novelapdf Chapter 304 The Long-Awaited Clan Meeting
Chapter 304 The Long-Awaited Clan Meeting
A month after Zhang Lingyu had completely purified the demon blood within his body, the clan held another clan meeting.
It has been almost six years since the last meeting.
Whether it's the current organization of family affairs, the planning of future industries, or the selection of new members and the advancement of spiritual lineage, none of these matters should be delayed any longer.
In addition to the presence of many clan elders, including Zhang Lingyu, all late-stage Qi Refining cultivators with the surname Zhang were also arranged to participate, demonstrating the large scale of the event.
Zhang Lingyu sat in the center, with Zhang Yuanlin and Zhang Xingyao beside her, and Zhang Yuanli standing a little below the steps.
"Let's begin."
With a command given, Zhang Yuanli immediately understood and loudly proclaimed:
"Elders, the clan currently has two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, six early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, two Foundation Establishment guest elders, fifteen peak Qi Refining cultivators, forty-six late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, and mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators..."
"The family currently owns businesses in five locations: Tianyuan Market, Yanxing Market, Tianliu City, Yunhai County Market, and Linhai County Market."
The shops in these last two markets were opened in the last two years. Their locations are quite significant. The former is where many independent cultivators gather, while the latter is at the sea entrance. Many cultivators replenish their resources here in order to go to sea to kill demons. Even many cultivators from the East Sea come ashore to do business.
In the past, due to the distance from Yingchuan County and the weakness of the family, they had not been able to open a shop for a long time. In the past two years, they have spent a lot of their connections to open shops in two places. Fortunately, the profits are good, otherwise they would have lost everything.
As for the rest of the assets, just listing them out and reading them aloud took almost half an hour.
This process may seem tedious, but it is an essential part of every clan gathering, allowing clan members to clearly feel the changes that have taken place in the family over the years.
Whether it's good or bad, it's obvious at a glance.
The Zhang family has been on the rise in recent years. Two years ago, they made a fortune from the demonic cultivators' attack on the mountain and the trip to the Spirit Puppet Sect. Their treasury is quite full. However, if they want to upgrade their spiritual veins, all their savings over the years will likely be emptied.
After finishing speaking, Zhang Lingyu looked at Zhang Yuanyao and the other younger members of the clan and asked, "Did you all hear clearly and remember it?"
"I have remembered what the clan chief said."
Zhang Yuanyao and others are the future pillars of the family. They began to familiarize themselves with the family's affairs when they were in the mid-stage of Qi Refining. To manage a large family well, one must first be familiar with the overall affairs.
"In that case, let's officially begin the clan meeting. First, let's discuss the two spots for Jade Light Pavilion to join the sect. Next year will be the time for my family to send someone to join the sect again. This time, Fairy Song from Xiaoyun Peak promised my family one spot as a disciple of Xiaoyun Peak. Who do you think is suitable?"
When recruiting disciples, Jade Light Pavilion first arranges a trial, which is watched and selected by cultivators from various peaks. Those who perform well are naturally admitted to the higher-ranked peaks.
The Zhang family was a powerful force in Yingchuan County, but they were not considered significant in the cultivation world of Zhao, so they could only enter a few of the lower-ranked spiritual peaks each time.
Now that a spot has been secured, it's natural to send someone with the best qualifications.
Zhang Yuanyao is definitely out of the question. She was nurtured by her family with a great deal of effort and is a future leader, so naturally she wouldn't get involved in these matters.
Wang Menghan has also given up, so the spot has fallen to other talented clansmen. Who exactly it will be is still up for discussion.
"Clan leader, Yuanzhi has been diligent in his cultivation since childhood, knows how to advance and retreat, and understands the big picture. He is the only candidate to enter Xiaoyun Peak."
"No, no, Yuan Zhi has been practicing the way of talismans since childhood and knows nothing about the way of swordsmanship. How can he enter Xiaoyun Peak? I think Yuan Qing is better. He has also made some progress in the way of swordsmanship."
"Hey, Yuan Qing is your great-grandson, that's why you recommended him, right? His talent is nowhere near that of Yuan Zhi."
"Look at what you're saying. Do you think I'd favor someone based on personal connections or favoritism? Besides, is Yuan Qing's talent lacking?"
Faced with this trump card at the start, the elders began to nominate their "ideal" candidates, arguing heatedly, but they had no idea whether they would be chosen.
During this period, he secretly sent gifts to Zhang Lingyu and the other two powerful figures countless times, but without exception, they were all returned, clearly showing that he was selfless.
They then turned their attention to Zhang Xinghao and other newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivators, hoping they could put in a good word for them. However, the latter remained silent, not saying a word.
I don't know if they didn't want to help or if they were warned beforehand and didn't dare to speak up.
Zhang Yuanzhi, Zhang Yuanqing, Zhang Yuanwu, Zhang Lingche...
