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

Chapter 119 A litter of spirit pigs, the Wood Spirit Pearl

After sailing through the clouds for several days, the treasure ship finally began to slow down and descend.

Li Changsheng looked out of the cabin window—below, the mountains stretched endlessly, with five main peaks like five giant pillars reaching into the sky, and waterfalls and streams could be vaguely seen amidst the swirling clouds and mist. The mountains were steep and rich in spiritual energy, yet there was an indescribable sense of oppression, as if something was sleeping deep within the mountains, ready to awaken at any moment.

The treasure ship slowly landed on a wide platform. The platform was paved with bluestone and was several hundred feet in circumference. Thick stone pillars stood around it, and ancient runes were carved on the pillars. At the end of the platform was a huge light curtain, rippling like water, which isolated Five Dragon Mountain from the outside world.

The hatch opened.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators from the third level filed out.

Leading the group was an old man in a gray robe, with a hunched back and a withered face. He was Yun Zhengyuan, the second elder of the Yun family, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Behind him followed seven or eight Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Yun family, each with a deep aura and synchronized footsteps, landing on the platform like the beating of drums. The Qi Refining cultivators on the platform all lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at him. Even Steward Zhou and Yun Zhiwu bowed slightly.

"Second Elder." Yun Zhiwu stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.

Yun Zhengyuan nodded slightly, his light sweeping over the crowd. Those Qi Refining cultivators felt as if they were being stared at by an ancient ferocious beast, their hair standing on end.

A woman walked out gracefully from behind the Second Elder.

She was dressed in red, her figure graceful, her eyes naturally alluring. Her gait was exquisite, her waist swaying gently, each step seemingly floating on clouds. Though her cultivation was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, she stood confidently among a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, instead smilingly surveying her surroundings. Many of the younger cultivators blushed.

Cheng Wanjun, a daughter of the Cheng family. The Second Elder's most favored concubine.

Behind her followed Elder Cheng, a smile plastered on his face, keeping pace with her. His gaze swept across the platform, pausing for a moment on Li Changsheng and the other two, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth carrying an undisguised provocation.

Li Changsheng remained expressionless, as if he hadn't seen anything.

Li Changle leaned closer and whispered, "Brother, that old man is watching us."

"So what if he looked? It won't hurt him." Li Changsheng smiled. "Ignore him."

Li Changmo stood to the side, expressionless, but his gaze swept coldly over Elder Cheng before shifting away.

Yun Zhiwu took out a stack of palm-sized tokens from his sleeve and announced loudly, "These are guiding tokens. Once the barrier opens, the tokens will guide you into Five Dragon Mountain. The opening period is six months, after which the tokens will automatically teleport you out."

He held up three fingers: "Three prohibitions, you must remember them."

First, one must not enter the depths of the forest after sunset. Evil spirits are most active after sunset, and the depths of the forest are their lair.

Second, one must not approach the summits of the five main peaks. Ancient restrictions exist at the summits; triggering them will result in certain death.

Third, you must not harm the white apes in the mountains. The white apes are guardian spirit beasts; harming them will result in being attacked by the mountain's monsters.

He looked around, his voice deepening: "Five Dragons Mountain is not what it used to be. Besides demonic beasts, evil spirits and ghosts roam freely. Resources are plentiful, but the dangers are far greater."

The expressions of the Qi Refining cultivators on the platform all changed.

Li Changle's face paled slightly, and she subconsciously moved closer to her brother.

Li Changsheng said in a low voice, "What are you afraid of? I'm here."

Li Changle retorted defiantly, "Who's afraid? I'm just—cold."

Li Changsheng smiled and shook his head.

Yun Zhengyuan walked to the end of the platform and took out a fist-sized emerald green bead—the Five Dragon Bead—from his robes. He held it in his palm and poured spiritual energy into it. The bead lit up, its emerald light growing ever brighter. Behind him, more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators simultaneously attacked, channeling their spiritual energy into the bead. The Five Dragon Bead hummed and trembled, and a beam of emerald green light shot out, striking the light barrier.

The light curtain trembled violently, and runes flowed.

A massive portal slowly opened.

A vast, ancient atmosphere washes over you, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, the earthy smell, and a faint, almost imperceptible stench of blood.

"Let's go!" Yun Zhengyuan shouted in a low voice, taking the lead in stepping in.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Yun family followed closely behind.

