Chapter 76 - 75: Peiyao Returns

Chapter 76: Chapter 75: Peiyao Returns

Major Cold.

The bleak winter wind howled, turning the thick fog into frost. A thick layer of ice covered the lake. As the frost settled upon it, it bloomed into enchanting, silvery-white branches. The Upturned Boat was frozen solid on the lake’s surface, firmly locked in place and unable to move.

Chen Jianghe, dressed in the standard silk robes of a Senior Fisherman and Farmer of the Yun Family, sat in meditation at the bow of the boat. The rising waves of Qi from his body melted the frost that had gathered on him.

Suddenly.

As Spiritual Qi entered his body, the faint halo around him faded. He opened his eyes, a smile touching the corners of his lips.

"After nearly four years of arduous cultivation and consuming five Qi Storage Pills, there is finally a sign of a breakthrough."

Back in March of that year, he had consumed a Qi Storage Pill. Seeing Little Black’s pitiful look, he had also given it a Spirit-Encompassing Flower. Now, in the twelfth lunar month, he consumed another Qi Storage Pill. Naturally, Little Black’s Spirit-Encompassing Flower was not forgotten. For the first time, they had achieved synchronization in their Cultivation Resources.

After the Refinement of the Qi Storage Pill this time, he felt the majestic Magical Power surging within his Qi Sea Dantian. In at most two more years, he would be able to break through to Sixth-Layer Qi Refining. He still had six Qi Storage Pills left, which would be enough to sustain him for the next five years. However, he was down to his last five Spirit-Encompassing Flowers. Under normal circumstances, this would only be enough for Little Black’s Cultivation needs for another four years.

Ever since Little Black reached Mid-Stage Tier One in its Cultivation, it had consumed six Spirit-Encompassing Flowers without showing the slightest progress. It was as if these Cultivation Resources had been dropped into the ocean, vanishing without a single splash. Fortunately, Little Black’s Magical Power had grown increasingly profound, even surpassing Chen Jianghe’s Fifth-Layer Qi Refining. Its Turtle Shell had also become a shinier, darker black, with its crisscrossing patterns growing more distinct.

"Once my Talisman Dao Skills improve to Tier One Middle Grade, I’ll double Little Black’s Cultivation Resources. Otherwise, god knows how long it will take for it to reach Late-Stage Tier One," Chen Jianghe thought.

Over the past year, his Talisman Dao Skills had seen some improvement, as he had attempted to craft the Five Elements Escape Talisman. However, the Talisman Success Rate for the Five Elements Escape Talisman was painfully low. After depleting three entire boxes of Spiritual Ink and using up one hundred and thirty-two pieces of talisman paper, he had only successfully drawn twenty-seven Spirit Talismans. The Talisman Success Rate was a pitiful twenty percent.

Fortunately, the value of such life-saving Escape Talismans was high. Crafting twenty-seven Five Elements Escape Talismans still yielded a considerable profit. In fact, it even earned him a few more Spirit Stones than Attack-Type Spiritual Talismans would have. After deducting the costs and splitting the remainder equally with Talisman Master Chu Lang, he could pocket thirty-one Spirit Stones. This was undoubtedly a massive leap in his annual income.

He planned to start drawing Amulets the following year, intending to try his hand at every type of Lower-Grade Spiritual Talisman to further enhance his Talisman Dao Skills. Becoming a Middle-Grade Talisman Master was not something that could be achieved overnight. It required a steady and continuous effort, accumulating experience and insights in Talisman Painting bit by bit to gradually elevate one’s Talisman Dao Skills before finally breaking through to become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master. If he continued to progress at this pace, he was highly confident that he could become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master before reaching Fifty Years Old.

After tidying up briefly, he channeled his Magical Power to shatter the ice layer, freeing the Upturned Boat to glide onto the lake channel and head toward Huxing Island.

The scarce number of sword glares streaking across the sky clearly illustrated the current predicament of the Jingyue Marketplace; very few Cultivators were visiting. Lann Tianxiang was still active within the Jingyue Lake region and had already intercepted and killed several Late-Stage Qi Refining Loose Cultivators heading for the Jingyue Marketplace. Rumor had it that he even made a side trip to the Qiyun Marketplace, looting over two thousand Spirit Stones from the Bai Family.

This left many Cultivators deeply puzzled. Everyone knew that Lann Tianxiang harbored a blood feud with the Yun Family for wiping out his clan, but no one had ever heard of the Bai Family offending him! Over the years, Lann Tianxiang had extorted at least seven thousand Spirit Stones from the Bai Family of Qiyun Mountain. It could be said that the Bai Family’s loss of Spirit Stones was no less than that of the Yun Family. Furthermore, the Qiyun Marketplace had become practically deserted. Even Tribulation Cultivators were steering clear of it, afraid of being conveniently robbed by Lann Tianxiang along the way.

