Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Marriage

”Brother Jianghe, it’s a good thing you’re here. You really need to talk some sense into Daniu. He’s been acting like a possessed man lately, moping around all day just because of Xiaoniu’s upcoming Measuring Spirit Root.

”It’s not like I beat or scold my husband like other women do. I wait on him hand and foot every day like he’s a lord, making it seem like I was the one who married into his family as a live-in bride!”

Once dinner started, Yun Huizhen became a chatterbox, constantly complaining to Chen Jianghe about Yu Daniu’s recent unusual behavior.

”You must be joking, Huizhen. You know what kind of man Daniu is—honest and loyal. Having received so much from the Yun family and having married such an understanding wife like you, he naturally wants to father a few children with Spirit Roots to repay the Yun family for nurturing him,” Chen Jianghe said with an accommodating smile. ”Most importantly, it would also give you more of a voice within the family.”

”I know all that. It’s just that seeing Daniu spend his days worrying like this makes me feel terrible, too,” Yun Huizhen said, her voice cracking with a hint of tears. ”I just want Daniu to be well, for our family to be well. It doesn’t matter if the children have Spirit Roots or not. The Yun family has plenty of descendants without Spirit Roots. There’s no need to...”

”Enough. It’s rare for Brother Jianghe to visit; why bring up such upsetting things?” Yu Daniu interrupted.

”Forgive us for making a fool of ourselves, Brother Jianghe.”

”Daniu, Huizhen’s feelings for you are deep and true,” Chen Jianghe consoled. ”Whether a child has a Spirit Root or not is up to heaven. You have a kind heart, so the heavens won’t treat you poorly. Who knows, perhaps all five of your children will have Spirit Roots.”

However, he couldn’t say much more than that. Otherwise, it would sound like he was making light of a burden he didn’t have to carry. After all, Yu Daniu had taken the path of a live-in son-in-law. His purpose was to father children for the Yun family, specifically descendants with Spirit Roots. Only by doing so could Yu Daniu obtain more Cultivation Resources and break through to a higher Cultivation Realm.

After chatting for a while longer, Chen Jianghe stood up to take his leave. As a Senior Fisherman and Farmer of the Inner Waters, he had a time limit for entering Huxing Island. He couldn’t stay for too long, or he would face punishment. Yu Daniu’s family was well aware of this rule and didn’t insist he stay. They simply invited Chen Jianghe to come again next New Year’s Eve.

Yu Daniu personally escorted Chen Jianghe to the port of Huxing Island.

”Brother Jianghe, what do you think of Huixiang?” Yu Daniu suddenly asked.

”She’s great, a very nice girl.”

Chen Jianghe spoke against his true feelings, as he hadn’t paid much attention to Yun Huixiang at the dinner table. He had only glanced at her when they were introduced, but had barely looked at her since. After all, it was wildly inappropriate for a guest to constantly stare at his host’s sister-in-law.

”Daniu, you should head back. Let’s get together again some other time.” Chen Jianghe boarded his boat and waved to Yu Daniu.

Yu Daniu watched Chen Jianghe’s fishing boat disappear across the lake before heading home. As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he overheard a conversation between his wife and her sister.

”Huixiang, what do you think of Brother Jianghe?”

”Nothing special. He’s just a Senior Fisherman and Farmer. At most, he will only reach the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining in his Cultivation. I might consider it if he marries into our family as a live-in son-in-law.”

”Your brother-in-law always says that Brother Jianghe is a great guy and extremely talented at raising fish.”

”Sister, as women of the Immortal Race, we both know that being a ’great guy’ is useless in the Cultivation Realm. You need a high Cultivation and a strong background,” Yun Huixiang muttered in dissatisfaction. ”My future man must be at least a Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator.”

Soon after, Yu Daniu saw Yun Huixiang walk out of the room. She greeted him casually before leaving.

”What was that about?” Yu Daniu looked at his wife, Yun Huizhen, and asked.

”You know how it is. My little sister has been spoiled since childhood, and she’s met quite a few Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators,” Yun Huizhen said with a helpless expression. ”What about Brother Jianghe? How does he feel about Huixiang?”

