Several days later.
Splash.
A spirit fish with a mouth like a long spear and a body of scarlet gold leapt out of the sea, suddenly opening its fish lips.
Pfft, pfft, pfft!
Pitch-black water arrows formed in an instant, shooting forth like bolts from a powerful bow or heavy crossbow, stabbing toward Fang Qing.
Fang Qing’s expression did not change. His fingers formed a hand seal.
The magical power of [Ji Water] surged, and streams of seawater appeared, transforming into a massive wall of water.
The black arrows entered the water wall and actually dissolved in an instant, as though corroded away.
“It’s actually a spirit fish? A true demonic beast!”
“Who would have thought that a casual bit of sea fishing would hook a Golden Spear Spirit Fish?”
A faint smile appeared on his face. “Since you’ve left the sea, don’t think about going back.”
With a lift of his hand, a Gold Blade Talisman was activated. In the void, a pale golden phantom of a blade appeared, slashing across half of the Golden Spear Spirit Fish’s body and causing scarlet fish scales to fall one after another.
The Golden Spear Spirit Fish twisted its body, about to plunge into the seawater, only to discover that the nearby seawater had all been controlled by Fang Qing, turning into a water sphere that floated into the air.
A figure flashed. Fang Qing had already arrived opposite the water sphere, the muscles of his entire body bulging. A strange sheen covered his hand as he struck heavily at the fish’s brain, at the point behind the two fish eyes where the lines crossed.
Bang!
The fish’s skull instantly caved in, and the Golden Spear Spirit Fish stopped moving at once.
Fang Qing carried the huge fish onto the boat, cut off a piece of fish meat, roasted it lightly, and took a bite.
“Mm… As expected of a spirit fish. It tastes even better than a treasure fish.”
Sensing the fish meat enter his stomach and transform into a warm current, even beginning to nourish his physical body and magical power, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
If this Golden Spear Spirit Fish were brought back to the sect, it would be worth at least over a hundred spirit stones! It could be refined into pills that assisted in breaking through the bottleneck of early-stage Qi Refining.
If Li Yusu had possessed a Golden Spear Spirit Fish back then, his breakthrough could not possibly have failed.
“The sea… is indeed an enormous treasure trove.”
Fang Qing was deeply moved. In the records of the Bihai Sect, there were many legends of cultivators who had fallen into miserable poverty, or even been afflicted with deadly poison, fleeing into the deep sea and, by chance, eating a spirit fish—whereupon their toxins were purged, their magical power advanced greatly, and even their innate aptitude improved, allowing them to defy the heavens and change their fate, returning like a Dragon King.
“I originally only wanted to put on a front… I didn’t expect to actually hook a spirit fish. If I bring it back to the sect… everything will be resolved.”
“Wait. In a place where spirit fish are active, there might well be spiritual objects beneath the sea?”
At this thought, his heart stirred, carrying a trace of inexplicable excitement.
Although Fang Qing did not particularly enjoy taking risks, an opportunity delivered right into his hands was still worth picking up.
He formed a Water-Repelling Art and entered the sea, beginning to search carefully.
Three days later.
Fang Qing stopped in front of an enormous shell and exerted force with both hands.
Splash!
The shell was opened by his tremendous strength, revealing a pearl the size of a fist within.
The pearl was exceptionally bright, carrying a moist spiritual aura and giving off an ethereal luster.
“A fine pearl. At the very least, it’s equivalent to a mid-grade spirit stone…”
Fang Qing could not help sighing in admiration.
In the Bihai Sect, one mid-grade spirit stone was equivalent to over a hundred low-grade spirit stones. Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators would not even come into contact with such a thing; only Foundation Establishment cultivators could possess them.
“Not only is its spiritual energy astonishing, this pearl is also an excellent artifact embryo. It can be refined into a water-attribute magic artifact…”
He had long since felt how impoverished he was. Aside from some talismans and the Green Leaf Boat for travel, he did not even have a truly handy magic artifact.
