Chapter 302: Gan Hai Li Clan (Fourth Update, Added!)

As a genuinely black-hearted Yushu Jiange True Person, even the weakest Yun family ancestor was an absolute giant to external Qi Condensation factions.

Thus, shortly after his words spread, all sects arrived.

"Dan Yuan Sect, Wan Zhen Hall, Ling Bao Academy, Yu Shu Sect, Dao Fu Sect, Wine Immortal Cult, Ling Zhi Valley—wow, the hundred arts of cultivation are all here!"

Lu Yang's scalp prickled; according to the Yun family ancestor, these factions had all been nurtured by the Yushu Jiange, and most of Jiangnan were such factions—deeply accomplished in the hundred arts of cultivation but utterly inept in combat, forced to seek protection under the Yushu Jiange's rule.

This could be seen clearly from Jiangnan's structure.

In Jiangbei, not only were there Foundation Establishment sects, but even one or two Jin Dan sects; yet in Jiangnan? Not a single Jin Dan sect existed!

This governance method had advantages and disadvantages.

The disadvantage was naturally the lack of subordinates—Jiangnan always relied on the Yushu Jiange itself, whereas in Jiangbei, the Holy Sect could at least issue orders to summon the cultivators of Jiangbei.

But the advantages were also substantial: with just Jiangnan, the Yushu Jiange could sustain itself entirely, elevating its power to an astonishing level and making Jiangnan extraordinarily prosperous; in terms of resource cultivation and utilization, it could easily outmatch the other three regions.

Thus, Lu Yang quickly amassed a full treasury of gifts.

"Thirteen families—after plundering geng metal spiritual items from thirteen entire sects, I've finally pushed my Immortal Spirit's nourishment to seventy percent!"

With just three percent left, he would reach full Foundation Establishment early stage.

At that point, as long as he found one Tian Gang or Di Sha to merge into his Immortal Spirit body, he would naturally breakthrough to Foundation Establishment mid-stage, with zero bottleneck!

"Truly, the heavens' own child," Lu Yang couldn't help but sigh.

Of course, this breakthrough was also due to his own uniqueness—he was still in the nourishment phase, yet could actively seek out resources himself.

Most Immortal Spirits at this stage were still dazed, like infants, dependent entirely on heaven to feed them; not only could they not seek resources themselves, but merely surviving without dying young was luck enough, and those who did survive usually emerged prematurely, never truly reaching full Foundation Establishment nourishment.

"Where do I find this last three percent?"

Lu Yang sat at his desk, flipping through the scrolls, then raised an eyebrow: "Gan Hai Li Clan—didn't this faction send anyone?"

"Mmm."

At that moment, Xiuxin True Person, practicing beneath the desk, interrupted her cultivation to mutter: "Gan Hai Li Clan is the only Foundation Establishment immortal clan within ten thousand li."

"This family rose through maritime trade, stumbled upon a miracle in some ancient ruin, unearthed a superior spiritual treasure called the 【Kai Jiang Ship】, and used it to shuttle between Jiangnan and Jiangbei, accumulating vast resources until they cultivated a Foundation Establishment True Person, earning them the title of immortal clan."

Lu Yang immediately understood.

After all, as a Foundation Establishment immortal clan, they naturally had more backbone than those Qi Condensation factions—certainly not intimidated by just one Yun family ancestor.

But he still needed geng metal spiritual items.

Yet if Xiuxin True Person's intelligence was correct, Gan Hai Li Clan truly had substance—they were not something the Yun family ancestor could casually handle.

"Looks like I must leave the mountain!"

Thinking this, Lu Yang immediately ended his cultivation with Xiuxin True Person, shed his Superhuman state, waved his hand, and a figure appeared in the room.

It was a man whose appearance matched Lu Yang's perfectly—noble, handsome, with only a vacant stare, clearly not alive.

【Immortal Embryo Clone】!

"Though limited by materials, it's crudely made and nowhere near as refined as my past-life clones—it won't last long before breaking down—but better than nothing."

Lu Yang chanted a spell, his magical body swiftly merging with the Immortal Embryo Clone, then linked to his Immortal Spirit's core; his fingertip instantly glowed with divine radiance—the geng metal divine art 【Bing Ge Zhu】—as long as he concealed his magical body, he now looked every bit a Foundation Establishment sword cultivator.

The only flaw was the clone's fragility—it couldn't withstand his immense magic power.

