Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 61: Chapter 60: The Current State of the Allies

Jingyue Immortal Tower. This was an enterprise under the Yun Family, poised to become the largest tavern in the future Jingyue Marketplace.

It was located beside the main street, a prime spot.

The building occupied three mu and had two floors. The first floor housed a grand hall and private rooms, while the second floor consisted of guest rooms that provided lodging for Cultivators.

When Chen Jianghe arrived, he found Yu Daniu already waiting at the entrance of the Jingyue Immortal Tower, with Yun Xiaoniu at his side.

Yun Xiaoniu was now ten years old, but he was already around five-foot-eight, looking almost like a full-grown adult.

He took after Yu Daniu, with swarthy skin and an honest, simple-hearted appearance.

”Brother Jianghe.”

”Daniu, sorry to keep you waiting.” Chen Jianghe quickened his pace and walked up to Yu Daniu.

The fluctuations of Magical Power from Yu Daniu were much stronger now; he had clearly broken through to the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining.

”Greetings, Uncle,” Yun Xiaoniu said, bowing respectfully.

”My, Xiaoniu, you’ve gotten sturdier.”

Chen Jianghe patted Yun Xiaoniu’s arm. ’In another two years, he’ll probably be taller than me.’

”Brother Jianghe, let me show you around the Jingyue Immortal Tower,”

Yu Daniu said with a cheerful laugh.

He led Chen Jianghe, starting with a tour of the first floor. It featured a grand hall of over three hundred square meters, thirty-six private rooms, and a kitchen in the back.

Next, they went to inspect the guest rooms on the second floor. While not as lavishly decorated as the Yuelai Inn at Port No. 1, these rooms possessed a classic, aromatic charm, winning out with their tranquil and elegant atmosphere.

Every guest room was equipped with a Sound Insulation Array, a Spirit Gathering Array, and a Defense Array.

”The guest rooms have a Spirit Gathering Array, so the Spiritual Qi concentration can reach the level of a Tier One High-Grade Spiritual Vein. There’s also a Defense Array and a Sound Insulation Array to better protect our guests’ privacy.”

”What do you think, Brother Jianghe?”

Yu Daniu looked at Chen Jianghe, seemingly seeking his opinion on the Jingyue Immortal Tower.

”It’s good. A very nice setup.”

Chen Jianghe gave Yu Daniu a deep look. ’Something about his connection to the Jingyue Immortal Tower feels... unusual.’

”Daniu, has the Yun Family assigned you to work at the Jingyue Immortal Tower?”

Generally, a son-in-law who marries into the family is only responsible for producing heirs, not for other family affairs. This prevents them from abusing their position for personal gain or lining their own pockets.

”My third and fourth children were also found to have Spirit Roots. As a reward, the family made me the Steward of the Jingyue Immortal Tower.”

Yu Daniu said with a simple, honest smile.

In truth, the Yun Family hadn’t made Yu Daniu the Steward of the Jingyue Immortal Tower solely because he had fathered four children with Spirit Roots for them.

The main reason was that Yu Daniu knew the meaning of gratitude.

On the day Yun Bufan attempted his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, the Demon Cultivator Lann Tianxiang was slaughtering Elders, residence masters, and Stewards outside Huxing Island. At that critical juncture, Yun Huizhen wasn’t the only one who told her husband to flee.

The other Yun Family women who had married live-in husbands had all said the same thing to them.

Those husbands either nodded or remained silent.

Without exception, they all accepted their wives’ words. Only Yu Daniu had bluntly refused, vowing to live or die with the Yun Family.

As a result, not only was he made the Steward of the Jingyue Immortal Tower, but his annual stipend was also raised to twelve Spirit Stones, surpassing that of his wife, Yun Huizhen.

”The Yun Family is letting you manage the Jingyue Immortal Tower!”

Chen Jianghe was shocked. He truly hadn’t expected this.

’Even if the Yun Family valued Yu Daniu, I would have thought they’d just give him some minor post at the Jingyue Immortal Tower at most. How could they let a live-in son-in-law act as the Steward of an entire enterprise? Especially one this large.’

”Daniu, congratulations.” Chen Jianghe congratulated Yu Daniu from the bottom of his heart. From this day forward, Yu Daniu was truly a part of the Yun Family.

