bookbashuk Chapter 182 Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, Recent Family Situation
Chapter 182 Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, Recent Family Situation
Qingya Mountain.
Inside the secret chamber, Zhang Lingyu kept his eyes closed. After an unknown amount of time, a vortex of spiritual energy slowly began to appear around him. The spiritual energy from the entire cave and even the entire Ling Mountain area surged towards him, indicating that his breakthrough had entered a critical period.
Such a huge commotion was naturally noticed by the entire clan, and the ordinary clansmen at the foot of the mountain kept looking up at the vortex of spiritual energy in the sky.
Although they didn't know what had happened, they knew that it was the location of their clan leader's cave.
"Is the clan leader practicing some kind of magic? His aura is incredibly powerful!"
"I reckon he's either refining pills, forging weapons, or maybe he's in seclusion trying to break through!"
The clansmen discussed amongst themselves, and if they hadn't seen Zhang Yuanlin and Zhang Xingyao walk out of the main hall, they would have almost forgotten that they still had work to do and could only reluctantly leave.
"Such powerful aura, such a magnificent scene. It seems that Lingyu will be out of seclusion within a month."
Staring at the strange phenomenon on the mountaintop, Zhang Xingyao couldn't help but sigh, "The spiritual energy vortex I formed when I broke through back then was only half the size of this. It's really frustrating to compare yourself to others."
"Ling Yu has a solid foundation and has also switched to cultivating a fifth-grade technique, so naturally you can't compare. However, once you break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, your aura will be incomparable to that of ordinary late-stage cultivators, so don't be envious." Zhang Yuanlin stroked his beard and laughed, comforting him.
"Yes, once Lingyu emerges from seclusion, I can begin preparing for my own seclusion. I must improve my strength as soon as possible."
The man nodded. He had already healed all his hidden injuries in the past two years, and his cultivation technique had been fully converted. He could immediately begin his seclusion.
However, the cultivation world has been in turmoil for the past two years. In order to ensure the safety of his family, he dared not go into seclusion before Zhang Lingyu emerged from seclusion.
With the boy's strength and numerous magical artifacts, even though he has just broken through to the mid-stage, he might be able to hold his own against a late-stage cultivator, and killing him is not impossible.
"Yes, given the current situation, it's crucial that he's personally overseeing things."
......
"Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, achieved!"
More than twenty days later, the boy sitting cross-legged in the secret room suddenly opened his eyes, feeling the powerful magic power in his dantian, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
As expected, this breakthrough in seclusion took a full two years and three months.
But in reality, it only took two years to actually use it for a breakthrough. For the first three months, he was focused on cultivating the fifth-grade "Burning Yuan Fire Scripture". After all, a fifth-grade scripture is a fifth-grade scripture. Using it for a breakthrough not only made his foundation more solid, but also made his magic power more refined after the breakthrough.
Now, if I were to face a common mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator like Meng Da, I would probably be able to overwhelm him with sheer force of will upon first meeting, and kill him in less than a hundred rounds.
This is still relying on its own power; if it were combined with Soul-Devouring Bees, Soul-Binding Ropes, etc., it would be even faster.
Having broken through to the mid-stage, his Qi Sea has expanded more than three times, and his divine soul has also been greatly strengthened. Now, he can use the Azure Lotus Sword Formation at least ten times.
"Don't rush out yet, let's stabilize our cultivation first."
Although Zhang Lingyu had consumed a large amount of rare and precious herbs, and had made his foundation very solid due to body refining and soul cultivation techniques, he had only just broken through, and his realm was still somewhat unstable. In addition, his control over his aura was still a bit rough, which could easily affect the surrounding environment.
Furthermore, the clan would definitely notice the commotion of his breakthrough. Since Zhang Xingyao and the others hadn't sent a message, it meant there was nothing urgent at the moment, so there was no need to rush out of seclusion.
Having made up his mind, he began to circulate the "Burning Primordial Fire Scripture".
As the cultivation technique circulated, a massive amount of spiritual energy surged into him from within the cave once again. As expected of a fifth-grade cultivation technique, it absorbed spiritual energy from heaven and earth at a speed more than three times faster than before.
With each rotation, the temperature inside the cave rose, and the surface of the body glowed red, while golden-red patterns occasionally appeared beneath the skin.
If there were outsiders nearby, they would be surprised to find that with each call from the boy, the entire cave could be heard with a sound similar to the "thumping" of a heart.
This is naturally because he practiced the "Burning Primordial Fire Sutra".
This method is not very useful for alchemy or weapon crafting, but it has a significant advantage in combat. After cultivation, a spiritual flame called "Burning Essence Heart Flame" can be generated in the heart, which is extremely useful in combat.
The sound just now could also be interpreted as the flickering of the fire.
