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

Chapter 296 Unconventional Expansion, Raising the Upper Limit of the Lin Family

Lin Family Estate Council Hall
Lin Haichao, Lin Rongrong, Lin Dayan, and Lin Datao, all four Golden Core cultivators, were present. Other Pseudo-Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators who were currently at home also quickly gathered to discuss the matter of funding Misty Rain Island.

"Almost everyone's here. Those who aren't here must have something to do. Let's begin. Everyone, please share your thoughts and speak freely!"

As Master Wuxia said, many problems caused by the rapid population growth in the archipelago in a short period of time have a lag effect.

In the years since the islands have seen continuous improvement, whether it's the Lin clan, other Foundation Establishment families, or ordinary island residents, everyone has had a strong desire to have children due to the influence of the overall environment.

Because everyone has personally felt that conditions in all aspects are constantly improving and expectations for the future are constantly rising, they all believe that having more children is a way to enjoy a better life and that the future is more secure.

This situation is unavoidable in a positive cycle; it is an instinct inherent in all living beings and cannot be suppressed.

Although the archipelago is currently prosperous and vibrant, and has not yet experienced any related problems, its area and living space are limited. In the coming decades, it will inevitably face many acute issues caused by the massive influx of new-generation cultivators into society.

In peacetime, the fixed output of resources cannot meet the needs of an excessive population. In particular, the residents of the archipelago are generally of higher quality and have higher and higher requirements for resources. At that time, there will inevitably be conflicts from the bottom up inside and outside the archipelago, which will affect the Lin family.

This kind of thing has happened many times in the past. All forces that expand rapidly in a short period of time will encounter this. If not handled properly, it will lead to the sudden decline of the force. Short-sighted people cannot realize this problem, but the Lin family is very clear about it.

After all, the younger generation grew up in a different environment than the older generation. It's unrealistic to expect them to be understanding and fully empathetic towards their elders. The only solution is to nip problems in the bud.

Those who do not plan for the long term are not fit to plan for the short term. If the Lin family wants to prosper in the long term, it naturally needs to make plans in advance to deal with this problem, and it would be best to directly transition through this downward cycle.

Has our family really come to this?

Some people were a bit confused, not expecting to discuss such a serious issue today. The Yulong Islands are currently thriving and flourishing, and many people could not have imagined the challenges that lie ahead.

"It's always good to be prepared. Now that the matter of funding Kirisame Island is right in front of us, we need to face the problem head-on."

If we don't plan ahead for decades to come, it will be too late when problems erupt, since people are naturally self-interested.
At that time, many troubles will inevitably arise within the archipelago and within the Lin family. The North-South divide that has been gradually resolved and smoothed over in recent years will resurface, making it more difficult to unify the Lin family.

One way to solve this problem is by having Misty Rain Island intervene in Cloud Garment Secret Island. Cloud Garment Secret Island is large enough to accommodate the future surplus of cultivators in the Fish-Dragon Islands.
If properly nurtured, they will remain Yulong Islands people after they leave, constantly giving back to Yulong Islands. Yunshang earns money and spends it in Yulong Islands, thus completing an alternative expansion of Yulong Islands, or even "colonization" in a certain sense.

"Given the current size of the remnants of Misty Rain Island, rebuilding a complete Golden Core force would require a massive amount of manpower, material resources, and financial support."
"Given the Lin family's current financial situation, we can achieve this, but what about the payback period? Won't it be very long? And there are also risks involved."

The Lin family has had a large surplus of spirit stones every year over the years. Despite supporting several attempts to break through to the third tier, they have not used the family's savings. The surplus spirit stones are basically kept in the warehouse.

"The repayment period isn't an issue. The investment loans we give them can be fully covered by the profit sharing from Golden Sheep Immortal City; in fact, the longer the period, the better. The important thing is the risk. I'm afraid this matter might not go smoothly..."

Local powers, especially family-based ones, tend to prioritize stable development and long-term succession, and are very cautious about high-risk investments.

