Sea Cultivation: Giant Ships and Heavy Artillery Knock on the Door to All Races

Chapter 280 Triumphant Return, Second Uncle's Marriage

In the months that followed,

The Tianji ship travels from north to south, constantly visiting and stopping at various points.
Lin Qianfan remained in a very relaxed state, no longer troubled by anything concerning Cangxia Mountain and the Chu family.

While the boat was on its way,
Besides his daily cultivation, he devoted himself to studying various magical arts, especially puppetry. When he had free time, he would generously offer guidance to the other shipwrights, helping them improve.

Every time the Tianji ship docks...
They will also enjoy the delicious food, fine wine, and beautiful scenery along the way, and make new friends with the potential to achieve the Golden Elixir. Doing these things without pressure or a strong sense of purpose will make people feel very comfortable.

The Tianji Wheel first went to the southwestern region and lit up the sea chart there.
The situation in the Southwest Region and the Western Region was largely the same; both were small regions surrounded on all sides, with relatively stable internal environments. Lin Qianfan visited his former companions from the Martial Might Palace, strengthening bilateral relations, and encountered no further troubles—a smooth journey indeed.
Then I went to the farthest southern region to light up the sea chart.
The Southern Region, as a defensive zone, is very large. The Tianji ship only selected a few suitable stops to dock, as time was limited. However, the overall experience was very good. The local customs and culture here are already somewhat different from those in the Western Region.

Before we knew it, it was the end of February of the following year.

The Tianji ship departed from Tianying City, the last stop of this merchant voyage, completing a loop and returning to the Yulong Islands with a full load of goods.

"After being away for a year, I'm finally back in my hometown!"

On a single scale, a year isn't considered long, given that cultivators are generally long-lived. However, within that year, one is constantly facing unfamiliar environments and interacting with strangers, making it feel like an exceptionally long time.
Not to mention the Qi Refining stage shipwrights who were homesick, even the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators felt that they had been away from home for a long time and were eager to return.

"The result is good, and that's the most important thing!"

"The result exceeded our expectations! We'll do even better next time!"

"Haha~ The future will be even better!"

During this year,
The Tianji ship made stops at more than twenty key stations, ranging in size and varying in their relationship with Lin Qianfan, but each stop was profitable, and the profits were substantial.

When they set off, they brought a ship full of local goods from the Fish-Dragon Islands, as well as a certain amount of spare spirit stones.
On the return voyage, the ship was still laden with goods, but these were the finest items from other regions, deliberately reserved by various shops. Their value and rarity far exceeded what they had at the time of departure, and the remaining spirit stones had increased several times over.
Even the shops with the lowest profit margins on the Tianji Wheel have made more than three times their initial investment this year, and a very few shops with strong earning power have even made six to eight times their initial investment, far exceeding expectations at the time of issuance!
The only pity is that the Tianji Wheel is limited in size!
However, this business does have a certain upper limit. If the merchant ships are too large, they will affect local businesses as soon as they arrive, and naturally, they cannot last long. It is precisely because they help relieve pressure and regulate the market that people welcome them.

In addition, and more importantly, all three hundred boatmen have experienced significant growth to varying degrees, and their abilities have been greatly improved!

Their cultivation levels had all made some breakthroughs. Since they didn't aspire to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, their cultivation levels generally increased rapidly given their abundant use of high-quality pills.

Cultivation level is only one aspect; business acumen, interpersonal skills, acquired immortal arts, broadened horizons, and a more positive mindset are also invaluable soft skills that enhance them comprehensively.
"Leave only one-third, and bring in a new batch next time!"

The Tianji ship helps train talent in the Yulong Islands. Some shipwrights, after a year of training, will be able to graduate and find more suitable positions in the Yulong Islands, playing a greater role.

To put it simply, a manager who can only lead two or three subordinates on the Tianji Wheel can revitalize a large store after being released, while someone who can only be a shop assistant on the Tianji Wheel can also become a manager after being released.

This trip successfully established the route; the next trip will be based on this and will be fully optimized.

I will stop visiting some sites where cooperation was unpleasant or profits were low, such as Cangxia Mountain.

Some profitable ports can bring them goods according to their needs, such as the Haiyue Four Islands, a place that other merchant ships overlook, but which still has some potential.

Not only the stops, but also the routes will be optimized. This time it took twelve months to complete this loop, and next time it is expected to only take eleven months to complete this loop, but the total number of stops will not decrease.

"We'll take a month off this time to select new boatmen!"

The Lin family is currently experiencing a surge of young cultivators entering society, ensuring that the Tianji Wheel has no shortage of fresh blood.
Furthermore, given that the Yulong Islands are unlikely to make any major breakthroughs in the short term, now is the time to hone their skills and strengthen themselves, and Tianji Lun must shoulder even greater responsibilities.

