Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 275 Civil strife
In the dimly lit basement, more than a dozen figures appeared and disappeared in the darkness.

This is one of the granaries in Green Cloud Cave. Although it is densely packed with heavy grain sacks, it is still quite spacious. The crowd seemed like ghosts in the night, quietly waiting for something, and a heavy atmosphere permeated the air.

"Senior Sister Zhang, everyone has arrived."

A young man in his early twenties broke the silence.

Zhang Min glanced around at everyone, grunted in acknowledgment, and asked, "Xiao Feng, have you found Master?"

"No."

Yin Feng shook his head, then added, "Master must have gone into seclusion."

As the head of Green Cloud Cave, Green Cloud Fairy has her own secluded retreat in addition to her usual residence, Rongchun Residence.

It is certain that this place of seclusion is also in Green Cloud Cave.

However, no one knows the exact location.

Most people speculate that it may be hidden in a place with spiritual veins underground.

After all, the core of a spiritual vein is rich in spiritual energy, making it undoubtedly the best choice for secluded cultivation.

However, the place was personally protected by a restriction set up by Fairy Green Cloud.

No one but her could get in.

Yin Feng and the others who were searching were naturally at a loss.

"Junior Sister Zhang, is Master really an imposter from the Shan Yun Sect?"

At this moment, a middle-aged monk dressed as a scholar couldn't help but ask.

Zhang Min glanced at him, her expression serious: "Senior Brother Mao, I have made myself very clear about the matter of the Yellow Dragon Pill. Master has no reason to take action against Junior Brother Li, unless Master is an imposter and Shan Yun Sect is afraid that Junior Brother Li will ruin their conspiracy."

"Now that Junior Brother Li has escaped by chance, Shanyun Sect is restless, but their conspiracy is still ongoing. We must not let them obtain Green Cloud Cave so easily."

Zhang Min's voice was heavy. Regarding the merger of the two factions, although the leaders of both sides had already finalized the agreement.

But this is far from a matter that can be resolved with just a few words.

When disciples from both factions are together, who is the senior brother and who is the junior brother?
Furthermore, the formulation and issuance of tasks, the standards for receiving tasks, and the rewards for completing tasks all need to be reconsidered.

So even though the two sect leaders made the decision early on, none of their disciples wanted to suffer a loss.

Discussion and exchange are an unavoidable part of the process.

It would take at least three to five months to complete this important matter of merging the clans.

Nevertheless, Shanyunmen and Luyundong have gradually become familiar with each other.

Mergers seem to be an inevitable trend.

Once the two factions merged, the Shanyun Sect regained control of the "Green Cloud Fairy".

Therefore, Green Cloud Cave will henceforth become a puppet of the Good Cloud Sect.

This was something that Zhang Min, and everyone present, could not accept.

"The Shan Yun Sect has taken advantage of Master's seclusion to substitute someone else, which is truly hateful. If we ignore this, how will we face Master when she emerges from seclusion?"

Yin Feng said bitterly, his words filled with anger.

The other disciples echoed their sentiments, their faces showing indignation, clearly deeply disgusted by the actions of the Shanyun Sect.

Senior Brother Mao sighed; he knew that Zhang Min had completely ignited the emotions of these people.

The saying goes, "The arrow is on the bowstring, and it must be released." This is roughly how it is in warfare.

However, he still asked, "Junior Sister Zhang, why don't you ask Senior Brother He and Junior Brother Shao for help? With their support, our chances of winning will be much greater."

Zhang Min pondered for a moment. She and Shao Zhen were Daoist partners, so she naturally wanted to discuss such an important matter with Shao Zhen as soon as possible.

However, Shao Zhen's overly close relationship with Shan Yun Men aroused many of her suspicions.

To this day, most of the disciples of Green Cloud Cave still do not understand why their master agreed to merge with Good Cloud Sect.

Looking back now, it's possible that the one who agreed to the merger wasn't my master at all, but a fake Green Cloud Fairy.

But how did this imposter enter Green Cloud Cave so quietly?
Without a doubt, someone secretly colluded with the Shanyun Sect and placed people into the Xiaoxuan Yinling Array while the master was in seclusion, which caused the internal troubles of the Green Cloud Cave today.

