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

Chapter 108 The Treasure Unveiled, Another Page Turns

Akabane circled around in a desolate wilderness before finally landing in an inconspicuous ravine.

The surrounding area was densely wooded and entwined with vines, showing no signs of human intervention. If Ye Wushuang hadn't provided a detailed map and coordinates, Li Changsheng would never have believed that this place held the savings of a Foundation Establishment cultivator accumulated over a decade.

"Brother, are you sure this is the place?" Li Changle jumped off Chi Yu's back, looked around, and her little face was full of doubt.

This place is too ordinary. There are no spiritual veins, no unusual phenomena, and even the spiritual energy is thinner than elsewhere. It doesn't look like a treasure trove for a Foundation Establishment cultivator at all.

Li Changsheng did not answer. He took out a map made of animal hide from his bosom and carefully compared it with the surrounding terrain.

The mountain's orientation, the stream's location, and the distribution of giant trees all matched perfectly. He put away the map, then took out a jade slip and placed it between his eyebrows.

The jade slip contained a detailed route left by Ye Wushuang—outside this treasure trove, there was a naturally formed illusion array, of low grade but extremely exquisite. If one did not know its intricacies, one could wander through these mountains for ten days or half a month without finding the entrance.

"Follow me." Li Changsheng put away the jade slip and said to Li Changle, "You can't make a single mistake."

Li Changle nodded and obediently followed behind him.

Li Changsheng took his first step not forward, but three steps to the left. His second step was two steps back. His third step was five steps diagonally forward and to the right. His pace was inconsistent, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes left, sometimes right, with no discernible pattern.

Li Changle followed closely behind, not missing a single step.

The two wandered around in the mountain valley.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the scene before us suddenly changed.

The dense forest had vanished, replaced by a wide clearing. In the center of the clearing, an old locust tree, so large it would take three people to encircle it, stood silently, its canopy spreading out to block out the sun. The soil beneath the tree was slightly raised, as if something was buried there.

"So this is the world hidden inside the illusion array." Li Changle looked back at the way he came, his eyes full of amazement. "This illusion array is really cleverly set up. From the outside, it looks like a steep slope that you can't possibly get across."

Li Changsheng walked to the old locust tree, tapped the trunk three times, then went around to the back of the tree and stepped on a protruding root.

"Boom!"

A crack appeared in the trunk of the old locust tree, revealing a deep passageway. The stone walls on both sides of the passageway were covered with runes, and a faint spiritual light flowed around them.

Li Changle's eyes lit up. He stepped forward and carefully examined the runes, muttering to himself, "Second-tier mid-grade magic array—the array base is in the Qian position, the array eye is in the Kun position—the life gate is in the Zhen position, the death gate is in the Dui position—this array is exquisitely arranged, but it is not without flaws—"

She became increasingly engrossed in looking at it, then took out the Qingqiu Array Plate and cast incantations into it. The runes on the array plate lit up layer by layer, their spiritual light surging, transforming into a luminous diagram. In the luminous diagram, every node of the array, every spiritual vein, and every gate of life and death was clearly visible.

"Brother, I can't break this formation." Li Changle put away the formation plate, wrinkled his nose, and said, "The grade is too high. With my current cultivation level, forcibly breaking the formation will only trigger the restrictions."

Li Changsheng took a scroll from his storage bag and handed it to her: "Use this."

Li Changle took the scroll, unfolded it, and his eyes lit up. The scroll contained the complete method to break this mid-grade second-tier magic array: the precise location of the array base, the flow of spiritual energy at the array eye, the specific location of the life gate, the incantation and allocation of spiritual energy required to break the array—everything was included.

"Brother, where did you get this?" She looked up at her brother, her eyes full of curiosity.

Li Changsheng smiled but said nothing.

Li Changle didn't ask any further questions. She quickly scanned the contents of the scroll and memorized them. Holding the Qingqiu Array Plate in her palm, she cast incantations one by one according to the steps recorded on the scroll. The runes on the array plate lit up layer by layer, and spiritual light surged, transforming into a pillar of light that shot into the void behind the old locust tree.

Where the beam of light passed, ripples spread through the void. The ripples grew denser and faster, until finally a crack appeared.

"Alright!" Li Changle wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Li Changsheng stepped into the light curtain first, followed closely by Li Changle. Behind the light curtain was a small stone chamber, about ten feet in diameter, with smooth walls and empty except for a dusty storage bag on a stone platform in the center of the chamber.

"That's it?" Li Changle was a little disappointed, her lips pouting slightly. "Such a big setup, and all you're hiding is a storage bag? I thought it would be full of spirit stones."

Li Changsheng smiled, not in a hurry to answer, picked up the storage bag, and probed it with his divine sense.

A moment later, his brows furrowed slightly.

