After visiting three stalls and wasting plenty of breath bargaining, Gu An spent twenty Spirit Stones to buy two thousand jin of Spirit Bran and rice husks. Estimating that it should be enough, he left Qingyuan Immortal City, brought out his Black Wind Kerchief, and flew toward Bluewave Pool.

The lease for Bluewave Pool had already begun. Every passing day cost Spirit Stones, so he naturally could not delay.

Besides, the Sect was not far. He could return at any time, so there was no need to go back just to say his goodbyes.

The Black Wind Kerchief sped along. Less than half a day later, Gu An arrived at Bluewave Pool.

A mirror-like expanse of water lay at the bottom of the valley, reflecting the lush green of the mountains, brimming with vitality.

The pool was surrounded by mountains on three sides. A clear spring cascaded from the cliff top, scattered by the wind and shattering against the stone steps to unfurl like a bolt of white brocade.

Splashing water droplets reflected specks of golden light in the sun. Blue waves rippled outward, sweeping away the wisps of white mist resting on the water's surface.

A shallow bank had formed downstream of Bluewave Pool, strewn with jagged rocks and murmuring currents. The water struck the stones with a crisp, jade-like ring before slowly flowing off into the distance.

Gu An landed the Black Wind Kerchief and walked to a wooden hut by the pool. It appeared to have been built from ancient trees felled from the mountain. The hut was not large-just two rooms holding a bed, a table, and two chairs.

Covered in moss stains and speckled with mud, it clearly had some years on it. It was likely left behind by the disciple who previously drew Garrison Duty here.

Now that the Sect had canceled the task of raising spirit beasts, the stationed disciple had naturally long since departed, leaving only this wooden hut behind.

Casting a Cleaning Spell, he swept both inside and outside the hut. The originally somewhat dark and damp rooms became much tidier. Gu An looked at the refreshed space and let out a satisfied breath.

He strolled to the water's edge. The dark water was deep and bottomless. He cupped a handful of the pool water; it was brimming with Spiritual Qi, bitingly cold, and perfectly clear.

"Whew, the Spiritual Qi is very abundant. Next year, I can raise more Black Spirit Fish!"

It was already too late for this year. Inside his spirit beast pouch, Gu An only had two hundred and forty-six Black Spirit Fish fry, seven Blood Moon Eels, and five Clear Spirit Clams. Next year, he would have to make the Black Spirit Fish reproduce heavily and contribute more.

Back at White Mirror Lake, the Spirit Vein there could at most support fewer than two hundred Black Spirit Fish to maturity, not to mention that Gu An still needed it for his own cultivation.

Due to insufficient Spiritual Qi, quite a few had died before growing up, providing Gu An with a bit of Spiritual Qi and serving as an extra meal for their own kind.

Now that he was at Bluewave Pool, increasing the number of Black Spirit Fish to three hundred shouldn't be a problem.

The Blood Moon Eels would also mature next year. According to the experience notes Xiao Wenyuan had given him, a single Blood Moon Eel could produce about seven or eight young eels. He had four female eels here; he wondered which male eel would get to enjoy the fortune of having multiple partners!

Taking out the spirit beast pouch, he poured the Black Spirit Fish and Blood Moon Eels into the water together. These two species were fine-thick-skinned and resilient-but the Clear Spirit Clams were much more delicate and needed to be kept in shallow water.

Casually casting an Entangling Spell, four green vines shot out from his sleeve, wrapping around several large rocks beneath the cliff. He yanked them forcefully into the shallows, piling them together to form a green stone platform.

Gu An carefully placed the Clear Spirit Clams on the platform one by one. These were newly bought spirit beasts, so they had to be treated gently. He couldn't afford for them to flip over and die on him!

Standing by the pool, he watched the dense school of Black Spirit Fish enter the water like a drop of ink into a clear spring. They darted everywhere, swimming tyrannically. From time to time, they nibbled at the moss on the stones or snapped at the leaves hanging over the water, making the surface splash noisily.

Disgusted by the commotion, the seven Blood Moon Eels swam further away, tangling themselves into a ball beneath the small waterfall, playing happily.

Gu An watched with some concern. They couldn't be starting an orgy, could they!

