247: Chapter 247 Clash of Two Families

After roughly another half a month, Feng Chenggong finally emerged from seclusion. As soon as he came out, he received a request from his Thirty-fifth Brother and immediately led his clansmen toward the Fan Family.

"Fellow Daoist Fan, long time no see," Feng Chenggong said with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Feng, after not seeing you for years, your cultivation has progressed significantly." Fan Lianheng's eyes showed surprise.

From beginning to end, Feng Chenggong made no effort to suppress his aura, precisely to intimidate the Fan Family.

"I won't beat around the bush with your Fan Family. Our Feng Family wants in on this spirit mine as well."

"What?" A Fan Family clansman jumped up and accused angrily.

Fan Lianheng raised a hand to stop him, then looked at Feng Chenggong and agreed, "Very well, but your Feng Family can only take thirty percent."

"It seems Fellow Daoist Fan still lacks sincerity. Thirty percent? Do you really think you have the strength to take seventy percent when facing our Feng Family?" Feng Chenggong narrowed his eyes.

"Feng Chenggong, do you really think our Fan Family is an easy target?" Fan Lianheng barked angrily.

"Then it seems Fellow Daoist Fan wants to settle this through a fight again," Feng Chenggong chuckled.

"Hmph, at worst, our Fan Family will report the situation here to the Chen Family and let them decide," Fan Lianheng declared.

"You dare!"

"Why wouldn't I?!"

"No room for negotiation?"

"None!"

"Come on out!" Feng Chenggong called out.

Behind him, two more Foundation Establishment Cultivators stepped forward. One was Feng Chengqian from before, and the other was their niece, Feng Yuting.

Two Middle Stage Foundation Establishment and one Early Stage Foundation Establishment.

Seeing this, the members of the Fan Family were appalled. Were they really planning to attack them?

"...": Looking at the enemy's line-up, Fan Lianheng was left speechless for a moment.

After a moment, he nodded and said, "Our Fan Family can allow you to jointly mine this spirit mine. You may take fifty percent."

"Fifty percent? Heh, we sent out three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and you really think fifty percent can buy us off?" Fan Chengqian said mockingly.

"Then what do you want?"

"Seventy percent!"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!!"

"Slow down, Fellow Daoist Fan. What I mean is that both of our sides will each dispatch three Qi Refining Cultivators. Whichever side wins takes seventy percent of the spirit mine. But there is one condition: no dispatching Cultivators outside of our respective families." Feng Chenggong smiled.

"..., Very well, I agree. However, how do you guarantee you won't go back on your word?" Fan Lianheng asked.

"Ask the Chen Family to act as witness," Feng Chenggong suggested.

"This spirit mine isn't valuable enough for the Chen Family to covet, and having them witness it gives them an explanation as well."

Fan Lianheng was silent for a moment before nodding.

"Agreed."

Their Fan Family and the Feng Family were different after all. The Feng Family could sometimes visit Wuyue Mountain to meet the head of the Chen Family. On the other hand, as a Foundation Establishment Family under the Chen Family, their Fan Family belonged to the weakest tier, having neither the opportunity nor the means to cozy up to the Chen Family's Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

...

"Twenty-fifth Grand-uncle, the Clan Chiefs of the Feng Family and Fan Family are requesting an audience."

On Wuyue Mountain, atop Jintie Peak, outside the main hall of the Battle Hall.

Chen Lihao stepped forward to report. Behind him, two groups of Qi Refining Cultivators wearing distinct clothing waited quietly.

"Come in," Zhang Xun's voice rang out from inside the hall.

Chen Lihao motioned to the people behind him and walked inside alone.

Behind him, the Clan Chief and members of the Feng Family followed first.

Just as the Clan Chief of the Fan Family was about to move forward, a youth at the back whispered to a peer beside him.

"I don't think this Chen Family is anything special. The Cultivator receiving us is only at the Qi Condensation 7th Layer. I don't get why our Family is being so respectful."

"Shut your mouth and keep up!" Hearing this, the Clan Chief of the Fan Family scolded sharply.

