274: Chapter 274 Presenting the Treasure

After the Ghost of the Netherworld, the old man in blue, and the nameless old man retreated, they did not regroup but flew off in different directions; clearly, they were not on the same side.

The nameless old man watched the two receding figures and sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected the Ghost of the Netherworld and the old man in blue to be such wastes. Despite operating at the Martial King realm for hundreds of years, their combat prowess was so low, ruining his grand plan.

He had taken such a huge risk, yet not only did he fail to snatch the 5th-grade barrier-breaking pill, he didn't even manage to crush a single Martial Ancestor ant.

It would be best not to act rashly again; he really couldn't hold on much longer.

"Family... I have tried my best!"

...

Inside the Dali Courtyard meeting hall of the Ye Family, sandalwood incense curled, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Over a dozen Elders clad in dark clan robes sat on both sides, their gazes unanimously converging on Ancestor Ye Rongming at the head of the hall and Ye Yisong beside him.

The residual power from the great battle had not yet fully dissipated, and the faint fluctuations of Spiritual Qi remaining on Ye Yisong made the Elders present inevitably feel alarmed. What exactly had happened?

Also, when did Ye Yisong return?

"During this period, everyone has been very curious about where Yisong went, and you have been discussing it in the clan," Ancestor Ye Rongming began. "Yisong gained the favor of the East Sea Zhao Family, which granted him a chance to enter the Wangchuan Secret Realm."

The Wangchuan Secret Realm!

The Elders widened their eyes. Was that the legendary Secret Realm formed after the fall of a Martial God?

Wasn't that just a legend?

Could the Secret Realm be real?

"Holding the Elder Council today, the primary matter is to dispose of a portion of the harvest from the Wangchuan Secret Realm." Ancestor Ye Rongming's voice was steady and powerful, resounding throughout the meeting hall, suppressing the Elders' discussions. "On this trip to the Secret Realm, Yisong had a bountiful harvest. To assist in the Family's development, he has voluntarily handed over a portion of his gains to the clan."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Yisong stepped forward and waved his hand, arranging dozens of Storage Pouches neatly on the stone table in the hall. He pinched a seal with his fingertips, and the openings of the Storage Pouches opened in unison. Streams of light rushed out, and over a hundred 4th-grade precious herbs instantly covered half the stone table.

Some of these precious herbs had leaves as lustrous as jade, emitting a rich vitality; others had thick roots surrounded by faint rosy light; there were even a few with seven-colored petals and pressing Spiritual Qi, which one could tell at a glance were rare treasures in this world.

"Hiss—" A sound of gasping echoed through the meeting hall.

Affairs Hall Elder Ye Tuanbang, whose beard and hair were all white, suddenly stood up, his eyes staring hotly at the precious herbs on the stone table, his lips trembling slightly: "Is, is this 4th-grade Dew-Condensing Grass? And Seven-Colored Cloud Ganoderma? I have managed the Affairs Hall for over a hundred years and have only seen them recorded in ancient books!"

Alchemist Ye Jiefang stepped forward quickly, carefully picking up a precious herb with golden-sheened leaves, his fingertips gently stroking the leaf patterns, his eyes full of shock: "Golden-Patterned Agave! One of the main ingredients for refining 4th-grade barrier-breaking pills—it's priceless! Is the heritage of the East Sea's great families really this profound? Our Ye Family's stock of 4th-grade precious herbs is sparse, yet after a trip to the Secret Realm, he just casually produces over a hundred. This gap..."

Formation Master Ye Jieguo, General Affairs Elder Ye Jiefeng, and Talisman Maker Ye Jiexin also stepped forward to examine them, their faces filled with shock.

Ye Jieguo stroked a vine wrapped in pale purple Spiritual Qi and sighed: "Purple Lightning Vine, a core Material for setting up 4th-grade kill Formations, rumored to be extinct. I didn't expect Nephew Yisong to find so many. With these precious herbs, my attainments in Formation will definitely be able to reach a higher level!"

Ye Jiexin stared at a precious herb with small silver flowers, his eyes shining: "Silver Star Flower! A rare species for tempering the Divine Soul. I have searched for it for many years in vain, yet today I can see so many... The trip to the East Sea was truly worthwhile!"

