Chapter 37 - 36: Acquaintance

Chapter 37: Chapter 36: Acquaintance

At Port No.1, a forest of masts and sails stood tall.

But most were fishing boats about thirty feet long; there were few of the luxurious, one-hundred-foot Upturned Boats to be seen.

As some Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers left, new ones arrived. No matter how much the Yun Family was weathering the storm, it could still serve as a safe harbor for low-level Cultivators.

Chen Jianghe stepped ashore. As a veteran Fisherman and Farmer, the port held no novelty for him anymore. He didn’t pause or look around, but walked straight toward the marketplace.

"Little Brother Chen?!"

Just as he reached the entrance of Yuelai Inn, he ran into an ’acquaintance’—a lean, middle-aged man.

It was Wang Kui, the very man who had once tried to borrow Spiritual Sand from Chen Jianghe.

"This— You’ve become a Senior Fisherman and Farmer?!"

Wang Kui saw that Chen Jianghe was dressed in the standard satin long-robe, with a silver cloud embroidered on his chest that glinted dazzlingly in the sunlight.

He was especially astounded when he sensed the aura of Magical Power emanating from Chen Jianghe. "A Senior Fisherman and Farmer at the Third-Layer Qi Refining! You have a shot at becoming a Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator in the future! What a boundless future, truly boundless!"

A year ago, the Yun Family had granted opportunities to a portion of the Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers. Some were promoted to Senior Fisherman and Farmer ahead of schedule, while others married into the Yun Family.

Wang Kui had never imagined that Chen Jianghe would also receive such an opportunity.

"Brother Wang."

Chen Jianghe offered a polite smile and a greeting.

He had no grudge against Wang Kui. After he had sternly refused to lend the Spiritual Sand the first time, the man hadn’t caused him any trouble. In fact, the second time they saw each other from a distance, Wang Kui had even offered a friendly smile.

Several years had passed, and Wang Kui’s face now bore a few more wrinkles. He had clearly aged a great deal, and must have reached Fifty Years Old.

Judging from the Magical Power emanating from Wang Kui, he had yet to break through to the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining.

However, it was much denser than before. It seemed he was close to reaching the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining.

For a Basic-Level Fisherman and Farmer like Wang Kui, who had neither the talent for Cultivation nor for breeding, he could only rely on unorthodox methods to scrape together some Spiritual Sand. It would be very difficult for him to break through to the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

"I was blind to your worth before. If I offended you, Brother Chen, please don’t hold it against me."

Wang Kui clasped his hands and said magnanimously, "I have some savings now. If Brother Chen ever needs anything, just say the word."

"Alright. Thank you, Brother Wang." Chen Jianghe nodded.

"Then I’ll be on my way."

Seeing that Chen Jianghe was headed for Yuelai Inn, Wang Kui knew he must have an appointment and naturally didn’t linger.

When dealing with someone of potential, it was enough to humbly resolve any past misunderstandings and establish a bit of Good Karma in the process.

Only a fool would resort to shameless sycophancy.

Watching Wang Kui’s retreating figure, Chen Jianghe sighed internally. ’People like him who live by their wits are always the best at reading others. So adaptable.’

He then walked into Yuelai Inn and went up to a private room on the second floor.

Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun were already there.

They were both Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers whose breeding waters were closer to the port, so they had naturally arrived before Chen Jianghe.

Besides, the potential Chen Jianghe was now showing made it impossible for them not to take him seriously.

"Brother Jianghe."

"Fellow Daoist Chen."

A year had passed, and Gao Peiyao had blossomed into a tall and graceful young woman. Her shimmering, jet-black hair fell straight to her waist. Her limpid, almond-shaped eyes were as clear as autumn pools, set beneath slender, willow-leaf brows. She had a high-bridged nose, cherry-red lips, and the rare beauty of a city-toppling belle.

Her skin was as smooth as cream, her face as radiant as the mid-autumn moon.

Zhou Miaoyun’s figure had also grown more voluptuous and alluring, like a ripe apple—fragrant, delicate, and tender.

"Peiyao, Fairy Miaoyun."

After sitting down, Chen Jianghe said, "Daniu’s wife is about to give birth, so he can’t make it to our little gathering this year. He asked me to apologize to you both."

"I’ll cover Daniu’s share of the expenses for this year’s gathering."

