Clan Cultivation: Starting from Foundation Establishment on Mount Luoxia

Li Mutian nodded, his gaze sweeping over the two corpses on the ground:

"I expected it. These things are unenlightened and muddle-headed; they can't be of any use anyway. Knowing that there is such a 'Holy Spirit' and a 'Sanctuary' is enough to make my efforts worthwhile."

He raised his head, gazing at the vast, gloomy wilderness beyond the settlement, his eyes deepening:

"This pool seems to be deeper than the feet we waded into."

After the soul search was completed, the next step was to clean up the huge battlefield and take stock of the meager spoils.

Li Xiangping, along with the remaining able-bodied men, began the silent cleanup.

The bodies of the grey-skinned natives were gathered in an open space and piled up like a small mountain.

Li Xiaoyao flicked out a cluster of true fire, and flames roared up, billowing black smoke into the sky.

The stench of burning permeated the air, giving the land a brutal yet thorough purification.

The shacks in the settlement were searched one by one. The harvest... was rather meager.

Besides large quantities of rough animal hides, dried meat strips, and unidentifiable tubers and wild fruits, there were only tools and weapons made from stones and bones.

The only thing worth mentioning was a few dark-colored, icy-skinned metal ingots that were found in the chief's largest shed.

It looked like crudely refined Yin Sha Iron, along with a few murky, low-quality crystals embedded in the weapon.

The real highlight lies beneath the ruins of that stone palace.

Clearing away the rubble, the large hole scorched by the Xuanhuang True Fire was revealed. The earth vein node was temporarily sealed, and the turbid evil energy no longer spewed out.

However, along the edges and deep inside the cave, one can still see some condensed dark red crystal clusters, as well as some twisted patterns resembling fossilized blood vessels.

Li Tongya, along with a few tribesmen who knew a little about minerals, carefully knocked down some samples.

"These crystal clusters possess pure malevolent energy, but they are also extremely violent."

Li Tongya's preliminary assessment:

"Direct absorption is definitely out of the question, but perhaps... it can be used to refine some one-time-use, ruthless weapons, or to set up a powerful, albeit dangerous, formation."

In the corner of the stone temple where the priest had once lived, they found a box carved from a single piece of black stone.

There was no lock, just a stone buckle.

Upon opening it, there was no gold or silver treasure inside, only a few items:

A bone staff that is older and more intricately patterned than the one in the priest's hand (the crystal at the top is broken).

Several pieces of tortoise shells and animal bones engraved with twisted totems, and a scroll of... a dark leather object made of some unknown tanned leather, smooth and cool to the touch.

Li Xiaoyao picked up the rolled-up item; it felt slightly heavy in his hand. He slowly unrolled it.

There were no words on it, only a very simple map painted with dark red paint?

The lines are crooked and twisted, and you can only barely make out the outlines of mountains and rivers.

In the lower center of the map, there is a conspicuous, crooked circle painted black.

Next to it is a crude, three-headed, six-armed, ferocious symbol, somewhat similar to the totem of the stone hall, but even more twisted and evil.

Above that black circle, near the edge of the map, another mark was drawn with trembling strokes:

An inverted funnel shape, as if dripping liquid, is surrounded by jagged lines representing "fear".

"This black circle...could it be their hideout, or a node in this stone palace?"

Li Tongya leaned closer to examine it.

Li Xiaoyao's finger landed steadily on the uppermost funnel-shaped mark, and his eyes sharpened:

"And this one? 'The Defiled Sanctuary'?"

No one can be sure. But this crudely made, almost laughable map was undoubtedly the biggest unexpected gain in this battle.

It's like a rusty key; though its teeth are blurred, it might be able to be inserted into a deeper, more hidden lock in this demiplane.

A few days later, in the council hall of the Thick Earth Golden Cliff.

The atmosphere was quieter than before the war, and there was a greater sense of reassurance.

In the center of the stone table lay the rolled-up leather map, next to which were placed Yin Sha iron ingots, samples of turbid crystal clusters, and tortoise shell fragments left by the priest.

Li Mutian glanced around. Li Xiaoyao's expression was calm, while Li Xiangping's sharpness was somewhat masked by fatigue. Li Changhu and Li Tongya were taking notes with their heads down.

