Chapter 3
Chapter 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Harvest
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Three days later, in the early morning.
A cold mist permeated Mirror Moon Lake, and a thin layer of ice had formed on its surface, making it look like a mirror, serene and peaceful.
Dressed in coarse linen, Chen Jianghe stood at the bow of his boat, facing the cold wind as he watched the great ships of the Yun Clan gradually approach.
Dozens of vast ships, hundreds of feet long, broke through the ice on Mirror Moon Lake. No oars were visible on their sides; it was unclear what propelled them.
These were all ships the Yun Clan used to collect fish, and each one had a fixed route across the lake.
Chen Jianghe's fishery was located in the five-hundred-and-one to six-hundred series. The great ship was now docked at Old Gao's waters.
Across the misty lake, he vaguely saw a flash of golden light in Old Gao's waters. Less than half an incense stick's time later, the great ship began to move.
"Outer region, fishery five-twelve, Chen Jianghe."
"Here."
"Alright, begin harvesting the fish."
The manager overseeing the fish collection on the great ship confirmed the basic information with Chen Jianghe, then ordered his subordinates to start catching the great bluefish.
Chen Jianghe saw four cultivators fly up from the great ship, collectively controlling a net-like magical artifact.
He knew at once that these four cultivators were all at the mid-stage of Qi Refining or higher. Only by breaking through to the mid-stage could one fly using their Qi.
That net-like artifact was a Golden Silk Net, specially commissioned by the Yun Clan from an Artisan Refiner for catching great bluefish.
"Xiao Hei, your job is done. Burrow into the lakebed and rest for half a month. When we start work again next year, I'll reward you with a Spirit Awakening Pill."
With a thought, Chen Jianghe's spiritual sense touched the spirit turtle mark on his spiritual altar, sending the message to Xiao Hei in the lake.
He didn't know what grade the Golden Silk Net was, but he had witnessed its power. Under the control of four cultivators, it could capture all the aquatic life in his waters in a single cast.
They would then take the great bluefish from the net and release the other creatures back into the lake.
Although Xiao Hei was unranked, he was highly intelligent. To avoid being noticed by the Yun Clan cultivators, he had to hide in the mud at the bottom of the lake during every harvest.
*Whoosh~*
The four cultivators took up positions to the southeast, north, and west, simultaneously pouring their spiritual power into the Golden Silk Net. A sudden burst of golden light erupted as the net unfurled in the wind and fell into the lake, covering Chen Jianghe's entire fishery.
Ten breaths later, the Golden Silk Net surfaced, brimming with all sorts of aquatic creatures. Fish were the most numerous, but there were also plenty of turtles, snakes, shrimp, and crabs.
Chen Jianghe saw over a hundred of Xiao Hei's kind alone, each one black as ink, gleaming under the morning sun.
At the manager's command, Chen Jianghe also joined the harvesting team, using the Minor Water Control Art to lift the great bluefish onto the ship.
He was only at the first layer of Qi Refining, so his Minor Water Control Art could only form a single silver thread of spiritual power, allowing him to lift just one great bluefish at a time.
In contrast, the four cultivators at mid-stage Qi Refining or higher could lift eleven or twelve great bluefish with each use of the art.
A short while later.
All the great bluefish in the Golden Silk Net had been collected, and the other aquatic creatures were returned to the lake.
The ship's manager counted the great bluefish and then weighed them.
"Fishery five-twelve, belonging to Chen Jianghe. Total yield of great bluefish: two thousand and eighty-one pounds, five hundred and seventy-eight fish. Average weight... huh?!"
The ship's manager paused, casting a slightly surprised glance at Chen Jianghe. "Three point six pounds."
The four cultivators also looked at Chen Jianghe with surprise.
According to Chen Jianghe's records, he hadn't been raising fish for many years. Fisheries with an average weight of three point six pounds and a total yield over two thousand pounds were, without exception, managed by old Fishery Farmers with ten to twenty years of experience.
"Total yield is two thousand and eighty-one pounds. The base pay for a thousand pounds is ten grains of spirit sand. For the remaining one thousand and eighty-one pounds, I'll round your commission up to eleven grains of spirit sand."
