Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 62: Chapter 61: Visitors from the Yun Family

Chen Jianghe had also asked Zhou Miaoyun about Gao Peiyao, but the latter had not received any letters from her either. Over the past five years, they had no idea whether Gao Peiyao had successfully joined an Immortal Sect or been rejected. She might even have met an untimely end.

Chen Jianghe chatted with Yu Daniu for a while longer before leaving the Jingyue Immortal Tower. As the Steward of the Jingyue Immortal Tower, Yu Daniu had many things to handle, and Chen Jianghe didn’t want to take up too much of his time.

He first went to the material shop, purchasing fifty sheets of High-Quality Yellow Paper and four boxes of Spiritual Ink. Then, he visited the Spiritual Pill Shop to buy two Qi Storage Pills. Finally, he arrived at the Medicinal Material Shop and bought two Spirit-Encompassing Flowers for Little Black. In total, he spent eighteen Spirit Stones.

Including the eight Spirit Stones he had repaid Daniu, Chen Jianghe had used up a total of twenty-six Spirit Stones during this trip to Huxing Island. He still had twenty-six Spirit Stones and one hundred and thirty-two grains of Spiritual Sand on him.

Carrying a two-foot-long coarse cloth bundle, he left Huxing Island, using his Magical Power to drive his Upturned Boat toward his aquaculture waters.

He thought to himself, ”In a couple of years, after saving up more Spirit Stones, I’ll need to buy a Storage Pouch.” Carrying the coarse cloth bundle on his back, Chen Jianghe felt it was quite inconvenient. Besides, he would have more and more items to carry on his person in the future. He really couldn’t do without a Storage Pouch.

He had only heard that Storage Pouches were expensive, but he hadn’t inquired about the exact price in Spirit Stones. He heard they were priced based on the size of the space inside. His requirements weren’t high. As long as it could hold his Cultivation Resources and Talisman-Making Materials, it would suffice. After all, carrying such items openly could easily invite trouble. Keeping one’s wealth hidden was the absolute truth.

As soon as he returned to his aquaculture area, Little Black sensed his arrival. The Spirit Platform Mark transmitted Little Black’s obedient voice. It called him ”Master” over and over, sounding both fluent and affectionate.

He muttered, ”I’ll dive to the bottom of the lake first.” Chen Jianghe cast a Water Avoidance Curse, leaped into the lake, and dived toward the bottom, where Little Black eagerly welcomed him.

Chen Jianghe took out the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers but didn’t hand them over immediately. Instead, he gripped them tightly and lectured earnestly, ”I went through a lot of trouble to get these Spirit-Encompassing Flowers. From now on, you must work hard and never slack off.

”Also, you must know how to protect me, understand?”

”Master, you treat me too well! I will definitely work hard. When there is danger, I will absolutely shield you behind me!” Little Black declared solemnly, its beady, glowing green eyes staring fixedly at the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers.

”Mm, take them!”

SMACK SMACK!

Little Black immediately caught the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers in its mouth. It moved its millstone-sized body to rest at the bottom of the lake and began absorbing the Spiritual Qi from the flowers for Refinement.

Chen Jianghe watched Little Black devour the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers. He revealed a look of envy as a halo immediately appeared on its Turtle Shell, intercepting the overflowing Spiritual Qi. This ensured that all the Spiritual Qi from the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers was absorbed and refined. This effect was a cut above the efficacy of the Qi Storage Pills. Chen Jianghe couldn’t help but sigh. The way a Spirit Beast absorbed and refined Heaven and Earth Spiritual Materials was just that simple, brute-force, and effective.

He acted as a Guardian for Little Black at the bottom of the lake, waiting until it had completely absorbed and refined the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers before returning to his boat. In the short term, he didn’t plan on exposing Little Black’s existence. If possible, he wanted Little Black to remain hidden in the dark, at least until he left the Yun Family. This was why he made Little Black stay at the bottom of the lake at all times; even the Refinement of the Spirit-Encompassing Flowers was done down there.

