Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Fifth Elder Yun Zhonghou
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*Whoosh!*
Looking inward, the area around his Sea of Qi was a hazy expanse, like a formless chaos. Grayish-white mist churned as if boiling, and eighteen streams of faint cyan spiritual energy coiled like serpents around the Sea of Qi.
A spiritual root like black jade was deeply embedded at the bottom of his Sea of Qi, converting the spiritual energy that flowed into it into magical power, which then gathered in his dantian, now the size of an egg.
“My magical power has nearly doubled compared to the second level of Qi Refining.”
Chen Jianghe felt the immense power within his dantian. With a mere thought and a flick of his wrist, four silver threads coiled around his slender fingers.
“Not bad. My spiritual sense has improved as well. I can try practicing the Water Escape Art now.”
He ceased his cultivation and rose, making his way to the bow of the boat.
The sky was dim, the moon hidden from view. Only a few stars, flickering in and out of sight, peeked from behind dark clouds.
The oars moved, propelling the boat out into the lake.
Practicing the Water Escape Art in the harbor was inconvenient; it was far better to do so in his own aquaculture waters.
There were still ten days until the Fishery Farmer Convention, which was enough time for him to attempt practicing the Water Escape Art.
Once he learned the Water Escape Art, he would have a means of escape. There was no time to waste.
A few hours later, he returned to his aquaculture waters.
First, he recalled the incantation for the Water Escape Art from the Guiyuan True Water Art: "Water conceals my body, water escapes my form, water is the mother of all spirits…"
The Water Escape Art was a technique that used water to conceal one's body while moving.
It incorporated the Water Repelling Charm and the Minor Water Control Art, consuming a great deal of magical power, which was why it could only be practiced at the third level of Qi Refining.
After memorizing the key points, he used the cover of night to begin practicing the Water Escape Art.
His five fingers formed the hand seal for the Water Repelling Charm. His fingertips trembled slightly as a faint blue spiritual pattern condensed. Suddenly, magical power surged from his dantian into his palm. A mist of water rose from beneath his feet, and fine droplets flowed up his pant legs against gravity, weaving a translucent film of water around his entire body.
He leaped into the lake. Instantly, he was swept away by the current, crashing into an undercurrent. He blended seamlessly with the water, and silvery bubbles formed from his magical power popped beside his ears. His back felt as if it were being pushed by an immense weight, instantly creating rings of ripples.
When he surfaced and opened his eyes, he was already a hundred meters away from his fishing boat.
“All these years, I’ve done nothing but cultivate and study the Minor Water Control Art. That must be why I succeeded on the first try.”
Although it was a bit clumsy, succeeding on the first attempt was more than he could ask for.
With more practice, once he mastered the rhythm and details of the Water Escape Art, he would be able to travel two li in a single use.
However, the Water Escape Art consumed an excessive amount of magical power.
On his very first try, Chen Jianghe had used up twenty percent of the magical power in his dantian. Even after becoming proficient, traveling two li would likely consume thirty percent.
This was consistent with what the Guiyuan True Water Art recorded: a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining could use the Water Escape Art three times.
Of course, it would be different if one cultivated a high-level water-element cultivation art.
The Guiyuan True Water Art was the most common type of water-element art and offered no boost to one's magical power reserves.
A high-level water-element art, like the Yun Clan's Condensing Origin True Water Scripture, could increase one's magical power by about thirty percent.
Having thirty percent more magical power than a cultivator at the same level was a fatal advantage in battle.
Such were the benefits of practicing a high-level cultivation art.
Unfortunately, only the direct descendants of the Yun Clan could cultivate the Condensing Origin True Water Scripture. Even members of the branch families had to settle for lesser arts.
As Chen Jianghe began learning the Water Escape Art, he felt a sense of urgency to secure another means of survival, but he also found it fun.
For nine consecutive days, he was either practicing the Water Escape Art or recovering his magical power.
He wasn't wealthy enough to use spirit stones to restore his magical power, nor could he afford to buy Spirit Replenishing Pills, so he had only managed to practice five times over these days.
Thanks to his mastery of the Minor Water Control Art, he could now travel one li with a single use of the Water Escape Art—his progress was incredibly fast.
The moon hung in the starry sky, its reflection shimmering on the lake's surface.
