Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 213 Purple Lightning Breaks the Limit
That night.

Looking down from the void, the Renshui Yinling Array outside Yunshui City emitted a faint glow, but looking up at the night sky from inside the city, it remained as dark as ever, which was quite peculiar.

Under the starry night sky, a figure hurriedly approached from afar.

Upon arriving at the great formation, the figure immediately took out a seal token and threw it at the formation.

"It is the Zhao family patriarch who has activated the great formation."

Upon receiving the spiritual light from the token, the cultivators guarding the city hastily activated the formation.

Zhao Tuan, dressed in a long, flowing robe, transformed into a streak of light and swept across the sky above Yunshui City. He arrived at the entrance of the Shen Family Manor, his expression sorrowful, and knelt down on the ground with a thud.

Upon seeing this, the Shen family cultivators guarding the door realized that something serious must have happened, and immediately went to inform the family head, Shen Chongming.

When Shen Chongming arrived, Shen Chongxuan, having received the news, also rushed over from the academy at the foot of the mountain.

"Brother Tuan, what's wrong...?"

Shen Chongxuan hurriedly came over and tried to help him up.

Shen Chongming's expression was somewhat solemn, as if he had realized something, but he did not speak.

The two brothers helped Zhao Tuan to his feet and led him to a side room. Only then did Zhao Tuan speak with sorrow: "My father... has passed away."

"Uncle..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxuan was stunned and murmured in disbelief.

Zhao Xuan, the mother, was the younger sister of Zhao Jinhu of the Zhao family. The two brothers were cousins ​​of Zhao Tuan.

Zhao Jinhu's passing inevitably brought back memories of his mother.

"Brother Xuan, go and call Grandpa over."

Shen Chongming spoke after a moment's thought.

My father, Shen Wenxing, and Zhao Jinhu were brothers for half their lives, and they also shared a deep bond of camaraderie.

However, he is currently in seclusion to improve his cultivation, and there is no way to disturb him, so he can only call his grandfather Shen Yuan over first.

Besides their marriage ties, the Shen and Zhao families also had an excellent personal relationship.

Now that the person is gone, it's time to let the elders in the family know.

With tears in his eyes, Shen Chongxuan hurriedly left the room.

A moment later, Shen Yuan arrived with a slightly dusty face and his hands behind his back, followed by Shen Chongxuan wiping away tears.

Upon seeing Shen Yuan arrive, Zhao Tuan staggered to his feet, knelt directly before him, and choked out:
"Grandpa Shen... my father... he's gone."

The address "Grandpa Shen" indicates that he came to announce the death solely on behalf of the two families' private relationship.

After all, the death of a member of a subordinate family member was not something that needed to alarm Shen Yuan, the old patriarch of the Shen family.

Hearing his sorrowful voice, Shen Yuan's heart trembled slightly, and he couldn't help but recall the scene when the Shen and Zhao families still lived in Jinliu Village, where Zhao Jinhu, who was tanned dark by the sun, would often run to his house naked to play.

When Shen Wenyan went to Danzhou, in order to compensate Zhao Xuan for the suffering she had endured in the Shen family, he specially sought out Zhao Jinhu and his son, intending to pass on the righteous teachings of Zhao Tuan's immortal path.

Decades passed in the blink of an eye, and Zhao Jinhu, who had neither spiritual roots nor cultivation, ultimately could not withstand the erosion of time.

"Get up."

Gently supporting Zhao Tuan's arm and patting his shoulder, Shen Yuan sighed softly.

"Your father... is he over seventy this year?"

Zhao Tuan cupped his hands in greeting: "Replying to Grandpa Shen, he is eighty-one years old."

"Eighty-one...you brat, you outlived your father..."

"Your grandfather was only seventy-three years old when he passed away."

With a deep gaze, after a moment of contemplation, Shen Yuan slowly turned to Shen Chongxuan and said, "Go to Xingyang, call Chongxu here, and take Li'er to Anyang City to see off your uncle."

Shen Chongxuan bowed slightly.

Shen Yuan then turned to Shen Chongming and said, "Go to the clan's main courtyard and find someone knowledgeable in etiquette to accompany you to preside over your Uncle Zhao's funeral."

“He has worked hard for the Shen family his whole life and deserves respect.”

Shen Chongming also bowed and accepted.

"Go."

After giving his instructions, Shen Yuan waved his hand.

After everyone else had left the room, he went alone to the door of the room, put his hands behind his back, looked at the starry sky, and sighed.

No wonder those immortal cultivators are intentionally or unintentionally allowing their divinity to suppress their humanity, making themselves less and less human.

Even if one deliberately maintains humanity, one cannot help but be affected by the life, death, and separation of the mundane world.

