Longevity starts with dual cultivation

Chapter 252 Shangguan Qingying: Little thief, what reward do you want?
Qin family, the family headquarters.

In the meeting hall, the head of the family, Qin Zhongqi, sat on a gorgeous and majestic jade chair, his face livid and he said nothing.

Below, a gray-haired elder of the Qin family was reporting carefully:

"...Fifty-seven spiritual gold mines of all kinds on the family's territory have been destroyed, thirty-nine medicinal gardens, one hundred and thirteen cities of all levels, twenty-seven spiritual beast ranches, and spiritual fields...

The instigators of all these places were the Zhao sisters and a guest cultivator named Ling Changxing. Although his cultivation was only at the late Jindan stage, his actual combat power was very close to that of a Yuanying Zhenjun...

After the three of them left, the above-mentioned area was looted by some outsiders. Not only were all the property looted, but most of the Qin family members who stayed behind were killed..."

"That's enough! Why are you still making such useless noise?"

Qin Zhongqi slammed the table and roared viciously.

All the elders in the hall suddenly fell silent, and no one dared to say a word.

Whether they admit it or not, the losses suffered by the Qin family this time have reached an unprecedented and shocking level.

All in all, as many as thirty-seven Jindan Zhenren died, more than two hundred Zhendan and False Dan cultivators, and even more cultivators in the Foundation Establishment and Qi Training stages.

For a Nascent Soul force like the Qin family, the Jindan cultivators are the backbone, and the Foundation Establishment and Qi Training cultivators are the foundation.

The two Yuanying Zhenjuns who served as the strategic pillars of the family also came up step by step from the Qi training stage.

Too many casualties among the clansmen at these levels would mean a great loss of the clan’s future vitality, and it would probably be difficult for new Nascent Soul True Lords to be born among them.

Such a loss is comparable to losing a large-scale war. It will take at least a hundred or eighty years to recover.

However, now that the Zhao family has a strategic advantage, will they still give them the opportunity to recuperate and restore their strength?

What’s more crucial is that those bastards from the Zhao family haven’t left yet and are still wreaking havoc in the Qin family’s territory, destroying prosperous towns and killing a large number of Qin family’s manpower.

As for those outside cultivators, they have in fact become accomplices of the Zhao family, and will take advantage of the Qin family's cultivators when they are down.

Qin Zhongqi and Qin Zhongyuan, two Yuanying Zhenjun, personally went out to hunt them down more than once, but because they suffered losses in the field of celestial secrets and numerology, they repeatedly failed and were always avoided by them in time.

As long as Jindan cultivators face them, no matter how many there are, they will be killed, and even escaping becomes a luxury.

So now, facing the vicious trio, the top leaders of the Qin family actually felt helpless.

"We can't go on like this...!"

Elder Qin Wuyan sighed softly.

The other elders looked at each other and no one said a word.

The Qin family suffered heavy losses this time.

Although the two Yuanying Zhenjuns were not in any trouble, the backbone of the family suffered too much damage, the loss of financial resources was difficult to count, and the overall strength declined significantly.

In the area surrounding the Qin family, some forces are now ready to make a move and are planning to take a piece of the pie.

This is the cruel and dark side of the world of cultivating immortals. No matter how powerful you have been, once you encounter an accident and fall into a trough, the jackals, tigers and leopards around you will swarm over you and take your life when you are sick!
Therefore, the situation faced by the family's top brass is already quite serious. If this matter cannot be settled as soon as possible, the Qin family's foundation will be divided up in a short time.

"What do you think, how should we deal with this matter?"

Qin Zhongqi asked in a slower tone.

"If we can't deal with the Zhao family for the time being, then we have no choice but to find a way to negotiate peace with them!"

A core elder mustered up the courage to speak.

Qin Zhongqi's face was filled with anger and his fists were clenched so hard that they made a clattering sound, but in the end he managed to hold back and not lose his temper.

