Lingxu Mountain, Ice Snow Island, North Sea.
This place is in the barren far north. It was only June, but snow was already falling on the mountain, covering the forests.
Two people walked with unsteady steps along a barely discernible mountain path towards the summit.
Not long after, they reached the top of the mountain. Before their eyes was a Celestial Pond spanning dozens of acres, shrouded in mist, with lush pine and cypress trees on the surrounding hills.
“Junior Brother Li Xuan, this is the Lingxu Tianchi (Lingxu Celestial Pond). From now on, you will guard this place and hand over 10 Spirit Fish to the Sect each year.”
An old Daoist with a wrinkled, aged Face politely said to the young man carrying a bundle beside him.
The young man wore a white robe, was tall and slender, had bright eyes, and possessed an indescribable aura.
“Thank you, Island Lord Feng, for leading the way. How was the Spirit Fish harvest from the Lingxu Tianchi (Lingxu Celestial Pond) in previous years?”
Li Xuan asked with a smile, and the two walked towards a small courtyard by the Celestial Pond as they chatted.
“To be honest, Junior Brother, this Celestial Pond has only existed for about a hundred years. According to the records, the Spirit Fish harvest over these years has been between 8 and 11 fish, never below 8 and never exceeding 11.”
The Lingxu Tianchi (Lingxu Celestial Pond) could not be considered a Spirit Lake. It only produced a few spiritual oddities due to a volcanic eruption, occasionally yielding Spirit Fish at a ratio of about one in ten thousand.
“Besides the requirement for Spirit Fish, this job can be considered a lucrative one. The spiritual items in the mountains and the precious fish in the pond can all be used for Cultivation. The daily task only requires collecting newly born Spirit Fish from the lake and placing them into the spirit fish treasure mirror in a timely manner.”
“There is also a market at the foot of the mountain where all supplies can be purchased. If you encounter any problems that you cannot solve, you can come to me. Saintess Su Qinghan sent someone to instruct me to look after Junior Brother, so please do not hesitate to ask me for help if you need anything.”
The old Daoist, known as Island Lord Feng, smiled warmly while observing Li Xuan’s expression. There was one thing he didn’t mention: before Li Xuan, the Spirit Fish quota for the Lingxu Tianchi (Lingxu Celestial Pond) was only eight fish per year.
Li Xuan was merely a Utility Disciple of the Sect, and his Qi Refining third Realm was even lower than some Loose Cultivators in the market. The reason why Island Lord Feng, a Cultivator at Qi Refining Perfection, personally accompanied him up the mountain was, of course, because of the Saintess.
Li Xuan smiled and nodded, only he knew what he was thinking in his heart.
“Is this her compensation?”
The experience of that night was definitely not pleasant for him, but this was already the best outcome. Although she arranged for him to be in this far north, at least she spared his life. If he had encountered someone ruthless, he probably would have been dealt with by the “escort” on the way here.
At this thought, he subconsciously touched the stack of Fireball Talismans in his arms. As a Chinese person in his previous life, the fear of insufficient firepower was ingrained in his bones. This was the preparation he made for this trip, but he didn't expect to use it.
“Perhaps her ‘looking after’ meant surveillance, which Island Lord Feng misunderstood as care.”
“It seems she wants to use this arrangement to draw a clear line between us. It makes sense; this place is thousands of miles away from the Sect, and she also had Island Lord Feng watch over me. Without any other accidents, there will be no possibility of us meeting again in this life.”
“If I were a Genius with a High Grade Spiritual Root… would she still be so distant from me?”
Having lived two lives, Saintess Su Qinghan was his first woman. She was graceful and had a High Grade Spiritual Root. Besides her somewhat cold personality, she had no other flaws. And after what happened between them, it was impossible for him not to have some thoughts in his heart.
However, her actions quickly shattered that trace of thought in his heart.
“Indeed, the Dao of Immortals is long and arduous; all seven emotions and six desires are mere illusions.”
As his thoughts turned, they arrived in front of the small courtyard.
Before they could knock on the door, the courtyard gate opened, and a middle-aged Daoist in a green robe walked out, greeting them with a smile:
“Island Lord, you’ve arrived. This must be the Senior Brother taking over my duties. May I ask your name?”
He had a smile on his Face, but a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes. This lucrative position had allowed him to accumulate quite a bit, and now handing it over naturally made him unhappy. However, he had also inquired about Li Xuan’s background through his connections and knew he couldn't openly resist, so he maintained a polite demeanor.
“I am Li Xuan. May I ask Senior Brother’s name?” Li Xuan also noticed the fleeting expression in his eyes. His smile remained unchanged on the surface, but he secretly made a mental note.
“I am Zhou Lin, a member of the Zhou Family on the island. If Senior Brother ever needs anything, feel free to come to the Zhou Family to find me.”
“Oh, and Senior Brother, this is the spirit fish treasure mirror for this place. I’ve had bad luck this year. It’s already June, and I’ve only managed to catch 3 Spirit Carp. Junior Brother is ashamed.”
