Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Helpless, Lin Zhao had no choice but to hand over the last two crimson-black second-tier talismans containing the Magic-Breaking Nether Needles to his parents.

With the one given to them earlier, they now have three. Including the second-tier puppet, as long as they don't actively venture into dangerous areas, their safety should be assured.

At the same time, he instructed the Yang family to send a certain number of people to help the newly established fifth branch of the Lin family with land reclamation.

The first half of the land reclamation process is a slow and painstaking process.

There are hundreds of Tier 1 resource points that need to be cleared of monsters and miasma one by one.

The newly recruited cultivators of the Lin family, together with vassal families and independent cultivators, advanced slowly like a comb.

During this period, Lin Zhao did not go to Shaoyang Market. He stayed at Yunhai Villa to continue his cultivation and at the same time deduced the second-tier magic weapon of the Li Huo magic weapon.

He knew the real test would come in the second half of the year.

Each of those seven Tier 2 resource points harbors a Foundation Establishment demon beast.

That's when he'll really need to take action.

Outside the window, the sea of ​​clouds churns and surges.

Lin Zhao closed his eyes and concentrated, his true essence flowing endlessly within his dantian, gradually merging with the spiritual energy of this world.

-----

The six-month period is almost over.

Zhao Laosan had never seen so many people gathered in one place in his entire life.

He is the captain of the "Tiger Hunting" team in Qingfeng City. He is at the eighth level of Qi Refining and has been hanging around Qingfeng City for many years. He considers himself to have seen a lot of the world.

But when they arrived outside Shaoyang Market with the support team sent by the market, they were still shocked.

Outside the market, temporary houses were densely packed together, stretching to the horizon.

Various colored lights shuttled through the low sky. People carrying materials, carrying the wounded, and dragging corpses of monsters, along with voices, the sound of magical artifacts cutting through the air, and distant explosions, all blended into a muffled roar that pressed down on the ears.

"Wow..." Chen Gui, the youngest member of the team, swallowed hard. He was at the fifth level of Qi Refining and this was the first time he had ever seen such a large scene. "How many people are there?"

"Of the seventeen markets that received the land reclamation order from the Lin family, seven responded," Old Chen, the deputy, counted, squinting. "Our Qingfeng Market alone sent over seven hundred people. Look over there—"

He pointed to a camp in the northeast corner, where flags fluttered with the distinctive flowing sand pattern of Jinsha Market. "There are at least a thousand people in Jinsha Market. There are also Tianyun Market, Huxiao Market, Guiyun Market, Changchun Market, Suiyu Market... at least four or five thousand people are crammed here."

Zhao Laosan remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the largest magical artifact buildings in the center of the camp.

The house displays the Lin family's current emblem—a green peak supporting a rising sun, its light swirling, and a subtle, oppressive aura emanating from it.

There were monks patrolling around, dressed in uniform, exuding a sharp and capable aura.

"The Lin family has really gone all out this time," he said in a low voice.

"Big scale, big rules." Old Chen leaned closer, lowering his voice, "Did you hear that when we reported yesterday? All teams were organized into 'pioneer groups' based on their cultivation level and expertise."

Each group is assigned a Lin family steward to coordinate. Battle merits are calculated based on three factors: the number of monsters killed, the size of the area cleared, and the value of the resources found.

However, all spiritual materials of rank two and above must be registered and given priority to Foundation Establishment cultivators on the front lines.

Half of the seized goods were confiscated and kept by the government, while the other half were retained by the individual.

Chen Gui clicked his tongue in astonishment: "Fifty percent going to the public? That's too much..."

"Too much?" Zhao Laosan interrupted him, his eyes stern. "Do you think the pioneering war is like strolling through a market? Without the Lin family leading the way, without Foundation Establishment cultivators holding the line, relying solely on us rogue cultivators to storm into the monster's lair is just suicide!"

He paused, his tone softening, "Besides, after the war, you can exchange your merits for pills, magical artifacts, and even cultivation techniques. The things the Lin family gives... aren't bad."

