This place, while not a Blessed Land of Cave Heavens, was also a heaven-sent treasure trove.

Spirit Insects, poisonous creatures, Spirit Fish, and an endless supply of river water were all present.

The Insect Control Scripture, Hundred Poisons Scripture, Fish Saint Pill, Ancestral Worm Pill, and Water System Magic could all be cultivated here.

The only concern was the Third-order Monster Beast tens of li upstream; it was the greatest hidden danger.

This particular monster beast was relatively gentle by nature, not savage; otherwise, the Fathead Fish Demon would have faced more than just warnings. The Second-Order Monsters lurking within the marsh having survived until now was one of the best proofs of this.

Still, it's better to understand the situation before making a decision, Jia Ren mused.

Having not yet ascertained the enemy's situation, he dared not stay here any longer, and he certainly didn't dare to be neighbors with a Third-Order Great Demon.

The Sonic-Thief Mosquito King dispatched two of its kind to gather information about the Third-order Monster Beast.

A flicker of inspiration struck Jia Ren, and his senses linked with one of the Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings. It was an Insect External Incarnation he had sent out to monitor the Third-order Monster Beast.

The river was deep, and the demonic aura was faint, hardly discernible.

The Sonic-Thief Mosquito King was not skilled in water, so Jia Ren switched to a second method. He took out a Black Dragon Fish from the Water Mansion Fish Pond, formed a contract, and controlled it to swim towards the region where the Third-order Monster Beast resided. A Golden Armor King Worm was secretly hidden within the mouth of the Black Dragon Fish.

As they drew nearer to the source of the demonic aura, through the Parasitic Spirit Mark of the Golden Armor King Worm, Jia Ren could vaguely make out the silhouette of a colossal figure.

The Fathead Fish Demon, already a massive entity, seemed like an infant compared to this monster.

As they neared, turtles of various sizes gathered around the giant demon, swiftly pouncing to hunt and eat the Black Dragon Fish. The Black Dragon Fish was incredibly fast, dodging attack after attack and quickly closing the distance.

Only then did Jia Ren finally see the appearance of the river giant.

A massive turtle with a dark shell lurked at the bottom of the water, hundreds of zhang deep. It had its eyes closed, sleeping so soundly it appeared to be a lifeless object.

A Third Rank Turtle Demon? How is that possible?!

Turtle Demon Beasts are known for their slow growth; while ordinary magical beasts might reach Second Order in one or two centuries, Turtle Demon Beasts require three to five hundred years. Their only advantages are their exceptionally long lifespans and astonishing defensive capabilities. Yet, the perilous Cultivation World rarely allows Turtle Demon Beasts to survive for long. Second Order Turtle Demons are exceptionally rare, not to mention Third Rank ones.

How many years has it lived? At least a millennium? A thousand years is just a conservative estimate; it could be several millennia.

Before the fish-and-insect scout duo could gather more information for their master, they were devoured by the turtles, and Jia Ren lost his sensory link.

This is good news. Turtle Demon Beasts prefer tranquility over movement, dislike conflict, and can stay in one place for eighty to a hundred years without moving—it's the most harmless type of Third-order Monster Beast. The premise is... I have no intention of hunting the Turtle Demon or refining Turtle Spirit Ointment. I shall settle down here! I'll claim the marsh, reconstruct the Water Mansion, and build my own Blessed Land of Cave Heavens.

The Fathead Fish Demon carried the Water Mansion, descending from above the waterfall. It didn't cause the expected spectacle of giant waves; instead, the water surged from below to cushion its descent, creating little disturbance.

Following the waterfall's current downward, it searched for a suitable place to settle.

From within the marsh came a roar, as a Second-Order Fish Demon with a bizarre appearance and a body full of bone spurs emerged, radiating a presence not much weaker than that of the Fathead Fish Demon.

The Fathead Fish Demon would not tolerate this provocation. Its aura erupted, manifesting the immense shadow of a fish that could Swallow Heaven and Devour Earth.

The challenging Fish Demon, which had intended to drive off the newcomer and assert its sovereignty, was suddenly like a chicken with its neck squeezed. Its defiant roar died in its throat, and it fled ingloriously.

Bloodline suppression!

