"In this season when the sea's bounty is not at its peak, we must focus on the tasks assigned by the Divine Nocturnal Sect. We must put our utmost effort into it. Doing well in ordinary times may not bring much benefit, but if we falter, offend any overseer, we might risk cutting off our path of livelihood.
Moreover, what kind of sect is the Divine Nocturnal Sect? You should be well aware. Among the ten members, seven or eight cultivate Thunder Techniques. A trivial dispute elsewhere might result in a divine thunderbolt descending upon them.
You were personally recommended by Dong Heng, your cousin. That's why I'm sharing these crucial matters with you. It's not about saving your life, but guiding you to tread a smoother path!
I heard you spent a couple of days in the Dan River Valley before being hired by the Divine Nocturnal Sect?"
On the blue stone-paved seawall, Chu Weiyang, carrying a long sword, his slender figure swaying in the sea breeze, his cheeks still pale and devoid of color.
Perhaps due to the stable and peaceful daily life, a glimmer occasionally flashed in his once hollow and numb eyes, indicating a gradual increase in mental vigor.
At this moment, he was walking half a step behind a stout middle-aged Daoist on the wide blue stone path behind the seawall.
Upon hearing the Daoist's question, Chu Weiyang smiled shyly and nodded.
"Yes, Senior Luo. Initially, I heard that the Dan River Valley offered the highest rewards and had the most demand. Acting on impulse, I went straight there. But who could have imagined that the overseers in the valley had such sharp eyes? After a day's work, they picked and chose, leaving very few good things behind."
Upon hearing this, Daoist Luo also laughed heartily.
"Of course! Of course! What kind of techniques do the cultivators in the Dan River Valley practice? How could any precious materials escape their scrutiny? As a practitioner of Fire Dao alchemy, you should understand this. Instead of hoping for leftovers, why not enjoy the company of the courtesans at Baihua Tower tonight and warm your bed?"
As Daoist Luo finished speaking, he almost laughed so much that his eyes disappeared.
Another mocking smile echoed from the depths of his mind.
Therefore, Chu Weiyang, who had just wanted to show a smile of agreement, found it increasingly forced at the corners of his mouth.
"The advantage of the Divine Nocturnal Sect lies here. Apart from a few Daoists who occasionally indulge in desires, the rest are only concerned with a few top-tier demonic beasts and treasures related to their cultivation methods. For example, at this time of year, a type of White Scale Demon Fish is crucial. Extracting its eyes can teach the Divine Nocturnal Sect cultivators a secret method to cultivate a certain Eye Technique. Even if consumed normally, it has a beneficial effect on eyesight. So, we need to pay more attention to this White Scale Demon Fish.
Usually, when you encounter this fish, it's just the size of an ordinary person's palm, rarely growing to the length of an arm. With the unpredictable sea tides and fierce winds, capturing this agile demon fish is one thing, but what's most feared is injuring its eyes while killing it!
Not to mention the damage of turning it into minced meat, just being tainted by our spiritual energy or the demonic aura of the fish's blood would be considered contamination, reducing its effectiveness by half. But if the fish's eyes are preserved well, the overseers may even offer additional rewards!"
As Daoist Luo's words fell, before he could continue, Chu Weiyang suddenly halted in place.
In his mind, the voice of Chunyu Zhi sounded unhurriedly.
Almost simultaneously, Chu Weiyang divided his attention, his left hand slightly tapping his chest, fingers forming a sword gesture as if stabbing inward!
At the same time, Chu Weiyang raised his right hand high, forming a small Master Seal, palm facing outward towards the vast sea, pushing out the seal!
His primordial qi circulated within the five viscera and meridians, the Jade Palace in the lower dantian exuding emerald flames, intensifying within the primordial qi, guided by Chu Weiyang's thoughts and the visualization of the "Five Phoenixes Summoning the Southern Bright Spell" in his mind.
The emerald flames shone in the air as Chu Weiyang pushed out the seal.
In the next moment, within the swirling flames, a bird appeared in mid-air—
With wings outstretched, resembling a horizontal body; a slender neck, like a goose or a crane!
Not a simple external appearance change like a lifelike one!
