In the courtyard.
With the practiced movements of the maid, Song Xuelan, magical Restrictions for Concentrating and Calming the Mind and a Dust-Repelling Shield were activated one after another. The Spiritual Energy Array in the Cultivation Chamber was also activated.
Wisps of white, misty Spiritual Qi emerged from the Array, quickly filling the room with a hazy, dreamlike beauty.
Now that Ling Changqing's status was different, the cost of using this courtyard for Cultivation in Seclusion was discounted to two hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones a month.
"Young Master, if you have no other orders, I... I will take my leave now."
Song Xuelan said softly, her bright eyes fixed on the blue-robed youth before her.
Ling Changqing nodded slightly and said warmly, "Thank you for your trouble. I also need to thank you for what happened last time."
After a moment's thought, he took out two Qi Nourishing and Essence Storing Pills and pressed them into her hand. "You can go get back to your work. I'll call you if I need anything."
Song Xuelan agreed softly. She gave him a lingering, reluctant look before turning to leave.
After sealing the courtyard and activating the Array Restrictions, Ling Changqing sat down on the Cloud Bed in the Cultivation Chamber. Once he had calmed his Mind, he took out an Elixir and swallowed it.
His recent meeting with the Patriarch, Ling Qiyue, though brief, had provided Ling Changqing with a great deal of useful information.
First was the Female Patriarch's Cultivation. It was higher than he had imagined. 'Could she truly have a chance of reaching the Golden Core Realm in the future?'
This wasn't Ling Changqing's own observation, but a subtle judgment from the Era Star Palace.
Therefore, the impending deaths of the other two Ling Family Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators shouldn't have a significant negative impact, as long as Ling Qiyue could take that final step in time.
The Ling Family had occupied Zenxin Island and its surrounding waters for hundreds of years. The family's Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators had already changed over three generations, yet not a single Golden Core Realm Great Cultivator had ever emerged. They didn't even have a so-called Pseudo Core master.
As a result, the Ling Family's influence had always been confined to Zenxin Island and a few surrounding islands, unable to expand any further.
Across the tens of thousands of miles of ocean, there were many other large islands similar to Zenxin Island, occupied by more than a dozen clans of varying sizes, such as the Wu Family, the Yang Family, and the Zhou Family.
The largest of these clans had over a dozen Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators, while even the smallest had at least one to hold the fort. They each occupied territories corresponding to their strength.
Any clan leader with even a shred of ambition dreamed of sweeping away the various powers in this sea and taking their family to the next level.
Unfortunately, their strength never matched their ambitions. Through a complex web of alliances and checks and balances, this fragmented and constantly warring state had persisted for over a thousand years.
Ling Changqing knew full well that in this Cultivation Realm where strength was everything, the heights a clan could reach depended almost entirely on the Cultivation Level of its leader.
If the Ling Family truly produced a Golden Core Great Cultivator in the future, then crushing the surrounding clans and annexing their foundations would be a natural course of events.
If another clan produced a Golden Core Great Cultivator first, the outcome would be the same.
'It seems that as long as the Female Patriarch is around, the Ling Family won't be in immediate danger of collapse?'
Ling Changqing mused that as long as the family was as stable as a rock, he wouldn't have to consider packing up and running. His current life was quite good; moving somewhere else wouldn't necessarily be an improvement.
In the end, Ling Changqing was only at the Qi Cultivation 4th Layer. With so little strength, even if he were willing to die for the Ling Family, he couldn't change anything. The most pragmatic choice in a crisis would be to flee immediately.
'At worst, I'll just lie low and cultivate. Once my Cultivation is high enough, I can avenge the Ling Family as a matter of course.'
Then there was Tang Qiu Yao's identity. She didn't seem like a Cultivator raised by the Ling Family, but her relationship with Ling Qiyue was extraordinary. She was trusted as a confidante, and despite her youth, her Cultivation was also impressive.
As long as she had enough resources, Tang Qiu Yao would most likely have a chance to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm in the future.
Ling Changqing didn't dwell on these issues for too long. He quickly calmed his Mind and began to focus on his Cultivation in Seclusion.
「Three months passed quietly.」
On the final day, Ling Changqing awoke from a deep state of enlightenment and began to examine his status.
Within his sea of consciousness, a message imbued with a profound Dao Rhyme silently appeared:
[Master of the Era Star Palace: Ling Changqing]
[Bone Age: 14]
[Cultivation: Qi Cultivation 4th Layer]
[Destiny: 21+99]
[Blessed Fortune: 21+76]
[Physique: 16]
[Root Bone: 14]
[Comprehension: 15]
[Divine Soul: 23]
[Primary Cultivation Technique: Profound Truth Black Water Scripture (2nd Floor) 211/10000]
[Water Escape Technique: (3rd Floor) 11/3000]
[Water Spirit Shield: (3rd Floor) 35/3000]
[Water Manipulation Technique: (2nd Floor) 803/1000]
[Water Mirror Communication: (1st Floor) 760/1000]
[Water Tornado: (1st Floor) 510/1000]
[Profound Ice Water Arrow Technique: (1st Floor) 655/1000]
[Spirit Root: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Middle Rank Character 2130/10000]
[Noble: Ling Zifeng, Tang Qiu Yao]
Besides the continuous increase in his Destiny and Blessed Fortune, as well as his various physical attributes, his Primary Cultivation Technique and Divine Techniques had also clearly improved.
