Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 112: Chapter 99: Switching Cultivation Techniques

At the Spirit Liquid counter, a young female clerk at the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining stage looked at Chen Jianghe with a smile. The clerks in the Hundred Treasures Tower of Qinghe Marketplace all had a cultivation base of the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining. This was a whole layer higher than those down in Jingyue Marketplace. It seemed that Jingyue Marketplace still had a long way to go before it could catch up with Qinghe Marketplace.

”I need Tier One Spirit Liquid for healing,” Chen Jianghe said.

”Would you like Middle-Grade Healing Spirit Liquid, or perhaps High Grade or Lower Grade?”

Chen Jianghe thought for a moment. Little Black had beaten Fur Ball quite severely. Although a Lower-Grade Healing Spirit Liquid would work, it would likely take a long time for the creature to recover.

”How many Spirit Stones for the Middle-Grade Healing Spirit Liquid?”

”Five Spirit Stones.”

”I’ll take one.”

Chen Jianghe handed over five Spirit Stones and accepted the Middle-Grade Healing Spirit Liquid from the clerk.

Spirit Liquid had similar effects to Spirit Pills, but it was slightly cheaper. This was because the Spiritual Power within the liquid was difficult to absorb completely—at most, a cultivator could only take in seventy percent of it. In contrast, up to ninety percent of a Spirit Pill’s medicinal efficacy could be absorbed. Therefore, even though there were Spirit Liquids designed to enhance cultivation and their prices were slightly lower than Spirit Pills, cultivators generally still preferred the pills.

Since Chen Jianghe was tight on funds, he had no choice but to buy the Healing Spirit Liquid. A standard Middle-Grade Healing Spirit Pill would cost at least seven or eight Spirit Stones, if not ten.

Having bought what he needed, he left the Hundred Treasures Tower.

It was already approaching 7:00 PM. Soon, the cultivators on the streets would disperse, either returning to their residences or leaving the marketplace altogether.

”The marketplace just released new subsidized jobs. Let’s go take a look!”

”Let’s go together.”

”I wonder what kind of jobs they are. I just pray it’s not cleaning Spirit Beast hides again. The stench was unbearable.”

”I know, right? And the requirements were so strict—we couldn’t waste a single drop of Spirit Beast Blood.”

”...”

Walking along the bluestone paths that flanked River Street, Chen Jianghe watched many cultivators rush past him. They seemed to be hurrying to fight for the subsidized jobs provided by Qinghe Marketplace.

Chen Jianghe actually knew a bit about these jobs; Jiang Ruxu had mentioned them to him yesterday. From time to time, Qinghe Marketplace would offer short-term subsidized work as a form of welfare for cultivators supporting families. It was also a strategy to encourage more cultivators to settle down in the marketplace.

For instance, processing Spirit Beast hides, organs, and Spirit Blood normally paid very little and was only temporary work. Even if one worked for a whole year, the earnings wouldn’t be enough to cover rent in Qinghe Marketplace and buy the Spirit Stones needed for Fasting Pills. Thus, the marketplace subsidized these positions, allowing the lower-cultivation family members of Cultivation Families to earn a few extra Spirit Stones.

Being a guide in Qinghe Marketplace was also a subsidized job. For the long-term development of the marketplace, guides were essential. Without them, first-time visiting cultivators would be completely lost. Unlike the processing jobs, being a guide was a long-term, stable position. However, it came with strict requirements: they only hired female cultivators with a bone age between twelve and thirty-five.

Male cultivators were not accepted.

Guiding a single cultivator earned ten grains of Spiritual Sand. According to Jiang Ruxu, if she had a good year, she could earn eight Spirit Stones. Coupled with the eight-stone subsidy from Qinghe Marketplace, her annual income would total sixteen Spirit Stones. After deducting rent and Fasting Pills, she would be left with four Spirit Stones in her pocket—a far better livelihood than being a fisherman and farmer at Jingyue Lake.

But the conditions were harsh. Once a guide turned thirty-five, she would be laid off.

The work of rearing silkworms and reeling silk done by the female members of the Zhou family, which Zhou Miaoyun had mentioned in her letters, was also considered a semi-subsidized job, though the subsidy wasn’t as high as the one for cleaning Spirit Beast hides.

Upon returning home, Chen Jianghe closed the courtyard gate and hung up a sign reading ”In Seclusion.”

With a thought, he activated the Defense Array, making it impossible for anyone to forcefully break in from the outside. He then circulated his Magical Power and blasted a pit near the courtyard wall—sixteen feet long, ten feet wide, and ten feet deep.

SPLASH!

Chen Jianghe cast the Water Condensation Curse, filling the deep pit with water. Only then did he release Little Black from the Spirit Beast Space.

”Is this our home?” Little Black looked around curiously. ”This is way too small. I can’t even run two laps in here.” The turtle eyed the roughly thirty-square-meter courtyard with evident disdain.

”I didn’t ask you to run; I asked you to swim. Look, this is where you’ll be staying,” Chen Jianghe said, pointing to the crude puddle he had just built for Little Black.

”Two-Legged Beast, I’ll fight you to the death!”