Restricted by his knowledge, Daoist Luo could only see this step, but Chu Weiyang understood better.
He had taken the first solid step in mastering the "Five Phoenixes Summoning the Southern Bright Spell"!
The first realm of cultivating this spell naturally involved condensing the true form of the five phoenixes from the spell, which required a gradual process of five steps.
According to Chunyu Zhi's memory and guidance, the progression from easiest to hardest in condensing the true forms of the five phoenixes was—White Heron, Azure Phoenix, Kingfisher, Mandarin Duck, Vermilion Bird!
If practicing in Tingchang Mountain, even this first step required the assistance of the "Five Phoenixes True Form Diagram" hidden in the Tingchang Mountain Daoist Palace.
First, imprint the phoenixes' essence on the spirit tablet, then proceed to manipulate the flames.
But with Chunyu Zhi's memories and experiences passed down, Chu Weiyang almost effortlessly skipped this step—he imprinted the image of the "Five Phoenixes True Form Diagram" directly into his mind through the instantaneous emptiness and illusion of his past lives and present.
Even though Chunyu Zhi had only recorded about sixty to seventy percent of the true form diagram, what Chu Weiyang retained in his mind was not just the essence of the five phoenixes.
Thus, attempting to cultivate the "Five Phoenixes Summoning the Southern Bright Spell," he smoothly overcame this initial step, turning it into a matter of practice.
In the next moment, the emerald and white heron fire form in mid-air stirred up the wind and rain, and in a flash, like a sharp sword, it streaked across the sky.
The sharp sound of breaking through the air, almost like the shrill cry of a white heron!
Swish—!
Gone in an instant, appearing and disappearing!
In the blink of an eye, Daoist Luo saw the white heron soaring with the wind, touching down on the sea surface.
As the fire form flew closer, Daoist Luo observed closely, seeing the long beak piercing the body of a white scale demon fish, allowing the flames to swirl around.
Amidst the changes between reality and illusion, Chu Weiyang delicately enveloped the fish's body with his spiritual power, preserving a hint of vitality, while the fish's eyes remained bright, shimmering with a spiritual light.
The sudden change almost left Daoist Luo speechless, his mouth agape.
He stared at Chu Weiyang for several moments until Chu Weiyang waved his hand, dispersing the flames and then neatly tidying up the white scale demon fish.
Only then did Daoist Luo step back half a pace, standing closely beside Chu Weiyang.
"Young brother, is this how you cultivate the Fire Dao alchemy? Your modesty earlier was truly unnecessary! With such remarkable skills, you may have to rely on you to deal with the overseers of the Divine Nocturnal Sect in the future!"
As he spoke, Daoist Luo laughed warmly and no longer glanced at the precious demon fish, pointing in the direction of the vast sea, listing various obstacles like pouring beans.
In the evening, as Chu Weiyang entered the inn through the back door under the dim yellow night sky, the innkeeper who had previously welcomed him was already waiting there, seemingly having waited for Chu Weiyang for some time.
From a distance, Chu Weiyang raised his hand, opened a Qiankun pouch, and with a few flicks of his wrist, he unloaded several baskets of seafood at the back kitchen door.
The innkeeper furrowed his brow slightly, seeming somewhat displeased.
"I didn't expect you to find your way to Dong Heng, but you're not as efficient as the two brothers. Just handling the sea fish these past few days has taken up a lot of time. You're always late compared to them. You should at least give me a heads up. When will the two brothers return from their sea voyage? I need to know when my inn's business will pick up!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Weiyang grinned and shook his head.
"Innkeeper, I'm not good at calculating. How would I know when Brother Dong and the others will return from their sea voyage? If I don't see them for a day, I have to take over for a day. I usually work two jobs a day. What can I do? Let's enjoy the little things in life. I don't ask for alchemy or spiritual stones, just cook me a meal when you have the chance. Isn't that a great deal? Why are you reluctant to take advantage of it?"
Seeing Chu Weiyang's sharp words, the innkeeper couldn't maintain his stern expression and pointed to the woodshed nearby.
"Wait a moment. I have to attend to the customers in the front first. Prepare your meal, it will take a while."
