19: Chapter 19 The Spirit Turtle Devours the Dragon, Iron Island Across the River

Night in Yunmeng Marsh.

Lin Ze, injured, steered his boat and finally returned to the Formation gateway of Reed Island.

"Buzz."

The Water-Moon Heaven-Blurring Array sensed the aura of the guard token and slowly parted to reveal a shimmering path.

The moment he stepped onto the wooden house's terrace, Lin Ze's tense back finally relaxed slightly. The bursts of heart-wrenching pain from his left arm made his lips appear even paler.

"In the cultivation world, there is never such a thing as 'foolproof'."

He sat upon a profound ice stone, looking at the wound on his left arm that he had personally carved away—now emitting faint wisps of cold air—with a chilling gaze.

If not for the Limit-Breaking Azure Wave Art suppressing his heart's meridians, that sliver of Green-Scaled Snake Venom would have been enough to turn his entire Dao foundation into pus.

"Xiao Xuan, come out for your meal!"

Lin Ze tapped his waist.

*Clack!*

A bronze flash of light streaked past, and the Black-Armored Water-Seeking Turtle landed on the deck.

It first caught the scent of the lingering blood in the air, its small eyes erupting with two fierce glints of light.

Upon seeing Lin Ze's blood-stained sleeve, it actually let out a roar.

"Hiss-woo!"

"Stop shouting, I'm not going to die."

Lin Ze reached into his robes and pulled out the black Incomplete Manual he had seized from 'Grass-Skimmer', along with the bottle of Green-Scaled Water-Line Snake essence blood that hadn't been finished.

"This demon snake's Bloodline is sinister and ruthless; an ordinary Spirit Beast would surely die after eating it. But you possess the Black-Armored Bloodline, born with the power to suppress all waters."

With a flick of his finger, a drop of pure Heavy Water Qi wrapped around the glowing green essence blood, slowly floating before Xiao Xuan.

"Swallow it. Take that 'Immovable as a Mountain' dull nature of yours and grind out a sliver of 'Death at a Touch' killing intent!"

Xiao Xuan did not hesitate. Its neck shot out, swallowing the mass of essence blood and Heavy Water in one gulp.

*Boom!*

In an instant, the dark gold patterns on Xiao Xuan's body began to move frantically.

The phantom of a long snake faintly emerged on its shell, the snake's head biting the turtle's tail—it was exactly the embryonic form of the ancient Black Tortoise biting a snake!

[Your spirit pet 'Black-Armored Water-Seeking Turtle' has devoured alien poison-type essence blood; its Bloodline is undergoing a positive mutation.]

[Awakened Combat Trait: Azure Water Cold Poison (Adds intense paralyzing toxin to defensive counter-shocks).]

[Awakened Combat Trait: Heavy Water Shield (Can briefly condense Heavy Water Qi to form an absolute defense).]

Looking at the new entries appearing on the panel, Lin Ze finally revealed a trace of a smile.

From this day forward, this 'dull turtle' that could originally only serve as a meat shield truly possessed the counter-kill capability to strike fear into even a Middle Stage Qi Condensation Cultivator.

...

The next morning, the river mist had not yet dispersed.

Lin Ze wore a wide green Daoist robe to cover the bandages on his left arm and walked out of the wooden house.

"We pay our respects to the Immortal Master!"

Old Village Chief Lin Cang, leading dozens of robust Mortal youths, was already kneeling on the gravel of the shallows.

These five hundred Mortals were now all glowing with health. After drinking 'Spirit Liquid Water' for two months, their Physiques had long since undergone a transformation.

Even the scrawniest child could lift a fifty-jin stone lock with one hand in the middle of a snowstorm.

"Lin Cang, go and fetch those Ironwood Stakes I brought back."

Lin Ze pointed to the area where the shallows met the cold spring.

"In these shallows, I want to build a water walkway that spans the entire island, as well as six Wind-Shelter Docks strong enough to withstand the impact of Rank One Yao Beasts."

"Immortal Master, this project... I fear it will take quite some time."

Lin Cang was somewhat hesitant.

