In an undersea cave.
At that moment, Ling Changqing was hidden in the deepest part of the cave. He sat on the back of a sleeping sea turtle, unhurriedly peeling the shell of a Rainbow Shadow Shrimp before popping the tender, snow-white meat into his mouth.
The fresh meat was smooth and springy with a hint of sweetness. A faint, fresh fragrance filled the air as he chewed—a true seafood delicacy.
As the shrimp meat went down his throat, the vitality of his qi and blood grew more abundant, and his depleted Spiritual Power began to recover rapidly.
'...If I don't consider the risks of working in the sea, a life like this isn't half bad.'
Ling Changqing mused to himself. These seafood delicacies, rich in Spiritual Qi and full of benefits, were not cheap at the Xianwei Pavillion.
Even wealthy Cultivators in the Late-stage Qi Cultivation couldn't afford to eat these fine foods regularly.
But here on the seabed, Ling Changqing could feast on them for free. The only trouble was finding and catching them, and he also had to be careful to avoid the deadly beasts of the sea.
However, as his Cultivation Level continued to rise, Ling Changqing felt more and more like a fish in water. It was as if the seabed was his natural home turf.
'...Should I go check out the seabed more than a hundred zhang deep? Perhaps I'll find even more rewards there?'
The thought surfaced in Ling Changqing's mind. The typical operational area for a Pearl Gatherer was usually within one hundred zhang of the surface.
Once the depth exceeded a hundred zhang, the lethality of a certain cold toxin in the seawater increased significantly. This, combined with the increasingly terrifying water pressure and the greater number of more dangerous undersea beasts, was enough to make Pearl Gatherers retreat in fear.
But Ling Changqing now possessed a Fifth Layer Qi Cultivation. With the numerous high-quality Talismans gifted to him by Tang Qiu Yao and a Top Grade Magical Artifact at his side, perhaps he could consider giving it a try.
Upon closer inspection, not counting various expenses, Ling Changqing could currently earn a profit of about one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones per day.
This income level was comparable to that of a Rank One High Grade Talisman Master or Artifact Refiner, but it still couldn't match the earnings of a Top-grade Alchemist or an Array Master.
As for other auxiliary professions like Spirit Plant Master, Pharmacist, or Beast Tamer, their income levels were far below Ling Changqing's at a comparable Cultivation level.
Of course, no Cultivator, regardless of their profession, could work without resting. Cultivation in seclusion to raise one's Cultivation was bound to take up the majority of their life.
For Ling Changqing, however, if he simply continued to work in the sea step-by-step, saved up enough resources, and then returned for a period of Cultivation in Seclusion, he wouldn't face any real bottlenecks, at least not before Foundation Establishment.
As long as he could guarantee his own safety, Ling Changqing certainly wouldn't refuse the chance to acquire more resources and increase his Cultivation better and faster.
Besides, the resources recorded on the Jade Scroll that Tang Qiu Yao had given him were all located on the seabed, more than a hundred zhang deep.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ling Changqing felt it was necessary to give it a try. If it proved too difficult, he could always retreat. If he managed to gain something, he would have something to show Tang Qiu Yao when he returned.
After finishing off several dozen Rainbow Shadow Shrimp and organizing his belongings, Ling Changqing swam unhurriedly out of the cave.
He briefly got his bearings in the water, then took out a Second-Grade Water-Repelling Talisman and a Second-Grade Body Protecting Talisman and stuck them to his chest before carefully swimming toward the deeper regions.
The surrounding seawater was not calm. Schools of fish and Sea Beasts could be seen migrating in groups from time to time. Suddenly, an aggressive beast would burst from the shadows to hunt wantonly, causing chaos in the area.
Ling Changqing paid them no mind. His gaze swept cautiously around him as he maintained a safe distance from the dangerous creatures, descending bit by bit into the Deep Sea.
As the depth of the sea gradually increased, the invisible pressure on Ling Changqing's body grew greater and greater. Even with the combined support of the Second-Grade Water-Repelling Talisman, the Water Manipulation Technique, and the Profound Truth Black Water Scripture Technique, he couldn't help but feel on edge, not daring to relax for a single moment.