……

Zhao Jinhu's funeral was a very grand affair.

As the patriarch of a subordinate clan, after his death, the head of the main family and his son personally attended his funeral, and the master of the clan presided over the rituals and music.

The current head of the family, Shen Chongming, publicly announced that Zhao Jinhu would have a separate biography written in the Shen family history, and that he would be buried in the mountain cemetery, just below the graves of the second son of the Shen family and his wife.

This honor was truly the envy of other affiliated clans.

However, they also knew that Zhao Jinhu was able to enjoy such treatment partly because the Zhao family and the Shen family were related by marriage.

More importantly, the Zhao family has been diligent and hardworking all these years and has never made any mistakes.

Many of the stewards of these families hoped to benefit from the influence of the Shen family and develop their own businesses.

But at the same time, they all felt that the Shen family, which was thriving, was bound to achieve great things in the future.

Before the dragon ascends to the heavens, the fish, shrimp, and loaches in the shallows can still befriend it. But once the winds and clouds gather, the dragon emerges from the abyss and soars straight to the heavens, and it will no longer be so easy for them to attach themselves to it.

They all now hope to leave a significant mark on the Shen family's history.

If the Shen family truly prospers in the future, even if our own family has declined, we can still accumulate some foundation and goodwill for future generations by virtue of our legacy. This is the meaning of family inheritance.

After Zhao Jinhu's funeral, Shen Chongxu returned to the border to oversee the city's affairs at the Anyang City Lord's Mansion.

The brothers Shen Chongming and Shen Chongxuan chatted with Zhao Tuan at their residence.

A boy who looked to be about ten years old stood next to Zhao Tuan.

The boy's features were very similar to Zhao Tuan's, but compared to Zhao Tuan's composure, he was more clever.

"Is this a Heavenly Fur Robe?"

After glancing at the boy, Shen Chongming spoke in a deep voice.

He could sense that the boy's cultivation had reached the second level of Qi Refining. At this age, to be able to break through to the Qi Refining realm, he must possess spiritual roots.

Among the many younger members of the Zhao family, it seems that only Zhao Tuan's youngest son possesses a metal-type spiritual root.

"Tianqiu greets Uncle Ming..."

“Tianqiu, you mustn’t be rude!” Zhao Tianqiu stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Zhao Tuan's expression changed slightly, and he immediately interrupted, "This is the patriarch."

The Zhao and Shen families were friends and related by marriage.

However, as of today, in terms of kinship, his aunt Zhao Xuan and uncle Shen Wenyan have both passed away; in terms of friendship, his father and grandfather are also gone, and the connection between the two has been severed.

If the Zhao family continues to insist on forging connections, they are being rather ungrateful.

Zhao Tianqiu's expression changed slightly, and he respectfully cupped his hands again: "Tianqiu greets the patriarch and... young master."

Shen Chongming did not correct this.

This attitude made Shen Chongxuan swallow back the words he was about to say.

"Tianqiu's aptitude is quite good; Brother Tuan should nurture him well in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tuan pondered for a moment, seemingly understanding his meaning, and immediately cupped his hands, saying, "Your Excellency's teachings are etched in my mind."

Shen Chongming nodded and stood up. After straightening his clothes, he said, "With Zhao Boxin's passing, I will send people to assist Brother Tuan in handling many matters in Anyang City."

"Brother Tuan, please accept our condolences. Chongxuan and I will head back now."

Zhao Tuan quickly stood up and, together with his son Zhao Tianqiu, cupped their hands in farewell, saying, "Respectfully seeing off the head of the family."

But then he saw the two of them ride the wind and leave Anyang City. Zhao Tianqiu came to his father and stared in the direction where the two had disappeared, asking in confusion.

"Father, the head of the family seems to have become indifferent to our Zhao family."

Zhao Tuan straightened his mourning clothes, then sat back down in his original seat and said in a deep voice:

"That's a good thing."

"The head of the family is looking out for my Zhao family."

Zhao Tianqiu was even more puzzled upon hearing this.

"Given the current situation, how can it be considered a good thing?"

"Although my great-aunt is no longer here, I still have my cousins ​​Chongxu and Chongxuan, so the family ties still exist."

Zhao Tuan looked at his son quietly, sighed heavily, and said, "You are still young. Some things cannot be judged by appearances alone. Favor can sometimes be the root of disaster."

"I'll tell you something today: in the future, when you talk to the Shen family, you should only talk about the main family and the subordinate families. Just keep the kinship in your heart."

"We also need to subtly convey a message to your uncles and other branches of the family."

"That means that since your grandfather passed away, the Zhao family has only been a subordinate family. They are required to strictly discipline their descendants and not to think that the Zhao family is any different from other subordinate families."