Chu Weiyang nodded and then turned, still carrying his sword, heading towards the woodshed.
"Alright, alright!"
Perhaps nearing midnight, with the front yard almost devoid of people, Chu Weiyang saw a line of kitchen helpers walking into the woodshed, each carrying three plates and two bowls.
In the blink of an eye, the table in front of Chu Weiyang was filled with dishes.
Only after this group had left did the innkeeper enter the woodshed with a jug of wine.
In place, Chu Weiyang did not touch his chopsticks but instead pointed to the center of the table.
In the largest fish plate, a thick sea fish the size of an arm and as thick as a thigh, expertly prepared, was placed in front of Chu Weiyang, its original succulent and translucent flesh bathed in a bright sauce.
But Chu Weiyang was no longer a newcomer.
He recognized this fish and could recall when and where it was killed.
He remembered how much demonic energy was refined into the fire spirit when the white heron's beak pierced the fish's body in a flash.
This was an extremely precious demon fish that Chu Weiyang could kill but couldn't afford to eat.
"Innkeeper, what does this mean?"
The thin old man just chuckled, took a few steps forward, sat opposite Chu Weiyang, and began to speak.
"I won't ask you about Dong Heng and his brothers' sea voyage anymore. They'll return when they return! With you supplying goods every day, it's a bit troublesome, but the quality of the seafood is excellent. Occasionally, we can even sell demon fish. My business is actually improving, but you should know that when we first met, I offended you. I can't explain that matter, and it bothers me.
This fish is my apology, and if you want more in the future, I can provide them. But I want to settle the past. Wang Er, the street fortune teller, once predicted my fate and said that if I don't make progress, I only have about twelve or thirteen years left. With no children, those years are all I have to look forward to. I don't want to ruin Wang Er's reputation here.
You seem to have a background. I don't want to ask, and I don't dare to. I just want to make amends and move past our previous encounter. This wine is for you, to warm your body."
Upon hearing this, Chu Weiyang glanced deeply at the innkeeper and then began to eat heartily, engaging in a conversation with the innkeeper without any ambiguity.
"Innkeeper, don't worry about those things.
What background?
When we met for the second time, I told you everything. My name is Ma Qianyuan, and as you suspected, I had a conflict with the Sword Sect by the Yushui River, which forced me to seek refuge in the coastal Dao city. I hadn't even settled in when trouble found me!
Twelve or thirteen years are just that. Who knows when you'll die or when I'll bring seafood to the kitchen! No one can predict tomorrow's weather, so don't dwell on what happens in twelve or thirteen years.
But if you want clarity, I'll give it to you. Everyone wants to eat demon fish, and you don't have to bleed them every day. When I want to eat, I'll bring an extra fish.
As long as it's not too much trouble for you in the future.
As for the wine... My health is poor, and I only have the advantage of a clear mind. It's better not to drink."
With these words, the vast wooden table was almost cleared of food, disappearing into Chu Weiyang's stomach.
When the innkeeper looked up again, Chu Weiyang was already wiping his mouth with a cloth, standing up casually, ready to leave.
But the innkeeper suddenly spoke up, trying to persuade him.
"It's late. Why not stay the night at the inn?"
Without turning back, Chu Weiyang waved his hand.
"Thank you, but when I leave, Dong Ge and his brothers entrusted me to look after their residence. It's a responsibility I can't delay for even a day!"
With those words, Chu Weiyang's figure had already walked out of the courtyard, disappearing into the shadows of the night.
On the misty long street, looking into the distance, the majestic silhouette of the city wall loomed like a giant beast.
As the path grew more desolate, Chu Weiyang held his sword in hand, traversing through layers of darkness, his steps now carrying a sense of urgency.
"The days are passing by, and even the Dragon-Tiger Returning to the Origin Pill can't keep up with the pace. But when a person settles down, their changed circumstances seem to affect their cultivation progress. The five viscera revolve, the five qi steam, perhaps besides the intense heart fire, there is a realm of harmony...
In a while, maybe in half a month or twenty days, I might glimpse the fifth level of the Qi Refining Stage!
The fifth level... that's halfway there! That's... halfway there!"
Many books are becoming harder to find, so cherish what you have.