Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Myriad Waters True Scripture
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"Suxin, you may go about your business for now."
When Yun Huizhen heard that Chen Jianghe had become a middle-grade Talisman Master, a look of delight appeared on her face. But seeing her younger sister's unseemly behavior, she told Yun Suxin to leave first.
"Second Sister, you've lost your composure. In front of the younger generation, you should act like an elder."
"Sister, I want Chen Jianghe. I want him."
Yun Huixiang grabbed Yun Huizhen's hand, pleading repeatedly, "Sister, have brother-in-law talk to him again. I can marry him, he doesn't have to marry into our clan."
"Sister, I'm already forty-three. If I don't find a good man to marry, I'll have no hope of breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining in this lifetime."
The Yun Clan's power was growing by the day, but they wouldn't waste cultivation resources carelessly. Someone like Yun Huixiang, who only lived off her yearly stipend, couldn't possibly receive further cultivation support from the clan.
Therefore, she couldn't even dream of getting a Calamity Dispelling Pill from the clan.
Unless Yun Xiaogan or Yun Huizhen privately bought one for her, she had virtually no chance of reaching the late stage of Qi Refining.
Before, she had looked down on Chen Jianghe because he was just a Fishery Farmer with a future she could see the end of.
But now, things were different.
Chen Jianghe had become a middle-grade Talisman Master and was on very good terms with Yu Daniu.
Most importantly, Chen Jianghe was not yet fifty, which meant he had a chance of becoming a high-grade Talisman Master in his lifetime.
To the Yun Clan, a high-grade Talisman Master was far more important than a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator.
Besides, once he became a middle-grade Talisman Master, would he have to worry about not breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining?
Not only that, but if she could marry Chen Jianghe, she wouldn't have to worry about her future cultivation resources at all.
When she turned sixty and the clan's stipend was cut off, Chen Jianghe would still be there to support her by crafting talismans.
"You... Daniu mentioned it to Brother Jianghe last time. He has no intention... sigh, I'll..."
Seeing her sister's desperate pleas, Yun Huizhen felt a pang of pity. After all, this was her own flesh and blood.
"Mother."
At that moment, Yun Xiaoniu interrupted Yun Huizhen, giving her a meaningful look before turning to Yun Huixiang.
"Aunt, some chances, once missed, are gone forever. Why must you force it?"
"In the future, I will have Father get a Calamity Dispelling Pill for you."
Yun Huixiang shook her head. Between a Calamity Dispelling Pill and a man with a promising future, she knew which was more important.
"Xiaoniu, your aunt watched you grow up. You must help me by putting in a good word with your uncle~"
"That's enough."
Yun Huizhen's brow furrowed, and she waved her hand. "I'm tired. You should go back for now."
"Sister."
"Aunt, please go back for now," Yun Xiaoniu said respectfully.
Yun Huixiang stomped her foot in frustration, but seeing Yun Huizhen slowly close her eyes, she knew her sister would not speak for her again. She had no choice but to leave.
After Yun Huixiang left, Yun Huizhen let out a sigh of relief and looked at Yun Xiaoniu. "Dalang, it's a good thing you stopped me. If I had agreed to your aunt's request, I'm afraid it would have affected the relationship between your father and your uncle."
"A Calamity Dispelling Pill is nothing to our family, but your uncle is far more than he appears on the surface."
Yun Xiaoniu nodded in agreement with his mother's words.
"Uncle gives me the impression of being very steady. He can handle anything with a calm demeanor, knowing when to advance and when to retreat."
"Take the passenger ferry route, for example. It was such a brilliant idea, yet he didn't ask Father for anything in return. That's not something an ordinary cultivator would do."
"Therefore, I feel that Uncle has a secret, just like Aunt Yao when she traveled all the way to the Tiannan Sect back then."
Listening to Yun Xiaoniu's analysis, Yun Huizhen felt it made a lot of sense. She nodded, her face filled with gratification.
Yun Xiaoniu, who had grown to be over seven feet tall at a young age, looked strong and imposing. One might have thought him as reckless as Yu Daniu, but his mind was unexpectedly sharp, able to see through to the heart of any matter.