Yun Zhiwu stood beside the light screen, his tokens lighting up one by one. There were three types of tokens: Yun family Foundation Establishment cultivators held gold tokens, which allowed them to enter the central area; Yun family Qi Refining cultivators held silver tokens, which allowed them to enter the inner layer; and the six Qi Refining families held bronze tokens, which allowed them to enter only the outermost layer.

Li Changsheng took the bronze token, which was slightly warm, and an invisible force pulled him down. He glanced at Li Changle and Li Changmo, who nodded.

"Walk."

The three of them stepped into the light curtain at the same time.

A sudden dizziness.

Li Changsheng's vision went black, the wind whistled in his ears, and his body was gripped by an invisible hand, rapidly traversing through the void. He was prepared; he channeled his spiritual energy into the Seven Treasures Glazed Umbrella, causing it to open and a seven-colored light curtain to envelop his entire body.

After an unknown amount of time, I finally stepped onto solid ground.

He opened his eyes.

Before me stretched a verdant valley. Hundreds of flowers bloomed in the valley, bees and butterflies danced among them, and a delicate fragrance filled the air. A stream meandered through the valley floor, its crystal-clear waters flowing alongside large patches of pure white chalcedony flowers.

Li Changsheng's eyes lit up.

He first took out the sensing jade talisman and poured his spiritual power into it. The talisman lit up, and two points of light appeared not far away. He walked quickly towards them, passed through a flower bush, and sure enough, he saw Li Chang Le and Li Chang Mo.

Li Changle held the array plate in his hand, cautiously scanning his surroundings. Seeing his elder brother, he trotted over, grinning, and said, "Brother, I thought you'd been sent to some remote corner."

"Your brother is lucky, I landed in a flower bush." ​​Li Changsheng looked around. "Let's go, let's catch the pig first."

He led the two along the stream into the depths of the valley. The further they went, the more jade marrow flowers there were, and a thin mist began to permeate the air, carrying a sweet and cloying scent. Inhaling it caused a slight stagnation of spiritual energy—miasma.

Li Changsheng took out three antidote pills, placing one under each person's tongue. The cool medicinal power spread, and their spiritual energy returned to normal.

"Little sister, set up a spirit-trapping array here." He pointed to a narrow area at the entrance of the valley.

Li Changle responded and took out the array flags and array plate with practiced ease. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a first-grade high-level spirit-trapping array was set up, and the light screen rose silently, sealing the entrance to the valley.

"Changmo, hide behind the formation. No matter what happens, don't come out," Li Changsheng said.

Li Changmo nodded and silently retreated behind the formation, his gaze calm, like a lurking cheetah.

Li Changsheng took out several jade marrow flowers from his storage bag, placed them in the center of the Spirit Trapping Array, then retreated outside the array, concealed his aura, and waited quietly.

Before long, a "humming" sound came from the depths of the valley.

A snow-white spirit boar poked its head out from the flower bushes. It was plump and round, with short, thick legs, and its nose twitched as it sniffed. It cautiously looked around to make sure there was no danger before slowly walking towards the Spirit-Trapping Array.

First-tier peak, boar.

Li Changsheng did not move.

The boar walked to the center of the Spirit-Trapping Array and lowered its head to gnaw on the jade marrow flower. It was eating with great relish, completely unaware that it had stepped into a trap.

"rise!"

Li Changle cast a spell into the array plate, and the Spirit-Trapping Array was activated with a roar. A light screen rose, trapping the boar inside. The boar was startled and tried desperately to break free, but a first-tier high-grade Spirit-Trapping Array was not something it could break through.

Li Changsheng emerged from his hiding place and activated the ancient, exotic creature within his dantian. A beam of red light surged from his palm, condensing into a thin red rope that slithered into the formation like a serpent, binding the boar's hind legs. The boar struggled a few times, but its soul was locked by the soul-binding red rope, rendering it unable to move.

Li Changsheng opened the spirit beast pouch and put the boar inside.

Li Changle clapped his hands and laughed, "The first one! Brother, this pig is so fat it's dripping with oil, can we roast it like a suckling pig when we get back?"

"This is a breeding pig, kept to have piglets." Li Changsheng glared at her. "All you know is how to eat."

"Then the cubs can be roasted, right?" Li Changle blinked.

Li Changsheng ignored her and looked at Li Changmo: "There are still three sows and six piglets. Change positions and continue setting up the formation."