Reason told him that the elder's point of view made sense, and the Qin family could no longer afford to lose blood.

Pay some appropriate chips, negotiate peace with the Zhao family, buy the Qin family a chance to catch their breath, and then find a way to get back at the Qin family after they have recovered their strength in the future.

It is not shameful to temporarily bow your head and make concessions under the pressure of the situation. As long as you can retaliate fiercely afterwards, the family's reputation will not be damaged.

"Then, Elder Wuyan, will you go with Elder Kang this time?"

Qin Zhongqi said slowly: "As long as the Zhao family is willing to stop, we can promise them more territory and resource compensation, and the traitor's family can also be handed over to them for disposal!"

At this point, Qin Zhongqi no longer intends to protect Zhao Hua, his cheap son-in-law. After all, the safety of the family foundation is the top priority.

The two elders took the order and left.

So a few days later, Zhao Wanyi, who had just defeated a Qin family caravan and was resting, received a message from Shangguan Qingying.

"...Husband, mother asked us to go back!"

The beautiful lady turned her head and looked at Ling Changqing who was counting the spoils.

"Is it possible that the Qin family is planning to give in?"

Ling Changqing said that he was not surprised by the result.

Since the Qin family can no longer hold on, they can only choose to endure and give in to buy a chance to catch their breath.

"So... do we need to go back immediately?"

Zhao Wanqing asked softly. Although the head of the family had given the order, she cared more about Ling Changqing's opinion.

"Then let's go back. We've been out for so long and we've gained enough!"

Ling Changqing said.

Given the current situation of the Zhao family, it is not realistic to wipe out the Qin family in one go, and it would also cost a great price to do so.

The surrounding forces are just waiting for the Zhao and Qin families to suffer losses, and then they will take advantage of the situation.

So two days later, sisters Ling Changqing and Zhao Wanyi returned to the family headquarters smoothly.

At this time, the Qin family envoy had reached a consensus with Shangguan Qingying and said goodbye and left.

In the master's inner study.

Shangguan Qingying, wearing a gorgeous scarlet wide-sleeved embroidered palace gown, with her hair tied up high and her fair skin and beautiful face, sat elegantly on the chair, with her bronze mask taken off and placed aside.

Now when she summoned Ling Changqing, she no longer wore a mask.

"Mother, have you come to any conclusion with the Qin family?"

After the salute, Zhao Wanyi asked softly.

"...The traitor Zhao Hua has been escorted back and is now being held in the dungeon awaiting his fate."

Shangguan Qingying looked at Ling Changqing and the two sisters and said with a relaxed look:

"In addition, the Qin family has ceded territory equivalent to three Jindan forces and paid cultivation resources equivalent to 10,000 high-grade spirit stones, which will be paid off in three years."

In exchange, the Zhao family promised not to attack the Qin family's territory anymore, and the two sides ceased fighting and would no longer engage in any hostile behavior against each other.

As for the validity period of this peace treaty, it is fifty years.

"Master, do you really intend to give them fifty years?"

Ling Changqing asked.

"how can that be possible?"

Shangguan Qingying's smile was slightly sarcastic: "It would be good if you can have at most ten or twenty years. As long as you become a Yuanying Zhenjun in the future, we will be able to destroy the Qin family!"

Treaties are meant to be torn up. Whether in his past life or this life, Ling Changqing has never heard of a treaty that lasts forever and never expires.

The so-called spirit of contract is more often manifested as the "spirit of abandoning the contract."

Contracts that can be maintained for a long time usually have strict restrictions. The two parties to the contract must be of similar strength and can benefit from it, so they have the motivation to jointly maintain the effectiveness of the contract.

Ling Changqing nodded: "This is the best. The family can take advantage of this peaceful time to restore its strength."

Zhao Wanyi smiled and said, "Mother, we gained a lot from attacking the Qin family's territory this time. We can use it to enrich the family treasury."

As she spoke, she took out several large-capacity storage instruments and handed them to Shangguan Qingying.

