The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

Three months later, at the border between Tiannan and Dajin, there was a giant city called "Liangjie Pass".

Han Mu concealed his aura, maintaining his apparent cultivation level at the mid-stage of Core Formation, and followed a caravan into the city.

Liangjie Pass is a crucial border town at the southernmost tip of the Great Jin Dynasty. Its city walls are over a hundred feet high, constructed entirely of black granite, and covered with a dense array of protective formations. Cultivators come and go within the city, their auras generally stronger than those of cultivators from Tiannan. Foundation Establishment cultivators are a common sight, and one can even occasionally sense the aura of Core Formation cultivators.

"This is the Great Jin Dynasty..." Han Mu walked on the wide bluestone street, looking around with great interest.

Shops lined both sides of the street, selling elixirs, magical artifacts, talismans, and spiritual materials. Every now and then, cultivators riding flying magical artifacts would fly overhead, their auras at least at the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Is this your first time visiting the Great Jin Dynasty, fellow Daoist?" a voice rang out beside Han Mu.

Han Mu turned his head and saw that the speaker was a round-faced middle-aged cultivator with a late Foundation Establishment cultivation level. He was wearing a robe embroidered with the words "Wanbao" and had a businessman's smile on his face.

"How do you know?" Han Mu asked calmly.

"Fellow Daoist was just observing the city's defensive formations and showed great interest in the shops on the street; these are common behaviors for cultivators newly arrived in the Great Jin," the round-faced cultivator chuckled. "I am Qian Duo, a steward of the Wanbao Pavilion, specializing in receiving cultivators newly arrived in the Great Jin. If you need a guide or wish to learn about the cultivation world of the Great Jin, you can contact me. My fees are fair, and I treat everyone fairly."

Han Mu glanced at him: "Are you very familiar with the Great Jin?"

"I know it all!" Qian Duo patted his chest. "I've been doing business in the Two Realms Pass for twenty years. I know everything about the power distribution in the Great Jin Nine Provinces, the characteristics of the major sects, and where to buy good stuff. For just ten mid-grade spirit stones, I can talk to you for three days and three nights."

Han Mu tossed him ten mid-grade spirit stones: "Let's talk about the distribution of power in the Great Jin Dynasty first, focusing on the sects with Nascent Soul cultivators in charge."

Qian Duo's eyes lit up. He quickly put away the spirit stones and led Han Mu to a teahouse by the roadside, where they asked for a private room.

"Fellow Daoist, you're quite straightforward!" Qian Duo poured Han Mu a cup of tea. "The Great Jin Dynasty has a vast territory, divided into nine provinces. The southernmost province is the Southern Province where we are now, and to the north are Yang Province, Jing Province, Xu Province, Qing Province, Ji Province, Yan Province, Yu Province, and Yong Province. Among them, Yu Province is where the capital of the Great Jin Dynasty is located, and Yong Province is the ancestral home of the Great Jin royal family."

"There are thirty-seven sects in the Great Jin Dynasty that have Nascent Soul cultivators. Among them, the seven strongest are known as the 'Seven Great Sects of the Great Jin': Xuantian Sword Sect, Taixu Sect, Tianji Pavilion, Wanfa Temple, Tianmo Sect, Tianyao Valley, and Shennong Valley. These seven sects all have Nascent Soul late-stage or even Nascent Soul peak cultivators in charge, with a history of over ten thousand years and unfathomable foundations."

"Below the seven major sects, there are more than a dozen sects with mid-Nascent Soul cultivators. For example, the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce behind our Wanbao Pavilion has three mid-Nascent Soul cultivators. Further down, there are more sects with early-Nascent Soul cultivators, about twenty or more."

Han Mu was secretly alarmed. The cultivation level of the Great Jin Dynasty was indeed a level higher than that of Tiannan. Tiannan only had a dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators in total, while the Great Jin Dynasty officially had thirty-seven sects with Nascent Soul cultivators in charge, and the actual number was probably more.

