Mortal Alchemy

Time is immeasurable on the sea, without spring, summer, autumn, or winter, only the rising and setting of the sun and moon.

Azurewater Island.

Here lies a Rank 1 Fire Spiritual Vein, its spiritual energy spreading, turning the surrounding tens of miles of seawater into a碧 green.

Moon棠 is thirteen years old this year. Her family has been spiritual farmers on Azurewater Island for generations.

Although she lives on a sea island, constantly exposed to the sun, her skin is not dark. Instead, it is delicate and fair.

A true beauty is a beauty from a young age, and Moon棠 is naturally a beautiful child. Her parents passed away early, leaving her to be raised by her grandfather. Although she is only thirteen, many families around have already considered buying her as a child bride.

Moon棠's grandfather only has her as family, so he doesn't want his granddaughter to marry out. He wants to find a live-in grandson-in-law in the future to continue his family line.

Early this morning, thirteen-year-old Moon棠 came to the shore to collect the fishing nets.

Her grandfather needs to save money to raise her, so he can find a live-in grandson-in-law in the future. Thirteen-year-old Moon棠 is responsible for the family's food expenses.

Moon棠 uses spiritual rice husks as bait, throwing them into the fishing nets. This way, she can catch some seafood, which will solve their daily food needs.

Moon棠 uses all her strength to pull up the fishing net, and then she gets a fright.

There's actually a person in the fishing net!

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Moon棠 runs home with her short legs, calling her grandfather out.

The white-haired grandfather is called out. The old man opens the fishing net and checks the person's breath: "He's still alive!"

"棠儿, help, bring him home!"

The old man isn't particularly kind, or else he would have been taken advantage of long ago.

The person in the fishing net has handsome features and an extraordinary aura. His clothes are woven from materials that the old man has never seen before in his life.

Judging from these two points, the grandfather decides to bring the young man home.

Grandfather tells Moon棠: "棠儿, don't tell anyone about this."

Moon棠 asks: "Why?"

Grandfather smiles, touching her little head:

"Maybe棠儿 has picked up a husband for herself. Such a handsome young man, can you find a second one on Azurewater Island?"

Moon棠's little face turns red: "Grandpa, I won't tell anyone!"

"Okay." Grandfather nods: "棠儿, stay at home. Grandpa is going to the fields."

After an unknown amount of time.

Chen Ping's consciousness finally awakens from the darkness and chaos. Pain, unprecedented pain, weakness, also unprecedented weakness.

As his consciousness awakens, he discovers that his spiritual platform and soul are almost extinguished. If it weren't for the gray and white bead protecting the last wisp of his soul, Chen Ping would have truly died.

But with his spiritual platform and soul extinguished, Chen Ping has lost the ability to mobilize spiritual power: "I can't use spiritual power for now..."

This is bad news. He doesn't know if he is completely safe and out of danger.

Chen Ping's physical body appears unharmed on the outside, but it is almost hollow inside. Not a single drop of healing blood essence remains, and his physical body is extremely weak. He probably can't even exert one percent of his physical cultivator's strength.

He slowly opens his eyes, and what comes into view is the delicate and fair Moon棠.

Moon棠 is somewhat happy and surprised:

"Handsome哥哥, you're finally awake!"

While Chen Ping surveys his surroundings, he asks: "Did you save me?"

The place he is lying is a thatched hut. The conditions can be said to be very poor. From this, he can judge the family circumstances of this delicate little girl.

Moon棠 says: "Yes, yes, that's right. Handsome哥哥, you drifted into my fishing net, and Grandpa brought you home."

Chen Ping asks: "Where is this?"

Moon棠 says: "This is Azurewater Island."

Chen Ping searches his mind for information, but there is no information about Azurewater Island. It seems to be a small island with no strength.

This makes Chen Ping breathe a sigh of relief.

This means that Chen Ping is safe for the time being.

Chen Ping barely manages to squeeze out a smile: "Thank you. What's your name?"

"Moon棠. What about you, handsome 哥哥?"

Chen Ping thinks for a moment and says: "My name is Chen Ping."

And so, Chen Ping lives in Moon棠's house. In the evening, Chen Ping also meets Moon棠's grandfather.

Chen Ping also learns more information from the grandfather. Azurewater Island is the territory of the Tao family of the Immortal Clan. Most of the people on the island are spiritual farmers. As for who the strongest person on the island is, he doesn't know.

Moon棠's grandfather is also subtly probing Chen Ping's information. Chen Ping deals with it, not planning to reveal any extra information or weaknesses.

Moon棠's grandfather understands Chen Ping's meaning and doesn't ask too much. He only says to Chen Ping:

"Since you want to stay, you need a reasonable identity. My granddaughter Moon棠 is still missing a live-in son-in-law."

Chen Ping glances at the thirteen-year-old, delicate and fair Moon棠.

"..." He falls into silence, but since he is living under someone else's roof, he has to follow local customs. He agrees:

"Okay, I agree."

Moon棠's grandfather says: "Then you need to take off this set of clothes first. We spiritual farmers are so poor that we can only have someone like you as a live-in son-in-law. How can we afford to wear such good clothes?"

Chen Ping smiles and says: "Grandpa is right."

Chen Ping changes into patched coarse linen clothes, which the grandfather wore when he was young.

Not only that, Chen Ping also has to do hard labor and bask in the sun, so that his skin and appearance resemble a farmer.

This way, he won't be suspected.

And so, Chen Ping becomes the Moon family's live-in grandson-in-law and lives on Azurewater Island.

After Moon棠's grandfather arranges things, he starts taking Chen Ping out to do farm work and familiarize himself with the environment of Azurewater Island.

Chen Ping is seriously injured. After three months, there is no sign of recovery in his physical body or spiritual platform.

Misfortunes never come singly. News comes from Azurewater Island that a Qi Refining cultivator has begun to search for someone in a big way.

This makes Chen Ping's heart tighten: "Is this on the territory of the Immortal Merchant Alliance?"

"I must find a way to heal my injuries and restore my cultivation as soon as possible."

Moon棠's grandfather seems to have noticed this, but he doesn't point it out.

Chen Ping doesn't underestimate the wisdom of mortals. Moon棠's grandfather has never done anything big in his life, and he has never even left Azurewater Island, but he is wise and experienced, helping Chen Ping to hide from the cultivator's search.

This matter can be considered to have been overcome without any real danger.

In the following time, Chen Ping visits Azurewater Island. There are no spiritual medicines on this island that can help him heal his injuries, which makes Chen Ping somewhat disappointed and anxious.

But the good news is that the Tao family of the Immortal Clan is on the territory of the Immortal Merchant Alliance, and the Immortal Merchant Alliance must have ships going to the Shattered Star Bazaar.

After thinking for a while, Chen Ping still asks Moon棠's grandfather to confirm this:

"That's right."

"Every four years, a large treasure ship will arrive at Azurewater Island to take away the spiritual rice that has been grown."

"Only members of the Tao family of the Immortal Clan can board that ship."

Chen Ping breathes a sigh of relief, and a gleam flashes in his eyes:

"It seems that I have to find a way to become a member of the Tao family of the Immortal Clan..."