Correspondingly, the water temperature was also slowly dropping. The bone-chilling cold seeped through his Water Spirit Shield and Top-Grade Magical Artifact Daoist Robe, making it almost unbearable even for Ling Changqing.
The undersea ecosystem began to change slightly. The species Ling Changqing was familiar with quietly dwindled, while the number of unfamiliar, powerful marine creatures gradually increased.
Several zhang away, the undercurrent churned as a Ghost-eyed Sea Python as thick as a barrel and covered in colorful patterns slowly swam by. Its long, narrow, ghastly white eyes and terrifying aura made the hair on Ling Changqing's neck stand on end.
If it had targeted him, even a Cultivator in the Late-stage Qi Cultivation would have had a massive headache, let alone the current Ling Changqing.
He silently stopped in his tracks and scanned his surroundings, a Second-Grade Water Escape Talisman clutched in his palm. If a danger he couldn't handle were to truly appear, he would activate it immediately.
Fortunately, the Ghost-eyed Sea Python didn't bother with Ling Changqing. It swayed its long body as it swam further and further away, disappearing behind an undersea mountain peak.
Ling Changqing breathed a small sigh of relief, reoriented himself, and continued forward.
Thanks to the strength of his Divine Soul Origin, his perception of the surrounding environment was now extremely sharp. Although he had been startled constantly, he had yet to encounter any truly fatal dangers.
'Hmm, I'm already more than one hundred and eighty zhang from the surface...'
After a silent estimation, Ling Changqing impassively continued his descent.
Even though it was his first time descending to such a depth, he still wanted to challenge his limits. He had to reach a depth of at least two hundred zhang.
A moment later, as the pressure reached a critical threshold in his mind, Ling Changqing knew he had arrived.
At this point, the surrounding seawater was still bustling with activity. Countless creatures, both named and unnamed, could be seen everywhere.
There were fields of glowing sea grass, untended yet as flat as a field of Spirit Grain. There were clusters of undersea vines resembling a forest, and there were the astonishingly large, mountain-sized Dragonhorn Manatees...
These creatures did not live in peace. Ambushes and counter-ambushes were commonplace, and brutal scenes of hunting and slaughter played out constantly on the seabed.
Ling Changqing came to a stop amidst a cluster of reefs. After a careful look around, he locked onto a suitable target without much effort.
It was an undersea cliff, no more than thirty-odd zhang high. Adhered to the rough, uneven surface of the cliff face were silver-white flowers the size of large bowls, shaped like wheels.
Ling Changqing took out the Jade Scroll to compare and identify them. He found that this was the "Silver Ganoderma Flower" that the Patriarch, Ling Qiyue, had specifically requested. It was one of the core ingredients for refining the Bone Marrow Condensing Pill, a Rank-Breaking Elixir for the Late-stage of Qi Cultivation.
Ling Changqing didn't hesitate. After repeatedly observing and sensing his surroundings to confirm that no deadly beasts were near the cliff, he aimed himself and swam over.
Once he was close, Ling Changqing drew his Top-grade Magical Artifact-level Longsword. He reached out, gently grasped a Silver Ganoderma Flower, and silently circulated his Spiritual Power. He carefully peeled it from the stone wall it was firmly attached to and quickly stuffed it into his Storage Pouch.
Next, Ling Changqing moved a short distance along the cliff face, approached a second Silver Ganoderma Flower, and repeated the process.
Not far away in the water, a Blood-winged Shark swayed its long, smooth body. As it sped past, a passing ice-mouthed short-tailed spotted fish was unable to dodge in time and was bitten in half.
The spreading scent of blood easily attracted more undersea predators, throwing the surrounding waters into chaos.
Ling Changqing paid no attention to the chaotic battle nearby, simply continuing to silently harvest the Silver Ganoderma Flowers along the cliff face.
Getting rich in silence was the guiding principle of a Way of Survival Practitioner.
In just a short while, Ling Changqing had swept the cliff clean, collecting all twenty-odd Silver Ganoderma Flowers.