Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Lin Zhao felt a bone-chilling cold instantly shoot from his tailbone to the top of his head, and his hands and feet became icy cold.

Lin Xiaotian continued, his tone carrying a hint of determination and helplessness: "The only way out is to use my status as a second-tier talisman master to exchange for a chance for the Lin family to survive."

I have already reached an agreement with the head of Qingfeng Market. If the clan leader fails to achieve his foundation, I will leave the Lin family and serve the head of the market for life in exchange for the head of the market's protection of the Lin family.

The price to pay is that the Lin family must voluntarily relinquish Qingxi Mountain, and the three branches of the family will be split up and relocated to different places, thereby weakening the Lin family's power.

"Split up?" Lin Zhao could hardly believe his ears.

This means that the Lin family, which has existed for hundreds of years, will become a mere shell of its former self, and the patriarch's failure to achieve foundation building will have to pay such a heavy price!

"Yes, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter." Lin Xiaotian's voice carried a sense of vicissitude.

"Within the family, in order to compete for more resources in the future turmoil, it is hard to guarantee that no one will have ulterior motives, or even kill each other."

"By then, having reached the eighth level of Qi Refining and become a sword cultivator, you will be the sole pillar of our lineage! You must take my place and shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting our family!"

Her grandfather's words struck Lin Zhao's heart like a heavy hammer.

Looking at his grandson's pale face, the grandfather sighed, his tone softening slightly, tinged with reminiscence: "Zhao'er, don't blame the family for being cold-hearted. You must know that the Second Elder once had three sons and five grandsons, but now only the two you see here remain?"

Do you think it was just luck that our spaceship was able to traverse thousands of miles of cloud-shrouded mountains unscathed?

That was a safe path that the Second Elder's lineage discovered time and time again! And that Black Rock Python's lair, who do you think discovered and located it?

The family has come this far, and everyone has paid a heavy price to obtain this opportunity to reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

"So, Grandfather, that's why..." Lin Zhao's gaze fell on the Transcendent Realm Pill again, and at this moment he felt that the jade box was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

This is not just a reward, but also a responsibility and a plan made in advance. His grandfather placed the hopes of the clan's future on his shoulders.

"That's right." Grandfather nodded heavily, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. "If the building is on the verge of collapse, the more strength you have, the more people you can protect, and in that chaotic situation of disintegration, you can seize a glimmer of hope! I see your potential."

The power of the Four Elements Pearl in your hands far surpasses that of ordinary top-grade magic weapons. Once you break through to the eighth level of Qi Refining, with your formidable sword cultivation strength, you might even be able to put up a fight against someone at the tenth level of Qi Refining! You deserve this Transformation Pill!

At this point, the grandfather's expression relaxed slightly, as if he was unwilling to place too heavy a burden on Lin Zhao: "Of course, this is the worst-case scenario."

The clan's preparations this time have been incredibly thorough, and the clan leader is resolute and possesses profound knowledge. The chances of him successfully establishing his foundation are at least 30%! Otherwise, we wouldn't have gone to such lengths to help him achieve this.

He then changed the subject, his voice low and warning: "But what if the clan leader is exceptionally fortunate and truly succeeds in establishing his foundation?"

A glint flashed in the grandfather's eyes, revealing a seasoned calculation. "Then, with the strength of the Foundation Establishment stage, the clan leader's lineage will completely suppress all other voices in the family and truly achieve dominance! At that time, it will be hard to say whether I can retrieve these treasures from the family treasury!"

So, while he still needs us old guys, let's get our hands on the stuff! Strengthening ourselves is never a bad thing!

Lin Zhao held his breath, feeling as if an invisible hand was clenching his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "Will the clan leader suppress our lineage after he succeeds?"

Grandfather shook his head: "The clan chief is a man of commendable character and integrity. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gone to such lengths to help him. But what happens after he reaches the Foundation Establishment stage? Foundation Establishment cultivators have a lifespan of over two hundred years... Time changes too many things."

Even assuming the patriarch's original intentions remain unchanged, what about his descendants? Human hearts are fickle, and power is alluring; planning ahead is the only way for a family to survive in the long run.

He gave Lin Zhao a deep look. "Ultimately, only when our lineage produces its own Foundation Establishment cultivators can we establish a long-term foothold!"

His words, interwoven with a desperate retreat, a tragic sacrifice, ruthless calculation, and a far-reaching plan for the future, caused a violent clash of conflicting ideas in Lin Zhao's mind, leaving him feeling dizzy and giving him a heavy and real lesson.

Holding the Transcendent Realm Pill, he left his grandfather's cave in a daze. It wasn't until he walked down the hillside and was blown by the cool mountain breeze that he came back to his senses.

Thinking back carefully, the sense of crisis conveyed in my grandfather's words felt somewhat unreal. Looking at the Lin family's actions over the years, they have been meticulous and thorough, almost never making a mistake.

This demon hunt, with the combined power of the Lianqi Clan, resulted in the slaying of three second-tier demonic beasts, demonstrating incredible cohesion and execution! How can they suddenly be falling apart?

Moreover, the family has always been very united, and even though hunting demons came at such a high price, Lin Zhao did not hear a single complaint.

Thinking of this, Lin Zhao's heavy feeling dissipated considerably.

Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as Grandpa described?

However, the pressure and vague unease that had been deliberately planted did not completely dissipate; they remained deep within his heart, lingering and impossible to shake off.

Lin Zhao sighed deeply. Regardless of his grandfather's intentions—whether it was a preemptive warning or a deliberate attempt to toughen him up—he remained calm.

One thing is certain—strong power is the only foundation for protecting yourself and those around you.

His gaze gradually hardened: "If I possessed the Qi Refining Level 10 cultivation of the clan leader, and relied on the Celestial Sword Dao, I might not be without a fighting chance even against a true Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

A burning desire for power began to ignite within him.

Outside his grandfather's cave on the mountain, Uncle Zhao and his grandfather stood side by side, their gazes piercing through the clouds as they watched Lin Zhao's somewhat somber figure gradually disappear below the mountain.

Uncle Zhao, somewhat puzzled, asked, "Why are you scaring a child like that?"

Lin Zhao didn't know. He'd followed his grandfather for decades; didn't he know that while the Lin family's demon hunt had depleted their resources, it was far from crippling them or leading to their extermination?

Putting everything else aside, protecting Qingxi Mountain is definitely not a problem. Not to mention that the Lin family obtained second-tier spirit wood to enhance the formation during this operation, and with him being a second-tier talisman master, safeguarding their foundation is more than enough.

Seventy years ago, the Lin family survived the loss of Foundation Establishment cultivators, and now their strength is even greater than before.