If he could find a good artifact refiner to modify this pearl a little, it would at least become a first-rank mid-grade magic artifact. With good luck, even high-grade was possible!
“A huge harvest… When Li Yusu followed the Double-Tusk great ship out to sea last time, his gains might not even have been as much as mine…”
After taking the sea pearl, Fang Qing returned fully satisfied, steering his boat back.
……
Wanbao Island, General Affairs Hall.
“Junior Brother, this harvest of yours…”
Hua Lian looked at the Golden Spear Spirit Fish and sea pearl Fang Qing displayed, his face full of envy. “I’ve seen quite a few fleets, but those with gains like yours, Junior Brother, could be counted on one hand…”
“It was just luck.”
Fang Qing handed the Golden Spear Spirit Fish to Hua Lian. “I’ll have to trouble Senior Brother to sell this on consignment… In addition, I wish to have the sea pearl in my possession refined into a magic artifact.”
“Oh? For that, you should go find Huo Tianhuo… He knows quite a few senior and junior brothers who cultivate fire-attribute techniques. Among them, that Ming Lingzhen is a first-rank high-grade artifact refiner.”
Hua Lian smiled in reply. This was how one built connections within the sect. “Your pearl is brimming with spiritual energy. You really should find a good artifact refiner for it. It mustn’t be wasted.”
“Oh? Then I must thank Senior Brother.”
Hearing this, Fang Qing was also faintly delighted. He followed Hua Lian to find Huo Tianhuo, purchased another batch of talismans, and asked him to help make an introduction to Ming Lingzhen.
Ming Lingzhen had the appearance of a middle-aged man, with a face full of curly beard and knotted muscles, but his manner was extremely forthright.
He accepted the sea pearl, examined it carefully, and nodded. “Not bad… Its spiritual energy is full and abundant. It is naturally a fine embryo. Even a first-rank low-grade artifact refiner, with a bit of care, could craft it into a mid-grade magic artifact… If I take action, it should be able to become high-grade.”
“Then I’ll have to trouble Senior Brother.”
Fang Qing immediately offered the deposit.
“Mm. I wonder what kind of high-grade magic artifact Junior Brother wants? As for this bead-shaped form of magic artifact, I only know two types. One is called the ‘Fixed Light Shield.’ It is a defensive magic artifact. Once activated, a layer of spiritual light will envelop the whole body. Its defense against various five-element spells is excellent, but it is somewhat weaker when facing attacks from the main bodies of magic artifacts.”
“The other is to transform it into something semi-storage in nature. Normally, it can store one hundred thousand jin of seawater. When facing enemies, it can be released and used in conjunction with water-control arts, which also gives it a unique power… Moreover, ordinary seawater can be refined. If Junior Brother can find some spiritual water, poisonous water, or the like, it will deal even greater harm to enemies.”
“This…” Fang Qing pondered for a while. To cultivators, a defensive magic artifact was clearly better than an offensive one.
Moreover, in the Little Huan Sea cultivation world, water currents could hardly be considered any sort of resource.
But if it were in the land of Ancient Shu, that would be different!
The land of Ancient Shu was an inland region. As a water-arts cultivator, if he had a great amount of usable water vapor on hand when facing enemies, he would naturally hold an extreme advantage.
‘Even if I can’t beat Metal or Fire, bullying Earth and Wood should still be fine, right? But over there, the cycles of generation and restraint really don’t follow reason… For all I know, water-virtue cultivators are the weakest among the five elements.’
Fang Qing thought this without much confidence.
‘However, I have body-tempering arts for defense… I should strengthen my offense instead.’
“Then I’ll choose an offensive magic artifact.”
He spoke and made his decision.
“Oh?” This decision had clearly exceeded Ming Lingzhen’s expectations. He smiled. “For a high-grade magic artifact, I need to borrow the sect’s fire vein to refine it. Come collect it in a month. Oh, right… According to the rules of pill refinement and artifact refinement, if it fails, I do not compensate for the raw materials.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brother.”
