Yuzhou.
On the vast continent, Yuzhou was a rather remote province. It was located in the continent's southernmost region, bordering the boundless, immense ocean.
Islands of all sizes dotted the ink-blue surface of the sea like stars in the sky.
Some of the larger islands, blessed with abundant Spiritual Qi and beautiful scenery, had become densely populated after long years of development. They boasted cities, villages, towns, and ports, complete with Marketplaces, businesses, taverns, and brothels.
The ocean's bountiful resources, combined with the occasional appearance of ruins from an Ancient Cave Mansion, attracted numerous Cultivators and merchant guilds to flock here and establish a long-term presence.
Over the years, this led to a complex situation where the good and the bad mingled, and various Sects and families vied for dominance.
Zenxin Island, a thousand miles across.
The island was home to over a dozen towns of various sizes, numerous villages, and millions of mortal inhabitants. The island itself, along with its Spirit Vein Blessed Lands, mineral deposits, unique resources, and many surrounding subsidiary islands, all belonged to the Ling Cultivation Family.
At noon, the scorching sun baked the dark reefs by the shore. Several Large Sea Boats, each over a hundred yards long, were moored together. Stirred by the sea breeze, their bloated hulls rocked gently with the surging tide.
On the wide foredeck, Ling Zifeng, the Ling Family's Foreign Affairs Steward, stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His expression was grim as he stared silently at the undulating sea before him.
The surrounding servants knew the Lord Steward was in a foul mood, so they all kept a sensible distance. No one dared to approach and risk his displeasure.
Ling Zifeng's gaze pierced the frigid seawater, where he could faintly see glowing, humanoid figures moving among the countless reefs below. They were the family's Pearl Gatherers, each equipped with a Water Repelling Talisman.
The task of collecting two thousand Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearls was no easy feat. Ling Zifeng had brought all the Pearl Gatherers from the family's domain, and after more than ten days of arduous labor, they had collected less than half the required amount. In the process, over twenty Pearl Gatherers had lost their lives.
However, this was a task personally assigned by the Ling Family's Patriarch. No matter how difficult or dangerous it was, Ling Zifeng didn't dare to be negligent. He could only ruthlessly force these poor Pearl Gatherers to continue risking their lives in the water.
After all, in the Lord Steward's eyes, the deaths of a few people were a trivial matter. If the Patriarch's plans were delayed, he would be the one in deep trouble.
Throughout the Ling Family, from top to bottom, the new Patriarch was known for being notoriously difficult to serve.
In the gloomy depths of the water, Ling Changqing struggled slightly to poke his head out from a deep crevice between several huge reefs. He cautiously scanned his surroundings and, seeing no other Pearl Gatherers lingering nearby, slowly swam out.
The blue-robed youth, with his delicate features and ink-black eyes, held a short dagger between his teeth. The Water Repelling Talisman on his chest emitted a soft golden glow, and he tightly clutched a Silver Thread Net Bag in his hands. Inside was a sea clam the size of a human head, faintly shimmering with a golden-red luster.
A faint, malevolent aura emanated from the clam. A Sealing Talisman, shimmering with Spiritual Light, was stuck to its shell. This, combined with the Silver Thread Net Bag—which was also a Low Grade Magical Artifact—firmly immobilized it.
With a calm expression, Ling Changqing observed his surroundings once more. After confirming that no envious Pearl Gatherers were coming to snatch his prize, he kicked his legs, left the reef completely, and accelerated toward the surface.
When Ling Changqing broke the surface, a small patrol boat nearby immediately noticed the movement. The two servants rowing it quickly came over and helped him aboard.
"...Brother Ling, looks like your luck is good today, eh?"
An old servant said with a hint of envy.
"Just a bit of luck."
Ling Changqing smiled but didn't say much more. He sat down cross-legged and began to silently regulate his breathing, still clutching the Silver Thread Net Bag tightly to his chest.
Although the sea for miles around was under the Lord Steward's watchful eye after surfacing, and no one would dare to openly snatch another's haul in front of him, it never hurt to be careful.
