Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit
Chapter 121 - 98: Having food in hand, no panic in mind!

Chapter 121: Chapter 98: Having food in hand, no panic in mind!

Chen Jichuan looked at the three newly recruited subordinates, and couldn’t help but smile to himself.

He had obtained a magical treasure.

And recruited three spirit monsters comparable to Eighth-Grade Innates.

How could he not be pleased?

After a long while.

Chen Jichuan finally recalled his earlier worries. His gaze swept over the three in front of him, and a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He asked aloud, "The three of you achieved enlightenment within Lishui. Are you able to command aquatic creatures?"

He was vexed by his inability to manage the Water Mansion. If the Gui Prime Minister and others could command the fish, shrimp, crabs, and other creatures of the water, they could help him relocate the Water Mansion to a hidden location.

"No problem."

"Lord, just give the orders."

The Crab General and Shrimp General responded without hesitation, patting their chests confidently.

The Gui Prime Minister, on the other hand, remained more reserved and simply said, "Our clan has ten or so strong old turtles and over a hundred smaller turtles who can serve the Lord."

Chen Jichuan was overjoyed—

"Good!"

"Then I’ll trouble you three to mobilize, and await my commands."

...

The moon rose to the heavens.

East ascended, west descended.

The sky gradually brightened—another new day had arrived.

On this day.

In the Water Mansion’s Secret Realm, the fishermen who caught fish and searched for bivalve pearls had all been reassigned. The Martial Alliance personnel who were stationed there also retreated.

The secret realm was emptied.

A hundred miles of water domain, ten miles of swamp.

This was the former territory of the Lishui Gang within the Water Mansion’s Secret Realm.

Come summertime, the vast waves shimmered endlessly, clouds steamed and rosy hues emerged, willow trees surrounded, fish jumped, and birds sang. And by wintertime, the icy surface mirrored like glass, reflecting the heavens, resembling a fairyland bustling with activity.

The lake’s water was crystal clear, reflecting the shadows of people, its rippling surface exuding an unmatched spiritual beauty.

Once the secret realm was cleared of visiting fishermen, it became even more serene and otherworldly.

Throughout the entire day, all fishermen were evacuated, and the stationed troops withdrawn. Only the original entrance on the Su River remained, guarded by two hundred water troops dispatched by the Martial Alliance.

Day turned to night.

From the mighty Lishui River, countless fish, shrimp, and crabs formed groups, continuously bumping against the colossal structure ahead. Out front, seventeen old turtles, one hundred and fourteen smaller turtles, and ten or so massive fish, each harnessed with ropes, swam with determined effort, towing the Water Mansion’s palace.

With the aid of the water’s current, the speed was quite decent.

They followed the flow downstream.

When they reached the Su River Mouth, the Gui Prime Minister led the old turtles, smaller turtles, and large fish, leisurely redirecting the palace into the Su River.

Behind them, the Crab General and the Shrimp General maintained formation, driving tens of thousands of fish, shrimp, and crabs to strike the Water Mansion palace and alter its course.

The transportation operation was grand in scale.

Countless fish and shrimp splashed, stirring waves and creating clatter. Fortunately, it was late at night, and no one noticed.

After entering about ten miles into the Su River’s section, the old turtles and smaller turtles ahead suddenly disappeared. Shortly after, the massive palace vanished as well.

The Crab General and Shrimp General, upon seeing this, swung their claws, raising water waves and subduing the fish, shrimp, and crabs, dispersing them.

Some turned back.

Others took detours.

Only a very small number disappeared behind the Crab General and Shrimp General.

...

Inside the Water Mansion’s Secret Realm.

A palace stood in the middle of the lake, with iron chains anchoring it to the lakebed to keep it stationary.

Within the palace.

The Gui Prime Minister, Crab General, and Shrimp General were stationed on either side, awaiting someone at the chief seat.

After a brief wait.

