days, where Chen Jianghe and Gao Peiyao would also be.
But every word was cold.
This made Yu Daniu worry that Zhou Miaoyun had already convinced Chen Jianghe and Gao Peiyao. If they all ostracized him, he truly wouldn't be able to remain in the alliance.
But then he thought of Chen Jianghe's letter again.
Yu Daniu's spirits lifted, and he left his aquaculture area for Port Number One that very day.
He understood that in this alliance, if he couldn't demonstrate any value, he would be pushed out sooner or later.
Therefore, Yu Daniu thought of the value he could provide: risking danger to gather information.
—
In the private room, Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao sat close together. Hearing Yu Daniu's words, they exchanged a curious glance.
"What's going on?"
Chen Jianghe also looked puzzled.
"The Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the White Clan of Qiyun Mountain has made a move. The Lin Yun Mine has been seized by the White Clan. The Yun Clan's Third Elder was killed, and the Second and Fifth Elders were injured and fled back to the lake's central island. Many of the direct descendants at the mid-stage of Qi Refining perished at the Lin Yun Mine."
Seeing the shocked expressions on the faces of the three, Yu Daniu knew they hadn't heard this news yet.
"Not only that, but over a hundred junior Fishery Farmers have already fled the outer waters, and even a dozen or so senior Fishery Farmers from the inner waters have run off."
"I couldn't get close to any of the guest elders at Port Number One, so I couldn't find out if any of them have left."
Yu Daniu's words sent shockwaves through the hearts of Chen Jianghe and the others. They had only known that Port Number Two was attacked.
They had no idea the Lin Yun Mine had also been attacked, and that a Foundation Establishment Ancestor had even appeared.
An elder at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, along with many direct descendants at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, had all died at the Lin Yun Mine.
In comparison, the losses at Port Number Two seemed almost insignificant.
Especially the latter piece of news.
"Brother Daniu, you said junior and senior Fishery Farmers have fled? Did they leave the Yun Clan's territory?"
Gao Peiyao's face paled in alarm, her voice trembling.
"Yes."
Yu Daniu nodded.
Zhou Miaoyun's expression was grave. With the Yun Clan suffering such a disaster, the entire Mirror Moon Lake region would descend into chaos.
Her Zhou Clan was just a small Qi Refining family, and her father was only at the sixth layer of Qi Refining. If they were targeted by rogue cultivators, the Zhou Clan would be doomed.
"Leaving the Mirror Moon Lake waters is a dead end. This is the Yun Clan's main base. As long as the Yun Clan's Ancestor lives, this place won't fall into complete chaos.
"On the contrary, the outside world is probably overrun by rogue cultivators by now."
Seeing the fear in Gao Peiyao's eyes, Zhou Miaoyun quickly shared her analysis.
She also wanted to return to her family, but leaving the Mirror Moon Lake waters at this time was too dangerous. She might meet a grim fate before even reaching the Zhou Clan.
Besides, what could she even do if she went back?
A low-grade Talisman Master at only the fourth layer of Qi Refining would be of little use.
By staying here, she might at least preserve a sliver of the Zhou Clan's bloodline.
"Daniu, you came to Port Number One three days ago?"
Chen Jianghe looked at Yu Daniu with a solemn expression and spoke seriously.
"Gathering information like that is very dangerous."
"It wasn't that dangerous. I only asked the junior Fishery Farmers who are in the early stages of Qi Refining."
Yu Daniu met Chen Jianghe's gaze and scratched his head sheepishly.
Only then did Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao realize.
Chen Jianghe was pointing something out to them.
Yu Daniu had braved the risk of encountering fleeing Fishery Farmers to gather this information. One had to understand that these fleeing farmers were acting without restraint. If any of them had malicious thoughts, they might rob someone before they ran, since the Yun Clan couldn't be bothered with them anyway.
This act provided value to the alliance—information whose worth couldn't be measured in spirit stones.
"Brother Daniu, what you did was indeed too dangerous."
"Thank you for the news, Fellow Daoist Yu."
Yu Daniu's face flushed red. He fidgeted awkwardly and chuckled, "It's nothing, nothing at all."
"Daniu, you can't be so reckless in the future," Chen Jianghe said sternly.
"I understand, Brother Jianghe."
At this point, Yu Daniu also understood.
Chen Jianghe had deliberately mentioned that he'd arrived at the port three days early. He was helping him establish his value to the alliance.
He was making Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao recognize his worth.
"Fairy Miaoyun is right. The Mirror Moon Lake region is eight hundred li wide. Even if chaos erupts, it will start from the outside. It's relatively safer for us to stay in the waters."
Chen Jianghe looked at the three of them and offered a suggestion: "This time at Port Number One, it would be best to purchase enough daily necessities for the next eight months.
"As for the night soil buckets..."
He paused as he said this.
After all, they were only in the early stages of Qi Refining, and Zhou Miaoyun had just entered the mid-stage. They simply couldn't afford a seclusion medicine like the Abstinence Pill.
A flask of Abstinence Pills sold for eight spirit stones. Even late-stage Qi Refining cultivators without a trade would choose to buy Spirit Marrow Rice unless absolutely necessary.
Therefore, as long as one consumed food, producing night soil was unavoidable.
Even fairies were no exception.
"Everyone can buy some oilcloth to wrap the night soil and bury it deep at the bottom of the lake. We can retrieve it at the end of the year to deliver to the port, or just let it become fertilizer for the underwater plants."
"Okay, I'll listen to Brother Jianghe."
Yu Daniu nodded earnestly without a second thought.
Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun exchanged a brief glance before they, too, nodded.
This period was too dangerous. Even though Port Number One was overseen by a Deacon from the outer waters, it was best to avoid coming to the port if possible.
Coming to the port at the end of the year would naturally be fine.
Unless the Fishery Farmer assembly was canceled. If it was held, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator from the Yun Clan would certainly come to oversee it, ensuring the assembly could proceed normally and safely.
Perhaps it was the recent talk of night soil that had ruined the two fairies' appetites. As soon as the discussion ended, they left directly.
Chen Jianghe saw that Zhou Miaoyun had no intention of taking out the spirit stones and the Water Escape Talisman, so he said nothing more about it.
Clearly, Zhou Miaoyun still didn't think highly of Yu Daniu.
Gao Peiyao didn't mention it either, obviously choosing to side with Zhou Miaoyun.
After Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao left.
Chen Jianghe called out to stop Yu Daniu.
"Daniu, how much spirit sand do you have on you?"