Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather.

Chapter 820 The Fat Sheep Neighbor
Yang Zhengshan spent 20,000 spirit stones. Upon hearing this, the manager of Lingyu Tower immediately came out and said with a smile, "Greetings, fellow Daoist. I am Yang Qi, the manager of Lingyu Tower, haha~~"

"So it's Fellow Daoist Yang! I am Yang Zhengshan!" Yang Zhengshan was already used to being addressed as Fellow Daoist.

Yang Qi, who appeared to be in his forties, had a scholarly air about him and looked more like a well-read scholar than a shopkeeper.

He has the cultivation level of the ninth level of Qi Refining, and should be close to the Great Perfection realm.

"I never expected that I and you are from the same clan, haha, would you like to come upstairs for a cup of tea?" Yang Qi said with a smile.

"please!"

Yang Zhengshan naturally had no reason to refuse, and he could also guess Yang Qi's purpose in inviting him upstairs, which was precisely the purpose of his visit to Lingyu Tower today.

Auction invitation.

The auctions held by the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce are not open to just anyone. Without a certain level of cultivation, status, and wealth, one is simply not qualified to enter.

Yang Zhengshan had specifically inquired about the matter and learned that spending 20,000 spirit stones at Lingyu Tower would grant him an invitation to the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce, which was why he had just bought so many spirit beasts.

The two went upstairs to a private room, where Yang Qi had tea served.

"Fellow Daoist, you must be preparing for next year's auction!" Yang Qi said with a smile.

"Well, I heard that there will be an auction by the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce next spring, so I came here specifically to ask for an invitation!" Yang Zhengshan said.

"Hehe~" Yang Qi smiled and presented an invitation. "The Baiyun Chamber of Commerce welcomes you to participate in the auction. If you have anything you wish to auction, you can also entrust it to the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce. The reputation of the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce is trustworthy!"

Yang Zhengshan took the invitation, opened it and glanced at it. It did not specify his identity, only had a number, but it also included a catalog of auction items.

In other words, this invitation is not registered under a real name; anyone can enter as long as they have the invitation!

"I have long admired the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce. If given the opportunity, I would certainly be willing to cooperate with them!" Yang Zhengshan casually complimented the Baiyun Chamber of Commerce.

Yang Zhengshan then took his leave.

He left Lingyu Tower with more than a dozen spirit beast bags, and just as he stepped out of the tower, two inconspicuous figures followed behind him.

With people coming and going on the street, Yang Zhengshan didn't even notice that someone was following him.

Yang Qi, who was seeing Yang Zhengshan out, noticed the two figures, but he didn't warn Yang Zhengshan; he just glanced at them indifferently.

Yang Zhengshan is indeed a customer of Lingyulou, but Lingyulou has no responsibility to protect the safety of its customers.

Furthermore, this kind of thing happens far too often among immortal cultivators; the White Cloud Merchant Guild simply can't manage it all.

A moment later, Yang Zhengshan returned to the rented cave dwelling, and the two figures glanced into the cave dwelling before turning and going inside.

One of them returned to keep watch near Lingyu Tower, while the other went to a cave.

Inside the cave, a man with a sinister face was practicing a set of boxing techniques.

His fists flew with the wind, his blood and qi surged like dragons, making him resemble a ferocious beast, exuding a violent aura.

"Boss, we've found another fat sheep!" The henchman scurried up to the man, beaming with delight.

"How big of a fat sheep?" the man asked while practicing his boxing.

"The fat sheep that came out of Lingyu Tower was personally delivered by Yang Qi!" the underling said.

The man withdrew his fist and calmed himself. "Oh, what's your identity? What's your cultivation level?"

“A stranger’s face, definitely not from the six great families. I can’t see through his cultivation level, he may have cultivated a method to conceal his aura, or he may be a Foundation Establishment cultivator!” the underling said professionally.

There are only two situations where one cannot discern the other's cultivation level: First, the other party has cultivated a method to conceal their aura, which can generally deceive the spiritual senses of those at the same cultivation level. Second, the other party is a major realm above oneself, and unless the other party unleashes their own magical power fluctuations, it is very difficult to see their cultivation level.

This junior was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, so naturally he couldn't see through Yang Zhengshan's cultivation level.

The man nodded slightly. "Keep an eye on it. We'll make our choice after the auction ends!"

"Yes!" the younger brother replied and took his leave.

The man with the sinister face thought for a moment, then turned and went into the room, where there were two other people, a man and a woman.

The man was tall and burly, while the woman was alluring and charming. When the woman saw the sinister-looking man enter, she asked, "Boss, have you found a target?"

"Hmm, we've found a target, but it might be a tricky one. We'll have to keep an eye on it!" the sinister man said.

"Hehehe, with the boss here, what troublesome targets could Lotus Heart Valley possibly have?" the woman said with a charming laugh.

“That’s right.” The burly man nodded, his honest face filled with respect and admiration for his boss.