"Golden Sheep Immortal City has been managed by the Sheep family for thousands of years, and its ecosystem is very complete. Although it has been ruined by the Ming family for decades and deteriorated a lot, some of its foundations are still there. As long as Misty Rain Island can gain a foothold in Golden Sheep Immortal City, I believe it will start to recover soon. I am quite optimistic about this."

The remnants of Misty Rain Island alone certainly cannot stand firm in Golden Sheep Immortal City, so they need investment from the Lin family. The Lin family, of course, also needs returns. Not only do they need to accommodate the population that will inevitably spill over from the Fish-Dragon Islands in the future, but they also need resources and funds to give back to Fish-Dragon.

"The waters of Yunshang Secret Island are very deep. If we rashly venture into it, won't we get bogged down in a quagmire and have our investment go to waste? You know, neither the Tang family that was wiped out nor the Ming family that was forced to leave were weak. I'm afraid..."

Some people worry that the Ming family, the previous owners of Golden Sheep Immortal City, were much stronger than those of Misty Rain Island, yet they still left in disgrace.

That is incorrect!

The Ming family's matriarch is too old and doesn't have much time left. The two Golden Core cultivators the Ming family has nurtured have also encountered repeated misfortunes. They were forced to relinquish their territory because they saw no future in it, to prevent others from coveting it.
Misty Rain Island is different. Although its population is small, its future potential is quite good, and True Person Misty Clouds is still relatively young. Considering all these factors, it is actually more suitable than the Ming family.

"Could the Sky-Gazing Pavilion secretly interfere in this matter? If their will interferes with the power transition on Cloud Garment Secret Island, I'm afraid..."

"Will the other four companies interfere with our involvement? After all, this kind of thing is almost always an open invasion. If we openly intervene, it will inevitably affect their distribution of profits..."

"Having just experienced the millennium beast tide and the expansion of the outer seas, the number of Golden Core cultivators in the four regions of the inner sea is at its lowest point, and it will inevitably continue to increase in the future. If we don't enter the Cloud Garment Secret Island now and secure a corner, we may never have another chance! I think it's feasible!"

Some people are conservative in their thinking, while others are radical in their ideas.

Because it was an internal family meeting, and those present were all from the core power structure of the Lin family, they naturally spoke their minds freely.

Listening to everyone's comments, Lin Haichao remained noncommittal. Everyone's points were valid, but this matter was far-reaching, and once a decision was made, resources would be required. Major decisions could not be taken lightly.

"Rong Rong, what do you think?"

If True Immortal Wuxia had chosen an ordinary independent island, the Lin family would have readily offered their assistance. However, choosing Golden Sheep Immortal City was a bold move, which is why we are discussing this today. Helping Wuyu Island occupy Golden Sheep Immortal City would require a substantial investment.

I think this is feasible!

You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub!
Only in this way can we raise the ceiling of my Lin family; otherwise, we will be trapped here for a long time to come, unable to break free! The Inner Sea Four Regions, as a developed area, have limited resources. Without war, it is very difficult to redistribute the profits or rashly intervene in any area.

Looking back at the various benefits the Lin family has gained over the years, they have mostly profited from chaos. However, the future will inevitably be a long period of stability, without so many troubles for the Lin family to exploit.

Moreover, Lin Rongrong also had her own selfish motives; she hoped that Lin Qianxue could attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm before she died.

However, the Lin family's rapid development has slowed down, making it very difficult to support Lin Qianxue's normal Nascent Soul formation.

Investing in Misty Rain Island and gaining access to the interests of Cloud Garment Secret Island is a shortcut. If this step is taken well, the profits are immeasurable.

However, there is a certain risk involved: if the Kirisame Island cannot be established, then all the investments will be wasted.

"Raise the ceiling? The Lin family's ceiling!"

The Lin family's current upper limit is the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. Given their current resource reserves and annual spirit stone income, barring unforeseen circumstances, it shouldn't be difficult for Lin Rongrong, Lin Qianxue, and Lin Qianfan to reach the late-stage of the Golden Core realm.

