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This county featured a dense network of waterways, bustling with frequent boat traffic. Wooden and stone bridges were commonplace, presenting a scene vastly different from Qingzhu Mountain Market’s surroundings.

At Wan Island Lake:

On the lakeside dock,

countless fishing boats clustered together, their movements creating ripples across the lake surface. Bathed in sunlight, these waves shimmered like countless scales.

Fang Xi arrived at the dock, noticing numerous fishermen wearing straw bamboo hats, draped in green reed cloaks, and clad in gray or black trousers. Some sat, others stood by the roadside, selling their freshly caught fish.

“Young man, want a big blue carp?” asked an elderly fisherman with a smile.

“No, thank you. I’m actually looking for a boat to venture deep into Wan Island Lake.” Fang Xi produced a silver ingot.

Its dazzling gleam caught the attention of many fishermen, yet they shook their heads repeatedly. “Venturing deep into Wan Island Lake is extremely dangerous; we wouldn’t dare…

“It’s said that there are immortals living within its depths!”

“We can only make a living near the shore, never daring to offend any immortals. If they took offense, our catch would vanish next year, leaving us all destitute!”

As more fishermen gathered around, Fang Xi smiled and exchanged his silver for a gold ingot. “With this gold, just one trip would be enough to buy land and a house, ensuring you never need to fish again…”

“I’m in!” A young fisherman promptly stepped forward. “Gongzi, are you seeking immortals? In fact, I’ve previously taken several young heroes deep into the lake on similar quests for divine encounters…”

“Anyone else?”

Fang Xi glanced around, knowing well that substantial rewards always attract brave souls. He produced another piece of gold, predictably drawing interest from numerous fishermen.

Without further ado, Fang Xi inspected their boats and finally chose one with a scarlet carp painted at its bow.

The boat’s captain appeared to be in his forties or fifties, with weathered features and large, sturdy hands. However, he was actually only in his thirties and introduced himself as ‘Old Hai’.

Once the boat was selected, Old Hai pushed off using a bamboo pole, slowly steering away from the dock towards the heart of the lake.

Several hours later…

Dusk approached, casting golden hues mixed with subtle reds across the water’s surface.

Old Hai navigated the boat, raising his voice to sing a fishing song: “Reeds drifting oh hey… Little boat silently glides hey… Abundant catch next year hey…”

As the sun set in the west, accompanied by the fishermen’s songs echoing across the twilight, it created a uniquely charming atmosphere.

Fang Xi stood on the deck, feeling the gentle breeze against his face, and leisurely stretched with contentment.

“Would our esteemed guest like to have dinner now?” At this moment, a woman emerged from the cabin of the small black-roofed boat, softly asking.

She appeared younger than Old Hai, adorned with a small white flower in her hair, suggesting she must have been quite attractive in her youth.

For fishermen, a black-roofed boat was their home, where they experienced life’s milestones from birth to death—all aboard the vessel.

Naturally, this woman was Old Hai’s wife.

“All right…I’ll take a bowl of fish soup!” Fang Xi nodded and casually tossed a silver bean towards her.

Upon receiving the tip, the woman promptly returned inside the cabin, swiftly preparing a carp with skilled hands.

The head and bones were simmered into a rich, creamy broth, seasoned only with a pinch of salt for its exquisite flavor. The fillets, sliced thinly, were gently roasted until lightly golden, releasing enticing aromas.

Paired with homemade wine, it made for a delightful meal experience.

Fang Xi enjoyed the food immensely and rewarded the woman with another silver bean.

After accepting the second tip, the woman lingered instead of leaving, coyly asking, “With the nightfall dew settling, would Gongzi require any additional service?”

In ancient times, many boatwomen had additional occupations, and Fang Xi was no stranger to this practice. He promptly shook his head and declined.

Witnessing this scene, Old Hai, who had been steering the boat all along, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Having spent most of his life around Wan Island Lake, enduring both wind and rain, he may not have accumulated much wealth, but his discernment remained sharp.

The scarlet carp adorning the bow of the boat represented the highest honor for fishing families. In Wan Island Lake, after storms, rare sightings of crimson-scaled carps with dragon-like whiskers occurred occasionally. These were highly prized yet incredibly difficult to catch. Only those successful in capturing such a scarlet carp could engrave its symbol on their boat’s prow.

Old Hai, originally able to barely make ends meet through fishing, took up Fang Xi’s business because he recognized the youth as truly extraordinary. Either Fang Xi was a well-to-do young master or a budding hero traversing the jianghu.

If he could gain favor with someone like him, perhaps future generations of his family could pursue education and martial arts, escaping the hardships of a fisherman’s life.

Truly impoverished people from ancient times often didn’t dwell on these matters. Yet unexpectedly, the young master showed no interest whatsoever.

Fang Xi seemed to hear Old Hai’s sigh. He walked to the bow of the boat, directing Old Hai while assuring him, “Don’t worry, once we reach our destination, this Gongzi will reward you generously!”

Five days later.

“Gongzi… after passing this Golden Turtle Reef, we dare not venture further…”

Old Hai pointed to a nearby rock protruding from the lake, resembling a giant turtle’s head, and addressed Fang Xi, “Fishermen around here typically only brave the shallows; very few ever go this deep… Based on my experience, venturing any farther would surely invite great calamity!”

“Hmm, this far is sufficient.”

Fang Xi took out Ge Hongdan’s geomancy map, glanced at it, and nodded unconsciously.

The reason he hired the boat was simply to avoid flying too far with the Black Cloud Pocket himself.

Upon reaching the Golden Turtle Reef, they were now quite close to the Treasure Ship Market.

