The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

Xu Sanshun infused a wisp of spiritual power into the talisman.

The talisman glowed faintly.

He cleared his throat and said hurriedly to the talisman:

"Manager Zhang, this is San Shun. The Xu family's fishpond is doomed. Within ten days at most, all the fish will be dead!"

After saying that, Xu San casually released his hand, and the talisman turned into a barely perceptible flame, disappearing into the ground.

This low-level sound transmission talisman follows the path of earth escape; although it is slower, it is superior in that it is concealed and not easily detected.

After doing all this, Xu Sanshun let out a long sigh of relief, as if he had already pocketed the fifty spirit stones.

He reached up and wiped the snot that had come out of his nose from the cold, a smug look on his face.

"It's done."

Xu Tiezhu rubbed his hands together, chuckling foolishly, "Brother, you're the smartest. So, what do we do these next few days..."

"Keep pretending! Keep pretending!"

Xu Sanshun straightened his collar, which had been ruffled by the wind, and resumed his honest and unassuming demeanor.

"Tomorrow morning, I have to go to the fishpond to change shifts again. I have to pretend I don't know anything, even if I see a fish floating belly up, I have to put on a face like my father just died, understand?"

Xu Tiezhu nodded quickly: "I understand, I understand, I'm good at this."

The two whispered a few more words in the corner before parting ways and disappearing at the end of the paths leading to their respective homes.

Ling'ao Island, Zhang Family Villa.

Zhang Shichang leaned back in his armchair, twirling two perfectly round iron balls in his hands, which made a crisp "clattering" sound. His eyelids were half-drooping as he listened to the reports from his subordinates.

Zhang Fu held the communication talisman that had just emerged from the ground in his hand, his face crinkling into a wide smile as he bent over and leaned closer.

"Second Elder, it's done! Those two good-for-nothings have sent word back."

Zhang Shichang stopped what he was doing, opened his eyes, and his eyes were full of sharp glint.

"read."

"Yes."

Zhang Fuqing cleared his throat and repeated the words on the talisman, adding his own embellishments at the end:

"It seems that Xu Changqing is also ignorant. A few days ago, the fish was jumping around and he thought it was because his folk remedy worked. Little did he know that it was a 'last gasp before death'. Now he must be panicking."

Zhang Shichang snorted coldly, a slight smile curving his lips.

"They're still young and impatient. If the poison of the Corrupting Spirit Vine were so easy to cure, it wouldn't be worth that price."

He picked up the iron flask again, leaned back, and looked confident of victory.

"Since the fish are all going to die, the Xu family's disintegration is not far off. We don't need to do anything these next few days, just watch the show."

……

The snow stopped the following morning, which was a rare occurrence.

Inside the Xu family's dining room, more than a dozen mouths were engrossed in their work.

"Huffing and puffing."

Apart from the sound of swallowing, all that could be heard was the crisp sound of chopsticks hitting the bowl.

Xu Yanfeng held a large bowl, and his eating manner was the most ferocious. His cheeks were bulging high, and the veins on his forehead were bulging. He was obviously struggling with the hard piece of muscle in his mouth.

This piece of meat is too old and not cooked until tender; chewing it is almost like gnawing on tree bark.

But he couldn't bear to vomit.

This is monster meat; it's something you can only eat during festivals like Chinese New Year.

Today, however, there is such a large piece, still connected by tendons.

"belch--"

Xu Yanfeng let out a loud burp, finally swallowing the piece of meat. He felt a surge of heat explode in his stomach and rush to his head.

He slammed the bowl down on the table, wiped the grease from his mouth, and stared blankly into space.

"Uncle Dayou, this is too nourishing. I feel so hot and bothered all over."

Xu Dayou was holding a small plate, slowly sipping his wine, when he heard this, he rolled his eyes.

"That's the right way to make it hot. If it's not hot, is it even good meat? Hurry up and eat it. After you finish, go to the training ground and train that kind of energy. Don't waste this stuff."

Xu Yanfeng was about to serve more when a hand reached out from the side and pressed down on the bowl.

Xu Changqing walked in at some point and looked at the boy's face, which was flushed red.

"Stop eating, your body won't be able to handle it if you eat any more."

Xu Yanfeng was stunned. He was about to say that he was in good health when he suddenly felt a heat in his nose. Two lines of bright red blood flowed down his nostrils and dripped onto the table, a shocking sight.

Several boys who were eating nearby burst out laughing, and even Jiang Rou couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Xu Yanfeng's face instantly turned a deep liver color. He frantically tilted his head back, wiping his face with his sleeve while mumbling an explanation:

"This is...this is internal heat! I've been practicing too intensely lately!"

Xu Changqing didn't expose the kid's pretense.

This Ironhide Bull is a late-stage Tier 1 demon beast. Although the spiritual energy contained in its flesh and blood is not as pure as that in elixirs, it is abundant and ferocious.

These youngsters, still in the early stages of Qi Refining, are too weak to withstand it.

"Alright, go to the training ground and disperse your spiritual energy."

Xu Changqing waved his hand, dismissing the restless group of teenagers.

After everyone left, only Xu Yanzhen remained in the dining hall, slowly sipping her porridge.

The child sat in the corner, his amputated leg stretched out blankly, with a crutch under the table.

He hadn't touched the meat in his bowl, but he finished the porridge completely.

Xu Changqing walked over and sat down opposite him.

Xu Yanzhen put down the bowl and was about to get up to bow when Xu Changqing raised his hand to stop her.

"Why aren't you eating meat? Do you find it too tough?"

Xu Yanzhen shook his head, his perpetually pale face revealing little emotion.

"This meat has too much spiritual energy. My meridians are currently blocked. If I eat it, the heat will not dissipate and will instead harm my body."

Xu Changqing raised an eyebrow.

This kid actually has more brains than that reckless Xu Yanfeng.

Knowing how to act within one's capabilities and not being greedy for momentary pleasures are qualities that often lead to a longer life in the world of cultivation.

"So what do you plan to do?"

Xu Yanzhen reached into his pocket and took out a clean piece of oil paper, carefully wrapping the piece of meat inside.

"I dry the meat in the sun, grind it into powder, and take one qian (approximately 3 grams) before each practice session. This way, it can nourish the body without damaging the meridians."

Xu Changqing watched his skillful movements and a slight thought crossed his mind.

Among the Xu family's children, Xu Yanfeng was the most talented and, as the eldest grandson of the eldest branch, was the most valued and had the most arrogant personality. Little did they know that he was a flower in a greenhouse, never having experienced hardship.

On the contrary, Xu Yanzhen suffered neglect because of his disability and had to figure out a way to survive on his own.

If this thought and calculation could be used for the right thing...

"A penny is too little and won't do any good."

Xu Changqing took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

"This is half a bottle of Huaqi Powder that we found in the storeroom. It's been there for a while, and its medicinal effects have diminished a bit."

"It's not a valuable pill, but it can help neutralize the spiritual energy in your body. You can eat this meat normally from now on. With the help of this medicine, even if it can't cure your leg, it can at least strengthen your meridians."

"Why did the clan leader help me?"

Xu Yanzhen's voice was a little hoarse.

Xu Changqing stood up and straightened his clothes.

"The Xu family doesn't support idlers or useless people. Since you have the surname Xu and have eaten the family's food, you will have to pay back for it in the future."

"If I need you to handle something in the future, and you mess it up, the cost of this medicine will be deducted from your monthly allowance."

After saying that, Xu Changqing didn't look at the boy's complicated gaze anymore, and turned back to the backyard.