The night passed without incident.
The next morning, before Ling Changqing left his room after a full night of Cultivation, he was surprised to find his Divine Soul strength had increased again, rising from 12 to 13.
'It seems... more Pearl Gatherers hold malice toward me. Is that why the Power of the Soul Origin passively harvested by the Era Star Palace has increased?'
Ling Changqing mused to himself. The reason was likely that news of Ling Zifeng agreeing to act as his guarantor for a loan of Cultivation Resources had spread.
This was unavoidable. The other Pearl Gatherers were stuck at the bottom with no hope of advancement, so they were unlikely to feel charitable toward a young man like Ling Changqing.
'We're all bottom-rung Cultivators, scraping by and risking our lives on the seabed. What gives you the right to have a chance to leave this godforsaken place? To become one of the elites?'
It didn't matter if it made sense. That was just human nature.
Sure enough, when Ling Changqing reached the deck, most of the gazes from the surrounding Pearl Gatherers were sullen, some even brimming with jealousy and venom.
Of course, a few Cultivators looked at him with eager, fawning expressions, especially certain Female Cultivators.
Ling Changqing sighed inwardly. Steward Ling Zifeng's attitude was as good as holding his feet to the fire.
'I just wanted to be a quiet Way of Survival Practitioner, but now I've unexpectedly become the center of everyone's attention.'
Anyone who wasn't hopelessly dull could guess what would happen next.
Still, Ling Changqing felt no regret. As the saying goes, to be envied is to be exceptional. He didn't want to stir up trouble, but that didn't mean he was afraid of it.
The Way of Survival meant being low-key, cautious, and developing from the shadows. It didn't mean being a coward who hid in his shell forever, avoiding every challenge.
If you failed to seize an opportunity to change your destiny when it was right in front of you, you deserved to spend your life at the bottom, never seeing the light of day.
One must know when to hide one's strength and bide one's time, but also when to act. That was the proper way to walk the Way of Survival.
"...Alright, everyone, let's get a move on. The pay is the same as yesterday!"
Steward Ling Zifeng commanded in a deep voice.
The crowd of Pearl Gatherers acknowledged the order and made their way to the ship's rail. They climbed down the rope ladders to their small boats, where servants began rowing them out toward the distant waters.
Ling Changqing deliberately hung back, waiting until all the other Pearl Gatherers were on the water before telling the servants in his boat to depart.
"A cautious and clever little fellow, isn't he?"
Having witnessed the entire scene, Ling Zifeng chuckled and took a large gulp of wine from the cup at his side.
With a calm expression, Tian Wenhua asked quietly, "Those dogs might get up to something nasty down there. Since you've decided to give the kid a hand, shouldn't we intervene?"
"Haha, no need to rush..."
Ling Zifeng chuckled. "The Cultivation Realm is a world of constant struggle. Some things are simply unavoidable, and he'll have to face them on his own most of the time."
"We'll have to wait and see if he truly has what it takes to change his own Life Chart and fortune."
"Is that so... Very well."
Tian Wenhua waved his paper fan, lost in thought.
On the surface of the sea, Ling Changqing had his boat rowed out farther this time, mainly to avoid the areas where the other Pearl Gatherers were working.
The sea was calm today, its ink-blue surface reflecting the vast, remote Celestial Vault. Occasionally, massive birds of prey could be seen streaking across the horizon.
"Young master, is this far enough?"
The servant rowing the boat said, "Any further out is the Deep Sea Region. Those deadly deep-sea creatures will become more numerous."
"Alright."
Ling Changqing agreed. After checking his gear, he slipped into the water and dove toward the depths.
Even with the combined effects of the Water Repelling Talisman and the Water Manipulation Technique, it was difficult to block out the bone-chilling cold of the deep sea. A mortal body wouldn't last forty-five minutes in these conditions before freezing to death.
