Before long, the other high-ranking elders of the Wu Family arrived one after another, all with grave, unsmiling faces.
The atmosphere in the Council Hall was cold and oppressive. Everyone silently took their seats, facing each other without a word.
In just a few short months, the Ling Family’s strength had skyrocketed. They hadn’t just surpassed the Wu Family; they now exerted unimaginable pressure on the Wu Family’s allies as well.
"...Patriarch, I believe that while this situation is difficult, it hasn’t reached the point of threatening our clan’s very foundation!"
After so deliberation, Foundation Establishnt Elder Wu Cangyuan spoke up.
"If you combine our Foundation Establishnt Cultivators with those from our allied clans, we still hold a nurical advantage. The Ling Family is unlikely to turn on us because of that."
The Zhu Family, the Yang Family, the Mu Family, and the Chiyang Sect could field a total of seven Foundation Establishnt Cultivators, while the Wu Family had six.
The Ling Family, on the other hand, only had nine Foundation Establishnt Cultivators, and most of them had only recently advanced. Their actual combat strength was nothing to write ho about.
This was why Wu Cangyuan hadn’t completely lost hope. In the next twenty or thirty years, it was unlikely the Ling Family could usurp the Wu Family’s position, let alone swallow their entire foundation.
The faces of the surrounding Elders relaxed slightly. Wu Cangyuan’s words were indeed reasonable. Newly advanced Foundation Establishnt Cultivators typically needed ti to adapt to their new Realm.
Therefore, it was impossible for the Ling Family to turn on the Wu Family and start a war now. As long as relations between the two families remained stable, the general situation would not change.
Patriarch Wu Canglang nodded lightly, his voice low. "That may be true, but we still cannot afford to be complacent. We must accelerate our efforts to gather materials for Foundation Establishnt Pills!"
There was sothing he left unsaid: the Ling Family had allies too. The few small clans that depended on them could also muster several Foundation Establishnt Cultivators if they banded together. This ant the Wu Family currently held no real advantage.
Unless... they could find a new and powerful ally. Only then could they maintain their strategic advantage over the Ling Family.
The beautiful Wu Xiuqing, dressed in a watery-red gown, spoke up:
"Should we send an invitation to the Mu Family? We could ask their Patriarch to co for a discussion. That way, we might be able to..."
Wu Canglang shook his head, cutting her off. "That’s not wise. The Mu Family is too powerful, and their Patriarch is incredibly ambitious. Inviting them in would be like letting a wolf into our ho!"
The Mu Family, based in the Wilderness Islands, had a lineage stretching back nearly a thousand years. They currently had a full twelve Foundation Establishnt Cultivators, and their Patriarch, now in the pri of his life, possessed a Late Stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivation.
It was rumored that their most senior Elder had already touched the threshold of becoming a Pseudo Core master, though there was no way to verify if this was true.
The Mu Family often adopted a policy of intimidation and suppression toward the many small clans and minor powers in the surrounding area.
In the past century alone, four or five smaller powers had been completely wiped out by them, their territories and people absorbed by the Mu Family.
So, if they let the Mu Family join their little circle, not only would the Wu Family lose its leadership position, but the tables would likely be turned, with the Mu Family lording over them all.
The Elders considered this and agreed, so they didn’t press the matter.
Wu Canglang said slowly, "In the Clan Treasury, there is still an ergency reserve of Spirit Stones we haven’t touched. Given the circumstances, there’s no need to be frugal. Take it all and use it to gather materials for Foundation Establishnt Pills!"
"Of course, it would be even better if we could directly purchase ready-made Foundation Establishnt Pills from the Hanyue Continent Marketplace."
Compared to searching for allies, increasing their own strength was the fundantal solution. As long as the Wu Family could produce new Foundation Establishnt Cultivators, they could resolve this dilemma.
Auctions were held annually at the Hanyue Continent Marketplace, and occasionally a small number of Foundation Establishnt Pills would appear, inciting fierce competition among all manner of Cultivators.
In the end, the Patriarch’s proposal was unanimously approved.
...
「Zenxin Island, inside Tang Qiu Yao’s residence.」
In the Cultivation Chamber, Ling Changqing sat cross-legged on a Cloud Bed, his entire body shrouded in a dark Spiritual Light. A dense Profound Yin Water Essence Qi perated the air.