The storage magic tool is filled with spirit stones of different grades, spirit gold materials, various spirit medicines and herbs, spirit rice, spirit beast meat and other resources, all of which were plundered from the Qin family's industries.

Of course, there were also those Qin family cultivators who died. Their magic weapons, treasures, and property and resources were also looted, leaving them with nothing.

After Ling Changqing's inventory and statistics, if these gains were converted into high-quality spirit stones, the amount should be more than 30,000.

According to the prior agreement, Ling Changqing got half of it, and the rest belonged to the two sisters. Considering the family's tight financial situation in recent years, Zhao Wanyi and her sister decided to take out their share of the harvest and use it as family public property.

After all, when the two of them broke through to the Yuanying Zhenjun realm, they used the family's resources, so now it is natural for them to give back to the family.

Shangguan Qingying did not refuse: "Okay, that's fine."

"That disgusting Zhao Hua, how does mother plan to deal with him?"

Zhao Wanqing asked suddenly.

"What else can we do? Of course it should be a public execution, a legal punishment!"

Shangguan Qingying snorted coldly, a traitor naturally shouldn't expect any good ending.

Ling Changqing pondered and said, "It seems a pity to kill him directly. After all, he is a third-level alchemist! How about... imprisoning his soul and reducing him to a slave?"

With that fellow's cultivation level as a Jindan Zhenren, and more than 200 years of life left, he can continue to refine various elixirs year after year, until his death.

Calculated in this way, the value he can create for the family is also a very astonishing number.

"Well, your opinion is not unreasonable. Let's deal with it this way."

Shangguan Qingying nodded and said that the Zhao family obviously had no shortage of magical powers to control slave monks.

After talking for a while, the female head of the family asked the two sisters to leave first, as she had something to ask Ling Changqing alone.

When the study door was closed, Shangguan Qingying stood up and walked towards him with her plump and slender body.

"What's the master's order?"

Looking at the stunning beauty so close to him, Ling Changqing looked calm.

Shangguan Qingying looked at the handsome young man in black in front of him for a while and whispered:

"Your actions this time have been a great contribution to the family. If it weren't for you, the Qin family might not have surrendered so easily!"

Ling Changqing smiled and said, "It's just my job. Since I'm their Taoist partner, it's only right that I make some contribution to the family."

Shangguan Qingying smiled softly and whispered, "That being said, I have always been clear about rewards and punishments. What reward do you want, little thief?"

Ling Changqing blinked his eyes and smiled slightly: "The master of the family already knows, why bother asking even though you already know the answer?"

"..."

The beautiful woman's flawless face instantly turned red with shame, and obvious anger appeared in her beautiful eyes.

This shameless little thief is still obsessed with me! Having the two sisters Zhao Wanyi is not enough, and he still wants to think about me?

Perhaps, I shouldn't have said that just now, giving this bastard the opportunity to climb up the ladder, and it's too late to regret it now.

"How long will it take for you to break through to the Yuanying Zhenjun realm?"

After thinking about it, Shangguan Qingying changed the subject.

"About thirty to fifty years, that should be about the same."

Ling Changqing pondered. He knew that he would not encounter any bottlenecks and he could be promoted once he accumulated enough cultivation.

However, he couldn't speak too confidently in front of outsiders. In order to ensure that his identity was not exposed, Ling Changqing had to hold back.

It’s not that Ling Changqing doesn’t trust Shangguan Qingying, but before she becomes his Taoist partner, there are some secrets that are definitely not suitable for her to know.

"Can't it be earlier?"

Shangguan Qingying asked softly, although she understood that this speed was not slow.

Ling Changqing smiled and said, "Originally it would have taken longer, but after practicing dual cultivation with them, I benefited a lot, so the time point was moved up a bit."

Shangguan Qingying was stunned for a moment, and then asked, "In other words, if you can have more Taoist companions to practice with you, your cultivation level will also increase rapidly, is that right?"

