Chapter 270

Ever since Fourth Brother Song Qingrui lost an arm during the beast turmoil, he had stayed at the foot of the mountain to help look after the family's mortals, having long since lost the motivation to cultivate. Fortunately, he was lucky; after getting married, he had a son who tested positive for spiritual roots. In recent years, in order to save up a little more cultivation resources for his child, he had started to get busy again, which could be considered a turn for the better.

"Big Brother is right. Currently, the family still has a large shortage of cultivators. Many spiritual mines don't have enough cultivators to guard them, and Second Sister is often urging me for people. Fourth Brother, you being able to produce Xinxiu and add another cultivator to the family is indeed a great merit for the family." Song Qingming also slowly smiled and said.

The three drank a full jar of spiritual wine before Song Qingze's grave before dispersing and leaving the cemetery with a hint of drunkenness.

Two years later, in Qinghe Market.

Song Qingming and Song Qingyu were walking on the main street of the market with a dozen Song family cultivators.

"Qingyu, leave the patrol of the market to Thirteenth Uncle and the others. Try to consult Fellow Daoist Lu's opinions as much as possible on everything, and try to restrain the clansmen well so that the relationship with his side doesn't become too stiff."

"Seventh Brother, don't worry. I also spent two years in the guard team back then, so I already understand all of this." Hearing Song Qingming's repeated exhortations, Song Qingyu skillfully nodded again.

It had been twenty years since Song Qingming's Foundation Establishment, and it was the Song family's turn again to take on the task of garrisoning Qinghe Market. In order to train Song Qingyu well, Song Qingming had arranged for her to come down the mountain this time to lead the team to Qinghe Market.

Song Qingyu had broken through to the second layer of Foundation Establishment a year ago and had two second-tier magic tools on her. Song Qingming had also given her several second-tier talismans for protection. Her current strength was far superior to when Song Qingming garrisoned the market back then. Moreover, Qinghe Market had the seasoned Lu Yuanfeng sitting in charge, so in Song Qingming's view, there shouldn't be any major problems.

In recent years, under Huang Shengyue's governance, the atmosphere in Qinghe Market had gradually improved. However, there were still occasional incidents of rogue cultivators being robbed and going missing around the market. For this reason, Lu Yuanfeng had strengthened the garrison forces of Qinghe Market and hired many rogue cultivators into the guard team.

Song Qingyu's handover with the Huang family this time went quite smoothly, and she moved into the high-tier cave dwelling in Qinghe Market that very day. Her active appearance in Qinghe Market this time also caused a slight tremor throughout Qinghe County.

The Gao family and the Lu family were fine; like the Huang family, they had long since detected the news of Song Qingyu's Foundation Establishment, so they were not very surprised that Song Qingming brought her to Qinghe Market together this time. However, the Qi Condensation cultivation families that were vassals to each house were truly shocked to see that the Song family had another person succeed in Foundation Establishment.

In just over twenty years, the Song family had transformed from a small Qi Condensation family like them into an existence with two Foundation Establishment cultivators today, capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Huang and Gao families. The things that had happened in between were truly too unimaginable.

For a time, all sorts of rumors began to circulate throughout Qinghe County. Some said that Song Qingming had explored a Jin Dan cultivator's cave dwelling, others said that Song Qingming had gained the appreciation of a rogue Jin Dan cultivator, and even more outrageous ones said that the Song family had secretly dug up a spirit stone mine behind the Xiaoyao Sect's back decades ago.

Regarding these rumors, Song Qingming strictly forbade all Song family cultivators from paying any attention to them. Such things could not be nipped in the bud, and often the more they were described, the darker they became. But no matter how they were spread, the other major Foundation Establishment families were well aware of the Song family's rise in their hearts.

After all, in the hundreds of years in Qinghe County, apart from the Gao and Huang families, it was common for other cultivation families to rise and fall. When Qian Guangyao established his Foundation back then, the Qian family was in the limelight for a time, but it only took twenty years. As the Chifeng Ridge spiritual vein was breached by demonic beasts and Qian Guangyao left Qinghe County to join the Xiaoyao Sect, the entire Qian family immediately reverted to that small Qi Condensation cultivation family it was at the beginning.

The Song family's rise was the same. It had only been twenty years, and the family's overall foundation was insufficient. Once the Foundation Establishment cultivators who were holding up the scene suffered any mishaps, the entire family would immediately be beaten back to its original form.

After arranging Song Qingyu's affairs, Song Qingming strolled around the main street and soon walked to the Xianfeng Tower again.

Before he even reached the entrance, Song Qingming suddenly discovered a black-clothed cultivator wearing a bamboo hat to cover his face coming out of the Xianfeng Tower. Song Qingming looked from afar, but could not immediately discern the person's cultivation, thinking that it was possible that this was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

In a small market like Qinghe Market, it was rare for strange Foundation Establishment cultivators to come here. Now that a black-clothed Foundation Establishment cultivator covering his face had suddenly appeared coming out of the Xianfeng Tower, he thought that it shouldn't be someone Song Qingming was familiar with, which made him feel a hint of strangeness.

However, strangeness aside, there were many cultivators in the cultivation world who were truly dedicated to the Dao and did not like to deal with people. For their own safety, these people preferred to cover their faces when they went to markets where people gathered.

Seeing Song Qingming arrive at the Xianfeng Tower, Li Quan, who was entertaining guests in the main hall, hurriedly went to notify Huang Siyuan, who was busy in the back kitchen.

After a table of delicacies was served, Huang Siyuan, very rarely, did not go to get busy and instead sat down, watching Song Qingming taste her craftsmanship with a serious face.

"Second Sister told me last time that she intends to let Old Nine come to replace you, but she still needs to wait for her to come out of seclusion. It should take another half a month." Seeing Huang Siyuan staring at him, Song Qingming gradually felt a bit uncomfortable and opened his mouth to divert her gaze.

After hearing this, Huang Siyuan had no reaction on her face, slightly nodded, and said: "With Hongyu in the back kitchen, it should be manageable. Xinhu can also get started recently. I think it's better to transfer him over to cooperate with Hongyu, which will save you from considering others.

Li Quan knows the accounts of the restaurant for these years. If there is anything you don't understand, just ask him. I have also told him where to purchase goods on weekdays. In the future, it is also okay to let him do this part."

He had only said one sentence, but he didn't expect Huang Siyuan to reply with such a long list. Song Qingming smiled and nodded, putting his attention back on the delicacies, while Huang Siyuan also fixed her gaze on his face again.

For some reason, Song Qingming felt that today's delicacies seemed to taste even better than usual. He also stayed here a little longer than usual, and it wasn't until the sun set in the west that he left the Xianfeng Tower with satisfaction.

Three days after returning to Mount Funiu, Song Qingming was still thinking about how to tidy up his cave dwelling. He didn't expect that Song Qingyu, who had only been garrisoning Qinghe Market for a few days, would suddenly return to Mount Funiu and bring him a very shocking piece of news.

A day ago, Huang Siyuan suddenly left a note in the Xianfeng Tower and left Qinghe Market alone, not knowing where she went.

(End of chapter)