The morning sun filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stone floor of the courtyard. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of dew and the faint, lingering musk of the previous night's activities.
Tianmo sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, his eyes closed. Around him, the golden energy of heaven and earth swirled like a tempest, funneling into his body with terrifying efficiency.
The breakthrough to the Peak-Sixth Stage of Foundation Establishment had been seamless, almost anticlimactic. The Immortal Dantian didn't just store Qi; it devoured it like a hungry Tao Tao.
The barrier between realms, which took ordinary cultivators months to shatter, had dissolved like paper.
He opened his eyes.
The world looked different. The dust motes dancing in the sunlight were no longer just specks; they were tiny universes suspended in motion. He could hear the heartbeat of a squirrel three hundred meters away, burrowing into the earth. He could sense the flow of the spiritual veins deep beneath the mountain, a network of invisible rivers of power.
The unsealing of his meridians is progressing rapidly because of the Supreme Dao bones.
Tianmo exhaled a long, white breath, the air shimmering as it left his lips, carrying with it the impurities expelled during his refinement. His internal state was calm, like a lake undisturbed by wind.
"According to the original plot line, the Wang Family would soon find the Earth vein in their territory and get wiped out by a powerful faction..." Wang Tianmo recalled the plot.
In the novel, the Wang Family was a minor clan, insignificant in the grand scheme of the Eastern Region, with the clan patriarch, Wang Xuhan, being at the Late-sixth stage of the Golden Core realm. He was a proud man, his ambition outstripping his cultivation base.
He sought to expand his clan's influence, to leave his mark on the world. But the world had other plans. He was clearly a fool unable to see the greatness of Mount Tai. A Golden core realm is but an ant, that should only crawl not fly.
The discovery of the Earth vein was less of a blessing and more of a curse. It drew the attention of the major powerhouse, particularly other families from nearby territory.
The Wang Family's attempt to control the vein was met with ruthless suppression. The clan was decimated, its members scattered or killed, and the patriarch, Wang Xuhan, was also killed brutally.
Only Ling'er, Tianmo, and Elder Brother, who were in the sect were spared. It was also the reason that caused Ling'er Dao heart to become unstable.
Tianmo's lips curled into a cold, sneering smile. "How tragic. The Wang family thinks they've found a goldmine, but they've merely dug their own graves... However, now I am also a member of the Wang Family, the same fate won't befall them."
He stood up, dusting off his robes. "The plot dictates that the Wang family is wiped out within three months of the discovery. That means the Mid-grade 'Earth Vein' has already been found, or is about to be."
****
The Valley of Morning Dew is a landscape painted in the hues of immortality, a sanctuary where the mundane dust of the world dared not settle. Mist clung to the emerald peaks like the breath of sleeping dragons, winding through ancient pines that stood as silent sentinels of time.
The air here was not merely simple air; it was a thick, viscous nectar of spiritual energy, cool and fragrant, filling the lungs with a vitality that could extend a mortal's lifespan by mere inhalation all thanks to the newly formed Earth vein spreading abundant Vitality.
A crystal-clear stream carved through the valley floor, its water possessing a clarity that defied the laws of the physical realm, reflecting the azure sky above with an almost mirror-like perfection.
It was a place of profound Daoist rhythm, where the rustling of leaves and the babbling of water seemed to chant the sutras of heaven and earth. Everywhere one could feel the presence of the profound Dao.
Deep within this valley, ensconced within a natural cavern reinforced by formations of profound complexity, sat the Wang Family Ancestral Hall. It was a structure of obsidian and jade, radiating an overwhelming pressure.
At the head of the long, pear-wood table sat Wang Xuhan. His presence was like a mountain, unyielding and imposing. His eyes, like two stars of the cold night sky.
"Patriarch, with the presence of Earth Vein, the aura here is boundless, it is the best place for cultivation. However, it is both a blessing and a curse to our Wang Family."
The voice belonged to Wang Lin, the First Elder of the Wang Family and Wang Xuhan's third brother. Though he lacked the aptitude to cultivate to the Golden Core realm, stagnating at the Great Foundation Establishment stage, his mind was as sharp as a treasured blade.
He stroked his beard, his gaze fixed on the pulsating spiritual map projected in the center of the hall.
Wang Xuhan remained motionless, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest of his chair carved from Black Ironwood. The sound was faint, yet in the silence of the hall, it resonated like a drumbeat of war.
He did not speak immediately, allowing the gravity of the current situation to settle over the gathered elders after all, it's a matter related to their family's existence.
Wang Xuhan's gaze swept across the room, meeting the eyes of each elder in turn. His lips, thin and pressed together in a line of grim determination, finally parted.
"You are all aware of the precarious situation we find ourselves in," he began, his voice small, yet carrying the weight of a thousand stones.
"The emergence of this Earth Vein within our territory is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, for it elevates our land to a status of unparalleled spiritual vitality. A curse, for it paints a target upon our backs, making us the envy of every power within the Eastern region."
He leaned forward, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the armrests of his chair. The air around him seemed to thicken, charged with an energy.
"A mortal who finds a pearl in a pile of dung does not become a king; he becomes a corpse," Wang Xuhan continued, his voice dropping an octave, resonating with the suppressed pressure of his cultivation base. "We are that mortal, and the Earth Vein is the pearl. Our strength is insufficient to guard such a treasure indefinitely."
The hall fell into a heavy silence. The flickering candlelight cast long, dancing shadows against the walls, mirroring the unease in the hearts of the elders.
Wang Bo, the Second Elder, slammed his palm onto the table, the sound cracking through the heavy silence like a whip. He was a burly man, his cultivation at the Peak of the Great Foundation Establishment realm, his qi turbulent and aggressive.
