The water-repelling barrier within the Water Mansion was damaged, but it was not difficult to repair.

Less than half an hour later, the outer perimeter of the Water Mansion shimmered with the light of the barrier, and the surrounding river water receded.

The interior was a normal Cave Abode, while the exterior featured flowing river water, an invisible separation that made it seem as if two worlds existed.

The Water Mansion was spacious, with many Cultivation Rooms. One was reserved for Zhang Pengpeng, while the others served as the Talisman Crafting Room, Artifact Refining and Alchemy Room, and Insect Breeding Room.

With the Yun Luo Illusion Array, Solid as Golden Soup Formation, and the Mysterious Sword Seven Kills Array set up, the Water Mansion finally took on the appearance of a proper Cave Abode.

After finishing the arrangements for these rooms, Jia Ren went to the backyard.

The yard contained about an acre of unused land, previously used for growing Spiritual Medicine. Having been untended for a long time and with its defensive formations damaged, the Medicinal Garden had become desolate. Seagrass overgrew the area, with only a few water-attribute Spirit Grass occasionally visible.

Not bad, it can be used for planting Spiritual Medicine, Jia Ren thought. Indeed, it's a great spot.

After clearing the seagrass, leaving only a few Spirit Grass, Jia Ren went to the riverbed to gather silt and lay down a fresh layer.

The Spirit Gathering Array was set up, and Spiritual Energy was abundant. Nourished by Spiritual Power, the land could be restored into a Spirit Field suitable for planting water-attribute Spiritual Medicine.

If the Water Mansion remains undisturbed, won't all these become treasured medicines of great age after two or three hundred years? he mused. The time is too long, the returns too meager. It's better to plant Star Leaf Grass, Shadow Vanishing Grass, Boneless Flower, and the like. They yield two harvests per year and can also be used for Talisman Crafting and Alchemy. With the Jade Cauldron Market gone, other Markets will likely struggle to survive. Common Spirit Grass, once easy to obtain, will now be hard to purchase without connections. This could become a hidden problem for Talisman Crafting and Alchemy. If not planting Spirit Grass, one could also cultivate Spirit Rice. Being self-sufficient during extended periods of cultivation in one place is very important. One can't possibly… eat fish every day in the future.

After these simple arrangements were complete, he would allow the Spirit Gathering Array to warm and nurture the land for a few days before planting Spirit Rice and Spiritual Medicine.

This matter can wait for now. Once it's confirmed that the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre poses no immediate threat, it won't be too late to proceed.

Jia Ren spent his days cultivating and studying the Inscriptions and materials of the River Mountain Bag, as well as the simplification of Ancient Inscriptions. With a reference object, the research became much easier, and he made noticeable progress every day.

After cultivating and studying Inscriptions, he focused on improving the Proficiency Level of his spells. The Xuan Shui Escape secret technique and the Xuan Yuan Heavy Water secret technique were the top priorities in his daily cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. Above the Surging River, Jia Ren walked upon the water.

A colossal fish from the riverbed tailed him, Spirit Fish scattering wherever he passed.

With a raise of his hand, a water orb the size of a quail egg slowly spun, dreamlike and illusory.

Five Xuan Yuan Heavy Water successfully condensed!

Jia Ren threw it towards the distance, smashing it onto the river's surface.

BOOM!

It was as if a small mountain had crashed into the river, kicking up a giant wave nearly a hundred zhang high. The riverbed shook continuously, revealing a massive crater beneath it.

Before the river water could converge again, the Five Xuan Yuan Heavy Water returned to his palm, spinning ceaselessly.

"Finally, it's done," Jia Ren said, genuine joy spreading across his face. He had acquired a powerful new offensive secret technique and finally shed his status as a weak Foundation Establishment practitioner.

Just one more step to reach the limit of the Xuan Yuan Heavy Water secret technique: Six Xuan Yuan Heavy Water. Its power far surpasses that of a top-grade Magic Artifact, with formidable killing force. After Six Xuan Yuan Heavy Water, if the Skill Breaking Point is overcome to reach Seven Xuan Yuan Heavy Water, that is when the Xuan Yuan Heavy Water secret technique truly becomes extraordinary. Achieving Seven Xuan Yuan Heavy Water will be a long and arduous journey.