Toot~
The Tianji ferry docked at Yanglong Bay Wharf.
Because a message had been sent a few days in advance that the Tianji ship would be returning to port today, the dock was already filled with people welcoming its triumphant return.

Yes, this is a triumphant return!
Although the Tianji Wheel was not going to participate in battles this time, and there were no casualties on this trip, with everyone returning safely.
But this trip was of great significance, representing a pioneering attempt by the Lin family in the field of itinerant merchants! It proved that this route was viable!

Even after Lin Qianfan retires, he can solidify this path as a high-quality channel for the Lin family to cultivate other Golden Core seeds and ordinary descendants.

If those who come after can inherit the social legacy left by Lin Qianfan, their path will be much smoother!
It's a pity that we can't have too many of these merchant ships like the Tianji. Given the Lin family's current operational capabilities and external influence, having just one is quite appropriate; having too many might have side effects.

Toot~
When the Tianji ship came to a stop, Lin Qianfan did not make any triumphant speech. He simply let all the ship's crew disembark so that they could reunite with their families and friends. The crowd was immediately filled with hugs, surprises, and tears of joy.

Their paychecks were paid en route, so there was no need for a public display this time.

Because each of them is an excellent promoter of the Tianji Ship, they will consciously safeguard its reputation. From now on, working as a shipwright on the Tianji Ship will be the best resume in the entire Yulong Islands.

"Father, Mother, Second Uncle, Uncle Gui..."

Lin Qianfan also met his family in the crowd, as well as the entire emerging main branch gathered around him.

Because of Lin Qianfan, their lives are much better than before. The elderly have someone to rely on, the young are cared for, and those who are even slightly ambitious can learn a skill and be employed by the family.
Although Lin Qianfan has not yet formed his core, this small branch already possesses some of the characteristics of the main Lin family branch. However, their innate foundation is somewhat weaker, and the majority of them are ordinary people from the lowest level of the Lin family. Their potential is very limited, and they are still engaged in ordinary jobs.
But their descendants have received better upbringing, have more choices, and will have a brighter future. Perhaps in a few decades, they will become the undisputed main branch of the Lin family in terms of influence.

“A thousand sails…”

The elders were all pleased, as the previous minor misunderstandings had long been resolved, and they were now very united.

“Brother Qianfan…” In recent years, conditions have improved, and many of the younger uncles have had young children.

"Uncle Qianfan..."

Before he knew it, Lin Qianfan had turned forty. Originally, the "Qian" generation was the youngest in the Lin family, but now the "Ren" generation children were gradually beginning their education and becoming more sensible.
The educated children knew very well that the source of their greater respect than others was Lin Qianfan, so Lin Qianfan was their most admired figure.

"Let's go home, everyone!"

Cultivators who spend long periods of time purifying their minds and desires, pursuing that ethereal path, are actually quite prone to getting lost. Family and kinship are the anchors of the soul, and appropriate return and purification make it easier to maintain one's original intention!

A few days later,
A grand wedding was held in Yanglong Bay, with the main characters being Second Uncle Lin Limou and Zhang Yunyun, a female cultivator from the Zhang family.

The marriage was basically finalized several months ago, but since Lin Qianfan had not returned, and as the most important member of this small family, the wedding would naturally have to wait until his return.

"Second Uncle and Second Aunt, I wish you eternal happiness!"

Lin Qianfan was not short of money, so he gave each of them a set of high-value auxiliary spiritual artifacts to help them improve their daily cultivation efficiency.

If it were an ordinary day, my second uncle would probably not accept an expensive gift, but on this special day, he would accept any gift, no matter how expensive.

"That's a bit too much. You should take care of yourself first!"

My second uncle had long understood that he was not destined for the Golden Core stage, so he wasn't particularly enthusiastic about pursuing realms and resources. Instead, he decided to focus more on managing his family and clan.

One of his duties is to help Lin Qianfan get married and have children as soon as possible, to complete the bloodline continuation, and to set an example.

"I'm not short of money, this little bit won't affect anything. What's important is that you hurry up and give me a younger brother or sister!"

"You dare to joke with me, you brat!"

This Foundation Establishment wedding was not an equal marriage between the two families. Instead, the Lin family offered an enormous dowry—a dowry even greater than that for training a Foundation Establishment cultivator—to directly marry the other party.
Since she is marrying into the Lin family, her stance must change accordingly. Even if she retains the surname Zhang, she is now a member of the Lin family, not the Zhang family, and should prioritize the Lin family's position and interests in everything she does.
However, marrying into the family does not mean forgetting one's roots. She will naturally consider the Zhang family in her words and deeds. This kind of marriage can greatly promote the close relationship between the two families, which can be considered a win-win situation.

