Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 93: Chapter 89: Ten Thousand Waters Scripture

”Suxin, go attend to your work first.”

Hearing that Chen Jianghe had become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master, Yun Huizhen’s face lit up with joy. However, upon seeing her younger sister lose her composure, she immediately dismissed Yun Suxin.

”Second Sister, you’ve lost your composure. You need to act like a proper elder in front of the younger generation,” she scolded.

”Sister, I want Chen Jianghe. I want him.”

Yun Huixiang grabbed Yun Huizhen’s hand, pleading repeatedly, ”Sister, have your husband talk to him one more time. I can marry down; he won’t have to marry into our family as a matrilocal son-in-law.

”Sister, I’m already forty-three. If I don’t find a good man to marry, I will never have any hope of breaking through to Late-Stage Qi Refining in this lifetime.”

Although the Yun Family’s influence was growing by the day, they would not squander Cultivation Resources casually. Someone like Yun Huixiang, who merely lived off the family’s annual salary without contributing, would never receive further nurturing from the clan.

Therefore, she could completely forget about obtaining a Misfortune-Breaking Pill from the family.

Unless Yun Xiaoqian or Yun Huizhen privately purchased a Misfortune-Breaking Pill for her, she essentially had no chance of reaching Late-Stage Qi Refining.

In the past, she had looked down on Chen Jianghe because he was merely a Fisherman and Farmer. His future had been entirely predictable.

But things were different now.

Chen Jianghe had become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master and was on very good terms with Yu Daniu.

Most importantly, he was not even fifty years old yet, which meant he had a promising chance of becoming a High-Grade Talisman Master in his lifetime.

To the Yun Family, a High-Grade Talisman Master was far more important than a Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator.

Moreover, would a Middle-Grade Talisman Master ever need to worry about failing to break through to Late-Stage Qi Refining?

Not only that, but if she married Chen Jianghe, she would never have to fret over her future Cultivation Resources.

Once she turned sixty and her family salary was cut off, she would still have Chen Jianghe drawing Spirit Talismans to support her.

”You... Daniu spoke with Brother Jianghe last time. He has no intention of... Sigh, I’ll try again...”

Seeing her sister beg so bitterly, Yun Huizhen felt a pang of sympathy. After all, they were blood sisters.

”Mother,” Yun Xiaoniu interrupted at that moment. He shot her a meaningful glance before turning to Yun Huixiang.

”Aunt Huixiang, if you’ve missed a chance at a marriage, then it’s missed. Why force it?” he said. ”In the future, I will ask my father to secure a Misfortune-Breaking Pill for you.”

Yun Huixiang shook her head. Between a single Misfortune-Breaking Pill and a man with a highly promising future, she could easily tell which carried more weight.

”Xiaoniu, I watched you grow up. You have to help put in a good word for me with your uncle—”

”Enough.” Yun Huizhen furrowed her elegant brows and waved her hand. ”I’m tired. Go back first.”

”Sister.”

”Please head back for now, Aunt Huixiang,” Yun Xiaoniu said respectfully.

Yun Huixiang stomped her foot in anxiety. However, seeing Yun Huizhen slowly close her eyes, she knew her sister would no longer speak up for her and had no choice but to leave.

Once she was gone, Yun Huizhen breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Yun Xiaoniu, she said, ”Da Lang, it’s a good thing you stopped me. Otherwise, if I had agreed to help her, it might have strained the relationship between your father and your Uncle Jianghe.

”Providing one Misfortune-Breaking Pill is no issue for our family, but your Uncle Jianghe is far from being as simple as he appears on the surface.”

Yun Xiaoniu nodded, agreeing with her words.

”Uncle Jianghe gives me a very steady feeling,” Yun Xiaoniu said. ”He treats everything with a calm demeanor and always knows when to advance and when to retreat.

”Take the passenger ferry route, for example. It was such a brilliant idea, yet he didn’t make a single demand of my father. This isn’t how an ordinary Cultivator behaves.

”Therefore, I feel like Uncle Jianghe harbors a secret, just like Aunt Yao did before she traveled far away to join the Celestial South Sect.”

Listening to his analysis, Yun Huizhen found it highly reasonable. She nodded, her face revealing a gratified expression.

Yun Xiaoniu, who had grown to a towering two meters and twenty centimeters in his early years, looked exceptionally burly and robust. She had initially thought he would be as reckless and impulsive as Yu Daniu. To her surprise, he had a meticulous mind; he was perceptive about everything and could easily see to the core of any matter.

