The moonlight was hazy, like a thin veil draped over the water's surface. The tide rose and fell, and the sea breeze carried a salty tang.
Li Quanqing sat cross-legged on the lotus platform, his body enveloped in the radiant glow of formation patterns, exuding an air of solemnity.
As the ocean tide ebbed and flowed, the spiritual energy he cultivated seemed to resonate with it. Strange, wave-like sounds emanated from within his body.
Pale blue, golden-tinged gaseous spiritual energy circulated through his meridians, converging like countless rivers into a misty spiritual sea in his dantian.
Wispy strands of spiritual mist, like tiny snakes, escaped from his mouth, nose, and other orifices these were the remnants of the spiritual energy cluster he hadn't fully refined.
The fish, forming a shimmering sea of scales, surged in layers, surrounding the lotus platform as they competed for the pure spiritual mist. The scene was spectacular.
Naturally, the two Azure Jade Carps took the lion's share.
Time passed minute by minute. This breakthrough lasted an entire night.
Only when the sky dimmed and the east began to brighten did Li Quanqing's body tremble slightly. He slowly opened his eyes.
Two beams of light, half a foot long, shot from his pupils, piercing through the deepest darkness before dawn.
A glorious sun leaped above the sea, casting golden-red rays across the Donglan Sea, warming his body.
Li Quanqing exhaled a turbid breath, feeling an unparalleled clarity from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
As his spiritual energy surged, he felt an illusion of overwhelming strength, as if he could crush anything.
"Stay humble. I'm only at the third level of Qi Refinement. Being too arrogant will get me beaten!"
Li Quanqing stood up, stretching his stiff limbs, though the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
At sixteen years old, reaching the third level of Qi Refinement was considered a prodigy even among the Li family's direct lineage.
Splash!
Dozens of green carp leaped into the water, spitting water arrows. The dense barrage carried a gust of wind.
Having gone hungry all night and inexplicably beaten, they were furious.
"Hmph! Today's a good day to sell you all!"
Li Quanqing had long been fed up with these arrogant fish.
He took out all the fish food and began feeding them. For their last meal, he let them eat their fill!
From the boat, he retrieved several fish baskets. Though unremarkable in appearance, they were spatial artifacts designed specifically for storing fish a perk provided by the family.
Using the Water Control Technique, he formed a fishing net the size of a house and cast it into the water with a forceful sweep!
Splash!
Water cascaded down, white waves churning. What remained in the net was a bountiful harvest of fish.
"This one's big, spits strong water arrows worth a good price."
"This one looks familiar, like the young fish that spat at me yesterday. Forget it, let it go."
"Wow! This one has such full ovaries. It's a treasure, perfect for breeding. It needs its own space."
In the end, aside from the sixty-plus breeding fish he kept, Li Quanqing harvested a total of 1,078 plump green carp a true bumper harvest.
As for the Azure Jade Carps, he still needed them for breeding, so they couldn't be sold yet.
Humming a fishing tune, Li Quanqing set sail toward Qingyu Island.
Just as the main island came into view, he suddenly veered toward his uncle's fish pond or rather, what was now his fish pond.
The Class B waters were located between Qingyu Island and the seven subsidiary islands, forming a ring. In terms of spiritual energy concentration, they were almost on par with a second-grade spiritual vein.
Class B-Mao District, Fish Pond No. 45.
This pond was slightly smaller, about sixteen acres. The water shimmered, with a white mist rising and lotus leaves a vibrant green, resembling a fairyland.
It looked extraordinary.
"Qing'er, you're here early. Once I finish gathering all the fish, I'll give you the formation token."
In the center of the pond, a middle-aged woman in simple clothing wiped the sweat from her brow, offering a warm smile.
Cultivators, nourished by spiritual energy, generally had good looks. However, this short woman's skin was slightly rough, her face tanned from years of fishing under the sun. Her fingers were thick, though traces of her former beauty could still be seen in her eyes.
"No rush, Auntie. Take your time."
Li Quanqing watched the woman laboriously using spells to gather the fish, feeling a pang of sympathy.
His unreliable uncle had somehow married such a diligent woman.
He could tell that her cultivation had noticeably declined due to years of tirelessly supporting the family.
The once bright-eyed fairy had now become a worn-out housewife.
After finally catching the last green carp, the woman felt at ease.
Li Yuheng, in his quest to explore the ancient cave dwelling, had taken all the family's spirit stones to exchange for talismans and elixirs. The mother and son had relied on these spirit fish to get by.
Feeling guilty for delaying Li Quanqing for over an hour, she said, "Qing'er, I'm sorry. Take this Azure Jade Carp to nourish yourself!"
"No need. I heard Cousin Quanzhu just joined the Artifact Refining Hall. That must be expensive. You should sell it for spirit stones."
Li Quanqing shook his head, watching the woman leave before using the newly acquired pond token to open the formation.
A wave of spiritual energy washed over him, refreshing his spirit.
Li Quanqing surveyed the pond, feeling quite satisfied.
He released the robust, well-fed breeding fish into the pond and scattered a special family-concocted aphrodisiac for carp.
The abundant spiritual energy here would give the fish offspring better potential.
Though the chance was slim, green carp could potentially evolve into Azure Jade Carp.
After finishing his tasks, Li Quanqing resealed the formation and headed straight for Qingyu Island.
In the eastern part of the island stood an ancient hall, grand and majestic, with green bricks and blue tiles, exuding an aura of antiquity.
Evergreen Hall.
Elders and stewards bustled about, managing the affairs of the Li family's over two thousand cultivators.
Li Quanqing, familiar with the place, made his way to the side hall where the family purchased spirit fish.
The hall was crowded, filled with people carrying baskets of fish, their faces glowing with the joy of a good harvest.
An elderly family elder, dressed as a fisherman, looked up and scrutinized him. "Which island are you from, young man? You look unfamiliar."
"Branch family from Qingpan Island, Li Quanqing."
Li Quanqing took out the identity jade token issued by the family. Infusing it with spiritual energy, it instantly displayed his appearance and information.
"Ah, I remember now. You're Yu Ru's child."
The elder slapped his forehead, looking at the young man with slight surprise. "Third level of Qi Refinement your cultivation speed isn't slow!"
Li Quanqing smiled faintly, saying nothing.
His parents had been exceptionally talented.
His mother, Li Yuru, was a body-refining cultivator who had beaten many Li family members, including his uncle, to the point of shattering their cultivation hearts. She was a true battle maniac.
His father, Li Yuping, though born a mortal with no background, was a genuine upper-tier first-grade talisman master with considerable wealth.
The elder inspected the green carp in the basket, looking quite pleased. "This is your first time raising fish, right? These green carp are well-raised, lively, and strong!"
He wiped the water off his beard. The water arrows they spat were indeed impressive.
"I've been figuring it out for a year. Finally got the hang of it."
With the help of his golden finger, the green carp were vibrant and robust.
"Let's call it 10 spirit stones and 87 spirit grains. The contribution points will be the same. Thank you for your contribution to the family."
The elder recorded the transaction and handed Li Quanqing the spirit stones.
If these green carp were transported to a cultivation market, they could fetch up to 15 spirit stones.
But the journey was long, and while the family's purchase price was lower, it came with contribution points.
10.87 family contribution points, plus the spirit stones, effectively doubled the value.
After storing the spirit stones, Li Quanqing left the Evergreen Hall and headed west across the island.
He planned to visit the Scripture Pavilion to acquire the Follow-up chapters of the "Gold-Water Art" and then buy some fish food.