Interestingly, although the family had clearly stated that they could afford the enormous dowry, the second uncle refused, preferring to pool his money with Zhang Yunyun and take out another loan rather than accept the family's gift.

This wedding was a grand affair, marking the alliance between two Golden Core cultivators and the addition of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to the family. Everyone they knew and could attend was present.
Even Foundation Establishment cultivators who had little interaction with Second Uncle would come to offer a gift and make a brief appearance out of respect for Lin Qianfan.

The Zhang family also came with great pomp and circumstance, and even unexpectedly returned part of the dowry, hoping that their lives would be better. It was clear that they respected the son-in-law's integrity.

The next day,

Lin Qianfan arrived at Fish-Dragon Immortal City to examine the specific developments of the Fish-Dragon Islands over the past year and the various information collected by the Immortal City:

The Lin family's current structure of four Golden Core cultivators and two Demon Kings is unlikely to change in the short term.
The current Golden Core cultivators are all relatively young; it's still a long way off before they reach the Golden Core stage, at the earliest it will be several decades.
The older Foundation Establishment cultivators were born in difficult times and have little potential left. It's pointless to have too many older Golden Core seeds who have no further potential.

Therefore, the Lin family has slowed down its external expansion and begun to focus on honing its internal strength and improving the overall power of the Lin family and the archipelago.
The Lin family's population is bound to be constantly updated. The younger the members, the easier they are to be influenced, and the newer generation will be more capable. Therefore, the family invests a lot in this area to improve the overall situation.

Other small and medium-sized forces and ordinary residents within the archipelago are also in the quality cultivation sequence. Only when their cultivation level is higher, their abilities are stronger, and their loyalty to the Lin family is stronger, will the overall strength of the archipelago be stronger. Otherwise, having a large population is not very meaningful.

Under the Lin family's reforms, the Purple Jade Islands are beginning to show results. The number of outsiders is constantly increasing, the industries are constantly being improved, and the high-quality population and those eliminated from the Fish and Dragon Islands are constantly being replaced, revealing the islands' potential.

It is worth mentioning that the entanglement and struggle between the Chu family in the Northwest Region and Cangxia Mountain over the past six months has finally come to a conclusion:
The Chu family members who were sent to the Silent Sea to hunt down the Blood Dove Demon King did not get the results they wanted. The Blood Dove Demon King seemed to have disappeared into thin air and never showed himself in public again after that attack.

Cangxia Mountain, of course, denied the matter and solemnly declared that the Blood Dove Demon King was merely a guest elder residing at Cangxia Mountain, not a Cangxia Mountain resident in the strict sense, and that the matter had nothing to do with them.

Cangxia Mountain also dispatched people to the Silent Sea to search for the Blood Dove Demon King, the culprit who inexplicably provoked this great calamity.
However, the Silent Sea is boundless, its area even larger than the combined area of ​​the four inner seas, and it has been occupied by a large number of demonic beasts in recent years. The search has also been fruitless, and the motives of the Blood Dove Demon King have become a mystery.

But Cangxia Mountain's weak explanations were useless. The Chu family had evidence and wouldn't listen to their sophistry. This time, they had a legitimate reason to attack and took the initiative to occupy a large part of Cangxia Mountain's sphere of influence, squeezing out Cangxia Mountain's share of profits and tearing off a huge chunk of it.

Cangxia Mountain was also actively resisting.
They united a large group of close allies to resist the Chu family's invasion. Everyone knew that Chu Junhao's death was just a pretext; the real focus was on the redistribution of interests in the Northwest Region.
However, the gap in peak levels between the two sides was too great. The Chu family even had more than one late-stage Golden Core expert, and this gap was insurmountable. The Cangxia Mountain side could only suffer repeated defeats.

The Chu family's enormous appetite and wolfish ambitions were laid bare, naturally drawing resistance from everyone.
The several third-tier immortal cities that the Chu family built on the edge of the Silent Sea did not achieve the popularity they had expected, and not many people flocked in.
Similarly, its newly built trading ports, which attempted to simultaneously capture the market share of the Northwest and Western Regions, were not well received.

Even the interests they control in the Silent Sea are constantly being sabotaged and attacked.
In the end, the Chu family had no choice but to make peace with Cangxia Mountain.

This time, Cangxia Mountain suffered a huge loss, but even though the Chu family acted ahead of time, they still failed to achieve their initial goals.

Rumor has it that the Wan family, who were closest to the Blood Dove Demon King, were severely punished. Wan Tongya, a Golden Core seed from the Wan family, was kicked out of the Golden Core seed sequence, and his life is now completely ruined.

"Sacrifice the pawn to save the king? Don't let me find out who did it!"

Although Lin Qianfan still held a grudge, he planned to avoid going to Cangxia Mountain and the vicinity of the Chu family for the time being, lest he be tricked.

(End of this chapter)