Endless Sea, Qixia Island.
Early morning.
In a small courtyard made of bluestone.
Wang Mengde sat on a stone bench, watching his busy sister-in-law, his expression somewhat dazed.
Actually, just yesterday,
he was still an Earthling, enjoying the air conditioning, scrolling through short videos, and watching young women dance.
Unsurprisingly, for the twenty-nine-year-old, single Wang Mengde, it would have been another comfortable and carefree weekend.
Who knew that he would wake up to find himself in this world of cultivation, rife with demons, ghosts, and immortals.
Powerful cultivators could live for tens of thousands of years and move mountains and seas.
However, all of this was irrelevant to him.
The body sharing his name had extremely poor talent, possessing only a pseudo-spiritual root of five attributes, barely enough to cultivate immortality.
At twenty-five years old, his cultivation was still only at the first level of Qi Refining, and he had only learned three basic beachcombing and fishing spells, all at the beginner level.
To survive, he either beachcombed collecting shrimp, crabs, and shellfish or fished in the nearshore waters in a small spirit boat.
His monthly income, after deducting the exorbitant rent, was barely enough to make ends meet.
He couldn't even afford the lowest quality spiritual rice, let alone buy elixirs to improve his cultivation.
Fishing was not only a poor profession but also extremely dangerous.
His father, a more experienced cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, had gone fishing five years ago and never returned, never to be heard from again.
And the original owner of this body himself, just two days ago, accidentally snagged a demonic fish at the first level of Lesser Demon Realm on his hook.
He didn't catch the fish; instead, he was struck in the chest by the fish's foul-smelling demonic aura. He endured the excruciating pain, returned home, and never woke up, dying instantly.
When he awoke in this body and absorbed the memories, he felt utterly cold.
He didn't want to transmigrate!
He had just bought a house with a loan, renovated it, and lived there for only three days.
How did he end up in this dangerous world where every day was uncertain
? Even if he had to transmigrate, why didn't he start as a genius?
Why did he have to become such a poor, destitute, and hopelessly vulnerable fisherman, constantly on the verge of being devoured by fish?
Sitting in the courtyard, Wang Mengde subconsciously touched his chest.
His skin was intact, without any wounds, but he could still feel the chill and stinging pain.
This world was too dangerous.
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, dinner's ready." A clear voice interrupted Wang Mengde's chaotic and desperate thoughts.
He responded and walked towards the low-ceilinged main room. His
sister-in-law's name was Shen Qingyue. Her parents had died early, and she had come to the Wang family with her older sister, Shen Qingxue, when she was ten.
After Wang Mengde's wife, Shen Qingxue, was found to have three elemental roots, she began to despise Wang Mengde as a good-for-nothing.
Two years ago, she became a disciple of a female cultivator in the Changqing Sect and never returned.
Only his predecessor and this sister-in-law remained, relying on each other for survival on Qixia Island.
Wang Mengde entered the house and sat down at the old wooden table.
The food on the table was simple: two bowls of rice, a dish of steamed, unidentified small fish, a dish of stir-fried shredded meat, and a dish of stir-fried wild vegetables.
It looked quite good, but it was all ordinary food, without a trace of spiritual energy.
For a cultivator, it was far too shabby.
At that moment, Shen Qingyue, the younger sister-in-law, came over carrying a steaming bowl of fish soup.
Shen Qingyue's face was exceptionally beautiful; her skin was delicate and fair, untouched by the sea breeze.
Her eyes were bright and clear, her nose straight and elegant. Though she wore no makeup, she possessed a unique vibrancy and liveliness characteristic of a seaside girl.
She wore a faded gray cloth dress, a sash tied around her waist, accentuating her slender figure.
The upper part of her dress was subtly bulging with a youthful, full curve, not exaggerated, but already showing signs of budding youth.
She carefully placed the soup bowl in the center of the table, the steam illuminating her beautiful face:
"Brother-in-law, have a bowl of soup to warm yourself up."
Shen Qingyue ladled a full bowl of milky-white fish soup and gently placed it in front of Wang Mengde.
Then she picked up her chopsticks and kept piling the few shredded meats into Wang Mengde's bowl: "Brother-in-law, you've just recovered from your serious injuries, you need to eat more meat to nourish your body."
Her eyes were full of concern, while she herself only picked up a few wild vegetables.
Wang Mengde felt a warmth in his heart; the fear of being transported here and the unease about this strange world were somewhat eased by his sister-in-law's care.
He picked up his chopsticks and turned the bowl, putting most of the shredded meat back into Shen Qingyue's bowl: "You should eat more too, you're still growing, look how thin you are."
Shen Qingyue was stunned for a moment, looking at the meat in her bowl, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.
Just then,
there was a loud knocking on the door.
"Bang."
"Bang bang bang."
"Wang Mengde, open the door.
" "Wang Mengde, are you dead at home?"
"Open the door right now, are you hiding at home pretending to be dead?"
A rude and fierce male voice roared from outside.
Upon hearing the voice, Wang Mengde's sister-in-law, Shen Qingyue, felt a jolt in her heart. She grabbed Wang Mengde's arm and exclaimed, "Brother-in-law, from the sound... it sounds like Zhang Dama and his gang!"
She explained rapidly, her eyes filled with anxiety, "Brother-in-law, I haven't had a chance to tell you yet. Yesterday you fainted, and I couldn't wake you up no matter what I did. Your face was ashen, and you were almost lifeless. I was terrified.
