Chapter 969: A Place to Anchor

The bright morning sky above the newly constructed Five Star Lakes was briefly shadowed by the arrival of a massive commercial transport vessel. The ship carried the crest of the Silver Fin Syndicate on its broad sails.

It descended smoothly toward the designated landing zone near the edge of the lush green valley and Li Yu stood waiting on the pristine grass with his hands clasped behind his back. Mirelle and Alden stood respectfully a few paces behind him as the ship touched down and the boarding ramp lowered with a heavy mechanical groan.

The fat merchant from the trade hub waddled down the ramp with a wide and greedy smile plastered across his face. He was followed by a dozen sturdy handlers who carried large specialized beast storage bags slung over their broad shoulders. The bags pulsed and shifted with the contained energy of thousands of living creatures.

"Young Master Yu." The merchant greeted loudly while offering a respectful bow. "We have brought the foundational breeding stock exactly as requested. Our handlers are ready to introduce the beasts to their new homes whenever you give the word."

Li Yu nodded and gestured toward the five massive basins of water. He directed the handlers to specific lakes based on the detailed environmental plans he had drafted. The handlers moved quickly to the edges of the stone lined shores and unfastened the complex seals on the storage bags.

Torrents of crystal clear water cascaded out of the specialized bags as the water carried massive schools of spiritual fish directly into the fresh lakes. The heavy Bronze Scaled Sturgeon splashed violently into the deepest and hottest basin which was most suitable for it. They immediately swam toward the thermal vents at the bottom to bask in the intense heat.

The Jade Ribbon Eels poured into a separate lake designed with fast moving artificial currents as they darted through the rushing water like streaks of green lightning. Thousands of Crimson Claw Crabs tumbled out and scuttled rapidly across the rocky bottoms of all the lakes. They immediately began their work as scavengers on the bottom. The Moonlit Carps and the Granite Shell Turtles were gently released into the calmest and most nutrient dense waters.

Li Yu watched the transfer of life with a deeply satisfied expression as he turned to the fat merchant and thanked him sincerely for the prompt and safe delivery. He then signaled his staff to handle the final transaction. Mirelle stepped forward while meticulously checking the final numbers on her own ledger against the merchant's official manifest. Alden then handed the merchant a spatial pouch filled with the agreed upon sum of spirit stones.

The merchant weighed the heavy pouch in his hands, sent his sense in there to check and his smile grew even wider. He looked out over the capacity of the five star shaped lakes and his merchant instincts flared.

"These lakes are truly magnificent." The merchant noted while wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "They will undoubtedly breed a large amount of life in the coming years. I would happily trade aquatic beasts with you if you ever find yourself with a vast surplus. We could do profitable business together in the future."

Li Yu thought about the proposal for a moment and accepted the offer. It was always good to have a reliable commercial outlet if the lakes became too populated down the line. He had no intention of becoming a massive tycoon but controlling the population density of his pens was a basic necessity of management. The merchant bowed once more and led his handlers back onto the transport ship before taking off into the clouds.

Li Yu waited until the ship disappeared from sight before walking to the very center of the valley. As he stood near the edge of the lake surrounding his main residence, he raised his hand and channeled his dense Qi. He opened the spatial gates of his own Koi Sanctuary.

A blinding light flashed across the water as a massive waterfall of his own stored aquatic beasts poured directly into the different fresh lakes. Some of the creatures he had gathered from his travels across the lower realms finally had another permanent home. He stocked the lakes to balance the local food chain. The five basins were now entirely teeming with vibrant and diverse life.

He left Alden and Jace to organize the feeding schedules and retreated to his private quarters. Li Yu climbed the winding wooden stairs of the dark wood pagoda and stepped out onto the highest balcony as the wind blew gently through his dark hair, he leaned against the polished railing. He looked out over the sprawling star shaped lakes and the people working along the shores.

He also saw many that were able to just sit back and enjoy a cup of tea or a snack as well. Their lives still involved work but they were also filled with lots of rest, food to eat and cultivation resources should they want to continue their cultivation path.

The beautiful sight of the water and the jumping fish hit him with a sudden and overwhelming wave of nostalgia. Memories of his past came running back to the forefront of his mind with startling clarity. He remembered the Deep Water Menagerie back at the Green Mountain Sect in the lower realms once again. He remembered the smell of the damp earth and the bright faces of his friends and those that worked for him.

A few stray tears left his eyes and rolled slowly down his cheeks. He did not wipe them away immediately but allowed himself to feel the grief of his destroyed sect in the quiet privacy of his balcony. He missed them and as he closed his eyes and took a deep trembling breath, he tightened his fists against the wooden railing and hardened his heart once more.

He told himself that he would honor their memory by continuing to move forward without hesitation. He would cultivate his power to the apex and eventually find the hidden realm and then find the Seven Sins. He would crush them entirely for what they took from him. A deep hum resonated through the quiet valley a few hours later.

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Li Yu descended the pagoda quickly to greet his visitor. His father flew down and looked around the bustling aquatic pens with wide eyes. He saw the shimmering lakes and the workers maintaining the pristine shores. Li Canghai crossed his arms and let out a low whistle of genuine appreciation.

He turned to his son and said that this project was quite a surprise but he quickly corrected himself and admitted he probably shouldn't be surprised at all. Li Yu had told them many stories about his time managing the Deep Water Menagerie in the lower realms. It made sense that he would recreate a piece of his past here in his new home.

