Longevity Starts With Dual Cultivation - Chapter 15
In the dim seawater, over an hour quickly passed.
Within a “forest” formed by lush seaweed, a rock spanning several square zhang had been cleaved open by Ling Changqing using his short sword, shattered into dozens of pieces to reveal the massive nest beneath.
Ling Changqing, enveloped in an azure light barrier, was swiftly collecting palm-sized, jade-like multicolored sea shrimp into his storage bag with practiced efficiency.
These were Rainbow Shadow Shrimp, renowned delicacies among first-tier demon beasts. Due to their abundant vitality and rich spiritual energy content, their value surpassed even that of the Silver Whisker Snowflake Fish.
Although classified as first-tier demon beasts, Rainbow Shadow Shrimp possessed relatively weak offensive capabilities, making them perfectly manageable for Ling Changqing at his current strength.
Therefore, when he discovered a Rainbow Shadow Shrimp habitat deep within the seaweed forest, he immediately decided to clear them out, capturing all adult specimens.
As for the immature juveniles, Ling Changqing chose to spare them, adhering to the principle of sustainable harvesting.
After all, he could simply mark the location and return later for another harvest.
“Fifty-six Rainbow Shadow Shrimp total, a decent haul! I’ll turn in half and consume the rest here on the seafloor…”
Ling Changqing finished counting and contemplated with satisfaction.
In market restaurants, Rainbow Shadow Shrimp dishes were quite expensive. Even Qi refining late-stage cultivators would think twice before indulging.
Seeing that his storage bag was now more than half full, Ling Changqing decided to take a break before continuing his work, planning to consume part of his harvest.
Familiar with the route, he swam out of the seaweed forest and entered an empty, deep cave at the base of a nearby giant reef.
Since clearing it out a month ago, Ling Changqing had been using this spot as his temporary resting area, retreating here to recover whenever fatigued.
Compared to other struggling pearl divers, Ling Changqing now moved through the seabed with remarkable ease. As long as he avoided provoking dangerous creatures, he remained safe.
“…If only I could explore depths of a hundred zhang, or even two hundred zhang. The treasures there would surely be more abundant, but alas…”
Calmly peeling shrimp shells and savoring the delicious Rainbow Shadow Shrimp meat, Ling Changqing mused to himself.
The Ling family’s pearl diving operations were confined to shallow waters near the coastline, with depths not exceeding several dozen zhang.
These areas contained numerous ingredients and cultivation resources needed by the family, while hosting relatively fewer aggressive sea creatures, making them suitable as resource gathering zones.
However, beyond hundred-zhang depths, reaching two hundred zhang, not only did water pressure become terrifyingly intense and cold toxins in the seawater turn more severe, but numbers of lethal predators also increased dramatically, becoming more dangerous and unpredictable.
Creatures of third or fourth tier weren’t uncommon, and even fifth or sixth-tier threats could appear, beings that even Foundation Establishment experts would find troublesome.
Therefore, Ling Changqing concluded that with his current strength, such ambitions were premature. Unless he could eventually achieve Foundation Establishment himself. If one could survive a place no different from the hellish demon caves, the rewards would naturally be extraordinary.
At this moment, in the seawater several hundred zhang away.
Four pearl divers silently gathered together, hiding in a deep pit behind a sea rock, communicating discreetly through spiritual sense:
“…Brother Xue, after observing for so many days, what are your thoughts?”
“Not good. The Ling family’s large-scale collection and stockpiling of resources is not good news for us.”
“Indeed, the more resources they accumulate, the greater the pressure on us when war breaks out!”
“What should we do then? Should we take measures to stop them? Dispatch our family’s elite forces for a surprise attack!”
“Exactly! If we can kill a few hundred pearl divers, they won’t dare to venture out so recklessly afterward!”
“A good idea, but doing so might trigger an early war between our families, wouldn’t it? That goes against the original intentions of the family head and elders.”
“Then let’s spend some spirit stones to hire a group of bandit cultivators to handle this. As long as it’s done cleanly, the Ling family won’t be able to blame our Wu family afterward.”
“That makes sense. We should consider it…”
The relationships between cultivator families are like those between nations, competition and strategizing are everywhere. Any underhanded method may be employed as long as it hinders the opponent’s development.
Annexing the Ling family’s foundation has been the Wu family’s unwavering strategic goal for nearly a century. All overt and covert plans must serve this objective.
…
Ling Changqing, having eaten and drunk his fill, had restored his physical strength and spiritual power to their peak. He left the cave and resumed his work.
He hadn’t swum far when he faintly heard desperate screams and cries for help from behind a large reef.
Ling Changqing hesitated for a moment, then lightly kicked his legs to propel himself through the water, deciding to go and investigate.
Within a few breaths, he saw the scene behind the reef.
Two sea monkeys were tearing apart an unfortunate pearl diver, turning his flesh and blood into their meal.
The Qi refining level 2 fellow wasn’t dead yet, but his protective Talismans had been exhausted. There was no chance of escaping from the two demon beasts.
“Save… save me!”
Spotting another pearl diver in the distance, the man clung to this lifeline, struggling desperately and transmitting his plea for help through spiritual sense.
However, Ling Changqing merely cast a faint glance and swam away. Why would anyone risk their life to save a stranger?
“Fellow Daoist, please wait!”
The man grew frantic, urgently transmitting his message: “I’ll give you all my harvest, and my spirit stones, half of them… no, all my savings! Please save me!”
Ling Changqing shook his head inwardly. Once you’re dead, won’t all your belongings be mine anyway? It’s not like sea monkeys need spirit stones!
That said, pearl divers were the poorest among cultivators, with little wealth to speak of. It was doubtful this guy even had a few spirit grains on him.
Ling Changqing swam to the side, hiding among some sea grass and waiting patiently.
In no time, the man’s screams grew fainter until they ceased entirely.
After waiting a while longer, Ling Changqing slowly emerged once the two satiated sea monkeys had left. He cautiously approached the spot.
All that remained were a pile of broken bones and tattered clothing. Ling Changqing took a look and indeed found that this guy didn’t even have a storage bag on him, let alone any spirit stones, there was simply nothing worth salvaging.
Truly poor…
Ling Changqing shook his head, hesitated for a moment, then used his short sword to dig a pit in the ground, placed the pile of white bones inside, and buried them.
Not for any particular reason, just for peace of mind. After all, he didn’t expect the dead man to feel grateful.
After finishing this, Ling Changqing quietly left and continued searching for suitable prey.