From Family Fisherman to Water Virtue Immortal

The young woman sat gracefully in the ancient pavilion, her delicate features accentuated by her crimson robes, which flowed like a painting. Even the wide sleeves couldn't conceal her elegant figure. 

"It hasn't been long since we last met, but Hongyu, your beauty has become even more ethereal, like an immortal descended from the heavens," Li Quanshu complimented, her words as graceful as her demeanor. 

Li Quanqing also greeted her with a respectful "Sister Hongyu." He was still a young boy, fresh and green like spring bamboo. 

Xie Hongyu stood up to welcome them, inviting the two into the pavilion and exchanging a few polite words. 

"Fellow Daoists, please." 

She raised the teacup in front of her. The liquid inside was a fiery red, translucent, and light in color, seemingly unremarkable at first glance. 

Li Quanqing didn't think much of it and took a big gulp. 

The moment the liquid touched his throat, it felt like a line of fire shot down into his stomach, burning and spicy. It made him cough repeatedly. 

"This isn't tea!" 

He hadn't touched strong alcohol in a long time, and even in his past life, he wasn't much of a drinker. His face turned red from the sudden intensity. 

"Didn't Sister Quanshu tell you? I never drink tea, only wine," Xie Hongyu said with an apologetic look in her eyes. "The elders in my family always say that tea can help one comprehend the Dao, but I only find it bitter. I've loved the spiciness of wine since I was a child." 

Li Quanqing hadn't expected the young woman to be so fond of alcohol. "We were in a hurry earlier, and I forgot to mention this to my junior brother," Li Quanshu explained. 

The crimson-robed girl called for a maid. "Bring a pot of mountain spring water, mixed with milk and honey." 

"No, no, I'll drink this," Li Quanqing quickly waved his hand, declining the offer. 

Milk and honey? It sounded like something meant for a child. 

He took a small sip of the wine, trying to get used to the spiciness. His tongue felt numb. 

Noticing his discomfort, Xie Hongyu whispered a few words to the maid. 

Soon, several plates of pastries were brought out, their fragrance delightful, along with a bowl of golden-red sugar cubes. 

"This is a specialty of Red Maple Island, called Soft Jade Maple Sugar. It's sweet and rich, with an endless aftertaste. Young Qing, you should try it." 

Li Quanqing tried a piece. The flavor was indeed excellent, with a delicate sweetness that blossomed on his tongue, smooth and rich. 

He dissolved a piece of the maple sugar in his wine, and to his surprise, it tasted much better. 

The amber-colored liquid now had a sweet, spicy flavor, and as it went down, it warmed his entire body. 

He couldn't help but drink another cup. 

With the spirit wine lifting their spirits, the conversation flowed more easily. After a while, Xie Hongyu took them on a tour of the island's scenic spots. 

A bamboo raft, deliberately dyed red, floated gracefully on the lake, carrying the three of them. The light gauze curtains added a touch of elegance to the scene. 

"Look, those are Moonlight Clams. They're high-quality breeds brought from Pearl Island," Xie Hongyu pointed out. 

Li Quanqing looked down. 

The lake wasn't very deep, and the water was crystal clear, allowing them to see the bottom. 

Strange rocks rose like stone bamboo shoots, their shapes jagged and uneven. 

Resting on the rocks were spirit clams, as white and flawless as the moon. When their shells opened and closed, faint, colorful lights shimmered within. 

"The water is so clean, there's hardly any algae," Li Quanqing remarked. As someone who spent his days raising fish, he immediately noticed the peculiarity. 

He scooped up a handful of water. It was icy cold as if he were touching flowing ice. 

"It's the work of the Moonlight Clams. They constantly filter impurities and draw in the essence of the moon, purifying the water. It's just their instinct," Xie Hongyu explained. 

Li Quanqing nodded. The Moonlight Clams were like nature's own cleaning crew. 

"These clams are of excellent quality. How do you trade them?" Li Quanqing asked, looking at the young woman. He had just touched one with his own hands. 

The clam seeds were only the size of lychees, freshly spawned, and less than 10% mature. 

"Just as Sister Quanshu said, you only want the seeds, not the adult clams?" Xie Hongyu asked, her gaze curious. "You should know that it takes nearly a year for these seeds to grow to maturity and reach the Qi Refinement stage. After that, it takes several more years for them to produce a single pearl." 

