Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Chapter 229: Chapter 227 Going to the Sea Chapter 229: Chapter 227 Going to the Sea “Senior Ning, have you really finished crafting it?”

“Indeed.”

Inside the pavilion, Ning Daoran lightly patted his Storage Bag, and immediately twelve Array Flags and an Array Plate flew out, swirling continuously around him, the fluctuations of mana rich and dense.

“It really is the Jade Toad Demon-trapping Formation…”

A look of delight was written all over Lin Man’s pretty face.

She quickly took out three Talismans from her Storage Bag and said, “Here are the Wind Avoiding Talisman, Forbidden Breaking Talisman, and Divine Frost Talisman that senior requested, one of each, please inspect them!”

“Alright.”

Ning Daoran accepted the Talismans and meticulously began to examine them.

Beside him, Lin Man also carefully checked the Array Flags and Array Plate for any imperfections; both were cautious people.

A few moments later, both let out a sigh of relief, as their work was perfect, and each revealed an embarrassed but polite smile.

…

“Is Senior Ning at home?”

At this time, someone outside was speaking, a balding old Cultivator at the Second Rank Middle Stage.

“I am, Fellow Daoist, what do you need?” Ning Daoran communicated telepathically.

“I would like to request a Undying Pear Blossom Array from senior, could you spare some time to craft it?”

“Certainly, please come in.”

Ning Daoran swept his sleeve aside, opening the prohibition of his Cave Mansion.

“Ah?”

The old Cultivator caught sight of Lin Man and couldn’t help but startle, then his expression shifted into “that type” of smile and he said, “I didn’t expect Talisman Master Lin to be here as well… it seems I have interrupted the two of you…”

“You misunderstand, Fellow Daoist.”

Ning Daoran explained, “Talisman Master Lin and I were also discussing the crafting of an array, so please don’t jump to conclusions, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings; it wouldn’t be good for either me or Talisman Master Lin.”

His voice was gentle but left no room for interjection.

A Golden Core Cultivator spoke, and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator dared not contradict.

“Yes!”

The old Cultivator nodded repeatedly.

“The Undying Pear Blossom Array, six thousand Spirit Stones each, after placing the order you’ll need to wait at least seven days, do you have the Spirit Stones with you?” Ning Daoran asked.

“I have them!”

The Bald Cultivator was quite forthright, slapping his Storage Bag and taking out six thousand Spirit Stones.

Ning Daoran promptly signed a contract and handed it to him, and the Bald Cultivator turned to leave.

The entire order process took no longer than ten breaths of time…

“Now that senior has taken the order, Lin Man shall not disturb you. I will take my leave.”

Lin Man stood up and performed a respectful bow.

Ning Daoran nodded his head and watched as Lin Man departed.

…

For several days in a row, almost every day, Cultivators visited Ning Daoran’s Cave Mansion, mostly coming to request the Undying Pear Blossom Array.

Ning Daoran had set the price at six thousand Spirit Stones.

Of that, the cost of the materials for the array fluctuated between 4,000 to 4,500 Spirit Stones, meaning for every Undying Pear Blossom Array he crafted, Ning Daoran could net a clear profit of at least 1,500 Spirit Stones with a heavy heart.

Moreover, as his proficiency in crafting improved, he could save quite a bit on materials each time. Eventually, he was even able to use the leftover scraps to craft arrays, still ensuring the Undying Pear Blossom Arrays were flawless.

In this way, the profit margin was even higher, with nearly each array netting a profit of two to two and a half thousand Spirit Stones. As the orders accumulated, he made money hand over fist, until he finally hung a “Full Order” sign on the entrance of his Cave Mansion.

It wasn’t that he really had full orders but rather that Ning Daoran needed to start preparing for his voyage at sea!

First, a voyage required a big ship, and a small ship would not suffice; the deep sea of Tianluo Sea was full of terrifying waves that ordinary small ships simply couldn’t withstand.

So, Ning Daoran spent a whopping five hundred Spirit Stones at a shipyard on the coast to order a large ship ten zhang long—a thirty-meter-long ship, which was certainly enough!