As he descended, the rugged seafloor drew nearer. Clusters of enormous reefs resembled slumbering Sea Beasts, their pitch-black shadows concealing countless deadly things. The sight alone was terrifying.
Ling Changqing touched his waist. 'I brought two Silver Thread Net Bags and fifteen Sealing Talismans today,' he thought. 'I should be able to catch several more Yusha Clams.'
These were resources provided by the Ling Family; the Pearl Gatherers didn't have to buy them. However, if any were lost or wasted, a whipping was unavoidable upon their return.
Paddling nimbly through the water, Ling Changqing carefully avoided a migrating school of Scorpionfish and skirted a large patch of Sandman Cannibal Seaweed before resting on a reef to recover his strength.
The seabed terrain was complex, and treacherous undercurrents and whirlpools were everywhere. A moment of carelessness could be fatal, not to mention the bizarre and dangerous creatures lurking about. For this reason, Ling Changqing dared not let his guard down for an instant.
After briefly surveying the area, Ling Changqing was about to move on when he glanced down and noticed a faint, indigo glow emanating from a crevice in the reef.
'Is this... a Moonlight Vine Gourd? My luck is pretty good!'
Ling Changqing froze for a moment, then broke into a smile. The gourds were a delicacy, a favorite high-end ingredient among wealthy Cultivators. They could replenish one's qi and blood, help condense Spiritual Power, and were a key ingredient in Refining certain Elixirs.
In the past, the Ling Family higher-ups often had the Pearl Gatherers collect Moonlight Vine Gourds, offering a reward of sixty Spiritual Sand for each one found.
Ling Changqing hadn't been actively looking for them, but he wasn't about to pass up such a find. He immediately drew his Magical Artifact short blade and got to work, remaining vigilant for any movement in the surrounding water.
He broke open the hard reef crevice and pried out the fist-sized, pagoda-shaped Moonlight Vine Gourds one by one, stuffing them into his Silver Thread Net Bag.
By the time he was done, he had sixteen Moonlight Vine Gourds in his net bag—enough to trade for more than nine Low-grade Spirit Stones.
Ling Changqing sheathed his short blade and swam away gracefully. A dozen or so breaths later, he reached a cave at the base of the next reef.
Once hidden, he glanced back. An ugly Sea Monkey was now leisurely swimming over to the reef he had just left. Its blood-red eyes scanned the area, its sharp claws and fangs—as deadly as Dharma Artifact-level weapons—flashing with a cold light.
'That was close…'
A wave of fear washed over Ling Changqing. If he had run into that Second-Rank Demon Beast head-on, his chances of survival would have been slim to none.
Luckily, the creature hadn't spotted him. It lingered for a moment before swimming away with a sway of its bloated body.
Only after waiting a while longer did Ling Changqing dare to move again, resuming his search for caves that might hide Yusha Clams.
'If only I had a Middle to High-Grade Dharma Artifact-level blade. Then I could kill the clams on the spot and take the pearls, saving me the trouble of hauling the whole things back.'
Ling Changqing mused. Unfortunately, Middle to High-Grade Magical Artifacts weren't easy to come by. Bottom-rung Cultivators like him couldn't afford them. Otherwise, things wouldn't be so troublesome.
Cultivators in the middle to late stages of Qi Cultivation might have Top-Grade Magical Artifacts, but with their status, they would never deign to do such exhausting manual labor themselves. It was far beneath them.
A short while later, Ling Changqing's wish was granted: he found a cave hiding a Yusha Clam. Only after checking several times for any danger did he cautiously enter.
When he emerged from the cave, a new, human-head-sized clam with a faint golden-red sheen rested in the Silver Thread Net Bag at his waist.
Time passed quietly...
More than four hours later, Ling Changqing had used up all his Sealing Talismans, managing to avoid any real danger despite a few close calls. In total, he had stuffed ten Yusha Clams into his two Silver Thread Net Bags.