Zhang Dama came to our door, saying he had a life-saving healing pill, so I used our family's small sampan as collateral to borrow that pill from him."
"We clearly agreed to pay it back in a month, how... how come they're here today?"
Wang Mengde could feel her hand gripping his arm trembling slightly. He gently patted the back of her hand and said softly, "Don't panic, I'll go ask what's going on. You stay inside."
He stood up, took a deep breath, and walked towards the courtyard gate.
The gate opened.
Two burly men stood at the entrance.
The one in the lead, a second-level Qi Refining cultivator, had a face full of pockmarks and a fierce look; he was none other than the infamous Zhang the Pockmarked.
Behind him was his younger brother, Zhang Erhu, a first-level Qi Refining cultivator, equally burly and with an unfriendly expression.
Both men were visibly startled when they saw Wang Mengde, a flicker of surprise and confusion in their eyes.
How come she wasn't dead?
The so-called Soul-Returning Healing Pill they gave Shen Qingyue was made by mixing aged spiritual rice with ordinary yam paste; it wouldn't kill her, but it certainly couldn't heal the severe injuries caused by demonic energy intrusion.
Perhaps Wang Mengde's injuries weren't serious to begin with, just frightening to look at?
Zhang Dama quickly recovered, his face contorted with rage, and he immediately cursed, "Wang Mengde, are you deaf or have you broken your leg? It took
you forever to open the door after knocking for so long. Were you hiding inside hatching eggs?" "Brother Zhang, please calm down, please calm down. I was just eating and didn't know it was you, Brother Zhang. I'm so sorry for not greeting you properly," Wang Mengde greeted with a smile, stepping aside. "Brothers, please come in, let's talk inside."
Zhang Dama snorted and swaggered into the courtyard, Zhang Erhu following closely behind.
The two entered the main room, their gazes brazenly sweeping over the simple furnishings and the meager food on the table.
Finally, their eyes landed on Shen Qingyue, whose face was pale but who was trying to remain calm, giving her a few more malicious glances.
Zhang Damazi slung himself over a chair on the empty stool next to the table, pulled out a promissory note with his fingerprint on it, and slammed it on the table in front of Wang Mengde.
"Look carefully, it's in black and white. Your sister-in-law, Shen Qingyue, used your old, dilapidated spirit boat as collateral to
borrow a Soul-Returning Healing Pill from me, Zhang Damazi.
It's agreed that in a month, she 'll repay
me with five low-grade spirit stones, principal and interest. If she can't repay..."
He tapped the words "collateral" on the promissory note with his finger: "Your old spirit boat is mine."
Wang Mengde picked up the IOU and examined it carefully.
The terms were clearly written: the loaned item, repayment period, principal and interest, and Shen Qingyue's fingerprint—everything was complete.
Wang Mengde had some doubts; the two men had looked astonished when they saw him, which was definitely suspicious.
But now, with the IOU in hand, the fingerprint clear, the pills indeed fed to him by Shen Qingyue, and his injuries indeed healed,
the IOU was valid according to the rules of Qixia Island.
Wang Mengde suppressed his doubts, his smile unchanged. These two men were stronger than him, and they were also the brothers-in-law of a fourth-level Qi Refining Talisman Master. He couldn't afford to offend them now. He even put on a sincere apology:
"I understand, brothers. Don't worry, I will remember. I will definitely present five spirit stones in a month."
Zhang Damazi glanced at Wang Mengde with some surprise.
This man used to be timid and hesitant around him, but today, although he was also smiling, his words were straightforward, and his eyes were no longer evasive.
"Alright, that's enough."
Zhang Dama took back the IOU, carefully folded it, and put it back in his pocket.
"Remember, it's only for one month. If you don't see the spirit stones by then, don't blame me, Zhang Dahu, for being ruthless and taking the spirit boat away."
He glared threateningly at Wang Mengde, then glanced maliciously at Shen Qingyue, who was standing beside him with her head down, before swaggering away with Zhang Erhu.
Only after the footsteps faded away and the courtyard gate closed again did Shen Qingyue deflate like a punctured balloon, her shoulders slumping.
She walked to Wang Mengde's side, her eyes slightly red, her face full of apology: "Brother-in-law... I'm sorry, I saw you were about to die, and I panicked so much that I... I made the decision on my own, I..."
That sampan spirit boat was the only valuable thing in the family, and also their means of livelihood.
Wang Mengde looked at her tearful and remorseful appearance, but he didn't blame her.
In any case, this girl, under those circumstances, was only trying her best to save 'his' life.
He reached out and gently patted his sister-in-law's head. "Qingyue, don't say that. You saved my life. I'm so grateful, how could I blame you?"
Feeling the warmth from above, Shen Qingyue's nose stung, and tears finally fell. She wiped them away hastily with the back of her hand, then worried about the practicalities:
"But... Brother-in-law, five spirit stones a month... how can we possibly pay that back?"
Five low-grade spirit stones were an astronomical sum for them.
Her brother-in-law worked hard every day fishing, and after deducting the high rent and necessary expenses, he was already extremely lucky to save fifty spirit sand a month.
Five spirit stones meant it would take almost a year to save.
How could they possibly gather that much in a month?
If they lost their small spirit boat, they would have to rent one to go fishing.
After deducting the high boat rental fees, there wouldn't be much left from their daily catch, probably not even enough to cover the rent.
If they couldn't afford rent, they would be kicked off Qixia Island, possibly captured by evil cultivators for training, or even eaten by demons.
