The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

Chapter 299: Revisiting Black Dragon Pool (Part 2)

Because Bai Xiaotian and his family were temporarily leaving the Cloud Sea Sect—and with the Formal Disciple Competition drawing to a close—there was no way for the talisman master to continue drafting new stock.

Given the abrupt deadline, Jiang Chen decided to head directly to the Rain Pavilion to collect the thousand custom-made Spirit Talismans they had prepared for him. Once the transaction was complete, he would proceed straight to the Black Dragon Pool.

It was on the way, anyway.

After hastily packing a massive bag of premium snacks for the little girl, Jiang Chen summoned his Giant Leaf. He hopped aboard, seamlessly cycling his tri-elemental foundation. Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth.

Whoosh!

The Giant Leaf tore through the sky, its speed drastically enhanced by his recent Cultivation breakthroughs.

Flying over the sect’s sprawling waterways, Jiang Chen noticed a familiar, cynical sight. Every single riverbank, stream, and pond was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with fishing enthusiasts. It was a literal gauntlet of optimistic disciples holding bamboo poles.

Unfortunately, he didn’t spot Old Mo among the crowds; otherwise, he would have stopped to chat and scheduled his next Spirit Rain delivery.

Cutting through the airspace, Jiang Chen arrived at the Rain Pavilion in record time.

Stepping into the grand, first-floor lobby, he realized the atmosphere was electric. The massive marble hall was packed with Water Spirit Root disciples, all talking over each other in excited, hushed tones. The sole topic of conversation was the impending climax of the Formal Disciple Competition.

“I can’t believe the final match is going to be Long Ao versus Mo Sha!”

“Are you blind? Those two are absolute monsters. Especially Senior Brother Long!”

“Forget the finals. Who the hell predicted Jian Chen would take third place?!”

Listening to the ambient gossip, Jiang Chen quickly pieced together the current hierarchy of the inner sect.

The undisputed championship match was scheduled for tomorrow, pitting Long Ao against Mo Sha. However, the true shocker of the tournament was the battle for third place.

Jian Chen had originally been ranked as one of the ‘Four Little Geniuses,’ alongside Shui Wuhen, Zhao Feng, and Huo Ling. He had possessed a pure Metal Spirit Root. But during a brutal, deadlocked match against a terrifying Water-attribute opponent, the extreme elemental friction had actually triggered a spontaneous Spirit Root mutation mid-battle.

Jian Chen’s Metal Spirit Root had evolved into a hyper-lethal Thunder Spirit Root.

The deadlock had shattered instantly. Wielding his newly awakened, devastating Thunder Qi, Jian Chen had completely crushed his opponent, effortlessly securing third place overall. Rumor had it that a high-ranking Immortal Elder had already claimed him as a personal disciple, guaranteeing his immediate ascension to the Immortal Peaks.

Jiang Chen clicked his tongue, a cynical smile playing on his lips. Fated chances and cosmic luck. You can scheme and plan for decades, and then someone literally gets struck by lightning and ascends to heaven. It’s completely absurd, yet perfectly logical for this world.

He had met Jian Chen a few times. The man always wore a stoic, emotionless mask, playing the part of the cold, aloof swordsman. Yet, of the ‘Four Little Geniuses,’ he and Huo Ling were arguably the only two with actual character.

Shui Wuhen was an arrogant, elitist snob. Zhao Feng had decent innate talent, but his entire reputation was propped up by the immense, monopolistic wealth and nepotism of The Zhao Clan.

Now, the tables had completely turned.

According to the gossip, ever since Shui Wuhen had been utterly humiliated and broken by Mo Sha in the early rounds, he hadn’t recovered. As for Zhao Feng? Despite relying on a vault’s worth of premium Spirit Weapons to buy his way through the brackets, his luck had run out in the semi-finals when he drew… Mo Sha.

The two arrogant geniuses were now bonded by the shared trauma of being absolutely flattened by the same man.

Meanwhile, Huo Ling had fought her way to a respectable ninth place, and Jian Chen sat comfortably in third. The only question remaining was who would take the crown tomorrow.

Ignoring the drama, Jiang Chen bypassed the crowds and headed straight for the third floor.

He found Bai Xiaotian, Lin Yu, and Wang Bing gathered in the drafting room.

“Long time no see,” Jiang Chen greeted them casually.