But who is this traitor?
Zhang Min shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts that made her uneasy. She forced a smile and said, "Senior Brother He is busy with his affairs, so I won't bother him. Shao Zhen is also focused on his cultivation. The fake Fairy Green Cloud couldn't possibly be at the Foundation Establishment stage, otherwise she could have subdued us by force. It's enough for the two of us to take the lead in this matter."

Actually, Zhang Min didn't discuss it with He Xuan because Shao Zhen had mentioned He Xuan repeatedly.

Human hearts are unpredictable. Zhang Min doesn't even trust her own Daoist partner, so how could she possibly reveal such a confidential matter to He Xuan?
Apart from Senior Brother Mao, everyone present was one of her confidants.

Brother Mao was poor from a young age and was abandoned by his parents. He was raised by Fairy Green Cloud.

Zhang Min believed that Senior Brother Mao would never betray their master, no matter what.

Seeing that Zhang Min had made up her mind, Senior Brother Mao indeed said nothing more.

The group reconfirmed the locations of the powerful cultivators from the Shanyun Sect, assigned spies, and formulated a battle plan.

By noon, everyone was full of confidence and was about to head to Rongchun Residence to capture the fake Green Cloud Fairy.

Just then, the basement door burst open, and the Green Cloud Fairy, with her flowing hair and imposing presence, stepped inside, followed by Long Yang and other disciples of the Good Cloud Sect.

"Master?"

Several people gasped in surprise, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

Some people realized what was happening and stared intently at Fairy Green Cloud.

"Are you all gathered here to rebel?"

Green Cloud Fairy's gaze was icy, exuding an unquestionable majesty.

Zhang Min, not to be outdone, retorted forcefully: "Which rule of Green Cloud Cave stipulates that disciples cannot gather? Rebellion? Rebellion against whom? Against the Good Cloud Sect?"

Her voice was strong and resonant, echoing in the basement.

A disciple of the Shanyun Sect standing next to Fairy Green Cloud immediately shouted, "How dare you! Zhang Min has shown great disrespect to the sect leader and deserves to be punished. Why haven't you seized Zhang Min yet?"

But none of the Green Cloud Cave disciples, including Senior Brother Mao and Yin Feng, paid him any attention.

"They've rebelled! They've rebelled! They've all rebelled!"

The man continued shouting, and more disciples of the Shanyun Sect poured into the basement, numbering no less than thirty or forty, surrounding the disciples of the Lvyun Cave.

Zhang Min and Senior Brother Mao's expressions instantly turned ugly.

The original plan was for them to outnumber the enemy, capture the fake Green Cloud Fairy, and then rally other Green Cloud Cave disciples to join in and drive out the Good Cloud Sect in one fell swoop.

But they didn't expect to be surrounded and trapped by Shanyunmen.

Judging from Shan Yun Men's swift actions, they had been eyeing this underground granary for quite some time, which means that everyone's plans had long been anticipated by Shan Yun Men.

Now, facing the main force of Shanyun Sect, their chances of survival are slim.

Thinking of this, Zhang Min looked grief-stricken and indignant: "Senior Brother Mao, Junior Brother Yin, and everyone else, I've dragged you all down with me."

Zhang Min's voice trembled slightly: "But our guess was right, and what we did was right. Our master could never have colluded with the Shan Yun Sect. Even if we die here today, we will have sacrificed ourselves for the greater good. When our master sees us in the future, she will remember us."

Encouraged by Zhang Min, the disciples of Green Cloud Cave were filled with passion and righteous indignation, seemingly forgetting about death. They all took up their magical weapons, ready to fight to the death.

Seeing this, Fairy Green Cloud frowned and glanced at Long Yang beside her.

Long Yang stepped back slightly, seemingly waiting for something. A short while later, a man dressed in purple entered with the last group of Shan Yun Sect disciples.

His gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Zhang Min, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Min'er, why do this?"

"Don't call me that, it makes me feel disgusted."

