togophonebook Chapter 32 Post-War Review and Reflection
Chapter 32 Post-War Review and Reflection
At the Fisheries and Agriculture Management Office, the same ordinary steward from the Lu family who had been there on the way was still on duty. He was meditating cross-legged in a small wooden hut in the port, and he paid no attention to anyone except for collecting spirit pearls.
After inspecting the small boat, Yang Changsheng found that all the purchased items were undamaged. He then removed the management sign and completed the simple handover procedures.
Then, he skillfully untied the ropes of his half-worn fishing boat.
Whoosh!
With a gentle push of the long pole against the green stone on the shore, the small boat glides smoothly into the rippling blue lake like an arrow, disappearing into the harbor.
The night was deep.
The lake reflected the starry sky and the lights of the distant market. A cool evening breeze carried moisture and the faint fragrance of aquatic plants.
The familiar scent of the lake enveloped him, far removed from the bloodshed of Black Wind Pass and the hustle and bustle of the market. Yang Changsheng's tense nerves finally began to relax.
Instead of returning directly to his crystal shrimp farming area, which he had enclosed with a spirit-locking net, he rowed the boat to a relatively secluded spot far from the waterway.
After securing the boat's mooring lines, he sat cross-legged in the cabin, gazing at the deep night sky and the shimmering lake, and began to review his experiences over the past two months.
Within the sea of consciousness, the golden ancient tree imprint floated silently, its branches and leaves flourishing, radiating an eternal and inextinguishable divine light, exuding an aura of the passage of time, which naturally brought a sense of tranquility.
Yang Changsheng emptied his mind, and the scenes that had happened from leaving Biyue Lake to returning flashed clearly before his eyes like a revolving lantern, with no detail overlooked.
Looking down at the mountains and rivers from the Liu family's flying boat, after the initial excitement, one feels the cruel silence of the cultivation world.
After learning the techniques of spirit plant cultivation in Luojiagang Town, living a steady life of farming and cultivation, and winning the battle to wipe out the Iron-skinned Boars, Zhao Kui's eyes gleamed with undisguised greed.
That night, he discovered the sound of secret communication, sensed danger, and speculated that there might be a group of cultivators who had robbed him. He then purchased Marrow Cleansing Pills to break through his cultivation level, prepared his base, and made full preparations.
Finally, when attacked, he immediately devised a battle plan, instantly killing two people, then eliminating the strongest swordsman leader, dealing with the puppet second leader, and cleaning up the battlefield before leaving.
He repeatedly chewed over and analyzed every detail of the past two months.
In particular, the exposure of Zhao Kui's perfect fifth level of Qi Refining cultivation and the oppressive feeling of the leader of the Flowing Cloud Three Fiends' sixth level of Qi Refining still sent chills down his spine when he recalled it.
"It was still too risky..." Yang Changsheng muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rough wood grain of the boat plank.
The battle at Black Wind Pass lasted only about ten breaths, but it was incredibly dangerous. One wrong step could have had unimaginable consequences.
Among them, the talisman given by Liu Xiaoying, the poison needles purchased from the market, his physique at the Body Tempering Realm, and his extremely proficient water control technique were of paramount importance.
The power of a cultivator's magical artifacts far surpasses that of spells. If the opponent hadn't failed to surround and kill him immediately, instead kiting him from a distance, his best outcome would have been to escape.
Wang Ergou was certain to die; there was no chance of him surviving.
The harvest was indeed enormous: eighty-two spirit stones and spirit beads, several magical artifacts, and especially the jade slip that recorded the puppeteer's lineage, whose value was immeasurable.
But this huge profit is built on the enormous risk of life and death.
The golden ancient tree imprint in his sea of consciousness seemed to sway gently with his thoughts, and the boundless vitality within him, representing a long lifespan, appeared especially clear and precious at this moment.
"Four hundred and eighty years..."
As Yang Changsheng felt the weight of this capital, a strong sense of vigilance welled up in his heart.
"What I possess is longevity, a time far exceeding that of other cultivators of the same level, a time that is almost a luxury. This is my greatest advantage and my greatest reliance."
He clenched his fist tightly, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force, and his dark eyes became even more profound.
The initial purpose of this trip to Luogang Town was to earn spirit pearls in order to accelerate my cultivation, prevent falling behind, and accumulate connections and information.
This is perfectly reasonable, and the mutual aid society does have its benefits, but to leave oneself far from the relatively safe core area of the Azure Lake for a mere thirty-six spirit pearls is unacceptable.
To deliberately expose oneself to unknown dangers is utterly foolish and puts the cart before the horse!
"I was greedy... and careless..." Yang Changsheng deeply reflected.
He underestimated the dangers of the outside world; even a seemingly ordinary task like planting spirit fields had cultivators infiltrating it. He also overestimated his absolute control in the event of a sudden crisis.
The immortality granted him a long lifespan and self-healing ability, but not invincible defense or overwhelming power.
In the Qi Refining Realm, a difference of one realm, a good magic weapon, or a strange unorthodox method can all become a deadly threat.
Yang Changsheng sat cross-legged on the deck and took out several items from his storage bag.
Eighty-two spirit stones radiating a soft glow, and a long, narrow, straight sword that was entirely black with scale-like patterns that shimmered with a dull luster.
A slender bamboo sword, no bigger than the palm of your hand, and a heavy black iron brick engraved with simple runes.
And most importantly, there was a jade slip that emitted a warm white light, containing the complete puppeteer's inheritance.
The owners of these items are all more powerful than me, all from humble backgrounds, living on the edge, and are meticulous in their thinking. I wonder how long it took them to accumulate so much wealth.
However, this was just a well-planned assassination attempt targeting low-level rogue cultivators, but it backfired despite the absolute certainty of success, and all their resources and wealth benefited others.
Murder and arson bring wealth and power, and it's true that you can make a lot of money. But if you walk by the river long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet eventually. Sooner or later, you'll be caught red-handed.
A gentle breeze ripples the water, and the Milky Way seems to be reflected in the waves.
After calming himself down, Yang Changsheng made a decision based on the nature of the Longevity Body and the lessons learned from this crisis.
Before he reaches the late stage of Qi Refining and has enough power to protect himself, he will never take the initiative to step out of the core area of Biyue Lake.
Raising shrimp in their own waters, cultivating their skills, and acquiring resources with safety as the top priority are all things to be done safely. It is better to be slow than risky. Market transactions also require extreme caution.
"Steady management and gradual progress—this is the true path to immortality..."
He looked towards his own waters, where the spirit-locking netting at its core gleamed faintly in the night. There lived the crystal shrimp he depended on for survival, and there was a relatively safe environment for cultivation.
Yang Changsheng put the spirit stones, magic artifacts, and jade slips back into his storage bag and hid them in the fishing boat's compartment, intending not to deal with them for the time being.
Then, with the long pole propelled, and under the starlight, the small boat broke through the calm water and steadily sailed towards the waters that belonged to it, shimmering with a faint spiritual light.
What he needs to do now is cultivate. Only by possessing strength can he experience the magnificent scenery of the cultivation world in the future, truly achieve immortality and freedom, and not have to be timid or hesitant.
As the moonlight fell, the young man's figure cast a long shadow on the lake at night. His handsome face became even more resolute, his eyes deep, and his heart set on the path of enlightenment even more steadfast.