112: Chapter 112 Trip

"Through life and death, over these ten years, our Li Family's total number of Cultivators has seen a net decrease of thirteen. As of today, there are two hundred eighty-eight registered Cultivators in the entire Family."

"Among them, there are five Foundation Establishment Cultivators, two Qi Refining Stage 10 Cultivators, four Qi Refining 9th Layer Cultivators, eight Qi Refining 8th Layer Cultivators, ten core clan members at the Qi Refining 7th Layer, and the rest are clan members below the Qi Refining 7th Layer."

Discussing the Mortal population, Clan Leader Li Huaming's tone softened slightly: "Fortunately, the small-scale beast tide several years ago was fully repelled by the Cultivators and Martial Artists in the Family, and it did not affect the Mortal villages on a large scale. The Mortal population under our Li Family has steadily multiplied, increasing by over fifty thousand in the past ten years, making the Family's secular Foundation increasingly solid."

"As for fixed Family assets such as clan fields, mineral veins, medicinal gardens, and shops, there have been many renovations and expansions over the last ten years. The details are complex, so I will not elaborate on them one by one here. After the meeting, there will be complete dossiers and rosters available for everyone to review and verify."

Pausing slightly, Clan Leader Li Huaming shifted his tone and announced the clan's core income and expenditure for the last ten years: "Over the past ten years, the total income from various Family industries, rent collection, and resource acquisition amounted to 198,800 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, which includes the 30,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones obtained from clearing out the Lu Family lands a few years ago."

"Over these ten years, expenditures including stipends for clan members, pensions for those who perished on the Dao, purchases of Cultivation supplies, social interactions, and daily operational costs totaled 156,500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"According to the final accounting, there is a net profit of 42,300 Low-Grade Spirit Stones over the ten years. Excluding the 30,000 windfall from the Lu Family, our Family's local industries still steadily earned a profit of 12,300 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, indicating a state of steady growth."

After the accounts were publicized, the expressions of those in the hall settled slightly, and they nodded secretly, understanding the recent situation of the Family.

Clan Leader Li Huaming composed his expression and continued to loudly promulgate the subsequent new Family regulations and policies, every sentence being a grand plan for the Family's development over the next ten and one hundred years.

"The second item of the meeting: the Family has set new regulations! For the next ten years, we will fully increase support for talents in the hundred arts of Cultivation! Any clan member who devotes themselves to practicing Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Talisman Making, Formations, or Spirit Beast taming, upon each Breakthrough of a small Realm, will immediately be given a special reward of fifty to one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones by the Family to encourage clan members to delve deep into their crafts and fill the gaps in the Family's hundred arts!"

"The third item of the meeting: focusing on the secular Foundation! Within the next thirty years, the Family will continue to increase efforts in cultivating Mortal Martial Artists! One thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones will be allocated annually to specifically reward Mortal Martial Artists who break through the Body Tempering Peak before the age of twenty-five, helping them condense their Qi and blood, break through shackles, and step into the Innate Realm, thereby building a solid secular barrier for the Family and accumulating basic combat power!"

"The fourth item of the meeting: new regulations for supplementing Bloodline reproduction! We encourage all clan Cultivators to branch out and flourish, thriving the Li Family Bloodline! Any offspring born to clan Cultivators, if found to have a Spiritual Root upon testing, will receive corresponding rewards: one-inch Spiritual Root, a reward of ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones; two-inch Spiritual Root, a reward of twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones; three-inch Spiritual Root, a reward of fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones; four-inch or higher Spiritual Root, in addition to the reward of one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, will also be granted exclusive Cultivation resources, Family priority, and exceptional cultivation!"

As each new policy was firmly established, echoing in the solemn meeting hall, a brand-new tone was set for the Li Family's development in the next ten years. It was not until three hours later that this Family meeting came to an end.

...

Three months passed quickly. During these three months, Li Changqing produced thirty-five 2nd-tier Talismans, including Gold Sword Talismans, Earth Escape Talismans, Invisibility Talismans, Armor-Piercing Talismans, Air Escape Talismans, and Gold Armor Talismans.