As they were talking, three long chimes suddenly rang out in the center of the camp.

"Assemble!" A messenger cultivator flew overhead in a low-altitude flying artifact, his voice amplified and clearly reaching every corner.

"First to tenth exploration teams, target 'Miasma Valley' area! Foundation Establishment veterans have already cleared a path ahead. Each team should proceed in order and must not leave the team without permission!"

Zhao Laosan took a deep breath and patted the Wind-Breaking Blade, a first-grade high-level magic weapon that had been with him for over ten years, at his waist: "Let's go."

The "Fang" squad was assigned to the 7th Regiment.

As he followed the flow of people out of the camp, Zhao Laosan glanced back and saw that seven or eight figures had already gathered in front of the Lin family's buildings.

Each person exuded a profound aura, with a faint spiritual light flowing around them. Just by standing quietly, they caused the noisy crowd in front of them to unconsciously lower their voices.

That's a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Moreover, it wasn't just the Lin family members themselves; they also brought in help from other markets.

Zhao Laosan felt a surge of heat in his heart, yet also a sense of heaviness.

If the Lin family truly wins this pioneering war, then from now on, the entire area within a thousand miles of Shaoyang Market will be under their control.

-----

Lin You felt her palms were a little sweaty.

She gripped the hilt of the Crimson Fire Sword tightly, the warmth emanating from the blade calming her slightly.

Beside her, Ye Xiaoxiao held the Fire Cauldron in one hand and made a hand seal with the other. The Fire Cauldron's pale red light shield steadily enveloped the two of them and the more than twenty cultivators behind them.

This is the edge of "Ghost Howl Forest", a location marked as "Resource Point No. 73".

According to the land reclamation plan, this area was under the responsibility of the Fifth Reclamation Regiment—and the Fifth Regiment…

They were cultivators from the fifth branch of the Lin family, namely Lin Zhao's parents, elder brother Lin Tai, Lin You, and Ye Xiaoxiao, who could barely be counted as members.

The main force is a hundred-strong elite team sent by the Yang family of Tianyunfang City.

The commander of the Fifth Regiment is Lin Zhao's father, Lin Tianhui, and the deputy commander is an old deacon from the Yang family who has reached the tenth level of Qi Refining.

He was actually the one in charge of all the affairs of the Fifth Regiment.

Before setting off, the old deacon privately told her, "Fairy You, your lineage is short-handed. This time, in pioneering the land... we don't expect to achieve the greatest merit. We just need to capture the three resource points we've been assigned and see some bloodshed, that's enough."

The meaning is clear: the focus is on gaining experience, not on reaping the rewards.

Lin You is now nominally the captain of this twenty-person team. The vice-captain is a middle-aged cultivator named Yang Zhen, who was sent by the Yang family and is at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

"Three hundred meters ahead, the spiritual energy is chaotic, and there's the aura of a demonic beast," Ye Xiaoxiao suddenly said, her voice steady.

Her spiritual sense was significantly stronger than others of the same level, and she had been using the Fire Cauldron for a long time, making her exceptionally sensitive to changes in fire-attribute spiritual energy.

Lin You nodded and gestured behind her.

The team immediately slowed down and tightened their formation.

Yang Zhen consciously led the Yang family members to protect Lin You.

Before leaving, the head of the family, Yang Qingxuan, repeatedly instructed: "Follow the Lin family's orders in everything, and especially protect Miss Lin You."

The Yang family also belonged to the inner sect of the Yunhai Cangming Sect and had some sect connections. They had already found out that Lin Zhao was backed by True Person Qianqiu, the master of a peak and a late-stage Core Formation cultivator.

The strongest being in the Yunxia Mountains is the Supreme Elder of the Qianhuang Sect, who is at the mid-stage of the Core Formation realm. If True Person Qianqiu were to descend upon the Yunxia Mountains, all three major sects would have to bow down.