He thought to himself, ”The Jingyue Marketplace will fully open in two years. When that time comes, the Inner Waters won’t be as safe as they are now. However, with Little Black around, anyone below Late-Stage Qi Refining won’t pose a threat to me.” Although Little Black had only just entered Mid-Stage Tier One, its defense was extremely high. Not even a Sixth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivator could break through it. And that was without using the ’Petrification’ Divine Technique. If it used the Divine Technique, Little Black’s defense would be even higher. Now, Little Black had become his true trump card.

As for why the Jingyue Marketplace was waiting two years to open, it was because the Yun Family was inviting an Array Master from the Celestial South Sect to set up a Defense Array for Huxing Island. A large-scale Tier Two Defense Array that covered all of Huxing Island was extraordinarily expensive. The exact amount of Spirit Stones it cost was immeasurable, but according to Yu Daniu, the Yun Family had depleted more than half of their accumulated foundation just to hire the Celestial South Sect’s Array Master for the Array Formation.

He stopped dwelling on these thoughts, cast away his distractions, and focused his Heart and Mind. Sitting cross-legged at the bow of the boat, he absorbed the free-floating Water Element Spiritual Energy above the lake to restore his Dantian Magical Power. He rested, built up his strength, and restored his mental state, preparing to continue drawing Spirit Talismans, aiming to improve his Talisman Dao Skills and earn some Spirit Stones along the way.

Several days later, the Yun Family’s large ship came to distribute fish fry.

To his surprise, the Chief Ship Steward this time was Yun Wu. When the ship arrived at the Zone C No.12 Water Area, instead of immediately distributing the Little Cyan Fish fry, he asked Chen Jianghe to board the large ship.

”Fifth-Layer Qi Refining. Not bad.” Yun Wu looked at Chen Jianghe with a smiling face and said, ”If I remember correctly, Brother Chen just turned thirty-five this year, right?”

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe nodded. The New Year’s Eve had passed; in this new year, he had indeed just turned thirty-five. As for why Yun Wu knew this, it was naturally because the Yun Family had all of Chen Jianghe’s information. After all, it was thanks to the Yun Family’s grace that Chen Jianghe had stepped onto the Immortal Path.

”I hear Brother Chen has quite a Talent for the Talisman Dao?” Yun Wu asked with a smile.

He thought to himself, ”Here it comes.”

Chen Jianghe knew deep down that he couldn’t keep his status as a Lower-Grade Talisman Master hidden from the Yun Family. He frequented the Spirit Talisman Shop and material shops every year, so there was naturally no way to conceal his Talisman Dao Skills.

”I wouldn’t call it Talent. It was just a whim, and I was lucky enough to reach the Entry Level in the Talisman Dao,” Chen Jianghe replied with a cupped-fist salute, his tone humble and respectful.

”For Brother Chen to raise his Talisman Dao Skills to become a Lower-Grade Talisman Master within a few years through self-study, your Talent is indeed quite good. There’s no need to be too modest.

”This perfectly proves the Young Master’s keen eye.”

Yun Wu’s words were filled with admiration for Yun Bufan. Ever since Yun Bufan’s successful Foundation Establishment, all the guards and attendants of the Yun Family had dropped the prefix from his name, addressing him directly as ”Young Master” as a sign of respect. Chen Jianghe remained silent, merely smiling along, giving off the impression of being simple, honest, and not good with words.

”I am here on the orders of the Fifth Elder to offer you an opportunity,” Yun Wu said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Chen Jianghe’s simple-minded smile.

”Please enlighten me, Lord Steward,” Chen Jianghe said, looking puzzled.

The Fifth Elder, Yun Zhonghou, was part of the Yun Family’s decision-making core—a Great Cultivator at the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining stage. He was currently an unreachable bigwig for Chen Jianghe. Why would such a person offer an opportunity to him? He thought to himself, ”Could it be that they want me to marry into the family?” Thinking of this, Chen Jianghe quickly recalled everything he had done over the years, as well as the Talent he had displayed.

His aquaculture talent was considered above average. That alone wasn’t worth the attention of the Yun Family’s Fifth Elder. As for his Talisman Dao Skills, although he was self-taught, it still took him more than three years to become a Lower-Grade Talisman Master. His Talisman Dao Talent could only be considered average.

”The Yun Family wants to make a trade with you.”