Chapter 093: The Old Turtle

Although the other fish eggs cannot survive, those that do will most certainly be transformed. The harsher the selection, the more remarkable those left behind. When Qinghu raised dragons herself, she often used this very method.

The little dragons weren't all that impressive at first, but under Qinghu’s careful guidance, they gradually grew strong, eventually displaying the majestic presence of true divine dragons.

"Even so, over time you’ll end up with too many Luminous Swordfish," Ning Qi added.

"That’s like worrying you’ll die from overeating before you’ve even had your meal. The fish haven’t even grown up yet, and you’re already fretting," Qinghu replied with exasperation.

Ning Qi coughed awkwardly, feeling rebuffed.

"Not all these little fish will necessarily survive to adulthood," Qingjin remarked reasonably.

"Even if you’re all right, there are too many great beasts in the Eastern Wilderness. The Beast Kings won’t want them to grow up, especially since these fish are under human control," Ning Qi insisted.

"You’re always hesitating, lacking the courage to press forward. I fear you’ll find it hard to break through the great bottleneck in your cultivation," Qinghu said bluntly, seeing the indecisiveness on Ning Qi’s face.

Ning Qi was taken aback, staring at Qinghu in shock.

His master had once said something similar—that he lacked the heart to move forward bravely. It was also the reason his master had sent him out into the world.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, some events had caused his cultivation to stagnate at the early stage for over three years.

"You’re so eager to contract a promising beast just so you can break through by riding the feedback from its advancement, aren’t you? Honestly, this reliance on outside help runs counter to the path of a cultivator, who seeks truth and tempers themselves through countless trials in pursuit of great longevity," Qinghu continued.

Ning Qi was stunned.

"Humans are born weak. If you don’t have the indomitable courage to survive countless trials, how can you ever hope to become a progenitor or a sage? If you seek greatness while trembling, unable even to dare, what path are you seeking?"

Ning Qi stood there, deeply shaken. His soul was profoundly moved, and his spiritual power began circulating of its own accord.

He closed his eyes and fell into deep contemplation and realization.

"He..." Qingzhen began to speak, seeing Ning Qi like this.

Qingjin shook his head at her, then quietly led Qingzhen and their sister out of the cabin, leaving Ning Qi to his insight. Clear Spring stayed at the door to stand guard, ensuring no one disturbed him.

The three siblings returned to Qingzhen’s cabin.

As soon as they entered, Qingzhen couldn’t help but ask, "Brother Ning Qi—what’s happening to him?"

"He’s having a realization," Qingjin replied. "He’s fine. This is a stroke of fortune for him. If he truly gains insight, his cultivation might well reach new heights."

"But why did just a few words from Qinghu trigger his realization?" This was what puzzled Qingzhen.

"Realizations are strange things. Sometimes you never achieve one and walk the wrong path your whole life. Sometimes, just seeing a rainfall or hearing thunder brings enlightenment. It’s all a matter of fate," Qingjin said, spreading his hands.

But Qinghu knew the truth: Ning Qi had spent so long in their company, he’d unconsciously absorbed the faint trace of Dao aura she gave off. After absorbing enough of it, gaining some insight was nothing unusual. Hmph!

Qingjin, too, worried about Qinghu and Qingzhen. The things they raised were all troublemakers, but worrying alone was pointless. Better to focus on cultivating and growing stronger.

So he simply kept his siblings close and began to cultivate.

Qinghu was dumbfounded. "What? Cultivate?"

Qingzhen’s eyes widened. "Do nothing but cultivate?"

"I’m retraining in the Darkwater Sutra, so you two focus on your cultivation as well," Qingjin said, determined to keep a close watch on them.

"Ah!" Qinghu groaned.

"Ow!" Qingzhen echoed.

"Enough. No running around. Stay here in front of me—Qinghu, over there; Qingzhen, here," Qingjin ordered, sending one to the small table and the other to the low couch.

