Chapter 18

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“My teacher is an alchemist. I don’t have a certificate yet because I’m not old enough.”

The girl in white responded. Not every cultivator could apply for a certificate for the Hundred Arts of Cultivation. In order to screen applicants and reduce the workload every year, the immortal sect had set restrictions on age, profession, and so on.

For example, a high school student like Chen Mobai did not fulfill the first condition as he was not old enough.

The girl in white also didn’t qualify for the same reason.

The only disadvantage of water alchemy was that it took a long time. It was very difficult for an alchemist to keep an eye on it from beginning to end and participate the entire time.

Therefore, although the immortal sect stipulated that only alchemists could refine medicine, it was tacitly agreed in the industry that apprentices could help deal with some simple supplementary medicines.

Chen Mobai felt that the young girl in white in front of him should be an intern apothecary.

He thought of the method to refine spiritual water recorded in the “Black Water Technique”. He still didn’t have any clue and wanted to ask for guidance, but it wasn’t appropriate to ask for no reason.

“Farewell.”

Finally, Chen Mobai said two words and turned to leave the pharmacy.

“What a strange person.”

Qing Nü sensed that Chen Mobai had something to ask, but for some reason, he didn’t say it in the end.

As the young man disappeared around the corner, she shook her head and turned back to the back hall to extract the herbs.

…

At the water mansion.

Chen Mobai pulled out the black array flag somewhat nervously. The huge hemispherical light shield above his head began to fluctuate slightly.

He immediately injected his spiritual power into the array flags according to the Qi Circulation Spell mentioned in Chan Si’s lesson. Then, he formed a seal with his other hand and made two simple movements.

Crash!

Soon, a two-meter-diameter hole appeared in the huge, round, flawless light barrier where the black flag pointed.

Chen Mobai suppressed the excitement in his heart. After inserting the array flag again, he walked to the entrance of the array formation that he had opened.

He reached out. With a slight tremble, he extended the range of the light shield and touched the water outside.

It was cool and felt like silk.

After playing with the water and confirming that there was no danger outside, Chen Mobai began to lean half his body out.

As he had never cultivated any waterproof Dharma spells, he could only rely on his deep breathing to hold on.

However, even so, he saw a little of the scenery beyond the water mansion.

It was a lake of an unknown size. At least, he couldn’t see the edge of it at first glance. There was a kind of aquatic plant growing at the bottom of the lake that glowed with blue fluorescent light. It stood out in the gloomy environment.

Among the aquatic plants, there was a green-tailed carp frolicking back and forth.

Chen Mobai confirmed that it was the kind of fish he had eaten.

He raised the needle case in his hand and circulated the Five Elements Technique. He injected spiritual power into the needle case, and a golden stream of light shot out.

Although his usage of this Dharma artifact was still a little stiff, under Chen Mobai’s spiritual power, the flying needle flew in a straight line. Without using any technique, the flying needle directly pierced through the green carp that could not escape in time.

Seeing that he had successfully caught the fish, Chen Mobai raised his other hand. Two glass beads were injected with the spiritual power he had cultivated using the Five Elements Techniques. They flew out like two colorful rainbows and caught the green carp that was slowly descending after its death.

After retrieving the food and flying needles, Chen Mobai pulled out the black flag again and sealed the entrance of the Jade Water Array.

He first carefully observed the green carp in his hand and discovered that there was a dark green line on its back that resembled a tendon. There were also two long whiskers at the mouth of the fish. It was cold to the touch, as if he was holding an ice cube.

“Why is this carp similar to the Level-2 protective spiritual beast in the immortal sect, the Green Dragon Carp?”

Chen Mobai muttered to himself. The source of the Green Dragon Carp’s bloodline was a green dragon in the deep sea. It was captured by the immortal sect after much difficulty when they explored the sea.

It was said that after the Green Dragon Carp was cooked with a special method, cultivators could absorb a trace of water dragon qi contained in its flesh and blood. Then, they would experience a random increase of one to five water attribute points in their Spiritual Root.

However, the Green Dragon Carp of the immortal sect could only be raised by the Kunpeng Dao College. It was regarded as a taboo by the Venerable Nascent Soul. Twenty years ago, this Venerable had even placed the wild Green Dragon Carp on the latest list of protected spiritual beasts of the immortal sect. It was already forbidden for cultivators to kill and cook it.

Chen Mobai hesitated for a moment. In the end, he could not resist the temptation and took out the short knife he had obtained from the old man.

According to the rules of the immortal sect, wild Green Dragon Carp were protected spiritual beasts, while bred Green Dragon Carp could be eaten.

Although this green carp was a little similar to the Green Dragon Carp, there were still some differences. This fish did not have much spiritual energy and was raised outside the water mansion. Thus, it could be considered a bred fish.

He scaled, disemboweled, gutted, and sliced the fish. Chen Mobai’s movements were very skilled and smooth.

This short knife was not a Dharma artifact, but it was extremely sharp. He had tried using it to cut gold before. It was as easy as cutting tofu. Thus, it was a little overkill to use it to slice fish.

This time he intended to eat it cold. He even brought ice and condiments from home.

However, the fish meat was ice-cold, so he could skip the process of freezing it.

Chen Mobai even brought a can of carbonated drink. If he had a goblet, the ritual would be complete.

Unfortunately, he was the only one eating.

With a tinge of regret, the cold and smooth fish meat entered his mouth. Coupled with the old vinegar that he had bought online from the Wangwu Grotto-Heaven, an indescribable feeling of numbness and comfort bloomed in his taste buds.

When the fish entered his stomach, a cooling aura surged throughout his body, causing Chen Mobai to shiver. Then, his entire body felt comfortable, as if he had taken a cold shower on a hot day. It was satisfying and refreshing.

After eating, Chen Mobai burped. The first thought that came to his mind was that it was truly a waste to cook that fish.

Of course, he hadn’t forgotten his business.

After using the Cleaning Spell to clean up, he sat on the meditation cushion and circulated the Five Elements Technique.

Before the adapted spiritual power that he had cultivated could return to his dantian, Chen Mobai intercepted a strand of the spiritual power and injected it into the spiritual power test paper that he had just bought.

This was a simple tool for measuring one’s Spiritual Root, but it was only used by cultivators of the Five Elements Technique.

Everyone in the immortal sect was a cultivator. Basically, every child was taught Qi Refinement and Immortal Cultivation techniques from a young age. In order to be able to measure Spiritual Roots more simply and quickly, the Imperial Medicine Palace invented this spiritual power test paper.

As soon as Chen Mobai’s spiritual power was absorbed by the test paper, it was instantly dyed in five colors. Then, a string of numbers appeared on the paper according to the ratio of the five elements.

[Gold 23, Wood 27, Water 25, Fire 17, and Earth 10.]

As expected, there was an increase of two water attribute points.

Chen Mobai confirmed this point. The next step was to do more experiments.

He suppressed the fire in his heart and stood up to activate the Jade Water Array again.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Streaks of golden light lit up outside the water mansion. Then, the green carps that were eating the aquatic plants inexplicably became Chen Mobai’s food.