Wang Bing turned, her eyes immediately locking onto the heavy, jade Spirit Cultivator Envoy token hanging from Jiang Chen’s belt. Her eyes widened in genuine shock. “It hasn’t even been that long. You’ve already been promoted to Envoy?!”

Jiang Chen offered a modest, deflective chuckle. “Just lucky. Everyone has been very supportive.”

Wang Bing’s gaze turned complex, a flicker of deep regret crossing her face. Back then, if I had just swallowed my pride and stuck with him a little longer… would things be different now?

Ignoring the awkward silence, Jiang Chen turned to Bai Xiaotian and the little girl. “So, you’re really packing up?”

Lin Yu immediately trotted over, tugging urgently at Jiang Chen’s sleeve. She looked up with wide, pleading eyes. “Um…”

“What is it?” Jiang Chen asked, looking down.

Lin Yu bit her lip. “Did you… did you bring the snacks?”

The thought of leaving the sect without securing a final stockpile of Jiang Chen’s premium treats was clearly causing her immense distress. The family emergency was serious, but a girl had priorities.

Jiang Chen grinned. “Of course. I came fully prepared.”

With a wave of his hand, a mountain of supplies materialized on the floor. Premium spirit meals, fresh, top-tier fruits, and a massive assortment of delicate pastries purchased directly from the Loose Cultivator markets.

The sheer volume of snacks literally buried the small girl up to her chest.

Lin Yu’s eyes sparkled like stars.

Bai Xiaotian frowned, rubbing his temples. “You’re going to ruin her appetite. She won’t eat a proper meal for a month.”

“She’s a kid, Senior,” Jiang Chen laughed. “It’s a universal law that kids prefer snacks over real food.”

Though clearly exasperated, Bai Xiaotian couldn’t hide a fond smile. He waved a hand. “Alright, enough nonsense. Come with me to the back room.”

Jiang Chen followed the older man into the secure drafting chamber.

Stacked neatly on the tables were massive, meticulously organized bundles of premium talisman paper. The fresh tang of cinnabar and crushed spirit stones hung heavy in the air.

“Inventory check,” Bai Xiaotian said, his tone turning strictly professional. “I have drafted Golden Light Suppress Evil Talismans, Thunderfire Burn Yin Talismans, Big Dipper Soul Capture Talismans, Purify Yin Transform Sha Talismans, and Triple Edict Hundred Resolutions Dispel Disaster Talismans. Every single category contains exactly two hundred sheets. This is an absolute premium stockpile. It will be more than enough for you to dominate the market.”

Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up, genuinely impressed by the sheer volume and quality of the work. “Senior Bai, you are an absolute machine.”

Bai Xiaotian began packing his specialized drafting brushes into a leather roll. “We will be gone for at least two to three months, possibly half a year. I don’t pretend to understand market economics or trade manipulation; that is entirely your domain. Just promise me you won’t sell these at a loss.”

“You have my word,” Jiang Chen said, swiftly transferring the entire stockpile into his spatial ring.

Bai Xiaotian paused, turning to face Jiang Chen with a grave expression. “One final warning. The Sect is opening the Return to Ruins Secret Realm soon. Do not go anywhere near it. It is a meat grinder. It won’t just be our disciples; cultivators from rival sects and desperate, bloodthirsty Loose Cultivators will be swarming the place. It will be absolute, lawless chaos.”

Jiang Chen patted his chest, projecting absolute, unwavering cowardice. “Senior, you know me. Fighting, adventuring, and risking my neck for ancient ruins? I have zero interest. I only care about farming in peace and counting my Spirit Stones.”

Bai Xiaotian let out a relieved sigh. “Good. Keep it that way.”

After chatting for a few more minutes, Jiang Chen bid the family farewell and headed back down to the first floor.

As he crossed the lobby, he noticed a tight cluster of disciples practically vibrating with gossip. Peering over the crowd, he spotted Shui Wuhen, Jian Chen, and a stunning female disciple from the Rain Pavilion he didn’t recognize.

Jian Chen and the female disciple were locked in intense, deeply intimate conversation, their body language entirely ignoring the rest of the room.

Listening to the whispers, Jiang Chen learned the juicy details. This unknown woman was the very opponent who had pushed Jian Chen to the brink, triggering his Thunder Spirit Root mutation. Apparently, their brutal, life-or-death duel had sparked a profound, mutual respect that had rapidly evolved into… something else.

