I Am Immortal in Great Yu

’He’s a scion from the State City’s Noble Families, just as expected. My methods don’t even come close!’

Zheng Jinghan was getting anxious. He found Zheng Shaoguang and asked, "Dad, when on earth is our family’s Yin Corpse coming back?"

"Soon! Soon! I reckon it should be back by next month at the latest," Zheng Shaoguang said, pretending to be calm, though he was starting to panic inside.

At first, he had been absolutely certain of their plan, but now, with the Yin Corpse long overdue, a sense of unease was creeping into his heart.

Zheng Jinghan was speechless.

He had lost count of how many times he had heard that answer. In his mind, "back next month" had practically become a running joke.

If he didn’t know that his old man would never deceive his own son, Zheng Jinghan would have started to doubt whether they had even sent out a Yin Corpse in the first place, or if this whole plan even existed.

"Ahem!"

Seeing the "are you even reliable?" look in his son’s eyes, Zheng Shaoguang gave an awkward cough and said, "The Yin Corpse is the strongest part of our plan and the least likely to have problems. The fact that it hasn’t returned yet most likely means that a Second Grade Yin Corpse takes longer to cleanse its Yin Qi than the Third Grade one we planned for."

"Han’Er, be patient. We just have to wait a little longer."

These words were meant for Zheng Jinghan, but also to reinforce his own confidence.

"I hope so."

Zheng Jinghan sighed and brought up another matter. "Dad, with both of us breaking through to the Upper Three Grades one after another, the other family branches are getting restless. They’re guessing our ancestor must have left some great treasure and are demanding we take it out to share..."

"They need to be taught a lesson! You’re the Patriarch. You handle it. Do what you feel is necessary. However,"

Zheng Shaoguang’s tone shifted. "Pay attention to your methods and maintain a sense of proportion. You can’t let things get to the point of alienation and resentment. A large family like ours can’t be destroyed by external forces overnight. What we truly fear is internal strife combined with external threats..."

"I understand, Dad."

...

「Peach Blossom Garden.」

"The Dragon Pearl! My Dragon Pearl!"

Fang Rui fiddled with the Dragon Pearl, a smile like that of an old farmer at harvest time spreading across his face as he gazed at the vast fields of Great Medicines and Old Medicines swaying in the breeze, all growing splendidly in his secret base.

The most important factor behind such results was the dense Spiritual Qi gathered here, followed by his Minor Achievement in the Agricultural Scripture, and finally, the various fertilizers collected by the Four Seas Trading Team.

’Looks like even after taking what I need, there will be plenty of Great Medicines and Old Medicines to spare. Especially...’

Fang Rui crouched down, his gaze falling upon a stalk of mountain ginseng.

This stalk of mountain ginseng was different from the others. Its surface had a faint purple sheen, and it was surrounded by lingering motes of pale purple light.

’This is a Half-Spirit Medicine! And not one of those filthy things spawned from extreme negative emotions, but a true Half-Spirit Medicine, born of heaven and earth!’

Fang Rui sighed. ’It’s a pity, though. From the looks of it, it has no more potential. It can only ever be a Half-Spirit Medicine; it’ll never become a true Spirit Medicine.’

’Oh well, I’m just being greedy. A Half-Spirit Medicine is already fantastic.’

’Hmm, I’ll go catch a couple of fish and stew them with it tonight! While it won’t compare to that Immortal Leaping Wall feast from before, with my Culinary Skill, I can still whip up a high-quality medicinal meal.’

He thought to himself in high spirits.

...

It was an evening in August. The pitch-black curtain of night had yet to fall, and the last rays of dusk had not yet faded.

A dim, yellow light covered the land, and the air seemed hazy, almost tangible, with a grainy texture.

At that moment, in the twilight breeze, within the vast peach groves, tree after tree of ripe peaches swayed gently. Most were so ripe they had burst open, a sight that immediately brought to mind the taste of rich, sweet juices exploding on the tongue.

A small stream, like a ribbon of clear silk, meandered past. The water trickled along, the evening glow swirling in its ripples.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Third Lady sat side-by-side on the bank, dangling their feet in the water and chatting softly.

The two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, had rolled up their pant legs and were trying to catch small fish in the stream.

The chirping of summer cicadas mingled with the cries of unknown insects, a clamorous chorus enveloping them. A few fireflies danced about, gathering around them.

TING-A-LING!

SPLASH... SPLASH...

Nearby, in a white jade pavilion with four upturned eaves, wind chimes jingled incessantly. Ice-cold water splashed down like a beaded curtain, carrying away the summer heat.

This was the ’Ice Rain Pavilion’. Such a structure was not uncommon in this world; any reasonably wealthy household could afford to build one.

The Zhen Mansion of Zhen Daoji, for example, was even more extravagant, using an Array to create an incomparably cool environment.

Inside the pavilion, Fang Rui was using a cattail-leaf fan to stoke the flames of a small, red-clay stove. In the small pot on top, a thick, white fish soup bubbled and rolled, revealing pieces of fish and slices of mountain ginseng floating within.

Motes of pale purple light bobbed up and down on the surface of the soup.

"Brother, what delicious thing are you making? You’ve been at it all afternoon."

"The fish soup is so pretty! And it smells amazing!"

The two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, bounded in, their faces flushed red from the heat, the very color of the tip of a perfectly ripe peach.

"Here, have a taste!"

Fang Rui smiled, ladled out a small spoonful of soup, blew on it to cool it down, and fed a spoonful to each of the little girls.

"Yummy, ooh..." Fang Ling said, her big eyes suddenly filling with cartoonish spirals before she toppled over.

"Brother Ah Rui, why are you shaking?"

Nannan was doing slightly better, but she was also swaying back and forth as if she were drunk.

’Drunk on oxyg... no, on Spiritual Qi? That was a mistake!’

Fang Rui slapped his forehead. He quickly picked up the two little girls, set them down on a stone bench at the edge of the pavilion, and after a moment’s thought, took out two Jade Talismans and activated them.

These were little gadgets for testing one’s aptitude as a Spirit Master. That damned moneybags Zhen Yi was incredibly lavish; after Fang Rui had mentioned it in passing once, Zhen Yi had shown up on a visit with several Jade Talismans as a gift.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Two beams of translucent light descended. After flickering over Fang Ling and Nannan for a moment, one turned orange, and the other turned green.