"I want to go to Yuzhou, the capital of the Great Jin Dynasty. What's the fastest way to get there?" Han Mu asked.

"Go to Yuzhou?" Qian Duo thought for a moment. "The fastest way is to take an inter-provincial flying boat. There is one 'Sky-Breaking Boat' that flies directly to Yuzhou every month from Liangjie Pass. It is operated by Wanbao Chamber of Commerce and is extremely fast. It can reach Yuzhou in three months. However, the ticket price is not cheap. The cheapest lower-class ticket costs five hundred mid-grade spirit stones."

"When will the next Skybreaker depart?"

"What a coincidence, there's a train in three days," Qian Duo said. "I know the manager of the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce, and I can get you a ticket, but there will be a handling fee of ten mid-grade spirit stones."

"Okay," Han Mu nodded. "I want to go first class."

"One thousand mid-grade spirit stones for first class!" Qian Duo's eyes lit up even more. "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment, I'll take care of it right away!"

Half an hour later, Qian Duo returned with a jade token.

"Fellow Daoist, this is the first-class pass for the Sky-Breaking Ship. You can board the ship at the West City Flying Ship Wharf at Chen Shi (7-9 AM) in three days. With this pass, you can enjoy the best service on the ship, as well as a private cultivation room." Qian Duo handed the pass to Han Mu.

Han Mu took the token and tossed Qian Duo fifty mid-grade spirit stones: "Use the remaining spirit stones to buy some jade slips with detailed information about the cultivation world of the Great Jin Dynasty, including the characteristics of the cultivation techniques of major forces, famous cultivators, recent major events, etc. Get the latest information."

"Understood!" Qian Duo happily went off.

Three days later, at Chenshi (7-9 AM), at the Flying Boat Wharf in the west of the city.

A colossal flying boat, three hundred feet long, hovered in the air. Its streamlined hull was entirely silver-white, covered with intricate array runes. Twelve pairs of enormous metal wings flared slowly on each side of the flying boat, stirring up gusts of wind.

This is the Sky-Breaking Boat, one of the highest-grade flying magical artifacts of the Great Jin Dynasty. It is said that when flying at full speed, its speed is comparable to the escape light of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Hundreds of cultivators gathered at the dock, the lowest level being Foundation Establishment, with more than a dozen Core Formation cultivators, and even two Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

Han Mu suppressed his cultivation to the mid-stage of Core Formation, held the token, and boarded the flying boat under the guidance of the attendant.

The first-class cabin is located on the top floor of the airship and consists of ten independent courtyard-style cabins. Each cabin has its own independent defensive formation and spirit-gathering formation, and the concentration of spiritual energy is more than five times that of the outside world.

Han Mu's cabin was "Class 3" and was decorated quite elegantly, with a cultivation room, study, reception room, and even a small medicinal garden with several first-order spiritual herbs planted there.

"Senior, the flying boat is about to depart. It will stop at six stations along the way: Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Xuzhou, Qingzhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou, before finally arriving in Yuzhou. The entire journey will take about three months. If you need anything during this time, please contact the attendant at any time," a Foundation Establishment stage maid said respectfully.

Han Mu nodded, and the maid bowed and withdrew.

A moment later, the flying boat trembled slightly, and its two metal wings flapped violently, transforming into a streak of silver light that shot into the sky and quickly disappeared into the horizon.

Han Mu sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, took out a jade slip given to him by Qian Duo, and began to learn about the details of the cultivation world in the Great Jin Dynasty.

The jade slip contained a wealth of information, but Han Mu focused on the seven major sects and the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce.

The Xuantian Sword Sect is renowned for its sword cultivators. Its sect's signature technique, the "Xuantian Sword Canon," can be cultivated up to the Nascent Soul stage. The current sect leader, Xuantian Sword Venerable, is a peak Nascent Soul sword cultivator who once killed a cultivator of the same level with a single sword strike.