Hearing those words, the Feng Family members chuckled with disdain, while Chen Lihao, walking at the very front, merely smiled faintly.

The Clan Chief of the Fan Family watched Chen Lihao closely. Seeing Chen Lihao's smile, his heart tightened involuntarily, and he hurried forward to explain.

"Brother Chen, the child below was rude. I will punish him severely when we return. Please do not take it to heart, Brother Chen." Fan Lianlou lowered his posture, even though Chen Lihao's cultivation was far inferior to his own.

"Mm, Clan Chief Fan, I naturally won't argue with a mere child. However, if this kind of thought is..." Chen Lihao said no more, giving him a meaningful look instead.

"It isn't! Our Fan Family has always followed the Chen Family's lead and wouldn't dare show the slightest disrespect!" Fan Lianlou was startled and hurriedly pledged his loyalty.

The nearby Feng Family watched them with interest.

"Alright, let's head in quickly. The Vice Hall Master is getting impatient," Chen Lihao picked up his pace and entered the hall.

Before long, everyone had entered the main hall.

"Twenty-fifth Grand-uncle, I have brought the visitors," Chen Lihao bowed with cupped hands.

"Senior Zhang," the Cultivators of both families offered their greetings.

The youth who had spoken insolently earlier looked at the young man in black sitting on the dais, a trace of fear rising in his heart.

"Alright, what brings you here?" Zhang Xun nodded and asked.

The Clan Chiefs of both families explained their purpose for coming. Hearing this, Zhang Xun nodded with a smile playing at the corners of his lips as he looked at them—so that was it.

"Right, Lihao. I remember Linglong made a Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment a few days ago. It just so happens he can make the trip." Zhang Xun suddenly recalled Chen Linglong's recent Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and thought it was a good opportunity for him to gain some field experience.

Although he wasn't a member of the main bloodline of the Chen Family, after marrying a female relative of the Chen Family, his authority within the Chen Family had increased significantly. Moreover, having rendered many meritorious services for the Chen Family, he truly earned the respect of many Chen Family members.

"Understood, Vice Hall Master," Chen Lihao nodded.

...

A few hours later, Chen Linglong and the Cultivators of the two families returned to the spirit mine where the two sides had been in conflict earlier.

"Fellow Daoist Chen," Fan Lianlou and Feng Chenggong greeted him.

Feng Chenggong had already instructed the other two Foundation Establishment Cultivators to leave, remaining behind alone to wait here.

As for Fan Lianlou, he was the only one available from his side to come out in the first place.

"Mm, Fellow Daoist Feng, Fellow Daoist Fan. It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Chen Linglong," Chen Linglong introduced himself.

Fan Lianlou and Feng Chenggong were somewhat puzzled. Leaving aside the Fan Family's Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Feng Chenggong had visited the Chen Family twice before, yet he truly didn't know who the person before him was. The other party's aura seemed like that of a newly established Foundation Establishment, and although his aura couldn't match his own, Feng Chenggong didn't dare underestimate him.

After the Clan Chiefs of the two families explained it to them, the two finally reached an understanding.

The Chen Family sent a newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator precisely so he could reap some benefits from the two families. Of course, they welcomed such an opportunity with open arms—after all, this was a chance to build ties with the Chen Family, so spending a few Spirit Stones was hardly unreasonable.

The representatives of the Feng and Fan families stated their purpose, and Chen Linglong nodded, agreeing to their decision.

Next came the selection of three Qi Refining Cultivators from each side to spar, following a best-two-out-of-three rule with the share of the spirit mine as the stake.

In addition, their age had to be under sixty years old.

In the end, the three Qi Refining Cultivators chosen by the Feng Family were all at the Late Qi Refining Stage.

The Fan Family was much the same, with all their candidates also at the Late Qi Refining Stage.

Chen Linglong remained calm regarding this point. For two Foundation Establishment Families, it was quite common for clansmen to reach the Late Qi Refining Stage before turning sixty. It was just that among the Feng Family's Qi Refining Cultivators, their overall cultivation was higher than the Fan Family's.