Zhang Lingyu knew perfectly well the candidates recommended by the elders of each clan. They were all direct descendants of their respective families, and Zhang Lingche was Zhang Xingfu's child. The latter had been contributing to the family in the market for many years, but he had been very worried about this child with spiritual abilities.
Not only were various resources sent to their home, but they also paid a price to have Zhang Xinghao by their side for more guidance.
Upon hearing about the quota for Xiaoyun Peak disciples, they went around offering gifts and making arrangements, hoping to send Zhang Lingche to the sect for further studies.
Fortunately, the clan elders recommended by each clan were all of decent quality, and they probably knew that it would only be a disgrace to have inferior people enter.
"Cough cough..."
When the clan was still weak, the number of members who could join the clan could be designated. But now it's different. Choosing anyone will anger the other clan members. If things go wrong, the clan might not be defeated by external enemies, but instead fall apart internally.
As for how to decide on the selection of candidates, Zhang Lingyu and the others had already reached a conclusion after discussion. Once the room was quiet, he spoke in a deep voice:
"The candidates recommended by the elders are all top-notch. Although Jade Light Pavilion is a Nascent Soul sect, entering it doesn't guarantee a smooth path to success. In any major power, internal competition is extremely fierce. If your strength is insufficient, you won't be able to compete with others. Even if you are given a spot on Soaring Cloud Peak, what then? You'll still end up as a marginal figure."
"My family selects clansmen to join the sect in the hope that they will repay the family after achieving success in their cultivation. We don't want them to fail in their cultivation and bring shame to our family."
"So, what does the clan chief mean?"
"In the cultivation world, strength is paramount, and my family is no exception. Let your chosen candidates compete, and the one who ranks first will be admitted to Xiaoyun Peak. To ensure fairness, all the magical artifacts of the clan members who participate in the competition will be provided by the family. The competition will begin after the clan meeting, and I will personally supervise it."
"this..."
Faced with Zhang Lingyu's unquestionable words, the cultivators secretly smiled bitterly, but this was also the fairest way.
Who says the strong get to enjoy everything?
Seeing the clan elders below who were still quite dissatisfied, Zhang Lingyu said without any politeness, "This is a consensus reached by me, the Second Elder, and the First Elder. It cannot be changed, and this will be the procedure in the future."
After saying this, he scanned the entire room, and seeing that no one had any objections, he continued:
"Since there are no objections, let's move on to the next item."
Next comes personnel promotions and industrial arrangements.
In recent years, the number of cultivators from the Zhang family has been increasing. In addition to those with the surname Zhang, there are also geniuses from smaller families such as Mo Wuyai and Xu Haisheng.
They were called hostages, but they were no different from the cultivators of their own race. Except for not being able to hold high positions, they were all given important positions and preferential treatment in terms of resources.
After opening two shops in the markets of Yunhai County and Linhai County, Zhang Lingyu planned to open an additional restaurant in both markets.
Trying to compete with others in the talisman, elixir, and magic weapon industry in a short period of time is nothing short of wishful thinking, so they have to find another way.
The restaurants in Tianliu City and Yanxing Market are pillar industries, and the family already has a lot of experience in this area. Opening two more would be a good choice, at least to make a small profit.
Since we were going to open a restaurant, we needed to add more staff. There were quite a few things to consider, and we debated for a while before making a decision.
Besides the spirit wine and spirit food industry, the Zhang family has another industry that has been developing rapidly in recent years: selling spirit beasts.
The most eye-catching among them are the Azure Phoenixes obtained from Qingfeng Mountain back then. Under Zhang Xingyu's careful cultivation, these Azure Phoenixes have grown to a considerable size, and the family has specially allocated an extra spiritual mountain for them to cultivate separately.
Although it was not successful in earlier years, it has grown to a considerable scale in recent years. As soon as these Azure Phoenixes arrive at the shops in Tianliu City, they are immediately snapped up, and even pre-ordered.
Although the ancient bloodline within the Azure Phoenix is thin, it still possesses considerable strength among ordinary spirit beasts. In addition to its impressive combat power, it can also serve as a substitute for flying magical artifacts, as speed is its extraordinary talent.
Since the topic of the spirit beast industry had come up, Zhang Xingyu, who was below, also had his own opinion, saying, "Clan leader, and all the clan elders, do you think that in addition to selling spirit beasts, we could also sell some spirit beast eggs?"
Raising a spirit beast requires a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources. Although the benefits outweigh the costs, the time span is simply too long.
Selling some of the phoenix eggs could increase revenue and reduce costs.
Moreover, this is something that many cultivators crave. Spirit beasts and spirit insects, as well as other auxiliary creatures, must be raised from a young age so that they can communicate with each other and play a greater role.
After all, there had been previous incidents where sold Azure Phoenixes had injured people, and the Zhang family had to pay a price to quell the matter.