He also had a pile of miscellaneous loot, like Yunzhu Grass, Moonlight Vine Gourds, and Purple Blood Sea Flowers, all of which he'd happened upon during his search.
Feeling his stamina and Spiritual Power nearing exhaustion, Ling Changqing didn't hesitate. He took out the Spirit Revitalizing Pill, swallowed it, and began to silently regulate his breathing.
The gentle medicinal energy transformed into a warm current that surged through his organs and meridians, revitalizing his weary body and mind.
Looking at his haul, Ling Changqing felt a pang of regret. 'If I bring all this back, won't I be showing off too much? That goes completely against my Way of Survival.'
'I can ignore what the other Pearl Gatherers think, but if Steward Ling Zifeng sees such an exaggerated haul, will it give him other ideas?'
'The mysterious power of the Era Star Palace should prevent Ling Zifeng from having any ill intentions toward me, but I still can't be too conspicuous.'
After weighing his options, Ling Changqing finally made a decision. He would take the Yusha Clams back, but as for the rest of his haul... he'd just eat it all right here on the seabed.
'That way, I won't draw too much attention, and I can also boost my Cultivation and aim for an early breakthrough.'
Half an hour later, having eaten his fill, Ling Changqing swam toward the surface.
Though they didn't taste very good raw, his organs were now filled with a mellow warmth, an indescribably comfortable feeling.
In truth, the pay offered by Steward Ling Zifeng was far below the standard prices in the Marketplace.
However, as the family's Pearl Gatherers, they had no bargaining power and were forbidden from keeping any of their haul for themselves. Getting caught meant severe punishment.
That was why Ling Changqing had chosen to consume it himself. After all, even with Ling Zifeng's skills, he wouldn't be able to tell what was already in his stomach.
When he surfaced, Ling Changqing saw that his boat was some distance away. He had to wait a while for it to reach him before he could climb aboard.
"Brother Ling, you... what is..."
The two servants rowing the boat jumped in fright when they saw his full Silver Thread Net Bags, and their words came out in a stutter.
"Don't just stare. Hurry back. The Lord Steward is watching," Ling Changqing said in a low voice. Now that he was on the surface, he no longer had to worry about what others might think.
The servants nodded and began rowing the small boat toward the large Sea Boat in the distance.
A short time later, when Ling Changqing stepped back onto the deck of the Sea Boat with his haul, nearly everyone was dumbfounded.
"...Bastard! How did he bring back so much? This is... how is this possible?"
"Unbelievable. Is he really just a Qi Cultivation 2nd-Layer Cultivator?"
"This kid... he's... he's a freak!"
"Damn it! I can't take this anymore! Why should he..."
"Keep it down! Don't let the Lord Steward hear you..."
...
A chorus of envious, jealous, and hateful murmurs rose from the crowd of Pearl Gatherers. The eyes of some were bloodshot; if the Lord Steward hadn't been present, they likely would have attacked already.
"Alright, open them up and let's see what we have!"
Ling Zifeng said with a smile. Several Ling Family disciples acknowledged the order and came over, wielding Magical Artifact Battle Sabers.
As they pried open the Yusha Clams one by one, they found that not a single one was empty.
In the end, ten brilliant, high-quality Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearls lay on the Jade Plate before Ling Zifeng, causing him to grin from ear to ear.
"Young man, you did very well. Excellent work!"
Ling Zifeng said with a broad smile, patting Ling Changqing's shoulder. After a moment's hesitation, he retrieved a glittering, crystalline Short Sword from his Storage Pouch.
"Here, take this," Ling Zifeng said, placing the Short Sword in Ling Changqing's hand. "It's a Middle-Grade Magical Artifact. Consider it a loan. Don't disappoint me!"
"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Steward!"
Ling Changqing felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing it was only a loan, but he quickly got over it.
'A Middle-Grade Magical Artifact isn't some common trinket. It's a precious item even for someone of Ling Zifeng's standing. The fact that he was willing to lend it to me is an unexpected blessing.'