The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace-Chapter 23: Bullshit

Yun Yandong, that pudgy rascal, had gone to Li Zhai Gou today with a group to catch fish. Where had he found it? Well, tomorrow, I’ll have to ask him myself.

Yun Yanshui replied casually.

When he learned that the stone was a low-grade spirit stone—currency, used for trading—his initial excitement dimmed. For a moment, he had thought fortune had smiled upon him, that he had stumbled upon a celestial artifact akin to the ancient bronze mirror.

"Shuang’er, give that spirit stone to me. Later, I’ll go meet with your uncle," said Yun Yunshan from the side.

"Oh," Yun Yanshuang responded obediently, handing the stone to her father and watching as he stepped out the door.

"What’s Father planning to do with that stone and Uncle?" Yun Yanshui asked curiously.

"Our family has two children with spiritual roots—me and Brother Yantian. Uncle has always dreamed of building the Yun family into an immortal cultivation lineage. I suspect Father is meeting with Uncle to plan for the family’s future," Yun Yanshuang speculated, her sharp mind weaving together the pieces.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

"Ah, so that’s it." Yun Yanshui nodded in realization.

"Well then, that’s settled. You go wash up and rest. I’ll take today’s hunt to the cellar," he instructed before picking up the game he had hunted in the mountains of Yunzhang earlier that day.

Carefully, Yun Yanshui arranged the hares and pheasants neatly on the offering table in the cellar. He wanted the ancient bronze mirror to absorb their essence quickly, so it might produce another immortal fruit he could gift to Yantian.

That night, Yun Yunshan arrived at his elder brother Yun Yunyang’s residence. Standing before the tightly shut door, he knocked gently.

It was his sister-in-law who answered, and he greeted her respectfully, "Sister-in-law."

"Yunshan? What brings you here so late?" The finely dressed woman smiled at him warmly.

"I have something to discuss with my brother," Yun Yunshan explained.

"Come in. Your brother is in the study, working on the family accounts," she said, inviting him inside and personally leading him to the study.

On their way, they passed Yun Yanling, who had just finished washing up. She greeted Yun Yunshan politely, "Fourth Uncle."

He smiled back at her, gesturing for her to return to her room to rest. After all, his niece had been managing the family’s weaving and dyeing workshops tirelessly.

At the study door, Yun Lishi knocked softly. "Yunyang, your fourth brother is here."

The door creaked open. Yun Yunyang, draped in a robe, stepped out. Seeing his younger brother at the late hour, he smiled warmly, "Fourth Brother, what brings you here at this time?"

"Big Brother, take a look at this," Yun Yunshan said as he retrieved the low-grade spirit stone from his robe.

Yun Yunyang, an ordinary man with no spiritual sense, could not perceive the faint threads of spiritual energy emanating from the translucent stone. Nor did he know that it was the very currency used by immortal cultivators in their dealings, or that it could aid them in their practice.

"What’s this?" he asked, curiosity lighting up his face.

"It’s a spirit stone," Yun Yunshan said with a knowing smile.

"A spirit stone?" Yun Yunyang’s brow furrowed as he tried to understand its significance.

Only after Yun Yunshan explained its uses in detail did his brother finally grasp its importance.

"If our Yun family is to become an immortal cultivation lineage, we can’t do it without resources. Spirit stones are money in that world, and without them, we won’t get far," Yun Yunyang said, leading his brother into the study. He sat down, gazing at the spirit stone on the table with a pensive expression.

A seasoned businessman, Yun Yunyang understood well that development required funds. Whether it was to sustain workers, procure materials, cultivate relationships, or grease the palms of officials, money was indispensable.

Although the Yun family had not yet formally become a cultivation clan, Yun Yunyang could already envision the parallels between the world of immortals and the mundane. Just as nations and families needed currency to function in the mortal world, the sects and clans of the cultivation world relied on spirit stones.

Now, his mind was racing with thoughts on how the Yun family might accumulate more of these precious stones. Yet, for all his years of business acumen, he was at a loss.

"How frustrating. I’ve been in commerce for so long, yet I’ve never witnessed how immortal cultivators conduct their trade. How does one even begin to earn spirit stones?" Yun Yunyang sighed.