Qinghu and Qingzhen exchanged a look: Wouldn’t it have been better not to come to their brother’s cabin so early?

In order to reach the optimal mooring spot as quickly as possible, the three-ship flotilla picked up speed.

Underwater, schools of fish still circled the ships leisurely, especially around their master’s vessel. The aquatic beasts below, large and small, scattered in terror.

It was a veritable death trap—just swimming in the river, and you might run into a terrifying pack of fish hatchlings.

Misfortune truly befalls the fish even while they mind their own business at home.

The journey began at the dock beneath Mount Dongliwan City, passing first through Citrus Water, then the Longjin River, and finally arriving at Unfixed City.

Citrus Water was only a minor tributary in the Eastern Wilderness, lacking rich spiritual energy, so dangerous beasts were rare. Even if there were monsters underwater, most were only at the seventh, eighth, or ninth tier.

If these monsters dared approach the fish school, it was as good as delivering themselves as food.

As the flotilla traveled, Uncle He remarked to Chai Ning, "This trip has been unusually calm since we left Dongli Pass City. Did all the aquatic beasts in Citrus Water run away from home?"

"It would be odd for them to run away at this time," Chai Ning replied.

Uncle He paused, then his face changed abruptly. "This is bad. There must be a great beast roaming Citrus Water. The larger aquatic monsters have all fled to avoid being eaten."

"What should we do?" Chai Ning asked, flustered.

"Don’t worry, miss. Our flotilla may not even encounter it. And even if we do, we’re not defenseless. We just need to stay alert," Uncle He reassured her, though he was anxious inside. Great river beasts were no easy foes, and they still didn’t know what exactly it was.

If the worst came to pass, he’d risk his life to get his young lady to safety.

So, while the Chai family quietly readied themselves, the three siblings diligently cultivated. If Qingzhen or Qinghu slacked off, Qingjin’s sharp gaze would immediately cut their way.

Qingzhen was only allowed to pause her cultivation when her little birds chirped hungrily, at which point she’d be permitted to feed them and rest a bit.

Qinghu was out of luck—her fish hatchlings didn’t need feeding.

Whenever Qingzhen went to feed the birds, Qinghu’s resentful gaze followed her.

Qingzhen looked back helplessly: "Fellow Daoist, I’m just as powerless as you."

Qinghu glared: "So disloyal."

To Qinghu, what good was cultivating spiritual power? One million strands were needed to condense a wisp of divine energy. She was only at the fifth level of Qi Refinement and could produce five or six strands at best, with maybe a dozen stored in her body.

Ahem, but the human cultivators here didn’t seem to think that way.

They had all sorts of unique titles for levels and spiritual power, and even at the first level of Qi Refinement, one could only store three full strands of power and release one. Still, they’d invented many clever spells that didn’t require a full strand.

Some of them were quite creative, too.

Ning Qi was still in his realization, and even outside his cabin, the surge of spiritual energy could be felt. Clear Spring had already turned away two waves of Chai family inquiries.

His answer was always the same: Young Master Ning Qi is in seclusion to break through, and must not be disturbed. Now everyone understood why he stood guard at the door.

The flotilla traveled smoothly into a calm stretch of river flanked by cliffs. The cliffs, set back from the water and towering high, blocked much of the wind. In a concave section of one cliff lay a small lake.

The flotilla entered and moored at a deep-water shore.

Across the lake, large numbers of giant turtles, young and old, crawled ashore and headed for a massive hollow at the base of the cliffs, forming a dense, moving throng. The largest turtle settled near the edge of the hollow, like an old sentinel guarding its kin.

Behind it clustered the bigger turtles, and in the center, this year’s hatchlings. Some smaller adults climbed atop the larger shells, forming a wall to protect the weakest in the innermost space.

Their movements naturally attracted the attention of the newly arrived flotilla.

Uncle He went to the rail, his face ashen as he watched the orderly procession of turtles.

So many turtles—five or six thousand of all sizes—had all chosen this moment to gather here. Either tonight’s storm was going to be a disaster, or a great aquatic beast was indeed about to pass through.