Whether it was the backstabbing in his past life's workplace or the deceit within the family in this life, Ling Changqing had learned not to have any expectations of human nature. That was why he was always cautious, doing his best to avoid being plotted against and suffering for it.
In the past few days, among the unlucky souls who were forever left at the bottom of the sea, several had actually been secretly murdered by their own companions.
This was because the Lord Steward didn't interfere in conflicts that occurred beneath the surface. Therefore, only a haul successfully brought out of the water was considered to have a clear owner.
Seeing that the calm-faced youth had no intention of speaking further, the two servants said no more and rowed the small boat toward the Large Sea Boat a hundred yards away.
As they drew near, a sailor on the large ship skillfully threw down a rope ladder. Ling Changqing reached out, grabbed it, and nimbly climbed onto the foredeck.
By now, six or seven Pearl Gatherers had already returned to the deck. Each held a Silver Thread Net Bag containing one to three clams, and they waited with uneasy expressions.
Ling Changqing glanced over. Having been submerged in the cold water for a long time, his companions' auras were all somewhat scattered and listless.
After all, diving for pearls was incredibly draining on one's stamina. Furthermore, the clams were naturally alert and cunning, making them quite difficult to find and catch. Even though the Pearl Gatherers generally had some level of Cultivation, they couldn't endure being in the sea for too long.
Under Ling Zifeng's gaze, a burly man in green robes with a Fourth Layer Qi Cultivation stepped forward. Holding a slender, gleaming Battle Saber, he took a clam from a Silver Thread Net Bag, expertly pried open the hard shell, and viciously stabbed inside.
Along with a series of sharp, shrill screeches, Ling Changqing felt a slight stabbing pain in his mind. This was the clam's dying counterattack, which could pose a serious threat to an ordinary person's soul but had little effect on a Cultivator.
The surrounding Pearl Gatherers instinctively held their breath, watching without blinking as the Ling Family disciple sliced through the soft flesh inside the shell and dug out a smooth, round pearl the size of a thumb.
In the sunlight, the pearl revealed a tranquil, clear sapphire-blue color. Fine, dark-gold patterns floated within it, emitting a dreamlike, enchanting light.
This was a Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearl, an important ingredient for refining certain Elixirs. Due to high market demand, its price had been steadily increasing in recent years.
"That's great..."
The Pearl Gatherer who had found that clam, a lean man in his thirties, let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the pearl. He had made it through today's trial.
Not every clam contained a Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearl, and not every pearl was of acceptable quality. Whether one could obtain a satisfactory harvest depended entirely on the Pearl Gatherer's character and luck.
"Lord Steward..."
The burly, green-robed man held up the pearl and respectfully presented it to Ling Zifeng.
Ling Zifeng nodded and took the Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearl. He looked at the lean man, a hint of warmth entering his arrogant voice.
"Not bad. You can rest for today. Go back in the water tomorrow."
"...Yes, yes! Thank you, Lord Steward!"
The lean man's face was full of joy. He bowed repeatedly in gratitude as the surrounding Pearl Gatherers shot him looks of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
According to custom, not only would he receive a sumptuous dinner tonight, but he would also be rewarded with twenty units of Spiritual Sand—a rather handsome payment.
If he could have a few more pleasant surprises like this and collect a hundred units of Spiritual Sand, he could exchange them for one standard Low-grade Spirit Stone. This was the hard currency of their world, a Cultivation Resource that no Cultivator could do without.
After the man left, the burly man in green continued his work. This time, however, his luck was worse. The opened clam shell was empty, with no sign of a Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearl.
"Th-this... How could this be..."
A gray-haired, wrinkled Pearl Gatherer's face turned ashen, and unconcealable panic filled his eyes.
"Hmph! Useless old trash! This is the third time!"
The green-robed man's expression was ice-cold. He stood up and swung a heavy slap across the old man's face.
SLAP!
One side of the Pearl Gatherer's face swelled up visibly, and a trickle of crimson blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
"My lord, this lowly one today... I really..."