For the first half of the year, Chen Jianghe hadn’t received any letters from Gao Peiyao, Zhou Miaoyun, or Yu Daniu. It was only as the year drew to a close that he finally received one from Yu Daniu.

In truth, it was perfectly normal that he hadn’t received any letters.

Zhou Miaoyun, Gao Peiyao, and Yu Daniu didn’t know which breeding waters he had been assigned to, so they couldn’t have a White Egret deliver a letter to him.

The only reason Yu Daniu’s letter had reached him was because he had managed to find out Chen Jianghe’s water region number while on Huxing Island.

It wasn’t that Chen Jianghe didn’t want to write and tell the three of them his location; the cost was simply too high. A single letter cost one piece of Spiritual Sand.

He’d rather save the three pieces of Spiritual Sand and just tell them in person at the year-end gathering.

There was one good thing, however: Senior Fishermen and Farmers in the Inner Waters didn’t need to pay the White Egrets for receiving letters.

"About to give birth?!"

Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao exchanged a look, both showing expressions of astonishment. It seemed unbelievable.

"Yes, it should be within the month."

Chen Jianghe had been quite surprised himself when he first read the letter. It was common knowledge that it was difficult for Cultivators to conceive.

Giving birth at the end of the year... what did that imply?

It meant that Yu Daniu’s wife had gotten pregnant within two months of their marriage. That was enough to make other Cultivators, who had toiled for years trying to have children with no success, die of frustration.

"Fellow Daoist Yu married into the Yun Family, so his priority should be the family. With his wife about to give birth, it’s only natural for him to be by her side."

Zhou Miaoyun said nonchalantly, not seeming to care much whether Yu Daniu came or not.

Although Yu Daniu had married into the Yun Family, it was widely acknowledged in the Cultivation Realm that a live-in son-in-law had the bleakest prospects.

"I can’t believe Brother Daniu is having a child so soon! We’ll get to see our little nephew at next year’s gathering, hehe," Gao Peiyao said with a playful smile.

She didn’t say much more about Yu Daniu’s situation.

Chen Jianghe told Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao his region number in the Inner Waters and then told them a few things about the area.

For instance, he mentioned the Spiritual Qi in the Inner Waters, and how Senior Fishermen and Farmers could go to Huxing Island on New Year’s Eve to purchase Cultivation Resources.

This made Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao’s beautiful eyes flicker with envy.

"Since Fellow Daoist Chen can go to Huxing Island, you won’t have to rely on others to buy a Tribulation Pill to break through to the Late Stage of Qi Refining in the future."

Zhou Miaoyun raised a delicate eyebrow and chuckled softly.

Yu Daniu lived on Huxing Island, yet Zhou Miaoyun seemed to intentionally or unintentionally ignore this fact. It was obvious she wasn’t optimistic about his future.

Or perhaps something unpleasant had happened between her and Yu Daniu while he was trying his hand at the Talisman Dao.

Chen Jianghe noticed this but wasn’t foolish enough to ask for details.

"Fairy Miaoyun, do you know what the Little Cyan Fish are used for?" Chen Jianghe asked.

"Little Cyan Fish that have reached the Entry Tier and become Spirit Beasts have a wide range of uses. Their meat is delicious and rich in Spiritual Qi. When prepared by a Culinary Master, its effects are no less potent than Spiritual Pills and Elixirs."

"The blood of a Little Cyan Fish can be used to make Spiritual Ink, its Spirit Core can be used in Alchemy, and its scales can be refined into Defensive Spiritual Artifacts."

Listening to Zhou Miaoyun’s explanation, a single Entry-Tier Spirit Beast Little Cyan Fish, once processed, was worth as much as six Spirit Stones.

No wonder the Yun Family spent so much to raise Little Cyan Fish; the profits were clearly substantial.

Afterward, they talked about the Yun Family again.

It seemed that because the Yun Family’s Foundation Establishment Ancestor was nearing the end of his lifespan, an Elder at the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining had died, and the Bai Family of Qiyun Mountain was growing more aggressive...

...the Yun Family had begun to shrink its sphere of influence. In just one year, it had contracted from a radius of eight hundred li to only three hundred li.

This was to guard against major powers like the Bai Family and also to be wary of surprise attacks from the Lann Family remnant, Lann Tianxiang.

This was information passed down from Zhou Miaoyun’s family.

Shixia Town, three hundred li north of Jingyue Lake, had now become the new border between the Yun and Bai families.