Either way, there was no escape for their flotilla.

"Warn Young Master Shen and Young Master Ning that a storm or a great beast may be upon us tonight," Uncle He decided, knowing these guests might be crucial in a crisis.

Just in case they needed help, it was wise to keep them informed.

By afternoon, Qingzhen’s little birds had actually started to grow fuzzy down. At this rate, in three days they’d be covered in a thin coat of fluff—though perhaps not enough to cover their rumps.

Still, they’d count as proper birds.

Qingzhen was delighted and fed them some spiritual liquid—not her own (she’d run out), but courtesy of her elder brother Qingjin.

"What are you doing, feeding spiritual liquid to a bunch of chicklings?" Qinghu grumbled, then went to get more purple gold coins from their brother, returning with thirty pounds of spiritual liquid. She split it evenly: ten pounds for each, so their fourth brother wouldn’t always have to rely on Qingjin’s generosity.

Qingzhen patted Qinghu on the shoulder, "Little sister, whether my babies grow up strong depends on you."

"Only now do you realize?" Qinghu retorted.

"Yes, yes," Qingzhen nodded. "I’ll buy more spiritual liquid in the future—they’ll surely repay your kindness when they’re grown."

Qinghu thought: Spiritual liquid raising Radiant Sparrows? Dream on.

Clear Spring cut in, "Enough celebrating, get back to cultivating."

Just then, a knock sounded, and Ning Qi strode in, looking energetic—he had finally broken through from the third to the fourth level of Foundation Establishment, moving into the middle stage.

"Thank you, Qinghu. If not for you, I’d still be stuck at the early stage—I was blocked for over three years, you know," Ning Qi said.

"You had the wrong mindset; it’s no wonder you were stuck," Qinghu replied.

Ning Qi felt awkward—this little brat was as blunt as ever.

"How’s your retraining, Qingjin?" he asked.

"Still contemplating," Qingjin replied. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be forcing his siblings to cultivate alongside him.

"I doubt the Lord of Longevity would give you a worthless Dao method," Ning Qi commented.

Qingjin nodded.

"By the way, on my way over, someone from the Chai family told me that across from our flotilla, a massive group of fierce turtles had come ashore. They looked so wary either because tonight’s storm will be disastrous, or a great aquatic beast is passing through. Either way, it’s bad news. We should be on our guard," Ning Qi said.

"Understood."

"What kind of fierce turtles are they? Are there any hatchlings? If any suit you, you should form a contract," Qingzhen suggested.

"I don’t want a turtle," Ning Qi said instantly. "What kind of refined young man keeps turtles? It’s terrible for one’s image."

Qingzhen looked awkward. "I’m a refined young man and I keep birds. Why can’t you keep turtles? You might end up raising a Black Tortoise or Xuanwu, or even a great Baxi turtle!"

"No, I want something better," Ning Qi retorted immediately.

Qingzhen snorted.

Qingjin, too, was speechless. What’s wrong with turtles? Competing for beauty with a turtle—he might well lose.

Suddenly, a fierce wind swept in, sudden and violent. Anything light on deck was sent flying, and even the workers were knocked over. The heavier ones managed to stagger along; the lighter ones, if not tied down with thick rope, were blown clear off the boat.

In Qingjin’s cabin, even the tables and teacups shook with the boat’s violent motion. The floor trembled so much, it was hard to stand.

"This wind is something else," Ning Qi said gravely.

Qinghu darted over and flung open the window. She’d barely glanced outside when Qingzhen dragged her back in.

"What are you looking for? The wind’s so strong, the sky’s gone black!"

"Fourth Brother, there’s something in the wind," Qinghu said, pointing outside.

"What? Something in the wind?" Qingzhen, curious, stuck his head out but could barely open his eyes against the gale. He saw nothing.

Luckily, his ears were sharp. After pulling his head back in, he said, "There is something in the wind, all different sizes. Lots of them."