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

"Senior Zhou, what a refined taste!" Yun Qilang interjected first. "This junior will also join in the fun! I'm betting on the Nangong family to be the winner!"

Yun Jiuniang glanced at him, a slight sneer playing on her lips: "Seventh Young Master, you have quite the nerve. Senior Zhou hasn't even made his choice yet, and you've already jumped the gun? Aren't you afraid of being impolite?"

Yun Qilang's face stiffened for a moment, then he waved his hand dismissively, "Ninth Sister is overthinking it. Senior Zhou is a magnanimous prime minister; why would he care about such a small matter?"

He turned to Steward Zhou, his smile ingratiating: "Senior Zhou, don't you agree?"

Manager Zhou stroked his beard, smiled without saying a word, and simply nodded.

Yun Qilang felt relieved and immediately took a small, emerald-green umbrella with a ghostly glow from his storage pouch at his waist, placing it on the table.

"My wager is a Yin-Yang Umbrella." He looked at Yun Jiuniang with a hint of provocation in his eyes. "Ninth Sister, what about your wager? You can't possibly be stingy, can you? I heard you recently acquired a piece of top-grade first-tier Cloud Profound Iron. Why don't you bring it out and join the fun?"

Yun Jiuniang remained expressionless, took out a fist-sized, dark blue ore from her storage bag, and placed it on the table.

"Now that Seventh Young Master has spoken, how could Ninth Sister possibly spoil the mood?"

She turned to Steward Zhou, smiling brightly, and said, "Senior Zhou, please choose first."

Manager Zhou nodded inwardly. This Yun Jiuniang really knew how to handle people, giving him plenty of face. In comparison, that kid Yun Qilang… He didn't show it on his face, his gaze sweeping over the four lists.

The Nangong family has already been chosen by Yun Qilang, and the Cheng family is the most likely to win. The Cheng family has a Qi Refining Peak Elder in charge, which is somewhat inferior to the Nangong family, but the situation on the mountain can change in an instant, so who can say for sure?

"I choose the Cheng family," he said.

Yun Jiuniang smiled slightly: "Then I will choose the Li family."

Yun Qilang scoffed, "The Li family? Their highest cultivation level is only the fifth level of Qi Refining. They were probably all dead on the mountain last night. They want to win the championship? Ninth Sister, are you just here to hand out bets?"

Yun Jiuniang ignored him.

...

...

On the mountain path, the first figure appeared.

The three members of the Nangong family were the first to descend the mountain.

The three once spirited Qi Refining Peak cultivators were now in a sorry state—Nangong Shun's left arm was severed at the elbow, bandaged and blood seeping from the cut. Nangong Jin was pale, with several scorch marks on his robes. Madam Nangong was in slightly better shape, though her steps were unsteady.

Manager Zhou's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to greet them.

Nangong Jin stepped forward and presented a storage bag with both hands: "Senior Zhou, this is the soul crystal obtained by the Nangong family."

Steward Zhou took it, probed it with his divine sense, and nodded slightly after a moment: "Not bad, converted into imperial merit points, it's 1,200 in total."

Even he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, found this number quite impressive. Mount Wansui was teeming with evil spirits; surviving there was already difficult enough, let alone killing so many. The Nangong family certainly possessed considerable skill.

Yun Qilang laughed heartily, "Twelve hundred! Ninth Sister, it seems you're going to lose this bet to me!"

In a great mood, he casually took out a bottle of healing pills and tossed it to Nangong Jin: "Clan Chief Nangong, you've worked hard. These are top-quality healing pills. Take them and use them."

Yun Jiuniang glanced at him, a half-smile on her face: "I've never seen such a stingy person before."

Yun Qilang's face darkened, and just as he was about to retort, another figure rushed down the mountain path in a panic.

It was Elder Cheng, the clan chief.

Covered in blood and deathly pale, he stumbled to the platform, barely managing to steady himself before bowing: "Senior Zhou... this is the soul crystal obtained by the Cheng family..."

