The moonlight was hazy, as if a layer of gauze was draped over the surface of the water, tides ebbing and flowing, the sea breeze bringing bursts of fishy saltiness.
Li Quanqing sat cross-legged on the lotus platform with eyes closed, his whole body enveloped by the luminous glow of array patterns, his aspect solemn and majestic.
With the rising and falling of the sea's tides, the mana he cultivated seemed to resonate with them, and an odd sound like surging waves emitted from within his body.
Pale blue mana tinged with gold flowed through his meridians, like a hundred rivers converging, eventually forming a misty spiritual sea within his Dantian.
Wisps of mist, like tiny snakes, escaped from the seven orifices of his mouth and nose—those were Spiritual Energy Groups that he hadn't had time to refine.
Schools of fish transformed into a sea of scales, churning in layers, heavily encircling the lotus platform, competing for the pure spiritual mist, a magnificent scene.
Naturally, the biggest winners were still the two Green Jade Carps.
Time trickled by, and this breakthrough lasted for an entire night.
Not until the first light dimmed and dawn turned white did Li Quanqing's body suddenly tremble, and he slowly opened his eyes.
Two beams of light shot out from his pupils, half a foot long, piercing the deepest darkness just before dawn.
A dazzling sun leaped out of the sea, crimson and golden rays spilled out over the Donglan Sea region, warming the body with their touch.
Li Quanqing exhaled a turbid breath, feeling thoroughly translucent from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
As the mana surged, he felt an illusion of being powerful enough to shatter everything.
"Stay humble, stay patient. I'm only at the Qi Refining Third Layer—a bit too arrogant and I'll be beaten!"
Li Quanqing stood up and stretched his stiff limbs, but he couldn't suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
At sixteen years old, reaching the Qi Refining Third Layer was a mark of genius, even among the direct lineage of the Li Family.
Splash! Splash!
Dozens of big green fish leaped in the water, spewing Water Arrows from their mouths—dense and fierce, the wind of their assault brushing the face.
They had been hungry all night; not only did they miss out on food, but they were also inexplicably beaten up, all of them very angry.
"Humph! Today is a good day; I'll sell you all!"
Li Quanqing was no longer patient with these arrogant creatures.
He took out all the bait and started to feed them—their last full meal. Let them eat their fill!
From the boat, Li Quanqing fetched a few fish baskets; inconspicuous, they were actually Space Artifacts designed for storing schools of fish.
It was one of the family benefits.
He utilized the Water Control Skill and condensed a fishing net the size of a house, casting it fiercely into the water!
Splash! Splash!
Water tumbled from the sky, white waves rolling, leaving only layers and layers of rich fish harvest in the net.
"This one is big, and it shoots strong, powerful Water Arrows—definitely can sell for a good price."
"This one looks familiar, like the young fish that spat at me yesterday. Let it go."
"Whoa! There's even a female with a full ovary—this is a treasure, can be kept for breeding, needs a separate room."
In the end, aside from the sixty or so breeding fish he set aside, Li Quanqing harvested a total of 1,078 plump green fish, a truly bountiful catch.
As for the Green Jade Carps, they were still needed for breeding and couldn't be sold for the time being.
Humming a fishing tune, Li Quanqing propelled his family boat quickly towards Qingyu Island.
As the main island was already in sight, Li Quanqing suddenly turned and headed straight for his uncle's fishpond.
To be precise, it was now his fishpond.
Zone B's waters were optimally located between Qingyu Island and the seven subsidiary islands, forming a circle.
In terms of Spiritual Energy concentration, it was not much less than that of a Second Rank Spirit Vein.
Zone B, Pond No. 45.
This fishpond was somewhat small, about sixteen acres, with a dazzling water surface and wisps of white mist, the lotus leaves lush and green, resembling a piece of immortal realm.
It looked quite extraordinary.
"You've come really early, Quanqing. Once Jinyi has cleared all the fish, I'll give you the Array Formation Token."
In the center of the fishpond, a plainly dressed middle-aged woman wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead and smiled simply.
Cultivators are nourished by Spiritual Energy and generally possess good looks.
This short woman, however, had rough skin due to years of fishing; her complexion was darkened by the sun, her knuckles swollen, but from the corners of her eyes and brows one could discern traces of past delicacy.