Chen Jichuan strode in from outside, followed closely by Fang Dong, Tan Zhang, and Liu Baohua. Each carried weapons and waterproof wooden chests.

Soaked to the skin.

Looking at the bizarrely humanoid forms of the Gui Prime Minister and others in the hall, their eyes revealed curiosity.

They were the earliest members of White Jade City.

With the establishment of the Martial Alliance, their former roles as undercover agents were now in the past. They had transformed, becoming officials and commanders of the Martial Alliance like Sheng Dayang.

Among them, Fang Dong and Tan Zhang were ostensibly officers in the Judicial Ministry, but in reality, they were spies under the former Martial Alliance Guest Elder ’Yang Xiu,’ tasked with monitoring and gathering intelligence on Martial Alliance personnel.

Similar to the duties of the Ming dynasty’s Embroidered Uniform Guard, they were responsible for overseeing officials.

This time, they had received orders from the newly appointed Shangguan Chen Lin. Upon completing the handover of duties, they arrived at the Water Mansion’s Secret Realm and entered this palace.

As for Liu Baohua.

Originally a military man, he returned to his roots and quickly adapted. With the expansion of the Three Mountains Army, he rose to the position of governor for a regiment alongside Sheng Dayang.

With his unmatched archery skills, he was a strong candidate to be one of the army’s four commanders.

This time, he was brought along by Chen Jichuan.

"Lord."

"Lord."

The Gui Prime Minister and the other two greeted Chen Jichuan respectfully.

"Hmm."

Chen Jichuan nodded slightly and took the chief seat.

After briefly introducing the three humans and three spirit monsters to one another, Chen Jichuan turned to Tan Zhang and said, "You once were a scholar. The chest contains the Four Books and Five Classics, works of various philosophers, and texts from the Three Religions and Nine Schools. In the coming days, stay here in the Water Mansion and teach them to read and write, and understand principles."

"Yes."

Tan Zhang looked hesitant, stealing glances at the three strange figures nearby, but nervously agreed.

Chen Jichuan then looked at Fang Dong: "You’re well-read in scripture. The chest contains Daoist texts. In the future, you may study these scriptures together with the Gui Prime Minister and contemplate their wisdom."

"Yes."

Fang Dong replied promptly.

Finally, Chen Jichuan turned to Liu Baohua: "You’re skilled in military affairs. The chest contains military writings and strategies. Feel free to peruse them. Also, teach the two of them basic tactics and knowledge on military formation, especially how to fight underwater and arrange troops."

"Understood!"

Liu Baohua responded sternly.

Seeing this, Chen Jichuan nodded in approval.

The Water Mansion was his fallback.

If matters became unmanageable on land, he would retreat into the Water Mansion; its development must not be neglected.

He had summoned the three men not only to teach and mentor the Gui Prime Minister and others but also to expedite the construction of the Water Mansion’s administrative and military framework.

Chen Jichuan turned his gaze to the Shrimp and Crab Generals and said loudly, "Starting today, both generals will traverse various water domains, looking to recruit aquatic spirit monsters. From the ordinary shrimp and crabs lacking spiritual wisdom, select the strong and capable ones. Some can be assigned to harvest bivalve pearls in the Water Mansion, while the rest can patrol across the Secret Realm to locate other entrances to the Water Mansion."

The vast Lishui River with its countless tributaries couldn’t possibly have only three spirit monsters like the Gui Prime Minister.

While the Lishui Water Mansion remained the dominant presence underwater, it was critical to quickly recruit all spirit monsters to establish its position as the undisputed water dominion, ensuring that latecomers would find it nearly impossible to challenge its power.

Additionally.

The Secret Realm served as a base of operations. Apart from the original entrance, and today’s newly discovered underwater entrance in the Su River, all unknown entrances must be located and secured.

Losing bivalve pearls would be a minor issue compared to having the base unknowingly compromised. That would be catastrophic.

With successive orders.