"Yes, and the higher the woman's cultivation level, the better. This way, both sides will benefit greatly."

Ling Changqing did not hide the fact that it was only after practicing dual cultivation with Qin Mengxuan that he was able to break through to the late Jindan stage.

"As expected... you have evil intentions and have been plotting against me!"

Shangguan Qingying frowned slightly and said with a smile, "This guy's mind is so direct... he doesn't even want to pretend."

Ling Changqing spread his hands: "If you insist on thinking this way, I can't help it!"

He was sure that when Shangguan Qingying asked this question, she must have been seriously considering the feasibility of this matter.

After all, she had been stuck in the late stage of Yuanying Zhenjun for too long and had not been able to break through, so she was a little anxious.

With the example of Zhao Wanyi and her sister, if she can also... maybe she will have the chance to break free from the shackles and go one step further?
"It seems that for the sake of the family's future, we still have to find a way to get you promoted to Yuanying Zhenjun as soon as possible."

After a long silence, Shangguan Qingying finally spoke reluctantly.

Ling Changqing nodded: "The head of the family is indeed very righteous. If this is accomplished, perhaps within twenty years, I can be promoted smoothly."

"Twenty years? That's certainly fast enough."

Shangguan Qingying pondered.

By this calculation, a Yuanying Zhenjun, whose actual bone age is less than a hundred years old, is quite rare in the world of immortal cultivation. Even she herself did not have such a miraculous performance at the beginning.

"So, the Patriarch has agreed?"

Ling Changqing's eyes lit up.

"Dreaming!"

Shangguan Qingying glared at him fiercely and said proudly, "You should go and accompany them first. There are still a lot of medicinal herbs in the Alchemy Palace. You should refine them into pills as soon as possible."

"Ok."

Ling Changqing was not disappointed. He turned around, closed the formation restriction, and walked out of the inner study.

Before leaving, a subtle voice came into my mind: "Come back in the evening, I have something to discuss with you."

"Oh, I see."

Ling Changqing responded calmly.

……

In the coastal area of ​​Yuzhou, above the sky.

"...The location where that girl sent the last message seems to be here, right?"

Bai Qingyi, wearing a snow-white crane feather cloak, looking noble, bright and stunningly beautiful, stood above the clouds, muttering to herself in some confusion.

Many years have actually passed since Luo Qingxuan secretly left the Deep Sea Dragon Palace, and the last time she contacted Bai Qingyi was in the coastal area of ​​Yuzhou.

Since then, Luo Qingxuan entered the Feiyu Sea and no longer had any contact with Bai Qingyi.

So now, when Bai Qingyi found his way here, he lost his direction and didn't know where to go next.

“…Well, it can be confirmed that she reunited with Ling Changqing. Since she is no longer in contact, it should be to protect him.

So, she should be in this area, right? The place where she first met Ling Changqing was in Hanyuezhou on the sea. Could it be that he is still staying nearby now?"

Bai Qingyi pondered silently, and instinctively felt that his analysis was quite close to the truth of the matter.

In that case, why don’t I find a place nearby, go sightseeing, and wait patiently?

Every once in a while, use secret methods to contact Luo Qingxuan, and that girl will get the message sooner or later.

Having made up his mind, Bai Qingyi quietly disappeared into the sky.

When she appeared again, she had transformed into an ordinary cultivator, wandering in the market town of Sanyuan Sect.

The Sanyuan Sect is a Yuanying force in the coastal area of ​​Yuzhou. It has only one Yuanying Zhenjun in charge. In the circle of Yuanying forces, its strength is at the bottom level.

Of course, in front of those Jindan forces, the Sanyuan Sect is an absolute behemoth.

Bai Qingyi used a secret method to restrain the aura of his whole body, and the realm of cultivation revealed was the late Jindan stage. This level of strength was already considered relatively high in the market, and no one would dare to provoke him.

She wandered around for a while, then found an inn to settle down, intending to continue contacting Luo Qingxuan.

(End of this chapter)