Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Changes in the Yun Family

”Master, don’t forget my Spirit-Encompassing Flower!”

It was Major Cold. At the first light of dawn, thick fog blanketed the lake. The large fish-collecting ships pierced through the dense mist, harvesting Little Cyan Fish from the various breeding waters. The moment the Yun Family collected the Little Cyan Fish, Little Black couldn’t wait to claim credit, asking Chen Jianghe to reward him with the Spirit-Encompassing Flower. Little Black had broken through to Mid-Stage Tier One, comparable to a Cultivator’s Mid-Stage Qi Refining. The Clear Spirit Grass, the Main Material for Refining the Qi Nourishing Pill, was no longer of much use to him. Therefore, to encourage Little Black to throw himself into his work, Chen Jianghe had promised him this exotic Spirit-Encompassing Flower.

The Spirit-Encompassing Flower was the Main Material for Refining Qi Storage Pills and was quite valuable. A single stalk was worth four Spirit Stones, yet the Spiritual Qi it contained was even more abundant than that in a Qi Storage Pill. One Spirit-Encompassing Flower, combined with over a dozen Auxiliary Materials, could yield more than five Qi Storage Pills per furnace. This showed just how high the Spiritual Qi content of the Spirit-Encompassing Flower was. However, Cultivators could not consume it directly, which was why they would spend five Spirit Stones to purchase Qi Storage Pills instead.

”My salary for raising fish is only three Spirit Stones, and I still have to put in an extra one.” Chen Jianghe felt somewhat helpless.

Ever since Yun Bufan successfully charged into Foundation Establishment, the Yun Family’s Little Cyan Fish breeding plan for the Inner Waters had changed. It was shortened from a three-year cycle to a two-year cycle. The Yun Family would provide Senior Fishermen and Farmers with massive amounts of Immortal Spirit Rice as fish food, which accelerated the Little Cyan Fish’s metamorphosis. However, the average weight of the Little Cyan Fish that had not evolved into Spirit Beasts hardly decreased.

Nevertheless, this was broadly a form of support from the Yun Family for the Senior Fishermen and Farmers, transitioning from a three-year salary to a two-year one. The cost of the Immortal Spirit Rice required was entirely borne by the Yun Family. This reform completely won over the hearts of the Senior Fishermen and Farmers. On average, it meant an extra income of more than one Spirit Stone per year. This could also be considered the Yun Family’s generous reward for the Senior Fishermen and Farmers who had stood by them through turbulent times.

When New Year’s Eve arrived, Chen Jianghe finished packing and prepared to head to Huxing Island to sell his Spirit Talismans and then purchase some Cultivation Resources.

”Master, the Spirit-Encompassing Flower.”

”I know. Watch the house carefully and don’t poke your head out.”

Chen Jianghe responded through their Spirit Platform Mark, feeling as though he was overturning the Celestial Spirits—the roles of master and servant were completely reversed. He had instead become the wage slave. He thought, ”Before I transmigrated, I was a beast of burden. Now, I’m still a beast of burden. Haven’t I transmigrated for absolutely nothing? I need to properly train Little Black. How can he just overturn the Celestial Spirits like this?”

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Jianghe exerted his Magical Power to steer the boat, following the group of Senior Fishermen and Farmers toward Huxing Island.

SWISH SWISH!

Looking up, one could occasionally see gleams of swords flashing past, flying toward Huxing Island. Among them were the Hundred Arts Guest Elders from the Inner Waters, as well as members of the Cultivation Families within the territory of Jingyue Lake. The Hundred Arts Guest Elders who had joined the Yun Family during its most precarious state had seen their gamble pay off, reaping immense rewards. Some had become honored guests of the Yun Family. Others had rented Tier One Spiritual Vein territories within Jingyue Lake at extremely low prices and established new Cultivation Families.

Upon arriving at the port of Huxing Island, he saw that the harbor had been expanded tenfold. After Yun Bufan emerged from seclusion, Jingyue Lake’s territory expanded from two hundred li back to a span of eight hundred li Fang Yuan. After another half a year of ’friendly’ negotiations with other Foundation Establishment Immortal Races in the Eastern Territory, Jingyue Lake had further expanded to a span of one thousand two hundred li Fang Yuan.

The Yun Family intended to open up Huxing Island to establish a Cultivation Marketplace on it. Currently, the Zhonglou Street Marketplace on Huxing Island had already begun extensive expansion, and the residential areas along the coast had been demolished. The residential areas for the Yun Family’s disciples were all relocated to the western side of Huxing Island. The eastern side was designated for the Marketplace, as well as the housing district for Honored Guest Loose Cultivators.

