This extra Spirit Fish was a bream with a long fish spine extending from the front of its mouth.
Just by looking at its appearance, it resembles the swordfish worth about ten Spirit Stones, but this bream is jet black with spotted patterns on its body.
The semi-Spirit Fish black long bream evolved into a Spirit Fish... Spine Bream!
Just like the swordfish, the spine of this Spine Bream is the valuable part.
However, the spine of this Spine Bream seems to have some other uses, hence its higher price. This Spine Bream that Ji Yuan caught could be sold for at least sixteen or seventeen Spirit Stones if it's kept intact.
Ji Yuan glanced at the sky; it was still early.
Better to act quickly or things might change.
With a raised hand, a Water Arrow appeared, and with a casual push, the Spine Bream in the fish pond flipped belly-up.
Both neighbors weren't home, making it convenient for Ji Yuan to act.
After a short while, he sold the Spine Bream in the fish cage, unsurprisingly for 17 low-grade Spirit Stones.
Adding the 3 he had saved, he now had a total of 20 Spirit Stones!
If these weren't enough to break through to the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation, Ji Yuan could only say... maybe next time.
On his way home, even though he took the waterway, he unexpectedly ran into a familiar person.
Qiu Qianhai, one of the few friends of the original owner, forced Ji Yuan to stop and chat for a bit.
He learned that Qiu had just returned from Maple Island, even with bloodstains still on him.
"All I can say is... it was a bloody frenzy."
Even just remembering it made Qiu Qianhai somewhat fearful.
"It wasn't about seizing opportunities anymore; it was complete chaos, kill or be killed."
"I only escaped thanks to the speed of my Dharma Ship."
Ji Yuan couldn't help but think about his neighbors and wondered how they were.
"You should go home and rest well; let's chat next time."
Ji Yuan cupped his hands towards him.
"Okay, farewell."
They parted ways, Qiu steering his Dharma Ship while Ji Yuan held onto his punt, each going their separate directions.
Ji Yuan also noticed that Qiu must have gained some benefits at Maple Island, which is why he hurried back.
As for this friend... with orphaned parents and a rough start, it's with his reckless nature that he managed to establish himself in Zengtou City.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have reached the fourth level of Qi Cultivation at such an age.
Nor would he have possessed a Dharma Ship.
Ji Yuan had a deep impression of him.
Back home, with Lin Youwei's family and Old Man Huang still not returned, Ji Yuan leisurely returned to the backyard to check the [fish pond].
Regrettably, no evolved semi-Spirit Fish.
He then entered his room, laid out the 20 Spirit Stones, and calmed his mind, silently practicing the "Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill." After reaching a state of complete tranquility, he took out two Spirit Eggs, cracked them, and consumed the Spirit Liquid inside.
Repeating this cycle, after consuming six Spirit Eggs, it was already deep into the night.
The surroundings were silent, save for the occasional sound of lake water from Cloud Rain Marsh lapping at the shore. Ji Yuan looked at the 20 Spirit Stones before him, hesitating not at all, picked up two at a time, and resumed practicing, absorbing the purest Spiritual Qi inside.
Two, four, eight... the Spirit Stones in Ji Yuan's hands turned to dust and fell away, but he wasn't anxious.
Time was on his side, and as long as he stayed alive, the Spirit Stones would only increase, making breakthroughs just a matter of time.
But under this calm mindset, after absorbing the Spiritual Qi from twelve Spirit Stones...
He suddenly felt as if he had broken through some barrier.
The thin membrane hindering him was pierced, and surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi naturally surged in, penetrating his meridians before settling into his Dantian.
Mid-stage of Qi Cultivation!
After a brief moment of excitement, he picked up two more Spirit Stones, absorbed the pure Spiritual Qi within, and solidified his cultivation.
By next morning, sunlight streamed in through the window, waking Ji Yuan.
Now firmly seated in the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
Out in the backyard, he felt the world clear and bright, his future promising... but first, cleaning the chicken coop, gathering six Spirit Eggs, and checking the fish pond.
Good, still no breakthroughs.
It was at this moment he finally had time to take in everything around him.
After advancing to the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation, though there wasn't a significant leap in vitality, his perception of the environment was indeed several times clearer.
As for the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian, it was even more so unnecessary to mention.
At the second level, casting a single Water Arrow Technique drained his Dantian completely, while at the third level, he could cast it five times consecutively.
Now, if he only used Water Arrow Technique,
Ji Yuan estimated he could cast it twenty times in succession without a problem... if only his body matched that ability.
Body Tempering!
He must temper his body!
This recent breakthrough to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation used up 14 Spirit Stones total, leaving 6, just enough to upgrade a structure.
After some deliberation, Ji Yuan decided.
Instead of upgrading the [Cave Mansion], upgrade the [Pigsty] first.
With the Spirit Eggs, the 20% nighttime Spiritual Qi boost from the Cave Mansion was practically useless.
A lukewarm advantage at best, with little effect on his current strength.
But the Pigsty was different; once it nurtures a Spirit Dolphin, consuming its meat... strengthens musculature, enhances physique.
Then maybe he might even find a beautiful female cultivator for dual cultivation.
With many wonderful thoughts, Ji Yuan eventually calmed down. Although the six Spirit Stones were enough for upgrading the Pigsty,
what about later buying a young Spirit Dolphin?
Ji Yuan knew a young Spirit Dolphin cost around 2-3 Spirit Stones, while an adult Spirit Dolphin cost 8-10 Spirit Stones.
His Pigsty could increase weight by a hundred pounds in seven days, which theoretically, was a lucrative opportunity.
But he dared not utilize it too boldly; compared to the Spirit Fish business, which could be attributed to Cloud Rain Marsh, selling Spirit Dolphins was far too conspicuous.
While others took half a year to raise a Spirit Dolphin, he only took half a month. Anyone would be suspicious.
Of course, this was partly because Zengtou City was too small.
If the market was larger, he could trade elsewhere.
The Spirit Eggs in Ji Yuan's possession and losing a couple of Spirit Stones... waiting any longer wasn't practical, better to sell some Spirit Eggs and buy the Spirit Dolphin first.
But before buying, he had to set up the Pigsty.
Ji Yuan looked around and finally decided to place the Pigsty next to the Chicken Cage.
And compared to the Chicken Cage, the Pigsty took up much more space.
After spending a day building it, it occupied nearly half of the backyard along with the existing fish pond.
Ji Yuan's backyard was crammed full with these three structures.
'The house is still too small; once my cultivation improves, I must change to a larger place!'
Ji Yuan schemed silently, glancing at the building panel in his mind.
[Upgrade Conditions: Low-grade Spirit Stones ×5, Iron Ingots ×50 pounds, Coarse Salt 10 pounds (Not Met)]
Upgrading the Pigsty required 50 pounds of iron and 10 pounds of salt, but such non-cultivation materials were cheap in Zengtou City.
Just a couple of Broken Spirit Stones could cover it.
Seeing the [Pigsty: lv0] floating above the Pigsty, Ji Yuan decided to upgrade it before buying the Spirit Dolphin.
Soon, after buying iron ingots and coarse salt from Zengtou City, back at his doorstep, he saw a damaged Dharma Ship drifting back from Cloud Rain Marsh, moving slowly.
Realizing it was the Lin Family's old Black Wood Boat,
On the ship sat Lin Hu and Wu Qin, the couple.
Both looked ghastly pale, especially Lin Hu, who looked utterly exhausted, with even his eyes appearing vacant.
As the ship docked, he finally came to and noticed Ji Yuan on the shore.
With just one look, he cried out mournfully:
"Brother Ji, my parents... they're all dead."