"For now, don’t concern yourself with earning them. When we encounter more of that world, opportunities will naturally arise," Yun Yunshan reassured him.

"You’re right," Yun Yunyang nodded, though his tone remained uncertain.

"Actually, the reason I came here tonight, Brother, was to let you know that this spirit stone was found by Yandong and the others while they were fishing at Li Zhai Gou. Right now, our family has no clear means of earning spirit stones, but since the children stumbled upon one there, I was thinking…"

"You’re planning to take the clan to Li Zhai Gou to try your luck?"

Yun Yunyang listened quietly to his fourth brother’s words, and in an instant, he understood his meaning.

"Exactly. It’s not the ideal solution, but it’s the best we have for now," Yun Yunyang replied.

"With Shuang’er and Yantian now stepping into the path of cultivation, their future progress will inevitably depend on spirit stones and various other resources for immortals. We have to think ahead for them and make the necessary preparations."

"You’re right. Let me handle this matter," Yun Yunshan said resolutely.

"Good," Yun Yunyang nodded. "You’ve been busy mediating disputes among the clansmen these past days. Make sure to rest early when you get home."

He rose from his seat and patted his younger brother’s shoulder with a warm smile.

"Speaking of disputes… Third Brother…" Yun Yunshan hesitated.

"What has he done this time?" Yun Yunyang’s expression darkened.

"You assigned Third Brother to work with the clansmen on opening new farmland outside the estate, but lately, he’s been shirking his duties. It’s caused quite a bit of discontent among the others. Worse, he’s been throwing your name around as a shield in front of the clansmen. If this continues unchecked, I fear it may lead to unrest within the family."

Yun Yunshan’s brow furrowed deeply, his face heavy with concern. The Yun family was at a crucial point in its development, and internal discord could spell disaster.

"You know as well as I do, the only person Third Brother truly fears is you."

"Understood. I’ll deal with him personally. You don’t need to worry about this," Yun Yunyang said firmly.

As the first rays of dawn stretched across the horizon, a rooster crowed loudly from the courtyard. Its proud and piercing cries shattered the early morning stillness.

Inside the house, Yun Yunfeng stirred from his sleep, his face contorting in irritation as the rooster’s incessant calls grated on his nerves. He grumbled, sat up, and stomped barefoot into the courtyard.

Grabbing a cloth shoe, he hurled it with all his might at the offending bird.

"Shut up! Shut your damn beak! You’ll end up in a pot sooner or later if you keep disturbing my sleep, you plague of a chicken!" he roared.

The shoe struck the rooster squarely. Squawking indignantly, it flapped its wings frantically and fled the courtyard, vanishing down the path in a panic.

Satisfied, Yun Yunfeng yawned lazily and stretched, ready to return to the comfort of his bed. But just as he turned, a voice froze him in his tracks.

"Third Brother!" The words rang out like a thunderclap.

A chill shot up from Yun Yunfeng’s soles to the top of his head, sending a shiver down his spine. Slowly, he turned to see Yun Yunyang entering the courtyard, accompanied by several clansmen.

Forcing a smile onto his face, Yun Yunfeng rushed forward to greet his elder brother. "Big Brother! What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"Oh, the clan matters have kept me busy. I thought I’d come by to check on you and see how you’re doing," Yun Yunyang replied with a faint smile.

"Doing great! Very comfortable," Yun Yunfeng said quickly.

But inwardly, he cursed. Comfortable? Like hell! You’ve got me out there reclaiming barren land from dawn till dusk with barely a moment to breathe!

"Well, I’m glad you’re comfortable. Unfortunately, it seems quite a few of the clansmen aren’t feeling the same," Yun Yunyang said, his tone still calm but with an edge of steel.

"Really? I hadn’t noticed," Yun Yunfeng replied, feigning ignorance. What do their feelings have to do with me?

"I’ve heard you’ve been slacking off while working with the clansmen on the new farmland. Worse, you’ve been using my name to intimidate them. Care to explain?" Yun Yunyang’s voice dropped, every word landing like a hammer.

"That’s nonsense! Who’s been spreading such slander about me?" Yun Yunfeng protested, his face flushing with indignation. Who’s the rat that snitched on me?