Jia Ren paused his cultivation of the Xuan Yuan Heavy Water secret technique and started practicing the Xuan Shui Escape secret technique. The Spiritual Power consumption for a Foundation Establishment Stage secret technique was huge, and Proficiency Level increased slowly. He was still stuck at the entry-level; reaching the Skilled Level would take some more time.

With his Spiritual Power mostly depleted, he returned to the Water Mansion to meditate and cultivate.

He first went to the Fish Pond in the Water Mansion, situated near the backyard and shrouded in mist. Only he could approach it, ensuring the secret of the Spirit Fish's ancestral reversion would not be leaked. The Fish Pond housed his most cherished types of Spirit Fish: Black Dragon Fish, Boneless Silverfish, Seven-Colored Fish, and Phoenix Tail Flame Fish.

With the Fathead Fish Demon and Formations guarding the Cave Abode's perimeter, security was not a major concern, making it suitable as a long-term Spirit Fish breeding ground.

All the Spirit Fish in the pond had undergone ancestral reversion and survived for more than seven days. Unlike their predecessors, who met their demise immediately after successful reversion, these ones lived. This proved that his strategy of long-term fish breeding was correct. He could clearly feel the change in the Spirit Fish's aura; they were growing rapidly and powerfully.

With a steady supply of Spirit Attracting Bait and other food, their growth rate was extremely fast. Having just undergone ancestral reversion, they were in their fastest growth period, and their progress was astounding.

Compared to seven days ago, the Black Dragon Fish and Boneless Silverfish had grown larger, their Scale Armor gleaming brightly. The change in the Phoenix Tail Flame Fish was that the crimson flames dancing on its tail had deepened in color. This signified an improvement in the quality of its Phoenix Flame Tail, which would enhance the effectiveness of crafting Banishing Evil Talismans.

This was good news. The only downside was... There isn't enough Spirit Attracting Bait...

Killing Spirit Fish immediately after their ancestral reversion versus continuously raising them were two completely different matters. In the past, he would only feed them Spirit Attracting Bait when he needed the Spirit Fish, slaying them as soon as they reverted, never wasting bait on continuous feeding. This was a habit he had developed after his encounters related to the Dragon Seeking Art. Continuous feeding consumed too much. Each Spirit Fish required at least one bait per day. This item alone meant at least a hundred Spirit Attracting Baits were consumed daily. On top of that, there was the gluttonous Fathead Fish Demon. Feeding it one hundred Spirit Attracting Baits daily meant a total of two hundred were consumed each day. He had stockpiled a large quantity of ingredients for Spirit Attracting Bait, but it couldn't withstand such long-term consumption. In less than a month, the ingredients would surely be exhausted. At that point, the cultivated Spirit Fish could be slaughtered for meat, but the problem was...

Jia Ren glanced at the Fathead Fish Demon swimming outside the Water Mansion, waiting for mealtime.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered reducing the Fathead Fish Demon's rations. A few days ago, he had halved its food, and its wailing was incessant, enough to make anyone who heard it weep. As his primary combatant, he really couldn't mistreat it. Just its food bill was enough to give him a headache. Is it too late to release it now?

First, I need to go to town to buy a batch of commonly used medicinal herbs and Spirit Rice Seeds.

Jia Ren left the Surging River, heading towards the small town.

The town functioned as a small market, but the goods for sale were limited, so he couldn't have overly high hopes. Still, having something was better than nothing.

He hadn't visited for a few days, and the town had become much livelier. The number of Loose Cultivators had more than doubled. Their overall strength had clearly increased; Late Stage Qi-Refining Cultivators were not an uncommon sight. His disguise as a Ninth Level of Qi Refinement cultivator wasn't too conspicuous.

Jia Ren arrived at a familiar shop to buy Spirit Rice, common Talisman Paper, and materials for Alchemy and Artifact Refining. He had been here twice before, so it was somewhat familiar.

"Senior may not be aware," the shopkeeper said. "Half a month ago, the Jade Cauldron Market was besieged by a large number of Bizarre Demons. After the Formation was broken, many Loose Cultivators perished. Fortunately, it was only Bizarre Puppet Demons that attacked, and no master entity was seen, allowing many cultivators to escape. They didn't dare to stay in the market and fled to town for refuge."