After discussing it, everyone agreed to this suggestion. However, they decided not to sell too many spirit beast eggs, otherwise others would also sell Azure Phoenixes, which would steal their business.
Another thing is puppets. The clansmen who have returned from learning from Lin Qing can now make puppets on their own. Unfortunately, the highest quality they can make so far is only comparable to the late stage of Qi Refining, which is already quite good.
Since the appearance of a Foundation Establishment guest elder named Puppet Master, the puppet-making skills of the people of Qingya Mountain have improved by leaps and bounds, and the puppet industry in the future should not be underestimated.
All the people knew about this person was that Zhang Lingyu had invited him; they knew nothing else about him, not even Zhang Xingyao. But since he was ultimately beneficial to the family, no one paid much attention to him.
The third matter to be discussed is the Foundation Establishment of the Qi Refining Peak clansmen.
Although the family is still short of Foundation Establishment Pills, the reserves of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Items are quite considerable. Apart from those purchased in the market and Tianliu City, the rest are thanks to clues collected by the intelligence system.
Once this kind of information appears on the panel, Zhang Lingyu will transmit it to the clan through the Night Owl Guards, so that the clan can always seize such opportunities one step ahead of others.
It goes without saying that the Zhang family members are cultivators; once their cultivation reaches a certain level, they can use contribution points to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills and Foundation Establishment Spiritual Items to establish their foundation.
The current point of contention mainly concerns those monks from other lineages.
While Qi refining resources can be slightly tilted, Foundation Establishment is no joke. Not to mention the huge protests within the family, if any changes occur in the future, those Foundation Establishment members from other clans can take the opportunity to seize high positions and gradually erode the family, ultimately leading to the extermination of the clan.
The Zhang family is indeed thriving, with eight Foundation Establishment cultivators, including two in the late Foundation Establishment stage. However, the cultivation world is all about unpredictability; no one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come.
So, while the family may have allowed its vassal families to grow and expand on their own over the years, it has secretly suppressed them just as much as it has done in the past.
Therefore, whether or not a cultivator from another family can establish their foundation is a difficult problem facing everyone.
The family must either produce a Golden Core cultivator or have them swear an oath of eternal loyalty to the family.
Currently, only two people are qualified to establish their foundation—Mo Wuyai and Xu Haisheng. The clansmen are in unison: it is not allowed.
Zhang Lingyu smiled but didn't draw a conclusion. Instead, she looked at Zhang Yuanyao and asked, "Yuanyao, do you think they should both be granted the opportunity to establish their foundations?"
"Whether they can establish their foundation is not up to me. Yuan Yao will only say one thing: their strength and talent are both top-notch in the county. Even if we don't give it to them, they can still find their own way after leaving the family... especially the latter, who has even greater ambitions."
Zhang Yuanyao only said:
"If we give them the opportunity to establish their foundation, Xu Haisheng dares not say much, but Mo Wuyai will definitely do everything he can for the family. Once they establish their foundation, they will be a considerable fighting force."
Upon hearing this, everyone frowned slightly. Although they didn't say whether they would give it or not, the meaning was already very clear, especially for Mo Wuyai. Who didn't know that the former was pursuing a young girl?
They actually spoke up for him; isn't that like raising a tiger to cause trouble?
"I understand what you mean."
Zhang Lingyu nodded, took out a piece of paper resembling sheepskin from his storage bag. It was stained with blood and seemed to be of questionable origin. He explained:
"This is the Netherworld Blood Pact. Whenever cultivators make an agreement but fear that the other party will go back on their word or break the agreement, they will write the terms of the agreement on this Netherworld Blood Pact, and then each of them will drip a drop of blood stained with a trace of their divine soul. Once completed, the agreement will be finalized and recognized by the will of Heaven in the dark."
"Disobeying will inevitably result in backlash, ranging from severe injury to death. Even those at the Nascent Soul stage must obediently abide by the contents of the blood pact."
"Such a thing actually exists in the cultivation world."
The crowd gasped in amazement upon hearing this, and at the same time understood Zhang Lingyu's intention: the family could prepare all the necessary items for them to establish their foundation, but they had to sign a Netherworld Blood Pact and swear never to betray the Zhang family.
"In this way, it's much safer to make a vow of Daoist resolve."
Zhang Xinghao, who was below, felt much more relaxed. Mo Wuyai had been under his command when the demonic cultivators attacked the mountain. This non-clan cultivator was excellent in all aspects and was highly valued by him.
If successful, the family will have another powerful cultivator in the future.
Therefore, he tried his best to fight for the Foundation Establishment, but in the end it was not something he could decide. In fact, he was also afraid that if the family agreed, the other party would turn around and harm the Zhang family in the future. Wouldn't he, Zhang Xinghao, become a sinner of the family?
Now that the Netherworld Blood Pact has been revealed, I can finally rest easy.
......
......