Zhao Tianqiu looked puzzled and asked, "Shouldn't this be something our elder brother should do?"

"You always said that all I needed to do was cultivate diligently."

Zhao Tuan glanced at him quietly and said, "Things are different now. You should learn more about family matters from your father in the future, understand?"

……

Outside Anyang City, in the void, Shen Chongxuan looked at his elder brother beside him, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

Sensing his gaze, Shen Chongming smiled faintly and turned around: "Brother Xuan, is there something you want to say?"

Shen Chongxuan hesitated for a moment and said, "Won't Ming's actions disappoint the Zhao family?"

Is it disheartening...?

Shen Chongming looked at Yunshui City in the distance, and after a moment's thought, he seemed to murmur, "Brother Tuan will understand."

"What I am doing today is to ensure that the Zhao family can be better preserved and passed down."

"So that a major mistake won't happen in the future, which would then be dealt with by the clan council."

Shen Chongxuan paused slightly, seemingly understanding his brother's meaning, and did not ask any further questions.

……

The major forces in southern Xinjiang acted swiftly.

After Shen Yuan met with the group across borders using his divine sense and agreed to the matter, the ruler of Fushan Kingdom and others dispatched a large number of cultivators from their respective forces into Yangnao Land.

In an instant, countless cultivators surged in, quickly seizing various territories in Yangnao Land.

After these Golden Core cultivators arrived in Yangnao Land, it seemed they only had two principles for seizing territory.

First, there are the areas bordering Yunzhong County, followed by those regions with abundant spirit mines and spirit fields.

In just over a month, the entire Yangnao region, centered on Yunzhong County, and the surrounding county towns and territories were quickly divided up by the six major Golden Core forces. The remaining slightly barren areas were also occupied by other small forces in the Southern Frontier.

The Shen family of Yunshui City.

The brothers Mu Chang and Mu Yan, who were at the peak of Qi Refining, hurriedly arrived at the manor.

The two were exceptionally talented, having reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining three years ago. However, they lacked suitable innate spiritual energy to forge their immortal embryos.

Given their superior earth-attribute spiritual roots, it would be a real pity if they were to create a mixed-element immortal embryo using ordinary spiritual energy.

Therefore, for the past three years, the two brothers have been holding back and have not been in a hurry to break through.

"Greetings, Master of the House."

The two brothers approached Shen Chongming and bowed.

The tall and imposing Mu Chang spoke first: "I have already investigated and found out that the Great Wushan Demon Cave occupies most of the Western Wilderness and Hidden Dragon Mountain area."

"After those newly awakened low-level demonic beasts rushed into the Western Wilderness, they began to hunt down the common people of the Western Wilderness who had survived by chance."

"It wasn't until a few days ago, when some powerful demonic beasts joined forces to restrain them, that those low-level demonic beasts gradually became obedient."

Shen Chongming remained silent, had someone bring a brand-new map and spread it on the table in front of him. Holding a cinnabar pen, he roughly sketched out the location of the Great Wushan Demon Cave according to the area Mu Chang had described, and wrote the words "Great Wushan Demon Cultivator" in the blank space.

What about this area?

Having determined the sphere of influence of the demon cultivators of Mount Wu, his gaze turned to the locations of Yingchuan County and Jinghe County.

The Shen family's sphere of influence is located at the southernmost tip of Yunzhong County.

To the north lie the cities governed by Luoxia Mountain and the He family in the clouds, requiring no defense.

To the south lies the Laishui River and endless barren hills, leading all the way to the Xuhe Corridor Formation.

Nobody cares about this place, so there's no need to worry too much.

We must find out which forces occupy the east and west directions.

Mu Chang glanced at his slightly chubby younger brother, Mu Yan, beside him, and gestured for him to tell him the results of his investigation.

Mu Yan approached, pointed to Yingchuan County and most of Jinghe County, cupped his hands and said, "Returning home, Master, this area is rather chaotic."

"Yingchuan County is currently occupied by a prince of the Fushan Kingdom."

"But this person seems to have considerable ambitions, wanting to take Jinghe County into his own hands as well."

"This move greatly displeased a force called the Yin Corpse Sect."

"The Yin Corpse Sect and the Fushan Kingdom are currently vying for Jinghe County, and there is no clear division yet."

After a slight pause, Mu Yan asked with a strange expression, "Does the patriarch know who has occupied the Zhili Prefecture that borders Jinghe Prefecture?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Chang, who was standing beside him, scolded, "Stop beating around the bush in front of the patriarch! Speak up!"

The two brothers have been loyal to the Shen family since Shen Wenxing took charge of the family.

Because of their talent and loyalty, Shen Wenxing treated them with great courtesy, as if they were old friends.