On this day, on the east side of Xuanling Island, after bidding farewell to Zhang Yuxi, Li Changqing transformed into a streak of light and disappeared in the direction of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.

The Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range stretches for hundreds of thousands of miles, with layers of mountains and Peaks shrouded in dense Spiritual Qi mist all year round.

The deeper one goes into the hinterland, the more ferocious and deafening the beast roars become. The outer regions only have 1st-tier Yao Beasts wandering about, but once one steps into the central region, it is the territory occupied by 2nd-tier Yao Beasts, filled with murderous intent. Even ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators dare not intrude alone.

The dark green ancient forest blocked the sky and the sun, with towering ancient trees and gnarled branches intertwined, almost locking off the entire firmament.

Mottled Spiritual mist descended into the forest, mixed with the stench of blood from Yao Beasts and the Spiritual Qi of vegetation. As the wind passed through the treetops, the rustling sounds concealed unknown dangers.

A figure in a green shirt stood alone on a bluestone between two mountains.

It was the Foundation Establishment Cultivator Li Changqing. He was dressed in a clean green Cultivator robe that fit his body, with tightened cuffs. A Storage Pouch and a Spirit-Tempered long sword hung at his waist. The aura around him was condensed and restrained, his Foundation Establishment cultivation firmly dormant within his body without leaking a single bit, maximizing the avoidance of Divine Sense detection by high-level Yao Beasts.

He raised his hand and unfolded a yellowed, ancient beast-skin map in his palm.

This was a tattered treasure map that had passed through hundreds of years. The leather was tough, and the edges were worn and blackened. On it, ancient patterns that had long been lost outlined the mountain ranges and veins of the central Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. The place marked with a red dot was where an Immortal Cave where a Golden Core Cultivator had passed away was hidden.

At the end of the map, a few words remained: "Hinterland of Ten Thousand Beasts, Old Xuanling Cave, Golden Core Legacy, Opportunity amidst danger."

"Finally reached the marked location."

Li Changqing's gaze was heavy as he scanned the steep mountain terrain around him, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

The central part of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range is a Forbidden Ground for Cultivators at the Qi Refinement Stage.

2nd-tier Yao Beasts are comparable to human Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and there are countless gregarious exotic beasts and hidden Vicious Beasts. Even if Foundation Establishment Cultivators travel together, they may not be able to retreat unscathed, let alone now that he is alone.

If it were not for the many life-saving Talismans he carried, a detailed map, the help of the Spirit-Seeking Mouse, and the addition of the Black Armor Turtle and the Flying Purple Nether Scorpion—two 2nd-tier Spirit Beasts with extraordinary strength—by his side, he would never have rashly stepped into this mountain range.

Squeak—

A faint sound came from his shoulder.

A palm-sized Spirit-Seeking Mouse, golden all over with smooth, shiny fur, was lying on Li Changqing's shoulder. Its lively, black bean-like eyes were turning around, and its small nose tip kept twitching, carefully sniffing the surrounding aura.

The Spirit-Seeking Mouse is born with the talent for seeking spirits. After its Bloodline evolved, Little Gold has an even sharper perception of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, treasure light, Formation fluctuations, and even hidden underground energy, far surpassing ordinary Cultivators. It is a natural nemesis for poisonous insects, dark assassins, and hidden traps.

Ordinary Cultivators exploring ancient sites and seeking mysteries fear hidden Formations, underground poisonous miasma, and hidden murderous intent the most, but with a 2nd-tier Spirit-Seeking Mouse possessing a Profound Rank Bloodline, one can avoid over ninety percent of unknown dangers.

"Little Gold, look for which direction the Immortal Cave's spiritual light is in," Li Changqing whispered softly.

The Spirit-Seeking Mouse was becoming more and more human-like. It immediately nodded its little head, leaped, landed on the ground, and its small golden body spun around quickly.

A moment later, it stopped, lifted its claw to point lightly towards the dark valley on the west side, made a faint squeaking sound, and the spiritual light in its eyes flickered slightly.