”Brother Jianghe said she was great. But since your sister looks down on him so much, let’s just drop it,” Yu Daniu said, shaking his head.

”Is Daniu trying to play matchmaker for me?”

After returning to his breeding waters, Chen Jianghe calmed down and thought about what happened today. He felt that Yu Daniu’s parting words were very strange.

”It’s probably not that. I’m not marrying into the Yun family as a live-in son-in-law, and there’s no way a Yun family woman with a Spirit Root would stoop to marry a fish farmer like me.” Chen Jianghe shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it any longer.

The next day.

Chen Jianghe walked to the bow of the boat, basking in the golden glow of the morning sun. He stretched his back, his eyes sparkling with vitality.

”Thirty years old. The age to be established,” he sighed emotionally. In the mortal world, a man of this age would already be married and settled, having built his own family estate.

Now, his Cultivation had reached the Fourth-Layer Qi Refining, and he was at the Entry Level of the Talisman Dao. Along the long Immortal Path, this could be considered a minor achievement. He was very satisfied with everything he had right now. At the very least, it was much better than he had anticipated.

Compared to a maximum lifespan of three hundred and sixty years, thirty was merely an infant’s age. He had plenty of time and was in no rush. By progressing gradually and managing things steadily, everything would come in due time. Take the Talisman Dao, for instance; he had already reached the Entry Level. In another two years, he might even become a Lower-Grade Talisman Master.

Everything was heading in a positive direction.

SPLASH!

Chen Jianghe leaped into the water and dove toward the bottom of the lake. He cast the Water Avoidance Curse, which could now completely envelop his body. The lake water couldn’t dampen a single inch of him.

”The Qi Nourishing Pill is here.”

Little Black swam over excitedly, tumbling through the lake water. Its large mouth was stretched wide open like a blooming flower.

”The Qi Nourishing Pill is here,” echoed across Chen Jianghe’s Spirit Platform, leaving him somewhat exasperated. Instead of greeting its master, its first thought was the Qi Nourishing Pill. As a Spirit Pet, it showed absolutely no respect for its master.

”Give it to me!” Little Black swam in circles around Chen Jianghe, anxiously urging him via the Spirit Platform Mark.

”Here,” Chen Jianghe curled his lip and took out the Qi Nourishing Pill.

Instantly, the pill’s rich aroma attracted a school of Little Cyan Fish. With bright red eyes and wide-open mouths, they swarmed over.

BANG BANG BANG!

Little Black abruptly lashed out with its short, stumpy tail, violently whipping the Little Cyan Fish and knocking off a large patch of their scales.

”Hmph! If you dare try to steal Lord Turtle’s food again, I’ll eat you all!” Little Black, who usually looked completely harmless, suddenly flashed a thick, ferocious glare in its beady eyes, terrifying the Little Cyan Fish into scattering in all directions.

”So protective of your food?” Chen Jianghe said in surprise.

The Yun Family Magazine recorded that the Black Crystal Profound Turtle possessed a long lifespan, high intelligence, and a gentle, friendly disposition. It seemed Little Black only met the first two criteria. As for the last one... Chen Jianghe looked at the aggressively food-guarding Little Black and shook his head.

In the next moment, Little Black swallowed the Qi Nourishing Pill. Instantly, its turtle shell shimmered with a pale cyan radiance that quickly enveloped its entire body, as if locking all the medicinal efficacy within its physical body. Even if it couldn’t achieve complete Refinement of the medicinal power, its physical body would still absorb it. In any case, not a single drop would be wasted.

An hour later.

The aura of Magical Power fluctuations emanating from Little Black abruptly intensified. It was significantly stronger than when Chen Jianghe was at the Third-Layer Qi Refining. Between a Human Race Cultivator and a Spirit Beast at the same Cultivation Realm, the Spirit Beast was generally stronger. And since Little Black practiced the Third Transformation Demon Ascension Technique, its Magical Power was even more formidable.

”Master, feed me the dream!” Little Black finished absorbing and refining the Qi Nourishing Pill. It swam up to Chen Jianghe with a wide grin, affectionately calling him master, eagerly urging Chen Jianghe to feed it more grand promises for the future.