However, Shen Chongming was rigid in his dealings and not as gentle with his subordinates as his father. Mu Changsheng was afraid that his brother would be displeased if he kept things a secret at this crucial moment.

"It doesn't matter."

Shen Chongming smiled faintly and stopped his reprimand.

He was demanding of his subordinates, but Mu Chang and Mu Yan had no clan behind them, and their hearts were devoted to cultivation and loyalty to the Shen family.

Indulging occasionally is harmless.

Mu Yan smiled and cupped his hands in apology, saying, "Forgive me, Patriarch."

"The force that occupies Zhili Prefecture and Beidi Prefecture to the north is called Canaan Temple. Those people are very strange."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's interest was piqued, and he asked, "What's so strange about this Canaan Temple?"

Mu Yan replied, "The disciples of Canaan Temple have no hair on their heads, and their heads are shiny with oil."

"After taking control of Zhili and Beidi, we sent a large number of disciples to various places to save lives, comfort the common people, distribute various farming tools and seeds, and also had many of our disciples spare no effort to help the common people cultivate the land and repair their houses."

"Even when disciples of the Yin Corpse Sect went to Zhili Prefecture to plunder and kill the common people, the disciples of Canaan Temple would fight to the death to protect them."

“I have seen several disciples of Canaan Temple from afar.”

“Each of them was born with a kind face, and seemed to have compassion for the common people.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Chang's expression turned somewhat strange.

"Is Canaan Temple still a pure and upright sect in the Southern Frontier, a truly prestigious and righteous school?"

Shen Chongming chuckled, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Compassionate...sympathetic to all living beings...a reputable and righteous family..."

"Perhaps this is the image that Canaan Temple wants to present to the common people and monks under its rule."

“If that’s the case, they should stay in the southern borderlands instead of coming to Yangnao.”

Shen Chongming's voice was low and deep.

He didn't believe for a second that there were any "reputable" cultivators among the six major Golden Core forces in the Southern Frontier.

Intrusion is the original sin.

They've already gone to someone's home, yet they still try to portray themselves as upright gentlemen who have compassion for the common people. This is nothing more than a way to lull the people under their rule into a false sense of security, so that they can live peacefully and obediently produce more offspring to feed on.

Hypocritical people are the most dangerous. It seems I should be more careful about Canaan Temple in the future, lest I be tricked by them.

"Any news about the remaining two factions?"

Grandfather Shen Yuan and Jiang Xiuqi both mentioned that six major Golden Core forces from the Southern Frontier had come to Yangnao Land.

Aside from these six major Golden Core forces, there may be many other Nascent Soul forces similar to Qiyun Valley and Tianfu Sect from back then that have followed.

However, compared to the Fetal Breathing forces, the six Golden Core forces are the ones that need the most caution.

Both of them shook their heads upon hearing this.

"There should be news from Luoxia Mountain. Should I go to Yunzhong and share the information we've gathered with Luoxia Mountain?"

Mu Chang pondered for a moment and then cupped his hands in greeting.

Shen Chongming nodded.

Around Yunzhong, the only remaining areas are He County and Fengxian County.

However, facing these two directions are Luoxia Mountain and the He family. As long as they can hold their ground, it will not affect the Shen family's territory.

After hastily delineating the surrounding territories on the map in front of him with a vermilion brush, Shen Chongming glanced at it and sneered coldly:
"This land of Yangnao has become like a brothel, where a thousand men can pillow their jade arms and ten thousand men can taste their crimson lips..."

Both Mu Chang and Mu Yan were taken aback when they heard this.

The two seemed somewhat incredulous that their composed patriarch would utter such vulgar words.

But on second thought, this metaphor is quite apt.

In just over a hundred years, the land of Yangnao changed hands one after another, as if anyone could easily seize and dominate it.

"You two elders, please go down first and keep the cultivators under your jurisdiction in check."

"My Shen family needs time. If the enemy doesn't move, the Shen family will never provoke trouble."

Mu Chang and Mu Yan nodded and clasped their hands in greeting. Just as they were about to leave, Shen Chongming suddenly remembered his grandfather Shen Yuan's instructions. After a moment's thought, he said, "Select a few shrewd cultivators and find a way to infiltrate the forces of Fushan Kingdom and Canaan Temple."

"Hopefully it will play some role in the future."

The two men bowed to each other again, and after confirming that there was nothing else, they left the manor.

Shen Chongming walked into the courtyard with his hands behind his back, gazed at the dazzling sunlight, sighed slightly, and then turned and headed towards the Blackwater Pavilion.

……

On the second floor of the Blackwater Pavilion, a grandfather and grandson sat facing each other.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Yuan spoke:

"Your analysis is correct."

