Chapter 86 Departure from the Cliff Mountain

As Chen Li asked this Soul-searching question, the others felt as if they had dreamed back to the time when Chen Li taught them in the Immortal Learning Tower.

During those summer years on Black Magpie Mountain, they would sit in the Immortal Teaching Room on the second floor of the Immortal Learning Tower while Chen Li gave his lectures. Outside, the cicadas chirped in the sweltering summer heat as they yearned for the world beyond the windows.

But their father had told them: first learn your skills well, and then the world outside will be yours!

As they gradually grew up over the years, they realized their father was right—the outside world was cruel!

Chen Li teaching them again today brought back many fond memories.

Back at the Zizai Pavilion, Chen Li had also thought a lot. Why had he asked that question?

Because the Family had no Spiritual Vein and the children's Spiritual Root Aptitude was poor, yet the lowest among them now was at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Both he and Zhu Lingyue knew exactly how great their Family's wealth was, but the children did not. Therefore, he had to make it clear to them: concealing their cultivation was vital to the Family's current situation!

The first generation of Cultivators is crucial to a Family's development. If the first generation were to stir up trouble everywhere—provoking one Family today, forcing the Old Ancestor to settle it, and then provoking another tomorrow, forcing the Old Ancestor to fight them too?

Then he, the Old Ancestor, might as well be titled the Family Fire Captain. He could already imagine the scene: 'Old Ancestor, I'm about to be beaten to death, come save me!'

How could a Family develop if the cultivation environment was unstable? How could the Family's Cultivators steadily increase their cultivation and go further in this unpredictable world of cultivation?

Chen Li watched Chen Songli and the others as they pondered. He took the Opportunity to tell them the story of Zhang An, and then the story of Huang Jin.

Chen Li told them the Family had an ample supply of Medicinal Pills because he had found some Opportunities in the Boundless Forest. This gave them a clear 'wealth anchor' and explained the source of the Family's abundance.

Chen Li could not tell them about the Place of Opportunity within his Sea of Consciousness, so he could only establish this kind of wealth anchor relationship.

Chen Li let them know that if anyone with ill intentions noticed their Family's wealth, those Opportunities would likely vanish into thin air. There would be no more ample supply of pills, and plenty of trouble would come knocking.

Finally, Chen Li analyzed that if the Family lost its wealth anchor, the entire Family might be reduced to fighting over a single foundation establishment pill—fathers robbing sons, and sons stabbing fathers in the back.

He told them that if a Family was filled with nothing but schemes, it would be better to disband early.

Chen Songli truly understood her father's meaning. Her father was at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, yet he still publicly claimed to be at the Eighth Level of Qi Refining.

She said, "Father, I have read many books. Our Family has no Spiritual Vein and no great power backing us."

"Yet we can have worry-free cultivation resources because our Family holds a secret from the Boundless Forest."

"Before we have enough power, our Family cannot protect this secret. We would face total destruction, and the whole Family might perish!"

"So we cannot act high-profile just because our cultivation is high, because our cultivation is still very weak in this region."

Chen Li nodded. "Songli is right, that is exactly what I mean! The Chen Family belongs to me, but it also belongs to everyone! It requires every member of the Family to maintain it for it to last!"

Chen Songxuan realized the truth. This answered the doubts he had harbored for over a decade. This secret was indeed momentous. No wonder the Family had enough pills all these years; it was an Opportunity from the Boundless Forest.

Then they had to be even more restrained and low-key! Otherwise, if others found out, there would be no end to the trouble!

Chen Songxuan echoed, "Father, I share Eldest Sister's opinion!"

At this moment, Chen Songyan had an 'aha' expression. If others knew about the Family's situation, how could someone like him, with such poor Comprehension Ability, have cultivated to this point?

"Father, although my Spiritual Root Aptitude is good, my Comprehension Ability is very poor. If not for the Family's resources and help, I would surely have achieved nothing. Hiding our cultivation is for the sake of our stable growth!"

"Correct. The strength of a Family requires everyone's hard work!"

Chen Songxiao also understood his father's painstaking efforts. His admiration for his father deepened; this was something he had to learn!

"Father, I understand. We must achieve our goals steadily!"

Chen Li nodded. By speaking plainly about the Family's situation this time, he wanted them to have a clear understanding. They couldn't let it go to their heads just because they had ample cultivation resources!

However, Chen Li changed the subject. "But besides knowing how to restrain one's brilliance, a Family must also know when to strike. If you are bullied, you must strike back. Plan before you act and launch a thorough counterattack!"

Chen Li added, "When you open the shop in the county, you will surely encounter difficulties and meet all kinds of people. You must be cautious, keep your wits about you, and do not trust others easily."

Facing Chen Li's earnest exhortations, Chen Songli and the others all agreed.

They also realized they had grown up. They couldn't stay in the mountains or in Liangxi County forever! The world was vast, and though dangerous, they had to see it for themselves!

After the lesson at the Zizai Pavilion, a spring breeze blew, and Chen Li took a sip of tea.

Looking down at the scenery below the mountain, Chen Li began mass-producing fourth-grade Spirit Trapping Formations since he had ripened many Materials.

...

A few days later, Chen Li went to the market again to sell a batch of Spiritual Plants and Medicinal Pills. He then bought Formation Materials for four Fifth-level Demonic Beasts and over a thousand essential Talismans, spending nearly a hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

These included escape talismans, breath concealing talismans, invisibility talismans, and so on.

After returning to Black Magpie Mountain, Chen Li gave several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones to Chen Songxuan and the others as daily expenses and start-up capital for the shop.

Chen Songxuan could not refuse his father's forceful love and could only accept it. However, they now knew these Spirit Stones came from the secret Opportunity in the Boundless Forest, which made them cherish the stones and remain low-key.

If the secret of the Boundless Forest's Place of Opportunity were discovered, their good days would be over!

...

Half a month later, in the Concentric Heart Hall, Chen Songmei, who was at the Qi Refining First Layer, had recently learned many Spells.

"Father, look at my telekinesis! Look at my Fire Control Technique!" Chen Songmei learned very quickly. It seemed Chen Li's Heaven-Defying Comprehension Ability was a dominant gene, passed to daughters but not sons.

Zhu Lingyue said to Chen Li, "Husband, the fifth child's cultivation speed is extremely fast. With just one or two bottles of qi overflowing pills, I think she can reach the peak of the Qi Refining First Layer!"

"This child also learns things very quickly; her Comprehension Ability must be excellent."

Chen Li was also very gratified. Fortunately, she didn't have Five Spiritual Roots, or with her personality, seclusion would be unbearable. He asked, "Songmei, do you like Formations?"

Chen Songmei shook her head. "Father, I don't like them. I like Puppets like Third Brother's!"

"Haha, so you like your third brother's path. We'll see when you're a bit older!"

"Father, I've also learned a lot of cooking from Third Brother. When you have time, I'll cook for you."

"Alright! Then I shall look forward to it!"

After seeing Chen Songmei in the Concentric Heart Hall, Chen Li returned to the Great Sun Seed Cultivation Cave Mansion and began preparing his items, including Formations, pills, spears, swords, and Talismans.

Three days later, Chen Li informed Zhu Lingyue and the children of the song generation before flying toward Duan Ya Mountain.

It took Chen Li half a day to fly to the Taihu Mountain Range. When he tried not to use sword-flying, he found that at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, he could fly through the air briefly, though not with the light-streak flight of Golden Core or Nascent Soul stages.

Flying over the Taihu Mountain Range and continuing north for a day, he arrived near Duan Ya Mountain.

He activated the map guidance mode in his Sea of Consciousness to search for Lin Feng's location.