The Water Mansion’s system was now taking initial shape.

Countless shrimp and crabs inhabited the water. Even if they lacked intelligence and were clumsy, their overwhelming numbers meant that the search for bivalve pearls could proceed just as efficiently as before.

Among them, the strong would be selected and trained into an army, forming a considerable force.

The first steps were always the hardest.

The Water Mansion was currently still a rudimentary setup, lacking manpower and resources. But with dedicated management, the future held immense potential—

"Underwater resources are no less abundant than those on land!"

Chen Jichuan felt a surge of anticipation.

...

Time passed.

Changes in the water and on land continued to unfold.

In the 408th year of the founding of Great Chu, Xuande 14th Year, February.

Withered trees found new life, burgeoning growth surged across the land.

Giant trees towered, vegetation flourished. Wildlife reproduced rapidly—tigers roared in the forests, bears rested in caves, deer sang in the green valleys, otters frolicked along streams, wild boars roamed in herds, and solitary animals moved in pairs...

In just one month, the human world had been transformed.

...

"Since February, within just one month, the roads painstakingly cleared before have been overtaken by rampant tree growth and covered with brambles, making it difficult for districts to maintain effective contact and slowing the dissemination of government orders. Moreover, the rampant growth of grass and trees is invading farmland, making it nearly impossible to eradicate. If this continues, it’ll be a major problem when spring planting begins."

"Not just that—the dense vegetation is fostering the rapid reproduction of snakes, insects, rats, and ants in the forests, causing signs of infestation. Predators like tigers and leopards are also frequently emerging to wreak havoc; so far, more than ten civilians have died from these beast attacks."

Within the Yangshuo County Government, Wang Quan reported the situation from February with a serious expression to Chen Jichuan.

Vegetation and trees were encroaching on roads and farmland, harming livelihoods. Forest pests and predators were proliferating, posing severe threats to the safety and property of the populace.

The Three Mountains Army was mobilized to provide relief, but given the vast expanse of Shi’an County and its ten districts, their efforts amounted to a drop in the ocean.

However, there was also good news.

When facing this sudden upheaval, all parties were occupied with managing their own issues, facing various troubles.

Biqing Cliff, for instance, occupying territory across two counties, faced even graver challenges than the Martial Alliance, leaving them no capacity to instigate a war.

This allowed the Martial Alliance to focus on internal affairs with peace of mind.

And the rampant vegetation growth was not entirely a bad thing. For example, in Hidden Peach Valley, Chen Shaohu led his Drug Department of over ten people in cultivating medicinal herbs. Those plants, which normally took one to two years to mature, had started fully growing in two or three days over the last month. At one point, seeds sown would fully mature overnight.

Taking advantage of this phenomenon, Chen Shaohu applied for more manpower. With wave after wave of medicinal herbs planted and harvested, the Martial Alliance’s stockpile of medicinal supplies grew seven to eight times in only one month.

It was a major windfall.

It wasn’t just medicinal herbs.

Hidden Peach Valley mainly grew food and vegetables, and over the past month, these crops also yielded substantial profits. Rice sprouted, grew, and matured at a breathtaking pace.

The Martial Alliance dispatched group after group of manpower to tirelessly weed and harvest rice.

Within one month, 34 harvests of grains were collected.

The grain yield of Hidden Peach Valley had always been high; a single harvest could sustain the yearly consumption of three to four districts. This sudden 30-plus harvests meant the Martial Alliance could feed itself for seven to eight years.

For the short term, there were no concerns about food security.

This abundant supply of food was one of the key reasons why the Martial Alliance remained committed and resilient amidst the chaos.

Overall, the current changes remained within manageable levels.

They demanded vigilance.

But there was no need for excessive panic.

The old saying held true: holding grain in one’s hand brings peace of mind.

Just seeing the carts of food being transported out from Hidden Peach Valley gave everyone in the Martial Alliance a sense of stability.

...