Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Black Crystal Mystic Turtle
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The oars cut through the water as the boat pulled away from the port. Chen Jianghe turned a deaf ear to Wang Kui's furious threats.
Chen Jianghe didn't have thirty grains of spirit sand.
Even if he did, he wouldn't have lent them to Wang Kui. This wasn't a case of paying to make a problem go away.
It would only be inviting a series of troubles for himself.
Before he transmigrated, he'd encountered something similar in college. A roommate had constantly tested his limits with one unreasonable demand after another. The moment you compromise, countless more problems will find their way to you.
And when you finally refuse, the relationship shatters completely, and you become strangers for life.
Don't even think about getting anything back for what you've already given.
With people like that, there was only one solution: a firm refusal. You couldn't let them entertain any hope of gaining something from you.
Although Chen Jianghe was only a first-layer Qi Refining cultivator, Wang Kui could do nothing to him at Mirror Moon Lake.
Fighting for any reason was strictly forbidden in the waters of Mirror Moon Lake. Violators from both sides would have their Dantian Qi Seas shattered, their cultivation crippled, their legs broken, and then be exiled from the lake.
Ostensibly, not even the direct descendants of the Yun Clan could break this rule; otherwise, they would face the same punishment as the Fishery Farmers.
As for leaving Mirror Moon Lake?
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he had no plans to leave for the next thirty to fifty years.
Even if he did have to leave, it would be something to consider only after he had the ability to protect himself.
Therefore, Wang Kui posed no threat to him.
Returning to Water Area 512, Chen Jianghe went into his boat's cabin to cultivate.
He wasn't in a rush to give the Spirit Awakening Pill to Xiao Hei. The lake channels were busy with fishing boats recently. He decided to wait until after the new year, once the Yun Clan had delivered the new fish fry.
Time flew by, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
The new year arrived. Chen Jianghe was another year older, now seventeen.
The Yun Clan delivered the fish fry to all the water areas, and the Fishery Farmers began their work for the new year.
The Yun Clan's indifference toward the tragic deaths of over a hundred Fishery Farmers made it clear that there was no shortage of junior Fishery Farmers in the outer regions.
While the pay for a junior Fishery Farmer of the Yun Clan was low, the work was stable, and there were opportunities for promotion.
Most importantly, within the waters of Mirror Moon Lake and its port, one received the protection of the Yun Clan, ensuring their safety.
Sometimes, as Chen Jianghe sat sunbathing on the bow of his boat, he would see many new faces rowing past on the channel in front of his water area.
It seemed the ranks of junior Fishery Farmers in the outer regions had been replenished.
One day, after placing the Great Cyan Fish fry into the lake, Chen Jianghe took off his coarse linen clothes and dove into the water from the bow.
The fish fry had been distributed, and the Fishery Farmers were now in their cultivation period, so the lake channels were mostly clear of boats.
It was time to give Xiao Hei the Spirit Awakening Pill.
Chen Jianghe cultivated the Guiyuan True Water Art and had a strong affinity for water. Besides, as a Fishery Farmer, he was an excellent swimmer.
The Guiyuan True Water Art was a common, run-of-the-mill technique, but it did include a few minor water spells.
For example, it included seven or eight minor spells like Minor Water Control, Water Repelling Charm, Water Arrow Art, and Minor Cloud and Rain Art.
He cast a Water Repelling Charm. Water-elemental spiritual power flowed from his Dantian and out from the crown of his head, forming a close-fitting air shield that enveloped his head, leaving his sight and breathing unaffected.
This was only because his cultivation was too low and his spiritual power too shallow. Otherwise, the charm would have been strong enough to keep his clothes from getting wet, and he wouldn't have needed to undress.
In the lake, he was like a fish in its element, swimming with ease and speed, darting through the water like a sharp arrow.
"Xiao Hei, time for your reward."
Chen Jianghe sent a signal to Xiao Hei through the Spirit Turtle mark on his spiritual altar.