His hands trembled as he handed over a storage bag.

Manager Zhou took it, scanned it with his divine sense, and frowned slightly: "Less than one hundred merit points."

Elder Cheng hurriedly explained, "Senior Zhou, the Cheng family's soul crystals are all on our family's guardian spirit! He... he got separated from my son, and I searched everywhere before dawn, but I couldn't find them..."

Yun Qilang's face instantly darkened.

The retainer in the Cheng family was someone sent there by his second uncle's lineage. To support the Cheng family, they sacrificed a peak Qi Refining cultivator; if he couldn't even advance...

"Clan Chief Cheng," he said coldly, "you mean, Elder Cheng, taking your Cheng family's soul crystals, disappeared on the mountain?"

Elder Cheng's lips trembled: "Seventh Young Master, please calm down. I beg you to help me search the mountain. Perhaps... perhaps they are just trapped somewhere..."

Steward Zhou shook his head: "He hasn't returned all night, and if he still can't be found by dawn, he's most likely already dead. Clan Chief Cheng, please accept my condolences."

"How could this be..." The old clan chief's face drained of color instantly.

Yun Qilang had already taken out the communication jade talisman and activated it with his spiritual power. A moment later, a reply came from the talisman. He glanced at it, and his face turned ashen.

"The Soul Lamp has been extinguished." He spoke each word clearly, his voice as cold as ice. "Clan Chief Cheng, your Cheng family is truly remarkable. One match, and you've lost a peak Qi Refining cultivator!"

He kicked away the old clan chief Cheng who was standing in front of him.

Standing behind Nangong Jin, Nangong Shun watched this scene and couldn't help but transmit his voice, "Clan leader, the Cheng family's peak Qi Refining expert has fallen, and the Li family hasn't even come down the mountain yet; they're probably all dead by now. Our Nangong family's leader is practically guaranteed. Once the Li and Du families' high-level combatants collapse, won't their fiefdoms be ours for the taking..."

"Shut up! If you hadn't been so reckless last night, that arm wouldn't have been broken!" Nangong Jin coldly interrupted him, her gaze like a knife. "If you cause any more trouble, you'll be sent back to the old house and locked up for three years. Our Nangong family has been exiled here, and the most important thing is to keep a low profile. If you can't remember the word 'low profile,' then use this body of yours to remember it."

Nangong Shun's expression changed, and he lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

Yun Jiuniang looked at the empty mountain path, a hint of worry in her eyes.

Upon seeing this, Yun Qilang couldn't help but sneer, "Ninth Sister, your Li family must have been devoured by evil spirits, down to their last bones. A mere fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator dares to climb the mountain? They're courting death."

Before the words were finished—

On the mountain path, a group of figures slowly appeared.

Li Changsheng walked at the front, followed by Chen Wenyuan and Li Changle. Although their clothes were somewhat disheveled, they were unharmed. Du Liuniang followed alone behind, her face pale and her steps unsteady, but she was still alive.

Yun Qilang's smile froze on his face.

Yun Jiuniang's lips curled up slightly.

Du Liuniang stepped forward first and presented the soul crystals. After counting them, Steward Zhou said calmly, "The Du family receives 120 merit points."

More than the Cheng family. The last glimmer of hope of the old patriarch Cheng was shattered; he lay paralyzed on the ground, as if his bones had been removed.

Li Changsheng stepped forward, took out a small box, opened it, and inside were neatly stacked first-grade low-level soul crystals.

Steward Zhou glanced at it: "The Li family, 150 merits, and the Du family..."

"Please wait a moment, senior," Li Changsheng said, taking out another large box and opening it.

First-grade mid-level, first-grade high-level, first-grade top-level... all sorts of soul crystals were neatly arranged, their spiritual light shimmering and dazzling.

Steward Zhou's eyes lit up as he recounted the merits: "Including the previous ones, the total is... 1,100 merits."

It's only one hundred less than the Nangong family.

The Nangong family still holds the top position.

Yun Qilang's expression softened slightly; at least he had won the bet.