Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 33 Initial Integration into the Community (Part Two)

While Meng Xihong integrated his literary wisdom into the countryside, Bai Muyun, carrying a worn-out bamboo basket, silently joined the ranks of the village women.

After several months of recuperation, supplemented by the nourishing Qingmu Yunyuan Pill, her original injury has almost healed, with only a barely perceptible paleness remaining on her face and her aura not as strong as before.

However, this weakness unexpectedly transformed into a comforting and gentle warmth.

The resilience and tranquility she possessed, born from hardship, combined with her innate affinity for nature through her "Water and Soil Spiritual Root," allowed her to easily gain the trust and affection of the village women without needing to flatter them.

"Hey Bai girl, come take a look. Can we pick these vines? They look like medicinal herbs," Aunt Liu from the east end of the village asked, pointing to a patch of vines twining on the hillside.

Bai Muyun walked slowly closer, her fingertips lightly brushing against the vine leaves, feeling the faint essence of the plants, and then she leaned in to sniff the scent.

“Aunt Liu, this is ‘chicken blood vine,’ a good thing for promoting blood circulation and clearing the meridians, but it’s a bit too strong. Ordinary people need to mix it with some licorice to balance it.” Her voice was gentle, yet it carried a convincing power.

“I think the ‘Dew-Gathering Grass’ growing in the shady crevices of the rocks over there is even better. Pick it when the leaves are still covered in dew in the early morning, crush it and apply it externally. It’s the gentlest way to stop bleeding and reduce swelling. It can even be used for children’s bumps and bruises.” After saying that, she naturally pointed out several corners that women usually passed by in a hurry and never noticed.

The women looked in the direction she pointed and indeed found several clumps of light green grass with thick leaves and glistening morning dew, and they immediately beamed with joy.

Since acquiring immortal bones, Bai Muyun knew that she couldn't be of much help to Meng Xihong in combat, so she devoted herself to studying medical books and researching medical skills in conjunction with her own spiritual roots, and has now made some progress.

She then shared several mild remedies made from readily available ingredients found in common medical books: ginger and jujube tea to dispel cold and warm the body, mugwort to fumigate the house to remove dampness and ward off evil, and wild chrysanthemum to boil water to clear the liver and improve eyesight... These remedies use simple ingredients, and although the effects are slow, they are effective and quietly improve and relieve the villagers' headaches, fevers, and backaches.

However, while following the women's group to collect mountain products and identify plants, Bai Muyun's thoughts went beyond that.

Her eyes, imbued with the spirit of the land and water, were keenly capturing the faint yet unusual fluctuations of spiritual energy in the mountains and forests.

Some time ago, while gathering herbs, she noticed that a few scattered herbs seemed different from the surrounding plants.

After silently marking the area, she went home and discussed it with Meng Xihong, only to find out that these scattered herbs were actually low-level spiritual herb seedlings.

After that, she quietly and carefully transplanted several common, mildly medicinal seedlings, such as "Tranquilizing Flower" and "Hemostatic Vine," along with their roots and soil, to the vicinity of those areas with a slight spiritual aura, in between gathering wild fruits and mushrooms.

She is like the most patient farmer, occasionally coming alone to weed and loosen the soil, quietly observing its growth.

Without the activation of the spirit-gathering array or the irrigation of the spirit spring, the seedlings grew slowly, but compared to ordinary mountain plants, their leaves seemed thicker and their stems were slightly tougher.

The low-grade spiritual herbs that were collected from the outer perimeter of the old immortal mountain, such as the "Tranquilizing Flower" with pale purple flowers, the "Iron Bone Vine" with its tough vines, and a few pieces of "Azure Sinking Stone" with a dark blue color, a slightly heavy feel, and a faint earth spirit, were all carefully brought back to the small courtyard by Bai Muyun.

She cleared out a small medicinal garden in a secluded corner of the courtyard, carefully planted the spiritual herbs, and watered them meticulously every day with her own spiritual energy.

