Chapter 27

Wang Shan desperately accumulated Spirit Plant Points in the system space.

But he hadn't forgotten outside matters, especially paying attention to the family's tense feelings.

He knew that having things and trump cards wasn't enough.

If people's hearts scattered, the Wang Family would truly be finished.

The next morning, the sky had just brightened.

Wang Shan finished a batch of Spirit Blood Branches.

He was a bit tired, but it didn't show; he walked out of the quiet room in good spirits.

He held an ordinary wooden box in his hand.

His second son Wang Zhihai, third son Wang Zhihe, and fourth son Wang Zhijiang were waiting outside.

Also present were his older, steady grandsons Wang Mingwu and Wang Mingfeng.

Seeing the Family Head come out, they immediately gathered around.

Their faces were all filled with worry.

Their eyes were bloodshot, obviously they hadn't rested well these days.

"Father (Grandfather)." everyone shouted together.

Their voices were a little hoarse, revealing unease.

Wang Shan looked at everyone, taking in their expressions.

He nodded, his face bearing a calm smile.

That smile looked especially vigorous in the morning.

"Come over." he called to them.

They obediently walked closer.

Wang Shan opened the wooden box, and a faint herbal grass scent wafted out.

Inside the box lay more than twenty greenish medicinal pills.

These were exactly the low-grade Return Spring Pills he had refined late last night.

At that time he had become familiar with the Introduction to Alchemy, and his success rate had increased greatly.

"This is..." Wang Zhihai stared at the pills, very surprised.

The Wang Family had been besieged for a long time, and medicinal pills were in short supply.

Especially the wound-healing Return Spring Pills—using one meant one less.

"These are something I accidentally produced while confined, a simple kind of pill." Wang Shan said plainly.

As if speaking of a trivial matter.

He distributed the pills to his sons and grandsons.

"Two each, use them sparingly. At critical moments they can restore some strength and treat minor injuries."

He didn't mention the system, only saying he had researched it himself.

This way he could keep it secret while also making the Family Head appear more authoritative and mysterious.

The Wang Family members felt the pills still warm in their hands, sensing the pure herbal vitality inside, and were greatly shocked.

The Family Head... actually knows how to refine pills?

Even while besieged and lacking everything!

Totally unexpected!

The previous sense of despair hanging over the Wang Family Old Residence was torn open by this tiny pill, letting in light.

Everyone's gaze toward Wang Shan changed instantly.

Not only reliance and worry, but also deep awe and an inexpressible confidence grew.

The Family Head can not only withstand the pressure of myriad families, but also possesses this ability!

This shows the Wang Family is not at a dead end; the Family Head still has hidden trump cards they don't know about!

"Father... you..." Wang Zhihai was so excited he could hardly speak clearly.

"Alright, don't make a fuss." Wang Shan waved his hand.

"Just some little things; having them is better than having none."

The more casually he spoke, the more shaken everyone felt inside.

These are medicinal pills!

Even the lowest grade is a treasure that only cultivators can encounter!

The fearful, uneasy atmosphere quickly dissipated upon encountering this small pill.

Everyone's eyes regained hope, though small, it was firm.

Wang Zhize is Wang Shan's eldest son, with the steadiest temperament.

He took the pill, examined it carefully, then directly ate one.

The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth.

A warm current quickly spread throughout his body.

He immediately circulated the family's Duant Body Art.

He felt that the previously sluggish qi and blood now flowed much more smoothly.

The expended strength was also quickly returning.

"Good! Good pill!" Wang Zhize couldn't help but exclaim.

Seeing this, the others hurriedly ate the pills as well.

The effects soon appeared.

Especially when cultivating in the relatively dense spiritual energy environment provided by the upgraded Misty Spirit Gathering Array, the medicinal pills work better.

Several sons felt that when practicing the Duant Body Art, their qi and blood flowed more vigorously, as if they were about to make progress.

Even Wang Mingyuan, the grandson who had not formally cultivated but had been taught a few rudimentary strengthening techniques by Wang Shan, felt his whole body warm, his spirit much improved, and his mind a bit clearer.

Although the progress was small, in such a life‑or‑death situation, any bit of improvement is extremely precious.

Wang Shan saw the faces of his sons and grandsons regain vitality, and his heart relaxed a little.

He clearly understood that morale, though invisible and intangible, often determines victory or defeat.

We must quickly add fuel to the fire to stabilize this hard‑won confidence.

He didn't rest; after arranging everything for everyone, he returned to the quiet chamber.

This time, he focused his thoughts on another basic skill given by the system—Introduction to Talisman Crafting.

Medicinal pills can heal wounds and save lives, while talismans serve as a protective shield in critical moments.

He wanted to show the family more of its resources, more hope.

In the system mall, basic materials such as yellow talisman paper, specially made talisman ink, and talisman brushes are inexpensive.

Wang Shan exchanged Spirit Plant Points for a batch.

He chose to draw a relatively common first‑order defensive talisman, the Vajra Talisman.

Drawing talismans is different from refining pills.

Refining pills requires mastering fire and medicinal properties; drawing talismans places greater emphasis on the cultivator's fine control of spiritual power.

Wang Shan sat cross‑legged, took a deep breath, and calmed his mind.

He extended his finger to substitute for a brush.

A faint but steady thread of spiritual power gathered at his fingertip, which he carefully dipped into the talisman ink.

Yellow talisman paper was spread before him.

He focused his spirit, and according to the diagram in Introduction to Talisman Crafting, he began drawing on the talisman paper.

As the first stroke went down, the spiritual power followed it in.

Hiss!