The sinister-looking man's lips curled slightly, seemingly enjoying the flattery from the two men. However, he still humbly said, "We can't underestimate any Foundation Establishment cultivator, or we'll easily be caught off guard. Anyway, there are still more than three months until the auction. Let's find out about their background first."

“The boss is right,” the burly man said.

……

Yang Zhengshan was unaware that someone was watching him. At that moment, he was handing over the spirit beast he had bought from Lingyu Tower to the beast taming department of Wanbaotang.

In fact, there are now more than a dozen kinds of strange beasts in the Spirit Source Land, such as the Crimson Cloud Horse, Flying Slave Eagle, Gale Wolf (Azure Wolf), Gold-Eating Rat, Crystallized Demon Spider, Golden Feather Fire Crow, Spirit Amber Moth, Crimson-Tailed Sawtooth Fish, and so on.

Some of these can be used as spirit beasts to become warriors' battle partners, such as the Crimson Cloud Horse, Flying Slave Eagle, Gale Wolf, and Golden Feather Fire Crow.

Some can be used as production-type mythical beasts, producing special materials such as the bones and fur of the Gold-Eating Rat, the amber secreted by the Amber Moth, and the spider silk of the Crystallized Demon Spider.

Some can be used as food; many aquatic creatures brought from the lakes of the ancient ruins are rare delicacies.

Some are still in the discovery stage, such as the Red-tailed Sawfish. This creature is very ferocious and difficult to tame. Currently, various departments of the clan hall are studying what use this strange beast has.

For the Land of Spiritual Origin, taming exotic beasts and utilizing their materials are already two well-established businesses.

The head of the Beast Taming Department is Luo Feiyu. The reason he was able to become the head of the Beast Taming Department is because he was the first person in the Spirit Source Land besides Yang Zhengshan to tame a Gale Wolf, and he tamed an adult Gale Wolf.

Yang Zhengshan gained the wolf pack's approval by subduing the Azure Wolf King with his strength, while Luo Feiyu also gained a loyal and reliable Azure Wolf by subduing a Gale Wolf with his strength.

"These Cloud Tiger Steeds are quite good. Train them well, because we might need them to build our cavalry in the future!"

In the horse farm of the Beast Taming Department, Yang Zhengshan released four Cloud Tiger Steeds and said to Luo Feiyu.

Yang Zhengshan had been looking forward to a cavalry force composed of innate martial artists and exotic beasts for a long time.

Unfortunately, the land of spiritual origin has never been able to form such a cavalry force.

Although the Spirit Origin Land has long possessed the Crimson Cloud Horse, a mythical beast that can be used as a mount, it has too many flaws. First, its flight speed is too slow, making it more of a sitting duck in aerial combat. Second, its stamina is poor, capable of flying for at most an hour, which is clearly unsuitable for a flying mount.

The Crimson Cloud Horses were originally just ordinary horses. Even after generations of breeding that transformed them into exotic beasts, their potential was still quite limited. To cultivate them into second-tier exotic beasts would require at least a thousand years of training.

In comparison, the Cloud Tiger Steed is more suitable as a mount for innate martial artists. Once the Cloud Tiger Steed reaches adulthood, it can reach the mid-stage of the first rank. With a little training, it can reach the late stage of the first rank. If it can be carefully trained for decades, it might even advance to the second rank of a beast.

Therefore, among these exotic beasts, Yang Zhengshan valued the Cloud Tiger Colt the most.

As for the Phantom Moon Fox and the Sky Crocodile Beast, these are actually only first-tier exotic beasts, and it is not easy to cultivate them into second-tier exotic beasts.

The reason why the Illusion Moon Sect and the Formless Sect have these two types of second-tier beasts is that the two sects have cultivated them for hundreds of years.

"Yes, Patriarch, don't worry, we will raise them well!" Luo Feiyu stroked the mane of a cloud tiger steed and smiled.

This cloud tiger steed looks very ferocious, but it is actually a very docile beast. As long as you don't provoke it, it is quite obedient.

"Yes, we also need to raise the spirit fish and the black turtle well. Whether we can eat fish every meal in the future depends on those spirit fish and black turtles!" Yang Zhengshan said with a smile.

Both the Baihe Spirit Fish and the Nine-Striped Black Tortoise are delicacies, and Yang Zhengshan has high expectations for them.

Once they have multiplied in the land of spiritual energy, Yang Zhengshan will have a good taste of their deliciousness.

"Haha, I will personally take care of those spirit fish and black turtles!" Luo Feiyu laughed.

Yang Zhengshan patted him on the shoulder, "Then I'll leave these spirit beasts to you!"

After leaving the horse farm, Yang Zhengshan returned to his cave in Lianxin Valley.

Upon returning, he discovered that there were actually guests in his cave.

An elderly man with white hair, dressed in a gray-white feather robe, looked quite like a sage.

Yu Qingyi was entertaining the old man, and they seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.