Prior to its ancestral reversion, the Fathead Fish Demon's bloodline was unremarkable; even lesser Fish Demons dared to launch sneak attacks when it was weak. After its ancestral reversion into a River-swallowing Fish, its bloodline potential was astonishing—possessing a natural Law Domain was the best proof.

The suppressive power of its bloodline wasn't as pronounced against Water System Magical Beasts of higher realms, but against those of the same or lower rank, it fully showcased its dominance.

The Fish Demon of the same rank had no courage to continue the fight and fled in terror.

Bloodline suppression—victory without battle.

Jia Ren was slightly astonished; he had expected an arduous fight but hadn't anticipated such an outcome. It was inconceivable that the Fish Demon had given up its territory so easily. The bloodline hierarchy among Magical Beasts was rigid; ancestral reversion was akin to a qualitative transformation. No wonder so many Fish Demons were obsessed with Spirit Attracting Bait.

The Fathead Fish Demon was very pleased with itself, swinging its head close to Jia Ren, seemingly seeking approval. The golden light emanating from its head was especially dazzling under the sunlight.

Master, how did I do? it seemed to convey.

Considering the hardship the creature had endured carrying the Water Mansion for a month, Jia Ren tossed out his remaining Spirit Attracting Bait to feed it. The Fathead Fish Demon, satisfied with its reward, bobbed its head in contentment.

"Stop shaking; you're about to make the people inside vomit," Jia Ren said. "Find a place to station the Water Mansion."

With the previous Fish Demon having fled, the Fathead Fish Demon and its master claimed the region richest in Spiritual Power, settling the Water Mansion there.

The hasty relocation of the Water Mansion hadn't greatly impacted the Fish Pond. The Spirit Field area was too large to move easily. The soil from the Spirit Field, where the Spiritual Medicine grew, was carefully moved to an open area to avoid wasting their cultivation efforts.

"Leave the Spirit Field to me," Zhang Pengpeng said. Having been complaining that she couldn't help much, she quickly went to arrange the Spirit Field, collecting and organizing the Spiritual Medicines.

The management of the Spirit Field within the River Palace could be entrusted to her.

Since we plan to reside here for a long time, it's best to expand the Spirit Field to more than ten mu, Jia Ren thought. He had long planned to expand the Spirit Field but hadn't yet gotten around to it.

This place was seldom visited by people; as long as they could keep Magical Beasts and Bizarre Demons at bay, it could serve as a long-term residence.

The Insect External Incarnation set out with a Demon-Spotting Talisman and an Evil Warding Talisman. Magical Beasts above Second Order would all be marked on the map, helping to confirm if any Great Demons or Bizarre Demons were lurking nearby.

Zhang Pengpeng was left to handle settling into the Water Mansion and expanding the Spirit Field, while Jia Ren followed the current to the waterfall.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows; having multiple dwellings is always a safe bet, he mused. The Water Mansion was crafted into a portable Magic Artifact, convenient for carrying and fleeing in case of danger. He also decided to create a Water Curtain Cave, partly to satisfy a personal fancy.

Jia Ren surveyed the curtain of water, eventually choosing a suitable area. He then used his abilities to part the flow.

Golden Armor King Worms landed on the smooth water-parted rock face and swiftly began to drill, excavating the cave residence.

Professional matters should be left to the professional insects; my only responsibility is... to supervise, he thought.

Meanwhile, the Insect External Incarnation split into a hundred Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings, each carrying a Demon-Spotting Talisman and an Evil Warding Talisman as they set out.

The Demon-Spotting Talismans were activated, revealing the auras of various Magical Beasts. The Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings noted down these creatures and their corresponding locations, intending to compile a map upon their return.

They found a total of seven Second-Order Monsters. Only one was comparable in strength to the Fathead Fish Demon; the others consisted of two mid-stage Second-Order and four low-stage Second-Order Monsters.

No Third-order Monster Beasts were found in the marsh region.

After exploring a radius of over thirty li, the Evil Warding Talismans had not triggered, indicating no Bizarre Demons nearby and relative safety.

Information on Spiritual Medicines, Spirit Insects, and poisonous creatures was also meticulously recorded.

A day later, the Insect External Incarnation delivered the completed map to him.

The map detailed the waterways they had traversed and all encountered Spiritual Medicines, with the herbs meticulously annotated with their age.