Although this medicinal field is small, it is the prototype of the future medicinal field she envisioned for the Meng family. Every sprouting and leaf unfolding of the spiritual herbs carries her expectations for the long-lasting foundation of the family.

As for the azurite stone, Meng Xihong carved several basic earth-attribute stabilizing runes on it and quietly embedded it in the foundation at the corner of the courtyard wall. Although the effect was minimal, it served as a psychological anchor, silently gathering a trace of the deep, stabilizing energy of the earth.

For Bai Muyun, the integration into the Meng family was a silent, gradual process, a vitality accumulated in the smallest details. She used gentleness to dispel outside doubts and the affinity of nature to explore a path forward for the family.

Integration requires wisdom and affinity, while protection in this remote mountainous region demands the demonstration of strength.

Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua, these two loyal martial artists, were the two pillars of the Meng family outside the fence of Yunni Township.

When you first arrive, rumors are inevitable.

Once, some idle hooligans from other villages, seeing that the Meng family was a new household, tried to sneak into the courtyard at night to spy on them.

However, before they could see the figures clearly, they felt two gazes in the darkness scrape across their skin like cold lightning, and a chilling killing intent soaked in blood instantly seized their minds.

That was a truly deadly aura, a murderous aura that had emerged from a life-or-death struggle and crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

The thugs were terrified and from then on avoided the area. Although the incident was minor, it quietly spread among the villagers: the two guards who accompanied the Meng family were definitely not to be trifled with.

The real "show of force" stemmed from a sudden outbreak of animal attacks.

The sheepfold belonging to Zhao Wu on the hillside behind the village had been attacked by wild animals for several nights in a row, resulting in the deaths of several fat sheep and causing widespread panic. The old village chief was at a loss and could only anxiously seek out Meng Xihong, leaning on his cane.

"Mr. Meng, look... it looks like a pack of wolves has come! They've come before, but never this fierce..."

Meng Xihong looked at Ji Beichuan and the other person.

Ji Beichuan clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice steady: "Don't worry, Patriarch, leave it to us." Zhang Xianghua, meanwhile, was already silently inspecting the hunting fork and dagger he carried, his eyes sharp.

When they first arrived in Yunni Township, Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua still addressed Meng Xihong as "Boss" and "Head," which drew attention from the villagers, who suspected him of being a bandit. Meng Xihong then ordered the two to change their address.

Having come here with him, they were now family, and the title of "head of the family" was more appropriate. That night, the moonlight was dim. Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua, shrouded in darkness, were like two ghosts blending into the shadows, lying hidden behind the rocks near the sheepfold.

At midnight, a foul wind suddenly arose, and several pairs of green eyes lit up in the darkness. Three burly mountain wolves with gleaming white fangs silently approached the sheepfold, drool dripping from their mouths.

Just as the alpha wolf leaped up and pounced on the wooden fence!
"Make your move!" Ji Beichuan shouted in a low voice, his voice like muffled thunder.

In the darkness, two figures suddenly sprang up.

Without any fancy moves, Ji Beichuan's thick-backed cleaver drew a chilling arc, carrying immense force, striking the alpha wolf's neck with pinpoint accuracy! The sound of bones shattering was sickening! Zhang Xianghua, like a ghost, approached the other wolf, thrusting out like a venomous harpoon, instantly piercing its throat. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the hundred-pound wolf flying! Just as the third wolf was about to turn and pounce, Zhang Xianghua's short blade flashed across its abdomen like lightning!
The whole process was swift and decisive, taking less than three breaths. The three ferocious wolves were dead on the spot, without even being able to utter a proper howl.

The stench of blood permeated the night air, yet it carried a cruel power that brought a sense of peace.

The next morning, when the villagers saw the three wolf carcasses outside the sheepfold, they were speechless with shock. Zhao Wu was overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Master Ji! Master Zhang! Thanks to you both! Otherwise, my sheep... my..." He was so excited that he couldn't speak coherently.