Upon seeing Shao Zhen appear, Zhang Min turned pale and trembled all over.

She had suspected it for a while, but when the truth was laid bare before her, she truly felt what despair meant.

The others were also in an uproar, pointing their fingers at Shao Zhen and cursing him.

The one who betrayed them was none other than their once respected and beloved senior disciple, Shao Zhen.

Only Senior Brother Mao remained calm, but he was clearly unable to accept the outcome either. He smiled bitterly and asked, "Junior Brother Shao, how can you do this to Master?"

Shao Zhen shifted his gaze from Zhang Min to Senior Brother Mao, his eyes instantly turning sharp: "How has Master ever treated us fairly?"

Senior Brother Mao was taken aback by Shao Zhen's question: "What...what do you mean by that?"

Shao Zhen sneered and continued, "Mao Jingze, how many years have you been at the ninth level of Qi Refining? If I remember correctly, it's been thirteen years, right?"

"It's been seventeen years for my senior brother, and ten years for me too!"

“Even Xiaomin has been at the ninth level of Qi Refining for four years.”

"Which one of us has ever obtained even a single Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Mao Jingze was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and asked in a low voice, "You betrayed your master for the Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"Isn't that enough?"

Shao Zhen's face was expressionless: "If this continues, we will never be able to reach the Foundation Establishment stage."

Upon hearing this, Mao Jingze became furious and rebuked, "Green Cloud Cave is indeed in financial straits and cannot afford Foundation Establishment Pills, but you cannot blame this on your master."

"Whose fault is it if not hers?"

Shao Zhen's lips curled into a sneer: "Is it He Xuan's and my fault? The entire Green Cloud Cave, with over five hundred acres of spirit fields, can barely feed a hundred people. Isn't it her own fault that Green Cloud Cave is facing financial difficulties?"

"Six years ago, He Xuan and I went to great lengths to establish a relationship with the Xie family of Yuyang Mountain. The Xie family was a renowned Golden Core clan in Wei County, capable of devouring all our spiritual herbs. But what happened? Master rejected the deal because he didn't want to visit the Xie family in person due to the long distance."

"Later, I made arrangements with six forces, including the Star-Absorbing Stronghold in the Luoyang Mountains. They were close to each other, but my master looked down on the leader of the Star-Absorbing Stronghold, which caused the Star-Absorbing Stronghold to leave in anger. The other forces also parted on bad terms."

"Is it because Green Cloud Cave is facing financial difficulties that we disciples haven't worked hard enough? Our master is acting unilaterally, judging people based on first impressions and making decisions based on her own feelings. Isn't this her own responsibility?"

Shao Zhen's voice echoed in the basement, each word like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's hearts: "In the end, Master doesn't care about Green Cloud Cave or whether we disciples can reach the Foundation Establishment stage. All she cares about is her own cultivation. I respect her as a teacher, but she is not worthy of being the sect leader."

"If I were the sect leader, how could Green Cloud Cave have fallen into such a state today? And how could we have been trapped in the Qi Refining stage for so many years?"

Shao Zhen vented his dissatisfaction in one breath, his emotions running high, and even his neck turned red.

Mao Jingze was speechless, unsure of what to say.

My master was taught by my grandmaster from a young age. My grandmaster came from the Longyuan Sect, a major sect for Nascent Soul cultivators, and was a Golden Core cultivator.

Therefore, Fairy Green Cloud held herself in very high regard.

The leader of the Star Absorbing Village, a peasant by birth, did not strive for progress after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. Instead, he indulged in extortion and even forced the villages under his rule to offer young women as tribute. Such behavior was naturally despised by Fairy Green Cloud.

Adding to the fact that the Star-Absorbing Village came with the intention of driving down the price, Fairy Green Cloud angrily refused to cooperate.

Back when the Li family traded with Green Cloud Cave, the head of the Li family treated Green Cloud Fairy as his elder sister and Green Cloud Cave as his younger brother, and he did not let Green Cloud Cave suffer any losses in any way. This is why he won Green Cloud Fairy's favor and the two sides began a spiritual herb trade that lasted for more than ten years.

