Chapter 13: Breakthrough, Battle with the Ironclaw Eagle
Song Changsheng settled down peacefully on the island at the heart of the lake. The thatched cottage was well-equipped and required no additional arrangements from him.
Only a small patch of spiritual farmland to the left of the hut remained barren, which he found a pity. Fortunately, he had brought along some seeds of spiritual flowers and herbs, which he could now plant. In time, they might provide a small but steady stream of income.
While stationed here, the clan allocated him twenty catties of spirit rice each month. Including the fifteen catties due to him as a minor, that totaled thirty-five catties, a generous amount that meant he had no need to grow his own spirit rice. Spiritual flowers and herbs, with their higher value, were a better choice.
He reclaimed the field, sowed the seeds, irrigated them with lake water, and buried three spirit stones at the center of the plot thus completing the setup.
The plants he chose were of the short-cycle variety and could be harvested once a year. When the time came, he could offer them to the clan in exchange for a decent profit.
After completing this work, Song Changsheng took to his small boat and began counting the spirit fish, which were the mainstay of his responsibilities and could not be treated lightly.
"There are three schools of fish in total, with three hundred and twenty spirit fish altogether. Of those, a hundred and twenty are already mature enough for collection. The annual requirement is only two hundred, this task really isn't much of a challenge."
After making the rounds, Song Changsheng had engraved the essential details of each school into his memory. Based on his calculations, by year’s end, at least two hundred and thirty fish would meet the criteria.
Even after handing over the required quota and accounting for losses, there would still be a surplus and that surplus would belong solely to him. He could do with them as he pleased.
This was something of a hidden perk. He could trade them for contribution points, eat them, or sell them, it was all permitted.
A century ago, things had been different. Back then, all spirit fish belonged to the clan, and any private use was severely punished.
This changed only when the previous clan leader, Song Yunhan, took over following the passing of the clan’s last Purple Mansion cultivator, Song Yun’gui.
Song Yunhan assumed leadership during a time of crisis. She pursued diplomacy and marriage alliances externally, and opened a trade route through Falling Sunset City that became the clan’s new financial backbone.
Internally, she carried out sweeping reforms. Under her guidance, the clan’s rules became clearer and stricter, fully embracing a meritocratic system where the capable rose and the incompetent fell.
Resource allocation was based entirely on aptitude and ability, regardless of whether one was the son of the clan head or the grandchild of the elderly, all were treated equally.
This caused an uproar at the time, but Song Yunhan somehow persuaded the Council of Elders, and the reforms took root and lasted to this day.
One of her core policies was the strict separation of public and private property.
Clan members’ personal belongings were inviolable. Anything acquired outside of the clan belonged solely to the individual cultivator. If they wished to hand it over to the clan, it had to be exchanged for contribution points at market value. If not, no one could forcibly take it, violators would be severely punished.
Furthermore, in tasks like farming and breeding, any surplus belonged to the individual. Conversely, any shortages were the individual’s responsibility to compensate.
These policies quickly gained widespread approval among clan cultivators. Everyone became more meticulous and dedicated in their duties, and efficiency soared.
Thanks to her bold reforms, the clan weathered its most difficult era and began to rise anew.
Alas, that momentum was shattered in a single night during the war with the Lieyang Sect.
Even so, the foundation for resurgence had already been laid, it was only a matter of time before the clan would rise again.
That’s why Song Changsheng was especially attentive to the spirit fish, they directly affected his own interests.
Life on the island was peaceful and fulfilling. His cultivation progressed rapidly. In under two months, he had broken through to the eighth layer of Qi Refinement, barely a year since his previous breakthrough.
This was closely tied to his use of Earth Milk Spiritual Liquid, but reaching such a level at the age of seventeen was already quite remarkable.
At dawn, Song Changsheng sat cross-legged beneath the green plum tree, absorbing the essence of the morning sun. He then went through his daily array practice.
Perhaps it was the experience of using the array in actual combat, but his progress in the Dao of Formations had also advanced swiftly. He now stood at the threshold of crafting top-grade first-rank arrays.
“Whew... Setting up a superior-grade first-rank array is now second nature. Looks like it’s time I attempted a top-grade one,” Song Changsheng said with satisfaction as he waved his hand to collect the formation flags.
As he rose, he noticed that the green plums on the tree had ripened. The fruit, like little emeralds nestled among the thick leaves, was very enticing.
With a flick of his sleeve, he picked a small handful and chuckled, “After months of cultivation, I can finally enjoy these green plums.”
He plucked one and popped it into his mouth. A sweet and sour flavor burst across his tongue, tinged with faint spiritual energy that refreshed his palate and made him crave more.
“Mmm... the spiritual energy may be faint, but the taste is excellent. What a treat.” With a broad smile, he quickly polished off the entire handful.
Licking his lips with lingering desire, Song Changsheng finally restrained his greedy hands and walked to the lakeshore.
The “Water” character lit up on his left palm. With a gentle wave, he summoned a large sphere of water, then flicked his finger. The orb shot toward the spiritual field and just before impact, burst into dozens of smaller water droplets, precisely irrigating every sprouting plant.
Though this seemed simple, such precise control over water was nearly impossible for Qi Refinement cultivators. Normally, only those at the Foundation Establishment stage could manage such finesse.
But thanks to his continual cultivation of Water-Fire Commanding Technique, Song Changsheng’s mastery over water and fire had already reached a level that rivaled Foundation Establishment.
Just then, a sharp eagle cry pierced the air.
Song Changsheng looked up to see a steely-blue eagle diving at breakneck speed from the sky, its claws gleaming like cold steel in the sunlight, a terrifying sight.
“You beast, it’s you again!” Song Changsheng roared in fury. Since his third day on the island, this Ironclaw Eagle had been appearing intermittently.
Caught unprepared in the beginning, he had lost three spirit fish to the eagle’s talons, it was an agonizing loss.
After that, he stayed alert day and night until he finally caught it in the act.
The Ironclaw Eagle, with a cultivation at the peak of first-rank, equivalent to the peak of Qi Refinement was formidable, especially with its flight advantage.
Although Song Changsheng had injured it using his magic tools, it escaped with its swift flight, leaving him powerless to pursue.
He hadn’t seen it in some time and had assumed it had fled to recover. Who would have thought the beast would still harbor such thieving intent and dare to return?
“This time, I’ve grown stronger. Since you’ve come, you’re not leaving alive!”
With a shake of his left hand, two water dragons erupted from the lake, coiling toward the Ironclaw Eagle.
The eagle was indeed powerful. With a flap of its wings, it evaded the attack and retaliated by unleashing several wind blades, shattering the water dragons.
It let out a mocking screech.
But in the next instant, a gourd glowing with red and blue light appeared behind it, releasing a surge of scorching flames. Caught off guard, the eagle was engulfed.
Its once-proud feathers ignited, and its body was seared by the flames. It let out a series of anguished cries and fled in a wobbly arc.
It barely made it past the edge of Mirror Lake before plummeting from the sky like a falling leaf...
(Chapter End)