The Clear Spirit Clams, however, were much more well-behaved. Opening their milky-white shells, they comfortably basked in the sunlight. Threads of Spiritual Qi drilled into their shells, making them shimmer brightly.

Seeing that all three types of spirit beasts were adapting well, Gu An contentedly took out a bag of Spirit Bran and scattered it in handfuls. He also sprinkled a small handful of Golden Cloud Rice specifically for the Clear Spirit Clams.

Gazing at the churning water, Gu An's thoughts wandered, his mind drifting far away.

"Hmm, once the Black Spirit Fish mature next year and I sell some for Spirit Stones, I'll need to buy a Formation!"

After all, living alone out here, safety was incredibly important. Although Bluewave Pool was not far from the Sect, Demon Beasts occasionally wandered over. Having a Formation would give him some peace of mind.

Gathering his thoughts, Gu An returned to the stone table outside the wooden hut. A cool breeze carrying moisture brushed his face, gentle and refreshing.

An old peach tree beside the stone table rustled its trembling leaves. Green peaches were faintly visible among the branches, covered in a layer of fine white fuzz. The tree stood tall like a canopy, casting a welcome patch of shade.

Taking out a tea set, he pinched a small measure of greenish-blue tea buds and placed them into the teapot.

He had gotten these tea leaves from Steward Liu. It was only mortal tea, but its aroma was rich and possessed a unique flavor.

He gently poured boiling water along the rim of the pot, causing the tender buds to unfurl in the whirlpool. The fragrance of tea filled the air. He poured a cup of clear tea, then waved his sleeve to summon a stream of icy pool water. Several thin water serpents coiled around the jade cup, whisking away the excess heat before falling back into the pool.

The tea flowed into his mouth, swirling over his tongue before he swallowed. Gu An let out a satisfied sigh. "Mm~ so comfortable. I must be getting old to have started drinking tea!"

Perhaps it was because he had stayed cooped up at White Mirror Lake for so long, but Gu An had gradually grown accustomed to drinking tea. He couldn't say he loved it, but he could appreciate its nuances now. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to bluff Steward Liu and score a jar of tea leaves for free.

After drinking two more cups of tea, he reached into his robes and pulled out a spirit beast pouch. Injecting a wisp of Spiritual Qi, a clay jar appeared before his eyes.

Inside the clay jar rested the Cold-Scale Python egg. Gu An had been carrying it with him all along, having specifically bought an extra spirit beast pouch to carefully hide it near his chest. This was the most valuable thing he possessed, so he naturally couldn't be careless.

The Cold-Scale Python egg reflected streaks of cold light. Gu An could sense that the consciousness within had grown somewhat clearer. Peering inside the jar, he noticed that all twenty Spirit Stones showed slight signs of their Spiritual Qi fading. He estimated they could last about three more months.

Feeling a pang of heartache, he touched the Spirit Stones in the water. This was all his hard-earned blood and sweat money! In three months, he would have to swap in another batch. That would be forty Spirit Stones total!

At the thought of this, Gu An pretended to be vicious as he sent a thought over. "Wasting so many of my Spirit Stones! When you come out, you'll be working for this Daoist master-the kind of work that goes from morning till night!"

Naturally, the Cold-Scale Python could not fully comprehend Gu An's intent and assumed he was playing with it. It sent back a wave of joy and deep affection, making Gu An feel a slight twinge of guilt.

Clearing his throat lightly, Gu An moved the clay jar into the shallow waters of Bluewave Pool to keep the Clear Spirit Clams company.

He had read in the Scripture Pavilion that ice-attribute spirit beasts were best hatched in cold places to reduce their incubation time. The freezing waters of Bluewave Pool were highly suitable. This was one of the reasons he had chosen to lease the pool in the first place.

As the saying went: deep pools were secluded, allowing heavy yin energy to accumulate, connecting to earth veins below and cold springs above. Dense forests cast shadows over it, blocking out the sky and sun.

The pool water was inherently cold and filled with yin, which naturally aided the hatching of the Cold-Scale Python egg. Gu An estimated that the little python would emerge in about four or five months.

Having settled the spirit beasts, Gu An slowly walked back to the wooden hut. He arranged his meditation cushion, bedding, and other belongings, sat down cross-legged, and began to cultivate.