"Dalang, there's no need to overthink your uncle's affairs. The greater his achievements, the more it benefits your father, and in the future, it will benefit you even more."
Yun Huizhen said calmly, "We just need to lend a hand when he needs it, just as your father helped your Aunt Yao purchase a high-grade defensive magical artifact."
"Your Aunt Yao is Deacon Lan's disciple, so her chances of successfully reaching Foundation Establishment are very high. Once she succeeds, your father will have a favor owed to him by a Foundation Establishment cultivator."
"While your uncle's future achievements may not match your Aunt Yao's, he can still cultivate to the ninth level of Qi Refining. A high-grade Talisman Master who is also a great cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining—these are all resources for your future."
"Yes, I understand, Mother."
---
The eighth month, the Cold Dew solar term.
A thick fog rose from the lake's surface in the early morning, blocking out the sunlight and casting a dim, gloomy pall over everything.
Chen Jianghe took the message tube from the egret's leg and returned to his cabin. He opened it to find a letter from Gao Peiyao.
First, she mentioned the thirty spirit stones he had lent her ten years ago, stating that she would need another three to five years to repay them.
"There's no rush for the thirty spirit stones."
Chen Jianghe wasn't in urgent need of those thirty spirit stones. Besides, it wasn't as if Gao Peiyao was intentionally avoiding repayment.
The letter stated that Gao Peiyao planned to attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment within five years and was currently accumulating the necessary resources.
Gao Peiyao was six years younger than Chen Jianghe.
This meant she planned to attempt Foundation Establishment before she was forty-six or forty-seven.
With the Foundation Establishment experience passed down from her master, Deacon Lan, her chances of success were high as long as she accumulated a sufficient foundation.
If so, he might gain a Foundation Establishment stage friend within five years, a significant connection in the cultivation world.
Chen Jianghe turned the letter to dust. He didn't rush to reply, deciding he could postpone it.
He would wait for a suitable opportunity to write back.
This was because the letter had implicitly hinted at wanting to borrow more spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe currently had one hundred and twenty-four spirit stones, but he needed to save up to buy an advanced Spirit Beast Ring, a magical artifact, and high-grade talismans within the next five years.
Therefore, he couldn't lend Gao Peiyao any spirit stones right now.
At the very least, he had to wait until he had some to spare.
So, he decided to delay his reply and reconsider in three years. During that time, if Gao Peiyao wrote again, either asking directly for spirit stones or stating that she had gathered enough resources for her breakthrough, he could give her a direct answer.
By then, Chen Jianghe would know if he had any spare spirit stones.
Of course, there was another crucial point.
The great opportunity Yu Daniu had promised him. He had only told Chen Jianghe to prepare more spirit stones but hadn't specified how many.
From the beginning of the year until now, he had done nothing but cultivate and craft talismans, even cutting down on the number of times he bickered with Xiao Hei.
Not having a fixed number was just too unsettling.
As the year drew to a close, Chen Jianghe finally received a letter from Yu Daniu. It said he had returned from his travels but couldn't come to see him right away.
It would be a few more months.
He had likely obtained some kind of opportunity and needed to enter seclusion to cultivate for a while.
In September of the following year, Yu Daniu emerged from his seclusion and came to Zone A, Water Area Six, all by himself, not even bringing his beloved Yun Xiaoniu with him.
"Brother Jianghe."
Yu Daniu's expression was grave as he asked solemnly, "Are you sure you want to leave Mirror Moon Lake?"
"As long as you become a Guest Elder of the Yun Clan, I can immediately raise your compensation to the highest level."
Chen Jianghe sensed Yu Daniu's seriousness and also noticed that the aura around him was much thicker than before.
He had likely reached the eighth level of Qi Refining.
Furthermore, his stalwart frame, which should have radiated a masculine energy, was instead emitting a chilling coldness.
Chen Jianghe recalled the auction. When Yun Xiaogan paid a high price for the Hundred-Year Ice Soul, Yun Xiaoniu had said it was for Yu Daniu.
