Chapter 3: Family Mission (Please check in)

Cultivation knows no passage of time, and in the mountains, one loses track of the years. Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

During this period, Song Changsheng spent his time diligently cultivating while taking on odd jobs in artifact refining or array formation to earn spirit stones. His days were fulfilling and pleasant.

But soon, this tranquility was shattered...

Inside the family’s General Affairs Hall, Song Changsheng and over a dozen clansmen of the same age gathered. Without exception, everyone wore a look of confusion, unaware of why the family had summoned them here.

"Hey, Brother, do you know what this is about? Is it good news or bad news?" a somewhat thin youth nudged Song Changsheng with his elbow and asked.

Hearing this, those nearby turned their gazes toward Song Changsheng. After all, everyone knew that Song Changsheng was not only the Patriarch’s own grandson but also the only son of the Fifth Elder, Xia Yunxue.

As a Foundation Establishment seed of the family himself, he surely had to have some inside information, right?

Song Changsheng shook his head with a wry smile: "I really don't know about this."

There was no need for him to lie about such a thing, because even if he didn't say it, they would know the answer soon enough.

But precisely because of this, curiosity was amplified infinitely. Everyone began to discuss it in a hubbub of voices; it started off normally enough, but gradually became outrageous.

Just before even more unreliable speculations could emerge, someone suddenly shouted: "The Great Elder is here!"

The previously noisy hall fell silent instantly, and everyone looked toward the entrance.

A tall, thin middle-aged man walked in with the leisurely gait of someone strolling through a garden. He was dressed in a black robe with gold-trimmed, silver-moon cloud patterns, wearing a white jade crown, with piercing eyes and temples dusted with gray.

Song Changsheng and the others immediately cupped their hands in salute: "Greetings, Great Elder."

The person who arrived was none other than the family’s Great Elder, Song Xianyun. As one of the only two remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators of the "Xian" generation, and a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator himself, Song Xianyun enjoyed immense prestige within the family.

The Patriarch, Song Xianming, was in seclusion year-round, so the Great Elder handled all the family's affairs daily. He was incredibly busy; his appearance meant that this matter was certainly not simple. For a moment, everyone felt a sense of tension.

"At ease," Song Xianyun’s voice was somewhat aged but filled with authority.

He scanned the crowd, his gaze lingering on Song Changsheng for a brief moment before he said: "Children, you are all still minors. According to family rules, you should be focusing on cultivation on the mountain. However, the family is currently short-handed, and there are many vacancies in our external businesses.

Therefore, the Council of Elders has decided to let you descend the mountain early to serve the family. This goes against family rules, so the choice is yours. Those who do not wish to go, just tell me privately; there will be no punishment.

For those willing to go, the family will not treat you unfairly. In addition to your regular cultivation resources, the family will provide an extra ten catties of spirit rice and two Spirit Gathering Pills every month."

The people present were stunned. They were actually being asked to descend the mountain early. Everyone knew that descending early meant losing the precious opportunity to continue cultivating on a third-tier spirit vein. For a moment, many showed expressions of dissatisfaction.

However, some felt the compensation was quite good. Most of those who thought this way were clansmen with low aptitude.

With no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment in this lifetime, it was better to serve the family early, accumulate some contribution points and spirit stones, and leave something behind for their descendants when they eventually married and had children.

Song Xianyun took in everyone’s reactions, his expression unchanging. He said sternly: "To ensure fairness and impartiality, the tasks will be decided by drawing lots. Whatever you draw is what you get. Who will draw the first lot?"

In an instant, a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward Song Changsheng. Among those present, he had the best background and was the top genius of the family.

Everyone wanted him to draw the first lot.

Song Changsheng said calmly: "The family has raised me for sixteen years. Now that the family is in need, I am duty-bound."

With that, he walked up to Song Xianyun and drew a jade slip from the bamboo tube. It clearly read: "Immortal Ascension Assembly."

Song Changsheng was speechless. It was the Immortal Ascension Assembly. It seemed his luck was good; this was a short-term task that wouldn't delay his cultivation too much.

Seeing someone take the lead, the others, whether willing or reluctant, stepped forward to draw their lots. Although Song Xianyun said they could opt out, not a single person did.

They could grumble, but the family had raised them for over a decade, and now it was time to give back. After all, this was their home, too...

Back in his courtyard, Song Changsheng began to review the details of his task: "In one month, accompany the deacon of the Spirit Testing Hall down the mountain to mortal cities to measure spirit roots. Task rewards are linked to the quantity and quality of the spirit roots found."

"The Immortal Ascension Assembly is a month away. It seems I have time to prepare." Song Changsheng was satisfied with this task. Having been in this world for sixteen years, he had never seen the world outside the mountains. This was a perfect chance to broaden his horizons.

Moreover, his mother, Xia Yunxue, was responsible for guarding a mortal city, so he would be able to see her. They hadn't met since last year, and the wine at home was running low; it was a good opportunity to stock up.

As an outsider by blood, being supported by the family to reach Foundation Establishment required exceptional talent. Xia Yunxue was a second-tier mid-grade vintner.

Vintner was a relatively niche profession among the hundred arts of cultivation. The wines they brewed often possessed many magical abilities, bringing considerable revenue to the family.

With such a mother, Song Changsheng had essentially grown up soaking in wine jars. While this laid a good foundation for him, it also gave him a penchant for drinking.

But this was harmless; cultivators had all sorts of strange hobbies, and his was nothing compared to those.

"The treasure gourd was something I refined a few years ago, but its offensive methods are a bit too simple. It would be better to engrave an array into it and refine it into a Water-Fire Treasure Gourd. Combined with the [Water-Fire Control Method], my combat power could rise to another level," Song Changsheng pondered to himself.

The wine gourd hanging at his waist was actually his own natal magic tool, currently at the first-tier mid-grade.

Since he had only recently become a first-tier high-grade artifact refiner, he hadn't had time to improve its quality. Now that he was heading down the mountain, it was time to re-refine it.

"One month is enough for me to upgrade the treasure gourd by a level. I must prepare well for my first time down the mountain."

No sooner said than done, Song Changsheng went to the Contribution Hall. He exchanged three hundred contribution points for several pieces of water and fire-attribute ore, and another two hundred for several bottles of pills and a few talismans, immediately using up more than half of the contribution points he had accumulated over the years.

Life off the mountain was not like life on it; all sorts of accidents could happen. Taking precautions and being well-prepared was never a bad thing.

"Only three hundred contribution points left. I'll have to be more frugal from now on," Song Changsheng sighed as he looked at the number on his identity token.

Family contribution points were extremely precious. One point could be exchanged for one low-grade spirit stone, but spirit stones could not be exchanged for contribution points.

Contribution points could be used to exchange for any resource in the family treasury, and various divine abilities and spells in the Scripture Pavilion could also be exchanged at will.

Therefore, within the family, the utility of contribution points was greater than that of spirit stones.

As a Foundation Establishment seed, Song Changsheng received an annual stipend of fifty spirit stones and three hundred contribution points.

It sounded like a lot, but his expenses were also high. The title of "genius" needed to be built with resources.

After eight years of cultivation, he only had about two hundred low-grade spirit stones and three hundred contribution points left to his name.

This was only because he often took on odd jobs; otherwise, he would be penniless by now.

...

If there is anything amiss, fellow Daoists, please leave a comment. Thank you!

(End of chapter)