After secretly grumbling in his heart about these refining rules, Fang Qing returned to his own cave residence.
……
Dan Island.
Fang Qing returned to his cave residence.
His cave residence did not actually have many decorations, but now an additional stone chamber had been opened up. Inside the chamber was a pool of spiritual water, gurgling as it spouted like a fountain, connected to the water vein outside.
“A first-rank mid-grade spiritual spring? Many thanks, Senior Sister…”
Fang Qing lifted a trace of spiritual spring water with his finger and felt the spiritual energy within it, then immediately thanked Senior Sister Qin.
This Senior Sister Qin wore a blue robe. Her thighs were long and slender, and she had the appearance of a gentle woman. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “I was only entrusted by someone else. No need to be polite… This spiritual spring of yours is normally only first-rank mid-grade, but I left behind an array plate. If, in the future, you want to use a first-rank high-grade spiritual spring for alchemy, you need only set spirit stones all over the array plate, and you can temporarily raise this spiritual spring to first-rank high-grade… In addition, for this cave residence of yours, I arranged the ‘Minor Bewildering Array’ according to your previous requirements. It has the ability to prevent others from disturbing you. Within the sect, it should be sufficient.”
This “Minor Bewildering Array” actually did not have much ability to repel or trap enemies. At most, when someone barged in, it could give a bit of warning.
Furthermore, it was useless against high-level cultivators.
But within the Bihai Sect, if things had reached the point where high-level cultivators could recklessly attack the cave residences of low-level disciples, then nothing else would matter anymore.
“As expected of a first-rank high-grade array master, Senior Sister.”
Fang Qing took out a bag of spirit stones for the remaining payment and handed it to Senior Sister Qin, inwardly sighing at how these artifact refiners and array masters truly made money.
If not for the fact that he had hooked a Golden Spear Spirit Fish this time, he likely would have had to get lucky again and pick up some loose cultivator’s cave residence, obtaining an inheritance, before he could barely afford the payment.
“Mm. Payment and goods are settled.”
Senior Sister Qin inspected the spirit stones and nodded in satisfaction. Before leaving, she turned around thoughtfully and stared at Fang Qing. “You have already entered the Five Dragons Society, which means you count as one of Wulongzi’s people… The next contest for true inheritance will probably grow more and more intense. I am considered an ally of Wulongzi, so I have no choice but to give you a few reminders… Have less contact with Fuyunzi’s line.”
“Mm?”
Fang Qing was startled. Immediately after, he thought of Xu Wusu’s usual conduct, and his heart stirred. ‘Could it be that Xu Wusu tried to win me over not only because my talent was passable, but also because they are competing with Fuyunzi’s line, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend?’
‘And now… seeing that Zha Zhu and I seem to be showing signs of not quite severing ties, she came to give me a couple knocks?’
‘This sect’s true inheritance contest really is annoying…’
On the surface, however, Fang Qing naturally gave repeated assurances that he next needed to immerse himself in alchemy, improve his own water-arts alchemy techniques, and that he had long since had no real friendship with Zha Zhu.
“That’s good.”
Senior Sister Qin smiled, controlled a stream of light, and flew away from Dan Island.
‘Wait… I still haven’t asked which person in Fuyunzi’s line is competing with Wulongzi. Surely it can’t be Zha Zhu, right? She’s too young. Maybe two terms from now, at most. Her prospects are better than Hua Lian’s…’
‘Could it be Gong Susu? Or Hua Lingsu?’
Fang Qing returned to his cave residence and looked at his own spiritual pool. This time, he truly found himself somewhat hoping that Senior Brother Wulongzi would stand out in the next true inheritance contest.
‘But if I had felt humiliated earlier and wanted to take revenge with all my might, Xu Wusu and the Five Dragons Society would probably have helped me too, wouldn’t they?’
‘What does this count as? No matter how powerful the enemy, don’t be afraid—as long as you press A and charge in, the system will automatically match you with teammates?’
‘Unfortunately, all I want is to cultivate to immortality and live forever…’