I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Lin Che's gaze fell on the three tokens on the table in front of him.

The token has a warm and smooth texture, resembling jade but not quite, with flowing cloud patterns exquisitely embossed on the front.

The edges are inlaid with fine silver threads, which gleam subtly in the light.

The workmanship is indeed exquisite and meticulous, and at first glance it has a sense of authority that is enough to fool most people.

This "vanity project" was done impeccably.

If I hadn't already learned the inside story from Wang Miaoxue, that this token was merely a certificate specially mass-produced by the City Lord's Mansion to collect exorbitant "entrance fees" and had no actual restrictive effect, I would have been completely unaware of its true purpose.

He himself might be just as misled by this exquisite appearance as the rogue cultivator, mistaking it for the only key to enter the secret realm.

As everyone examined the token with either curiosity or caution, Yan Shuming, seated at the head of the table, continued speaking, his steady voice setting the tone:

"Everyone should know that this exploration of the secret realm is not limited to cultivators from Chuyang City alone."

The City of Burning Bones will also send cultivators, including many powerful independent cultivators and small teams.

Therefore, I hope that all the family heads here will put aside their daily trivial disputes after entering the secret realm, prioritize the overall interests of Chuyang City, cooperate fully, and share resources.

Only in this way can we resist outsiders and secure the greatest benefits for our Chuyang City.

His strong advocacy for local family cooperation was naturally related to the behind-the-scenes agreement he reached with Fang Chen, the special envoy of Burning Bone City.

As agreed, they have the right to collect 50% of the spoils from the returning rogue cultivators and have the right of first refusal to purchase any high-level spiritual items found among them.

However, if a rare spiritual item is coveted by both Chuyang City and Fen Gu City, a dispute is inevitable.

Rather than arguing afterward, it's better to draw a clear line from the beginning.

Treasures acquired by local cultivators of Chuyang City will, in principle, be purchased by Yan Shuming.

The proceeds from the visitors from Burning Bone City were handled by Fang Chen.

Promoting cooperation among local families is precisely to enhance Chuyang City's ability to "plunder" within the secret realm, ensuring that more high-value resources flow into their own pockets.

"I believe you all understand this as well." Yan Shuming's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone carrying a subtle hint of seduction:

"The rogue cultivators from Burning Bone City are probably slightly better than the local cultivators of my Chuyang City in terms of overall strength, knowledge, and even equipment."

If we continue to fight individually and become a disorganized mess after entering the secret realm, we will likely find it difficult to snatch the truly valuable items from them, and our gains will inevitably be limited.

However, if our families could temporarily unite and help each other, with your cultivation levels and family resources, wouldn't it be incredibly easy to snatch the opportunity to seize the core area from those rogue cultivators? This is the way to achieve a win-win situation through cooperation.

The clan leaders present were all shrewd individuals, and upon hearing these words, they each had their own plans.

However, Yan Shuming's words seemed to make some sense, so no one spoke up to refute them.

Moreover, they were well aware that Yan Shuming was mainly there to "inform" and "make arrangements," rather than to truly discuss matters with them on an equal footing.

Just nod and listen for now. As for whether to cooperate after entering the secret realm, how to cooperate, and how to distribute the benefits, those are all things to be discussed later.

It will depend on the specific circumstances at that time, and verbal promises should not be taken seriously.

Afterwards, Yan Shuming shared with everyone some of the information he knew about this secret place, "Valley of Burial Soldiers".

This includes its general internal environment and potential risks.

And the most valuable core area, "Sword Tomb Mountain," which is said to be the burial place of ancient cultivators' treasures.

He mentioned the approximate time window for the opening of the secret realm, the expected duration, and some basic precautions.

After explaining everything, Yan Shuming's gaze swept over Lin Che's relatively unfamiliar face again. Seeing that his aura was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, he no longer paid much attention to him and announced the adjournment of the meeting.

The heads of the various families rose one after another, exchanged pleasantries, and walked out of the council hall.

Only Chen Mingfei remained seated, without moving.

Seeing this, Yan Shuming stopped and turned around, asking in a calm tone, "Mingfei, is there anything else?"

He knew perfectly well that it was mostly because his father, Chen Dai, was in seclusion trying to break through to the Golden Core stage.

Chen Dai was once an insignificant disciple of his in the Divine Puppet Sect, with mediocre talent, a marginal figure who could be dispensable.

If Chen Dai hadn't been old and felt hopeless in the sect, and hadn't taken the initiative to leave and establish a family in Chuyang City, Yan Shuming would have almost forgotten about him.

Over the years, the Chen family has been quite high-profile in Chuyang City, taking advantage of their ambiguous master-disciple relationship with him.

He turned a blind eye, considering their past relationship, and did his utmost to be kind and righteous.

Now that Chen Daishou's lifespan is almost over, the success rate of forcibly breaking through to the Golden Core stage is slim. Does he really expect his master to give him his full assistance?