"With me here, moving mountains and filling seas is but a moment's work."

Lin Ze took a step forward, and his Rank Three Qi Condensation Limit-Breaking Qi erupted.

"Rise!"

He raised his hands as if lifting something heavy. His Heavy Water Qi acted like a pair of invisible giant hands, plunging into the silt at the bottom of the river.

*Rumble...*

Before the eyes of the Mortals, hundreds of massive stones were pulled from the riverbed by his magic, sinking into the shallows and being hammered firm as the foundations for the walkway.

"Is this the method of the Immortals..."

The Mortals watched, enthralled; the awe in their eyes had reached its Peak.

Under the direction of Lin Ze, acting as both 'Chief Designer' and 'Super Heavy Crane', the five hundred Mortals exploded with terrifying infrastructure efficiency.

The originally desolate reed thickets were harvested in an orderly fashion.

Tough Iron Reeds were woven into sturdy windbreaks. The water walkways crisscrossed, connecting the Mortals' living area with the outer fishing zones.

In just three short days.

Reed Island had changed its appearance.

It was no longer a lonely grave hanging in the wind and snow, but a miniature military fortress brimming with vitality and hidden killing intent.

...

At night, in the wooden house on the water.

Before Lin Ze lay the silver Jade Slip of the Secret Method of Profound Water Spirit Cultivation.

After encountering a life-and-death crisis during this trip out, he craved greater power more than anyone.

"Although I didn't buy that thirty Spirit Stone Incomplete Manual, this secret method given by Seventh Uncle is the true cornerstone."

Lin Ze closed his eyes, his Divine Sense sinking into the Jade Slip.

[Detected Rank One Advanced breeding manual, comprehending Fish Rearing Technique...]

[Hundred Arts: Fish Rearing Technique (Major Achievement) progress ticking: 1/1000... 50/1000...]

His hands shifted through complex 'Spirit-Merging Hand Seals', his Qi condensing at his fingertips into profound symbols.

"My previous cross-breeding failures were because I only understood 'forceful pressure' and not 'harmonization'."

"The secret method says: Extreme Yin gives birth to Yang; firmness and flexibility must complement each other."

Lin Ze once again took out one or two Green Jade Cold Fish Kings and the remaining Green-Scaled Snake Venom.

This time, he was not eager for quick success.

Instead, he used his Qi to strip away the violence within the snake venom bit by bit, taking only that sliver of 'endless vitality' activity.

"Merge!"

A thread of Qi drew the two completely different Bloodlines together.

Under the soothing of the 'Spirit-Merging Hand Seal', the originally violent Bloodlines slowly wove together into a new, semi-transparent emerald-colored egg.

[You have performed the 'Profound Water Spirit Cultivation Hand Seal', achieving perfect Bloodline harmonization.]

[Rank One Medium Grade new species: Green-Scaled Cold Shadow Fish, currently gestating.]

[Estimated hatching time: One month.]

Lin Ze opened his eyes and looked at the spirit egg bobbing in the cold spring. The sliver of gloom caused by his injury completely dissipated.

Medium Grade Rank One.

As long as this batch of fish was born, his wealth accumulation speed would increase tenfold.

By then, let alone the Middle Stage of Qi Condensation, he would even dare to fight for the resources needed for Foundation Establishment.

"In this Yunmeng Marsh, everyone wants to be the fisherman."

Lin Ze looked at Xiao Xuan beneath the water, and then at the Mortal men patrolling the walkway, their blood and Qi as fierce as fire.

"But I, Lin Ze, want to be the dragon hunter who casts a net to cover the heavens."

He pushed open the window; the wind and snow had stopped.

In the distance, within the darkness of Yunmeng Marsh, more auras seemed to be peering at this pearl.

With a flick of his hand, he struck a new set of Formation Flags into the earth's ley lines.

"When this batch of spirit fish matures, I'll chop off the hand of whoever dares to reach for them."

Limit-Breaking Qi pulsated slightly in his palm, stirring a sound like thunder.

The Peak of Rank Three Qi Condensation was no longer far off.