The fall of the Jade Cauldron Market was to be expected and wasn't surprising. The fact that so many Loose Cultivators managed to escape the market was enough to prove the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's true body hadn't arrived.

"The Bizarre Demons won't come here, will they?" Jia Ren asked.

The strongest cultivator in town was only at the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement. Without a defensive Formation, how could they possibly withstand Bizarre Demons? This place isn't safe. It's better to buy the supplies and then hide back in the Water Mansion.

"Senior, please rest assured," the shopkeeper continued. "The cultivators who fled here said that after the Bizarre Puppet Demons breached the market and found no one, they headed towards the Yuding Sect."

Yuding Sect? The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre couldn't find me, so it went to the Yuding Sect? The millennium-long seal had a significant impact; its strength was not at its peak. After breaking the seal, its most important task was to recover and improve its strength. Undoubtedly, the stronger the cultivator, the more potent their Heart Demon, making them key targets. The Yuding Sect had no shortage of powerful cultivators, whose numbers and quality far surpassed those in this remote little town. Heading to the Yuding Sect was indeed the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's best option. As long as the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre isn't eradicated, places with fewer high-order cultivators won't draw its attention.

Jia Ren pondered this and decided to diligently cultivate in the Water Mansion and minimize his outings.

He spent a few hundred Spirit Stones but didn't acquire many useful items. This place isn't a proper market; resources are too scarce.

It was only as he walked through the town that he realized something was amiss.

On the east side of town, numerous cultivators had set up street stalls, selling a large quantity of high-quality Spiritual Medicines and materials.

What's going on? Since when did Loose Cultivators become so wealthy?

Jia Ren quickly figured out the reason. The fall of the Jade Cauldron Market was a danger for Loose Cultivators, but it was also an opportunity. Those fortunate enough to survive had obtained quite a few Storage Bags from the cultivators who died. The cultivation resources and Spirit Stones from shops that hadn't evacuated... all fell into the hands of these Loose Cultivators, allowing them to strike it rich.

What luck! Jia Ren wasn't sure if he was marveling at the luck of the surviving cultivators or contemplating his own.

He quickly moved past each stall, purchasing any useful cultivation resources he could find with Spirit Stones. If he didn't buy now, he might not get another chance later.

Jia Ren lavishly purchased cultivation resources, spending over five thousand Spirit Stones in a short time. This was no small sum.

Quite a few Loose Cultivators cast curious glances his way.

He had already attracted attention. The wealth he displayed was too conspicuous, and his Ninth Level of Qi Refinement Cultivation Level might not be enough to protect it. The problem was... he wasn't actually a Ninth Level of Qi Refinement cultivator. His Foundation Establishment Cultivation Level was his true confidence, and by the river, he had the Fathead Fish Demon, which was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Any Qi Refining Cultivator who dared to make a move would simply be courting death. He wouldn't mind if someone delivered some easy money to him, to compensate for his expenditure on Spiritual Medicines and precious materials.

Just as Jia Ren took a few steps, he stiffened, watching a familiar figure approaching from a distance.

That Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Liu? He's still alive?

Since only Bizarre Puppets had attacked the market and destroyed the Jade Cauldron Market, any prepared Foundation Establishment Cultivator who was determined to escape would definitely not have been stopped by them. It wasn't surprising that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could escape.

As they brushed past each other, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Liu didn't recognize Jia Ren, whose face had been altered by the Thousand Fantasies Face and whose aura was suppressed to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement. Liu continued towards the other end of the town.

Jia Ren glanced over casually, not lingering for long. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator's senses are sharp. Staring too much would attract his attention and could lead to unnecessary trouble.

Should he make a move on him? Attacking proactively would cause too much commotion. The Fathead Fish Demon wasn't suited for land combat, so an instant kill couldn't be guaranteed. If Liu escaped, there was a risk of Jia Ren's own exposure, which could attract the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre. He'd wait. If Liu dared to cross the river, that would be the day he died.

Jia Ren silently dispatched a Spirit Insect to follow Liu and gather intelligence.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat.

After completing everything, he headed towards the Surging River.

Two sneaky figures followed behind. "Fellow Daoist," one called out, "we're a bit short on Spirit Stones. Could you lend us some to spend?"

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