It wasn't disappointment, it was an unexpected surprise.

The storage bag was much larger than he had expected, three times the size of a regular storage bag. However, the contents inside were not as plentiful as he had imagined.

Although Ye Wushuang was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had been lurking in the Zhuo family for over a decade, practically living off their savings. The Zhuo family wasn't a wealthy clan to begin with, and their resources were limited. As an outsider serving as a retainer, he could only get a tiny fraction of what he had. The possessions in this storage bag were just a drop in the ocean compared to Li Changsheng's gains in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave.

He took out the items from the storage bag one by one and laid them out on the stone platform.

Spirit stones. Over three thousand, low-grade. Not a single mid-grade spirit stone.

Li Changle leaned over for a glance and muttered, "Only three thousand? Brother, didn't you say that's the wealth of a Foundation Establishment cultivator? That's too poor."

Zhao Cai emerged from Li Changsheng's sleeve, squatted by the stone platform, looked at the pile of spirit stones, sniffed, and seemed to feel it wasn't enough. He turned his head and looked around, continuing to search for something more valuable.

Li Changsheng didn't reply and continued taking things out.

Exotic herbs and plants. Dozens of plants, ranging in quality from low-grade to high-grade first rank. Several are relatively rare on the market: three Qingxin Orchids, which can be used to refine Qingxin Pills to dispel inner demons; five Coagulation Grasses, which can be used to refine Coagulation Powder for external application to stop bleeding and promote tissue regeneration; and two Soul Nourishing Grasses, which can be used to refine Soul Nourishing Pills to nourish the soul. The rest are common herbs of low value.

Cultivation manuals. Three books. One is "General Treatise on the Fundamentals of Spiritual Plants," written by Ye Wushuang himself, detailing his insights on spiritual plants, from cultivating spiritual fields to nurturing them, from fertilizing and watering to controlling pests and diseases. The other is "Zhuo Family Alchemy Notes," which Ye Wushuang took from the Zhuo family, recording dozens of first-grade pill formulas, ranging from low to high grade.

A book titled "The Geography of the Eastern Wilderness" records the mountains, rivers, spiritual veins, and powerful families in various parts of the Eastern Wilderness, which greatly benefited the Li family in expanding their territory in the future.

Refining materials. A pile. Most of them were scraps that Ye Wushuang had accumulated over the years. They weren't high-grade, but they were plentiful. There were a few pieces of first-grade high-quality ore—red copper ore, black iron essence, and mystic ice stone—which were quite sought after on the market.

Magical artifacts. Three pieces. A first-grade superior-quality Qingfeng sword, which is slightly stronger than the one Li Changsheng is currently using; a first-grade superior-quality Xuan Tie shield, which has good defensive capabilities; and a first-grade mid-quality protective robe, which is not of high quality but is lightweight.

Talismans. A stack. Three first-grade superior Swiftness Talismans, two first-grade superior Vajra Talismans, and one first-grade superior Heavenly Thunder Talisman.

Li Changle looked at the items laid out on the stone platform and counted on his fingers: "Brother, all these things combined are only worth four or five thousand spirit stones, right? A Foundation Establishment cultivator has saved up this little bit over more than ten years?"

The disappointment in his voice was impossible to hide.

Li Changsheng wasn't in a hurry and said with a smile, "Don't rush, we haven't finished taking them yet."

He probed the depths of the storage bag with his divine sense and found two hidden compartments. This was a hidden compartment design of the storage bag, which ordinary cultivators could easily miss if they did not examine it carefully.

"There's something else?" Li Changle's eyes lit up, and she moved even closer.

Li Changsheng took out the item from the first compartment—a short sword.

The sword was entirely black, about a foot long, with a blade as thin as a cicada's wing, and a dark red spirit stone inlaid at the hilt. A faint, eerie light flowed across its surface, like a solidified shadow. When spiritual energy was channeled into it, the sword trembled slightly, emitting a low hum, and a layer of eerie blue light appeared at the edge of the blade, radiating a chilling aura.

"This is—" Li Changle gasped.

Li Changsheng held the short sword in his palm, examining it closely. The runes on the blade were intricate and exquisite, each line containing a heart-stopping power. He could sense that this sword's quality far surpassed any magical artifact he had ever seen.

"Second-tier, low-grade," he said slowly. "Shadow Killing Sword."

"Second-tier?!" Li Changle's voice rose several decibels, her face flushed slightly with excitement. "Brother, a second-tier magic weapon? Our Li family finally has a second-tier magic weapon?"

Li Changsheng smiled and nodded, briefly explaining the Shadow Killing Sword's functions: It is made of Dark Shadow Iron, tempered with Netherworld Qi, and its blade can transform into a phantom at will, silent and invisible, ignoring first-tier defensive magic weapons. It has an additional restraining effect on Yin-attribute ghosts. This sword requires divine sense to control; Qi Refining cultivators without divine sense cannot unleash its true power.