Inside the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven.

The Chi Long Ding was glowing red-hot, and the Golden Essence inside had turned into a golden melting liquid. Ning Daoran once again chopped off a piece of Ten-thousand-year-old Golden Silk Bamboo, refining the bamboo into a golden liquid and merging it with the Golden Essence to create over a dozen fishing hooks.

These hooks were incredibly sturdy; even if they snagged a Third-tier Demon Beast, it would be extremely difficult for it to break free.

Furthermore, he meticulously refined the Ten-thousand-year-old Golden Silk Bamboo, enhancing its flexibility and hardness, and thus creating a top-grade fishing rod that would be hard to come by.

As for the fishing line…

A few days ago, Ning Daoran had made a trip to Qingfu Square, spending over four thousand Spirit Stones to buy a Third-tier Early-stage Jiao Dragon Tendon, which he then spent three days refining to be incredibly strong.

For the fishing float, he used a feather from a Third-tier Middle-stage Fire Falcon, crafting it into alternating fiery red and white colors.

In this manner, from the large boat to the fishing rod, line, and hooks, everything was top-tier equipment within the bounds of Immortal White Dragon City.

“Alas…”

Ning Daoran looked at the complete set of fishing gear before him and suddenly remembered a phrase.

An underperforming student has many school supplies…

Could he be considered an underperformer among fishermen as well? That shouldn’t be the case, since his ultimate goal was to catch the Fish King in Tianluo Sea!

“Are you truly going to sea, senior?”

Lin Man arrived, dressed in a white gown with a pink shawl, her beautiful eyes moving back and forth between the fishing rod and line, though it was unclear if she had discerned anything.

With her arms crossed, her right hand’s fingers lightly resting on her chin, she pondered for a moment before saying, “Senior, as far as I know, to increase the chances of catching more Golden Dragon Spirit Carps, you’ll need a kind of Fish Attracting Grass known as Cold Chi Grass, which is a very common Spirit Grass. The older the Cold Chi Grass, the more effective it is as Fish Attracting Grass.”

She nudged her mouth, “I’ve heard that in the city once was a Golden Core Cultivator who used two thousand-year-old Fish Attracting Grass as bait, and one year, he actually caught a nearly three hundred-pound quasi-Golden Dragon Spirit Carp King. Senior has deep pockets; you could go to Qingfu Square to see if they have this Fish Attracting Grass for sale.”

Ning Daoran remained silent, thinking to himself where he had shown any signs of having deep pockets.

However, he did indeed have some Cold Chi Grass, and it was very old.

Shortly after joining the Chaotic Sect, Ning Daoran had bought various types of Spirit Grass to plant underground, among which was the very common Cold Chi Grass.

Thinking about it… he joined the Chaotic Sect at the age of twenty, and the age of these Cold Chi Grasses had already reached around fourteen thousand years!

Moreover, there was no small amount. In the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven, there grew a vast expanse of them, as common as cabbages.

“Alright, I’ll go buy it later.”

Ning Daoran glanced at her, “Does Fellow Daoist Lin not need to cultivate today? To have the leisure to come to my humble abode for excitement?”

“The matter of cultivation isn’t urgent.”

…

Several days later, after Ning Daoran left the Immortal White Dragon City and set out to sea, Lin Man began her seclusion.

The coast, the harbor.

A big ship raised its sails and slowly drifted away from the shore.

This ship was mid-sized, much smaller than the fishing boats owned by trading firms, large families, and the Immortal City Government but much larger than the small fishing boats used by low-level Loose Cultivators.

Ning Daoran named this big ship “The White Deer,” and for that name, Big Stupid Deer was so happy he couldn’t sleep for several days and nights.

Soon after The White Deer left shore, many Cultivators were baffled. There was only one man and one deer on the ship; there were no sailors, so who would steer once they reached deep sea?

As a result, shortly after leaving shore, Ning Daoran casually threw out a handful of Second-class Paperfolk, “Come out!”

“Pop pop pop~~~”
Amidst inflating sounds, figures of Cultivators appeared on the deck, men and women, all at the Foundation Establishment Stage. This contingent of Paperfolk acted as sailors, a rarity to see on such ships.

