Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 326 - 326 325 Harvest Season

326: Chapter 325: Harvest Season 326: Chapter 325: Harvest Season This time, being ambushed did not bother Hou Niao; instead, he felt reassured by the assassin’s arrival, which affirmed his judgment that someone did not want to let him go.

Quite good, such a cultivation journey was indeed meaningful.

In this world of cultivation, he had come to understand some truths: unless one was utterly inactive, it was impossible not to make enemies; do not fear, nor hide, just strike them down.

There was no need to let worry affect his mood.

For this reason, he had removed the Thousand-Mile Earth Map from Crab Claw Island, becoming more relaxed.

As for the Five Elements Escape, he would continue to practice it.

He would not give up his choice just because he had suffered a setback.

From a broader perspective, it was also a part of the Five Elements Cultivation Technique.

Cultivation could never avoid the obstacle of the Five Elements.

…In mid-April, the shell field opened for harvesting.

The ocean was full of shellfish, like insects on land, countless.

If not considering the factor of food, the vast majority of shellfish were meaningless to human cultivators.

Yet, a few types of shellfish were different; they could produce Spiritual Pearls within their bodies, similar to pearls.

For example, in the bodies of limited shell types like the Night Light Shell, Hundred Eyes Snail, Tiger Spot Shell, and Chicken Heart Clam, a substance similar to Spirit Stones found in terrestrial Spirit Veins was produced.

These were of great value, of top quality, and without distinctions like top, middle, lower, or finest grade—the Spiritual Pearls produced by these Spiritual Shells were of Top Grade Spirit Stone quality.

Thus, in the oceans, the Spiritual Shell Field equated to a Spirit Vein on the continent shelf, extremely precious.

Ordinary shellfish, when a few of them had sand mixed into their flesh, would continuously secrete fluids to cover it, thus forming pearls.

The formation of Spiritual Pearls was probably based on the same principle.

When sand imbued with Spiritual Power mixed into the flesh of the shellfish, these Spiritual Shells would continuously secrete Spiritual Liquid to encase it and alleviated the pain, thus forming Spiritual Pearls.

Of course, while there were countless marine shellfish, those classified as Spiritual Shells were very few, merely a dozen or so types, scattered across the vast ocean, mostly in places that were not accessible to humans.

Fifty li southwest of Crab Claw Island, there was such a shell field suitable for the habitat of Night Light Shells, which was why cultivators were stationed on Crab Claw Island; yet, Hou Niao seldom visited this place, as these things could not be harvested out of season, literally a leisurely task.

Not far from the shell field, dozens of fishing boats of different sizes had already stopped.

They would arrive a few days before the harvest season and work hard for a month.

The earnings would be enough for an ordinary person’s yearly living, somewhat tiring, but nothing compared to the harvest.

Seeing Hou Niao fly over, two cultivators approached above the fleet of ships.

A white-faced Tongxuan Cultivator greeted from afar, “Lu Shilun from Lihai Jiedu Mansion, assigned to supervise this shell harvesting.”

Another round-faced, chubby man with a big smile said, “Zeng Ji from the Mirage Nearby Sea Ship Fleet, I hope for your generous guidance, Brother Hou.”

Such shell harvesting belonged to all the Southwest nations collectively.

According to the strength of powers, the size of the nations, there was a division of shares.

It did not belong to any one family, sect, or country.

The harvesting affairs were defined by three parties.

When the appropriate season arrived, the cultivators from the Jiedu Mansion, the heads of the merchant fleets, and the stationed cultivators convened to allow the nets for catching.

Listening seemed a bit scarce, but in fact, since the discovery of this shell field, it was generally known how many spiritual pearls it could produce each year over the centuries.

It wouldn’t exceed the expected range by much, so it also couldn’t be hidden from others.

Places like this shell field, fishery, and mine, among other resource locations, were quite plentiful in the Lizhi Sea, so although there were numerous cultivators here, overall, there were not enough hands; in the vast sea, once people dispersed, how many could fill it?

As for those minor mines and small resource sites, they were ownerless and up for grabs by anyone capable.

In the Lizhi Sea, every cultivator, including island masters, pirates, sea foragers, loose cultivators, and others would pay attention to the sea surface below when flying.

If they encountered such a place, it would be their fortune.

Hou Niao’s current situation didn’t allow him time to specifically search the ocean.

Honestly, he lacked both the power and the insight; if you hadn’t immersed yourself in the ocean for a decade or decades, it was very difficult to discern what treasures were hidden beneath the sea.

Which were resources?

Which were just flashy appearances?

Which could one secure?

Which were guarded by the Sea Clan?

But not all ocean treasures were waiting to be picked up.

The three of them exchanged seals to confirm their identities, and Zeng Ji then asked, “So, shall we kick off the harvesting?”

Lu Shilun gestured broadly with his hand, “Indeed.”

Hou Niao simply stated, “Yes.”

Zeng Ji let out a long howl; its sound could shatter stone and cleave metal.

The well-prepared fleet immediately hoisted the Black Flags, raised their anchors, and headed towards the already designated waters.

This Night Light Shell field extended nearly a hundred li in length, was dozens of li wide, and the water was twenty fathoms deep, just right for the growth of Night Light Shells; harvesting typically occurred at night, because only under the moonlight could the seabed’s Night Light Shells clearly appear before people’s eyes.

Night Light Shells, true to their name, would reflect a dazzling milky light when exposed to light at night; if the moonlight was dim, artificial lighting could achieve the same effect.

These little things naturally had the capability to absorb Spiritual Power; there were spirit veins deep in the ocean too, where spiritual power flowed everywhere with the seawater, diluted to a very thin state, hardly different from ordinary seawater.

But these types of shells had the instinct to derive Spiritual Power from such diluted waters and then embed it in the sand markings within their bodies.

Each year, from mid-April to mid-May, Night Light Shells would open their shells and release pearls under the moonlight, the only time when spiritual pearls could be harvested.

After this period, prying the shells open would destroy the pearls, yielding nothing.

The creator’s marvels were indeed astounding.

Dozens of fishing boats each had their assigned spots, which they could not overstep.

As for whether the spots were advantageous, securing a favorable sea area was a skill of each boat’s captain, entirely arranged under Zeng Ji’s supervision.

Come nightfall, the sky gradually darkened, the moon rose, and beneath this expanse of the sea, there seemed to be scales of light flowing— the location of the Night Light Shells.

The deep-diving drag nets were launched, weighted down with heavy objects, plowing through the seabed, then lifting up nets full of Night Light Shells; among these shells, one in a hundred might contain a spiritual pearl.

Experienced fishermen could simply hold them and distinguish easily without needing to pry open the shells and potentially harm them.

Night Light Shells containing spiritual pearls would, of course, die after the pearls were extracted, but the vast majority of ordinary Night Light Shells would be released back into the sea from the stern of the boat; this was a necessary rule, otherwise, if some took pearls and others ate the flesh, there might be plenty this year, but nothing the next.

The growth rate of these little creatures was exceedingly slow.

Once harvesting began, these three principal cultivators were no longer free to leave; they must remain within the fleet at all times, one patrolling the skies, the two others on standby on the boats, until the end of the harvesting a month later.