"Don't worry, there'll be a way. Let's eat first."
Wang Mengde's eyes had regained their calm, the initial daze gone.
No matter how much he didn't want to transmigrate, he was already here.
There was no point in crying and complaining now.
Only after eating and drinking his fill would he have the energy to solve the problem.
In his previous life, Wang Mengde had managed to save up for a down payment and renovate a house by himself at twenty-nine; he wasn't one to easily give up.
Workplace infighting, loan pressure… what wasn't a challenge?
He had overcome them all.
This world was incredibly dangerous, and now he was burdened with a huge debt, a truly hellish start.
However, if there were difficulties, there was a way to solve them.
Regardless of whether he could ultimately solve them, whatever the outcome, he would just do it.
The two went to the dining table and ate together.
Shen Qingyue's mind was filled with worry and anxiety about the huge debt; she ate absentmindedly, finding the food tasteless.
Wang Mengde, on the other hand, was carefree, eating heartily.
Hmm, the food tasted good.
Wang Mengde looked up and saw his sister-in-law looking worried, counting the grains of rice she ate.
He picked up his chopsticks, took another piece of shredded meat from his bowl, and placed it into Shen Qingyue's bowl without a word: "What are you thinking about? Even if the sky falls, you have to fill your stomach first. Eat."
Shen Qingyue was startled by the extra shredded meat in her bowl and looked up at her brother-in-law.
She saw that Wang Mengde's expression was calm, his eyes showing no trace of his usual evasiveness or timidity, but rather a remarkable composure.
This composure seemed to have a strange infectious power, seeping into Shen Qingyue's anxious heart.
She nodded, imitating her brother-in-law, picked up a large mouthful of rice, along with the shredded meat he had given her, and put it into her mouth, chewing vigorously.
The taste of the food seemed to return to her tongue, carrying a reassuring strength.
As she ate, she couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her brother-in-law beside her.
Her brother-in-law seemed to have changed.
He seemed to have lost his former timid and cowardly demeanor.
It seemed that he... looked more energetic, more... handsome.
Whether it was from eating too quickly or thinking of something else, Shen Qingyue felt her cheeks suddenly flush, a blush creeping up her ears.
She quickly lowered her head, staring at her bowl, and began to shovel rice into her mouth even more.
After breakfast,
Shen Qingyue quickly and efficiently cleared away the dishes, washing and setting them aside.
She wiped her hands and looked at Wang Mengde: "Brother-in-law, you should rest at home. The tide has just gone out. I'll go to the beach to see if I can collect some shrimp, crabs, and shellfish."
Five spirit stones were a huge sum of money. Her brother-in-law couldn't possibly pay it back within a month on his own. She wanted to help as much as she could.
Wang Mengde stood up: "Qingyue, let's go together."
Of the three spells his predecessor had mastered, one was called the Spirit Eye Technique, which was specifically trained for beachcombing and allowed him to see seafood that ordinary people couldn't.
"Brother-in-law, your injuries have just healed. Are you sure you can manage?" Shen Qingyue frowned slightly, very worried.
Her parents had died early, and her sister had abandoned her. To her, her brother-in-law was her only support in this world.
"It's alright. Walking around will improve my blood circulation and help me recover faster." Wang Mengde smiled, his tone relaxed: "Let's go. Two people searching is always faster than one."
His injuries had healed, and he needed to familiarize himself with the ways of survival in this world as soon as possible.
Seeing Wang Mengde's insistence, Shen Qingyue stopped trying to dissuade him, only carefully instructing him, "Brother-in-law, please don't push yourself too hard. Rest when you're tired."
She turned and took out her beachcombing tools from the storage room: a bamboo basket, a small iron rake, an old pair of scissors, and two simple nets woven from hemp rope.
The two took their tools, locked the courtyard gate, and walked along the bluestone path towards the sea.
The mudflats on the edge of Qixia Island were quite large, with numerous reefs. When the two arrived at the sea, many people were already busy.
Most were ordinary fishermen from the island.
Occasionally, one or two cultivators could be seen, their bodies radiating faint spiritual energy fluctuations. Most of them were Qi Refining Level 1 cultivators like Wang Mengde.
They were more agile and had sharper eyes, often able to spot things that others overlooked.
Wang Mengde and his sister-in-law walked to a relatively less crowded area of reefs.
Wang Mengde didn't start immediately, but instead stood on a slightly higher reef.
He took a deep breath, channeling the spiritual energy within his dantian and carefully, slowly, channeling it into his eyes following the circulation route remembered from his predecessor.
A faint warmth and swelling sensation spread through his eyelids, and the scene before him began to change.
The ordinary rocks, puddles, and beaches seemed to be veiled by a faint, flowing filter of light.
In the seemingly empty crevices of the rocks, at the bottom of the murky puddles, and beneath the shallow layer of sand,
he began to vaguely see faint outlines, some still, some slowly moving, imperceptible to the naked eye.
However, the effect of this Spiritual Eye Technique was extremely limited, its range only about two zhang around him; beyond that, it became blurry, as if seen through frosted glass.
Moreover, most of those outlines were dim and indistinct, with details difficult to discern.
After all, this was only an introductory-level Spiritual Eye Technique, consuming a considerable amount of energy for only modest results.
But just then…
Without warning, a line of clear golden characters appeared in Wang Mengde's mind:
[Spiritual Eye Technique +1]
As these characters appeared, fragmented insights into the Spiritual Eye Technique quietly welled up in his mind.
