togophonebook Chapter 39 New Territory
Chapter 39 New Territory
"Splash!"
The six-zhang-long awning boat had a simple formation. Yang Changsheng infused it with his magic power, and it moved forward at an extremely fast speed, creating ripples in the water before disappearing into the outer edge of the Biyue Lake.
The middle section of the waterway he was allocated, numbered "Bingyin 73", was a full fifteen acres in size, and the lake surface was extremely open.
Unlike the surrounding waters, the concentration of spiritual energy in this lake is far greater, almost double that of the surrounding areas. The lake water has a deeper turquoise color and contains a purer water spirit.
The protective array covering the water area is also much stronger, and the mesh dividing the area is of higher quality. It is a "water-dividing spirit mesh" that shimmers with a faint spiritual light, and its toughness is far beyond what it used to be.
Zhao Changlong, the manager of the middle section of Biyue Lake, was a lean middle-aged man with the seventh level of Qi Refining cultivation. He guided Yang Changsheng to familiarize himself with the new water area.
"From now on, you will mainly raise these small dragonfish. These fish are fierce and greedy, and quite strong. A qualified adult dragonfish can grow to over 100 pounds, but is only two feet long. The flesh is delicious and firm, and contains spiritual energy. It is an excellent material for refining qi and blood pills and making spiritual food, and is much more valuable than crystal shrimp."
He pointed to the faintly visible, slender, and swift silver-gray fish shadow in the lake, which had just been released, and introduced it.
"No wonder one needs at least the third level of Qi Refining to qualify as an intermediate-level fisherman."
Yang Changsheng glanced at it a few times and, from the size of the rolling waves, gained a general understanding of the power of this spirit fish.
It can be said that once a cultivator reaches a certain level, without mastering the water-avoidance technique, a cultivator at the first or second level of Qi Refining who falls into the lake is likely to be devoured.
Indeed, in the world of cultivation, strength is everything; without powerful cultivation, one can hardly move an inch.
It's a cruel joke that someone who raises fish would actually be eaten by the fish.
Zhao Changlong explained the rules in detail, saying, "The fish fry are distributed uniformly by the family and mature approximately every two years. The family will provide specially made 'spirit-promoting feed' to increase their probability of transforming from ordinary to advanced."
"Remember, only the dragonfish that ultimately becomes a low-grade first-tier spirit fish counts, and each one will be rewarded with eighty spirit pearls! If it fails to reach a grade, you'll have raised it for two years for nothing, without earning a single penny. The risk is considerable, but the reward is also high..."
"I see."
Yang Changsheng nodded, listening very attentively.
Zhao Changlong paused, then suggested, "You'd better buy a low-grade spirit beast that's good at controlling water to assist you, such as the 'Mysterious Water Turtle.' It's gentle in nature and has a natural ability to use some cloud and rain magic. It can help you water the plants to increase their spiritual energy, and it can also suppress the ferocity of those little dragonfish from time to time, preventing them from killing each other and wasting food."
"Next is the Ironback Alligator Turtle, which has strong defense and can act as a meat shield and fighter, but its intelligence and spell control are slightly inferior to the Mystic Water Turtle. The worst is the Azure Wave Carp, which swims fast and can drive away schools of fish, but its suppression effect is average."
"With a spirit beast watching over you, you can save a lot of time to focus on cultivation, and the yield is guaranteed. There is no fishing moratorium for these dragonfish; they must be caught as soon as they are mature. There is no time to waste."
Yang Changsheng thanked the steward for his kindness, but he had other plans in mind.
After mooring the six-foot-long awning boat, as usual, while attentively tending to it, he quietly activated the dormant golden ancient tree imprint deep within his sea of consciousness.
A wisp of pure, gentle, and infinitely vibrant pale golden energy, following his will, silently diffused into the fifteen acres of water, like the softest raindrops.
A wonderful change is happening quietly.