"Divine consciousness—" Li Changle blinked. "Brother, you seem to have divine consciousness, right?"

Li Changsheng's lips curled up slightly, and he did not deny it.

Li Changle clapped his hands excitedly, "Great! This sword is practically tailor-made for you!"

Zhao Cai also came over, sniffed the Shadow Killing Sword with its little nose, and its eyes lit up immediately. It stretched out its little paws to touch it, but Li Changsheng grabbed it away. Squeak squeak squeak! Zhao Cai squeaked twice in dissatisfaction, but its eyes were still fixed on the sword, unwilling to look away.

Li Changsheng carefully put away the Shadow Killing Sword and took out an item from the second compartment—a palm-sized, wing-shaped magical artifact.

Its entire body was pure gold, each feather distinct, shimmering with dazzling firelight in the dim light of the stone chamber. Each feather seemed to be cast from molten metal, with faint flames flowing around it, radiating a scorching aura. As spiritual energy was poured in, the wings fluttered gently, emitting a clear, melodious hum, and the temperature in the stone chamber suddenly rose several degrees.

"This is... a flying artifact?" Li Changle's eyes widened.

"Second-tier, low-grade, Crimson Flame Wings," Li Changsheng said. "Made from firebird spirit feathers and tempered with earth core fire essence, it can be attached to the back of a spirit pet, greatly increasing its flight speed. At the same time, it can release crimson flame feathers during flight, covering an area of ​​ten zhang in radius."

Li Changle's eyes shone like two little stars: "Wouldn't equipping Chi Yu with that be like adding wings to a tiger?"

Li Changsheng smiled and nodded, then carefully put away the Crimson Flame Wings.

"Is there anything else? Is there anything else?" Li Changle asked impatiently.

Li Changsheng probed the last hidden compartment of the storage bag with his divine sense and took out three talismans.

The talisman was entirely golden, with runes drawn in silver lines. Its spiritual light was restrained, yet it exuded a chilling pressure. The air in the stone chamber seemed to freeze, making even breathing difficult.

Li Changle subconsciously took a step back, her face slightly pale: "Brother—what kind of talisman is this? It has such a strong sense of oppression."

Li Changsheng carefully examined the runes on the talisman, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

The first one is the Heavenly Thunder and Fire Talisman. When activated, it unleashes Heavenly Thunder and Fire, covering an area of ​​thirty feet in radius, with power comparable to a full-force attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the early stages. It is effective against evil spirits and ghosts.

The second item is the Xuanwu Protective Talisman. When activated, it condenses a phantom of Xuanwu to protect the body, capable of withstanding three attacks from a Foundation Establishment cultivator for the duration of a cup of tea.

The third one is the Wind and Thunder Escape Talisman. Activating it transforms the user into wind and thunder, allowing them to travel hundreds of miles in an instant; it is a powerful tool for survival and escape.

"Second-tier talismans!" Li Changsheng's voice was filled with excitement. "All three are second-tier!"

Although he is currently only at the fifth level of Qi Refining and cannot activate a second-tier magic weapon, he has already developed divine consciousness, which is more than enough to activate second-tier talismans. Each of these three talismans is a trump card for survival. The Heavenly Gang Thunderfire Talisman is a trump card for attacking enemies, the Black Tortoise Protective Talisman is a protective talisman for survival, and the Wind and Thunder Escape Talisman is a last resort for escaping.

With these three talismans, the Li family was no longer helpless when facing Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Brother!" Li Changle grabbed his arm, jumping with excitement. "Two second-tier magic artifacts, three second-tier talismans, three thousand spirit stones, and a bunch of spirit herbs and pills—we've really struck it rich this time!"

Zhao Cai was so excited that it jumped up and down, rolled around on the stone platform, and clung to the Crimson Flame Wing with its two little paws, refusing to let go, but Li Chang Le laughed and snatched it back.

Li Changsheng sorted and put the items away, his gaze falling on a yellowed animal hide.

The animal hide was small, about a foot square, with torn edges, clearly indicating its age. It was drawn with outlines of mountains and rivers, and marked with place names and symbols. The terrain didn't seem to be within the Great Zhou territory, but rather resembled the landscape of the Eastern Wilderness tribes.

"This picture—" Li Changsheng picked up the animal hide, examined it from all angles, and then put it into his pocket.

Turning back, I asked Ye Wushuang.

Li Changle squatted by the stone platform, picking up each of the rare and exotic plants to examine them. The more he looked, the more excited he became: "Brother, this Qingxin Orchid is of such high quality! And this book, 'General Introduction to the Fundamentals of Spiritual Plants,' if Chang'an saw it, he would jump for joy!"