The Lin family is destined to become one of the top Golden Core forces in the four regions of the Inner Sea; it's only a matter of time. However, the Lin family's future is essentially limited to this point, its potential almost entirely capped by resources.
Even if Lin Qianxue and Lin Qianfan manage to cultivate to the ninth level of the Golden Core stage with the support of their families, they'll be essentially swimming naked to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, with a pitiful success rate, contributing nothing more than to statistical data.
Don't be fooled by the fact that Thousand Star City has launched a Nascent Soul cultivator training program; it only proves that they won't deliberately suppress or select others.
Their actual investment in this area is very limited. The success of the Nascent Soul breakthrough still depends on the luck of the people below. If the Lin family cannot provide the necessary resources to support the breakthrough at the crucial moment, it will be a pure gamble!

Therefore, after Lin Qianfan and his generation pass away in the late stage of the Golden Core realm, if the younger generation of the Lin family is not up to par, they may fall back to their status as a large Golden Core power after thousands of years. After all, such things often involve either progress or regression, and it is very difficult to maintain a stable position for a long time like the Wu family.

"What's your opinion?"

Then Lin Haichao looked at Lin Dayan and Lin Datao. Although these two had lower cultivation levels and limited potential, they were still the elders of the Lin family. Such a big matter required their opinions to avoid sowing the seeds of a family split.

"I think it's feasible! This is a golden opportunity that won't come again!"

Lin Dayan had been to Misty Rain Island and knew that although it hadn't been established for long, its business was quite successful. True Person Misty Rain was clearly a capable person, and it was worth betting on her.

“I also think it’s worth a try. Even if this investment fails, we have room for error. At worst, we’ll just lose some money.”

This level of loss would have been a devastating blow to the Lin family in the past, but it hasn't really broken their spirit yet. Instead, it's a concentrated review and test of their development over the past few decades.

Lin Haichao originally wanted to ask Lin Qianfan and Lin Qianxue for their opinions, but Lin Qianfan had already gone into seclusion, and Lin Qianxue was outside. As for the opinions of other ordinary Golden Core seeds, they were not important.

He looked around at the Lin family's senior members, wondering if anyone would object to the matter. However, everyone's will was relatively unified, given their relatively radical stance over the years.

"Alright! Let's do it! We'll follow Kirisame Island!"

Lin Haichao was not a conservative person; if he had been conservative, he wouldn't have reached where he is today. He immediately made a decisive move and decided to follow up on Wuyu Island. Everyone else had bet all their chips and would definitely go all out. Although the Lin family would invest more, they wouldn't need to risk everything.

...

Fish and Dragon Immortal City Reception Hall

Lin Haichao and Lin Rongrong met with Master Wuxia together.

"I'm sure you've brought me the answer I'm looking for."

Seeing that the two most powerful people in the Lin family came to answer her together, Master Wuxia had already guessed the result.

She had previously conducted an in-depth analysis of the Lin family's current predicament. The few Golden Core cultivators in the Lin family now possessed limited potential; if the Lin family had any ambition to achieve a major breakthrough, they could only place their bets heavily on the next generation.
But the millennium wave has just passed, and the important spiritual essence has been harvested by the powerful Nascent Soul cultivators. The next generation obviously doesn't have many opportunities, so she believes that the Lin family will most likely invest in her.

It's not just the initial investment; there might even be a second and third phase of investment, until they dominate the Cloud Garment Island!

"as you wish!"

"Fellow Daoist Wuxia, you have great courage!"

The three then sat down and discussed many issues in detail, arguing over every clause and point face to face, refusing to give an inch.

Although Master Wuxia was in a weaker position in the negotiations, he was unwilling to easily concede his interests and insisted on his bottom line.

Although the Lin family is powerful, she is the best partner. She has entrepreneurial experience, has managed Golden Core forces, is ambitious yet knows when to advance and retreat, which is much better than Golden Core cultivators from the outer sea and newly promoted Golden Core cultivators.

But the Lin family's bargaining chips are not bad either.
The tiny Fish-Dragon Islands have nurtured six Golden Core cultivators; if the Lin family were to speak up, they could easily find replacements.
For example, the Lin family could directly discuss this matter with Zhang Chaoyang. Naturally, the Lin family would not be controlled by a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator.

(End of this chapter)