Of course, improving his Spirit Root Talent was especially difficult, so Ling Changqing didn't dare to hope for it for the time being.
The Profound Truth Black Water Scripture had finally reached the 2nd Floor, but its progress had slowed significantly, which was likely related to Ling Changqing's current Cultivation Level.
The first volume of the Profound Truth Black Water Scripture only had three minor Realms, which could ensure Ling Changqing could cultivate to the Qi Cultivation Great Perfection level. The middle volume was a Cultivation Technique for the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The Water Manipulation Technique was a newly exchanged, complete, advanced version, much stronger than the trash he had cultivated before. He had therefore chosen to re-cultivate it, and it was now at the 2nd Floor.
As for the other Divine Techniques, they had all improved to varying degrees. Using them in combination would allow Ling Changqing to move much more freely and flexibly underwater.
With Middle and High Grade Magical Artifacts, combined with his Cultivation Technique, Divine Techniques, and Talismans, Ling Changqing could now try to hunt certain Rank One Demon Beasts, such as the Silver-Whiskered Snowflake Fish or the ice-mouthed short-tailed spotted fish he had accidentally killed last time.
The flesh and blood of many Rank One Demon Beasts were high-value resources. Because they were difficult to hunt and in high demand, the market was often in a state of short supply.
As his Cultivation grew, Ling Changqing's demand for Cultivation Resources would also increase, so he had to find a way to improve his efficiency at gathering resources from the seabed.
A moment later, Ling Changqing opened his eyes and found that the Elixir resources in his Storage Pouch had been completely depleted.
It had only been three months, but of the ten thousand Low-grade Spirit Stone loan he had received, less than one hundred remained.
'Cultivation... it really burns through resources!'
Ling Changqing muttered to himself. From now on, not only did he have to continue earning Spirit Stones for Cultivation, but he also had to think about repaying his loan on schedule.
Fortunately, with his new status as a Direct Lineage disciple of the Ling Family, his future days would be a little easier. He wouldn't have to return to his previous precarious existence.
Getting out of bed, Ling Changqing left the courtyard and returned the Jade Token that controlled the Array Restrictions to Song Xuelan.
"Young Master, are you leaving again?"
Song Xuelan said gently, her expression melancholic.
Ling Changqing nodded. "It's time to go, but it shouldn't be too long before I come back to cultivate again, right?"
"That's wonderful!"
Hearing this, Song Xuelan couldn't contain her joy, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.
After flirting with her for a little longer, Ling Changqing finally left the main entrance of the Money Shop, only to find Tang Qiu Yao's Flying Ship waiting outside. It seemed she had been there for a while.
"...Get on, my little junior brother!"
The stunningly beautiful woman stood aboard, her lovely eyes filled with a smile.
With a free ride available, Ling Changqing naturally had no reason to refuse and immediately leaped aboard.
The magnificent Flying Ship immediately ascended, accelerating abruptly once it reached the clouds and flying toward the distant ocean.
"How are things at sea?"
In the cabin, Ling Changqing looked at the beautiful woman before him and asked.
Tang Qiu Yao replied, "Same as always. Ling Zifeng is doing his job diligently, so the family's resource gathering and stockpiling are proceeding smoothly. It won't delay the Patriarch's plans."
Ling Changqing asked thoughtfully, "No movement from the Wu Family? They're not just going to sit back and watch, are they?"
The conflict between the Ling Family and the Wu Family was no secret; even many low-level Loose Cultivators knew about it.
Tang Qiu Yao smiled. "Of course not, but we're not unprepared either. If they dare to make a move, the Patriarch will definitely teach them a lesson."
Ling Changqing pursed his lips. He wanted to ask about Patriarch Ling Qiyue's true Cultivation Level, but on second thought, he decided against it. With his current status, he wasn't qualified to know such a secret.
The Flying Ship parted the clouds as it sped through the sky, reaching its destination not long after.
Over ten Large Sea Boats, each more than a hundred zhang long, were linked together, forming a temporary sea fortress. The numerous Pearl Gatherers and Ling Family disciples lived and ate on these Sea Boats.
The Flying Ship slowly descended until it landed steadily on the foredeck of the central Sea Boat, where Ling Zifeng was already leading a group to greet them.
"Steward Ling, how have you been..."
Before Tang Qiu Yao could finish her sentence, her expression changed drastically.
Ling Changqing felt the hair on his body stand on end as an immense sense of danger washed over him. He instinctively activated five or six Water Shield Talismans, wrapping himself in a tight layer of protection.
Hundreds of brilliant lightning bolts descended from the sky, blanketing the many Pearl Gatherers and clan disciples on deck. All sorts of miserable screams and furious roars rose and fell.
Immediately after, dozens of blurry, mysterious figures appeared over the side of the ship, attacking with their Magical Artifacts.
"Enemy attack!"
Tian Wenhua's shocked and furious voice echoed through the air.