The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

Xu Changqing had just put the pottery jar containing the Blood Spirit Mud into his storage bag and was about to go back to his study to wash his face when the jade pendant at his waist that controlled the clan's protective array suddenly became scalding hot.

"Buzz!"

The pale blue light curtain that had been hanging over the Xu family mansion suddenly rippled, and a muffled impact came from the direction of the western water fortress.

"Is someone attacking the formation?"

Xu Changqing frowned.

He was looking at each of these spirit stones as if they were his own children, so how could he tolerate this beast wasting them?

During the Lunar New Year, who is this fool who dares to bring bad luck?

With a light touch of his foot, he leaped into the air, clearing the rooftops in a few bounds and heading straight west.

Xu Dayou, who was closer, arrived before Xu Changqing. When he saw the clan leader, he pointed and looked puzzled.

"Clan leader, he is not a member of the Zhang family."

Xu Changqing looked in the direction he was pointing.

"An early-stage Tier 1 'Ironback Alligator Turtle'?"

Outside the protective array's light barrier, a black-shelled tortoise, about the size of a millstone, was retracting its head and repeatedly ramming its thick, barbed shell against the array's light barrier.

"Turns out he's just a blind beast."

Xu Changqing was speechless.

This thing is usually very timid. It only bullies small fish and shrimp in shallow waters because of its hard shell. When it sees a cultivator's spirit boat, it will bury itself in the mud and play dead.

Did they have some nerve today to dare to challenge the protective formation of a cultivation family?

"court death."

Xu Changqing didn't waste any words. He put two fingers of his right hand together and pointed at the giant tortoise that was still standing there stupidly.

"laugh!"

A highly condensed azure light instantly pierced through the array's light barrier, precisely striking the soft flesh where the tortoise's shell and neck connected.

The iron-backed alligator snapping turtle suddenly stiffened, pawed at the snow with its four short legs a couple of times, and then fell silent.

"Perfect, I'll add a soup dish for everyone tomorrow."

Xu Dayou chuckled and was about to jump down to retrieve the corpse.

Xu Changqing frowned slightly, staring at the alligator snapping turtle carcass.

"Fire it up, peel off the skin, and make a side dish for everyone."

Xu Changqing gave an order and then turned to leave.

Seeing that the clan chief's expression was not right, Xu Dayou also suppressed his smile and directed people to retrieve the body, without asking any further questions.

Back in his study, Xu Changqing closed the door, sat on a futon, and tapped his fingers lightly on his knees.

Not right.

Although Cangwu Island is located on the outskirts of the Great Swamp, the waters within hundreds of miles around it had been cleared by several major families years ago.

Those monsters that had grown powerful were either killed or had long since escaped into the deep waters.

The remaining low-grade first-order demons and beasts, without the presence of powerful demons, make it difficult for the water demons on the outskirts to gather most of the time, let alone actively attack cultivator gathering places. What's going on today?

Xu Changqing keenly sensed that this matter might be related to the Qinghe Sword Sect warship that had rushed to the Demon-Slaying Dike earlier.

"The Demon-Slaying Dike..."

This is not a good sign.

The Xu family has just started to see some improvement, but it cannot withstand such a major storm.

When gods fight, mortals suffer.

Xu Changqing muttered to himself.

The battle on the Demon-Slaying Dike is probably more intense than we imagined.

If that's the case, then there will likely be more and more of these "lost" aquatic beasts in the future.

Xu Changqing frowned.

If it were just two or three, that would be fine; they'd be meat delivered to your door.

However, if they come in large groups, the Xu family's half-repaired formation might not be able to withstand it.

"We need to calculate it."

Xu Changqing took a deep breath, adjusted his mind, and focused his consciousness into his sea of ​​consciousness to awaken the Heavenly Mirror.

"Based on our analysis, does this water beast attack pose a significant threat to the Xu family's safety in the near future?"

A moment later, the mirror flashed with golden light.

This question is direct and doesn't involve any specific people or causes, so it shouldn't be long before it's resolved.

really.

The mist on the mirror surface churned a few times before quickly dissipating.

A line of golden characters appeared.

[The simulation is complete]

[Analysis: This is an aftermath of the battle at the Demon-Slaying Dike, a sporadic and small-scale disturbance, posing no significant threat to the Xu family within the next three months.]

Xu Changqing finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the words "no major threat".

Unless it's a beast tide, a few lost little fish and shrimp are just delivering food to the Xu family.

"It was a false alarm."

Xu Changqing shook his head and gave a self-deprecating smile.

It seems I've been too stressed lately; even seeing ants moving around makes me think a downpour is coming.

As long as it's not a demonic tide, then everything is fine.

As for those frightened little demons and beasts running around in panic...

A glint of light flashed in Xu Changqing's eyes.

Since it's been delivered right to our doorstep, we can't let it go to waste.

It's perfect for training those kids, Dangdang.

These live targets are much more useful than the wooden stakes in the training ground.

Thinking of this, Xu Changqing felt much better.

Now that we are safe for the time being, we need to think about the long term.

Now that he has a sum of spirit stones, has planted the Purple-Veined Golden Peach, and his children have begun their cultivation, he has managed to stabilize the situation somewhat.

However, with his own Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation, he could barely protect himself in this great swamp.

Relying on that meager amount of spiritual energy, it would take at least ten or eight years to cultivate to the late stage of Qi Refining.

Too slow.

He needs an opportunity, and it needs to be the kind that allows for a steady and gradual improvement in his cultivation, unlike the one-off opportunity like robbery.

It would be best if this opportunity could be kept clean, unlike the Purple-Veined Golden Peach, where planting a tree had to be done secretly, for fear of being discovered.

Xu Changqing took a deep breath and silently recited in his mind:

"Based on my current strength, is there any hidden opportunity within a two-hundred-mile radius that can help me improve my cultivation in the long term without posing a threat to the Xu family?"

As the thought settled, the mist on the Heavenly Mirror began to churn, more violently than ever before.

Take a breath.

Two breaths.

……

It took a full cup of tea's time for the mist on the mirror's surface to finally dissipate.

A line of somewhat blurry gold characters slowly emerged.

[Deduction begins]

[Analysis: A long-term opportunity for spiritual practice without any hidden dangers.]

[Time required: Thirty-five days.]

"hiss……"

Xu Changqing gasped and opened his eyes.

Thirty-five days!

Previously, it was deduced that the purple-striped golden peaches would ripen in just three days, and the Zhang family's transport team would ripen in just ten days.

This time it will take more than a month!

The longer it takes, the deeper the cause and effect involved in this opportunity, or the greater the value of the item itself, far exceeding Xu Changqing's imagination.

Xu Changqing rubbed his throbbing temples, but a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

The longer it takes, the better the product.

Xu Changqing was not disappointed; on the contrary, his heart was pounding.

Thirty-five days.

It happened right after the Spring Festival, but before the opening ceremony of the mountain.

"We can afford to wait."

Xu Changqing felt more confident.

But we can't just sit around and wait idly for these thirty-five days.

It just so happens that the three little ones at home are just sitting in the quiet room meditating and practicing Qi cultivation, but they haven't made any progress.

If they were to actually reach the dueling platform at the opening ceremony, they might not even be able to walk after seeing blood.

We still need to take them to see blood.