The Taixu Sect is a legitimate Taoist sect, skilled in talismans and formations. The sect possesses a set of "Taixu Divine Talismans" inherited from ancient times, which are incredibly powerful.

The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion excels at deducing heavenly secrets and crafting puppets. It has few disciples, but each one is a master of formations and puppetry.

Wanfa Temple, a sacred Buddhist site, is known for its powerful and domineering martial arts techniques, and is said to possess the indestructible body of a master.

The Heavenly Demon Sect, the leader of the demonic path, possesses bizarre and domineering techniques and has connections with the six demonic sects of Tiannan.

Heavenly Demon Valley is a demon clan stronghold, inhabited mostly by powerful demons in human form, whose strength is unfathomable.

Shennong Valley is famous for alchemy, and countless rare medicinal herbs are grown in the valley. It is said that there is a ten-thousand-year-old herb king there.

Wanbao Chamber of Commerce is the largest commercial organization in the Great Jin Dynasty, with influence throughout the Nine Provinces. Its business covers all cultivation resources, including elixirs, magical artifacts, talismans, and spirit beasts, and it even secretly engages in shady businesses such as intelligence gathering and assassination.

"The Great Jin Dynasty is a deep and murky place," Han Mu thought to himself. There are nearly a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators on the surface alone, and there are definitely more hidden Nascent Soul stage monsters in the shadows.

"But this is for the best. The deeper the water, the more opportunities there are. My purpose in this trip is twofold: first, to collect cultivation resources, and second, to find an opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. If I can find a few rare and precious treasures in the Great Jin Dynasty, I might be able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage ahead of schedule."

As Han Mu was thinking, his expression suddenly changed as he sensed the situation on his family's side through bloodline resonance.

The clone's thoughts arrived.

"My Lord, everything in the family is normal. Han Ling'er has joined the Hidden Moon Sect, and Nangong Wan personally accepted her as a disciple. She is currently cultivating in the Hidden Moon Sect. Han Yunge has also entered the Yellow Maple Valley and become a disciple of Li Huayuan. She and Han Li have become fellow disciples and have a good relationship. The family's foundation in the Qingxu Mountains is solid, and three more family members have broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, bringing the total number of Foundation Establishment cultivators to eighty-seven."

"On the demonic path, the Ghost Spirit Sect has not made any moves for the time being, but the Black Fiend Old Demon has sent people to secretly monitor the family. I have discovered three groups of spies and dealt with them all."

"In addition, Han Li's cultivation has reached the bottleneck of the late Foundation Establishment stage and he is preparing to break through to the peak of Foundation Establishment. He asked me to inquire whether the patriarch has any pills or methods for a quick breakthrough."

Han Mu pondered for a moment, then sent a message back: "Tell Han Li that a solid foundation is the most important thing; don't rush things. Let him take it easy and solidify his foundation. When I return from the Great Jin, I will bring him some resources that will help him break through. Also, be careful to protect Yun Ge and Ling'er; the demonic path might target them."

"Understood," the clone replied.

After ending the communication, Han Mu continued to examine the jade slip, developing a strong interest in the Yuzhou region he was about to arrive in.

As the capital of the Great Jin Dynasty, Yuzhou is the most prosperous place in the entire cultivation world of the Great Jin Dynasty. Large-scale auctions, trade fairs, and Dao discussions are held one after another, and various rare resources are easier to obtain than in other places.

"Perhaps I can find what I need in Yuzhou."

Just then, the airship suddenly shuddered and its speed dropped sharply.

Han Mu frowned and extended his divine sense outside the cabin.

Two black flying boats blocked their path in the sky ahead, carrying dozens of black-robed cultivators with a chilling aura; they were clearly demonic cultivators.

The leader was an old man with a withered face and a late-stage Core Formation cultivation level. He was coldly staring at the Void-Breaking Boat.

"Fellow Daoists of the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce, I am Guiqi, an elder of the Yin Gui Sect. I have been ordered to search the flying boat to find a traitor to our sect. Please grant me this favor."