I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Lin Xuanqi's teacup stopped in mid-air, the tea inside swaying slightly, spilling a few drops onto the table.

He remained motionless, holding his glass, his expression shifting from calm to shock, then to disbelief, finally settling on a bewildered look of "Did I hear that right?"

Lin Xuanjing almost dropped the pastry he had just picked up.

His fingers froze in mid-air, the osmanthus cake hovering near his mouth, but he didn't bite into it.

His eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, and his handsome face was devoid of any composure, displaying only pure, undisguised shock.

The two looked at each other and saw the same thing in each other's eyes.

Shock, disbelief, and a hint of something indescribable... awe.

How long has it been since Father broke through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm?

Eight years? Or nine years?

They counted on their fingers and found that it took eight years for their father to reach the Golden Core stage at age 49 and then at age 57.

Now my father is in the late stage of the Golden Elixir realm, and eight years have passed in between.

For ordinary people, it takes anywhere from twenty or thirty years to fifty or sixty years to go from the early to the middle stages of the Golden Elixir, and some may not even be able to cross this threshold in their entire lives.

But what about the father?

It took less than ten years from the initial to the middle stage;

From the middle to the later stages, it was another decade or so.

What kind of speed is that? What kind of talent is that?

The two looked at each other again, then stood up at the same time, clasped their hands in a fist and bowed.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if they had rehearsed.

The shock on his face hadn't faded yet, but the smile was genuine, overflowing from his eyes and brows, impossible to hide.

"Congratulations, Father, on your further advancement in cultivation! The Nascent Soul stage is within reach, and the Great Dao is within sight!"

Lin Che smiled, found a seat, and took a pastry from a plate on the table.

That was osmanthus cake made by Lin Xuanqi himself. It was soft, sweet, and melted in your mouth, with the fragrance of osmanthus.

He took a bite, nodded in satisfaction, and said between bites, "Alright, you two, stop joking around and tell me how things have been lately."

Lin Che never hid his cultivation level from his wife and children.

He knew that as the backbone of the Lin family, letting them know his cultivation level would allow them to unleash their full potential and give them more confidence in front of outsiders.

……

The two looked at each other again and saw the same thought in each other's eyes.

My father is definitely a person with innate spiritual talent.

Only those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root can cultivate so quickly, walk on flat ground in the Golden Core stage, and break through two barriers in just over a decade.

They all possess superior or even top-grade spiritual roots, making them exceptionally talented individuals in Chuyang City.

Lin Xuanjing's top-grade wind spirit root is one in ten thousand; there is no second one like it in the entire Chuyang City.

Lin Xuanqi's superior water spiritual root makes him a rare genius, and he would be a key figure to be cultivated in any family.

Lin Xuanfeng's Undying Sword Soul Body is an outstanding example of a precious body, born for the sword.

However, their cultivation speed still couldn't compare to their father's.

It's not that they weren't fast enough, it's that Father was too fast, so fast that no one could keep up.

The two men sighed to themselves, then sat down, took a sip of tea to moisten their throats, and began their report.

Lin Xuanqi spoke first.

He has been in charge of household affairs for many years and is now very skilled at it. He is organized, methodical, and unhurried, and every report is concise and clear, without any unnecessary words.

He first reported on the Chamber of Commerce's revenue.

Aoki Trading Company's profits this year have increased by nearly 30% compared to last year, mainly due to its elixirs.

The reason is the Spirit Herb Valley.

That spiritual land, which was seized from the Chen family, is now one of the Lin family's most important spiritual herb producing areas.

Under the leadership of the matriarch Su Wanwan, the Lin family gradually cultivated a group of alchemists of their own.

Self-sufficiency significantly reduced labor costs and increased income.

The spiritual herbs nourished by the second-tier spiritual veins are growing well and their medicinal effects are much higher than those of ordinary spiritual herbs. The spiritual herbs produced each year are made into pills and sold through the merchant guild, which can bring the Lin family hundreds of thousands of spirit stones in income.

Today, the variety of medicinal herbs in Lingcao Valley has expanded to more than thirty kinds, ranging from first-tier to second-tier, from common medicinal herbs to rare medicinal herbs, there is everything.

Next, we will discuss the situation of vassal families.

The Wang, Zhou, Li, and Sun families, along with other vassal families, were all relatively well-behaved, paying their tributes on time and causing no trouble.

With Lin Che's support, the Wang family has firmly established itself and become a Foundation Establishment family that cannot be ignored in Chuyang City.

Although the Zhou family harbored resentment, they remained outwardly respectful, and the annual offering of spirit stones never diminished.

The Li and Sun families were relatively honest, especially Sun Zhiyuan, who had completely given up on competing with the Lin family and focused on managing his own business.

He specifically mentioned the third-tier spiritual vein in the Spirit Herb Valley.

After more than a decade of purification by the White Bone Purifying Lotus, the poisonous miasma has completely dissipated, and the original ruins have been gradually renovated and improved, and will soon be put into use.

That area is rich in spiritual energy and has a pleasant environment. It already has the beginnings of the appearance of a blessed land of immortals. With a little planning, new spiritual fields and cultivation sites can be developed.

Lin Xuanjing then gave his report.

He has been in charge of the Chuyang City garrison for many years. From being unfamiliar with it at the beginning to being proficient at it now, his handsome face has become more composed and less arrogant.

His reporting style differed from his elder brother's; it was more concise and direct, getting to the point in just a few words.

The garrison's organization is now largely complete, with over 500 cultivators divided into five battalions, each with its own responsibilities.

Training has also gotten on track, with regular drills every week, joint exercises every month, and large-scale exercises every quarter.

In terms of defense, he set up multiple outposts around Chuyang City, forming a complete early warning network, so that any monsters that approach could be detected and reacted to immediately.

Finally, he mentioned the attitude of the city lord's mansion.

Yan Shuming maintained his indifferent demeanor, outwardly cooperating, but his underhanded tactics never ceased.

After Zhang Mo broke through to the Golden Core stage, the City Lord's Mansion was significantly more confident and took a more "proactive" stance in commanding the garrison.

Clearly, they also wanted to completely control this garrison.

The two argued about this several times in the council chamber, but ultimately did not break off their relationship.

"Currently, the garrison has five battalions, two of which are mainly composed of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining families from Chuyang City. These people..."

Lin Xuanjing paused, a slight smile playing on his lips, a hint of barely perceptible confidence appearing on his handsome face: "I've got it under control. Even if the City Lord's Mansion wants to interfere, nobody will listen to them."

He spoke of it casually, but Lin Che knew that it wasn't easy to take this step.

The Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining families in Chuyang City are, on the surface, vassals of the Lin family, or vassals of vassals of the Lin family.

In reality, they are more shrewd than anyone else.

They will listen to whoever has the power, the resources, and the benefits.

Lin Xuanjing was able to integrate the power of these families in just a few years, making them obey the Lin family rather than the city lord's mansion, not through coercion, but through real benefits.

The Lin family can provide them with the spirit beast cubs, pills, and spiritual materials they want, as well as offer preferential treatment in business and protection in times of crisis.

What the City Lord's Mansion can provide, the Lin family can provide; what the City Lord's Mansion cannot provide, the Lin family can also provide.

The hearts and minds of the people are never determined by orders, but by interests.