Thus, he couldn't engage in prolonged combat.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang swept his sleeve across the desk.

The next instant, three shimmering yellow papers flew out and landed in Lu Yang's palm, each radiating sharp sword qi.

【Duanmu Yuan Tu Talismans】!

These were his recent efforts—rank-five Foundation Establishment magical talismans, requiring only minimal magic power to activate, without destabilizing the clone.

"Even so, this can't go on forever—I hope Gan Hai Li Clan is wealthy enough to let me plunder more spiritual materials. Especially that superior spiritual treasure, the 【Kai Jiang Ship】, mentioned by Xiuxin True Person—if I obtain it, I can forge a superior Immortal Embryo."

This current one is truly inadequate.

To truly gain an Immortal Embryo Clone capable of replacing my body, traveling the world, and freely engaging in combat, I must use a superior spiritual treasure as material.

Jiangnan, Gantang Road.

This was a port, facing Jiangnan on one side and the Great Dragon River on the other; beyond the port lay an endless, vast Wang Yang.

The Gan Hai Li Clan had dwelled here for generations.

Inside a grand hall, a dignified young my lord stood before a window, gazing blankly at the boundless Wang Yang beyond the port.

He was the pillar of the Gan Hai Li Clan, the Foundation Establishment True Person 【Xiao Hai】.

Behind him stood a stern middle-aged man—the current patriarch of the Li family—standing respectfully at his side.

"My lord, shall we not reply to the Yun family's letter?"

The Li patriarch looked tense; the Yushu Jiange was the sole giant in Jiangnan—openly refusing a Yushu Jiange True Person was deeply unsettling.

"A fallen family," Xiao Hai True Person scoffed, shaking his head. "What search for demonic heads? Clearly extortion. Ignore them. Besides, I know that Yun family ancestor—he has few years left. Even if we don't go, he won't dare come after us."

"Besides, the Yushu Jiange—hmp!"

At the mention of the name, resentment flashed across Xiao Hai True Person's face: "Our Li family has fished the seas for them for ten generations!"

"Even mortals, after ten generations of accumulation, should have built substantial wealth, right?"

"But where's the money?"

All the wealth the Li family worked so hard to earn—the resources meant to nourish their clan, aid their cultivation—where did it all end up?

Xiao Hai True Person didn't continue, only gave a cold smile; ten generations of Li family toil, all striving for progress, yet after ten generations of hardship, the suffering never ended—if not for a stroke of heavenly fortune, where would the Gan Hai Li Clan be? They'd still be just a lowly Qi Condensation family.

"Forget it—compared to an old immortal, 【that place】 matters more."

Xiao Hai True Person emphasized his words; the Li patriarch's expression hardened instantly. In their speech, 【that place】 was an unspoken location.

【That place】 was the origin of the Li family's rise.

The superior spiritual treasure 【Kai Jiang Ship】, which had built the Li family's current wealth, came from 【that place】; after years of inquiry and contemplation, Xiao Hai True Person had now reached a near-certain conclusion.

Now, a basic conclusion has been reached.

That place is, nine times out of ten, formed from a fragment of a cave heaven left behind after a True Lord fell! For some reason, it has lingered in the mortal world, undiscovered until now!

Since learning this, nearly everyone in the Li family who knew of that place was silenced; only True Person Xiaohai and the Li family head remain. They never speak plainly, referring to the phenomena within with other terms to prevent anyone from deducing the truth.

'That will be the greatest opportunity for the rise of our Li family!'

'Given time, if we can fully develop that cave heaven fragment, our Li family will surely leap to become the greatest power beneath the Jiangnan Yushu Jiange!'

Thinking this, True Person Xiaohai wished to add a few more instructions.

But just then, his expression suddenly changed.

The Li family head reacted a bit slowly; only after a moment did he see beyond the firmament a streak of escape light rushing forward, accompanied by the sharp sound of a sword!

"Who goes there!"

True Person Xiaohai shot into the air almost instantly; a shimmering green light formed behind his head, swelled violently in the wind, and in an instant transformed into a vast ocean of waves.

Yet the next second, a sword sound rang out!

The sword light struck, tearing straight through the green Wang Yang spread by True Person Xiaohai, and a sharp, cutting voice echoed everywhere:

"Where is the True Person of the Li family of Catching the Sea? Come out and face me!"

(End of this chapter)