When the spiritual power trembled slightly, the talisman paper instantly ignited, turning into a small pile of ash.

It failed.

Wang Shan did not lose heart.

He replaced it with a fresh talisman paper and tried again.

This time he controlled his spiritual power more carefully, seeking steadiness and uniformity.

When the talisman was half‑drawn… pop!

The spiritual power cut off midway, the talisman cracked, and the light vanished.

Another failed talisman.

Drawing talismans was far harder than he had imagined.

Every stroke demanded intense mental focus.

Control of spiritual power had to be extremely precise.

He devoted himself to practicing this precise control.

Failure after failure, he summed up each time.

The talisman papers were used up nonstop, turning to ash.

On the system interface, the Spirit Plant Points spent on buying materials were gradually dwindling.

Without realizing it, he had spent nearly a hundred points.

But Wang Shan's gaze grew brighter and brighter.

The flow of spiritual power between his fingers also became more skilled and stable.

He failed many times.

Finally, the final stroke of the talisman was completed.

The spiritual power was also perfectly infused into it.

Buzz!

On the talisman paper, the pale golden glyphs suddenly lit up.

A weak but sturdy wave of energy spread out.

Success!

He successfully drew a lower‑grade Vajra Talisman!

The talisman's surface had a faint golden glow.

Although its grade was not high.

Yet the solid defensive aura within it was genuine.

Having gained experience from the first success, drawing thereafter went much more smoothly.

He practiced for another half day, consuming some materials.

Wang Shan successfully drew more than ten lower‑grade Vajra Talismans.

Holding these talismans that emitted a faint golden light, he left the quiet chamber again.

His sons and a few grandsons saw the family head produce something new again.

Moreover, they were legendary talismans, and everyone's eyes widened.

Wang Shan distributed the Vajra Talismans to them.

"This is a Vajra Talisman; when used, a protective light shield will appear around the body."

He picked up one and personally demonstrated how to use his little bit of qi and blood to activate the talisman.

As his qi and blood entered, the talisman ignited itself without fire.

It turned into a pale golden light shield that covered him.

The light shield looked a bit thin.

But that solid feeling gave everyone a jolt in their hearts.

This talisman cannot withstand a full-force strike from a late-stage Body Refining cultivator.

But ordinary sword slashes or low-level spells can block a few hits.

"At critical moments, it can buy you a chance to survive, even save your life!" Wang Shan explained.

The sons were overjoyed, as if they had gotten a treasure.

They carefully placed the 【Vajra Talisman】 close to their bodies.

This is something that can save lives!

Pills can heal injuries and restore health; talismans can save lives at critical moments!

The Family Head not only didn't fall, but repeatedly brought out treasures that only cultivators possess!

This time, the Wang family descendants' already low morale was completely ignited.

And it's burning brightly!

Their gaze toward Wang Shan was filled with almost blind reverence and complete reliance.

With such a Family Head, the Wang family might still have hope!

What Wang Shan has done is indeed a shot of adrenaline.

It greatly stabilized the family's internal morale.

And outside the Wang Family Old Residence is the Wan family's temporary camp.

Wan Hong sat in a grand chair, listening to his subordinates' report.

"Report, Grandfather Hong, the Wang family side is still holding firm and not coming out; the light shield of the Misty Spirit Gathering Array hasn't weakened at all."

"Oh?" Wan Hong's brows furrowed slightly.

He found the Wang family's "quiet" and stubborn resistance a bit strange.

He thought that after such a long time without water or food, even if there was no internal turmoil, they should be panicking and unable to hold out.

But he didn't think much of it.

In his view, Wang Shan is merely at the seventh layer of Body Refining.

Even if he has a few tricks, what could he possibly accomplish?

Perhaps it's just that the Wang family has saved up their wealth over the years, with some special storage methods that can last a few more days.

"Hmph, just pretending to be calm." Wan Hong curled the corner of his mouth into a cold smile, very cruel.

"Keep surrounding them, increase the pressure! I don't believe they can keep hiding in their shell!"

"When the rats inside are starving so much their eyes turn green, and they'll start fighting each other for a few bites of food, that's when we'll move in to capture them!"

He is very confident in his own strength at the peak of the ninth layer of Body Refining.

Crushing a Wang family that's barely holding on is just a matter of time.

Wan Hong's contempt gave Wang Shan precious time.

At this time, Wang Shan temporarily entrusted the family's affairs to his sons.

He once again devoted all his thoughts to the Spirit Plant System.

Soothing people's hearts is only the first step.

The true key to determining victory or defeat is still those high Spirit Plant Points.

After another day and night of almost sleepless frantic grinding...

He nonstop planted, hastened maturity, and harvested Spirit Blood Branches.

In between, he also practiced alchemy and talisman making in small amounts.

His Spirit Plant Points balance finally reached an exciting number!

【Spirit Plant Points: 4582 points!】

Wang Shan watched the jumping numbers on the system interface, his eyes brightening, his heart beating fast.

He was less than five hundred points away from the 5000 points needed to exchange for the Array Core Enhancement Module!

Just a little bit more!

As long as he harvests another batch of Spirit Blood Branches, he'll have enough!

To enhance the array's defense, he must do it immediately!

At the same time, the bottleneck sensation of his seventh-layer peak Body Refining cultivation, due to these days' spiritual nourishment and intense mental focus, became increasingly clear.

It felt as if he could pierce that layer of paper at any moment.

Therefore, his yearning for the Obstacle-Breaking Pill also grew stronger.

"Soon! It's coming soon!"

Wang Shan clenched his fists, his eyes very determined.

He must obtain these two crucial trump cards before Wan Hong loses his patience!