”Da Lang, you don’t need to overthink your Uncle Jianghe’s affairs,” Yun Huizhen said calmly. ”The greater his achievements, the more it benefits your father, which will ultimately benefit you in the future.

”We simply need to lend him a hand when he requires help, just as your father helped your Aunt Yao purchase a High-Grade Defensive Spiritual Artifact.

”Your Aunt Yao is Steward Lan’s disciple, so she has a very high chance of successfully reaching Foundation Establishment. Once she succeeds, your father will hold a favor from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

”Although your Uncle Jianghe’s future achievements might not match your Aunt Yao’s, he will still be able to cultivate to Ninth-Layer Qi Refining. A High-Grade Talisman Master who is also a Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Great Cultivator—these are all resources for your future.”

”Yes, I understand, Mother.”

***

August, during the solar term of Cold Dew.

Thick morning fog rolled over the lake, blocking out the sunlight and making the surroundings appear rather gloomy.

Chen Jianghe untied the bamboo message tube from the White Egret’s leg and returned to his cabin. Opening it, he found it was a letter from Gao Peiyao.

She first mentioned the thirty Spirit Stones she had borrowed from him ten years ago, stating that she needed to delay repayment for another three to five years.

”I’m in no rush for those thirty Spirit Stones,” Chen Jianghe murmured.

He didn’t desperately need the money right now, and besides, he knew Gao Peiyao wasn’t intentionally withholding the debt.

According to the letter, Gao Peiyao planned to attempt her breakthrough to Foundation Establishment within the next five years, and she was currently accumulating the necessary resources for it.

She was six years younger than Chen Jianghe.

This meant she aimed to reach Foundation Establishment before she turned forty-six or forty-seven.

With the breakthrough experience imparted by her master, Steward Lan, as long as she accumulated a solid enough foundation, her chances of success were remarkably high.

In that case, within five years, he might gain a friend at the Foundation Establishment Stage, giving him an undeniable network connection in the Cultivation Realm.

Chen Jianghe crushed the letter into dust, but he was in no hurry to reply. He could afford to delay his response until an appropriate opportunity arose.

The reason was that the letter subtly hinted at her desire to borrow more Spirit Stones.

Currently, he had one hundred and twenty-four Spirit Stones on hand. However, over the next five years, he needed to save up enough to purchase a High-Level Spirit Beast Circle, Magical Artifacts, and High-Grade Spirit Talismans.

Therefore, he couldn’t lend her any Spirit Stones right now.

He would have to wait until he had a surplus of Spirit Stones before he could lend any out.

As a result, he planned to postpone his reply for three years. If Gao Peiyao wrote again in the meantime—either asking directly to borrow Spirit Stones or stating that she had finally gathered enough resources for her foundation—he could respond directly.

By then, Chen Jianghe would know for sure whether he had any extra Spirit Stones to spare.

Of course, there was another particularly important factor.

That was the great fortune Yu Daniu had promised him. Yu Daniu had only told him to prepare a large sum of Spirit Stones without specifying an exact amount.

From the beginning of the year until now, aside from his Cultivation, he had spent all his time drawing Spirit Talismans. Even his usual bickering sessions with Little Black had drastically decreased.

Not having a fixed target number was simply too frustrating.

As the end of the year approached, Chen Jianghe finally received a letter from Yu Daniu, stating that he had returned from the outside but couldn’t come to see him right away.

He would need a few more months.

He had likely stumbled upon some fortunate encounter and needed to enter secluded Cultivation for a while.

By September of the following year, Yu Daniu finally emerged from seclusion. He arrived at Zone A No.6 Water Area entirely alone, not even bringing his beloved Yun Xiaoniu along.

”Brother Jianghe,” Yu Daniu began, his expression solemn as he asked seriously, ”Are you absolutely certain you want to leave Jingyue Lake?

”As long as you agree to become a Yun Family Honored Guest Elder, I can directly elevate your compensation to the highest Honored Guest Elder tier.”

Chen Jianghe could feel Yu Daniu’s earnestness. At the same time, he noticed that the aura radiating from his friend was far more robust than before.

He had likely cultivated to Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.

Moreover, Yu Daniu’s burly physique, which should naturally exude a strong, masculine vitality, was now emitting a frigid, icy aura.

Chen Jianghe recalled the events at the auction. When Yun Xiaoqian had spent heavily to win the Hundred-Year Ice Soul, Yun Xiaoniu had mentioned it was meant for Yu Daniu.

