Chapter 28 - 27: Fifth Elder Yun Zhonghou

Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Fifth Elder Yun Zhonghou

HUFF!

During Introspection, the area around his Qi Hai Acupoint was a hazy expanse, like a formless chaos. Gray-white mist roiled like boiling water, and eighteen strands of pale green Spiritual Qi coiled around his Qi Sea like slithering snakes.

An ink-jade-like Spirit Root was deeply rooted at the bottom of his Qi Sea, converting the Spiritual Qi that flowed into it into Magical Power, which gathered in his egg-sized Dantian.

’My Magical Power is nearly three times what it was at the Second-Layer Qi Refining.’

Chen Jianghe felt the immense power within his Dantian. With a thought and a flick of his wrist, four silver threads wrapped around his long, slender fingers.

’Not bad. My Spiritual Power has also improved. I can try to cultivate the Water Escape Technique now.’

He ceased his cultivation, stood up, and went to the bow of the boat.

The sky was dim, with no bright moon in sight. Only a few faintly twinkling stars hid behind the dark clouds.

The oars moved, propelling the boat out into the lake.

Practicing the Water Escape Technique at the port was too inconvenient. It was far better to do it in his own aquaculture waters.

There were still ten days until the Fisherman and Farmer Assembly, which was enough time for him to attempt practicing the Water Escape Technique.

Once he learned the Water Escape Technique, he would have a means to escape with his life. He could not afford to delay.

Several hours later, he returned to his aquaculture waters.

He first recalled the incantation for the Water Escape Technique recorded in the Returning Origin True Water Technique: "Water Conceals My Body, Water Escape My Form, Jellyfish Spirit..."

The Water Escape Technique worked by using water to conceal one’s body while moving.

It involved a combination of the Water Avoidance Curse and the Small Water Control Technique, and consumed a great deal of Magical Power, which was why one had to reach the Third-Layer Qi Refining to practice it.

After memorizing the key principles, he began to practice the Water Escape Technique under the cover of darkness.

He formed the hand seal for the Water Avoidance Curse. His fingertips trembled, condensing a pale blue Spirit Pattern as the Magical Power in his Dantian surged into his palms. A watery mist rose from under his feet, its fine droplets flowing up his pant legs against gravity, weaving a translucent film of water around his body.

He leaped into the lake, where he was instantly caught by the current and pulled into an undertow. Man and water merged into one. Bright silver bubbles of Magical Power popped by his ears, and his back felt as if it were being shoved by an immense weight, instantly kicking up circles of ripples.

When he surfaced and opened his eyes, he was already a hundred meters away from his fishing boat.

’For so many years, all I’ve done is cultivate and ponder the Small Water Control Technique. That’s why I was able to succeed on my first try.’

It was a bit clumsy, but he had succeeded on the first try. What more could he ask for?

He just needed more practice to master the detailed rhythm of the Water Escape Technique, and then he could travel two li in a single use.

However, the Water Escape Technique consumed an excessive amount of Magical Power.

Chen Jianghe’s first attempt alone had consumed twenty percent of the Magical Power in his Dantian. Even after he became proficient, traveling two li would probably still consume thirty percent.

This matched what was recorded in the Returning Origin True Water Technique: a cultivator at the Third-Layer Qi Refining had enough Magical Power to use the Water Escape Technique three times.

Of course, it would be a different story if one practiced a High-Level Water Element Cultivation Technique.

The Returning Origin True Water Technique was the most common type of Water Element Cultivation Technique and provided no amplification for the amount of one’s Magical Power.

A High-Level Water Element Cultivation Technique, like the Yun Family’s Nascent Essence True Water Scripture, could amplify one’s Magical Power by about thirty percent.

Having thirty percent more Magical Power than a Cultivator of the same Realm would be a lethal advantage in a fight.

Such were the benefits of practicing a high-level Cultivation Technique.

Unfortunately, only the Direct Descendants of the Yun Family could practice the Nascent Essence True Water Scripture; members of the branch lineages could only practice inferior Cultivation Techniques.

As Chen Jianghe began learning the Water Escape Technique, he felt the urgent need for another life-saving method, but he also found it fun.

For nine days straight, he was either practicing the Water Escape Technique or recovering his Magical Power.

He wasn’t wealthy enough to use Spirit Stones to restore his Magical Power, nor could he afford to buy Qi Recovery Pills, so he had only managed to practice five times over those days.

Thanks to his proficiency with the Small Water Control Technique, he could now travel one li with a single use of the Water Escape Technique. His progress was incredibly fast.

