Establishing a Clan in the Eastern Wilderness: A Daily Divination, Cultivating Longevity in a Grotto

"This is spirit mulberry wood." Father Li wiped the sweat from his forehead, his tone tinged with pride. "It was your grandmother's idea. She said the spiritual energy in this area of ​​the underground river behind our mountain is perfect for raising spirit mulberry wood. In the future, we can raise silkworms to spin silk and weave it into spirit cloth, which will be much more valuable than simply selling spirit rice."

He paused, then said:

"I bought these seedlings at the market last month; they weren't expensive."

Your grandmother said she learned weaving when she was young. Although it's a mortal skill, with spiritual power, she could probably weave spiritual cloth with a little practice.

My grandmother has a fifth-grade knitting talent!

Before he could even start planning, his grandmother had already taken the initiative to make arrangements.

The more the merrier!

Li Changsheng looked at the mulberry tree with its tender leaves unfurling under the autumn sun, at the silver-scaled fish swimming in the underground river, and at the chicks of the Fire Cloud Chickens chattering and fighting for food in the aviary—in just over a year, this once desolate corner of the back mountain had gradually begun to flourish.

Then, Li's father's face darkened.

"Longevity." He lowered his voice, "Recently, I've sensed that there are occasional attempts to spy from the foot of the mountain."

Li Changsheng's eyes narrowed.

"I sent Xiaobai out to patrol a few times," said Li's father. "The people who came... their clothes and appearance... they're not from the Cheng family."

"Who is it?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it." Mr. Li frowned. "They were wearing animal skins and had tattoos, like people from a mountain tribe. They just loitered around the border, neither approaching nor leaving, as if they were... scouting the area."

Eastern Wilderness Tribe.

Bandits.

Every autumn harvest season, they swarm like locusts, specifically targeting newly established families.

The Cheng family's presence at the border stems from a personal grudge.

For these tribal bandits, survival was their only law.

The former still has room for maneuver, but the latter... only swords and spears can decide the outcome.

"The protective formation of Qinglan Mountain..." Li Changsheng said.

"I asked Chang Le," Li's father shook his head. "She said this formation was set up by the Immortal Master of the World-Suppressing Division, and it's a low-grade first-order formation. It's enough to prevent ordinary Qi Refining cultivators from spying on it, but if a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator or even a Foundation Establishment cultivator leads a strong attack, it won't hold for long."

What's meant to happen will eventually happen.

Then let's take the initiative and fight!

"Father, I'm going out for a bit," he said. "To the Du family."

...

...

As I passed by my grandmother's courtyard, I was stopped.

"Chang Sheng, you've come at the right time." Grandmother came out of the house to greet him, her expression gentle but with a hint of solemnity. "The girl you brought back is probably waking up soon."

Li Changsheng paused, then followed his grandmother into the side room he hadn't entered for some time.

The room was filled with a faint scent of herbs.

The mysterious woman remained lying quietly on the bed. Months passed, and her grandmother took good care of her—her once dry hair regained its shine, and her pale lips regained a faint rosy hue.

The horrific scars on her face had not faded at all.

"Her external injuries are almost completely healed," Grandmother said softly. "I applied the medicine you brought back to her for those sword wounds and bruises, and they've healed very well. It's just her face..." She sighed, "I'm afraid it's lingering."

Li Changsheng walked to the bedside.

He reached out, separated a wisp of spiritual energy, and probed the woman's wrist, wanting to check how well her meridians and internal organs had recovered.

however--

The moment that wisp of spiritual energy touched her skin, an overwhelming force suddenly surged out from within her body!

The power was thick and violent, carrying a kind of awe-inspiring pressure of being disturbed. Although it was only a reactive response that was withdrawn immediately upon contact, it still made Li Changsheng's arm go numb and he took two steps back.

He steadied himself and took a deep look at the still unconscious woman.

There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy.

There was no trace of cultivation.

But the force that shook him back was undeniable.

This woman is truly extraordinary!

"Immortality?" His grandmother looked at him with concern.

"It's alright." Li Changsheng withdrew his hand and said to his grandmother, "Grandmother, please continue to take care of her. If she wakes up, let me know immediately."

Grandmother nodded without asking any further questions.

...

...

The flying horse flapped its wings and soared into the sky, carrying Li Changsheng through the autumn clouds towards the Du family's fiefdom.

After breaking through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, Xiao Bai's flight became increasingly effortless.

The wind brushed past his ears as Li Changsheng lowered his eyes and looked down at the undulating mountains and forests below.

The outline of Dujia Cuiwei Mountain soon came into view.

He landed in front of the mountain gate and handed over his visiting card.

I waited for a long time.

He thought that Du Liuniang might not be in the mountains.

A while later.

A flash of light appeared at the mountain gate, and a pale yellow figure slowly walked out.

It's Du Liuniang.

She also made a breakthrough.

The aura of the fourth level of Qi Refining is much more solid and substantial than it was a few months ago.

This should have been a cause for celebration—but the moment Li Changsheng saw her, he noticed the lingering weariness in her eyes.

His eyes were pale, his brows were slightly furrowed, and even his smile seemed forced.

"Clan Chief Li," Du Liuniang bowed, "Congratulations on breaking through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining."

"Congratulations, Clan Chief Du." Li Changsheng returned the greeting without immediately asking anything.

The two walked side by side into the reception room and took their seats as host and guest.

The exquisite tea is served, its aroma wafting gently.

Li Changsheng asked with concern, "Clan Chief Du, is there anything I can do to help?"

Du Liuniang hesitated for a moment.

Although Li Changsheng was a year younger than her, his performance was exceptionally outstanding, which impressed her.

"Clan Chief Li," she sighed, "the Du family is now beset by internal and external troubles."

"The external threat is bandits."

"Internal strife..." she paused, "...was it my cousin, Du Changfeng."

"Three months ago, he also broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining."

"In the past, he would only secretly gather people and spread rumors. I didn't want to go too far because we were of the same clan. Now that he is at the same level as me, he has no more scruples and openly confronts me."

"At the clan meeting half a month ago, he publicly questioned my authority to dispose of clan property, saying that a fifteen-year-old girl had no right to manage the Du family's thousand-year-old foundation."

She held the teacup, her fingertips slightly white.

"Half of the elders in the clan who were originally neutral have switched sides to his side."

"Clan Chief Li." Du Liuniang raised her head and looked at Li Changsheng, her eyes filled with weariness, resentment, and long-suppressed anger. "You're right. Some things, if you don't make a decision, will only lead to more trouble."

Li Changsheng understood the implied meaning:

"Chief Du, are you planning to put these internal problems on hold for now?!"

"Well, right now, every little thing we do affects the whole clan. I think we should wait until after the autumn harvest to make a decision." Du Liuniang raised her head, her voice now calm. "The most important thing right now is how to survive this calamity."

She set down her teacup and looked directly at Li Changsheng: "Chief Li, you must have come here about the bandits as well?"

"Yes." Li Changsheng did not deny it.

"I'm thinking of asking the Yun family for help," Du Liuniang said slowly. "After all, they are a ninth-rank noble family under our jurisdiction. They receive a lot of tribute from the families under our jurisdiction every year. It is only right and proper that they send someone to guard the area."