For example, when channeling spiritual energy into his eyes just now, a certain subtle point could be smoother.
How to adjust the focus of mental concentration to enhance the effect of seeing through shallow obstructions.
During the spellcasting just now, there was a place where some spiritual energy was slightly wasted.
These insights were not profound, even somewhat trivial.
But they instantly made Wang Mengde's understanding of the Spiritual Eye Technique, a basic spell, clearer and smoother.
Wang Mengde's heart skipped a beat, almost unable to believe his perception.
He subconsciously looked at the reef again and concentrated his mind to activate the Spiritual Eye Technique.
This time, the process of channeling spiritual energy seemed to be slightly smoother, and the consumption of spiritual energy to maintain vision also seemed to be a little less.
Immediately afterwards, deep within Wang Mengde's mind, a golden scroll seemed to slowly unfurl, revealing several lines of ancient golden characters:
[Fate Master: Wang Mengde]
[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Success is assured)]
[Qi Cultivation Level: Qi Cultivation Level 1 (98/100)]
[Physical Cultivation Level: Body Tempering Level 1 (52/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: Minor Five Elements Breathing Technique Level 1 (98/100)]
[Spells: Spiritual Eye Technique (Beginner) 99/100; Fishing Technique (Beginner) 98/100; Entangling Silk Technique (Beginner) 99/100]
Wang Mengde's mouth gaped open slightly, his smile widening as he couldn't help but chuckle foolishly.
As a veteran reader of Qidian novels, he had read countless transmigration and cultivation novels and was extremely familiar with this kind of setting.
Those failed authors on Qidian weren't lying; such things really existed.
He tried to concentrate, thinking of putting away the panel.
Whoosh!
The golden scroll in his mind vanished instantly, as if it had never appeared.
He tried to open the panel again.
A flash of golden light, and the scroll reappeared, the information still clear.
Hehehe...
"Brother-in-law, are you alright?"
Shen Qingyue saw her brother-in-law standing on the reef, his expression shifting, finally grinning foolishly at the air, drool almost dripping from his mouth, and couldn't help but worry.
Had her brother-in-law injured his brain?
"Cough, I'm fine, I'm fine." Wang Mengde quickly suppressed his smile, coughing to hide his inner elation, but the light in his eyes couldn't be concealed.
He raised his hand and pointed to a rock half-buried in the sand not far away: "Qingyue, go check under that rock, there's something there."
Although Shen Qingyue was still a little worried about her brother-in-law's condition, she obediently agreed.
She carefully walked over and pried open the crack in the rock.
"It's a Cloud Pattern Crab," Shen Qingyue exclaimed softly.
One crab could sell for fifty Blood Copper Coins.
Blood Copper Coins were the most basic currency in the cultivation world, made from the low-grade refining metal Blood Copper.
100 Blood Copper Coins could be exchanged for 1 Spirit Sand, and 100 Spirit Sand could be exchanged for 1 Low-grade Spirit Stone.
"A great start, brother-in-law, we're lucky." Shen Qingyue was overjoyed and quickly tied the crab up and put it into the fish basket.
"Let's continue." Wang Mengde was full of energy at this moment. The experience bar for his Spirit Eye Technique showed 99/100, just a little short of being full.
Once it was full, he should be able to break through.
Next, Wang Mengde began to seriously use his Spirit Eye Technique, searching everywhere.
With each cast, he focused intently, striving to maximize the spell's effect to the fullest extent possible at his current level, while carefully savoring the subtle insights he had just gained.
However, the expected golden characters failed to reappear.
Once, twice, ten times…
Wang Mengde was not discouraged.
He recalled the description of "Heaven rewards diligence" on the panel; since it meant certain success, it must be the result of genuine hard work and accumulation.
He calmed himself, no longer rushing for quick results, but treating each spellcasting as a process of practice and enlightenment.
Time passed slowly, and Wang Mengde tirelessly cast the Spirit Eye Technique, while simultaneously digging and catching seafood with Shen Qingyue.
The harvest gradually increased, with dozens of crabs, some iron-shelled snails clinging to the shady sides of the reefs, and several sand bream hiding in shallow sand pits in the bamboo basket.
However, most of them were ordinary seafood, containing no spiritual power, and together they weren't even worth as much as two cloud-patterned crabs.
In the monotonous repetition, time quietly slipped away.
Finally, after casting the Spirit Eye Technique over a hundred times, a line of small golden characters reappeared in his mind:
[Spirit Eye Technique +1]
Immediately afterward, a torrent of insights, several times larger and more refined than before, surged into his consciousness without warning. This
mainly consisted of all the fragmented and vague experiences and insights accumulated by his predecessor from tens of thousands of casting the Spirit Eye Technique since the age of twelve.
It also included new insights gained by Wang Mengde himself from the hundred or so focused spellcasting sessions just now.
There were also some more subtle and profound details about the flow of spiritual energy through specific meridians in the eyes.
All these chaotic and varying degrees of insight
seemed to be meticulously sorted, connected, deepened, and integrated by an invisible hand.
It was like a sudden enlightenment, like seeing the sun after the clouds had parted.
[Spirit Eye Technique (Minor Success) 0/200]
Wang Mengde couldn't help but close his eyes and take a deep breath.
When he opened them again, a very faint glimmer of light seemed to flash in his eyes.
He cast the Spirit Eye Technique again.