It should be noted that back then, Green Cloud Cave was just like it is today, with only one Foundation Establishment cultivator.

However, the Li family has several members.

Compared to the Li family patriarch's ability to bend and stretch, Fairy Green Cloud is a typical example of someone who responds better to gentleness than force.

The Xie family of Yuyang Mountain is indeed an excellent partner.

However, the Xie family had very strict conditions, with stringent requirements on the quantity, price, and quality of the acquired spiritual herbs, and even interfered with the flow of spiritual herbs from Green Cloud Cave in Wei County.

In addition, the Xie family also demanded that the caravan stationed at Lvyun Cave in Weixian County bear all transportation costs.

That's fine, but the key point is that the Xie family ultimately demanded that Fairy Green Cloud personally come to Yuyang Mountain to discuss the details.

Their purpose was nothing more than to demonstrate the Xie family's strength and power to Green Cloud Cave.

Upon hearing this, Fairy Green Cloud immediately became furious and rejected the cooperation proposal outright.

Besides He Xuan and Shao Zhen, Mao Jingze himself, including Zhang Min, also repeatedly sought buyers for the spiritual herbs of Green Cloud Cave.

However, for various reasons, most of these collaborations failed to materialize.

As a result, Green Cloud Cave offended a number of powerful forces, making their lives increasingly difficult.

Last year, Green Cloud Cave sold only half of its spiritual herbs at a low price.

This is even after ten consecutive years without expanding the spirit fields.

Shao Zhen was right about one thing: Fairy Green Cloud did not pay much attention to the development of Green Cloud Cave.

The financial difficulties of Green Cloud Cave, though not her intention, are inextricably linked to her neglect.

Nevertheless, Mao Jingze still replied coldly, "My master may not be a good sect leader, but she has done right by you as her true disciple. How do you think you got your current cultivation level?"

"As for Foundation Establishment Pills, I think you've got the logic backwards. Although we've joined the Green Cloud Cave, the Green Cloud Cave has no obligation to provide us with Foundation Establishment Pills."

"You keep claiming that it's because of your master that Green Cloud Cave is impoverished. But isn't Hengyue Sect wealthy enough? How many of their Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivators can afford Foundation Establishment Pills?"

“Shao Zhen, all you want is to be the only one. You want your master to pour all the resources into you and train you to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

"However, your master did not, and you harbored resentment because of this, which led you to betray your master and ancestors. All that you said is nothing but a manifestation of your ambition."

"I only regret that I was blind back then and misjudged you, causing Junior Sister Zhang to suffer this injustice."

After speaking, Mao Jingze turned to look at Zhang Min, who was heartbroken and unsteady on her feet, being supported by Yin Feng. His eyes were full of pity and guilt.

Upon seeing this, Shao Zhen flew into a rage.

Back then, all three of them, fellow disciples, admired their junior sister, Zhang Min.

Senior Brother He Xuan was the first to withdraw from this emotional entanglement because he had found a Daoist partner.

The second senior brother, Mao Jingze, had been engaged in a fierce rivalry with her for several years, but in the end, the younger Mao Jingze won Zhang Min's heart.

Afterwards, Mao Jing left the scene dejectedly and never appeared in front of Zhang Min again.

However, Mao Jingze has never sought a Daoist partner, and judging from his current demeanor, he is clearly still harboring ulterior motives.

Shao Zhen was furious, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. He thought to himself, "I was originally thinking of our brotherhood and decided to let you go. Since you're courting death, don't blame me."

Thinking of this, Shao Zhen immediately said to "Green Cloud Fairy": "The stubborn elements who have been active these days are all here. Apart from Zhang Min, none of the others can be let go, otherwise more such things will happen in Green Cloud Cave."

"Green Cloud Fairy" glanced at him and nodded, as if she had tacitly approved Shao Zhen's request.

Upon receiving the signal, Long Yang immediately led the disciples of Shanyun Sect to approach Mao Jingze, Zhang Min, and others.

The war is about to start.

Just then, a disciple of the Shanyun Sect rushed in, his face filled with terror: "It's terrible! The formation is broken!"

(End of this chapter)