88: Chapter 89 Han Lu Invasion

On that day, after the Silver Scroll was bestowed, not long after returning home, Jiang Yutao followed Jiang Chengning's instructions and pressed the scroll against her forehead.

The next moment, the spiritual light within the scroll flowed like water, silently pouring into her Sea of Consciousness.

Suddenly, a complete Cultivation Technique appeared in her mind, along with sections of the Grain Rain Dao discourse, layers of Qi-gathering and meridian-circulating methods, and two paths for breaking through the Foundation Establishment.

When Jiang Yutao opened her eyes again, the Silver Scroll had automatically dissipated, its surface blank as if not a single character had ever appeared on it.

Since then, although she had not yet officially entered the Dao, she already possessed an understanding of cultivation that many others in the Early Stage of Qi Refining might not even grasp.

This was the preciousness of the Chengtian Sect's Silver Scroll—it truly provided a path of guidance that could not be imparted to outsiders.

Jiang Yutao suddenly asked, "Second Uncle, if I follow the Summer Solstice path, does that mean I cannot receive the register in the future?"

Jiang Chengning nodded and said, "It is not appropriate for the time being."

Jiang Yutao blinked.

"Then, if I cultivate well in the future, can I still help the Family supplement the Summer Solstice path?"

Jiang Chengning looked at her and said, "Naturally, you can."

Jiang Yutao immediately smiled.

"That's not bad either! Sister Yuhe and Brother supplement the Grain Rain, and I supplement the Summer Solstice. When the Family prospers in the future, won't we have all four seasons?"

Jiang Xingshi said in a low voice, "Currently, we only have Grain Rain and Summer Solstice; we are still very far from having all four seasons."

Jiang Yutao said, "That is why we need to supplement them slowly."

Outside the main hall, hurried footsteps could be heard approaching.

Sun Jingxiu entered from outside, his sleeves still carrying the chill of the air.

He first bowed to the group, then said in a low voice, "Uncle Chengning, another conflict has broken out on the east bank."

Jiang Chengning seemed to have anticipated this, asking, "The Han Family?"

Sun Jingxiu said, "This time, on the surface, it is one of the Han Family's affiliated clans, the Qian Clan. They claim that a spiritual resource outside the Luoxi Mouth waterway originally belonged to them for shared use, and now that the Jiang Family occupies Luoxi Mouth, the water rights must be redistributed."

Jiang Yutao raised an eyebrow.

"Redistribute water rights? What water are they trying to divide during the Winter Solstice? They are clearly just looking for trouble, aren't they?"

Sun Jingxiu looked at her and nodded, saying, "Most likely."

Jiang Xingshi asked, "Have they made a move?"

Sun Jingxiu said, "Not yet. Old Crow Chen is leading men to block them there. The other side is not in a hurry to fight either; they are just blocking the weir, demanding that the Jiang Family give them an explanation."

A cold chill deepened in Jiang Chengning's eyes.

Throughout this season, the probing from the Han and Lu families had become increasingly frequent.

The Jiang Family had originally kept the matter of Jiang Yuhe leaving home very well hidden.

Externally, it was only claimed that she was in seclusion, and the Formation was used to mask the Qi aura of Baili Mountain. However, as time passed, the east bank eventually sensed that something was wrong.

In several small conflicts at Luoxi Mouth, Jiang Yuhe had not appeared.

The Han and Lu families naturally would test them.

The Han Family had two affiliated clans, and the Qian Clan was just one of them.

Now that the Han Family was not taking the field themselves, they pushed their affiliated clans to test the boundaries of Luoxi Mouth, precisely to see if the Jiang Family could truly still hold the situation.

As for the Lu Family.

The reason they had not been annexed by the Gu Clan, Shen Clan, or Han Family was because a woman from the Lu Family had married into the direct lineage of a peak master of the Chengtian Sect as a concubine.

With this reputation, others found it difficult to treat the Lu Family as an ordinary, rootless Qi Refining Family.

Now that the interests of the Han and Lu families were aligned, they shifted the conflict to the Jiang Family, and thus came to harass them more and more frequently.

Jiang Chengning slowly closed the roster.

"Where is Shoushan?"

Sun Jingxiu said, "Uncle Shoushan is patrolling the Formation on the north slope and has not returned yet."

Jiang Chengning stood up.

"I will make a trip to Luoxi Mouth."

Jiang Xingshi suddenly said, "Second Uncle, I will go too."