The Pearl Gatherer pleaded, clutching his face and trembling with fear.
The other Pearl Gatherers remained silent. This was a rule set by the Lord Steward: coming back empty-handed once or twice was tolerable, but failing three times in a row would inevitably earn one a harsh scolding and a vicious beating.
In the Lord Steward's eyes, these low-level Pearl Gatherers raised by the family were nothing more than slave tools. They weren't treated as human beings at all and could be dealt with however he pleased.
"Get lost! Get back down there and keep searching! If you don't bring back a pearl today, don't even think about coming back, you old piece of junk!"
The green-robed man spat fiercely. Two servants silently approached from the side and, without another word, dragged the pleading Pearl Gatherer away.
Ling Changqing sighed inwardly and silently tightened his grip on the net bag. He was certain that the clam he held contained a Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearl, so the same fate wouldn't befall him.
As the green-robed man continued his work, clams were opened one after another. If a pearl was found, the Pearl Gatherer would naturally be beaming with joy. If there was no pearl, the unfortunate soul would inevitably face a cold reception, or even be dragged off to be whipped on the spot.
In a short while, it was finally Ling Changqing's turn. When the Magical Artifact Battle Saber sliced through the soft flesh inside the clam, a sparkling, round, and resplendent Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearl appeared before everyone, just as expected.
"Another high-quality pearl..."
"Damn it..."
"This kid... it's been like this for several days in a row. His luck is just too good!"
"Sigh, why don't I have that kind of luck?"
"That's real skill, alright..."
...
The hushed whispers of the surrounding Pearl Gatherers naturally didn't affect Ling Changqing in the slightest.
With his usual calm expression, he bowed to Ling Zifeng, then untied a small leather pouch from his waist and presented it. He spoke softly,
"These are a few stalks of Yunzhu Grass I happened to find in an undersea cave. It's just a worthless trinket, but I hope the Lord Steward won't find it beneath him!"
Ling Zifeng raised an eyebrow slightly. He took the leather pouch with a hint of surprise and opened it. Upon seeing four palm-length, dark-red stalks of Yunzhu Grass with their roots intact, a smile spread across his face.
This Yunzhu Grass came from the seabed and was a Spirit Medicine that could be used for refining the Qi and Blood Replenishing Pill. It was an Early Grade Spirit Grass, and while not particularly rare, no one would complain about having more resources.
Given Ling Zifeng's status, he certainly wasn't lacking such minor benefits. However, he found Ling Changqing's savvy and deferential attitude quite pleasing.
Cultivation wasn't just about fighting and killing; it was about navigating human relationships.
Weighing the pearl in his palm, the Steward's gaze toward Ling Changqing softened considerably. He smiled and said,
"You've done very well these past few days, kid. Hmm, you can have thirty units of Spiritual Sand this time. Keep up the good work!"
"Thank you, Lord Steward!"
A perfectly pitched look of tearful gratitude appeared on Ling Changqing's face. He bowed again before taking his leave.
At this, the expressions of the Pearl Gatherers present grew even more jealous. A few of them stared silently at the blue-robed youth's departing back with gloomy eyes.
Ling Changqing was well aware of this, but he didn't care. This was a result he had deliberately engineered.
Returning to his temporary cabin inside the ship's hold, Ling Changqing silently checked a hidden mark he had left on the door. After confirming it hadn't been disturbed, he opened the door and went inside.
He locked the door from the inside, tidied up a bit, removed the Water Repelling Talisman from his chest and put it away, then changed into a set of dry clothes.
Seeing that there was still some time before the meal, Ling Changqing thought for a moment and decided to regulate his breathing again to recover his depleted stamina. He turned back and sat on the bed.
As he looked inward with his Spiritual Sense, a shimmering, water-like radiance appeared within his body. Enveloped inside it was an exquisite, intricate palace hall, from which emanated an aura of majestic profundity and lonely, lofty transcendence.
This indescribable Exotic Treasure was the very reason Ling Changqing had traveled through time and space to descend upon this vast world half a year ago.