It seemed that during his nine months of seclusion, Yu Daniu had been cultivating the Tidal Body Tempering Art, which would explain the icy aura he was exuding.
"Yes."
Chen Jianghe didn't say much, but uttered a single, solemn word, showing his determination to leave.
"Sigh, I knew it."
A look of helplessness crossed Yu Daniu's face. He then took out a storage bag and handed it to Chen Jianghe.
"What is this?"
"One thousand five hundred spirit stones."
"What are you doing?" Chen Jianghe abruptly pulled back his outstretched hand, looking at Yu Daniu in disbelief.
He didn't know how Yu Daniu had gotten his hands on fifteen hundred spirit stones.
But he knew he couldn't accept it.
"Brother Jianghe, don't worry. These aren't the spirit stones from that demonic cultivator Wang Kui's storage bag."
"Wang Kui has long since fled. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. How could we find him?"
Yu Daniu said, "Do you remember the great opportunity I had Xiaoniu tell you about?"
"Yes, I remember. But what does that have to do with these spirit stones?"
Chen Jianghe asked, confused.
"Four years ago, my father-in-law was searching for a Mountain Velvet Beast but failed. However, he ran into a remnant of the White Clan. After killing him, he obtained a storage bag that contained a cultivation technique."
"Brother Jianghe, can you guess what technique it was?"
"Could it be the *Myriad Waters True Scripture (Qi Refining Section)* from the auction?" Chen Jianghe asked in astonishment.
"That's right. It's that very high-grade water-element technique."
A joyful expression appeared on Yu Daniu's face. By obtaining this technique, Yun Xiaogan had rendered a great service to the Yun Clan.
Although Yun Xiaogan was already in his twilight years and would never reach Foundation Establishment, he had secured a deep foundation for Yu Daniu's family.
"The Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans keep a tight grip on high-grade techniques; they almost never leak out."
Hearing this, how could Chen Jianghe not understand what Yu Daniu meant?
The so-called great opportunity was the high-grade water-element technique, the *Myriad Waters True Scripture (Qi Refining Section)*. The fifteen hundred spirit stones were for him, to pass through his hands before being given to the Yun Clan.
It was his way of "purchasing" the personal right to cultivate the *Myriad Waters True Scripture (Qi Refining Section)*, with the condition that it could not be passed on to others.
"Take these fifteen hundred spirit stones. On New Year's Eve, go to the second floor of the Mirror Moon Treasure Pavilion. My father-in-law will conduct the transaction with you. An elder will also be present to oversee the oath," Yu Daniu said.
If Chen Jianghe's guess was correct, these fifteen hundred spirit stones must have come from the White Clan remnant's storage bag.
Yun Xiaogan had intercepted them before they were officially recorded, which was why Yu Daniu had the chance to pass them through Chen Jianghe's hands.
No wonder Yu Daniu had told him to prepare spirit stones back then. It was all for this *Myriad Waters True Scripture (Qi Refining Section)*. This was indeed the cultivation technique Chen Jianghe needed.
Except, even if he saved for another ten years, he wouldn't be able to save up fifteen hundred spirit stones!
Moreover, without Yu Daniu, even if he had the spirit stones, he could at most buy a technique that increased his magical power by twenty percent.
He would have no way of buying a high-grade technique that offered a thirty percent increase.
"Daniu, I'll take the spirit stones. I won't say much about thanks. Just consider it a favor I owe you."
Chen Jianghe took the storage bag from Yu Daniu, his expression earnest, his voice firm and resonant.
"These aren't my spirit stones anyway; they belonged to that White Clan remnant. Since they were going into the Yun Clan's accounts regardless, we might as well put them to good use for us brothers."
"Besides, the idea you came up with has already earned the Yun Clan far more than fifteen hundred spirit stones."
Yu Daniu waved his hand, speaking nonchalantly.
Chen Jianghe was deeply moved.
Yu Daniu could be nonchalant about it, but he couldn't take it lightly. To him, fifteen hundred spirit stones was an astronomical sum.
And the *Myriad Waters True Scripture (Qi Refining Section)* was a godsend.
This favor—he would etch it into his heart.