The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

The wind and snow brought a chill, and the group trudged back to the Xu family's residence.

As soon as they entered the island, the cold wind was kept out of the clan's protective formation.

Although this low-grade protective array can only block wind and snow and cannot protect against any powerful monsters, it is enough for everyone at this moment.

Cangwu Island is not large, and the Xu family's mansion is an old building from thirty years ago. The red paint is peeling off, the blue bricks are turning black, and it exudes a sense of gloom and age.

As soon as you enter the main hall, a warm, spicy aroma hits you.

Xu Changqing went to the side room first, which was the family's main kitchen.

He instructed the mortal servants who were already waiting there to bring several large bowls of steaming hot soup.

The soup was dark red, with a few thinly sliced ​​pieces of old ginger floating on top, and steam rising from it.

This is "Red Ginger Soup," which is excellent for dispelling cold and promoting blood circulation.

Xu Changqing personally ladled out a bowl and carried it with both hands to Xu Dayou, whose face was already blue from the cold.

"Uncle, have some soup to warm yourself up first, and don't let any hidden injuries develop."

Xu Dayou was stunned for a moment, then shakily reached out and held the bowl in his hands.

The heat hit his face as he looked up at the young clan chief.

In my memory, the previous clan chief was a man of his word, who was usually all authority and would never serve his servants like this.

Even his own uncles and aunts were just laborers in his father's eyes.

But this young clan leader, despite his young age, is so thorough in his work.

Xu Dayou felt a mix of sadness and warmth in his heart. He lowered his head and took a big gulp of the spicy ginger soup, which rolled down his throat and into his stomach, causing him to break out in a sweat.

"That feels so good..."

The two cousins ​​next to him each had a bowl, and they were slurping the wine, their faces gradually regaining color.

Seeing that everyone had recovered, Xu Changqing finally felt relieved and turned to look at the large red pine barrel placed in the center of the main room.

Forty golden-scaled fish swam huddled together in the bucket.

Although the fish was out of the water and looked somewhat listless, its golden scales, illuminated by the dim lamplight, still managed to give the hall a touch of opulence.

Xu Dayou stared at the wooden bucket, rubbing his hands together and chuckling foolishly.

Xu Changqing stood aside, his face calm, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.

The Heavenly Mirror was indeed right.

The number was exactly forty, neither too many nor too few.

Golden-scaled fish possesses a gentle spiritual energy and is a favorite side dish for many Foundation Establishment cultivators, keeping its market price consistently high.

This one weighs about two or three pounds. According to the conversion rules of the upper sect, twenty golden-scaled spirit fish are enough to offset the annual tribute of two hundred pounds of ordinary low-grade spirit fish.

The remaining twenty tails can be sold at the market, which can bring back at least a hundred or so low-grade spirit stones.

The Xu family is so poor that even a mouse would cry if it entered their warehouse. These hundred-odd spirit stones can solve their immediate crisis.

Just as he was making plans, a beautiful figure emerged from the back room.

The newcomer was dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with only a simple wooden hairpin in her hair. She wore no makeup, yet her gentle and graceful demeanor was undeniable.

It was Xu Changqing's first wife, Jiang Rou.

Although Jiang Rou has no spiritual root and cannot cultivate, since marrying into the Xu family, she has managed the entire family's food, clothing, daily necessities, and the management of mortal servants in an orderly manner.

She had come out to see what was happening after hearing the commotion in the front hall, and that's when she spotted the glittering fish in the bucket.

Jiang Rou paused, her almond-shaped eyes slightly widening: "Husband, you actually caught one? This...this is a golden-scaled fish?"

Seeing his wife's surprised expression, Xu Changqing's usually tense face showed a rare hint of relaxation as he brushed the water stains off his sleeves: "Of course, look who's leading the team."

Jiang Rou covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes crinkling, not exposing her husband's self-praise: "Yes, yes, yes, my husband is the most amazing."

Despite her laughter, she didn't stop. Turning to the servants peeking in at the door, she instructed, "Don't just stand there. Go and fetch some fresh well water to replace the water. These fish are delicate and can't live without running water. Also, go to the cellar and get some crushed ice to chill them."

When the mistress spoke, the servants immediately went to carry it out.

The two cousins, having recovered their composure, looked at the full bucket of wealth and their minds began to wander.

One of the youngest cousins, Xu Changlin, couldn't help but swallow hard:

"Chief, there are so many golden scale fish! Should we keep a couple? I heard that this fish is very nutritious. Everyone has been working non-stop for half a month to guard the fishpond, and they're all in poor health."

Upon hearing this, Xu Dayou didn't speak, but his Adam's apple bobbed.