According to the jade slip, this fire melts metal and destroys wood, meaning it is extremely harmful to cultivators who cultivate metal or wood attributes, as well as magical artifacts or spirit creatures that have become sentient.
As for dealing with other lineages, the power it causes is also considerable.
This fire resides in the heart and grows stronger as the cultivator's cultivation level increases. If Zhang Lingyu were to reach the Golden Core stage one day, he would be no less formidable than ordinary spiritual fires of heaven and earth.
However, precisely because of its great power, it also consumes a great deal of magical energy, so he does not use it lightly unless he is confident in his abilities.
Furthermore, most of the other spells attached to the "Burning Yuan Fire Scripture" rely on the "Burning Yuan Golden Flame" to be cast, and are almost entirely used in combat. This is why Master Mingyu left him four magical artifacts.
Half a month later, Wang Menghan was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard when she suddenly sensed something and turned her head towards the entrance of the cave. She saw a figure in green robes watching her from a distance.
She exclaimed with delight, "Master, you've finally decided to give it up?"
"Yes, if we don't come out soon, the tribespeople will probably think I'm going to die in the cave."
"Master, what are you saying? Everyone saw that strange phenomenon a month ago, and now the clan is saying that you are practicing some kind of powerful magic."
How could a disciple not know what his master was doing?
Having not seen each other for two or three years, he missed them dearly. After joking around for a while, he smiled and offered his congratulations repeatedly.
"Meng Han is not bad either. She has already reached the fourth level of Qi Refining. It looks like she can break through to the fifth level in another six months."
Not only did he break through a minor realm in just two and a half years, but he was also able to quickly reach the threshold of the next realm, something that most ordinary disciples of Nascent Soul sects could not do.
Moreover, not only is Wang Menghan's foundation very solid, but the sword technique we just saw from afar proves that this disciple is not only cultivating but also refining his swordsmanship, and dares not slack off in the slightest.
"By the way, Menghan, how are the Soul-Devouring Bees?"
"Master, don't worry, the spirit insects are all fine, they just eat too much..."
Speaking of this, Wang Menghan revealed a bitter expression. Before Zhang Lingyu went into seclusion, he entrusted the Soul-Devouring Bees to her care and left behind a lot of spiritual materials as food.
At first, it was enough, but as the bee colony expanded further, what was left behind could no longer satisfy its appetite. Since the bees could not be allowed to go out and forage on their own, they had no choice but to tell Zhang Yuanlin and others.
Fortunately, the clan sent a batch of spiritual materials in time, which stabilized the situation.
"Is that so..."
Zhang Lingyu raised an eyebrow slightly. The losses in the clan were nothing; he could replenish them himself. The key was to prevent the Soul-Devouring Bees from going hungry. As long as the swarm continued to expand, a second Soul-Devouring Bee Queen would eventually be born, thus further strengthening their power.
"I understand. I'll go in and take a look now."
He nodded, gave his disciple some pointers on his swordsmanship, and then headed deeper into the cave to check on the situation of the Spirit-Devouring Bees. After seeing the room filled with a dense mass of spirit insects, he was satisfied and threw in a large number of spirit creatures.
After feeding the spirit insects, he was about to head to the council hall to check on the family's recent situation when he suddenly remembered that there was still one thing he hadn't done.
Having spent two or three years in seclusion, it's time to use the intelligence system to see what major events have happened in the cultivation world in recent years.
[Level 3 Intelligence: ......]
[Level 3 Intelligence: ......]
[Level 3 Intelligence: Today, the Zhao Kingdom's Yunhaifang Guild was attacked by a Golden Core cultivator in the early stage and more than ten Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators. If you wish to go there, please proceed with caution.]
.....
[Level 3 Intelligence: This afternoon, the Wu Family Association of Xuanling County, Zhao State, was attacked by a group of demonic cultivators. The leader was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, and there were more than twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators and more than one hundred Qi Refining cultivators. If you wish to go there, please be careful.]
"really..."
Zhang Lingyu sighed softly. Before he went into seclusion, there had already been incidents of demonic cultivators attacking markets in various parts of Zhao. During the first year of his seclusion, the attacks intensified until they stopped half a year ago.
According to the intelligence system, several markets have been breached, and two Golden Core cultivators have also died.
Fortunately, the disaster did not spread to Yingchuan County.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief. If they really came, even Master Xuanhao might not be able to withstand them, let alone the Zhang family.
However, upon seeing yet another piece of information, his already unpleasant expression turned even more somber.
There was no other reason than that Li Yanshan had gone deep into Zhangjiabi Lake to investigate the unusual situation.
According to the information provided by the system, after the other party noticed the Zhang family's abnormal behavior of moving the earth veins, they bypassed the family's various defenses and went deep into the Biyue Lake, carefully exploring the lake bottom and the huge objects on the shore.
