A hundredfold return! My unfilial disciples are all reincarnations of the Empress.

She knelt down on both knees and performed a full salute.

"Disciple Chu Lingyan greets Master."

A system notification suddenly sounded in Lin Feng's mind.

"Ding, Chu Lingyan has successfully become a disciple."

"Congratulations, host, you have been granted a chance to win a critical hit lottery."

"The odds of winning this lottery are... 31 times."

"Rewards include a Heavenly-Rank Magic Weapon, the Jade of Destiny, +5 Refining Talent (maximum value 10), and +3 Aptitude."

He immediately opened his attribute panel, only to find that his aptitude had changed to—

Qualification: 7 (Excellent)

He then took out the Life-Returning Jade from his storage bag. This jade was only the size of an egg and was a light blue jadeite.

[Returning Destiny Jade: Requires giving the recipient spirit stones monthly to establish a karmic connection. If the recipient harms the giver's interests, a corresponding portion of the giver's fortune will be transferred to the giver. This fortune is valid for one month. Only 20 people can be bound within one month.]

【给于标準：练气境2～30下品灵石；筑基境1～10中品灵石；金丹境30～300中品灵石；元婴境10～300上品灵石】

Lin Feng put away the Returning Life Jade and looked up at Chu Lingyan.

"Has your father been settled?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Lingyan frowned, her brows furrowing with worry.

"My father... he is ultimately not a cultivator. Although he has defensive magical artifacts, it's not a long-term solution."

Lin Feng squinted and thought for a moment.

He had been thinking about how to deal with the Qinglan family, and this was a good opportunity to do it all at once.

"I might be able to help with your father's matter."

"Really?!"

He turned to leave, and Chu Lingyan jogged after him, asking, "Master, where are you going?"

"Qingxi Town, the Qinglan Family."

……

Qingxi Town, Qinglan Prefecture.

Two black jade kylins stand at the entrance of the mansion, their eyes inlaid with blue crystals, and a gilded plaque hangs high above.

As Lin Feng walked in, he released the pressure of his Nascent Soul.

"Someone has broken into the residence!"

The shouts were immediately silenced, and the surrounding guards retreated in unison, their faces ashen.

Several people with lower cultivation levels immediately collapsed to their knees due to their weak legs.

"Call out your ancestor."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gray-clad guard scrambled and crawled towards the backyard.

Then an old figure walked out from the backyard.

The newcomer wore a blue Taoist robe with gold cloud patterns, his long, white hair was tied up with a jade crown, and he exuded the aura of a peak Golden Core cultivator.

He glanced at the clansmen lying scattered on the ground, then his gaze fell on Lin Feng, his pupils shrinking slightly.

"A Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Lin Feng crossed his arms: "Old Master Li, I have a collaboration to discuss with you."

Li Changgeng stared at him for three breaths, then waved away his attendants: "Let's go inside and talk."

There were only two people sitting inside.

The tea is a superior spiritual tea, with a clear and refreshing aroma.

Lin Feng didn't touch his teacup, leaning back in his chair and getting straight to the point: "The Qinglan family keeps a group of local thugs in Qingxi Town, called the Black Stone Gang, right?"

Li Changgeng's eyelids twitched slightly: "May I ask what brings you here, my friend?"

"Cooperation is a given," Lin Feng said calmly.

He reached out and took something out of his storage bag—a Heavenly Grade Nascent Soul Pill.

Li Changgeng's expression froze: "What is this?"

"A single Heavenly Grade Nascent Soul Pill can significantly increase the probability of breaking through to the peak of the Golden Core stage."

"What?!"

Li Changgeng looked astonished, his hands gripping the back of the chair without him noticing, his eyes fixed on the pill.

"Well, what do you want?"

"I want the entire Qinglan family to come under my command and obey my orders. In return, I will ensure the safety of the Qinglan family."

"In short, I can guarantee that there will be many benefits to cooperating with me, and if you don't..." Lin Feng slowly touched the hilt of the sword in his hand.

Li Changgeng remained silent for a long while before slowly saying, "Deal."

He took out a jade token from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Feng: "This is the token of my Qinglan family head. Holding this token allows you to mobilize resources within the clan. It's a token of our sincerity."

Lin Feng accepted the token and then took out a pill from his storage bag, handing it to him along with the token.

"Since you are so sincere, I will give you another top-grade healing pill."

"This... thank you, fellow Daoist." Li Changgeng was moved and put the pill into his storage bag.

Lin Feng took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Black Stone will arrange your fate; you must not commit further arson, murder, or looting. Also, I need you to protect someone..."

Li Changgeng nodded: "Understood."

Three days later, Xiaozhu Peak.

Wang Xiao returned carrying two food boxes from Linjiangxian Restaurant, saying, "It's really strange. I heard from the people in Qingxi Town that the Black Stone Gang has disbanded."

"Good riddance! If it weren't for our sect's rules against interfering with mortal life, I would have wiped them all out long ago," Chi Yao said angrily.

Just then, Chu Lingyan returned from Yunyang City.

Lin Feng asked, "Are you settled in?"

She nodded emphatically and grinned, saying, "Thank you, Master."

He then took out a small cloth bag from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Feng with both hands.

"This is something my father asked me to bring to you."

Lin Feng opened it and found a land deed inside, for a three-courtyard house in the center of Yunyang City, where the spiritual energy was abundant.

Lin Feng accepted the land deed and casually ruffled her hair: "Alright, now focus on your cultivation. In a couple of days, you'll go into the secret realm with your senior sisters."

Chu Lingyan nodded emphatically.

Back in the cave.

Lin Feng opened Chu Lingyan's information to check.

Chu Lingyan

Age: 19

Identity: Reincarnation of the Empress

Realm: Foundation Establishment Level 1

Qualification: Wood Spirit Root

Constitution: Wood-type Long Life Body (Unawakened)

Destiny: The Woman of Fate

Favorability: 40

Character background: Daughter of the city lord of Yunyang City. Her mother died early. At the age of fifteen, she was taken in as an inner disciple by an elder of the Xuanyang Sect who was traveling. At the age of nineteen, she entered the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Lin Feng stroked his chin, looking thoughtful.

The wood element (乙木) in the genus *Yi* (乙木) typically possesses extremely strong self-healing and healing abilities, and can also control the growth of plants.

It seems the spiritual fields of Xiaozhu Peak should be cultivated.

……

As night fell, Lin Feng sat cross-legged on the mountaintop, flipping through "A Study of the Territory of Ten Thousand Demons".

He had no memory of the war between immortals and demons, but recent events made him suspect that the demons' destruction of his spiritual root, like their targeting of Chu Lingyan, was part of some conspiracy.

The demon realm is scattered, including Blood Fiend Valley, Yin Wind Swamp, Black Miasma Forest, and Abyss of Ten Thousand Corpses...

At this moment, an inner disciple suddenly came to report.

"Peak Master Lin, the Sect Leader requests your presence."

When we arrived at the main hall, the lights were still on.

Master Xuanqing sat up, and his complexion improved considerably; he looked radiant.

"Sect Leader," Lin Feng said, bowing.

Master Xuanqing raised his hand and said, "Sit."

"Do you still have the antidote pill you gave me during the day?"

"That's all," Lin Feng said again. "Just one."

In fact, he still had nine top-grade antidote pills lying in his storage bag, but he didn't intend to give them all away.

First, he was still unsure of the source of the sect leader's poison; second, giving too much of it rashly could easily arouse suspicion.

Master Xuanqing looked somewhat disappointed, but still nodded: "That pill was indeed effective. After taking it, the demonic poison in my body was temporarily suppressed and even reduced by a few points."