Li Quanqing smiled. "I have my plans, Sister Hongyu. Please don't try to dissuade me." 

"Fine, as you wish," the young woman said, resting her chin on her hand. After a moment of thought, she added, "How about one spirit stone for each clam seed?" 

The price was quite reasonable, especially since these seeds weren't available on the market. The Xie family was the only one selling them in the nearby waters. 

Li Quanqing took out his spirit stones and bought thirty seeds without hesitation. The transaction went much more smoothly than he had expected. 

"Sister told me that you're a genius at artifact refinement?" Xie Hongyu tilted her head, her long hair cascading like a waterfall. There was a playful, cat-like glint in her eyes. "When the time comes, I'll ask you to refine a Spirit Pearl for me. You can't refuse, okay?" 

Li Quanqing was momentarily stunned but nodded in agreement. "If you have any requests, I'll do my best." 

By the time everything was settled, it was already dusk. After staying for dinner, the two finally bid farewell and left. 

"Whew, it's finally over," Li Quanqing sighed, standing at the bow of the boat. The sea breeze was gentle, and the night was deep. He felt a sense of relief. 

Having spent most of his time by the fishpond, surrounded by spirits and demons, he realized he wasn't used to socializing with people his age. 

"Here, this is your reward, Senior Sister," Li Quanqing said, shedding his earlier seriousness and reverting to his youthful demeanor. He handed her a jade slip with a smile. 

The jade slip contained detailed notes on artifact refinement, quite comprehensive. 

"Junior Brother, you did well today. Hongyu secretly told me that you looked very handsome when you were serious," Li Quanshu said, taking the jade slip. Her eyes sparkled as if they had captured the entire autumn sunset. "Have you ever thought about pursuing that little rich girl?" 

"Senior Sister, what are you talking about? I'm still so young. The Dao comes first," Li Quanqing replied, somewhat exasperated. He was content with tending to his fish and crabs and had never considered such things. 

"Such a blockhead, so clueless," Li Quanshu thought to herself, feeling a bit worried about her junior brother's future romantic prospects. 

The spirit vessel cut through the water, heading straight for Baoqing Market. 

It was already late, and traveling alone at night was too dangerous. They decided to wait until the next morning to return with the family fleet. 

After traveling about ten li, a boat approached from the opposite direction. On it sat a middle-aged cultivator traveling alone, his gaze calm. 

Both sides remained cautious until they passed each other. Only then did Li Quanshu, who had been tense, finally relax. 

"Qi Refinement, fifth layer…" Li Quanqing glanced back, watching the man disappear into the distance. 

The spirit vessel continued for several dozen li, and Baoqing Market soon came into view. The lights were bright, and the market buzzed with activity, lively even in the dead of night. 

"May the immortals bless us, we've made it safely!" Li Quanshu completely relaxed. "When we get to the island, I'll take you to try…" 

Boom!! 

Rumble 

Before she could finish her sentence, a deafening explosion erupted from beneath the water, shaking their eardrums and roaring like thunder. 

The calm sea surface instantly erupted, white waves surging into the sky, churning into a tempest that sent the spirit vessel flipping into the air. 

Streaks of black lightning shot out from the water, crackling and sizzling as they struck the white jade vessel! 

"Bandit cultivators!" 

Li Quanshu reacted quickly. Though the boat was rocking violently, she immediately activated the defensive formations on the spirit vessel. 

Li Quanqing also held several Golden Light Barrier talismans, ready to activate them at any moment. 

Fortunately, the spirit vessel's surface glowed as countless restrictions were activated, successfully neutralizing the lightning attacks. 

Splash 

Li Quanqing used his water control technique, and the surging seawater formed a giant hand that gently lowered the boat back onto the surface. Thankfully, it didn't capsize. 

Thud! Thud! 

Amid the churning waves, two cultivators emerged from the water, clad in tight black fish-skin suits. Only their malicious eyes were visible. 

"How dare you attack members of the Qingyu Li family! The Baoqing Market enforcement team is nearby. They'll be here any moment!" Li Quanshu shouted from the bow, holding a magical tool and talismans. She felt a surge of confidence. 

Two Qi Refinement fourth-layer bandit cultivators could handle this. 

"Heh, we're here to kill Li's family members!" 

A cold laugh came from behind as a third bandit cultivator rode a turtle-shell artifact through the waves, his powerful aura unmistakable. 

Qi Refinement, fifth layer!