Li Chijing was not present; he had been assigned to guard the early warning array outside the camp and was currently on duty.

"This battle has removed the biggest obstacle in our path."

Li Mutian spoke, his voice low, "Within a radius of about a hundred miles, we can catch our breath for now. You've all seen what we retrieved."

He tapped the black circles and funnel marks on the map with his knuckles:

"This thing refers to the eyes for the next step. But having eyes alone isn't enough; you need hands and feet to explore."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over every face present, finally settling on the somewhat empty hall:

"We're stretched too thin."

These words resonated with everyone.

"Xiang Ping took sixty men out, and his family was almost completely emptied out."

"Changhu has to take care of everything at the camp and the reserve training, Tongya has to figure out all these odds and ends, and Chijing has to guard the formation and cultivate..."

"Xiaoyao and I can't keep running around all day, becoming the sweeper's blade."

Li Mutian spoke slowly and deliberately, "Just this one battle, and more than forty people were lying down. Although no one was killed, they still need to be cared for."

"If we run into another similar one, or... really run into this 'funnel' on the map, even if we spread out, we won't be enough."

"Not to mention exploring further, establishing a foothold in the new territory, and mining that little bit of mineral.

Li Xiangping let out a heavy sigh and said in a muffled voice:

"Dad is right. We didn't realize it while we were fighting, but after we finished, we saw that we were short-handed everywhere – clearing the battlefield, setting up defenses, patrolling, and keeping watch. We wished we could split each person into three."

Li Xiaoyao picked up the conversation, his voice clear: "Moreover, the larger the territory, the more I feel that we lack more than just those who can wield swords and kill."

"We lack skilled craftsmen, we lack people who know how to tend to the spirit fields, we lack experienced people who can process monster materials and identify ores..."

"Among the people we brought, there are too few with these skills. Having to do everything ourselves is too slow and too exhausting."

The hall fell silent for a moment. The initial excitement of expanding their territory was quickly overshadowed by the reality of limited manpower.

Once the operation was set up, it was discovered that the number of usable personnel was sparse, and it was impossible to take care of everything.

"So," Li Mutian looked at Li Xiaoyao, his eyes already made up, "Xiaoyao, you have to go back again."

Li Xiaoyao seemed to have been prepared, and calmly nodded:

"Back to Yunzhou? Back to Luoxia Mountain?"

"Yes, back to Luoxia Mountain."

Li Mutian's tone was resolute: "The flying boat is still usable. Go back, find Mude, and tell him everything you can about the situation here."

"Then, find a way to bring over everyone else in the family—anyone who is willing to come, whether they are collateral relatives or villagers who depend on our family!"

He leaned forward slightly, his voice carrying an undeniable force:

"Tell them that although the spiritual veins here are of slightly lower quality and the environment is harsh, it's enough for them to cultivate diligently!"

"Tell them that this land is barren, but it might grow our own spirit valley!"

"Furthermore, we must tell them that if they stay in Yunzhou, they will be subservient to the Immortal Sect for generations, sharing only scraps!"

"Coming here is about pioneering, starting a business, and striving for a future where our children and grandchildren won't have to depend on others and can stand tall!"

A glint flashed in Li Xiaoyao's eyes:

"I understand. But, regarding recruitment..."

Li Mutian waved his hand, his words clear and forceful:

"Just like I, Li Mutian, said, as long as they are willing to come, as long as their family has a child with spiritual roots, or may give birth to a child with spiritual roots in the future."

"My Li family of Luoxia Mountain is willing to lend them a hand and lead them onto the path of cultivation! Here, we'll set the rules ourselves, and we'll earn our own opportunities!"

These words truly hit the nail on the head. In Yunzhou, it is as difficult as ascending to heaven for mortals to glimpse the path to immortality.

For families with potential but no connections, the Li family's promise was like a lamp lit in the darkness.

Li Xiaoyao stood up and bowed to Li Mutian and the others:

"Without further ado, I'll pack quickly and set off as soon as possible."

Everyone dispersed to continue their work. Li Xiaoyao walked out of the cave, stood on the edge of the cliff, and gazed at the unchanging, dusky sky above the rift valley, his heart filled with subtle turmoil.

He turned and walked steadily toward the silent, gray-black flying boat on the mudflats.