”Stop messing around. It’s not that small; it takes up half the courtyard. What more do you want?” Chen Jianghe shrugged. The puddle was indeed a bit small for Little Black, but it still covered eighteen square meters, taking up fully half of the courtyard.

”In the future, you have to get me a bigger home,” Little Black said before leaping into the puddle.

”PTOEY! PTOEY! PTOEY!”

The turtle quickly popped its head back up. The water was too shallow, and it had gotten a mouthful of mud. ”Master, where are my Cultivation Resources? I want to eat Spirit-Encompassing Flowers.” Little Black had suddenly remembered that despite moving to a new home, the promised resources were nowhere to be seen.

”We just moved here, and I haven’t even started drawing Spirit Talismans yet. Where would I get the Spirit Stones to buy you resources?” Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes.

”Hehe, that’s true.” Little Black grinned foolishly and sent a telepathic message, ”In the future, I’m going to raise a whole lake full of fish! When that time comes, I’ll provide for you.”

”Alright, you said it yourself.”

Chen Jianghe smiled. He then let Fur Ball out. Noticing that the wounds on its back had already scabbed over, he marveled at the strong regenerative abilities of Spirit Beasts. However, the leg that had been pierced through hadn’t yet grown new flesh. Relying solely on the beast’s natural recovery, it would probably take three to five years to heal fully.

”This is for you. From now on, you’re to listen to Little Black and stay quietly in the courtyard,” Chen Jianghe instructed as he fed the Tier One Middle-Grade Healing Spirit Liquid to Fur Ball. After giving the order, he went inside the house.

Fur Ball was also a Water Element Spirit Beast. As long as it obeyed Little Black and behaved itself, it wouldn’t get beaten up again.

Stepping into the room, he cast a Dust Cleansing Technique. He then walked over to the desk and took out his talisman-drawing materials.

Given his current financial constraints, he certainly couldn’t draw Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans; he simply didn’t have the capital for it. To be safe, Chen Jianghe planned to spend his free time over the next few years drawing Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans. After all, he wouldn’t have the time to improve his Talisman Dao Skills. Drawing talismans would just be a side activity during his spare moments.

Right now, his main priority was to switch to a new Cultivation Technique. He was already at the Seventh-Layer Qi Refining. If he didn’t switch, a basic Cultivation Technique like the Returning Origin True Water Technique wouldn’t allow him to progress any further.

”Thankfully, Daniu gave me the Ten Thousand Waters Scripture,” he thought. ”Otherwise, I would have had to delay changing my Cultivation Technique for another five or six years.”

Although he possessed a long lifespan, and halting his cultivation progress for five or six years wouldn’t affect his future Foundation Establishment, being able to advance early was naturally a good thing. Furthermore, the Ten Thousand Waters Scripture that Yu Daniu had procured for him was a Superior Cultivation Technique capable of boosting his Magical Power by thirty percent. It was a rare treasure that couldn’t be bought even with Spirit Stones.

”I’ll need to spend a month drawing Spirit Talismans first before switching to the Ten Thousand Waters Scripture,” he decided.

It was better to accumulate some Spirit Stones beforehand. That way, if the cultivator who left the deposit suddenly returned, Chen Jianghe would have the funds on hand to refund him.

His mind made up, he settled down. Discarding all distracting thoughts and steadying his heart and mind, he began to draw Lower-Grade Five Elements Escape Talismans, which currently offered him the highest profit margin.

A month later, he had successfully drawn four Water Escape Talismans. Reaching the Seventh-Layer Qi Refining had semi-liquefied his Magical Power, significantly improving his stability when drawing talismans. This could also be considered an improvement in his Talisman Dao Skills. Once he switched Cultivation Techniques, his Magical Power would increase by thirty percent, which would allow him to draw talismans more frequently. Naturally, his annual income would rise as well.

”Four Water Escape Talismans can be sold for ten Spirit Stones. That will be enough for my short-term needs,” he thought.

Chen Jianghe packed his talisman-drawing materials into his Storage Pouch. He then sat cross-legged on the bed, allowing the Cultivation Technique of the Ten Thousand Waters Scripture to surface in his mind.

As a Water Element Basic Technique, the Returning Origin True Water Technique was incredibly convenient when transitioning to other Water Element Cultivation Techniques. Because the Magical Power cultivated through the Returning Origin True Water Technique possessed no unique attributes, it wouldn’t conflict with any other Water Element Cultivation Techniques.

This was the primary advantage of a basic technique—it gave Loose Cultivators a chance to accumulate a solid foundation.

However, progress during the transition phase was notoriously slow; relatively speaking, it would waste three to five years of cultivation time. But this could be compensated for with Spirit Pills. Just like Yu Daniu in the past—after transitioning to the Nascent Essence True Water Scripture, his foundation became rock solid. With the aid of Spirit Pills, it took him only four years to break through to the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.

Chen Jianghe calmed his mind and focused his breath. Following the methods detailed in the Ten Thousand Waters Scripture, he circulated the Magical Power within his body, guiding it through his major Acupoints to complete a Grand Circulation. This process gradually imbued the Magical Power in his Qi Sea Dantian with the unique characteristics of the Ten Thousand Waters Scripture.