Li Changsheng smiled slightly as he looked at his younger sister's expression of having found a treasure.

"Little sister, can this array be taken away?" He pointed to the runes around the stone chamber.

Li Changle stood up, examined it carefully, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter: "It's possible! This formation is set up independently, doesn't rely on the earth's veins, and can be moved as a whole. A mid-grade second-tier formation, brother! It's worth at least two or three thousand spirit stones on the market!"

She grew increasingly excited as she spoke, pulling out the Qingqiu Array Plate and beginning to decipher the foundation of the array. Layers of runes on the array plate lit up, and incantations were cast into the stone wall. The runes on the stone wall first flickered intensely, then gradually dimmed, and finally went out completely.

Li Changle then took out the array flags and inserted them into the ground in specific directions, digging out the core of the array—a fist-sized central pressure plate—from the stone wall.

"Alright!" She held the central array plate, her face full of accomplishment, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead. "A mid-grade second-tier magic array, stored in my storage bag. Once we get back to Qinglan Mountain, I'll find a suitable place to set it up again, and then it'll be ready to use."

Li Changsheng looked around the stone chamber to make sure he hadn't missed anything, then led his little sister through the light curtain and back to the ground.

The moment Li Changle stepped out of the illusion array, he glanced back—behind him was still that inconspicuous mountain valley, overgrown with shrubs and entwined with vines, showing no signs of anything unusual.

"This illusion array is truly amazing," she couldn't help but exclaim. "If it weren't for the path, I would never have been able to find the entrance, even if you killed me."

at the same time.

Within Li Changsheng's sea of ​​consciousness, the Heavenly Book suddenly trembled, golden light flowing within it:

[Family Luck Value: 16100/16000]

[Conditions met. Shall we begin a new page in the Heavenly Book?]

Li Changsheng was overjoyed.

Although Ye Wushuang's savings over the past ten years were not substantial, the accumulated luck points of a Foundation Establishment cultivator were enough to start a new chapter.

"Activate".

The new page of the Heavenly Book slowly unfolded. A brilliant golden light shone forth, and a phantom image of a destiny seed, shaped like an ancient cauldron and shimmering with a dark luster, materialized, accompanied by annotations:

[Witch Spirit Destiny: Those who fuse this destiny seed can communicate with spirits and deities, sense the flow of yin energy, and pinpoint the location of evil spirits. It is of unparalleled use in exploring secret realms, tracking down evil spirits, and performing sacrifices to heaven and earth. Note: This seed requires the fuser to possess special physical attributes such as "Witchcraft Body" or "Yin-Yang Eyes," otherwise it cannot be refined, and forced fusion risks the destruction of the soul.]

Li Changsheng's eyes flickered. The physique of Zhao Ling'er, the granddaughter of the elder of Shuangjie Village, was indeed that of a sorcerer. This seed of magic seemed to have been prepared specifically for her.

Another golden light entered my consciousness:

[Clan Chief's Authority and Fortune Jade Seal]

[A jade seal, formed from the family's fortune, can suppress the family's destiny and protect its prosperity. The more prosperous the Li family becomes, the more abundant its fortune grows, and the jade seal can nurture dragon energy.]

[Additional Effect: The holder of the jade seal is protected from celestial secrets. No amount of divination, prophecy, or investigative techniques can uncover the origins of the seal holder and the magical seed bestowed upon them.]

Li Changsheng's eyes lit up. The Heavenly Secret Shield meant that his use of the Heavenly Book to bestow the Dharma Seed upon his clansmen would not be deduced by any powerful being. The Yun family couldn't find it, the imperial court couldn't find it, and those high-ranking Golden Core and Nascent Soul level monsters couldn't find it either.

With a thought, a fist-sized illusory image of a jade seal condensed in his mind. The jade seal was entirely emerald green, with nine dragons coiled around it, and four ancient seal characters engraved at the bottom—"Eternal Prosperity".

He stored the illusory image of the jade seal deep within his sea of ​​consciousness and continued to gaze at the Heavenly Book.

[The clan leader's aptitude and alchemy talent have been detected as having potential for improvement. Would you like to choose a direction for improvement?]

"Improve your alchemy talent."

Mysterious power descended from the void.

[Alchemy Talent: Rank 9 (60/100) → Rank 9 (80/100)]

Li Changsheng opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. He was just twenty points away from advancing his alchemy talent to the eighth rank.

He stood up and said to Li Changle, "Let's go to the Zhuo family."

Li Changle responded, put the last few spiritual herbs into her storage bag, and skipped after her brother.

Chi Yu had been waiting outside the stone chamber for a long time. When they came out, she flapped her wings and came to greet them. Li Changsheng jumped onto the chicken's back and pulled Li Changle up with him. Chi Yu flapped her wings and soared into the sky.