Chapter 22: Message from the Main Family (Please Add to Favorites)

Song Changsheng scratched his head with a sheepish grin and said, "I thought I had been discreet enough, but I didn't expect you to discover it, Ma'am."

Just as Xia Yunxue had said, when he released Chang Tianhua, he had secretly injected a trace of fire qi into his body. This trace of fire qi would travel along his meridians and invade his dantian qi sea.

Once he began to cultivate, Chang Tianhua would feel an excruciating pain in his dantian, as if it were being burned by fire.

This fire qi was a special ability attached to his cultivation technique, which could only be removed before it entered the dantian.

Once it invaded, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be helpless, unless his father, the Sect Master, could find him some rare and precious treasures; otherwise, Chang Tianhua would be considered a cripple for the rest of his life.

It had to be said that like mother, like son—their methods were identical.

While such a dirty trick was somewhat despicable, mercy toward an enemy was cruelty toward oneself; it was merely a matter of differing stances.

"Take these spirit stones for your cultivation." Xia Yunxue handed over the entire batch of over a thousand spirit stones gathered by the members of the Earth Fire Sect to Song Changsheng.

He did not decline. On one hand, it was given by his mother, and on the other, his cultivation expenses were indeed substantial, and he desperately needed this sum of spirit stones.

With a shake of his body, Song Changsheng had transformed into a "big spender" carrying over two thousand spirit stones.

However, while this sum looked large, it was easily spent. To reach Foundation Establishment, this amount was still far from enough...

Not long after, the Third Elder, Song Luyao, arrived. She had just slain a mid-grade second-tier demon beast; having sensed the aura of a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators, she had rushed over without pause, fearing Xia Yunxue might be overwhelmed.

After Xia Yunxue explained the sequence of events to Song Luyao, she returned to the mortal cities, which was where she belonged.

After seeing Xia Yunxue off, Song Luyao glanced at Song Changhu and said, "Your cultivation is poor and your temperament is reckless. After returning, go to the back mountain to reflect on your mistakes for a month."

"Yes, Elder." Song Changhu was as obedient as a rabbit before her, showing no resentment toward the punishment.

Song Luyao then looked at Song Changsheng, her cold face finally softening slightly. "You have done well. Your wife has educated a good son. After the trial ends, I will request credit for you from the Great Elder."

"Thank you, Elder. This was all within Changsheng's duty," Song Changsheng responded hurriedly.

"Hmph, overly modest. You're just like your father in that regard," Song Luyao remarked coldly, before announcing the end of the trial and instructing them to prepare to return to the clan.

——————

Three days later, inside the Clan Discussion Hall.

The several elders staying behind in the clan and the highly respected clan elders were gathered together.

The seat of honor remained vacant, indicating that Song Xianming had not yet emerged from seclusion. This was not good news for everyone, as today was a very important clan meeting.

The fact that the Clan Leader was not attending could only mean that his physical condition was not optimistic.

"The time has come. Let us begin," said the Great Elder, Song Xianyun, as he looked around.

"News has come back from Lu Ke's side. The main family will soon be refining a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills. According to the agreement set between the main family and us, we should be able to secure about three to five pills. I believe the clan should gather spirit stones as quickly as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications," a white-haired clan elder said, standing up solemnly.

Song Xianyun turned his gaze toward Song Luzhou, who looked as miserable as a bitter melon. "Luzhou, you are in charge of the clan's finances and the Hall of Hundred Arts. Give me a straight answer: how many spirit stones can the clan produce right now?"

"Twenty-first Uncle, it's not that your nephew isn't trying, but the clan truly cannot produce many spirit stones right now.

The trade route in Luoxia City has been cut off for several years; that alone has reduced the clan's annual income by thousands of spirit stones.

Only two demon hunting teams remain, bringing in only a few hundred spirit stones a year—barely enough to call it something. As for the spirit stone mine, we ceded a tenth of the profits to those five families, which means another few thousand spirit stones lost every year..."

Song Luzhou immediately began to vent his grievances, exaggerating the clan's income and expenditures over the years. His posture, expression, and tone made it seem as if the clan were on the verge of bankruptcy.

*Bang!*

An elder suddenly slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Song Luzhou with bulging eyes. "You brat! You make your difficulties sound larger than the heavens! I am asking you: exactly how much money can you produce? The clan has worked hard for so many years; I don't believe we can't produce it. If we can't, it must be because you've been lining your own pockets!"

Song Luzhou immediately shrank his neck and cried out in injustice, "Clan Uncle, you are unfairly accusing your nephew!"

"Then tell me, how many spirit stones can you produce?"

"One hundred thousand. At most one hundred thousand. Not a single cent more!" Song Luzhou said, jutting out his chin.

"One hundred thousand? Can one hundred thousand secure five Foundation Establishment Pills?" The elder slammed his palm against the table repeatedly.

The people around him hurriedly began to mediate, fearing that this hundred-year-old elder might die of anger right there.

Once the elder had been calmed down, Song Xianyun cleared his throat and said, "Luzhou, although the main family sells us Foundation Establishment Pills at a low price, each pill costs at least thirty thousand spirit stones. One hundred thousand is indeed insufficient. See if you can squeeze a bit more from anywhere."

Song Luzhou still held his ground. "Unless we borrow from the entire clan, I cannot produce a single word more."

"Sigh..." Seeing this, Song Xianyun let out a deep sigh. He knew Song Luzhou was telling the truth. Although the man was stingy, he was never vague regarding major clan affairs.

If he said they could only produce one hundred thousand, it meant the clan's resources had already been squeezed to the absolute limit.

"Prepare an announcement. I will set aside my dignity and go to the clansmen to borrow spirit stones," Song Xianyun said in a low voice.

"Sigh, I'll contribute three hundred," one elder said, standing up.

"I'll contribute two hundred."

"I'll contribute four hundred."

...

One by one, the clan elders stood up, offering everything they had in just a few words. They were merely Qi Refinement cultivators; what they were offering was almost all of their savings.

"I will contribute three thousand," Song Xianyun also stated.

Song Luzhou said with a look of intense pain, "I'll contribute two thousand five."

When it came to the Third Elder, Song Luyao, she said coldly, "Everyone, I believe it is still a bit premature to be gathering money."

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Luzhou jumped up first. "Ninth Sister, I've even pulled out my coffin money! You aren't being stingy, are you?"

Song Luyao gave him an unfriendly look and said, "Not everyone is a money-grubber like you. Twenty-first Uncle, my niece's words are based on evidence."

Song Xianyun nodded. "Elaborate."

"The last time we obtained Foundation Establishment Pills from the main family was eight years ago. That time, we were supposed to receive six pills, but the main family withheld three for various reasons.

Ultimately, those three pills produced two Foundation Establishment cultivators: my sister-in-law and the twelfth brother.

We all know that the reasons given by the main family were merely excuses to brush us off. In reality, they distributed our three pills to other branches.

The reason is simple. After that battle, the Clan Leader lost his chance to break through to the Purple Mansion realm, and the clan suffered a heavy blow. The main family has lost its original level of importance toward us because we have regressed into a Foundation Establishment clan.

In other words, theoretically, we can secure at most five pills this time. But in reality, it is hard to say if we can even maintain the baseline of three pills. I am finished."

Song Luyao's words cast a shadow over everyone present, because the situation she described was very likely to happen.

...

(End of Chapter)