The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

The rewards also included 50,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones, a hundred-year fishing right to the Spirit Gathering Abyss, and a Wave-breaking Boat personally gifted by the City Lord.

Now, all these assets were in Jiang Chen’s possession. Considering he had won first place alongside Long Ao, the prize had to be shared. Jiang Chen’s plan was simple: they would split the 50,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones down the middle.

As for the Wave-breaking Boat, its strengths and weaknesses were glaringly obvious.

Its advantage was its incredible speed across the water’s surface. Its disadvantage was its complete inability to fly. While it could glide on land, it was slower than even a common terrestrial spirit beast. Long Ao already owned the Storm Crane 7; he naturally had no use for such a vessel.

Regarding the hundred-year fishing rights for the Spirit Gathering Abyss, Long Ao was only willing to take a 10% cut of the total profits.

But the problem plaguing Jiang Chen wasn’t the distribution of profits, but the logistics of the operation.

The Spirit Gathering Abyss, situated near an undersea dragon vein, was a treasure trove of resources. Forget monthly or yearly yields; the daily profits alone would amount to at least 1,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones. If a few rare heavenly materials were discovered, that figure could easily double, or even multiply several times over.

The biggest challenge was maximizing that profit.

Could he manage it himself? Yes, but it would be a colossal waste of his time.

Hire others? The labor costs would be astronomical. The Spirit Gathering Abyss was located in the depths of the Canglan Sea, far beyond the reach of ordinary fishermen. He would need to hire a team of cultivators, at least at the Qi Condensation realm, and specifically those with Water, Earth, and Metal Spirit Roots. On top of that, he would have to lease specialized submersible harvesting vessels. The combined expenses would be staggering.

The most logical solution was to partner with an established power and cede a portion of the revenue.

And that was precisely why Zhao Qianyun had remained behind.

Jiang Chen’s eyes narrowed in thought. “A partnership with the City Lord’s Mansion?”

Zhao Qianyun offered a slight smile. “The Spirit Gathering Abyss has always been our territory. We are merely granting you the operational rights for a century.”

Jiang Chen gave a slight nod. “Fair enough.”

“Of course,” Zhao Qianyun added, a knowing glint in his eyes, “if you have connections within the five great families, you could choose to work with them. However, the price would be… steeper.”

“Why is that?” Jiang Chen asked, genuinely curious.

“The Spirit Gathering Abyss is adjacent to the territory of the mermaid tribes,” Zhao Qianyun explained. “If the five great families or any other outside force wishes to harvest there, they must pay a hefty protection fee.”

Jin Fugui’s eyes widened in surprise. “And the City Lord’s Mansion doesn’t?”

Zhao Qianyun’s answer was firm. “We have an excellent private relationship with the mermaids. Not only are we exempt from protection fees, but we can also hire them to assist in the harvesting.”

“So, there’s really no choice at all!”

“It’s either the City Lord’s Mansion or someone else who’ll cost us more!”

“Should we… report this to the Sect and ask for guidance?”

The group broke into a hushed, anxious discussion.

“I don’t think we should involve the Sect,” Long Ao stated, his voice low and serious.

Jiang Chen’s gaze sharpened. “You’re worried they’ll take it from us.”

“If the Sect learns of this,” Long Ao said grimly, “there are only two possible outcomes. One, they deem the profits from the Spirit Gathering Abyss beneath their notice. Two, they agree to ‘cooperate’ but take the vast majority of the earnings for themselves.”

His words hung in the air. Jiang Chen exchanged a silent, understanding look with Jin Fugui, Chen Bo, Li Xianglin, and Tie Zhu. Mo Yu was absent from the conversation, as he had yet to return.

Zhao Qianyun spoke again, breaking the silence. “For Brother Long’s sake, the City Lord’s Mansion will only ask for a thirty percent share of the profits. The rest is yours.”

The math was simple. Long Ao would take his 10%. The City Lord’s Mansion would take 30%. That left Jiang Chen with the remaining 60%.

It was an undeniable fact. Compared to the five great families who had to pay protection fees, or the Sect who would take the lion’s share—or simply seize the entire operation—the City Lord’s Mansion was the best possible partner. They only wanted a 30% cut and could even provide mermaid labor, which was far more efficient than hiring a ragtag group of Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

From any angle, especially that of pure profit maximization, this was the only logical choice. There wasn’t even a close second.

Based on a conservative estimate of 1,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones a day, Jiang Chen would be earning 600 Mid-grade Spirit Stones daily without lifting a finger. That was nearly 20,000 a month. He wouldn’t even need to bother with selling wine or pills anymore.

Jiang Chen let out a small laugh. “It seems I have no better option.”

He and Zhao Qianyun immediately began hammering out the finer details of the arrangement. Once both parties were satisfied, they sealed the deal with a spirit talisman contract.