"The fact that the Western Wilderness and Hidden Dragon Mountain have been occupied by the demon cultivators of Great Wu Mountain is a good thing for my Shen family."

“Those demon cultivators are not good at management, let alone strategy; they act solely on instinct.”

"Be careful and take precautions, and nothing serious will happen."

Shen Chongming sighed and took over the conversation, saying, "Then the Fushan Kingdom and the Yin Corpse Sect are probably not so easy to deal with."

"And there's also Canaan Temple..."

"All three parties are human forces, so there will inevitably be some conspiracies and schemes in the future."

As he spoke, he picked up the teapot and filled the empty teacups in front of the two of them with tea.

Just as he was about to put the teapot down, he suddenly sneered, "Speaking of intrigues and schemes, Grandpa, you're not afraid of those cultivators from the Southern Frontier, are you?"

Shen Yuan was slightly taken aback, then laughed and scolded, "What, do you think I'm an old fox?"

Shen Chongming smiled and begged for forgiveness: "Grandson wouldn't dare. Grandson was just praising your strategic planning and unparalleled cunning."

"In terms of cultivation, my son and father may be better than you, but in terms of wisdom and scheming, my son and I are no match for you, grandfather."

"Alright, enough with the flattery." Shen Yuan waved his hand and looked at him, saying, "Speak, what do you want?"

He could tell that this kid had come to him not just to report on the surrounding southern border forces.

Shen Chongming took a sip of tea, then solemnly cupped his hands and said, "Grandpa, do you still remember when Chongzhen was born, my father and I all experienced a sudden enlightenment?"

Shen Yuan paused slightly as he picked up his teacup, realizing that he was referring to bloodline tempering.

The birth of Shen Chongzhen elevated the Shen family to the eighth rank, and all those with Shen family blood received an opportunity to temper their bloodline.

Currently, the eldest brother Shen Wenxing and the third brother Shen Wen'an are both still in seclusion.

It is estimated that the bloodline tempering has brought them considerable opportunities. It is unknown whether they will be able to comprehend the "innate supernatural power" mentioned by the eighth-grade bloodline during this seclusion.

If the two of them can comprehend the flawless "innate divine power", they can imprint this divine power into their bloodline.

If new descendants of the Shen family are born in the future, there is a certain chance that they will directly inherit the innate supernatural abilities in their bloodline, thus gaining more strength.

"I remember."

Suppressing his thoughts, Shen Yuan gently scraped the tea leaves, took a sip of tea, and nodded.

"My grandson did have some insights at the time, but the thought of the dangers in the southern border was like a thorn in his throat, so he forcibly interrupted his cultivation."

Shen Chongming said with a slight sigh.

He had a feeling that if he had given himself some time to reflect, he might have been able to understand something and greatly improve his strength.

"Now that the major forces in the Southern Frontier have just arrived in Yangnao, I think that in the short term, all parties will focus on establishing a foothold and will not make any rash moves."

"Therefore, I would like to ask you to take care of things at home first, so that your grandson can have some time to cultivate and understand."

Meeting his gaze, Shen Yuan nodded slightly.

"Go ahead, you don't need to worry about things at home."

Shen Chongming is extremely talented, and he hopes that Shen Chongming can gain some insights from this.

……

After the various forces from the Southern Frontier arrived in Yangnao, the period of peace they enjoyed was somewhat beyond Shen Yuan's expectations.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. Apart from the occasional disturbances and incursions by demon cultivators from the Great Wu Mountain in the Western Wilderness, the Fu Mountain Kingdom and the Yin Corpse Sect in the East have been behaving strangely well.

Even a few months ago, a monk from Canaan Temple who practiced fetal breathing had visited Yunshui City.

The implication was that they wanted to join forces with the Shen family and the Yin Corpse Sect to reopen the abandoned market town in Jinghe County.

In exchange for permission, the Shen family must allow Canaan Temple to build temples in the four cities of Anyang and spread its teachings.

The man even revealed that if they agreed to this, Canaan Temple could cooperate amicably with the Shen family.

Shen Yuan refused without hesitation.

The actions of Canaan Monastery are exactly the same as those of the foreign religious forces of the past.

Under the guise of compassion and love for humanity, they are secretly plotting some shady and disreputable schemes.

Jinghefang Market is indeed very important to the Shen family.

Before the invasion of the Southern Frontier, the Shen family obtained a considerable portion of their cultivation resources from Jinghe Market.

Now, Jinghe Market is abandoned, and the mines in Yinlong Mountain have all been seized by the demon cultivators of Dawu Mountain. The cultivators in the clan have indeed had a difficult time these past few years.