His father walked along the grassy banks and breathed in the fresh mountain air. He found the valley to be peaceful compared to the endless chaos and bloodshed of the border wars he fought daily. He looked at the tall pagoda in the center and then turned back to Li Yu.

“Can I get my own place built up somewhere along the outer edge of the center area?” Canghai asked his son. He wanted a quiet pavilion where he could rest and recover when he returned to the clan and a place for Zhan Tielan as well of course. He explicitly noted that he wanted to stay close but he also wanted to give Li Yu his own independent space in the main pagoda.

Li Yu of course happily agreed to the request. He immediately called for Alden to make the arrangements. He asked his people to design and construct a beautiful lakeside pavilion specifically tailored to his father's tastes.

His mother returned to the estate exactly a day later. Zhan Tielan landed softly on the grass near the central hub. She was overjoyed to see her son and her husband together in such a beautiful place. She hugged Li Yu tightly and smiled radiantly as she inspected the completed lakes.

The family spent the entire morning walking the perimeter of the estate and catching up on their respective lives and the happenings that they knew about. They eventually decided to stretch their muscles and test Li Yu's recent cultivation progress. The three of them moved to a reinforced clearing located near the rocky edge of the valley.

Li Yu drew his staff and slammed it against the ground. He also summoned his Celestial Star Sword Formation to demonstrate his improved multitasking. Silent Bastion anchored his defense directly in front of him. Pale Extinction hovered to the north while Firmament's End claimed the south. Whispering Frost took the east and Gilded Calamity guarded the west.

His parents restricted their cultivation bases to match his Paragon realm strength as they wanted to test his technique and his combat awareness. They sparred and trained together for several hours with the clearing echoing with the deafening sound of clashing metal and explosive Qi.

Li Yu pushed his Nexus Mind technique while he controlled his physical strikes with his staff while simultaneously directing the four orbiting blades to attack from extreme angles and directions. His mother easily deflected Gilded Calamity with a simple flick of her wrist while his father parried his staff strikes with his sword.

They pushed him hard and forced him to utilize his newly formed second Qi node to maintain the relentless pace, wanting to see how far he can go. By the end of the session they were immensely proud of his fluid control and his doubled energy reserves, he had not pushed himself recently for nothing. He had grown significantly stronger in a very short amount of time.

The intense family sparring session came to an abrupt halt when the sky above the clearing rumbled with a deep and oppressive thunder. The space directly above them tore open and revealed a spatial rift. Zhan Tian stepped out of the void.

The Worldkeeper looked down at the family gathering and landed heavily on the grass. The physical weight of his arrival cracked the solid stone beneath his boots and made Li Yu note to get that reinforced. He surveyed the five star shaped lakes and the thousands of spiritual fish splashing within them with a straight face. The apocalyptic aura surrounding him instantly vanished and a wide grin spread across his heavily scarred face. He walked toward Li Yu and mocked him loudly.

“What kind of grandson do I have?! Are you a fish monger now?” He laughed. Of course, he was only joking. He said the words in a deeply loving and warm kind of way that made Li Yu’s parents laugh out loud. Li Yu fired back a witty retort about feeding the clan's endless appetite and the family shared a warm moment of laughter and mocking one another.

It turned out that his grandfather actually liked to fish quite a bit in his rare moments of free time. Zhan Tian walked over to the edge of the deepest lake and pulled a simple wooden fishing rod from his own spatial ring. The visual contrast of a terrifying Worldkeeper holding a tiny wooden stick was incredibly amusing to Li Yu and looked completely out of place.

Li Yu quickly grabbed his own rod, choosing from the many he had made through his travels, from his storage ring and joined his grandfather on the grassy bank. They cast their lines into the shimmering water and sat down side by side to relax. The lakes were completely stocked to the brim with hungry spiritual fish so the fish bit the hooks almost instantly the moment the bait hit the surface. It was super easy to catch them but the lack of challenge did not diminish the fun at all.

Zhan Tian laughed his booming laugh every single time he casually yanked a Bronze Scaled Sturgeon from the deep water. He threw the heavy fish back in and immediately cast his line back out. Li Yu caught dozens of shimmering Moonlit Carps in rapid succession but threw them back in as well. They had a remarkably good and fun time together on the banks of the lake as they bonded over the simple and peaceful act of fishing while sharing stories of their past encounters with Zhan Tian sharing more and Li Yu listening.

The sun slowly set behind the mountains and cast a warm orange glow across the beautiful valley. The workers finished their daily tasks and retreated to their designated quarters to have their free time. At first they were not used to the kind of freedom that Li Yu gave them but they were slowly adapting to it.

The chapter of their reunion ended as the evening fully approached. Zhan Tian packed away his wooden rod and looked across the water. He decided he also wanted a private cabin built on the opposite side of the star lakes. He wanted a dedicated and quiet spot to fish whenever he visited the estate in the future.

Li Yu had originally planned to have all of them staying with him inside the central pagoda. He wanted his family under one roof. It seemed they had other plans all wanted to let him have that main space be entirely his own.

They respected his independence and his need for a private cultivation sanctuary but they still wanted to surround him with their presence. Another building order was given to the construction team before the night fell. The Five Star Lakes were slowly turning into a true family compound where Li Yu slowly felt more anchored to the cosmos.