With that, Fang Xi tapped his bag of holding.

A mass of dark clouds emerged, enveloping him as he ascended from the deck.

“You two can return now,” Fang Xi instructed, tossing them a gold ingot before steering the black cloud away.

“This…” Old Hai stood dumbfounded for a moment, then suddenly knelt down, repeatedly bowing his head. “Xian Shi, full of compassion… please forgive me, Xian Shi, please forgive me!”

As he rose, seeing his wife joyfully tucking the gold into her bosom, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat dejected. “Ah… if only the Immortal Master had taken notice of you…”

Perhaps she could have been bestowed with an immortal seed, allowing their descendants to embark on the cultivation path.

The Treasure Ship Market was located on Treasure Ship Island.

This island, shaped like a grand treasure ship due to its square form, had earned its name accordingly.

Upon the island, there existed a first-tier spiritual vein, later claimed by the Zhong Family of Dragonfish and transformed into a bustling market. Surrounding the market were terraced fields, cultivated with abundant spirit rice.

Fang Xi altered his appearance once more, partially obscuring his face, and steered the Black Cloud Pocket. Within just one hour, he arrived at Treasure Ship Island.

There were no aerial restrictions above the island, allowing him to effortlessly fly over the uneven terraced fields until reaching the entrance of the market.

As Fang Xi glanced down at the diligent spirit farmers occasionally looking up with envious eyes, he felt a mix of emotions stirring within him.

Without his golden finger, he might still be a spirit farmer on Qingzhu Mountain, likely to be caught in the devastation when the Situ Clan met its end…

“Greetings, esteemed Immortal Master! Is this your first visit to our market?” At the market entrance, several mortals squatted nearby. Upon seeing Fang Xi’s magical artifact descend, they quickly swarmed around him. “We serve as local guides, well-versed in every corner of the market…”

“Hmm, you’ll do!”

Fang Xi pointed at a young servant dressed in green attire.

The servant’s face immediately lit up with joy, dispersing his competitors and leading Fang Xi ahead. “To enter the Treasure Ship Market, no credentials or spirit stone fees are required… However, if caught by patrol cultivators after nightfall without leaving, it could lead to unpleasant consequences… Xian Shi, hiring me for a day costs merely one spirit crystal! My name is Mo Qingyi, and today I am fortunate to meet such an esteemed Immortal…”

“You… seem to be just an ordinary mortal?” Fang Xi casually remarked as he followed Mo Qingyi’s guidance.

At this mention, Mo Qingyi’s demeanor turned somber. “I am indeed dull-witted, lacking the spiritual root aptitude inherited from my grandfather…”

After further conversation, Fang Xi learned that Wan Island Lake differed significantly from Qingzhu Mountain. Here, numerous descendants of cultivators resided, many of whom lacked spiritual roots but still lived on the islands, forming villages and towns.

Ordinary mortals living near the market and securing livelihoods were invariably direct descendants within three generations of cultivators.

‘Each of these islands essentially functions like its own small nation?’

‘Hmm… Despite being called islands, they are actually quite large. In my previous life’s Japan, these could correspond to territories controlled by daimyos with hundreds of thousands or even millions of koku…’

Fang Xi internally mused, then smiled and said, “Do your job well, and you won’t be short on rewards… I’m planning to sell some mythical beast materials and purchase a Body Tempering technique, along with legacies related to puppetry and Beast Control…”

Previously, his focus on martial arts training in Great Liang was due to its rapid progression, minimal material requirements, and assistance in breaking through blood qi barriers during Foundation Establishment.

If he were to achieve the third stage of Body Refinement using cultivation world techniques instead, it would have cost him a fortune in spirit stones.

At minimum, it would require constant consumption of spirit rice, combined with medicinal baths made from various spirit medicines, alongside supplementary medicinal pills…

Overall, practicing martial arts in Great Liang proved more cost-effective.

However, now that he had reached Zongshi level with no further path ahead, Fang Xi needed to prepare for transitioning to cultivation.

Mo Qingyi pondered for a moment before responding, “For selling mythical beast materials, there are several senior vendors in the stall area who consistently buy such items. However, the most reputable place is ‘Dragon Gate Pavilion’ run by the Zhong family!”

“As for puppetry techniques? Please forgive my limited knowledge; I haven’t heard of any place selling such legacies… However, regarding Beast Control Technique, there’s Xian Shi Miao who keeps three spirit pets. He might possess related legacies, and you could inquire with him.”

“Lead the way, let’s go to the Dragon Gate Pavilion first!” Fang Xi nodded, quite satisfied with this guide.

If he had to gather this information on his own, it would have consumed significant time and effort.

Dragon Gate Pavilion.

The Zhong Family of Dragonfish specialized in breeding spirit fish, particularly the ‘Azure Jade Carp’, known for its exquisite taste and gentle spiritual energy content. This made them especially suitable for water elemental cultivators, as long-term consumption was akin to cultivating with medicinal pills, without the risk of pill toxicity.

Rumor has it that among thousands of Azure Jade Carps, one might find a Fish King, which possesses traces of Dragonfish blood, often referred to as the ‘little azure dragon’!

Combining this ‘little azure dragon’ with a few rare spirit medicines creates the ‘Azure Dragon Soup’. Even great Foundation Establishment cultivators can derive benefits from consuming it.

Unfortunately, most rogue cultivators never get to experience the flavor of Azure Dragon Soup in their lifetime.

These precious spirit objects, aside from a small portion used by the Zhong Family themselves, are primarily offered as tribute to the Profound Sky Sect in exchange for valuable resources like Foundation Establishment Pills.