Jia Ren paid particular attention to the area near the marsh, where there were many Magical Beasts, poisonous insects, and Spiritual Medicines.

Perhaps due to the perennial toxic miasma and formidable Magical Beasts, few people ventured into the marsh. Consequently, there were quite a few Spiritual Medicines over a hundred years old.

Now, all this would benefit Jia Ren.

"Harvest all Spiritual Medicines over a hundred years old and store them carefully," Jia Ren instructed the Insect External Incarnation.

While the Incarnation handled the harvesting, he entered the Water Curtain Cave.

After a day's effort, the Golden Armor King Worms had hollowed out a vast space. It now contained a Cultivation Room, an Insect Breeding Room, and an Alchemy Room and Refining Workshop.

He planned to transplant the newly harvested Spiritual Medicines into the Water Curtain Cave to care for them himself, lest they be spoiled by Magical Beasts or poisonous insects.

With the underground Water Mansion established in the marsh and the Water Curtain Cave concealed behind the waterfall's veil, Jia Ren had two hidden bases.

He left the trivial matters to the Insect External Incarnation, while he focused on turning the newly acquired Spiritual Medicines into Elixirs.

For example... the Fish Saint Pill.

Jia Ren first entered the Insect Breeding Room. Over twenty Earth Dragon Worms had successfully completed their ancestral reversion, undergoing significant changes in appearance. Their size had increased multiple times, their bodies now covered in earthy yellow patterns, and their mouths sported interlacing sharp fangs, making them look particularly ferocious and terrifying.

Jia Ren named these Spirit Insects, after their ancestral reversion, Earth-Escaping Dragon Worms. He then killed one, took out the corresponding Spiritual Medicines, and began to refine Fish Saint Pills.

The alchemy process wasn't difficult for him, and his refinement speed was astonishingly quick; the fragrance of the medicine soon began to waft out. In less than half a day, one Earth-Escaping Dragon Worm and a large amount of Spiritual Medicines were consumed, yielding several hundred Fish Saint Pills.

Compared to the Spirit Attracting Bait, the Fish Saint Pill had a more concentrated medicinal strength. While the refinement process yielded fewer pills, the effect of a single pill was equivalent to ten baits.

Could the Fish Saint Pill possibly cause Spirit Fish to undergo a second ancestral reversion? It was worth looking forward to!

WHIMPER! WHIMPER!

Attracted by the pill's fragrance, the Fathead Fish Demon quickly rushed over, its eyes filled with a pleading look. Jia Ren tossed it a Fish Saint Pill, which it promptly swallowed.

Delicious, so delicious! More, more! it seemed to convey.

The Fathead Fish Demon wagged its tail even more vigorously, stirring up huge waves behind it.

"Quiet!" Jia Ren commanded. He threw a few more pills for the Fathead Fish Demon to swallow. He wasn't sure if the dosage was insufficient or if there was no secondary ancestral reversion effect, but no change occurred even after a while.

Perhaps it's because of its great strength. I should try it with ordinary Spirit Fish, Jia Ren mused. That's all for today's ration.

He ignored the Fathead Fish Demon's continued tail-wagging and its brazen display of the golden, blade-like marking on its head, then headed to the Fish Pond to test the pills on ordinary Spirit Fish.

Master, I've taken a hit for you!

Master, I've bled for you!

The Fathead Fish Demon continued its pitiful act, wagging its tail to beg for more food.

"I'll give you a choice," Jia Ren said. "You can have a hundred pieces of the previous bait or five of the current Spirit Pills."

The quantities were different; a hundred pieces of bait should have been more substantial than five pills. Yet, the Fathead Fish Demon chose the five Fish Saint Pills.

It seems the Fish Saint Pill has some unknown medicinal effects that I haven't discovered yet, Jia Ren mused.

He entered the Fish Pond within the Water Curtain Cave and tossed a Fish Saint Pill to a Black Dragon Loach.

The transformation, which previously would have taken much longer, was now astonishingly quick. The Black Dragon Loach's body grew at an alarming rate, and in less than an hour, its transformation was complete. It was now more than three times larger than before, even exceeding the size of a Black Dragon Fish that had been fed Spirit Attracting Bait for a month. Its aura was infinitely close to Second Order.

If I continue to raise them like this, could these Black Dragon Fish also transform into Second Order Spirit Fish?

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