"For an average weight of three point six pounds, there's an additional reward of sixty grains of spirit sand."
"That's eighty-one grains of spirit sand in total."
The ship's manager took out a storage pouch, retrieved eighty-one grains of spirit sand, and looked at Chen Jianghe with admiration. "My name is Yun Bufan. You have a real talent for raising fish. I hope to see you in the inner waters someday."
"Thank you, Manager Yun."
"I will certainly continue to work hard, add to the clan's glory, and produce more great bluefish."
Chen Jianghe quickly expressed his thanks, his words filled with passion.
Yun Bufan nodded in satisfaction, then led the four cultivators away on the ship, heading to the next fishery.
Chen Jianghe watched the great ship disappear into the morning mist before returning to his cabin.
"Eighty-one grains of spirit sand. That's eleven more than I expected."
He took a coarse cloth pouch from his robes, carefully placed the spirit sand inside, and tucked it back into his robes.
Precious assets like spirit sand had to be kept close.
"The manager who came to collect the fish this time was actually a member of the Yun Clan. No wonder he's so young. Yun Bufan?!"
There were dozens of fish collection managers in the outer waters, but none of them were assigned to a fixed set of fisheries.
This was a measure the Yun Clan had implemented to prevent managers from exploiting the Fishery Farmers' earnings, and also for the long-term development of the clan.
After all, the Yun Clan's prosperity depended on the Fishery Farmers who raised the great bluefish.
From Yun Bufan's appearance, Chen Jianghe guessed he was at most a few years older than himself.
Of course, this was the world of cultivation, where age couldn't be judged by appearance. For example, a Foundation Establishment Ancestor could live for over a hundred years and still look like they were in their twenties or thirties.
There were also Qi Refining cultivators who had taken Youth-Retaining Pills; they would maintain the appearance they had when they took the pill right up until the moment they died of old age.
As for what Yun Bufan had said...
*'I hope to see you in the inner waters someday.'*
Chen Jianghe was absolutely confident he could enter the inner waters.
There were three ways to enter the inner waters.
First, break through to the late stage of Qi Refining and become a Guest Guardian of the Yun Clan.
Second, achieve an annual yield of three thousand pounds of great bluefish in the outer waters with an average weight exceeding four pounds. By becoming a Senior Fishery Farmer, one could enter the inner waters to raise small bluefish.
Third, achieve the mid-tier of the first rank in one of the ten most popular of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation—such as formations, alchemy, artifact refinement, or talismans—and become a Guest Artisan of the Yun Clan.
The closer one got to the island at the center of the lake, the richer the spiritual energy became.
The inner waters of Mirror Moon Lake were not just home to Senior Fishery Farmers; there were also many skilled cultivators.
To cultivators, it made no difference whether they lived on land or water, in a house or on a fishing boat.
Their only requirement was for spiritual energy.
"Enter the inner waters? Twenty years should do it."
Chen Jianghe set a goal for himself.
He didn't know if Xiao Hei's transformation into a ranked spirit turtle would cause a major change in the great bluefish yield.
Even if it did allow him to meet the standards for a Senior Fishery Farmer, he wouldn't reveal it within the next twenty years.
Yun Bufan's words of praise today had served as a warning to Chen Jianghe.
A talent for raising fish was still a talent.
Being too conspicuous, even without showing off, would attract attention.
The tallest tree catches the most wind.
If the Yun Clan investigated him deeply, they would surely discover Xiao Hei hiding at the bottom of the lake, which could lead to the exposure of his secret.
He possessed the Longevity of the Spirit Turtle cheat, giving him a lifespan comparable to a Foundation Establishment Ancestor. As long as he managed things steadily, becoming a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator was only a matter of time.
Only by cultivating to the late stage of Qi Refining would he have the power to protect himself in this cruel world of cultivation.
His thoughts settled.
Chen Jianghe walked out of the cabin and began rowing toward the harbor.
He, Old Gao, and Daniu had an agreement to meet at a tavern in the market city at the end of each year to drink, talk, and share what they had learned over the past year.
Besides, the annual year-end assembly for Fishery Farmers was also held at the harbor.