The world was completely different.
The previous blurry filter had transformed into a clearer, more layered perspective.
The obstruction from seawater, silt, and reefs was greatly reduced.
The previously blurry outlines became very clear, and based on experience, he could directly identify what kind of seafood it was.
He could see creatures deeper in the sand, although the deeper the depth, the more blurred the outlines became.
He could even discern whether the creatures beneath the sand possessed any spiritual power.
His observation range had also increased from two zhang around him to four zhang.
This meant that the effective search area had increased fourfold.
Efficiency would increase exponentially.
Of course, maintaining this more powerful spiritual eye technique also significantly increased the consumption of spiritual power, roughly doubling it compared to before the breakthrough.
With the pitiful amount of spiritual power in his dantian, he probably couldn't maintain it for even half an hour if he tried his best.
Now, he only had a small portion of spiritual power left in his dantian, enough to last about a quarter of an hour.
Wang Mengde felt a sense of urgency, his gaze sharp as lightning, quickly scanning the surrounding four zhang area.
"Qingyue, three steps to the left front, there's a puddle to the left of that black rock, and there are two blue-clawed shrimp underneath." "
There are several purple shellfish in the crack of that big reef facing the sea."
Just then, Wang Mengde's gaze sharpened as he looked at the edge of a puddle half-hidden by seaweed to the left front.
In his spiritual vision, there was a long, narrow shape, about the thickness of an arm, with a faint, mottled spiritual light and a fishy smell, quietly lurking among the mud and seaweed. Its aura was concealed, and it would be easily overlooked if not for his partially mastered spiritual vision technique.
A seafood with spiritual power.
Wang Mengde's eyes brightened slightly. He jumped off the reef, walked a few steps to the edge of the puddle, and examined it carefully.
It was a sea eel, about three feet long, with brown and dark yellow patterns all over its body. Its head was hidden under the seaweed, with only half of its body showing, and it was motionless.
"It's a spotted eel, and it's quite big."
This kind of eel contains more spiritual energy than ordinary cloud-patterned crabs. The key is that it is large, and its flesh is firm and delicious.
More importantly, its skin is one of the auxiliary materials for making low-level water-element talismans, and it is quite valuable on the market.
However, spotted eels are very strong and have a fierce temperament. Their teeth are sharp, and a bite from one can be quite severe.
Wang Mengde didn't rush into the water. He held his breath, slowly crouched down, and with his right hand slightly open, the meager spiritual energy within him quickly circulated according to the Entangling Silk Technique. A
barely perceptible pale blue light emanated from his fingertips
. He gently pressed down on the head of the spotted eel under the seaweed.
At this beginner level, the Entangling Silk Technique couldn't yet produce silk threads; it could only transform spiritual energy into a flexible and dense binding force field, temporarily trapping small fish or assisting in reeling in the line.
Wang Mengde concentrated, and the pale blue light, though weak, enveloped the spotted eel's body with exceptional precision.
Almost simultaneously, Wang Mengde's left hand moved with lightning speed, his fingers like pincers, accurately pinching the vital spot about seven inches behind the eel's head.
It felt cool and slippery to the touch, and the eel's body thrashed and thrashed wildly with considerable force.
Wang Mengde maintained the Entangling Silk Technique with his right hand, increasing the output of spiritual energy to restrict its struggle.
With a powerful flick of his left wrist, his fingers tightened like iron clamps, and he jerked the eel out of the water.
A sharp shake in the air shattered its struggles.
His other hand swiftly threaded a rope through the eel's gills and tied a knot, finally allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Brother-in-law, what did you catch?"
Hearing the commotion, Shen Qingyue ran over with her bamboo basket. Seeing the spotted eel wriggling in Wang Mengde's hand, her eyes lit up instantly.
"A spotted eel! It's so big! It'll probably sell for eight spirit sands!" She knew that her brother -
in-law usually only earned two or three spirit sands a day after a hard day's work.