It seemed that during his nine months in seclusion, Yu Daniu had been practicing the Cold Pond Body Tempering Technique for Body Refining, which explained the icy aura spilling from him.

”Yes.”

Chen Jianghe didn’t elaborate further. He firmly spat out a single word, demonstrating his unyielding resolve to leave.

”Sigh, I knew it.”

Yu Daniu revealed a look of helpless resignation. He then pulled out a Storage Pouch and handed it to Chen Jianghe.

”What is this?”

”One thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.”

”What are you trying to do?” Chen Jianghe abruptly retracted his outstretched hand, staring at Yu Daniu in disbelief.

He had no idea how Yu Daniu had managed to get his hands on one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.

But he knew for a fact that he couldn’t accept them.

”Don’t worry, Brother Jianghe. These aren’t the Spirit Stones from the Demon Cultivator’s Storage Pouch that Wang Kui had,” Yu Daniu explained. ”Wang Kui fled long ago. He vanished without a trace; how could anyone find him now?

”Do you remember the great fortune I had Xiaoniu mention to you back then?”

”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 hunting for a Mountain Furred Beast but couldn’t find one. However, he ended up running into a Bai family remnant. After killing him, my father-in-law obtained a Storage Pouch containing a Cultivation Technique.

”Do you know which Cultivation Technique it was, Brother Jianghe?”

”Could it be... the Ten Thousand Waters True Scripture Qi Refining Chapter from the auction?” Chen Jianghe asked in astonishment.

”Exactly. It’s precisely that Superior Water Element Skill.”

A look of joy spread across Yu Daniu’s face. By securing this technique, Yun Xiaoqian had performed a massive meritorious deed for the Yun Family.

Although Yun Xiaoqian was already in his twilight years and had no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment in this lifetime, his contribution had built an incredibly profound foundation for Yu Daniu’s branch of the family.

”Foundation Establishment Immortal Races strictly control Superior Cultivation Techniques; they almost never let them leak to outsiders,” Yu Daniu added.

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe finally realized exactly what Yu Daniu was implying.

The so-called great fortune was the Ten Thousand Waters True Scripture Qi Refining Chapter, a Superior Water Element Skill. Yu Daniu was giving him the one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones simply to pass through his hands before he handed them right back to the Yun Family.

It would officially count as Chen Jianghe buying the personal right to cultivate the Ten Thousand Waters True Scripture Qi Refining Chapter, under the strict condition that it must never be taught to anyone else.

”Take these one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones. On New Year’s Eve, go to the second floor of the Jingyue Treasure Pavilion. My father-in-law will conduct the transaction with you. There will also be an Elder present to supervise as you swear an oath of secrecy,” Yu Daniu said.

If Chen Jianghe’s guess was correct, these one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones had originally come from the Bai family remnant’s Storage Pouch.

Yun Xiaoqian must have intercepted the funds before entering them into the clan’s official accounts, providing Yu Daniu with this perfect opportunity to launder the money through Chen Jianghe.

No wonder Yu Daniu had told him to prepare Spirit Stones back then. It was all for the Ten Thousand Waters True Scripture Qi Refining Chapter. This was indeed exactly the Cultivation Method Chen Jianghe desperately needed.

However, even if he saved for another ten years, he still wouldn’t have been able to amass one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones!

Moreover, without Yu Daniu, even if he had the money, the absolute best Cultivation Method he could buy would only provide a twenty percent boost to his Magical Power.

There was simply nowhere for an outsider to purchase a Superior Cultivation Technique that offered a thirty percent boost to Magical Power.

”Daniu, I’ll accept these Spirit Stones. I won’t waste time on empty words of gratitude, but just know that I owe you a massive favor.” Chen Jianghe accepted the Storage Pouch, his expression deadly serious and his voice resolute.

”It’s not my money anyway; it belonged to that Bai family remnant. Since it has to be entered into the Yun Family’s accounts regardless, we might as well put it to good use for our brotherhood,” Yu Daniu said, waving his hand dismissively. ”Besides, thanks to that brilliant idea of yours, the Yun Family has already raked in far more than one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.”

Chen Jianghe was deeply moved.

Yu Daniu might brush it off, but Chen Jianghe couldn’t take it lightly. To him, one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones was currently an astronomical figure.

And the Ten Thousand Waters True Scripture Qi Refining Chapter was an absolute godsend precisely when he needed it most.

He would engrave this favor into his heart forever.