Yan Shuming originally intended to dismiss him directly, but then he thought again that the Chen family had some connection with him after all, and might be useful in the future, making it easier to use them.

So his tone softened a little.

"Mingfei, it's not that I, the city lord, am unwilling to help. How precious is a Golden Core? Even with my abilities, obtaining one would be extremely difficult. Regarding your father's Golden Core formation, I truly cannot assist you!"

After a moment's hesitation, he finally took out a small jade bottle from his storage bag and handed it over.

"This is a third-tier 'Spirit-Stabilizing Pill.' If your father takes it when he is breaking through to the Golden Core stage and when his inner demons arise, it will help him stabilize his soul, resist the invasion of inner demons, and maintain a sliver of clarity in his mind."

This is my way of showing my appreciation to him as his mentor.

Chen Mingfei, who had already given up hope, was immediately excited when he saw that Yan Shuming had actually taken out a precious third-grade pill.

He quickly rose, bowed deeply, and said in a trembling voice, "Thank you, City Lord! Thank you, Master, for your grace! On behalf of my father, Mingfei expresses his deepest gratitude!"

After seeing off the profusely grateful Chen Mingfei, Yan Shuming shook his head, putting these trivial matters behind him, and turned to walk towards his meditation room to continue his cultivation.

……

At the same time, news about "a secret realm discovered in the south of the Silent Forest" and "the City Lord's Mansion will issue secret realm tokens" exploded like boiling oil being poured into cold water, completely spreading throughout Chuyang City and its surrounding areas!

With the City Lord's Mansion's intentional or unintentional encouragement, and the overt or covert dissemination of information by several Foundation Establishment families, the existence of the Secret Realm Token quickly spread to every corner.

Soon, at the auction organized by the official Chuyang City government, the first batch of Secret Realm Tokens were auctioned off, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of all independent cultivators and small families!

I originally thought that such an opportunity only belonged to those big families with powerful backgrounds, but I never expected that I would have the chance to participate!

Not only were the rootless and adrift cultivators envious, but even families with Foundation Establishment cultivators in their ranks joined the bidding.

After all, the city lord's mansion only gave each family three free tokens, which was far from enough for families with many cultivators!

This was precisely one of the steps Yan Shuming had planned.

He only gave out a small number of free tokens to stir up demand from various parties, get them to join the competition, and drive up the price of the tokens!

As expected, amidst fierce competition from all sides, the price of the Secret Realm Token skyrocketed, quickly surpassing a thousand low-grade spirit stones per token, and it's still rising!

More subtly, in addition to the auction, an unknown number of tokens quickly circulated in the market through various clandestine channels, further exacerbating the market frenzy and chaos.

By selling these cheap tokens alone, the city lord's mansion has already made a fortune, earning its first pot of gold from the secret realm expedition.

……

Shattered Star Lake, the island in the middle of the lake, the main residence of the Lin family.

Wang Lingsu looked at the intelligence report in her hand about the frenzy for secret realm tokens and their skyrocketing prices.

Looking at her husband Lin Che's calm and composed expression, she couldn't help but ask softly:

"Husband, people outside are practically fighting tooth and nail for those secret realm tokens. Every family is trying to get as many as possible. Shouldn't our Lin family take this opportunity to acquire some? Perhaps we can send some of our capable retainers in to gain experience and try our luck?"

She was puzzled as to why Lin Che seemed so indifferent in the face of this seemingly rare opportunity.

Lin Che put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over the lake and mountain scenery outside the window before finally settling on Wang Lingsu's face.

His tone was calm yet carried an undeniable resolve: "No need. My mind is made up. The Lin family will not participate in this trip to the secret realm. You, Wanwan, Qingxue, and Yunzhou are all forbidden from entering the secret realm to adventure."

Judging from the more detailed information about the secret realm that Liu Fang and Wang Miaoxue have recently sent, this secret realm called "Valley of Burial Soldiers" is definitely not a good place.

The interior is not only complex, but may also contain natural hazards and remaining restrictions.

More importantly, the Demon Palace of Rebellion has clearly set its sights on one of these items.

At that time, elite troops will definitely infiltrate, and the risk is very high.

The influx of cultivators from both Burning Bone City and Beginning Sun City will intensify the internal struggles, creating a chaotic and unpredictable situation.

He couldn't let his family take that risk.

If he were to go in alone, with his numerous methods and trump cards, he would naturally be able to move freely.

However, if one were to bring along members of their own tribe, there would be many concerns.

The opportunities in the secret realm were certainly tempting, but Lin Che chose to be cautious compared to the safety of his family.

"But..." Wang Lingsu wanted to say something more, but seeing the rare and undeniable determination in Lin Che's eyes, she swallowed the rest of her words.

She knew her husband well; once he made such a decision, it must have been after careful consideration and was not something he could refuse.

"I understand." Wang Lingsu nodded and didn't ask any more questions. However, the slight curiosity and anticipation she had for the secret realm quietly dissipated and was replaced by complete trust in her husband's decision.