Chen Jianghe restored his magical power to its peak state before rowing back toward the harbor.
By the time he reached the harbor, the eastern sky had turned a milky white. Soon after, a brilliant red light appeared, dyeing the vast expanse of white clouds crimson.
“Brother Jianghe, over here!”
The plaza was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. Yu Daniu waved his hand and called out to Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe squeezed through the crowd and walked toward Yu Daniu.
It seemed everyone had heard the news that the Yun Clan was planning changes for the outer waters. Not only were the junior Fishery Farmers present, but the senior ones had also arrived.
The various artisan guest elders and guard guest elders were there as well.
A quick count, however, revealed that only a few dozen senior Fishery Farmers remained, and only five or six of the artisan guest elders were left. It was a far cry from its former prosperity.
It appeared that even more of the artisan guest elders had fled.
It made sense. The Yun Clan's artisan guest elders all possessed at least first-rank, mid-grade skills. They could survive even in a market city.
They would just have to pay a few more spirit stones, that's all.
If the Yun Clan were stable, they would naturally be willing to stay. But now, the clan was like a lone boat in a storm, at risk of capsizing at any moment.
How could they care about a few spirit stones at a time like this?
“Daniu.”
Chen Jianghe saw that Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao were also there and nodded at them in greeting.
Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao, who both held Chen Jianghe's talent in high regard, nodded back in acknowledgment.
Then, the four of them quieted down and listened intently to the scattered conversations around them, hoping to glean some useful information.
“That remnant of the Lan Clan has struck again. He ambushed and killed a dozen direct disciples of the Yun Clan, and even a deacon at the seventh level of Qi Refining was killed.”
“Lan Tianxiang was severely injured by a Yun Clan elder during his surprise attack on Harbor Two. How could he strike again so soon? I think someone is just using his name to cause trouble.”
“Fellow Daoist, are you suggesting someone is taking this opportunity to rob the Yun Clan disciples of their possessions?”
“It must be.”
“I heard that this major change in the outer waters is related to the Yun Clan losing so many direct disciples.”
“What could be the connection? Surely they’re not going to start training us junior Fishery Farmers as direct disciples.”
“Haha, you must be joking, Fellow Daoist.”
“If you ask me, it’s probably related to the fact that too many senior Fishery Farmers from the inner waters have fled.”
“What you say is most reasonable, Fellow Daoist.”
“…”
Half an hour later.
The deacon of the outer waters walked onto the high platform. Looking at the disorderly crowd, he raised a hand and pressed it down, signaling for silence.
The crowd below stopped their chatter and fell silent.
Everyone thought the deacon of the outer waters was about to speak, but instead, they watched as he respectfully invited an old man onto the platform.
And following behind this elder was Yun Bufan.
From this, it was clear that the elder held an extremely high status in the Yun Clan; otherwise, even the Qilin Son wouldn't be accompanying him.
When the elder appeared, a brief murmur went through the crowd.
It turned out that this elder was one of the two who had escaped from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor at the Linyun Ore Mine—Fifth Elder Yun Zhonghou.
He was over eighty years old, a great cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining.
Yun Zhonghou looked down at the crowd, his aged face somewhat stern. His eyes were not clouded with age but shone with a brilliant light.
“This year’s Fishery Farmer Convention will be hosted by this old man. Let’s dispense with the pleasantries. I know that with our Yun Clan’s ancestor severely injured, some Fishery Farmers and guest elders have grown restless and wish to leave the Yun Clan to seek shelter.
There is no need to leave in secret. My Yun Clan will not stop anyone.”
“However, there is no need for excessive worry. My Yun Clan has a legacy of several hundred years and a profound foundation. In ten years at most, we will help the Qilin Son, Yun Bufan, successfully achieve Foundation Establishment. At that time, my Yun Clan will once again be the cornerstone of Mirror Moon Lake, and our glory will continue for another two hundred years!”
Yun Zhonghou’s gaze burned as he swept it across the crowd. Every word he spoke was firm and resonant, carrying the weight of the Yun Clan’s centuries-old heritage.
“The junior Fishery Farmers will stay.”
“Any senior Fishery Farmers or guest elders who wish to leave the Yun Clan and flee for safety may go now. Those who wish to remain with the Yun Clan may return to the inner waters. As long as my Yun Clan stands, the inner waters will not suffer any attack.”