After a long while, he slowly awakened from a state of deep enlightennt.
’So I really have reached the Qi Cultivation 7th Layer...’
Ling Changqing let out a sigh of relief. Feeling the increasingly pure and abundant Spiritual Power in his body, he felt a joy he had never experienced before.
The Qi Cultivation 7th Layer was considered the Late stage Qi Cultivation, a significant leap in power from the Middle stage Qi Cultivation. In a clan like the Ling Family, or any power of comparable size, this level was enough to qualify for a position as a Powerful Elder.
A silent ssage, imbued with a mysterious Dao Rhy, materialized in his sea of consciousness:
[Master of the Era Star Palace: Ling Changqing]
[Bone Age: 18]
[Cultivation: Qi Cultivation 7th Layer]
[Destiny: 41 137]
[Blessed Fortune: 39 118]
[Physique: 22]
[Root Bone: 21]
[Comprehension: 23]
[Divine Soul: 53]
[Alchemy Dao: 4871/5000 (Rank One Low Grade)]
[Primary Cultivation Technique: Profound Truth Black Water Scripture (2nd Floor) 7930/10000]
[Spirit Root: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Middle Rank Character 8671/10000]
[Nobles: Ling Zifeng/Tang Qiu Yao/Ling Qiyue]
[Noble: ?]
With the increase in his Cultivation, his Destiny and Blessed Fortune had also grown significantly, as had his Physique and Root Bone.
The continuous strengthening of his Divine Soul Origin also caused his comprehension to rise, which in turn doubled his Cultivation efficiency.
His Alchemy Dao was on the verge of leveling up. His Primary Cultivation Technique and Spirit Root Talent were also close to transforming. It wouldn’t be long before he reached the next stage in all of them.
Another slot for a Noble had opened up, but Ling Changqing was still considering whose na to fill it with. He wondered if Fu Yin Xue would be a suitable choice.
’If I go back to "work" in the sea again, not only will it be safer, but the rate at which my Luck and Fortune depletes should also slow. I’ll be able to stay underwater for longer...’
Ling Changqing pondered this. These were the benefits of continuously raising his Cultivation.
’Once I break through to the Foundation Establishnt Realm,’ he thought, ’I’ll be even more like a fish in water down there, right?’
After a mont of thought, Ling Changqing rose from the bed. He deactivated the arrays and Restrictions in the Cultivation Chamber one by one, then opened the door and walked out.
There was no Maid waiting outside this ti. Perhaps Tang Qiu Yao hadn’t accurately estimated when he would erge from his seclusion and hadn’t made arrangents.
Ling Changqing didn’t mind. He walked to the courtyard where Tang Qiu Yao lived and found the head Maid, Longyun.
"Young Master, you’re out?"
Longyun bowed in greeting, a look of pleasant surprise on her face.
Ling Changqing asked gently, "Is Senior Sister not here?"
"My mistress hasn’t returned for a while. She is likely with the Patriarch, I believe."
"Alright, I’ll go take a look."
With that, Ling Changqing turned and left the residence. He took out a Flying Ship from his Storage Pouch and flew toward the Council Hall at the clan headquarters.
「A mont later, in Ling Qiyue’s Embroidery Tower.」
"...Little Junior Brother, what brings you here all by yourself?"
Ling Qiyue, dressed in a Bright Yellow Embroidered Phoenix Skirt that made her appear dignified and breathtakingly beautiful, studied the handso, purple-robed young man before her and nodded in satisfaction.
"Qi Cultivation 7th Layer. Excellent. Your rate of Cultivation is comparable to my own back in the day!"
"I have Senior Sister to thank for the resources."
Ling Changqing glanced at the stunning beauty before him, curious about her Spirit Root Talent, but he thought better of asking.
From an inner chamber, with the pleasant tinkling of jade pendants, a bewitching and radiant beauty erged. The Spiritual Pressure of a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator emanated from her, controlled but unmistakable.
Ling Changqing turned his head, his surprise evident. "Senior Sister Tang, you’ve successfully reached Foundation Establishnt as well?"
Tang Qiu Yao nodded with a smile. "My accumulated Cultivation was sufficient, so there was no reason to delay any longer. I just went ahead and advanced."
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