She made it to the top five of the Formal Competition without anyone knowing her name, Jiang Chen mused. The truly terrifying cultivators always keep their heads down until it’s time to strike.

His gaze shifted to Jian Chen.

Before the tournament, the swordsman had been like a sheathed blade—quiet, restrained, and easily overlooked. Now? He was a drawn sword. His aura was sharp, dominant, and impossible to ignore. His eyes even glowed with a faint, crackling violet light.

In the past, Jian Chen had quietly trailed behind Shui Wuhen like a forgotten shadow. Now, the roles were entirely reversed. Shui Wuhen stood awkwardly to the side, looking exactly like a desperate lackey trying to leech off Jian Chen’s newfound glory.

The wheel of fortune turns, Jiang Chen thought cynically.

Having seen enough of the inner sect drama, Jiang Chen slipped out the side doors, mounted his Giant Leaf, and flew directly toward the Black Dragon Pool.

Arriving at the towering cliffs of the Hundred Zhang Cliff, Jiang Chen admired the rugged, isolated beauty of the landscape. It really was the perfect place for a secluded hermit.

But he didn’t linger to enjoy the view. He immediately dove, plunging straight toward the dark, ominous waters of the Black Dragon Pool.

Touching down near the rocky shore, he noticed the area was littered with abandoned fishing gear—snapped poles, rusted hooks, and tangled lines. But there wasn’t a single living soul in sight.

It seemed that while junior disciples occasionally hiked out here out of morbid curiosity, the reality of the Black Dragon Pool quickly chased them away. Even with the terrifying Fish Demon long dead, catching a true Dragon Carp was virtually impossible without the highly specialized, proprietary bait Jiang Chen had engineered.

Satisfied that he was entirely alone, Jiang Chen stowed his Giant Leaf.

He retrieved a small, intricately carved wooden model from his spatial ring: the Demon Wood Boat.

He tossed it lightly over the water. The moment the artifact struck the surface, it violently expanded, rapidly absorbing ambient Spiritual Energy until it swelled into a full-sized, heavily armored submersible vessel.

Jiang Chen leaped aboard, landing lightly on the sealed wooden deck. With a focused thought, he commanded the artifact. The Demon Wood Boat immediately pitched forward, drilling smoothly beneath the dark surface of the pool.

The descent was rapid and entirely blind. For the first several hundred meters, the water was a pitch-black void.

As the depth gauge approached the one-thousand-meter mark, a faint, bioluminescent glow pierced the gloom.

A massive, elegant fish, its crimson scales shimmering with an internal, golden light, lazily swam past the viewport.

A Dragon Carp.

Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up with predatory excitement. “Excellent. Let’s see how many we can poach today.”

He expertly maneuvered the Demon Wood Boat alongside the oblivious fish. Using the same reliable technique as before, he fired a cluster of dense Wood Qi vines from the hull, instantly entangling the fat Dragon Carp and dragging it into the holding tank.

Without pausing, he drove the vessel deeper into the trench.

Soon, he spotted a second glow. Then a third. A fourth. And finally, a fifth.

He snatched them all.

Bizarrely, exactly like his previous expedition, the trench yielded exactly five Dragon Carp before going completely barren. Not a single glowing scale could be found after the fifth capture.

While slightly disappointed by the hard cap, Jiang Chen was inherently pragmatic. Five priceless Dragon Carp were infinitely better than returning empty-handed.

Besides, fishing was only his secondary objective today.

During his first dive, his low Cultivation base and sheer terror had prevented him from exploring the abyss beyond the primary trench. He had been too weak to investigate what lay hidden in the absolute depths.

Today, he was significantly stronger, heavily armed, and deeply curious.

He pushed the Demon Wood Boat further down, steering it into the uncharted, crushing darkness of the true abyss.

As the vessel descended, a deeply familiar, bone-chilling aura began to seep through the reinforced hull. It was an ancient, oppressive Yin energy. At first, it was merely a faint static against his Divine Sense, but as the boat sank deeper, the aura intensified into a suffocating, physical pressure.

Suddenly, the gloom parted.

Looming before him in the pitch-black water, illuminated only by the faint, ambient glow of the abyss, was a colossal, serpentine skeleton.

By visual estimation alone, the bleached, fossilized remains exceeded thirty-three meters in length. It was the complete, articulated skeleton of a true Demon Dragon.

Even stripped of its flesh and dead for untold centuries, the sheer, primal majesty of the ancient apex predator was utterly terrifying to behold.