"Brother, you speak too softly!" Wang Bo growled, his eyes burning with a mixture of greed and defiance. "We are not mortals clutching a pearl! We are the Wang Family! You sit at the Late Sixth Stage of the Golden Core realm. In this Azure Land, who dares look down upon us? The Li Family? The Chen Clan? They are nothing but hyenas circling a lion. If we show weakness now, we invite the very doom you fear."
Wang Xuhan's expression did not shift, but the temperature in the room seemed to plummet. He looked at his second brother, his gaze calm yet piercing, seeing through the bravado to the fear underneath.
The Azure Land refers to an area controlled by the Azure Cloud Sect, containing many villages and mountains.
The best outcome would be to serve under the Sect and become the proxy controller of Earth Vein.
The Li Family, the Chen Family, the Wang Family, and the Zhao Family are four major families within the valley of Morning Dew.
The Li Family is the strongest among them, with Li Tianshu, their patriarch, at the Peak of the Ninth Stage of the Golden Core realm. The Chen Family is the second strongest, with Chen Wuwang at the Early Ninth Stage of the Golden Core realm.
The Wang family is the weakest and has less heritage compared to other families.
Wang Xuhan's expression remained impassive, though a flicker of cold calculation passed through his eyes. He slowly raised a hand, silencing the rising murmurs among the elders.
"The Li family has the support of the blacksmith association, the Chen family controls the trade routes, and the Zhao family holds the ancient formations," Wang Xuhan said, his voice cutting through the air like a cold wind.
"We? We have only this valley and our resolve. To think we can stand alone against them is not bravery, Second Brother. It is stupidity. We don't have backing, we are merely lambs awaiting to be slaughter. The only hope of our family lies with Ling'er or Tianmo, if one of them becomes an inner disciple, the other family can only swallow their pride. We need to send a messenger to the Sect about Earth Vein to show our sincerity." he added.
It's only a matter of time before sect learns about it.
"Brother! Do you not hear your own words?" Wang Bo's face flushed a dark crimson, the veins on his forehead throbbing in sync with the agitated Qi swirling around him. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping harshly against the stone floor. "To voluntarily offer up a treasure of this magnitude to the Sect? It is akin to feeding a tiger with one's own flesh! Once the Azure Cloud Sect takes control of this vein, what is left for us? Scraps? We shall become tenants in our own ancestral home, reduced to mere watchdogs for their disciples!"
The hall erupted into a cacophony of murmurs and anxious whispers. The elders shifted in their seats, their loyalties torn between the desperate greed for the spiritual energy and the terrifying pragmatism of the Patriarch.
Wang Lin, the First Elder, remained seated, his brow furrowed in deep contemplation. He raised a hand, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the rising tide of dissent. "Second Brother, your passion clouds your judgment. Sit down."
Wang Bo hesitated, his chest heaving, but the authority in Wang Lin's tone, backed by years of steady counsel, compelled him to comply. He sank back into his chair, though his glare remained fixed on the Patriarch.
Wang Lin turned his gaze to Wang Xuhan. "Patriarch, while Brother Bo's lack of decorum is regrettable, his fear is not unfounded. If we surrender the vein, we lose our leverage. The other families will mock us into oblivion. Our standing in the valley will crumble. We must consider if there is a middle path. A way to utilize the vein without inviting immediate annihilation. It is the test from Heaven, we must be wise."
Wang Xuhan closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. The spiritual energy in the hall felt heavy, oppressive. He understood their desires. For a family without a deep heritage, a mid-grade spiritual vein was the ladder to the heavens. But he also understood the cruelty of the cultivation world.
"How can a tree grow if there are no roots at all? Can the Wang Family even stand against the storm?... Let's think rationally, deep down we know, we can't stand the storm. Don't blame me, blame the cruel world where the poor are simply sinners for obtaining the gold?" Wang Xuhan roared, his voice echoing through the hall like the tolling of a death knell. The sheer pressure of his Late Sixth Stage Golden Core aura descended, crushing the dissenting murmurs into terrified silence.
"Look at me!!! Just look at me!!!!! Do you think in any way I look happy to hand away the Earth vein?!! All bark and no bite... Look at yourself, which one of you has even touched the threshold of the Golden Core realm? You foundation stage fools dare teach me how to do things? When you've reached Great Foundation, then you can lecture me... You are my bloodkin that's why I tolerate you guys, don't try to get over my head just because I am easy to talk to."
The oppressive pressure in the hall receded as quickly as it had arrived, leaving the elders gasping for air, their robes damp with cold sweat.
"Brother you are wise... But let's say, we do as you said and send a messenger, what's the guarantee that the elder won't be greedy and use the Earth Vein for their personal use? In what capacity can you say, even if we hand over the Earth Vein, we will be spared? Think, brother. Think!"
Wang Lin counterattacked.
"Brother what would you do if you were in their shoe? Think logically... For a sect such as the Azure Cloud Sect with tens and thousands of disciples, they don't need our Wang Family as a proxy. Our lives are merely numbers in their eyes.. If I were personally a Powerful Elder within the sect, I would surely choose a powerful proxy instead of the Wang Family... And the best way would be to wipe them out... However, that's simply my view Patriarch," he further added.
The silence that followed Wang Lin's words was not merely an absence of sound; it was a vacuum that threatened to suffocate the very air in the hall.
Wang Xuhan sat back, the earlier fire in his eyes cooling into a glacial, piercing calm. He has no reply to that. He doesn't have a guarantee. Matter of fact, he would do the same.
Everyone took a heavy breath.
Just then,
"The Li Family patriarch is here to meet the Wang Family patriarch!"
The voice boomed from the formation array outside the hall, devoid of the customary politeness usually reserved for peers. It was more of a declaration than a request.