Li Changmo nodded and silently followed.

Repeating this process, the three sows were also processed in the same way and put into the spirit beast bag one by one.

"The cubs are in the nest." Li Changsheng swallowed an antidote pill and walked deeper into the valley.

The nest was in a stone cave at the source of the stream. Inside, soft, dry grass covered the cave floor, and six snow-white cubs huddled together, fast asleep. Li Changsheng picked them up one by one and placed them in his spirit beast pouch. The cubs were awakened by the noise, whimpered a few times, and then fell asleep again.

Zhao Cai suddenly darted out of Li Changsheng's sleeve, jumped onto the haystack, and pawed at it a few times with its little paws.

Beneath the hay, a wooden box about the size of a palm was visible.

Li Changsheng picked it up and opened it.

Inside the box was a fist-sized emerald green bead, with faint wood grain patterns flowing across its surface, exuding a rich vitality.

The Heavenly Book Trembled:

[Spiritual Item: Wood Spirit Pearl. Condensed from the essence of a thousand-year-old tree, containing pure wood-attribute spiritual power. It can upgrade a Tier 1 Excellent Spirit Gathering Tree to Tier 2 Low Grade.]

Li Changsheng was overjoyed and put it into his storage bag.

Zhao Cai perched on his shoulder, wagging its tail proudly. A spirit fruit had appeared in its little paws, which it was munching on, its juice splashing everywhere.

Li Changsheng flicked its forehead: "When are you going to get rid of this gluttonous habit?"

Zhao Cai covered its forehead, squeaked twice, and continued to gnaw on the fruit.

Li Changle and Li Changmo were waiting at the valley entrance. Seeing him emerge, Li Changle greeted him, "Brother, have they all been caught?"

"Eight, that's all." Li Changsheng patted the spirit beast pouch, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The Heavenly Book Trembled:

[Captured eight Jade Spirit Pigs, obtained one Wood Spirit Orb, and increased family fortune by 600]

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Current time: 17700/20000

Li Changsheng looked up at the sky; it was still early, not yet noon.

"Let's go," he said, taking out a map, determining the direction, and leading the two towards the western foothills where star-patterned bronze was found.

Sunset is approaching.

We are still dozens of miles from our destination.

Li Changsheng led Li Changle and Li Changmo to a natural cave on the mountain ridge. The entrance was small, only allowing one person to bend down and enter, but the inside was quite spacious, about two zhang square, enough for the three of them to stay in. The cave walls were dry, and the floor was covered with fine pebbles, with no signs of wild animals.

"This is it." Li Changsheng put down his backpack and said to Li Changle, "Little sister, set up the formation."

Li Changle responded and took out array flags and array plates from her storage bag, beginning to set up the array at the cave entrance. She first set up a high-grade first-tier spirit-trapping array on the outside of the entrance, and then a mid-grade first-tier tracking array on the inside. The two arrays overlapped, their spiritual light flowing, completely concealing the cave entrance. From the outside, it appeared as just an ordinary mountain wall, with no sign of a cave entrance.

"Brother, that's enough." She dusted off her hands and retreated into the cave.

-

Li Changsheng then summoned Moyu to set up a warning array around the cave entrance. He would immediately detect any living being that approached within ten feet.

With everything in order, the three sat down cross-legged, took out their dry rations and water pouches, and ate in silence. Li Changmo sat at the innermost part, leaning against the cave wall, clutching a healing pill in his hand, his knuckles turning white. His face was expressionless, but Li Changsheng noticed that his gaze kept scanning back and forth between the cave entrance and the cave ceiling, like a wary young animal.

"Changmo," Li Changle leaned over and handed him a spirit cake, "Don't be nervous. With your brother here, everything will be alright."

Li Changmo took the spirit cake, took a bite, and chewed slowly without saying a word. But his shoulders relaxed slightly.

The sky finally darkened.

As the last rays of sunlight sank below the horizon, darkness enveloped the world. In the mountains and forests, the chirping of insects, the calls of birds, and the sound of the wind all vanished in that instant. A deathly silence, like an invisible net, descended upon everything.

Then, a sobbing sound arose.

The sound came from all directions, sometimes near, sometimes far, like someone crying, or like a ghost laughing. The wind howled, the leaves rustled, and in the darkness, it seemed as if countless eyes were watching.

The warning array suddenly lit up.

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