The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

Deep inside the rear hall, a winding path led Li Pingfang past three guards before he came to a pavilion.

The pavilion was pitch black on all four sides, with the words "Treasure Vault" written on it. It was over five zhang tall and located in a depression, making it inconspicuous. If one did not look down from above, it would be difficult to discover that this was the Mu family's treasure vault.

Manager Mu Tongshou produced a token, and the water curtain in front of him slowly parted, revealing the entrance.

"Is this your first time visiting the treasure vault, young friend?"

"I only entered the Mu family yesterday," Li Pingqian chuckled and followed him inside.

"Which lineage are you a disciple of?"

"The lineage of Mu Yuebai."

"So it's that girl." Mu Tongshou turned around and glanced at Li Ping, his gaze filled with scrutiny. "You're quite lucky, kid."

Li Ping chuckled and began looking around.

Inside the building, wooden shelves were neatly organized and crammed full, with various bottles, jars, and boxes displayed between the shelves.

"My Mu family's treasure vault has four levels. The first level mainly stores commonly used pills and talismans. The second level stores precious spiritual items and magical artifacts. The third level contains the cultivation techniques and secret arts that my Mu family has collected over the years," Mu Tongshou explained.

Li Ping looked up, puzzled, and asked, "What about the fourth floor?"

"The fourth floor is inaccessible to those who have not reached the Foundation Establishment stage. I have no idea what's inside." Mu Tongshou waved his hand and added, "The Buddha Bone Flower that you requested is on the second floor."

The two went up the steps and arrived at the second floor of the pavilion.

Mu Tong, standing guard on a wooden shelf in the corner, took out a square box: "This Buddha Bone Flower originated from the ruins of an ancient temple and is an excellent healing medicine. However, it's only a second-tier item, making it extremely expensive, and no one has been willing to exchange for it for many years. If it weren't for you, young friend, I don't know how long it would have been gathering dust in the treasure vault. Are you exchanging it to use for alchemy?"

Li Ping shook his head and said evasively, "I once obtained a body-refining secret technique, which recorded that this Buddha Bone Flower is beneficial to me and can strengthen my muscles and bones."

"I didn't expect it to be of such use," Mu Tongshou said. "This item costs fifty contribution points. Are you sure you want to exchange it, young friend?"

It was ten points less than his father-in-law had mentioned. Li Ping nodded and then asked, "I wonder if there are any frost-patterned paulownia trees in the treasure vault?"

"Of course such a thing exists," Mu Tongshou said. "It only costs ten contribution points. Would you like to exchange it, young friend?"

Based on the exchange rate, ten contribution points equal sixty spirit stones.

It's 20 yuan cheaper than the market price... but contribution points are very useful and hard to come by, so I need to save them to exchange for other things.

Li Ping snapped out of his thoughts and replied, "It was just a question."

After the transaction was completed, he only had ten contribution points left.

They can only exchange for common items on the market; they can forget about any cultivation techniques.

As for future donations, judging from the current state of the treasury, it will most likely still require exchanging them here.

"In that case, I need to improve my cultivation as soon as possible, take on missions that offer generous contribution points, and make preparations in advance."

After putting away the box, Li Ping walked out of the attic.

Suddenly, a sharp pain came from his sea of ​​consciousness, and his consciousness was pulled back to the location of the ancient well.

Golden light shone brightly from the wellhead, and colorful clouds gushed forth.

A faint sense of longing wafted through the air.

"The fourth floor?"

Li Ping seemed to be deep in thought, and secretly made a note of it.

……

……

The blue waves parted, and the small boat sailed out of the dock, heading southeast.

Li Ping sat in the boat, holding a nautical chart in his hands.

"Qingteng Island is two hundred miles away from Crescent Moon Island, and is located in the middle of the Mu family's sphere of influence."

There are no spiritual veins on the island, but there is a spiritual spring that gushes forth year-round.

