Chapter 201: Chapter 163: 2 Dowry Items, Fortunate to Have Met You

A light boat crossed the River of Forgetfulness, traveling upstream.

This nearly dry creek trickled with murky yin energy, emanating a deep, gloomy cold. Yet, it was enough to propel the small skiff, carrying its two passengers slowly forward.

About two hours later, the River of Forgetfulness widened and its currents grew more turbulent. Poisonous insects swam beneath the surface while resentful souls drifted above.

Vast clouds of mist condensed into flakes of frost that fluttered down, looking just like falling snow.

Jiang Yi activated the Bright Flame Mirror, enveloping the entire skiff. It wasn’t for protection, but simply to drive away the damp, encroaching chill.

’Hmph, hmph. Xiao Jiang is as thoughtful as ever. He even knows how to look after this True Master.’

True Master Xuanmiao, curled on his chest, was instantly enveloped in a cozy warmth, all her discomfort vanishing.

The girl in green smiled faintly, the expression barely noticeable.

It was just like Young Master Jiang to have such a gentle nature, showing his concern in quiet ways. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

One ghost and one cat were both very satisfied.

Jiang Yi, however, was thinking:

’The sky is so overcast, and it’s getting foggy again. It’s pitch-black out here. A man and a woman, all alone... I’d hate for Her Ladyship to get the wrong idea. It’s best if things are a bit brighter.’

After chattering away for a while, Lord Qiao had finally fallen silent and was now concentrating on her fishing.

Her little face was solemn as she took a wisp of Primordial Spirit from her sleeve and gently attached it to the fishhook.

Jiang Yi watched with great interest, thinking to himself:

’When Xiaoqiao isn’t talking, she’s actually quite poised and elegant.’

He watched Xiaoqiao finish attaching the "bait" and cast her line far out before looking away.

The wisp of Primordial Spirit, which had come from a woman in a gauze skirt, was enveloped in a ball of black light to prevent the waters of the River of Forgetfulness from completely dissolving it.

’A perfect time to take stock of my gains.’

Jiang Yi didn’t pry into what kind of "fish" Xiaoqiao was trying to catch, nor did he ask what she planned to do with them.

Between a man and a woman, if either one becomes too curious, it’s easy for things to get complicated.

Storytellers’ tales often assume that Cultivators should sever all emotions and desires, living detached from the mortal world.

But that wasn’t the case at all. Especially after the Flying Foundation Establishment Realm, one had to cultivate their Life Essence, increase their Merit, and foster the good fortune of five lifetimes.

Aside from facing the Three Calamities, the most difficult hurdle many a True Master faced was the "karmic bonds of past lives."

Former partners, dear friends, masters, and disciples—all manner of karmic ties would surge forth. Throughout history, countless budding geniuses of the Dao had been ensnared and destroyed by them.

The reason that True Monarch [Shao Yang] was widely regarded as the first in Dao Wisdom in ten thousand years was precisely because he had achieved Foundation Establishment across five separate lifetimes. Each time, he was able to sever all his worldly ties and smoothly enter the Dao, a natural-born, unfeeling Demon Path True Monarch.

As his thoughts drifted, Jiang Yi took out the Sleeve Pouch that Kang Lanyun had "voluntarily" gifted him. It looked much newer than the one from Sect Leader Liu Huan, and its contents were far richer. There were powerful pills and Treasure Medicines, technique manuals, and even daily items like a flying bed, a soft couch, an embroidered canopy, and Daoist Robes.

One look was all it took to know this was someone from the Direct Lineage of a Major Sect.

’He cultivated a Kui Water, sixth-grade Technique. That’s a notch higher than the Sect Leader’s Cloud Formation Rain True Spirit Technique.’

Jiang Yi clicked his tongue. On the surface, there didn’t seem to be much of a difference between the Inner Sect and a Branch Sect, but in reality, the gap was as wide as a chasm.

The former’s Sect Leader possessed a Cultivation Technique inferior to that of the latter’s Direct Lineage. This single detail spoke volumes about their respective foundations.

He studied it for a moment, and finding he could understand it, he recorded it in the Celestial Book.

Once he reached the Twelfth Level of Cultivation and achieved Perfection in the Fire Element, he would still need to seek out the other four elements.

It was never a bad thing to have a few more "reference materials" on hand. It would allow the Celestial Book to achieve a more comprehensive understanding and perform a more thorough analysis.

’Huh? There are several portions of Ji Earth Essence Qi?’

Jiang Yi set aside the various pills and Treasure Medicines that were of average grade and ordinary quality.

After reaching the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer and opening the Primordial Inner Mansion, a Cultivator’s need for "external medicines" lessens. They begin to place more importance on the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism for consolidating and nourishing their Cultivation Furnace.

As the saying goes, "Good pills are easy to come by, but a single breath of pure energy is not."

These portions of Ji Earth Essence Qi had come at the perfect time!

’Ji Earth Essence Qi is rare enough on its own, let alone a batch this pure. With this, I can build a solid foundation for the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer.’

Jiang Yi was deeply satisfied. He suddenly felt that being a "Fate Shuzi" wasn’t so bad after all.

If his destiny and Luck weren’t on a steady rise, how could such Cultivation resources be delivered right to his doorstep?

No wonder Xuan Chanzi’s Cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.

Other people would spend decades accumulating wealth and resources, only to be tainted by Tribulation Qi, lose their minds, and in an instant, hand over all their hard-earned gains to him.

’If it weren’t for the [Yang Qi Taiyin Heaven] suppressing it, the moment my perfect [Saint King] destiny was revealed, forget the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer—even Foundation Establishment True Masters would be ’lured’ over, wanting a piece of the pie.’

Jiang Yi opened a bottle of Yellow Bud Pills. He first let True Master Xuanmiao have a sniff to confirm they weren’t mixed with any blood qi before feeding one to the cat.

He then took one for himself to replenish the energy he had expended during the earlier Magical Combat.

’If that Kang fellow had delivered this sooner, I could have saved a few bottles for Grandpa and helped him attempt a breakthrough to the Eighth Layer.’

He dismissed his stray thoughts and closed the Sleeve Pouch. He finally had a proper storage item.

Then, Jiang Yi lowered his gaze to Xiaoqiao, who was sitting in the center of the skiff, completely absorbed in her fishing.

In the fish basket beside her, three or four resentful souls of various shapes were already being held captive.

"A decent catch," Jiang Yi said with a gentle smile.

Just as he was thinking this, Xiaoqiao raised her fishing rod and pulled another resentful soul from the River of Forgetfulness—this one with three heads, roaring incessantly. With a flick of her wrist, the soul sailed through the air in an arc and landed securely in her basket.

She turned to Jiang Yi and said with a smile:

"The way you were just smiling, Young Master Jiang, looked exactly like I did back when I used to fill my fish basket."

In the fish basket beside her, three or four resentful souls of various shapes were already being held captive.

"You looked so happy just now, Young Master Jiang, just like me the first time I went fishing and filled my whole basket."