This one spotted eel was worth three days' income. "Good luck," Wang Mengde said, handing the eel to Shen Qingyue. Shen Qingyue transferred the items to the net, then suddenly realized something and looked up at Wang Mengde: "Brother-in-law, your Spirit Eye Technique... has broken through? Before, you could only name the places with shrimp and crabs, but just now you directly named purple clams and green-clawed shrimp. " Wang Mengde looked into the girl's hopeful, clear eyes and nodded: "Yes, I had some insights just now and luckily broke through, achieving minor success." "That's wonderful, that's wonderful!" She jumped up and down excitedly, her eyes even slightly reddening. With her brother-in-law's Spirit Eye Technique breaking through, their beachcombing efficiency would greatly increase. Even if they only came to the reef area each day, their harvest would definitely be more than before. Even if Chen Damazi took away the family's spirit boat, as long as her brother-in-law had this skill, the two of them could save enough for their monthly rent by beachcombing, preventing them from being kicked out of Qixia Island and becoming materials for evil cultivators and food for demons. Finally, there was hope for the future. Although the debt of five spirit stones was still heavy, at least there was hope. Looking at her reddened eyes, Wang Mengde gently patted his sister-in-law's shoulder and said softly, "Believe me, things will get better soon." The improvement in his Spirit Eye Technique had allowed him to verify the effect of his destiny of "Heaven rewards diligence." As long as he practiced diligently, his spells would steadily improve. His predecessor had mastered both the Entangling Silk Technique and the Fishing Technique to the peak of the beginner level, only one or two experience points away from breaking through. His cultivation level also only needed two experience points to break through. Once his cultivation level and the two spells broke through simultaneously, his speed of earning spirit sand would definitely increase significantly. "Mm." Shen Qingyue nodded her little head emphatically. "Brother-in-law, let's continue." Shen Qingyue clenched her little fist, full of enthusiasm. "Okay." Wang Mengde activated his Spirit Eye Technique. His gaze swept across the surrounding area, taking in everything within a four-zhang radius. "Qingyue, take two steps to your right front. Under that clump of brown algae, there are three palm-sized blue crabs." Shen Qingyue responded crisply and quickly walked over. Wang Mengde wasn't idle either. He carried the fine-mesh net in his left hand and walked towards a shallow sandpit. He crept closer, aimed carefully, and with a flick of his wrist, the net swiftly and steadily plunged into the water, scooping up the sand with a few quick scoops. A light splash followed, and when the net was lifted, five thumb-thick, almost transparent sand eels writhed in panic. "Five sand eels," Wang Mengde said with satisfaction, emptying the fish into the small bamboo basket at his waist. The two then worked together efficiently, dividing the tasks. Using his Lesser Completion Spiritual Eye Technique, Wang Mengde assigned tasks to the two. Common shrimp, crabs, shellfish, and small fish, which posed little danger, were directed to his sister-in-law for catching. Those that were slightly more dangerous, or hidden in tricky locations, requiring skill and some spiritual power to safely capture, he handled personally. From time to time, Shen Qingyue's clear exclamations and praises echoed from the rocky area. "Brother-in-law, you're amazing!" "Brother-in-law, you were incredible today!" The girl's silvery voice drifted in the slightly salty sea breeze, filled with the joy of her harvest and her admiration for her brother-in-law. Wang Mengde initially enjoyed it, but as he listened, this modern soul felt something was off. Then, he became a little excited. How shameless of him. Wang Mengde secretly cursed himself, then took a deep breath, regained his composure, and continued to cast the Spirit Eye Technique. The rising sun gradually dispelled the last sea fog. The tide began to rise slowly, submerging the low-lying reefs and mudflats. Wang Mengde's spiritual energy was almost depleted, and his head was feeling heavy from continuous casting. He stopped the Spirit Eye Technique and rubbed his temples. "Brother-in-law, continue?" Shen Qingyue dug out a razor clam and looked back at Wang Mengde. "My spiritual energy is exhausted." Wang Mengde waved his hand; his spiritual energy reserves at the first level of Qi Refining were simply too little. Upon hearing this, Shen Qingyue was not disappointed at all. Instead, she comforted him, "Brother-in-law, you've done a great job today." Then, she proudly displayed the heavy bamboo basket and net, a satisfied smile on her face: "We've had a very, very good harvest today! Look..." The bamboo basket contained crabs of all sizes—blue crabs, flower crabs, swimming crabs, and more—tied together with straw rope . There were also sand eels. The net contained spotted eels, various sea snails—iron-shelled snails, spicy snails, sesame snails—as well as clams, razor clams, and other shellfish. Although, apart from the first two cloud-patterned crabs and the later spotted eels, most of these seafood items contained no spiritual energy and were just ordinary seafood, the quantity was truly considerable. Shen Qingyue counted on her fingers, roughly calculating, and then exclaimed in surprise: "Brother-in-law, all of this seafood, added together, is worth at least ten spirit sands. Adding the spotted eels and cloud-patterned crabs, it's close to twenty spirit sands!"
Sweat dampened the girl's bangs, clinging to her smooth forehead. Her face was flushed with excitement, but her eyes shone brightly. Looking at her abundant harvest, she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
Twenty spirit sands.
For Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue, whose daily income had previously been only two or three spirit sands, this was a huge windfall.
Looking at the heavy harvest before her, and thinking of the hope brought by her brother-in-law's breakthrough in his spirit eye technique, the girl felt a surge of energy.
She looked up at Wang Mengde, her dark, bright eyes filled with excitement: "Brother-in-law, from now on, we'll go out before dawn every day.
At this rate, twenty a day, two hundred in ten days, a month… we'll soon be able to save up spirit sands.
Maybe we can even gather those five spirit stones within the deadline set by Chen Dama and save our small spirit boat!"
She became more and more excited as she spoke, her cheeks flushed, filled with certainty and anticipation for the future.
Looking at the girl's youthful and vibrant smile, Wang Mengde seemed to be infected by it, his mood brightening as well.
Seeing her brother-in-law's relaxed smile, Shen Qingyue seemed to grow bolder. She took a step forward, looked up, and gazed earnestly at Wang Mengde with her bright, dark eyes:
"Brother-in-law, let's set a small goal: to protect our sampan spirit boat."
Meeting the girl's clear, trusting gaze, and sensing the dependence and determination in her words that bound their fates together, Wang Mengde felt a heavy sense of responsibility and a protective instinct welling up within him.
"Okay, let's set a small goal: to protect our sampan spirit boat."
"Mm."
Receiving a positive answer felt like receiving a most important promise, and a radiant smile bloomed on Shen Qingyue's face.
She vigorously waved her clenched fist, facing the rising tide, and crisply repeated, "Protect our sampan spirit boat."
The sea breeze blew, tossing a few playful strands of hair across her forehead.
Sunlight filtered through the dissipating mist, falling precisely on Shen Qingyue's upturned face.
