Clan Cultivation: My Intelligence Updated Daily

Chapter 185 The Li Family's Investment, Restarting the Grand Competition

"Do I even have a choice but to refuse?"

Zhang Lingyu sneered inwardly. Although there were indeed certain risks in entering the secret realm, Li Yanshan's words were probably true. Their goal was always the things deep within the secret realm, and they really didn't care about anything else.

"Good, with the help of the spirit jade, our chances of winning have increased significantly."

Li Yanshan smiled and said:

"The secret realm will not open for more than a year. I will also return to my family. Lingyu, you can come to the Bone Forest to find me then. If you encounter any trouble on the way, I can help you out."

Yingchuan County is nearly half a month's journey from Yuhu County. Both sides agreed to set off a month in advance, as they needed to make proper preparations before entering the secret realm. The fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators needed to get to know each other so they could look after each other.

He didn't mention anything about the various situations in the secret realm, only instructing the boy to consolidate his cultivation and practice his spells.

"Also, the Foundation Establishment Pill I promised you can be given to you now. Please accept it."

Zhang Lingyu was somewhat surprised, but still reached out and took it. The jade bottle could not block divine sense, and with just a light examination, she knew that the pill was real.

After the matter was discussed, he thanked Master Xuanhao again and left only after receiving his approval.

"Yanshan, tell me, compared to Zhang Lingyu ten or five years ago, what major changes have occurred in Zhang Lingyu today?" After the young man left, Master Xuanhao suddenly asked Li Yanshan, who was about to leave as well.

"this..."

Faced with this question from his ancestor, Li Yanshan was momentarily at a loss for words. Fortunately, the other party did not urge him, giving him ample time to think. After a long while, he solemnly replied:

"The changes are significant, not only in terms of cultivation level, but also in giving people a sense of maturity and composure."

The first time I met Zhang Lingyu was at his Foundation Establishment Ceremony. At that time, he was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, and the entire Zhang family, including the young man himself, treated him with utmost respect and deference.

The feeling of being in a high position and suppressing those in a low position made Li Yanshan feel very comfortable. This was not only because of his high cultivation level, but also because of his status and position.

Even if he is at the peak of Qi Refining, he is a disciple of a Nascent Soul sect or a noble family. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would treat him with utmost respect and dare not act rashly.

The second time, he felt that Zhang Lingyu had changed. After experiencing the beast tide and taking charge of the family, people's aura would be very different. Li Yanshan had gone through the same thing back then, so he didn't pay too much attention to it.

This time was different. Although his attitude was so respectful that no one could find fault with it, he still had a strange feeling about him. Just now, he figured it out.

Zhang Lingyu's neither humble nor arrogant attitude made him, as a person in a high position, feel a sense of threat. This threat did not come from his cultivation level, but from the fact that he could no longer pose much of a threat to him.

"So how far do you think he can go in the future?"

"If he can survive in the secret realm, reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment will definitely not be a problem. The Zhang family will also usher in its most prosperous moment in hundreds of years under his leadership. As for the Golden Core stage... I am only at the Foundation Establishment stage and dare not draw any conclusions on my own."

Zhang Lingyu is still very young, and he's already in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage; reaching his peak is only a matter of time, but the Golden Core stage...

In Li Yanshan's view, the chances were very small. Take himself for example, he had been stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for fifteen years. He had been a core disciple of the Li family since childhood and enjoyed the same treatment as the core disciples of Nascent Soul sects.

Later, he joined the Jade Light Sect and, with the sect's cultivation and the full support of True Person Xuanhao, he gradually got to where he is today.

Even if someone presents him with golden core spiritual objects and various pills to aid in breakthroughs, the success rate is only about 40%.

"The Golden Elixir is not something that can be achieved simply by saying so."

Foundation Establishment is considered a celestial achievement in the eyes of Qi Refining, but looking back now, it really doesn't amount to much. The Golden Core stage right in front of you is what truly makes you feel despair.

As for the Nascent Soul stage, he wouldn't even dare to dream of it.

Having lived in Yingchuan County for so many years, he knew quite a bit about things. In his early years, Zhang Lingyu's aptitude was not good, and his cultivation level was achieved through the use of pills. If he hadn't made several contributions, he wouldn't have been able to take charge of the family.

Logically speaking, the probability of a cultivator who relies on elixirs to achieve a breakthrough is very low, but he managed to do it anyway.

At the time, he had a guess in his mind that the Zhang family must have spent a lot of money to buy some rare and precious materials to improve their aptitude, otherwise they would not have achieved such success.

Therefore, based on the candidate's qualifications, Li Yanshan felt that it was impossible for the candidate to break through to the Golden Core stage.

"Then... what do you think, Ancestor? Is there a high chance that Zhang Lingyu will break through?" After all, he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and he couldn't compare his judgment to that of a Golden Core cultivator who had lived for two or three hundred years, so he didn't give a definite answer.