Fortunately, since the Void Corridor Formation was broken, the concentration of spiritual energy in this Yangnao Land seems to have increased again.

According to Wei Qiuling, the concentration of spiritual energy in Yangnao Land is now no less than that in Danzhou.

The Yunshui City, occupied by the Shen family, has become a place comparable to the blessed lands of Danzhou.

Shen Yuan vaguely guessed that the reason why Yunshui City was like this was most likely because of the existence of the Blackwater Pool.

Relying on the spirit rice produced in Yunshui City and some spirit fields, the Shen family can barely maintain the daily cultivation of its cultivators.

Autumn has begun again.

After the abundant harvest of spirit rice from the spirit fields of the four cities of Anyang, the various affiliated clans hurriedly sent people to transport the collected spirit rice to Yunshui City for the many cultivators in the city to cultivate.

Shen Yuan, who was in charge of the city, carefully calculated the amount of newly collected spirit rice and some spirit medicines and items after deducting the salaries that each household was entitled to, and found that there was not much left after deducting the salaries that each household was entitled to.

"Going down here is not a solution..."

Looking at the accounts in front of him, Shen Yuan frowned and pondered to himself.

The current situation made him recall a terrible scene from his past life.

The imperial court emptied its coffers to support the vassal kings under its rule, which ultimately led to the kings' downfall and allowed them to gain power, becoming a hidden threat to the imperial rule.

Shen Yuan paced back and forth in front of his desk with a solemn expression.

The reason for initially choosing to pay salaries to the major affiliated clans was twofold: firstly, to enable them to quickly widen the gap between themselves and ordinary families, thus better serving the Shen family in governing the city.

On the other hand, the Shen family also lacked sufficient resources and wanted to improve its strength as quickly as possible through this method.

Unexpectedly, this action has now become a burden for them.

Just as he was frowning in worry, a figure slowly approached the door.

"It's rare to see someone like you having worries."

Upon hearing this voice, Shen Yuan smiled slightly, then turned to Shen Chongming at the door and asked, "How have you fared during your three years of seclusion?"

Shen Chongming smiled and cupped his hands: "I have not failed you. With the help of some techniques in the 'Secret Record of the Five Thunder True Method of the Divine Firmament Jade Palace', and by studying the three jade slips of the 'True Seal of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Cycle of Heavenly Revolve' in the Black Water Pavilion, I have gained some insights. After verifying them with each other, I have made great progress."

"Oh?"

Shen Yuan looked at him with some surprise.

The "Secret Record of the Five Thunder True Method of the Divine Firmament Jade Palace" is a true method, passed down from the secret realm of the Seven Sages Mountain.

The "Twenty-Four Solar Terms Cycle of True Seals" is a higher level than the True Method. If one can comprehend something through these two cultivation methods, it won't be too bad.

As Shen Chongming spoke, a flash of light appeared in his hand, and he took out a crystal-clear jade slip.

“Grandpa, this is a technique I comprehended during my seclusion. I call it ‘Purple Thunder Breaking the Limit.’ It can also be used with magic weapons and bladed weapons such as spears and arrows, which are good at breaking through areas with a single point.”

“Besides my grandson having a mutated lightning-attribute spiritual root, it is also suitable for cultivators with metal-attribute spiritual roots to cultivate.”

"This technique is extremely powerful. When concentrated into a single point, it can easily break through the protective spiritual energy shield of cultivators at the same level. Even some lower-quality magic robes would find it difficult to withstand."

"However, this technique is extremely powerful, and it may be dangerous to practice and use it rashly under the influence of fetal breathing."

"How to pass it on is up to Grandpa to decide."

Shen Yuan took the jade slip, invaded it with his divine sense, and glanced at it. He was slightly surprised.

With his knowledge and experience, he could naturally see that the "Purple Thunder Breaking Limit" technique that Shen Chongming had comprehended was extremely profound.

However, just as he said, this technique is not easy to master.

Without the nourishment of a celestial embryo, the fragile meridians within a Qi Refining cultivator would likely find it difficult to withstand such an outburst.

However... I might try to simplify and modify it myself.

Since the arrival of the Immortal Sect, he has read many books related to cultivation and absorbed the insights gained from the breakthroughs of his descendants. His knowledge and foundation are now vastly different from what they were before.

Simplifying the "Purple Thunder Breaking Limit" technique should not be a problem.

Having formed an idea in his mind, he immediately put away the jade slip and said seriously:
"Now that you've emerged from seclusion, it's time to leave all this mess to you."

"These past few years have been tough on this old man."

Then he briefly recounted the major events that had occurred in the past three years, and explained the current deficit predicament facing the Shen family.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice, "If that's the case, then let's cut off the salaries of all the affiliated families."