The sixteen-year-old girl, her features still bearing a touch of childishness, already hinted at her future beauty.
Her dark, bright eyes sparkled, reflecting the sky and sea, pure and untainted.
Bathed in the golden morning light, she radiated a vibrant youthful energy and vitality.
Wang Mengde, looking at this pretty face so close to his, felt his heart race slightly.
The next instant, Wang Mengde cursed under his breath, then turned, slung the bamboo basket filled with seafood over his shoulder, picked up the heavy net, and strode towards the shore, saying in a low voice,
"Qingyue, the tide is rising. Let's go back and sell our goods at the dock."
"Okay,"
Shen Qingyue replied cheerfully, quickly packing her tools and following Wang Mengde with light steps.
The two walked one after the other, treading on the increasingly soaked rocks and wet sand towards the shore.
Upon reaching the shore, Wang Mengde sent his sister-in-law home to cook.
He then carried a basket on his back and a net to Qixia Wharf.
As soon as he arrived, a lean, middle-aged man greeted him with a smile.
This was Liu Haiwen, a fishmonger who regularly bought fish there, a third-level Qi Refining cultivator.
This man often colluded with a group of fishmongers to drive down fish prices, exploiting the lives of lower-class fishermen.
"Oh, Brother Mengde, you've arrived quite early today,"
Liu Haiwen said with a beaming smile, his gaze quickly sweeping over the bamboo basket on Wang Mengde's back and the net in his hand.
When he saw the eel with its faintly visible patterns in the net, a barely perceptible glint of cunning flashed in his eyes.
While exchanging polite words, he casually reached out to take the net bag from Wang Mengde:
"Come on, let me hold this for you. Let me see how your luck is today."
Wang Mengde subtly stepped aside, cleverly avoiding Liu Haiwen's outstretched hand, his face beaming with a smile, revealing no sign of anything amiss.
"Thank you so much, brother. I can carry it myself," Wang Mengde said calmly. "My luck is indeed pretty good today. I caught some good stuff. Brother, let's talk about the price first."
In his memory, his predecessor, because of his timidity and easygoing nature, was always taken advantage of by fishmongers who tried to lower the price whenever he came to the docks to sell his goods.
Especially this Liu Haiwen, who was the most cunning, his predecessor had suffered many losses at his hands.
A kind person is bullied, a good horse is ridden.
Being too cowardly only leads to being bullied.
However, when facing a stronger opponent you can't defeat, a direct confrontation will only result in losses.
You have to use a gentle approach.
Liu Haiwen's outstretched hand missed its mark, his smile faltering slightly before quickly returning to normal. However, when he looked at Wang Mengde again, his eyes held a more careful scrutiny.
Wang Mengde, though still smiling, no longer displayed the timidity and evasiveness of his past.
This kid… is different today?
Liu Haiwen thought to himself, his smile widening.
"Hey, Brother Mengde, what are you saying? Would I cheat you?"
He patted his chest, appearing generous. "Whatever the market price, I'll give you the same price, and the highest price at that. We've been cooperating for so long, don't you trust me?"
Wang Mengde simply smiled at him, waiting for him to finish before speaking:
"Of course I trust you, brother. Tell me specifically, what's the price of each of these things?"
Liu Haiwen's heart skipped a beat; this kid had indeed become much more shrewd.
His smile remained unchanged as he peered into Wang Mengde's basket and net, paying particular attention to the spotted eels in the net, quickly calculating in his mind.
"These common blue crabs and swimming crabs are five copper coins each, sandfish are six copper coins each, and iron-shelled snails are sold separately, three for five copper coins each..."
He listed them off one by one, all in copper coins.
Copper coins are the most basic currency in the cultivation world.
100 copper coins can be exchanged for one spirit sand.
Liu Haiwen stroked his chin: "As for spotted eels... the market price is so-so lately. How about this, I'll give you seven spirit sands."
He really bargained hard, and as he spoke, he even released a trace of Qi-chain level three spiritual energy.
In the past, his predecessor was intimidated by the other party's Qi-chain level three aura and immediately chickened out, agreeing to the other party's offer and being taken advantage of.
His predecessor was too cowardly and weak. Qixia Island is one of the islands under the jurisdiction of Changqing Sect. In order to attract rogue cultivators to settle there, Changqing Sect has set strict rules.
Anyone who dares to injure people on the island will not only be severely punished, but will also be fined heavily.
If they cannot pay the fine, they will be executed directly, and their body will be made into various cultivation materials.
This is why Qixia Island, with its mere first-tier spiritual vein, boasts extremely high rents, yet still attracts numerous independent cultivators.
The reason is simple: safety is guaranteed.
Fishmongers like Liu Haiwen wouldn't dare harm anyone; they couldn't afford the fines.
Wang Mengde pointed to the eel still slightly wriggling in the net and laughed, "My dear Brother Liu, with your 'Sea Dragon King' eyes, you must have spotted this spotted eel of mine at a glance. This spotted eel of mine today is no ordinary specimen.
Look at its appearance, its size—about three feet long, with clear patterns and abundant spiritual energy. Spotted eels of this quality are rare on the market."
Wang Mengde's expression became even more sincere: "You have wide connections and many contacts. Once this spotted eel is in your hands, you can easily sell it for seventeen or eighteen spirit sands."
After this string of compliments, Liu Haiwen felt completely at ease. He knew the other party was flattering him, but every word sounded agreeable and seemed to make sense.