However, the Marketplace on Huxing Island was still under construction. At present, it only welcomed members of the Cultivation Families from within Jingyue Lake on New Year’s Eve. Moreover, there was no time limit for staying on the island during the day, but visitors had to leave once New Year’s Eve ended. This was exactly why members of the Cultivation Families within Jingyue Lake had come to Huxing Island on New Year’s Eve.

Chen Jianghe disembarked at the port and headed toward the Zhonglou Street Marketplace with the ease of familiarity, but the sights along the way were a breath of fresh air. Earth-shaking changes had taken place. The original Fumin Residence had been demolished and replaced by various courtyards of different sizes and tiers, making it easier to rent them out. The size of the residential area had also been increased, expanding outward by at least five times. Furthermore, the shops of the Zhonglou Street Marketplace extended directly into the residential area, and several large pavilion buildings were undergoing expedited construction.

The original bell tower had been rebuilt into a three-story pavilion. Although it was still under reconstruction, the plaque above the door had already been hung up.

[Hundred Treasures Tower]

Across the entire Celestial South Domain, every Marketplace housed a Hundred Treasures Tower. Its architectural layout and location were always the prime spots in any Marketplace. From Yu Daniu’s letters, Chen Jianghe knew that the Hundred Treasures Tower was actually the property of the Celestial South Sect, which was why it occupied the best location in every Marketplace. Moreover, the Hundred Treasures Tower was a comprehensive shop that sold Array Discs, Spirit Pills, Potions, Spirit Talismans, Magical Artifacts, and even Cultivation Techniques. The third floor of the Hundred Treasures Tower hosted auctions.

To the left of the Hundred Treasures Tower, a two-story pavilion was being built, and its plaque had also been hung.

[Jingyue Treasure Pavilion]

This was the Yun Family’s own comprehensive shop. It also sold various Cultivation Resources, but it did not host auctions. Since a Marketplace could only have one auction venue, that right belonged exclusively to the third floor of the Hundred Treasures Tower. This was also the reason why only the Hundred Treasures Tower was allowed to have three floors, while all other buildings could only have two at most.

”There’s actually a Beast Taming Workshop?”

Chen Jianghe saw that next to the Jingyue Treasure Pavilion, another two-story pavilion was under construction, and its plaque was already displayed.

The Beast Taming Workshop was the property of the Beast Taming Immortal Race Zhou Family. It sold various Spirit Beasts, as well as all kinds of tools for enslaving them. Sometimes, the Beast Taming Workshop would even sell Tier Two Spirit Beasts that were comparable to a Foundation Establishment Ancestor. This was because the Beast Taming Immortal Race Zhou Family was the number one family in the Southern Territory of the Celestial South Domain, rumored to be overseen by a Great Core Formation. Furthermore, not every Marketplace had a Beast Taming Workshop. They only established branches in Grand Marketplaces deemed worthy by the Zhou Family. For instance, the Bai Family’s Qiyun Marketplace did not have one.

Looking at the Zhonglou Street Marketplace, which had expanded by who knew how many times, with shopfronts being erected everywhere, a thriving and prosperous scene unfolded before his eyes. This also indicated that ever since Yun Bufan reached Foundation Establishment, the Yun Family’s foundation had been flourishing day by day.

Chen Jianghe went to the Spirit Talisman Shop and sold the Spirit Talismans he had on hand, keeping only three Water Escape Talismans. Although his current Mid-Stage Qi Refining allowed him to escape ten li using the Water Escape Technique, it was his habit to keep three Water Escape Talismans for emergencies. Walking out of the Spirit Talisman Shop, he found himself with an additional twenty-nine Spirit Stones and seventy-five grains of Spiritual Sand. After deducting the costs, the profits of a Lower-Grade Talisman Master were nearly sixty percent higher than at the Talisman Master Entry Level. He now had a total of fifty-two Spirit Stones and one hundred and thirty-two grains of Spiritual Sand. Among Qi Refining Cultivators, he could be considered somewhat wealthy.

”I should go find Daniu first and return the eight Spirit Stones I owe him. Xiaoniu has also reached the age for Cultivation and needs Spirit Stones.”

Chen Jianghe turned off Zhonglou Street into another street, heading toward the tavern he and Yu Daniu had agreed upon in their letters.