Six months after the project was approved, the Southern River Valley was unrecognizable from what it once was. The chaotic, untamed wilderness had been sculpted by the collective will of the Green Mountain Sect into a place of breathtaking beauty and profound power.
The main pagoda, a magnificent nine-story structure of white stone and blue-green tile now stood proudly on the central plateau, serving as the heart of the new Deepwater Menagerie. Around it, a series of elegant courtyards and living quarters had been built for the staff, their architecture in perfect harmony with the surrounding cliffs and waterfalls.
But the true marvel was the water. Following Uncle Wei's meticulous designs, the sect's earth-movers had created a masterpiece of aquatic engineering. A series of twenty massive, interconnected lakes, each with its own unique ecosystem of rocks, caves, and spiritual plants, now terraced down the valley.
The great river had been partially diverted, its water flowing through the entire system before rejoining the main current. A complex network of sluice gates and channels, an idea born from Li Yu and Uncle Wei's collaboration, now diverted a steady stream of nutrient-rich water from the lower lakes—water filled with the potent, filtered waste of thousands of spiritual beasts—towards the sect's main Herb Hall gardens.
Li Yu and his team had the Herb Hall pay them a monthly sum for this nutrient rich water. They didn't agree to it at first but after seeing the results of improvised quality and faster herb growth, they were excited to do so. It was a win for both sides so their cooperation only increased.
Li Yu stood on the highest balcony of the central pagoda, a quiet satisfaction filling him. His vision was becoming a reality. Below, he could see the bustling, purposeful activity of his new home. Uncle Wei, his back straighter than it had been in years, was directing a team of junior disciples and hired laborers, his voice filled with the authority of a true expert as he instructed them on the proper cultivation of a patch of rare, deep-water spirit grass on one of the newly constructed floating islands in the main lake.
These islands, another of their innovations, had become the menagerie's first great success. The combination of the dense water-attribute Qi and the concentrated life force of the beasts below had made the soil on these small, man-made islands hyper-fertile. The Herb Hall, initially skeptical, had seen their test crops grow here at three times the normal rate, their spiritual quality enhanced by nearly fifty percent.
They now paid a handsome monthly fee to rent these premium plots, another new steady stream of income that was already making the Deepwater Menagerie a profitable venture. This in turn provided a boon for the Alchemy Hall with access to even more herbs.
The transfer from the Azure Serpent Lake was complete. The deeper lakes now teemed with the sect's official combat beasts, while the shallower lakes were filled with fast-breeding, edible beasts, their populations exploding over this time. The Azure-Jade Carp, Li Yu's own creation, were thriving, a testament to the menagerie's potential wealth.
They were constantly on the look out for other beasts they could add to their business but it was difficult to find the right species. It had to breed quickly, grow quickly but also taste amazing and have plentiful spiritual energy. It was tough to meet all four attributes.
Hu Jian and Lin Tao, the two marshals, had established a formidable security presence. Their patrol teams, now well-drilled and equipped, kept the outer valley secure. The three of them, Li Yu's original team, were now all respected experts at the Fourth Stage of Qi Condensation, their growth fueled by the valley's rich resources.
Li Yu's own cultivation had been a silent, steady advance. He had publicly reached the Second Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, a speed that was considered monstrously fast but his strong foundation made it seem natural. His true strength, however, was his deepening understanding of his own unique abilities.
He could now weave his void and life energies together with breathtaking precision. His nightly lessons with Khaos continued, each session a brutal, soul-tempering ordeal that pushed his toughness to another level. 'I don't think anyone at my age is getting beaten up as much as I am' Li Yu thought to himself after each lesson. Regretting his choice to continue them every time.
This period of peaceful construction was interrupted by a formal summons, not from his master, but from the Sect Master himself.
He arrived at the grand hall at the sect's highest peak to find some of the elder council assembled. The atmosphere was grim. In the center of the hall stood three cultivators, their robes the color of pale jade, their expressions a mixture of desperation and weary pride. They were the elders of the Clearwater Jade Carp Clan, a small, independent clan from a neighboring territory.
"Disciple Li," the Sect Master said, "I have summoned you because we face a problem that you might be able to solve." He gestured to the three visitors. "This is Clan Head Feng and the elders of the Clearwater Jade Carp Clan. Their clan's livelihood and indeed their very foundation, is tied to a unique, high-grade spiritual beast of the same name. It is a fish known for its beauty and the incredible purity of the spiritual energy contained in its flesh."
Clan Head Feng, an old man with a long, white beard and a deeply worried face, stepped forward and bowed deeply to Li Yu. "Young Master Li," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "We have come to you as a last resort. For the past six months, our carp have been afflicted with a strange malady. It begins with a loss of color, then a wasting of the flesh, and finally… death. Our own beast tamers are helpless. We have hired experts from a dozen different sects. They have tried every pill, every art, every formation. Nothing works. Our breeding stock is on the verge of collapse. If we cannot find a cure our clan is finished."
Li Yu listened intently to what the Clan Head was saying. "May I see one of the afflicted beasts?"
One of the clan's elders produced a large, crystal-clear water tank from his beast bag. Inside, a single beautiful carp, nearly three feet long, swam listlessly. Its scales, which should have been the color of the finest jade, were a dull, sickly grey and its body was unnaturally thin.
Li Yu did not approach. He simply stood, his eyes closed, his spiritual sense a gentle, probing current that washed over the tank. The other elders in the hall saw a young boy in deep contemplation. But Li Yu was seeing something else entirely.
He was met with a wave of profound, soul-deep weariness from the carp. It was not a sickness of the body but of the bloodline. He could feel its life essence, its very ancestry, being slowly, inexorably corrupted by a foreign, invasive energy. It was a spiritual plague, a curse that attacked the very core of the creature's being.
He opened his eyes. "This is not a disease," he stated, his voice calm and certain. "It is something deeper, a corruption that targets the bloodline itself. I have never seen anything like it." He looked at the anxious faces of the clan elders.
"I cannot promise a cure from here. The problem lies with the source of your bloodline. To have any hope of solving this, I would need to travel to your clan's home and investigate the ancestral progenitors myself."
The three elders of the Carp Clan stared at him with some hope now in their eyes. This boy was able to quickly detect and pinpoint what could be causing the issue. While he didn't solve the issue, at least it seemed that he was confident that something was wrong with the progenitors. Perhaps he can finally solve this issue that they couldn't.
"Of course, Young Master Li!" Clan Head Feng said, bowing deeply. "Whatever you need. Our home is open to you."
The next day, Li Yu, along with Brother Kai, prepared to travel with the three elders to the home of the Clearwater Jade Carp Clan. It was a journey into a new, unknown territory, a chance to forge a new alliance and deepen his own understanding of the world's mysteries. The sect council had readily agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to build a powerful new relationship with a respected neighboring clan.
Li Yu knew this was the beginning of a new phase of his life. He was no longer just building his kingdom; he was beginning to extend its influence, to weave his own webs of connection and obligation.