Nourished by the spiritual spring, the island is covered with lush vegetation, among which the Tide-Growing Vine is the most prominent.

This is a first-tier spiritual plant, with thick stems and leaves containing spiritual energy, often used as a material for feeding sea beasts.

... "

Compared to the second-tier spiritual veins of Crescent Island, Green Vine Island appears somewhat barren.

"To be granted such a place, it seems that Mu Yuebai's status in the Mu family is not as high as I thought."

Li Ping thought to himself, and then became concerned about his own family's important cultivation matters.

Cultivating Qi relies on one's spiritual root internally and on spiritual veins and elixirs externally.

He has mixed spiritual roots and is only at the second level of Qi Refining. One spiritual spring is enough for now.

"Don't underestimate this small Green Vine Island," Mu Chongming said. "It brings in a thousand spirit stones every year. When you go there, you'll not only be supervising the construction, but you also need to think carefully about the future. After all, this island belongs to you two."

What do you mean? I, a son-in-law living with his wife's family, have financial control?

Li Ping suppressed his joy and asked, "What's the background of the Hong family who helped with the construction?"

"This is a minor clan that cultivates Qi and makes a living by raising sea beasts. Five years ago, they came to the Eight Islands in the outer sea and sought refuge with my Mu family. The clan then entrusted the management of Green Vine Island to them," Mu Chongming explained.

"This time, we've essentially taken back control of the island. Will the Hong family have any objections?"

"Objection?" Mu Chongming scoffed. "The highest-ranking member of the Hong family is only at the late stage of Qi Refining. Anyone who dares to object will only end up losing their island and their entire clan."

Despite saying that, Li Ping remained cautious.

The Hong family manages Qing Teng Island and pays the Mu family a thousand spirit stones annually; this is the revenue on paper.

But without a doubt, the actual income on the island is definitely more than that.

Taking back management rights is like cutting flesh off the Hong family.

They might not dare to do anything to the Mu family, but they dared to hold a grudge against Li Ping, who was only at the second level of Qi Refining.

Deception and trickery are possible, and all sorts of methods are at play.

"It seems that this time, I can no longer afford to shirk my responsibilities and just focus on cultivation."

"Being cautious and proceeding step by step is the best strategy."

Thinking of this, Li Ping couldn't help but ask some more questions about the Hong family.

Mu Chongming spoke frankly and without reservation.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, the small boat had already traveled a hundred miles and left the core area of ​​the Mu family.

Seeing that there was still half a day before they arrived, Li Ping decided to cultivate for a while first.

Before he could even enter a meditative state, he suddenly felt the boat slow down and begin to rock and sway.

The two people inside the boat had no choice but to grab onto the beam to steady themselves.

"Was it robbed?"

Li Ping asked this question because he had experienced a lot in the market before.

The area out to sea is sparsely populated, making it an ideal place to rob and commit crimes.

Even those monks with legitimate livelihoods would change their appearance, make a quick buck, and then return to being law-abiding citizens once the storm had passed.

He had heard his second uncle say that it seemed their Li family had started out in the same way.

Mu Chongming shook his head: "Most cultivators who have undergone tribulation hide in the market. This place is close to the clan, so cultivators who have undergone tribulation don't have the guts."

The robbers don't care if you're from the Mu family or not. They just take what they want and leave. What can you do about it?

My father-in-law is too comfortable staying in the family and doesn't know the hardships of the world.

Li Ping focused his mind and silently reached into his storage bag, pinching the tattered second-tier golden arrow talisman.

The boat rocked more and more, and it looked like it was about to capsize. Mu Chongming had no choice but to row to a rocky reef and abandon the boat temporarily.

The two landed on the ground. Mu Chongming looked around and called out, "I am Mu Chongming of the Mu family. May I ask which fellow Daoist you are? Please come out and meet me."

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure appeared on the distant sea.

This man, dressed in a yellow robe and with a resolute face, approached and bowed respectfully.

"Uncle Chongming, it's been a long time. How have you been?"