With their business concluded, Zhao Qianyun turned to leave. Although the centennial Thousand Sails Event was over, his duties were far from finished. His next stop was Dream Island. He had intended to invite Jiang Chen and Long Ao to accompany him, but they had both declined, expressing a lack of interest.

Once the outsider was gone, Jin Fugui nudged Jiang Chen with a sly grin. “Old Jiang, now that you’re rolling in spirit stones, isn’t it time for a little celebration at the Sea Demon Pavilion?”

Jiang Chen’s lips curved into a genuine smile. “An excellent suggestion.”

Celebration, however, was only part of his plan. He had another, more critical objective in mind: to initiate Essence Harmonization with a mermaid and, in the process, finally awaken his Water Spirit Root.

Without another word, the group departed the Town Dragon Tower and made their way to the Sea Demon Pavilion.

***

Inside the Sea Demon Pavilion, they were led to the Whale Fall Private Room.

The moment the door slid open, a faint, salty mist greeted them. As their eyes adjusted, they took in the breathtaking interior. The walls were coated in a deep cerulean plaster, etched with swirling, silver-grey currents that mimicked the ocean’s flow. The floor was covered in a plush, sand-colored carpet that muffled their every step.

At the room’s center stood a long, organically shaped wooden table, its surface polished to a mirror sheen. Embedded in its heart was a large, semi-translucent slab of aquamarine glass, within which a miniature diorama of coral and shells was perfectly preserved, scattering fractured light across the room. Six wide wooden chairs with soft leather armrests were arranged around it.

From the ceiling hung three large conch-shell lamps, each housing a warm, yellow night pearl. The light filtered through the shells’ natural whorls, casting dappled, shifting patterns on the walls, creating the illusion of being submerged in a sunlit grotto.

In one corner, a miniature trench had been constructed from reef stones, with clear water trickling through it over a bed of fine white coral sand. A few finger-sized, bioluminescent fish swam lazily in the current, their gentle splashing a soft counterpoint to the distant, muffled sound of real ocean waves.

First came the cold appetizers to whet their appetites: chilled sea bream, marinated jellyfish salad, charcoal-grilled squid, and wine-soaked crab claws. An array of drinks followed, from the rich Whale Fat Wine and sweet Coral-brewed Fruit Wine to the crisp Sea Dew Clear Brew and fragrant Rain Before Dragon Well Tea. The hot dishes were equally impressive, featuring classics like steamed sea bass, stir-fried conch slices, and a bubbling seafood tofu pot.

The service was impeccable. The waitresses, clad in sheer, flowing robes, moved with a silent grace.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Long Ao departed with Tie Zhu and Li Xianglin. That left Jiang Chen, Jin Fugui, and Chen Bo to proceed to the Mermaid Palace.

It was Chen Bo’s first time, and he fidgeted nervously, a shy blush creeping up his neck as he looked over the available mermaids, unsure of how to proceed.

Jiang Chen and Jin Fugui, however, were seasoned veterans. They quickly made their selections. Despite the wider array of choices available this time, Jiang Chen chose Ming Zhu again. It wasn’t out of any sense of loyalty, but for the simple sake of efficiency. He knew what to expect.

Seeing him approach, Ming Zhu flinched, her shoulders tightening in fear, but she didn’t dare voice an objection.

***

Soon, they were in the water, descending past the familiar depths. They shot past tens of meters, then a hundred, quickly reaching the five-hundred-meter mark they had stopped at before.

But this time, Jiang Chen gave a silent command. He didn’t stop. He urged Ming Zhu to continue downward.

They finally leveled off at a depth of eight hundred meters.

Here, the ambient light had faded from a murky twilight to an oppressive, inky black, pierced only by the faint glow of deep-sea life. The occasional mote of light would drift down from the world above, glittering like a shard of shattered glass for a moment before being extinguished by the crushing dark.

Ming Zhu scanned their surroundings with wary eyes. “My Lord,” she whispered, her voice a soft vibration in the water, “should we descend further?”

This depth was the perfect balance—not yet in the truly dangerous zones, but where the ambient Water Spirit Qi was thick and potent.

Hearing her question, Ming Zhu’s face flushed, and she pressed herself against him.

As Jiang Chen began the process of Essence Harmonization, he retrieved the Water Spirit Source Crystal. It was shaped like a single, solidified teardrop, perfectly clear and shimmering with a faint cyan glow. It felt cool to the touch, yet the cold was not biting; it was a smooth, profound chill that held a hint of warmth at its core. Peering into it, one could see a vortex of living water swirling within.

The moment Jiang Chen closed his hand around it, the living water within the crystal instantly flash-boiled. The crystalline structure began to dissolve, not into the sea, but directly into his flesh, a torrent of pure, elemental power surging through his palm and into his meridians!