Because of the concealment provided by some powerful formations, they found nothing and had to return disappointed.
"What a fine family the Li family is! What a fine Li Yanshan is!"
A fierce anger ignited in Zhang Lingyu's heart, but he was helpless. How could such a big move by his own side not arouse the other party's suspicion?
They were at the peak of Foundation Establishment and were cultivators of the Jade Light Pavilion. Even if Zhang Xingyao had broken through to the later stage, he still wouldn't be able to find their trace.
The entire Yingchuan County can be considered the other party's backyard; they can go wherever they want!
Now he can only be thankful that his family set up the formation of True Master Mingyu at the bottom of the lake, and also thankful that they did not go deep into the heart of the Zhang family's territory, otherwise he really doesn't know what the consequences would be if the spirit stone mine were discovered.
This happened a few months after he went into seclusion. If there had been any mishap, he wouldn't have been able to continue his seclusion and break through to the next level. He would have been summoned out early and taken to the Forest of Dry Bones to explain himself.
Not only will the Water Element Fruit Tree be lost, but the family will also be suppressed by the Li family and even Xuanhao Zhenren in the future.
We must be extra careful from now on!
The Zhang family, after all, was a powerful family that owned a county. In the eyes of the Li family, they were too conspicuous. Although they appeared to be well-behaved, they had been developing their industries vigorously in recent years, and sooner or later they would break free from the Li family's control.
Surveillance is inevitable, just as they monitor the Qi Refining Clan below.
"However, this will put the Li family at ease about us a lot."
With the spirit fish industry as a cover, Li Yanshan and his group won't do anything to me for the time being. After all, they still need to earn spirit stones to support the Li family and even True Person Xuanhao.
While we can avoid a complete breakdown in relations in the short term, we must strengthen the protection of the spirit stone vein.
After reviewing all the intelligence, he went directly to the family hall. Such a major event had occurred in Zhao State, and the Six Sects could not possibly keep it a secret. His family must know even more.
"Ling Yu has arrived! Congratulations on your breakthrough!"
"Congratulations!"
When he entered the main hall, Zhang Xingyao and the other person greeted him with smiles. Although the unusual phenomenon proved that the other party had successfully broken through, cultivators always need to spend some time to stabilize their cultivation, so they did not dare to disturb him rashly.
"Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, nothing to brag about."
Zhang Lingyu smiled and sat down with the two of them. Instead of asking about the current situation in the cultivation world of Zhao, she inquired about her family.
"Everything is well at home. Your breakthrough has brought even greater prosperity to the family."
Zhang Yuanlin didn't mince words and went straight to the point about the various situations his family had faced in the past two years. Due to the booming development of their businesses, the family's income from spirit stones had increased significantly over the past two years, especially from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
With the expansion of Bishui Lake and the brewing of Lingjiu, coupled with Zhang Xingfu's management, the family's annual income is almost one-tenth of that, which is quite remarkable!
Through the introduction of Lin Qing and his wife, the family opened a branch in the inner city of Tianliu City. Although the business is not as good as Yanxing Market for the time being, it is getting better day by day and will catch up sooner or later.
"That's excellent..." Zhang Lingyu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that the family business had not been affected by the demonic cultivators.
The old man became even more agitated as he spoke, and continued:
"Lingyu, in the past two years of the Spirit Awakening Conference, the family has gained more than 130 new Spirit Aperture talents. Haha, this is truly a good thing."
In his view, cultivators are the most important element. No industry can function without cultivators. The more cultivators a family has, the bigger its industry will become, and its strength will be further enhanced.
"This is truly wonderful news!"
"That's right, thanks to Lingyu's suggestion earlier!"
When Zhang Lingyu took over as clan leader, he proposed that the clan's cultivators marry and have children, and nearly ten years have passed since then.
In the first few years, the effects were not obvious, but now the benefits are becoming apparent.
Of the more than 130 spiritual talents, more than 30 were born to family cultivators, which is a considerable proportion.
It should be noted that although both husband and wife are cultivators, the chances of their child being a mortal are still quite high, but it is still much better than a child born to a mortal.
"Don't worry, Second Grandpa, you'll hear this good news every year from now on!"
Zhang Lingyu had anticipated this. After all, the family's population was already approaching one million, and it would continue to grow. The family's prosperity and strength were only a matter of time. What they lacked most now was time.
Of course, no accidents can happen during this period.
However, the cultivation world is never short of accidents. It is not uncommon for a once-prosperous family to be wiped out overnight, just like the Wu family of Xuanling County a year ago.
Having finished discussing the family's recent situation, Zhang Lingyu finally got to the point, asking in a low voice, "Elders, what's the current state of the cultivation world in Zhao Kingdom?"
......
......
Welcome to Cola Novels! A vast collection of novels awaits your exploration!