Shen Yuan pondered for a moment, then suddenly chuckled: "You handle this matter yourself."

"Oh, right." Suddenly remembering something, Shen Yuan said in a deep voice, "That little bastard Chongxu has gotten himself into a romantic entanglement. You should deal with it as well."

"Don't wait until the child is born, only to find that the child doesn't even have a proper status."

After saying this, he leisurely left the courtyard and headed towards the Blackwater Pavilion.

Shen Chongming stared in astonishment at his retreating figure.

He shook his head with a wry smile and murmured, "Ten years..."

"Ten years from now, when Xiu Zhuo grows up, I will gradually hand over all the family affairs to him."

"Then I can hide away and cultivate in peace..."

……

The academy at the foot of the mountain.

With his hair as white as snow and a hint of age about him, Lu Zhiyuan sat in the pavilion.

Sitting opposite him were the brothers Shen Chongming and Shen Chongxuan.

Shen Chongming tugged at his sleeves and looked at Lu Zhiyuan.

As soon as he emerged from seclusion, his grandfather, Shen Yuan, presented him with a huge problem.

Cutting off the salaries of affiliated families is not as simple as it sounds.

If not handled properly, it could breed resentment in them and sow the seeds of future trouble.

After much thought, he still couldn't come up with a suitable solution, so he went to the academy to find Lu Zhiyuan and Shen Chongxuan and ask them to help him devise a sound plan.

After listening to Shen Chongming's idea, Lu Zhiyuan pondered for a long time before slowly speaking.

"The worst thing you can do in this situation is to act too hastily."

"I still remember how eager I was to promote new learning and implement reforms back then."

"However, they overlooked the interests of all parties and almost lost their lives because of it."

Shen Chongming nodded thoughtfully.

"Please enlighten me, Master."

After a moment's thought, Lu Zhiyuan said, "We can temporarily reduce the salaries of each clan under the pretext of the clan council's assessment."

“In recent years, all families have been eager to make contributions. Except for the Zhao family of Anyang, all the disciples in the clan have committed crimes. The reason why the clan head did not investigate further is that your grandfather said that we are in need of people right now, and as long as they do not cross the line, we will mainly give them a warning.”

"I propose that this year's annual sacrifice assessment should include raising the issue of reducing salaries, and we should observe the reactions from all parties."

As soon as Lu Zhiyuan finished speaking, Shen Chongxuan added, "Punishment should be accompanied by reward; only when rewards and punishments are appropriate will they be truly convinced."

"If Ming wants to implement this plan, he needs to think of some rewards to appease him."

After going over their words in his mind, Shen Chongming nodded slightly.

When it comes to rewards, he has a good idea.

"Over the years, Grandpa has compiled a lot of inheritances related to the various arts of cultivation. Is it appropriate to use this as a reward?"

Lu Zhiyuan paused for a moment, then his gaze sharpened as he said, "I think this is a very good move!"

"By offering the various arts of immortal cultivation as a reward, each family can master one of them. In the long run, if each affiliated clan can achieve something in the arts of immortal cultivation, they will not only be self-sufficient, but may also be able to pay tribute to the master family."

Shen Chongming was also somewhat moved by his words.

If that's truly the case, then among the major subordinate clans under his rule, some are skilled in alchemy, some in talisman making, and some in weapon crafting...

The Shen family accepted offerings from them and provided them with protection, which was indeed quite good.

However, upon closer reflection, I realized that implementing this plan would be very difficult.

Not to mention how long it would take for each affiliated clan to achieve something in any of the various arts of cultivation.

This very act alone makes it easy for those affiliated clans to escape control.

However, there doesn't seem to be any other way for now, so we can only continue like this for the time being.

Fortunately, the Shen family now has the absolute strength to suppress it.

The three discussed the matter again, and after confirming that there were no flaws, Lu Zhiyuan asked the disciples of the Clan Courtyard who accompanied him to draft the new clan rules first. After confirming that there were no errors, he sent someone to notify the various affiliated clans.

"Now that this matter is settled, I also have something to explain to the head of the family."

Lu Zhiyuan sighed slightly and said, "It has been more than 30 years since the establishment of the clan's main academy."

“In recent years, I have felt my energy declining day by day, and I am afraid that I am no longer able to fulfill the duties of the clan leader.”

"The head of the family should choose a suitable person from among the many direct descendants of the Shen family to succeed him."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming looked at him with a somewhat complicated expression.

The Way of Literature is not the Way of Immortality; the mind of literature nourishes the spirit but cannot nourish the physical body.

Lu Zhiyuan's current strength is comparable to that of a cultivator in the Immortal Realm, but his lifespan is barely comparable to that of a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm.