Cultivators are still human, and they also crave spiritual food. Besides, given the current state of the Xu family, everyone's appetite has long been so bland.

Some people disagreed, and another older member of the clan frowned and said:

"What are you eating for! This is all spirit stones! Several parts of the clan's protective formation are worn out, and we haven't had the money to repair them. If we don't fix them soon, the next time the demonic wind comes, our roofs will be blown off!"

It looked like the crowd was about to start arguing.

Xu Changqing suppressed his smile and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

"Thump, thump".

The sound wasn't loud, and the hall fell silent instantly.

"Stop arguing."

Xu Changqing's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"Select the twenty best-looking ones, put them into the spirit-sealing box, and send them to the upper sect to pay the annual tribute first thing tomorrow morning. Let's remove this sword hanging over our heads first."

"Twenty tails left..."

He paused, then looked at Xu Dayou:

"Uncle, you've gone to a lot of trouble. Tomorrow morning, take some people to the market for unaffiliated cultivators and sell everything for spirit stones. Remember, don't sell it all at once; sell it at several different shops."

Xu Changlin shrank back in disappointment.

Xu Changqing glanced at him and added:

"Everyone who works this time will receive five points of family contribution. At the end of the year, they can exchange these points for pills or spirit rice. They can then choose whatever they want to eat."

Upon hearing that there would be contribution points, the disappointment in their eyes turned to joy, and they agreed in unison.

Xu Dayou opened his mouth, seemingly feeling a bit regretful: "Clan leader, isn't it too unfair to use golden-scaled fish to offset the annual tribute? We can use the spirit stones from selling fish to buy ordinary bluefish to complete the task..."

"That would be too slow, and there's always the risk of something going wrong."

Xu Changqing shook his head, his expression resolute.

Now that the Xu family is in a weakened position, if they were to use a large sum of spirit stones to buy fish, they might attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

Although handing over the golden scale fish directly resulted in a slight loss on paper, it was the fastest way to quell the pressure from the upper sect and prevent others from looking down on us.

Xu Dayou pondered the key point for a moment, then nodded emphatically without saying anything more: "Alright, I'll listen to the clan leader!"

……

As night deepened, the wind and snow subsided slightly.

Inside the bedroom, Xu Changqing sat cross-legged on the bed, with a yellowed account book spread out in front of him.

Jiang Rou removed her hairpins and let her hair down. She carried a basin of hot water to the bedside and then gently nestled beside Xu Changqing.

"The annual tribute matter is settled, but I did some calculations today, and in two months it will be the clan's 'Spirit Testing Conference'."

She extended her slender, pale finger and tapped on a line of text in the ledger.

"The children of the hope generation have all reached the appropriate age. If their spiritual roots are detected, there needs to be a way to guide them. In the past, when the family was well-off, we would give them a bottle of 'Qi-Guiding Powder' to help them sense Qi, but now..."

Xu Changqing paused in turning the pages of the book.

Jiang Rou sighed and continued, "The spirit stones in the warehouse, plus our own savings, amount to only forty-eight in total. But to buy a bottle of the lowest quality 'Qi-Inducing Powder' at the market, it would cost a hundred low-grade spirit stones."

Xu Changqing frowned slightly.

The four arts of cultivating immortality: wealth, companionship, law, and land.

There's a reason why the character for "wealth" is placed first.

The poor are scholars, the rich are warriors, and cultivating immortality is a bottomless pit that devours wealth.

If any of these children truly develop talent, but their families are too poor to afford medicine, thus missing the optimal time for cultivating Qi, then the Xu family's reputation as a family of cultivators will likely be ruined in his hands within a few decades.

"I'll figure out the money."

Xu Changqing closed the ledger and rubbed his temples.

Actually, money is secondary.

What truly bothered him was those few spirit fish ponds.

This time, relying on the Heavenly Mirror to make a living through unorthodox methods in the wild was pure luck.

But the Xu family's foundation still lies in those few ponds.

If the source of the fish plague cannot be found, and all the fish in those ponds die, the Xu family will still face death next year.

As he was pondering this, a pair of soft, warm arms wrapped around his neck.

A faint, delicate fragrance wafted to Xu Changqing's nose, unlike the vulgarity of rouge and powder, but rather like the first blooming of winter plum blossoms in this winter.

"Husband, don't push yourself too hard. There's always a way out."

Jiang Rou's body went limp, and she snuggled into his arms.

A pair of delicate hands slipped inside his clothes, their fingertips slightly cool. When they touched his burning chest, Xu Changqing's breath caught in his throat.

"My lord, it's late, let's rest..."