"Judging from the current situation, the success rate of your breakthrough is a bit lower than yours, maybe 30%. After all, you're still in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, so it's hard to tell anything yet."

Master Xuanhao had a keen eye; upon first meeting Zhang Lingyu, he immediately realized that Zhang Lingyu's magical power, spiritual sense, and physical body were far superior to those of others of the same level, even surpassing Li Yanshan at the time.

"The real person's evaluation is surprisingly high?"

Li Yanshan was slightly surprised, but after a moment his face turned sinister. He made a throat-slitting gesture and said in a deep voice, "In your opinion, Master, should we...?"

"No need, and there's no need for it."

Master Xuanhao, without sorrow or joy, said:

"As you just said, his aptitude is not good. Even if he uses pills to boost his cultivation in the early stages, the late Foundation Establishment stage will still be a hurdle for him. Relying solely on pills will cost him a considerable amount, and he might end up damaging his foundation."

"Even if they reach the peak of Foundation Establishment, they pose no threat to us. So what if there's a 60% success rate then? There's still a 40% failure rate, isn't there?"

Yingchuan County is not Yuhu County. Not only is it small in area, but it also has thin spiritual energy and a lack of spiritual objects. Even if you become a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, you can only dominate for a short time. No matter how far your reach is, it can't extend there.

If the Zhang family were in Yuhu County, needless to say, Xuan Hao would never allow any of their vassals to break through to the peak of Foundation Establishment. Even a 10% chance of success would be nipped in the bud.

Even if Zhang Lingyu succeeds, they could become close friends based on their past kindness. By then, Zhang Lingyu would probably be in the late stage of the Golden Core realm. Having another Golden Core cultivator supporting you within the sect would be incredibly beneficial.

Therefore, short-term gains and losses are nothing to worry about. Just treat it as a casual investment, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

"By the way, Yanshan, do you think our two families should try a marriage alliance?"

"A marriage alliance?"

The idea proposed by this master was not surprising. When the Li family wanted to invest or win people's hearts, they often chose to form marriage alliances with vassal families. Of course, they would choose one or two from the collateral branches of the family. The true direct descendants would generally only consider cultivating their own or forming marriage alliances with other Golden Core families.

Putting aside everything else, several Golden Core Immortal Clans within the sect are related by marriage, which is why they hold such a high position in the Jade Light Pavilion.

Otherwise, how could they possibly have gotten the chance to raise potential demon kings?

"I've heard that there are two outstanding female cultivators in the Zhang family. One is named Zhang Yuanyao and the other is named Wang Menghan. The latter is a disciple of Zhang Lingyu. It is said that she is the child of a couple of cultivators from Jingxin Pavilion in Yanxing County. She was a good friend of Zhang Lingyu. The couple perished in the beast tide, so he took their child as his disciple."

Li Yanshan spoke without hesitation, saying that these were not secrets and could be easily found out with a little inquiry.

If the Li family were to select a woman, according to custom, she would be chosen from the collateral branches. This would prevent the child born from holding power in the main line, thus leading to the maternal relatives interfering in politics.

Of course, the Zhang family had to choose those with better aptitude. They were Golden Core Immortals, and the opportunity to marry into a Foundation Establishment family was highly sought after by countless other families.

"I've heard that they are all Zhang Lingyu's key protégés, and he probably wouldn't be willing to marry them off."

Master Xuanhao stroked his beard and smiled, "There's no rush. Let's see how things go later."

"I understand."

How could Li Yanshan not understand the reasoning behind this?

The so-called follow-up refers to Zhang Lingyu's ability to survive in the secret realm. Only by surviving can he prove his abilities and become worthy of the Li family's investment.

......

Qingya Mountain.

Since Zhang Lingyu left, Zhang Yuanlin had been pacing back and forth in the main hall, nervously looking at the distant horizon. After nearly five hours, he finally saw a sliver of white appear in the distance.

"Lingyu is back!"

The old man felt a weight lifted from his heart and quickly walked out of the hall to greet him. Upon seeing the familiar face before him, he hurriedly asked, "Lingyu... what did the True Person say?"

"Second Grandfather, don't worry. It's truly a stroke of good fortune that you've given me!"

Zhang Lingyu helped the old man into the main hall before recounting his entire conversation with Master Xuanhao.

"So there's a secret realm beneath Jade Lake?"

Every opportunity is inextricably linked to a secret realm. The old man's initial guess was that it was a secret realm, but he guessed that it was a newly discovered secret realm, since unknown secret realms are the most dangerous.

However, the secret realm beneath Jade Lake is not a good place to visit either.

The fact that the three major Golden Core Immortal Clans fought tooth and nail over this, and that the Li family even gave up third- and fourth-tier spiritual treasures to let them enter the deepest part of the cave, shows how dangerous it was.

