Gou Zai Qingluo Cave Heaven Cultivation

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the stone bridge, casting long shadows of the two people.

"See you tomorrow, Bao-ge!"

Zhou Changping waved his chubby hand and said goodbye to Zhou Baoqing.

"See you tomorrow," Zhou Baoqing waved goodbye.

"Roast chicken and duck paired with aged wine, I'd rather not be an immortal! Clang, clang..."

Humming a tuneless little tune, Zhou Changping had just stepped into the courtyard when he noticed that the atmosphere at home was strange. Even the servants sweeping the yard were keeping their distance, and there was a sense of "being on high alert."

His heart tightened, and he inexplicably had a feeling that a great disaster was about to befall him.

"stop!"

Just as he was about to sneak away, he heard a sharp shout and saw a slightly plump man in a brocade robe walking quickly towards him, his face dark and his eyes fixed on him.

This is Zhou Changping's father, Zhou Yandong.

"father!"

Zhou Changping instantly felt like a chick seeing an eagle, his legs going weak.

He's usually a blabbermouth, always talking about his dad behind his back, but when he actually sees his dad, he immediately wiltes like a frostbitten eggplant.

"I've been away from home for a few days and you've caused all this trouble!" Zhou Yandong shouted angrily.

Zhou Changping recalled his recent actions. He had been unusually well-behaved these past few days. Not only had he not skipped classes, but he had also been tutored by Zhou Baoqing, and his test scores had even improved.

She immediately felt extremely wronged: "Dad, I've been very well-behaved lately, I haven't caused any trouble!"

"Didn't cause any trouble?" Zhou Yandong sneered. "Then why did my 'Ink Jade Orchid' in my study wither and die?"

He was in charge of the Qinglinfang fish market and was always very busy, rarely home. When he returned this time, he found that his beloved and precious flowers and plants had died!

Ordinary servants were not allowed to enter that study, but this brat, oblivious to the danger, often went in and rummaged through drawers and cabinets!

broken!

After thinking about it carefully, Zhou Changping broke out in a cold sweat.

To catch fish for Brother Bao, he took the vase in the study that was decorated with a painting of peonies and beauties and used it as a fish basket.

When I came back, I put the orchid back in the vase, but it seems, perhaps... I forgot to pour water into the vase!

"It's just an orchid, why are you so harsh on Ping'er?"

A richly dressed lady hurried over, shielding Zhou Changping behind her with a look of heartache on her face.

"Hmph! A doting mother spoils her son. Today I'm going to use family discipline to teach this unfilial son a lesson!" Zhou Yandong said angrily, blowing his beard and glaring.

Seeing that his father was really going to get serious, Zhou Changping quickly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Dad, I passed the test this time!"

"Really?" Zhou Yandong's raised hand suddenly stopped, his face full of suspicion.

You should know that his own son is a notorious academic failure who gets a headache just looking at books. How could he have gotten such good grades?

Seeing that his father didn't believe him, Zhou Changping quickly rummaged through his book box and took out the exam paper, handing it over to him.

Zhou Yandong took it and saw that it was Confucius's annotation in vermilion ink, which was even "above average"!

He was overjoyed but also incredulous, asking, "How did you suddenly become so insightful?"

Zhou Changping proudly recounted how Zhou Baoqing had tutored him.

He naturally embellished the story, saying that "before, I didn't want to learn and just did it half-heartedly. But if I wanted to learn, I could easily master it with a little effort."

Before Zhou Yandong could speak, his mother frowned in confusion: "You said that good-for-nothing Zhou Baoqing is tutoring you? He can't even hand in his homework, how could he possibly teach you? Ping'er, don't tell me you've been led astray by him and are just making up an excuse to lie to your father!"

In Zhou's mother's eyes, Zhou Baoqing was a troublemaker, and she didn't believe Zhou Changping's words at all.

Seeing that his mother didn't believe him, Zhou Changping became anxious. "Even Master Gan personally invited Brother Bao to his talisman-making workshop to research and produce precious talismans, and he even gives him a low-grade spirit stone every month! You can find out with just a few inquiries, so how can I be the one lying?"

Both Mr. and Mrs. Zhou were surprised to hear their son say such a thing.

Zhou Yandong frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.

Having spent many years in business, he was a man of wide experience and knowledge. He stroked his chin and murmured, "Could it be the legendary 'sudden enlightenment'?"

Seeing the puzzled looks on his wife and son's faces, he explained:

"Legend has it that in ancient times there was a great being who attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and ascended to heaven in broad daylight."

Among cultivators, there are those who occasionally encounter great changes or face life and death, whose souls are opened, and who suddenly attain enlightenment, undergoing earth-shattering changes in their character and aptitude.

This situation is rare, but it does happen.

If that's the case, with his mid-grade water elemental root talent, this child might very well soar to great heights and even reach Foundation Establishment!

"Oh, no wonder Brother Bao has already entered the Chengxin Middle School, and even Zhou Xuezheng praised him." Zhou Changping said with pride, raising his head.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yandong became even more convinced that Zhou Baoqing had definitely had a sudden enlightenment.

Third-rate businessmen scheme for wealth, second-rate businessmen scheme for strategy, and first-rate businessmen scheme for people.

His son's low-grade spiritual root had always been a worry for Zhou Yandong. If he could make friends with a future great cultivator in advance, he would naturally have a great advantage in the future.

Zhou's mother also realized what was happening and said happily, "Ping'er, then you must cultivate a good relationship with Zhou Baoqing in the future and send him more valuable gifts..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Yandong raised his hand to stop him.

In his view, being too deliberate would be counterproductive; the friendship between children is pure, and their natural interaction as they are now is enough.