After some pleasantries, under the witness of Island Lord Feng, Zhou Lin handed the spirit fish treasure mirror to Li Xuan.
The spirit fish treasure mirror is a Magical Artifact similar to a Spirit Beast Bag. It looks like a mirror but contains a space the size of a fish pond. It is a Magical Artifact specifically used by Cultivators to catch Spirit Fish, though it is only useful for some weaker Spirit Fish.
“No worries, this is not Senior Brother’s fault. After all, harvests vary from year to year.”
Recalling Island Lord Feng’s previous statement about an annual yield of 8-11 fish, Li Xuan’s expression remained unchanged. He took the treasure mirror with both hands, and while responding, he sent his spiritual sense inside. After detecting four Spirit Fish with slightly bulging foreheads, he nodded towards Island Lord Feng.
Island Lord Feng relaxed considerably when he saw Li Xuan didn’t mind, and his gaze towards Li Xuan held a hint of gratitude.
Although he was the Island Lord, the Zhou Family was one of the three major families on the island, and their Family also had Inner Sect Disciples. If not for this, such a good position would not have fallen to Zhou Lin. However, what he didn't expect was that while Zhou Lin usually embezzled, he even showed no Face when facing Li Xuan, who had the Saintess's backing. He clearly remembered that four Spirit Fish had already been found in March…
After more small talk, Zhou Lin repeatedly tried to inquire about Li Xuan’s special relationship with the Saintess, but Li Xuan feigned ignorance, leaving Zhou Lin with no information.
In the afternoon, after watching Island Lord Feng and Zhou Lin depart on their swords, Li Xuan began to clean the small courtyard and its rooms.
At dusk, two Mortal girls knocked on the door. They brought new bedding, meditation cushions, and other living supplies, stating that Island Lord Feng had sent them to serve Li Xuan.
Li Xuan accepted the items but didn't keep the girls. He still had some secrets that he couldn't let outsiders know.
The two girls left regretfully. Not to mention Li Xuan’s appearance and temperament, his identity as a Cultivator alone was enough to make them willing to please him.
That night, Li Xuan finished tidying everything, closed the courtyard gate, and sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. A bronze fragment appeared in his hand.
Above the fragment, a transparent panel floated.
【Bronze Fragment (Upgradable): A fragment that drifted away after the Bronze Immortal Palace in the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm disintegrated.】
【Can be upgraded to Bronze Palace, Magical Artifact level.】
【Upgrade Effect: Its interior space can be expanded by 50 square meters. Once bound as a Natal Immortal Cave, its defensive power will be comparable to a second-tier Spiritual Artifact, capable of withstanding attacks from Foundation Establishment Cultivators.】
【Upgrade Reward: First-tier Low Grade Artifact Refiner's enlightenment.】
【Upgrade Conditions: Host's own strength reaches Qi Refining third Realm.
500 / 500 catties of copper essence, 100 / 100 catties of refined iron. 0 / 1 spatial crystal.】
【Upgrade Time: 5 hours.】
He had inadvertently picked up this fragment in the Sect. It was strange, many people passed by that spot at the time, but only he saw the fragment.
He had been in this world for 18 years. At the age of three, he broke through the confusion of the womb. At seven, his village was destroyed by demons. He hid under the offering table in the village Shrine and escaped with his life. Later, he fled from the mainland all the way to the more peaceful sea, eventually arriving in the North Sea. Coincidentally, the Bingxuan Sect was expanding, and he, detected with a Low Grade five Spiritual Root, became a Utility Disciple.
The dangers involved were self-evident. If he hadn't had his memories from his previous life, he would probably have been devoured by demons long ago.
It wasn’t until last month, when he was humiliated by the Saintess late at night due to a Cultivation deviation, that he felt something different about himself. Sure enough, a few days later, he picked up this bronze fragment and awakened the Item Upgrade System.
Copper essence and refined iron were not rare items; he quickly collected them. However, this spatial crystal, as a raw material for crafting storage Magic Treasure, cost 100 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. As a Utility Disciple who only received 1 Spirit Stone per month, he could only put it aside for now. He didn't expect the Saintess to quickly exile him to this far north.
“However, it can be considered a blessing in disguise. Although the Spiritual Qi here is sparse, it has its own independent space, offering much more room for maneuver.”
“Ten Spirit Fish per year. If I fail to complete it, my annual salary will be deducted. One Spirit Fish is 10 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. My salary has now increased to 25 per year… This is encouraging Disciples to embezzle… I wonder which Elder set this rule.”
“It’s late tonight. According to Island Lord Feng, there are still some wild beasts in these mountains, so it’s not suitable to go out. Tomorrow, I will go and see if this Celestial Pond can also be upgraded. If so…”
His mind gradually calmed, and he began to Cultivate. Although the Spiritual Qi here was thin, it was quite clean and fresh.