"I'm not in a hurry, Aunt, you go ahead with your business."
Li Quanqing watched the woman struggle to use her spells to catch the fish and felt a slight sigh in his heart.
Such an unreliable character his uncle was, yet he had married a virtuous woman.
He could tell that due to years of tirelessly supporting the family, his aunt's Cultivation had clearly regressed.
The once bright-eyed and lovely Immortal had turned into a worn woman with a face yellowed by toil.
After catching the last big green fish into the basket, his aunt finally felt relieved.
Li Yuheng took away all the Spirit Stones from the house to trade for Talismans and Elixirs for his exploration of the Ancient Cave Mansion, and the mother and son duo had to rely on these Spirit Fish to get by.
Seeing herself having delayed for more than an hour, she felt quite apologetic: "Quanqing, I'm really sorry, take this Green Jade Carp to nourish yourself!"
"No need, I heard Cousin Quanzhu has just entered the Artifact Refining Hall, it's a time of great expense, Aunt should sell it for Spirit Stones instead."
Li Quanqing shook his head and watched the woman leave before he manipulated the newly acquired fish pond Jade Token to open the Array.
Hazy Spiritual Energy rushed forth, truly refreshing to the heart and spirit.
Li Quanqing looked around the fish pond, feeling quite satisfied.
He threw the stout, potbellied breeding fish into the pond and specially scattered the Lotus Family's carp-specific Hehuan fragrance.
Here, the abundant Spiritual Energy could nurture fish roe with greater talents.
Although the chances were extremely slim, it was possible for the big green fish to transform into Green Jade Carps.
After his busy work, Li Quanqing resealed the Array and headed straight for Qingyu Island.
At the eastern part of the island, a towering ancient hall stood with green tiles and bricks, intricately carved beams and painted rafters, exuding an old and profound aura.
Evergreen Hall.
One Steward after another and Elders of the Li Clan bustled about, very busy with managing the various daily affairs of the more than two thousand Cultivators of the Li Clan.
Li Quanqing, familiar with the route, arrived at the family's side hall for buying Spirit Fish.
There were quite a few people here, all smelling of fish, carrying baskets full of a bountiful catch, faces brimming with the joy of harvest.
A gray-haired Elder dressed like a fisherman looked up at him and assessed, "Which island's young fellow are you? You look somewhat unfamiliar."
"From the branch on Qingpan Island, Li Quanqing."
Li Quanqing took out the Jade Token issued by the family, infused it with Mana, and in an instant, his appearance and various information materialized.
"I remember now, you're the lad left behind by Yuru."
The Elder slapped his head, showing slight surprise as he looked at the young man before him: "Qi Refining Third Layer, you're not slow in your cultivation!"
Li Quanqing simply smiled, without saying a word.
Both his parents in this body actually had strong talents.
His mother, Li Yuru, was a Body Refining Practitioner who beat many of the Li Clan, including his uncle, until their determination shattered, a true warrior fanatic.
Although his father, Li Yuping, was born a commoner with no background, he was genuinely a First Rank High Grade Talisman Master, and wealthy too.
The Elder examined the big green fish in the basket, clearly satisfied: "You must be new to fish farming, these big green fish are well raised, full of life and vigor!"
He wiped the water stains off his beard; these Water Arrows were so robust, indeed a good catch.
"I've figured some things out by myself over a year."
With the help of the Golden Finger, each big green fish was brightly scaled and plump.
"I'll count 10 Spirit Stones for you, 87 spirit sands, and Contribution Points likewise, thank you for your contribution to the family."
The Elder recorded it and had someone fetch the Spirit Stones to give to Li Quanqing.
If these big green fish were taken to the Cultivation Market, they could definitely sell for a high price of 15 Spirit Stones.
But not only was the journey long, even though the family's buying price was low, there were also matching Contribution Points.
10.87 Li Family Contribution Points, plus the Spirit Stones, were already equivalent to double the price.
After securing the Spirit Stones, Li Quanqing left the Evergreen Hall and headed toward the western side of the island.
He planned to go to the Scripture Pavilion, to get the subsequent Scriptures of Golden Water Technique at hand, and then buy some fish bait.