The moon hung in the starry sky, its light shimmering on the lake’s rippling surface.

Chen Jianghe restored his Magical Power to its peak state, then picked up his oars and began rowing toward the port.

By the time he reached the port, the eastern sky was already a milky white. Soon, a great red light appeared, dyeing the vast expanse of white clouds crimson.

"Brother Jianghe, over here!"

The plaza was packed with a jostling crowd. Yu Daniu was waving and shouting to Chen Jianghe.

Chen Jianghe squeezed through the crowd toward Yu Daniu.

Perhaps they had all received news of the Yun Family’s impending changes in the Outer Waters, as not only the Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers were present, but the Senior Fishermen and Farmers had also arrived.

The Hundred Arts Guest Elders and Guardian Guest Elders were there as well.

But a closer count revealed that only a few dozen Senior Fishermen and Farmers remained. Only five or six of the skilled Honored Guest Elders were left, a far cry from the former prosperity.

It seemed even more of the artisan Honored Guest Elders had fled.

It made sense, though. The Yun Family’s Hundred Arts Guest Elders all possessed skills of at least Tier One Middle Grade. They could survive even in the Marketplace.

They would just have to pay a few more Spirit Stones, that’s all.

If the Yun Family were stable, they would naturally be willing to stay with the family. But as things stood, the Yun Family was like a lone boat in a storm, in danger of capsizing at any moment.

Why would they still care about a few Spirit Stones in that case?

"Daniu."

Chen Jianghe saw that Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao were also present and nodded at them in greeting.

Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao, who both thought highly of Chen Jianghe’s Talent, nodded in return.

Then, the four of them focused on listening to the cacophony of voices around them, hoping to glean some useful information.

"That Lann Family remnant has struck again. He ambushed and killed a dozen Direct Descendants of the Yun Family. Even a Steward at the Seventh-Layer Qi Refining was killed."

"Lann Tianxiang was seriously injured by a Yun Family Elder during his sneak attack on Port No.2. How could he possibly be back in action so soon? I think someone is just using his name."

"Are you saying someone is taking this opportunity to rob the Yun Family’s disciples?"

"That must be it."

"I heard that this big change in the Outer Waters is related to the Yun Family losing so many of its Direct Descendants."

"What could be the connection? Don’t tell me they’re going to start training us Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers as if we were Direct Descendants."

"Haha, a good joke, my friend."

"If you ask me, it must be because too many Senior Fishermen and Farmers have fled the Inner Waters."

"I couldn’t agree more with you on that."

...

「Half an hour later.」

The Steward of the Outer Waters walked onto the platform. Gazing at the rowdy crowd, he raised a hand and pressed it down, signaling for quiet.

The crowd below stopped their murmuring and fell silent.

Everyone assumed the Outer Waters Steward was about to speak, but instead, they watched as he respectfully invited an old man onto the platform.

Furthermore, Yun Bufan was following behind this elder.

This showed that the elder’s status in the Yun Family was extremely high—otherwise, even Master Qilin himself wouldn’t be there to attend to him.

When the elder appeared, a brief murmur rippled through the crowd.

It turned out this elder was one of the two who had escaped from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor at Linyun Mine: Fifth Elder Yun Zhonghou.

He was an old man in his twilight years, and a Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Great Cultivator.

Yun Zhonghou looked down at the crowd, his aged face somewhat stern. His eyes were not clouded with age; instead, they shone with a brilliant Divine Light.

"I will be presiding over this year’s Fisherman and Farmer Assembly. I’ll dispense with the pleasantries. I know that now, with our Yun Family Ancestor grievously injured, some Fishermen and Farmers and Honored Guest Elders have grown restless and wish to leave the Yun Family to seek shelter elsewhere.

There is no need to sneak away. The Yun Family will not stop a single one of you."

"However, none of you need to worry excessively. The Yun Family has a legacy stretching back hundreds of years, and our foundation is deep. In ten years at most, we will help Master Qilin, Yun Bufan, successfully reach Foundation Establishment. At that time, the Yun Family will once again be the cornerstone of Jingyue Lake, and our glory will continue for another two hundred years!"

Yun Zhonghou’s piercing gaze swept over the crowd. Each of his words was forceful and resonant, backed by the Yun Family’s centuries-deep foundation.

"The Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers will stay."

"Any Senior Fishermen and Farmers or Honored Guest Elders who wish to flee and seek refuge may leave now. Those who wish to remain with the Yun Family can return to the Inner Waters. As long as my Yun Family stands, the Inner Waters will not be attacked."