With two Foundation Establishment Ancestors, the Yun Family’s businesses were all prospering and flourishing. Now that Yu Daniu was held in high regard, his future was boundless.

”It was just luck.”

Yu Daniu gave an honest laugh. ”Brother Jianghe, come, let me treat you to the Medicinal Cuisine of the Jingyue Immortal Tower.”

Afterward, they went to a private room where Yu Daniu ordered a full table of Medicinal Cuisine. The ingredients included two types of Spirit Beasts—Little Cyan Fish and White Egret. Large Cyan Fish were no longer served at the Jingyue Immortal Tower. There was also a pot of High-Grade Immortal Spirit Wine.

A pot of Tier One Lower-Grade Immortal Spirit Wine was worth fifty taels of silver (based on port prices).

A pot of Tier One Middle-Grade Immortal Spirit Wine was worth twenty grains of Spiritual Sand.

A pot of Tier One High-Grade Immortal Spirit Wine was worth one Spirit Stone.

This showed the high standard of hospitality Yu Daniu was extending to Chen Jianghe, and it also revealed the high regard in which he held him.

”Brother Jianghe, in two years at most, the Jingyue Marketplace will officially open to all Cultivators in the Celestial South Domain.”

”You’re already a Lower-Grade Talisman Master. When the time comes, I can pull some strings and help you rent a small, single-room courtyard in the Marketplace for cheap. Then, we brothers can both do our Cultivation here on Huxing Island.”

Yu Daniu said with sincerity.

”It’s too soon for a Lower-Grade Talisman Master to set up shop in the Marketplace. I’ll wait until I become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master. For now, I’m quite happy being a Senior Fisherman and Farmer.”

”The income from the Little Cyan Fish every two years is substantial, and the Spiritual Qi in the Inner Waters is very abundant.”

Chen Jianghe said with a chuckle.

He couldn’t stay at Jingyue Lake forever, let alone set up shop in the Jingyue Marketplace. He could only refuse Yu Daniu’s offer tactfully.

”Next year, it’ll be time for your fifth child’s Spirit Root to be measured, right? How about it? Not so worried anymore, are you? HAHA~”

”HEHE~ I still hope the fifth one has a Spirit Root, too. That way, the brothers can look out for each other in the Yun Family.”

”Yes, that’s true.”

Chen Jianghe nodded and looked at Yun Xiaoniu. ”Xiaoniu can start his Cultivation after the New Year.”

”Daniu, as you know, I’m a Lower-Grade Talisman Master now, so I’ve managed to save up some Spirit Stones. Let me pay you back the eight Spirit Stones I owe you.”

With that, Chen Jianghe took out eight Spirit Stones.

”Brother Jianghe, my annual stipend is twelve Spirit Stones, and Huizhen gets eight. We have more than enough for Xiaoniu’s Cultivation.”

”What are you talking about? If your son is cultivating, does that mean you and your wife stop? And what about your second, third, fourth, and even your fifth child in the future? They’ll all need Spirit Stones.”

”Well...”

”We’re brothers. No need for formalities. Just take it.”

After Chen Jianghe’s repeated insistence, Yu Daniu finally accepted the eight Spirit Stones. But he also told Chen Jianghe to let him know if he ever ran short.

After several rounds of drinks and numerous dishes, their conversation turned to Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun.

Zhou Miaoyun seemed like a completely different person. She’d lost her former arrogance and had written letters to both Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu before the New Year.

The letter to Yu Daniu, in particular, was polite and even apologetic in tone.

Furthermore, Zhou Miaoyun had reached the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining a year ago, and her father had broken through to Late-Stage Qi Refining.

With a Middle-Grade Talisman Master and a Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator, the Zhou Family had managed to gain a tentative foothold in the Qinghe Marketplace.

”Brother Jianghe, do you think Peiyao...?”

Yu Daniu didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was perfectly clear. He was worried that Gao Peiyao had met with some misfortune.

Otherwise, it was impossible that she’d be gone for five years without a single word.

”Fairy Miaoyun mentioned in her letter that Peiyao took a Flying Ship from Qinghe Marketplace to the Immortal Sect Marketplace. Nothing should have happened, right...?”

But Chen Jianghe’s own words lacked conviction.