The title "Sea Dragon King" was particularly pleasing, causing him to straighten his chest slightly and put on a gentle smile.
Looking at Wang Mengde again, he found the once timid pauper much more agreeable.
"Brother, what you said... is quite honest!"
Liu Haiwen clicked his tongue, feigning contemplation, the calculating glint in his eyes softened by the title "Sea Dragon King" and the comfort in his heart.
Liu Haiwen was unusually generous: "Alright, alright, I'll take a loss today, since we're such good friends. The other seafood will be at the price I just mentioned. The spotted eel... I'll give you eleven spirit sands."
Wang Mengde felt reassured; he hadn't expected the price to be slightly higher than he had anticipated.
His face lit up with surprise and gratitude, and he hurriedly said, "Brother, you're so kind. I knew I could sell you the seafood without any problems."
Liu Haiwen said, "But brother, if you ever come across a good catch like spotted eel again, you'd better think of me first. I, Liu Haiwen, never let my friends suffer losses."
"Of course," Wang Mengde said with a broad smile, offering free flattery:
"Brother Liu, you're a true friend. Don't worry, if we have any good goods in the future, we'll definitely give them to you first. Everyone knows you're the most trustworthy in business, and your prices are fair. Who else would we go to?"
These free compliments made Liu Haiwen's expression even better.
Liu Haiwen secretly clicked his tongue; this kid had really changed recently, his words were like honey, every sentence flattering him.
Usually, when he tried to negotiate a price, he was met with either a gloomy face or a sullen one. This was so welcoming!
Although he earned slightly less spirit sand, he was in a good mood.
After some polite exchanges, the atmosphere immediately became harmonious.
Liu Haiwen took Wang Mengde's net and began to count the goods.
Spotted eel, eleven spirit sands.
Two cloud-patterned crabs, fifty blood copper coins each, one spirit sand in total.
Twelve ordinary blue crabs, three blood copper coins each, thirty-six blood copper coins in total.
...
Total: Twenty-three spirit sands, fifty blood copper coins.
Liu Haiwen counted out twenty-three soybean-sized spirit sands with a faint milky-white luster from his cloth bag, and fifty polished blood copper coins, handing them to Wang Mengde.
"Brother, please count."
Wang Mengde took the coins, carefully counted them, and after confirming that everything was correct, put the coins into his inner pocket.
"The amount is correct, thank you, brother."
After the transaction was completed, Liu Haiwen looked at Wang Mengde: "Brother Mengde, I've been buying Golden Thread Spirit Trout lately.
The price is extremely high, one spirit sand for every pound of live ones. If you're lucky enough to encounter one while out at sea or gathering seafood, be sure to come find me immediately."
"Okay, I'll remember." Wang Mengde nodded: "If I catch one, I'll definitely bring it to you first, brother."
"Good." Liu Haiwen patted Wang Mengde's shoulder, smiling broadly: "Then I'll be waiting for your good news, brother."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Liu Haiwen left satisfied with his purchases.
Wang Mengde turned and left the noisy dock, the sea breeze carrying a fishy smell hitting his face.
The warm smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by calm.
He touched the spirit sand in his pocket, which was several more than expected, but felt no pride.
This was the way of the world.
Head-on confrontation often resulted in bloodshed and little success.
A few kind words, on the other hand, could make things happen.
Of course, this was all secondary.
In the cultivation world, strength was the most important thing.
As long as you were strong enough, no one would dare to provoke you; they would only flatter and fawn over you.
If he had the cultivation of the fifth level of Qi Refining, would Liu Haiwen dare to release the spiritual power of the third level of Qi Refining to intimidate him?
He would only shamelessly flatter and fawn over him.
Wang Mengde secretly set a small goal:
to become the strongest on Qixia Island.
Everyone who saw him would flatter and fawn over him.
Thinking of that scene, Wang Mengde couldn't help but chuckle.
...
Back in the courtyard,
Wang Mengde greeted his sister-in-law and went to his room.
He closed the door and bolted it.
He sat cross-legged on the futon.
A golden panel quietly appeared in his mind:
[Master: Wang Mengde]
[Destiny: Diligence Pays Off (Success is Guaranteed)]
[Qi Cultivation: Level 1 (98/100)]
[Physical Cultivation: Level 1 (52/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: Level 1 of the Minor Five Elements Breathing Technique (98/100)]
[Spells: Spiritual Eye Technique (Minor Success) 0/200; Fishing Technique (Beginner) 98/100; Entangling Silk Technique (Beginner) 99/100]
His Qi Cultivation was 98/100, just two experience points away from breaking through to Level 2.
His Minor Five Elements Breathing Technique was also stuck at 98/100, in sync with his cultivation level.
A hint of anticipation flashed in Wang Mengde's eyes.
Once he broke through to Level 2, his dantian would expand, his spiritual energy recovery speed would increase, and the endurance and power of his spells would improve.
This was crucial for his upcoming beachcombing and spell practice.
He carefully took out a grain of spirit sand from the inner pocket of his robe.
Spirit sand was made from the fragments produced when cutting low-grade spirit stones.
It was insignificant to high-level cultivators, but for Wang Mengde, a Qi Refining Stage 1 cultivator, it was a precious resource to aid his cultivation.
In his previous life, he was poor and could never afford to use spirit sand for cultivation, relying instead on slowly accumulating it by breathing in the sparse spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
But now, Wang Mengde didn't intend to be so stingy anymore.
He closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and focused his mind on his dantian.