Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation-Chapter 84 - 79: Carving Up the Feiyu Sea Region?

With his official business concluded, Ling Changqing had no immediate plans for cultivation, so he spent the next twenty-some days lazing around in his Spirit Vein Cave Mansion.

He spent his days soaking in hot springs, snacking on exotic fruits, and indulging in Spirit Wine and fine delicacies. He’d occasionally tease the pretty little maid at his side. It was a life fit for an immortal—utterly blissful.

As the month drew to a close, Ling Changqing finally received a message from Tang Qiu Yao, transmitted via Magical Power, telling him to head to the clan headquarters immediately.

Ling Changqing, still in the hot spring pool, dared not delay. He pushed away Song Xuelan, who was massaging his legs, got up to rinse off and dress, and was out the door moments later.

However, before leaving the boundary of his cave mansion’s Protective Array, Ling Changqing cautiously scanned the surroundings with his Divine Sense. Only after confirming that everything was normal did he relax.

Although he currently only had an Eighth Layer Qi Cultivation, his exceptionally powerful Divine Soul Origin allowed his Divine Sense to cover a radius of over a hundred zhang, putting him on par with an average Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

If any undiscerning Ling Family disciples tried to ambush and plot against Ling Changqing, they would have no way of escaping his notice. Only an attack from a Late Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator would have any chance of success.

Of course, given Ling Changqing’s caution and astuteness, he would never let himself face an unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Cultivator alone. Here on Longhuan Island, as long as he stayed under his Senior Sister’s protection, his safety was guaranteed.

The Spirit Vein Cave Mansion was not far from the clan headquarters. A short while later, Ling Changqing appeared in Baiyu Plaza in front of the Council Hall.

At this moment, hundreds of young men and women were lined up in neat rows, undergoing inspection by Ling Qiyue and the many clan Elders.

"Junior Brother, you’re here?"

The graceful and voluptuous Tang Qiu Yao, her hair adorned with a Cloud Hairpin Phoenix, turned her head. When she saw the familiar, handsome youth in purple robes appear at her side, a captivating smile surfaced in her clear, beautiful eyes.

Having not seen him for a while, she realized she had actually missed him quite a bit.

The thought of all those Fox Spirits out there coveting him made Tang Qiu Yao feel a little unsettled.

’Maybe I should just go ahead and accept him? After all, he’s the only Male Cultivator I’m actually willing to be close to these days.’

"Senior Sister."

Ling Changqing smiled, stepped to her side, and discreetly squeezed her fragrant, silky-smooth hand.

"These are the Immortal Seedlings the clan leadership has carefully selected this time. What do you think, Junior Brother?"

Tang Qiu Yao transmitted this via Divine Thought.

Ling Changqing glanced down from the platform. In total, one hundred and twenty-five Immortal Seedlings had been selected, with ages ranging from seven or eight to fifteen or sixteen. Outwardly, their Essence, Qi, and Spirit all seemed to be in good shape.

"It seems Senior Sister Ling is being quite bold this time!"

Ling Changqing whispered,

Under normal circumstances, given the resources of an ordinary Foundation Establishment power, being able to select eight or ten Immortal Seedlings per batch would be considered a good outcome.

The huge investment of resources and the long training period meant the clan’s leaders could only be frugal, selecting just a few of the most outstanding Immortal Seedlings to cultivate.

Many candidates who originally met the requirements had to be reluctantly abandoned by the clan leadership due to limited resources.

Moreover, this selection process didn’t happen annually. A new batch was typically chosen only once every five to ten years; otherwise, the clan’s resources simply couldn’t support it.

The former Wu Family had been better off than the smaller surrounding powers, able to select a batch of Immortal Seedlings every three years, with no more than twenty candidates each time. This was already a sign of a flourishing family power.

The current Ling Family was, in every respect, a great deal stronger than the Wu Family, and they were certain to become even stronger in the future.

That was why Ling Qiyue had made the executive decision to include every single Immortal Seedling with Spirit Root Talent from this selection in the clan’s cultivation program.

"Isn’t that the truth!"

A smile played on Tang Qiu Yao’s cherry-red lips, her fair, luminous face beaming.

"Seventy percent of these Immortal Seedlings are clan disciples, the majority from both direct and branch lineages. The remainder come from the mortal cities outside."

In the Cultivation Realm, there were, after all, fundamental differences between clans and Sects.

Influenced by the bonds of blood and kinship, a clan’s cohesiveness was typically stronger than that of a Sect. The disadvantage was that their clannishness ran deeper, making it difficult for non-core clan members to be valued.

Sects were generally better in this respect. As long as a young talent was sufficiently outstanding, they would easily receive heavy investment in their training from the leadership, regardless of their background. If their merits and contributions were great enough, it was even possible for them to eventually become the Sect Leader.

Ling Changqing said in agreement, "By setting aside such clannish views, Senior Sister Ling is doing the right thing. I expect that in ten or twenty years, the clan’s entire atmosphere will be revitalized."

To mortals, twenty years is a long time, but for a Cultivation Family like the Ling Family, it’s hardly any time at all.