"And who is this?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

"Master, this is our neighbor, Master Yao Fu," Yu Qingyi introduced upon seeing Yang Zhengshan arrive.

Neighbor!

Yang Zhengshan bowed respectfully and said, "I am Yang Zhengshan, greetings to Senior Yao!"

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Yang, you are too kind. I am sorry for coming uninvited!" Yao Fu said.

After some pleasantries, the two sat down, and Yu Qingyi poured Yao Fu more tea.

Yang Zhengshan then chatted with Yao Fu. Yao Fu didn't say anything important, just chatted for more than an hour before taking his leave, seemingly just visiting a neighbor.

"Strange, this person seems to have been trying to be friendly all along!" Yang Zhengshan said with some doubt after seeing the person off.

“Hmm, this person seems somewhat humble! What is his cultivation level?” Yu Qingyi said.

Yang Zhengshan said, "Eighth level of Qi Refining."

“Eighth level of Qi Refining is not considered low level in Lotus Heart Valley,” Yu Qingyi said.

There are many immortal cultivators in Lotus Heart Valley, but their lives there are not easy.

If a cultivator in the early stage of Qi Refining has no background, they are just like ordinary people in Lotus Heart Valley. They either work as shop assistants or do odd jobs. In short, they are a group of working people.

Don't assume that all immortal cultivators live in caves. The immortal cultivators at the bottom of Lotus Heart Valley actually live outside the valley, which is a shantytown. There are no protective formations there, and the concentration of spiritual energy is far less than inside the valley.

For them, living outside the valley is a fortunate thing, because they can benefit from the spiritual energy of the Lotus Heart Valley's spiritual veins.

In this Lotus Heart Valley, those with a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation level can barely live a human life, while those with a late-stage Qi Refining cultivation level are considered to have some dignity.

Of course, this excludes those who possess a special skill.

Immortals cultivate a hundred skills; anyone with a skill can live a comfortable life in Lotus Heart Valley.

However, the various arts of immortal cultivation are not so easy to master. Alchemy, artifact crafting, talisman formations, and so on are simply unaffordable to learn without the support of a family or sect.

When Yang Zhengshan first learned alchemy, the medicinal herbs he wasted were worth thousands of spirit stones. When he was refining the Jade Marrow Pill, he consumed more than ten thousand spirit stones before he succeeded.

These expenses are simply beyond the reach of independent cultivators.

In addition to the effort required for learning, there also needs to be a legacy to be passed down.

It is extremely difficult for ordinary rogue cultivators to inherit any of the various immortal cultivation arts. Even the most common inheritance of spiritual plant cultivation is not something that ordinary rogue cultivators can easily obtain.

Therefore, many cultivators in the early stages of Qi Refining can only do odd jobs, and are no different from ordinary people.

Yao Fu had the cultivation level of the eighth level of Qi Refining, so logically he had no reason to come so humbly to curry favor, and he was unaware that Yang Zhengshan had the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

……

In the days that followed, Yao Fu frequently visited. He didn't come empty-handed to freeload the spirit tea; he would often bring small gifts, such as a few ounces of spirit tea, a few pounds of spirit wine, or sometimes a few pieces of exotic beast meat.

The gift was small, but it wasn't annoying.

Yao Fu is an old man from Lianxin Valley, having lived there for nearly a hundred years, and he knows everything about Lianxin Valley.

Yang Zhengshan was happy to chat with him, because he could learn more about Lianxin Valley and Qingli Dynasty from him.

It wasn't until after the New Year, when Yao Fu brought his grandson to visit Yang Zhengshan, that Yang Zhengshan learned the reason why Yao Fu had deliberately tried to befriend him.

The Yao family is also a family of immortal cultivators. According to Yao Fu, his grandfather was an immortal cultivator who had reached the sixth level of cultivation. He also obtained some incomplete talisman inheritances and was considered a mid-grade first-level talisman master.

It was because of his grandfather's opportunity that the Yao family became a family of immortal cultivators.

However, the Yao family is just a small family with a history of more than two hundred years. The entire family has only produced six immortal cultivators, and apart from Yao Fu and his grandson Yao Cheng, the other immortal cultivators have all passed away.

In other words, currently only Yao Fu and Yao Cheng, the grandfather and grandson, are immortal cultivators in the Yao family.

However, the Yao family still has dozens of members without spiritual apertures. Some of them live in the mortal world, and some live in Lotus Heart Valley. They can barely be considered a family of immortal cultivators in Lotus Heart Valley.

Yao Fu not only befriended Yang Zhengshan, but also many of his neighbors and small families in Lianxin Valley.

All he asked for was that when he died, everyone would take care of his grandson and allow him and the Yao family to continue living in Lianxin Valley.

This is the helplessness and sorrow of an old monk.

Yang Zhengshan could understand Yao Fu's helplessness. Yao Fu's grandson, Yao Cheng, only had the cultivation level of the third level of Qi Refining. If no one took care of him, his life in Lianxin Valley would be very difficult in the future.

(End of this chapter)