The Celestial South Sect claimed to have dispatched three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but almost a year had passed without a single trace of them. However, Chen Jianghe knew the truth. The Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Celestial South Sect had actually arrived at Jingyue Lake a month ago. The news was kept strictly confidential out of fear that Lann Tianxiang would flee upon hearing it.

Upon arriving at the port of Huxing Island, Chen Jianghe didn’t linger and instead walked briskly straight toward the Jingyue Immortal Tower.

"Time is truly heartless, passing in the blink of an eye. We haven’t seen each other for nearly nine years!"

The reason Chen Jianghe knew about the arrival of the Celestial South Sect’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators at the Jingyue Marketplace a month prior was because Gao Peiyao had sent him a letter. The Celestial South Sect had dispatched a Demon Extermination Squad consisting of seven Cultivators, which included three Foundation Establishment Cultivators and four Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators. Gao Peiyao’s master was the Steward of this Demon Extermination Squad. Chen Jianghe’s early visit to the Jingyue Marketplace today was precisely to attend a scheduled reunion. The gathering was scheduled for today, a month after her arrival, because they were waiting for Zhou Miaoyun to arrive from the Qinghe Marketplace.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, please come in quickly."

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Jingyue Immortal Tower, a servant immediately recognized him and led Chen Jianghe to a private room.

"Fairy Peiyao."

As soon as he entered the room, Chen Jianghe saw Gao Peiyao, who had grown even more beautiful and captivating. Compared to the past, she had matured like a perfectly ripe red apple. Her facial features had become even more exquisite, and her figure was graceful and alluring. Even in the Cultivation Realm, which was filled with countless beauties, her looks were considered top-tier.

"It’s been a few years, yet Brother Jianghe is treating me like a stranger," Gao Peiyao said with a playful tone of reproach, standing up and walking over to personally guide him to his seat. Sensing the aura radiating from her, he realized she was already a Late-Stage Qi Refining Master.

"Has everything been well with you over these years, Peiyao?"

Seeing that Gao Peiyao didn’t put on any airs and was instead even more amicable than before, Chen Jianghe felt a sense of fondness and reverted to his old way of addressing her.

"I was fortunate enough to be accepted into my master’s tutelage. With my master’s care, I have already broken through to Seventh-Layer Qi Refining, so everything has been fine.

"What about you, Brother Jianghe?" Gao Peiyao asked, sitting down beside Chen Jianghe and looking at him with a face full of smiles.

"Me?"

Chen Jianghe chuckled and said, "I’ve been at Jingyue Lake this whole time. What could possibly change? I’m still the same as always.

"However, I made a deal with someone, exchanging half of my Talisman Painting profits over a ten-year period for a Tier One Middle-Grade Talisman Dao Inheritance.

"Now, I am a Lower-Grade Talisman Master."

Chen Jianghe didn’t hide the fact that he was a Lower-Grade Talisman Master, as it wasn’t much of a secret anyway. Furthermore, Gao Peiyao hadn’t hidden her Cultivation progress from him either. Besides, Gao Peiyao had been at the Jingyue Marketplace for a month now. She must have already heard about his recent years from Yu Daniu.

"Brother Daniu tried his hand at the Talisman Dao back then but failed, yet who would have thought that you would possess such great Talisman Dao Talent, Brother Jianghe."

Hearing Chen Jianghe’s frank words, the smile on Gao Peiyao’s face grew even warmer.

"Exchanging half of a Lower-Grade Talisman Master’s Talisman Making profits over ten years for a Tier One Middle-Grade Talisman Dao Inheritance is quite reasonable. You didn’t lose out on this deal, Brother Jianghe.

"A complete Tier One Talisman Dao Inheritance, provided it cannot be taught to outsiders, sells for one thousand six hundred Spirit Stones in the Immortal Sect Marketplace. A Middle-Grade Talisman Dao Inheritance with the same restriction is still worth around three hundred Spirit Stones."

Just as Gao Peiyao was speaking, Zhou Miaoyun was led in by a servant. The aura of Magical Power fluctuating from her body indicated that she, too, had reached Seventh-Layer Qi Refining. It was evident that she had started working on her breakthrough right after their last small gathering.

"Peiyao."

"Sister Miaoyun, come and sit quickly." Gao Peiyao stood up to invite Zhou Miaoyun to sit, showing absolutely none of the haughtiness of an Immortal Sect Disciple.

"Excellent, everyone is here. The Medicinal Cuisine and Spirit Wine have also been prepared. Let’s first welcome our little sister Peiyao, HAHA..."

Yu Daniu walked in with a hearty laugh, followed by a row of maids carrying golden platters and jade pots.