Before long, a turtle the size of a washbasin swam toward him. Its shell was as black as Kunlun ink jade, and its short limbs created bronze-hued ripples as they paddled. It stretched out its large head, its soybean-sized eyes glowing green.
"Gurgle... gurgle..."
Xiao Hei swam before Chen Jianghe, spinning in excited circles and making a warbling sound.
"Don't be impatient. I said I'd give you a reward, and I will."
Chen Jianghe sent the thought through his spiritual altar.
From Xiao Hei's behavior, it was clear he possessed some intelligence, but not enough to sense spiritual energy.
Chen Jianghe had also looked into Xiao Hei's species.
The Black Crystal Mystic Turtle. The name sounded impressive, but it was actually the most common type of turtle in Mirror Moon Lake.
They had average intelligence and couldn't absorb spiritual energy, meaning their meat contained none. They weren't even worthy of being served at the dinner table.
However, the Black Crystal Mystic Turtle had one special trait: an incredibly long lifespan. One raised by an ordinary family could outlive a dozen generations.
It could even outlive a Foundation Establishment Ancestor.
"Open your mouth."
Chen Jianghe commanded Xiao Hei to open its mouth, then took out the Spirit Awakening Pill he had prepared and fed it to the turtle.
*Whoosh...*
Xiao Hei swallowed the pill and began paddling its short limbs with renewed vigor, circling Chen Jianghe in excitement.
It was as if it were expressing its joyous mood.
The Spirit Awakening Pill could awaken the intelligence of beasts, but it took time to work—likely two to three months before any effects would be seen.
The Black Crystal Mystic Turtle's innate potential was poor, even worse than the Great Cyan Fish's. Even with its intelligence awakened, its cultivation would be extremely slow.
Chen Jianghe estimated that Xiao Hei's cultivation speed wouldn't even match his own, and he had a five-element miscellaneous spiritual root.
To advance and become a spirit beast without the help of pills would take at least three to five years.
He couldn't afford to buy Spirit Nurturing Pills.
A single Spirit Nurturing Pill cost three spirit stones. He would have to save for at least five years to afford one. By then, even if Xiao Hei hadn't advanced, it would be close.
Using a Spirit Nurturing Pill at that point would be a waste.
"Xiao Hei, if the Great Cyan Fish you raise for the next five years are all as big as last year's, I'll reward you with a Spirit Nourishing Pill."
Chen Jianghe considered it. Motivating Xiao Hei with a Spirit Nourishing Pill was more cost-effective.
Spirit Nurturing Pills were expensive.
If Xiao Hei had already advanced after five years, the Spirit Nurturing Pill would be unnecessary.
A Spirit Nourishing Pill cost two spirit stones.
If Xiao Hei still hadn't become a spirit beast after five years, the Spirit Nourishing Pill could help it make the breakthrough.
That would save him a spirit stone.
And even if Xiao Hei had already advanced, the pill could still help raise its cultivation, making it a very worthwhile investment.
He was currently just a junior Fishery Farmer at the first layer of Qi Refining with no other source of income. He had to save wherever he could.
Besides, Xiao Hei could earn him at least four spirit stones over five years. Rewarding it with a pill worth two was perfectly reasonable.
Once Xiao Hei advanced, its lifespan would increase, and the ultimate beneficiary would still be Chen Jianghe.
"Gurgle... gurgle..."
Xiao Hei understood Chen Jianghe's meaning. The green light in its beady eyes intensified, and it opened its wide mouth, gurgling excitedly and blowing bubbles.
Chen Jianghe was very satisfied with Xiao Hei's response. He patted the ink-jade shell, adopting the same tone Yun Bufan had used at the Fishery Farmers' assembly.
"Just do as I say, and there will be plenty of rewards in the future. I'll make sure you become the first spirit turtle of your kind, bringing glory to your ancestors and starting a whole new branch of the family tree."