For a moment, a group of Second-class Paperfolk busied themselves with their various duties aboard the big ship.

Ning Daoran slapped his Storage Bag and took out a Third-tier Middle-grade White Feather Flowing Sound Array and three Undying Pear Blossom Arrays, forming a nearly impenetrable Stacked Formation—caution was paramount, prudence first. What he was least short of at sea was Arrays!

“Senior Ning!”

Dozens of miles off shore, he encountered an acquaintance.

In the distance, a boat somewhat smaller than Ning Daoran’s slowly approached, and on its deck stood three familiar figures—it was the Jin Brothers.

Their ship was small, just enough to be covered by a single Undying Pear Blossom Array.

“What a coincidence, Senior is also heading out to sea?” Jin Shan greeted with a cupped fist and a smile.

“Indeed.”

Ning Daoran stood at the ship’s railing, smiling, “Heading out to try my luck and get some fresh air.”

“That’s good.”

Jin Shan said, “However, Senior must be careful once you enter the deep sea. The deep sea is not like the coastal waters; it is filled with many Robbery cultivators who are extremely detestable, like locusts—they kill and set fires at sea and commit all sorts of evil, no less despicable than the three calamities.”

“Big brother.”

Beside him, the second brother Jin Hai laughed, “Senior Ning is a Golden Core Cultivator—even if he encounters Robbery cultivators, so what?”

“Also true.”

Jin Shan said, “I’m merely providing a reminder, please don’t take offense, Senior!”

“No harm done.”

Ning Daoran smiled, “You should also take care. I wish you a bountiful catch!”

“Thank you, Senior, for your kind words.”

The Jin Brothers raised their sails, and soon their small boat disappeared over the horizon.

…

Time at sea passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and The White Deer slashed through the waves, now deep into the Tianluo Sea yet to encounter the so-called three calamities of the sea, the Golden Wind and Jade Dew—none were seen.

In fact, the likelihood of encountering the three calamities wasn’t high; otherwise, if it were so dangerous, the Immortal White Dragon City wouldn’t have so many Cultivators setting out to sea. After all, nobody is foolish enough to seek adventure when the risk far outweighs the gain.

Ning Daoran began fishing.

“Plunk~~~”
A ball of bait plunged into the sea, mixed with a bit of Cold Chi Grass, suddenly spreading a refreshing aroma rapidly through the water.

The fishing float bobbed up and down. Before long, Ning Daoran faced a brutal reality.

Small fry swarming the nest!

Cold Chi Grass certainly was an excellent type of Fish Attracting Grass, but what it attracted were Golden Dragon Spirit Carps of two or three pounds at most, seven or eight pounds for the larger ones—hardly meeting the standards for crafting a True Blood Pill, equivalent to ordinary Spirit Fish.

If such effort could only net ordinary Spirit Fish, then that was clearly a big loss.

There was no choice but to keep fishing patiently, relying on luck and willpower to wait for a big catch!

“Hm?”

Suddenly, Ning Daoran slowly looked up towards a speck on the horizon. Countless figures were speeding through the wind, all Foundation Establishment Cultivators, at least twenty in number!

These Cultivators left their large ship and flew over the sea toward him from all directions.

“It’s a big catch!”

A scarred eyebrow, Late-stage Foundation Establishment burly man sneered, “Brothers, it’s a Golden Core Early Stage… just like last time. Everyone, bring out your Spiritual Artifacts and follow me. This is the opportunity for our Core Formation, right in his possession!”

…

These people were too arrogant—over twenty Foundation Establishment Cultivators dreaming of taking down a Golden Core? It seemed they had tasted success before, and he could only wonder which unlucky Golden Core Cultivator had become prey to the ant swarm.

Ning Daoran narrowed his eyes. While in Immortal White Dragon City, he had heard of multiple Robbery cultivation organizations ruling over the Tianluo Sea, with rather resounding names like the Heart Devouring Association, Soul Extinguishing Gang, Heaven Punishment Alliance, etc. He hadn’t expected to run into them on his very first voyage.