His body was already showing signs of decay, and an aura of decline was emanating from within him.

It is indeed inappropriate to let him continue to work hard for the Shen family.

The clan head has immense power, and it is not a position that just anyone can hold.

Among the Shen family members, Shen Chongxuan was meticulous, but ultimately lacked a certain authority.

The younger brother, Shen Chonghong, has the authority, but his personality is not suitable for handling punishments. He has strong personal likes and dislikes and is prone to being unfair.

Needless to say, Shen Chongxu has even more flaws. He can't even be self-disciplined, so how can he be in charge of the clan's main courtyard?
Aside from the three of them, He Chongyi has a weak personality...

Suddenly, a figure appeared in Shen Chongming's mind.

"That girl should be able to..."

After muttering to himself, he cupped his hands towards Lu Zhiyuan and said, "You have indeed worked hard these years, Master. I hope you will forgive my oversight."

Lu Zhiyuan waved his hand with a smile.

"Once the patriarch has found a suitable candidate, he will send him to the main courtyard of the clan to see me. I will need to give him some guidance so that he can successfully succeed to the position."

"Since there is nothing else, I shall take my leave."

After the two brothers stood up and respectfully saw Lu Zhiyuan off, Shen Chongxuan asked curiously, "Brother Ming, are you planning to let Li'er take over as the head of the clan's main courtyard?"

Shen Chongming nodded and said, "It's just that she'll be in charge temporarily for a few years."

“The clan head is a public institution that holds the power of life and death over clan members. I believe that in the future, the position should be taken over by a candidate for the head of our Shen family.”

Shen Chongxuan secretly agreed with his brother's words.

Now that the Shen family has just been established, the brothers within three generations can still be friendly and respectful to each other.

It's really hard to say what will happen next.

He cultivated the Dao of literature and read history books. He had read many stories about secular families before the arrival of immortal sects. Their lineages lasted only a hundred years, and members of the same sect began to scheme against each other and turn against each other.

Nowadays, among the major affiliated clans under the Shen family's rule, fratricide often occurs due to disputes between legitimate and illegitimate sons.

"By the way, Grandpa mentioned that Chongxu has a history of romantic entanglements. Does Brother Xuan know the details?"

Shen Chongming changed the subject and immediately asked.

Shen Chongxuan sighed heavily, his face showing a look of disappointment and frustration.

"That woman was an illegitimate child of the Liu family in Xingyang."

"By chance, the brother and sister were saved by Chongxu, and for some unknown reason, they had a one-night stand with Chongxu."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's eyes flashed with a chilling light as he asked in a low voice, "Is this matter related to the Liu family?"

If it is proven true that he dared to scheme against the main family members, he would wipe out the entire Liu family for this reason alone!
"After learning about this, Grandpa secretly sent someone to investigate."

"The woman and her brother were both illegitimate children born to Liu Jing, the head of the Liu family, and a worldly courtesan."

"The brother and sister had a turbulent childhood with their birth mother, and they never recognized Liu Jing until their birth mother passed away."

"Later, during the spiritual root screening process, the two were found to possess spiritual roots, and Liu Jing secretly brought them to his residence."

"In order to avoid punishment from the clan head, they claimed to the outside world that she was born to a deceased concubine and dared not give her the title of her birth mother."

Shen Chongxuan paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice:
"Meeting Chongxu was probably a coincidence."

"The cultivation talent displayed by the brother and sister aroused the jealousy of the eldest son of the Liu family, so he sent the brother and sister to the border of Xingyang to investigate the spirit fields. His original intention was probably to use the cultivators and demons of the southern border to get rid of the two."

"If the Liu family is truly behind this..."

"It can only be said that Liu Jing was an extraordinary person."

After hearing these words, Shen Chongming's eyes deepened, and he fell into deep thought.

According to Shen Chongxuan's account, everything seemed to be accidental and coincidental, with no conspiracy involved.

But he still dared not be careless.

Although this move will not have a significant impact on the Shen family, the act of a subordinate defying authority and plotting against the master's family is itself the biggest threat!

What did Chongxu himself say?

Shen Chongxuan hesitated slightly before saying, "He only said that he would not marry that woman, and said nothing else."

"I also secretly inquired about the woman and her brother."

"What did they say?" Shen Chongming asked in a deep voice.

"I don't ask for a title, I only ask for the Shen family's permission to give birth to the child."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming revealed a cold smile.

The two probably guessed that the Shen family valued bloodlines, and that once the child was born, it would certainly be given a legitimate status.

"I would like to trouble you, Brother Xuan, to have someone bring the brother and sister to Yunshui City so that I may meet them."

Shen Chongming spoke in a deep voice, wanting to see what these two were planning!
(End of this chapter)