He said, "Ping'er, find an opportunity another day to invite Baoqing to our home as a guest."

Zhou Changping's eyes lit up. Brother Bao had always been curious about how to make the spirit fish food and had promised to take him to ask Uncle Zhang. This was a perfect opportunity!

He immediately replied, "Okay! I'll take him around properly then!"

After thinking for a moment, he rubbed his hands together and said with a shameless smile, "Well... Dad, Brother Bao has worked so hard to tutor me, I can't treat him unfairly, the high-grade spiritual food in the dining hall is very expensive..."

"No problem, Dad will take care of it for you!"

Zhou Yandong waved his hand generously, giving Zhou Changping a three-fold increase in his allowance.

Zhou Changping was overjoyed and almost jumped for joy.

Brother Bao is both my lucky star and my lucky star!

…………

At the same time.

Qingluo Cave Heaven.

Zhou Baoqing stood on the raft, quietly observing the ice-blue duckweed.

In just half a month, the duckweed has multiplied threefold, and the previous bamboo circle can no longer hold it. The ice-blue color on the leaves has become more and more crystal clear, exuding a cool feeling.

Unfortunately, the ordinary duckweed he later collected from the shallows did not show any signs of mutation, indicating that the mutation of the ice-blue duckweed was also an extremely accidental occurrence.

He scooped out a palm-sized piece and threw it into the water.

"Splash!"

A ripple spread across the water's surface.

Several small blue-scaled fish fry were attracted by the fallen leaves he had thrown down and swam over happily.

These fish fry are growing very fast now, already about the length of a forearm, with fine, pale blue scales growing on their backs that shimmer with a lively light under the sun.

Although it's not as big as the fish I raise in my own pond yet, judging by its growth, it will surpass its counterparts outside sooner or later.

Zhou Baoqing secretly speculated that the growth rate of the spiritual objects in the cave was at least twice that of those in the outside world.

Moreover, perhaps because they have been eating blue duckweed as their complementary food, the blue patterns on these blue-scaled fish fry have become more subtle and intricate, making them appear quite extraordinary.

"It is said that the king of the blue-scaled fish can activate its own aquatic bloodline and spit out water arrows to hurt enemies. I wonder if these little guys have this potential."

High-grade blue-scaled fish are treasures from head to toe. Their scales can be used to refine defensive magic weapons, and their meat can be used to cook spiritual dishes that greatly nourish qi and blood.

They're practically floating spirit stones!

Amidst the hazy sound of water, Zhou Baoqing suddenly looked up and listened intently.

Outside the walls of Zhishui Pavilion.

"Father, many of the bluefin fry in the pond have contracted 'emaciation disease,' what should we do?" Chen's voice was low and full of worry.

"This illness can be cured. We need to go to the market and buy some special medicinal powder to sprinkle into the pond. However... this packet of powder will cost another sum of spirit stones." Zhou Changgeng sighed softly.

The family was already strapped for cash to pay for Zhou Baoqing's tuition at the clan school and to buy spiritual stones. They had already sold three of their ten mu of inferior fishponds. Now, having to spend these spiritual stones would be like adding insult to injury.

The two looked worried and sighed repeatedly.

"This must not be known to Bao-ge'er; this month is a crucial time for him."

Zhou Changgeng gave a word of advice, then added, "Don't worry too much. Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up. Let's call Bao-ge'er for dinner first."

A moment later, Chen's voice came from outside Zhishui Pavilion, "Bao-ge'er, dinner's ready!"

Zhou Baoqing exited the cave and responded with a sound of agreement.

My heart sank. The family's fishpond was their livelihood, and it absolutely could not be allowed to go wrong.

We arrived at the dining room.

As usual, it was ordinary mortal food, with a plate of semi-spiritual green-skinned fish in the middle. Only he and his grandfather had a small bowl of crystal-clear spiritual rice in front of them, plus a jade-green spiritual egg for his exclusive enjoyment.

After the family finished their meal in silence, Zhou Baoqing put down his chopsticks and announced some good news.

"Grandpa, Mom, I've been chosen by Master Gan to work in his talisman-making workshop to research and create precious talismans. The master said I'll also receive a low-grade spirit stone as a reward every month."

"What?! You've been chosen by Master Gan?! And you even get a low-grade spirit stone every month?"

Zhou Changgeng, the head of the family who was usually unsmiling, was so surprised that he stood up abruptly, his face beaming with joy.

"Yes, Grandpa." Zhou Baoqing didn't expect his grandfather's reaction to be so strong.

In fact, he had wanted to tell Master Gan about it the day he was chosen, but he thought that if he didn't learn well enough and couldn't draw the magic talisman, and the master rejected it, wouldn't his family be disappointed?

After half a month of study, he has now completely figured out the principle behind the magic talisman.

As long as he studies the talismans diligently, regardless of whether he can develop new offensive talismans in a short period of time, his current talent for talisman making will ensure that he will not be driven away.

Only then did he tell his family the good news without any hesitation.

"He truly is my good son, the splendid son of the Zhou family!" Madam Chen said proudly.

Zhou Yulan was also overjoyed and said to Zhao Yuanqiu beside her, "Your cousin is not only good at studying, but now he can also earn spirit stones. You should learn from him!"

Zhao Yuanqiu, her eyes filled with admiration, nodded repeatedly, "Cousin is the best!"

Seeing the gloom on his family members' faces vanish and smiles return, Zhou Baoqing was also very happy.

The reason he chose to speak now was because he was about to obtain a low-grade spirit stone, which gave him the confidence to help his family solve their immediate crisis.