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

"Activate".

The ninth page of the Heavenly Book slowly unfolded. A phantom image of a destiny seed, shaped like an altar and shimmering with a pale golden light, materialized, accompanied by annotations:

[The Spiritual Connection Destiny: Those who cultivate this destiny can sense the will of spirits and communicate with the spirits of heaven and earth. They possess unparalleled talent in rituals, divination, and spiritual communication. This destiny is most suited to temple priests and other priestly positions.]

Li Changsheng's heart stirred. His grandfather was now the temple keeper of the Qilin Mountain Temple, and this magic seed was just what he needed.

Another golden light entered my consciousness:

[Clan Chief's Power - Divine Conferment: Can confer titles upon clan members as temple priests, shrine keepers, etc. Those conferred titles can preside over sacrifices in the temple and cast divine spells using the power of the divine statues. The higher the conferred title's cultivation level, the stronger the divine spells.]

Li Changsheng was overjoyed. With this power, his grandfather, the temple keeper, would no longer be just a figurehead, but a real person who could use the power of the statue to protect the area.

Finally, the familiar upgrade options appeared.

"Improve spiritual root aptitude."

Mysterious power descended from the void.

[Eighth-grade spiritual root: 1/100 → 10/100]

[Note: Once a family is designated as a ninth-rank noble family, the potential for improvement will increase significantly.]

"It seems I need to meet the requirements for advancing to a ninth-rank aristocratic family as soon as possible."

...

...

In the main hall of the temple, Li Changsheng dismissed his attendants, and the heavy wooden door slowly closed behind him. Only he and his grandfather remained in the hall. The smoke from incense and candles rose gently into the air, and the headless statue stood quietly on the altar, its faint divine luster flickering in the candlelight.

"Grandfather," Li Changsheng said, getting straight to the point, "I have something to ask you."

Grandfather Li Shiren stroked his beard and looked at him with a smile: "Go on."

"In the future, this temple will need someone to serve the gods year-round. Grandfather, are you willing to take on this important task?"

Li Shiren had been a believer in ghosts and gods since his time in Lijiabao, and he never missed a day of ancestor worship and prayers for blessings during festivals. When his grandson said this, he assumed that he was just being put in charge of the daily affairs of the temple, and immediately agreed with a smile.

"I thought it was something important." He patted his chest. "Don't worry, leave the temple to my grandfather, he'll manage it perfectly. My cultivation is low, and I can't help with important matters in the clan. If I can use the power of the gods to govern the mortals, it will be a way of relieving your burden."

Seeing that his grandfather was resolute and showed no sign of reluctance, Li Changsheng felt reassured.

"Grandfather, I have obtained something from our ancestors that can help you communicate with the gods in the future." He transmitted his voice in secret, condensing it into a single line and sending it into his grandfather's ear. "This item is called the 'Seed of Communication with the Netherworld.' After it is forged, one can perceive divine will and communicate with spirits and deities."

Li Shiren was stunned. Before he could react, Li Changsheng had already made a thought, and the illusory image of the Destiny Seed, which was shimmering with a dark luster, floated out of the Heavenly Book and entered his grandfather's brow.

At the same time, the Heavenly Book flashed with golden light—

[Clan Chief's Powers and Abilities - Divine Conferment]

[The recipient of the imperial edict: Li Shiren]

[Imperial Title: Temple Keeper]

[Confirm?]

"confirm."

A beam of golden light surged from the statue, cascading down like a waterfall and enveloping Li Shiren.

Li Shiren shuddered, his eyes snapped shut, and his body trembled violently. The golden light, like a sudden influx of nectar, entered his body through his pores, cleansing his meridians and expanding his dantian. His aura began to surge wildly—

One layer of Qi.

Second level of Qi Refining.

Three layers of Qi Refining.

……

It climbed all the way up to the seventh level of Qi Refining before finally stopping.

Li Shiren opened his eyes, looking as if he had become ten years younger. He looked down at his hands, then up at the statue, his lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time.

"This...this..."

"Grandfather, please sense your sea of ​​consciousness," Li Changsheng reminded him.

Li Shiren closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them a moment later, his eyes filled with shock: "There is a cultivation technique... given to me by a celestial being! But... but I cannot pass it on to anyone; it can only be understood intuitively, not explained in words..."

Li Changsheng nodded: "Of course. What the gods have bestowed upon us cannot be easily passed on."

He paused, then asked, "Grandfather, can you sense which deity we worship?"

Li Shiren closed his eyes, focused his mind, and after a long while, slowly spoke: "Heavenly Dragon God."

Heavenly Dragon God.

Li Changsheng silently repeated the name, memorizing the three characters.

"Grandfather, try to sense the Heavenly Dragon God and see if any divine decree has been issued."

Li Shiren did as instructed. He closed his eyes, made hand seals, and immersed himself in the connection with the statue. The hall was silent except for the faint sound of burning incense and candles.

Suddenly, Li Shiren opened his eyes, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"There is...there is an oracle."

"What divine decree?"

"Qilin Town..." Li Shiren's voice was a little unsteady. "A thousand feet underground beneath the abandoned old town mayor's mansion in Qilin Town, there is an ancient cultivator's dojo."

Li Changsheng's pupils contracted slightly.

This Heavenly Dragon God gave a great gift as soon as he took office.

He thought to himself, "Qilin Town truly lives up to its reputation as an ancient town from a previous dynasty. Its history is even longer than that of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It has such a secret hidden underground."

...

...

At the temple, nearly ten thousand villagers were still immersed in the shock of the deity's manifestation, discussing it in small groups, reluctant to leave.

Li Changsheng stepped out of the temple and stood on the altar, his gaze sweeping over the dense crowd below. He channeled his spiritual energy, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Fellow villagers, today the Heavenly Dragon God has descended to earth to protect our Qilin Town. From now on, every household can live in peace and prosperity, and no longer need to worry about living from dawn to dusk."

A cheer erupted from the crowd.

Li Changsheng raised his hand to quell the noise, and continued, "The clan encourages reproduction. For every new child with spiritual roots added to a family, they will receive one hundred spirit sands, as well as elixirs suitable for mortals!"

These words caused an uproar in the temple.

"One hundred spirit sands!"

"And there are miraculous elixirs!"

"God, is this defying fate?"

"Have more children! Have more children! Surely one of them will be able to detect spiritual roots!"

Among the crowd, some quick-witted individuals had already begun to calculate. Which families had their spiritual root aptitude tested at the last Ascension Ceremony? Wouldn't a marriage alliance with these families greatly increase the chances of their offspring possessing spiritual root aptitude?

The news spread like wildfire, reaching all three towns of Qilin, Qingshi, and Dongyu that very night.

The ordinary people under the Li family's rule were swept up in a massive baby-making frenzy.

...

...

That night, it was dark and windy.

Li Changsheng and his grandfather Li Shiren quietly left the temple and arrived at the old site of Qilin Town.

The abandoned old town mayor's mansion was already dilapidated, with collapsed walls and overgrown weeds, only the foundation still faintly discernible. Li Changsheng had a thought, and the ghost general Mo Yu floated out from the Hundred Ghost Banner, lightly waving her hand to use the [Shadowless and Unseen] technique to completely conceal the figures and auras of the two of them.

"Earth Escape Talisman." Li Changsheng took out two talismans from his storage bag, handing one to his grandfather and patting the other on himself.