"It's my duty." Ji Beichuan remained calm and composed as he wiped the blood from his knife.

"Master Ji, Master Zhang, with your skills... could you... could you teach us a few moves? This mountain isn't safe, so we all need to know how to protect ourselves!" Several bold young men surrounded them, their eyes filled with eagerness and awe.

Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua exchanged a glance, then looked at Meng Xihong. Meng Xihong nodded slightly.

"Okay," Ji Beichuan replied succinctly.

So, the relatively flat open space at the entrance of the village became a temporary training ground.

As Meng Xihong watched the young men sweating profusely, he quietly regarded them as the prototype of a future sect.

If one day a sect can be established, this martial arts training ground, which strengthens the body and unites people, will be the most basic foundation.

Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua did not teach them advanced martial arts techniques, but only selected a few simple, practical, and easy-to-coordinate fist and foot techniques and hunting skills. For example, how to work together to deal with wild boars, how to use the terrain to trap wild animals, and how to throw javelins or stones quickly and accurately.

They taught diligently, demanding high standards and meticulous attention to detail. The young and strong studied even harder, sweating profusely, their shouts echoing throughout the village.

Over the course of several months, this team, composed of the village's young and strong men, though far from being true martial artists, had lost the timidity in their eyes and gained a more fierce and cooperative demeanor.

The way they looked at Ji Beichuan and his companion was filled with genuine admiration and dependence. An invisible net, bound by force and aligned with the Meng family, was quietly unfolding in Yunni Township.

In the hearts of the villagers, the Meng family courtyard has quietly become a symbol of safety on this land.

As dusk settles, wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, carrying the warm aroma of firewood and food, enveloping Yunni Village in a peaceful, heartwarming atmosphere.

Meng Xihong stood alone in the small courtyard, his gaze slowly sweeping across this tiny world.

His wife, Bai Muyun, was busy in the kitchen; her gentle profile appeared serene and resilient under the lamplight.

In the corner of the courtyard, 6-year-old Meng Yanqing finished a day of hard training and was washing the sweat and dust off his bare upper body with well water. The boy's muscles were already beginning to take shape in the twilight.

From inside came the clear, childlike voice of the second son, Yanwei, reciting his lessons. Each word seemed to carry a power to cleanse the soul.

Yan Ning turned over in her sleep, unconsciously smacking her lips. The invisible spiritual energy field around her rippled slightly, and the spiritual herbs in the herb garden outside the courtyard seemed to unfurl their leaves as well.

Looking at the soundly sleeping Yan Ning, Meng Xihong couldn't help but smile helplessly. This girl is almost 5 years old, and all she does is eat and sleep all day long. Whether her innate talent is a blessing or a curse is hard to say.

Outside the fence, one could faintly hear the energetic shouts of young men coming from the village's martial arts training ground.

Several months have passed, like a mountain stream, seemingly calm, yet silently washing away and changing everything.

The resentment that had surged within Meng Xihong due to his escape and hatred gradually settled down in the mundane yet authentic rural life, and in the trials of creating a peaceful haven for his family, transforming into a mountain-like steadiness and a deep pool-like calmness.

As night deepened, Meng Xihong's gaze pierced through the growing twilight, landing deep within the Old Immortal Mountain. The family genealogy silently turned in his mind's eye, the well-being of his family members illuminating his heart like a warm lamplight.

Looking at the Meng family's gradually improving situation, Meng Xihong couldn't help but smile to himself.

The scattered low-grade spiritual herbs, ordinary minerals, and the rumors circulating among the villagers, which were of dubious veracity, made him vaguely feel that they were related to the vast, misty mountains to the east of the village, known as "Old Immortal Mountain."

Today, the Meng family has established a firm foothold in Yunni Township and is developing steadily.

And perhaps he should go and see what secrets that "Old Immortal Mountain" holds.

(End of this chapter)