Jiang Chengning looked at him.

Jiang Xingshi's expression was gentle, and he did not avoid Jiang Chengning's gaze.

"I have not yet entered the Dao, but I have been in contact with such ledgers since I was young. If that spiritual resource truly involves old contracts, it should be recorded in the waterway ledgers left by the Luo Family."

"I will follow along. If they try to stir up trouble using past, unclear matters, I can at least help clarify and refute them."

Jiang Yutao immediately said, "I will go too."

Jiang Chengning frowned.

"I appreciate the good intention."

He glanced at Jiang Xingshi, then looked at Jiang Yutao.

"But neither of you can go."

Jiang Yutao was stunned and was about to speak, but Jiang Chengning said in a calm voice, "Now that Yuhe is far away, the probing from the Han and Lu families has reached this point; they will not stop at mere words."

"Today they use the dispute over the Luoxi Mouth spiritual resource as an excuse, and tomorrow they can use another. As long as they confirm that Yuhe is not on Baili Mountain, these probes will sooner or later turn into the flames of war."

"If you go, even if you gain the upper hand in words, it will only delay them for a moment."

"If they truly want to make a move, they can find another excuse at any time."

Jiang Yutao's lips moved, but in the end, she did not argue immediately.

Jiang Chengning explained, "Cultivation is not just about simple seclusion and breathing to achieve Immortal Ascension."

"In the struggle of the Great Dao, names, human favors, and righteousness all rely on strength to be sustained."

"If they attack today, as long as they can temporarily cover the eyes and ears of others, once they take Luoxi Mouth and swallow the Jiang Family's territory, even if they fabricate a few blank sheets of paper later, they can wash themselves clean."

"Even if the whole world knows in the future that the Han and Lu families acted unjustly, so what?"

He looked up at the winter frost outside the hall.

"A hundred years from now, how many will remember a Jiang Family that has already been destroyed?"

The main hall fell silent.

Jiang Chengning turned back, his gaze falling on the two of them, his voice softening slightly.

"You are both still young."

"Yutao has obtained the Chengtian Sect's Silver Scroll; the Fourth-Grade Summer Solstice Cultivation Technique can be cultivated to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, and the two methods for breaking through the Foundation are not things that ordinary families can produce. If things go smoothly in the future, you have a good chance of reaching Foundation Establishment."

Jiang Yutao looked down at the blank Silver Scroll in her arms, and the defiance she felt earlier dissipated bit by bit.

Jiang Chengning looked at Jiang Xingshi again.

"Xingshi, you do not need to belittle yourself either."

"These past years, regarding the clan's cultivation manuals and land deed ledgers, although you do not say much, I have seen it all. You are very diligent in everything you do, and your progress in understanding the Dao is indeed gratifying."

"When you gather Qi and enter the Dao next spring, you will have the opportunity to receive the register. Since the Jiang Family needs to supplement the Grain Rain path, we cannot do without you."

Jiang Xingshi lowered his eyes and said, "I understand."

Jiang Chengning nodded.

"The Jiang Family is no longer that Cold Household that lived off a few acres of poor farmland."

"Now we have Luoxi Mouth, Qinggeng Slope, the Sun and Luo families as followers, and the Chengtian Sect's Silver Scroll and inner sect quotas. The cultivation resources are no longer as difficult as they were in the past."

"Whether the Jiang Family can truly become an Immortal clan in the future cannot depend solely on Yuhe, nor can it depend solely on us old folks."

He looked at the brother and sister and said word by word, "The future of the Jiang Family lies with all of you in the Xing and Yu generations."

"Therefore, the more it is like this, the more you must remain calm and focus on your cultivation, instead of throwing yourselves into danger for a conflict that is destined to arise."

Jiang Yutao bit her lip.

She usually loved to joke, but this time she rarely talked back, only saying in a low voice, "I know."

Jiang Xingshi also nodded.

"Second Uncle, rest assured."

Jiang Chengning withdrew his gaze and stood up to put on his outer robe.

"Go find Suwen."

"Tell her to notify Shoushan immediately to go to Luoxi Mouth to stabilize the situation."

As he said this, he looked at Sun Jingxiu.

"Jingxiu, you come with me first."

Sun Jingxiu immediately cupped his hands.

"Yes."

Jiang Chengning did not delay any further and, taking Sun Jingxiu with him, stepped quickly out of the ancestral home.

The cold wind outside the hall swirled, causing the lamp shadows by the door to sway gently.