The Elders spoke one after another, their tones filled with shock and some undisguised envy.

They had long known that the various great families of the East Sea were powerful, but they had never imagined that the other side's "Family Foundation" was so thick. Compared to them, their own Family was like clouds and mud.

After the Elders calmed down, Ye Yisong raised his hand again, and several more Storage Pouches flew out, landing in front of Ye Tuanbang: "Grandpa Tuanbang, inside are Medicinal Pills worth millions of Spirit Stones, covering healing, Body Tempering, cultivation enhancement, and other categories. Please store them in the Family treasury to make up for the shortage of Medicinal Pill reserves."

Ye Tuanbang opened the Storage Pouch to take a look. Inside were hundreds of bottles of Medicinal Pills neatly arranged, the pill patterns on the bottles clearly visible, and the Spiritual Qi was rich and pungent.

He nodded excitedly: "Good! Good! Now that the Family is in a period of rapid development, clan disciples need Medicinal Pills for Cultivation and going out to train. These Medicinal Pills are truly timely help!"

Subsequently, the Elders from various halls stepped forward one by one to report on affairs. Ye Tuanbang spoke first: "Reporting to Old Ancestor and Clan Chief, over the past year, the Family has implemented a policy to encourage childbirth, which has yielded significant results. The clan population has surged by more than 13,000, and couples of appropriate age have a strong willingness to give birth, so the population will continue to grow. However, with the increase in population, the pressure on food, clothing, housing, transportation, and Cultivation resources has also increased, so we need to plan ahead."

Ye Jiefang reported next: "The Alchemy Hall currently has one 3rd-grade Alchemist, five 2nd-grade Alchemists, and over twenty 1st-grade apprentices. Recently, we successfully refined 2nd and 3rd-grade healing pills, Qi Gathering pills, spirit ascension pills, Body Tempering pills, and other commonly used Medicinal Pills, which can basically meet the needs of the lower-level disciples in the clan, but high-grade Medicinal Pills still need to be purchased externally. We urgently need to Cultivate higher-grade Alchemists."

Ye Jieguo and Ye Jiefeng looked at each other and said in unison: "The Formation Hall currently has one 3rd-grade Formation Master, two 2nd-grade Formation Masters, and five 1st-grade apprentices. We have successfully set up three 3rd-grade defensive Formations and two 3rd-grade kill Formations, covering part of the Family's core areas. But there is still no progress in the research of 4th-grade Formations due to a lack of Legacy and core Materials."

Ye Jiexin glanced at Ye Yisong meaningfully and finally said: "The Talisman Hall currently has two 4th-grade Talisman Makers, ten 3rd-grade Talisman Makers, fifty 2nd-grade Talisman Makers, and over one hundred 1st-grade apprentices. We can produce thousands of low-grade Talismans every month, but the output of high-grade Talismans is extremely low, making it difficult to form effective assistance when facing strong enemies."

Ancestor Ye Rongming listened to the reports of the Elders, frowned slightly, and then said slowly: "Population growth is a good thing; it is the Foundation of the Family's prosperity. The Affairs Hall needs to plan new settlements and resource allocation schemes as soon as possible. Although the development of each hall has made progress, we still need to work hard."

"In terms of Cultivation, you all still need to work hard. Look at Yisong, then look at yourselves. Aren't you ashamed?"

"The clan meeting ends here today. Elders, perform your respective duties and implement the relevant matters as soon as possible."

"Obey the Old Ancestor's orders!" The Elders responded in unison and left one after another. As they left, they couldn't help but look back at the precious herbs on the stone table, their eyes full of anticipation.

As for comparing Cultivation with a monster like Ye Yisong, it was better to forget it; don't make yourself uncomfortable.

Soon, only Ancestor Ye Rongming, Clan Chief Ye Tuanhui, and Ye Yisong remained in the meeting hall.

Seeing that the others had walked away, a flash of essence passed through Ye Yisong's eyes, and he secretly transmitted his voice to Ye Jiefang, Ye Jieguo, and Ye Jiexin: "Three uncles, please stay. I have important matters to discuss."