The silver-gray fish fry, which were initially quite agitated and constantly bumping and biting each other, became visibly calm and tamed under the influence of the life force.
They no longer needlessly rammed into the water-dividing gauze, nor did they attack each other. Instead, they swam leisurely, gulping down the plankton in the water and the special feed that Yang Changsheng had scattered.
The entire body of water exudes an unusual harmony and tranquility.
Yang Changsheng felt much more at ease.
He then tried to carefully blend a tiny, almost imperceptible amount of life force into the crushed algae and special feed, and then fed it evenly.
After observing for several days, he found that the fish fry fed with this "added" feed had brighter scales, swam more powerfully, and seemed to have a more active and purer spiritual energy than the fish fry fed only with their own family feed.
This means that he can subtly guide and "delay" the time when they break through the mortal realm and officially enter the rank by controlling the amount of vitality injected!
This discovery delighted him.
For the time being, there is indeed no need to spend spirit stones to purchase spirit beasts.
The life force of the ancient golden tree was his best aid, silent and completely under his control.
In the calm and peaceful days, Yang Changsheng's life took on a new rhythm. He would practice the Xuan Yuan Technique in the early morning, drawing upon the spiritual energy of the rising sun.
Care for the arowanas, observe and record their behavior, occasionally add them to their mixed feed, and have them practice the Body Tempering Technique for two quarters of an hour each day and night to enhance their physique with the essence of the sun and moon.
In the dead of night, with the cabin dimly lit, he was completely focused, wielding a specially made carving knife as fine as a cow's hair.
This was the low-grade magic weapon, the Light-Dividing Carving Knife, which he purchased from the market for ten spirit stones. It was of higher quality than the second puppet.
Fragments of the green ironwood danced between his fingertips, and a faint yet extremely stable magical power condensed at the tip of his carving knife.
Each basic rune was meticulously copied onto the wooden board.
Flame, sturdiness, lightness, sharpness... he gradually mastered these special symbols that constitute the most fundamental logic of all puppet creations.
"We finally succeeded!"
As the final stroke of the "Concealment" rune was perfectly executed on the wooden board, the lines flowing smoothly and radiating inner light, Yang Changsheng let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes gleaming.
The basic rune diagrams were eventually memorized.
The field of vision of the Spirit Eye Technique has also expanded to more than ten feet, revealing every detail. It brings us one step closer to truly creating our first basic puppet and achieving a high level of skill.
There were no sudden leaps forward; it was all accumulated over time through diligent self-study.
The idea that you can quickly produce finished products and start making money after just a few tries is simply impossible.
If the various arts of cultivation were so easy to master, they would have been commonplace in the cultivation world long ago, and would not have held such a high status.
……
The cold wind of December swept across the green lake, stirring up small ice crystals that pattered against the deck of the covered boats, making a soft rustling sound.
As the year draws to a close, most of the fishermen and farmers on the lake have already hauled in their nets and returned to port, preparing for a well-deserved rest.
After finishing his daily breathing exercises, Yang Changsheng felt his internal energy surging and overflowing. The barrier between him and the fourth level of Qi Refining seemed to have loosened slightly.
He changed into his newly acquired blue robe with a wave pattern, and set sail in his awning boat toward the port market.
In the "Listening to the Waves" private room on the third floor of Zuixianlou overlooking the lake, pushing open the carved wooden door, a warm feeling mixed with the faint aroma of wine and food wafts in, dispelling the chill of the lake breeze.
The private room was elegantly decorated, and outside the window was a vast, clear lake in winter.
Yang Changsheng was the second to arrive.
A solitary figure sat quietly by the window.
Su Wanqing was still dressed in a snow-white robe, spotless and pure, her temperament as clear and still as a cold pool.
She was gazing at the lake outside the window, her profile exquisitely beautiful. Hearing the door open, she slowly turned her head, gave Yang Changsheng a slight nod as a greeting, her eyes calm and undisturbed.
This time it was her turn to host.