The danger did not come from the demonic beasts, but from the other two Golden Core Immortal Clans and their vassal cultivators.

Li Yanshan's words sounded nice, suggesting that only mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators should fight mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, the battlefield is ever-changing, and often a single magic weapon can injure a peak or late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. If they make a mistake, they could perish completely.

If it were a member of the Li family who died, they would definitely investigate in every possible way. But how much of a storm could the death of an unknown Foundation Establishment cultivator cause?

Foundation Building Pill is the best proof!

If a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a family dies in a beast tide or during a sect's conscription at any other time, the sect will usually issue a Foundation Establishment Pill as compensation.

Li was not surprised.

Foundation Establishment Pills are no ordinary items; even Golden Core Immortals don't bestow them lightly.

But if we give it to him in advance, wouldn't that be announcing that Zhang Lingyu will perish in the secret realm?

"When the person in charge asked me whether I would agree or not, since I was given the chance, I felt it was better to give up this time..."

Zhang Yuanlin sighed:

"What's done is done, so I can't say much more. You still have a year. Focus on your cultivation of magic, and the family will do everything they can to help you. Having more ways to protect yourself is always a good thing."

"Don't worry, Second Grandfather, I know what I'm doing."

Zhang Lingyu now possesses six [Xuanting] flying swords and magical artifacts left to him by True Man Mingyu. His magical abilities are no less than anyone else's, and he also has a swarm of Spirit-Devouring Bees.

Even if a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator doesn't make a move, a typical late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator really can't do anything to him.

Since he began his cultivation, he has always been cautious, especially in such chaotic times, and he generally does not easily stand at the forefront to show off.

Moreover, he actually developed some interest in this secret realm this time.

On the way back, he had already checked the intelligence system and, just as he had guessed, there were indeed items that could help with Core Formation in the deepest part, items that were rarely found in the outside world.

No wonder they fought so fiercely... no wonder they treated other spirits like nothing...

Zhang Lingyu was very tempted by the spiritual object that could assist in Core Formation, but it was probably unrealistic to snatch some back from the three peak Foundation Establishment cultivators and ten late-stage cultivators.

Even if you manage to snatch it and escape, you'll be ganged up on and killed by the three families once you leave the secret realm, which will also implicate your entire family.

For now, we can only hope that the battle will be more chaotic by then, giving us a chance to snatch something from the fire. Even if we don't, it doesn't matter; he's still young, and he might be able to find it again in the future.

After discussing the secret realm, Zhang Lingyu didn't rush to leave. Instead, she brought up something she had already planned in her mind.

Restart the family competition.

Larger sects and families all attach great importance to this aspect. Since the beginning of their establishment, they have held a grand competition to select outstanding disciples for intensive support, training, and utilization.

In the cultivation world, a cultivator's quality is often judged by their aptitude, but those with poor aptitude but who are tenacious and diligent in their cultivation should not be overlooked.

Many of the outstanding cultivators in the Zhang family throughout history have come to the family's attention through this method.

Back when the Zhang, Yun, and Ming families were relatively harmonious, they would hold a grand competition every five years to learn from each other and improve.

However, as war broke out, the various factions also stopped their grand competitions. Most of the cultivators' progress was demonstrated in battle. Although facing death could unleash more potential and discover more talents, it was a great pity that those cultivators who did not demonstrate their talents perished prematurely.

Now that the Zhang family is free from war and is in a phase of rapid development, its members enjoy relatively high status. If this continues, some will inevitably become complacent in their cultivation and indulge in pleasure.

As the clan grows stronger, cliques and factions will also emerge. They will unite to tightly control the resources, leaving no chance for those clansmen who are not naturally gifted but diligent in their cultivation to rise in the ranks.

Therefore, restarting the competition is of utmost urgency.

"Lingyu is right. When would you like to hold one?"

"Let's set the date for six months from now. This competition will be divided into two rounds: one for mid-stage Qi Refining and one for late-stage Qi Refining. In addition, other Qi Refining families can also send disciples to participate. We will treat everyone equally, since we should all strive to improve together."

Although most Qi Refining families cannot compare to Foundation Establishment families, there will always be dark horses.

If they can recruit even one person, they'll make a killing!

As for the competition's events, he had already planned them out, including alchemy, weapon crafting, talismans, and even spiritual cooking and brewing.

Since we're selecting talent, we should select everyone. Cultivation is a skill in all areas. You might not be good at alchemy, but if you're an expert at cooking, you're still a highly gifted cultivator.

Zhang Lingyu also thought about it. It could be held every three years, and the rewards offered would be items at the Qi Refining stage, which would be nothing more than a drop in the ocean for the current family.

"Okay, leave these things to me. I'll go down and prepare in a bit."

......

......

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