The rise of a clan, much like the rise of a great nation, is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires immense patience and strategic resolve.

"Junior Brother, what do you think of these candidates?"

Not far off, Ling Qiyue—coldly beautiful and alluring in her jet-black Magical Robe—finished her speech to the Immortal Seedlings below. Her clear gaze suddenly shifted to Ling Changqing.

Ling Changqing was slightly startled, but he replied in a quiet voice,

"With you, Senior Sister, and the Elders all making the appraisals, the results are naturally correct. My cultivation is still low, so I shouldn’t speak out of turn."

This was the truth. ’If I were solely in charge of the selection,’ he thought, ’I couldn’t do any better. I might not even have a sharper eye than these Foundation Establishment Elders, despite possessing great Destiny.’

’Of course, if I had guidance from the Era Star Palace... But that’s impossible. I will never allow outsiders to discover my ultimate secret. Not under any circumstances.’

Ling Qiyue nodded slightly and said no more. ’After all, he hasn’t reached Foundation Establishment yet,’ she thought. ’It would be asking too much of him to participate in such important matters right now.’

"...Patriarch, an envoy from the Mu Family has sent a message. They request an official visit!"

A guard hurried over from the distance, arriving at the base of the platform to bow and deliver his report.

At these words, all the Foundation Establishment Elders present looked surprised. They clearly hadn’t expected the Mu Family’s leadership to actually send someone, given the current situation.

The stern-faced Elder Yulu said in a deep voice, "What wicked scheme is the Mu Family cooking up now? We should just send them packing!"

Elder Tianhe said thoughtfully, "Given the current situation... it’s unlikely the Mu Family would try to start a war. There’s no harm in meeting with them."

Ling Qiyue’s dark brows furrowed slightly. She thought for a moment before giving her instructions.

"Have them wait in the Council Hall. I will be there shortly."

"Elder Qin Yun, you and Elder Ling Dongyang, arrange for this batch of Immortal Seedlings to go to the Mansion Treasury to receive their Cultivation Resources."

"Yes!"

Qin Yun and the other Foundation Establishment Elder acknowledged the order, then led a group of cultivators from the Law Enforcement Team to get to work.

Ling Changqing, meanwhile, took Tang Qiu Yao’s delicate hand and returned to the Clan Assembly Hall with the other Elders.

The Mu Family delegation consisted of three people—a lead Envoy and two deputies—followed by several guards at the Qi Cultivation 7th to 8th Layers.

Seeing Ling Qiyue enter, flanked by numerous Elders, the middle-aged man leading the delegation rose from his seat, stepped forward, and gave a slight bow.

"Mu Qinning, Core Elder of the Mu Family, pays his respects to the Patriarch of the Ling Family!"

Ling Qiyue gracefully took the Patriarch’s seat, her tone indifferent.

"Fellow Daoist Mu, there is no need for such formalities. Sit and speak."

Mu Qinning expressed his thanks and sat down again.

Sitting beside Tang Qiu Yao, Ling Changqing raised his eyes to size up the envoy. The man had a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, while his two deputies were at the Qi Cultivation 9th Layer.

Elder Ling Tianque, stroking the Bronze Ruler in his hand, asked in a cool tone,

"The Mu Family and our Ling Family have had no dealings in the past. To what do we owe the pleasure of this special visit?"

Mu Qinning smiled. "I have been entrusted by my Patriarch to come and discuss the future division of territory in the Feiyu Sea Region. I wonder what the Ling Patriarch thinks of this proposal?"

Ling Qiyue’s dark brows knitted slightly, but she asked impassively,

"Divide the Feiyu Sea Region? What exactly is your Mu Family planning? Is a matter of this magnitude something our two families can decide alone?"

For thousands of years, the Feiyu Sea Region has been a fragmented land, trapped in a state of ceaseless, chaotic warfare, with countless small powers vying for dominance.

The current Mu Family, like the Ling Family, was a relatively powerful force, but they were far from strong enough to unify the Feiyu Sea Region.

Deep within the Feiyu Sea Region, one could still find a few other powers on par with, or close in strength to, their two families.

Even if they went along with the Mu Family envoy’s proposal and the two families were to one day split dominion over the entire sea region, the current Ling Family didn’t have the manpower to conquer and hold such a vast territory.

The Feiyu Sea Region was filled with powers whose legacies stretched back over three hundred years, with relatively deep foundations and backgrounds.

Even though Ling Qiyue had already reached the Golden Core Master Realm, she couldn’t solve every problem alone. Merely governing such a large territory effectively was a nearly impossible task.

Mu Qinning chuckled. "The outside world has already reached a consensus on the Ling Family’s future prospects. There’s no need to be so modest, Fellow Daoist Ling."

"We are only here to roughly confirm the boundaries of our respective spheres of influence. After that, we can each go back to our own business."

The implication was that both families could develop in peace and should not rashly go to war at this stage, lest they fight to a mutually-destructive standstill, only to hand an advantage to the lesser powers of the surrounding seas.