Chapter 735: Changes in Family Cultivators, Developing with One Heart (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival)

Half a month later, in the Song family Council Hall.

Song Song Qingming, Huang Huang Siyuan, and Song Song Qingyu, the three Core Formation ancestors, sat at the top, while the other Foundation Establishment elders of the Song family were already seated on both sides of the hall.

After setting the strategy for the family's northward expansion with Huang Huang Siyuan and Song Song Qingyu, Song Song Qingming notified Song Song Yuanfang to recall the Foundation Establishment elders outside to "Mount Mount Funiu" to discuss this matter.

More than twenty years had passed since the demon beast unrest, and the overall strength of the Song family had not only recovered to the level before the unrest but was also several times stronger than before.

Looking at the many Foundation Establishment elders sitting in front of them, Song Song Qingming and the others also showed satisfaction with the development and changes of the family over these years.

In addition to the three Core Formation ancestors of the Song family, the Song family had added three more Foundation Establishment elders in these ten years. Now, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators had reached sixteen, not worse than the peak of the Ma family years ago.

These three newly promoted Foundation Establishment elders were Song Song Xuanying of the "Xuan" generation, and Song Song Linfeng and Song Song Linrui of the "Lin" generation.

Among the three, Song Song Linrui had the best cultivation aptitude and was the second dual-spiritual root cultivator in the Song family. He was only in his early thirties and had already successfully established his foundation, with a cultivation speed several times faster than Song Song Yuanli, who was also a dual-spiritual root cultivator years ago.

This was also thanks to the fact that the Song family was now a Core Formation immortal clan, with strength far superior to when Song Song Yuanli went up the mountain years ago, and the cultivation resources the family could provide to Song Song Linrui were better than what Song Song Yuanli had years ago.

Song Song Xuanying and Song Song Linfeng were both three-spiritual root aptitudes, without particularly outstanding cultivation talents. Both of them successfully established their foundations in their forties, similar to Song Song Qingming years ago.

However, Song Song Xuanying had good talent in spiritual planting and had already raised his spiritual planting level to the second-tier low-grade before successfully establishing his foundation. His spiritual planting talent was not worse than Song Song Yuanxue years ago.

It was also thanks to such a powerful cultivation technique that Song Song Xuanying was able to gather enough contribution points to exchange for Foundation Establishment pills among many peers in the clan and successfully establish his foundation to become a family elder.

In addition to the three elders who had just established their foundations, the cultivation of other Foundation Establishment elders in the Song family had also undergone significant changes over these years.

Except for Song Song Yuanli, who had not yet returned, the several people who chose to leave the family to travel abroad had all returned to the family one after another, and each had gained a lot from their travels.

Among them, Song Song Changze and Liu Liu Yuxin, who went to the State of Qin, gained a lot of experience while traveling abroad. The two also found an opportunity in the market and jointly explored a cave dwelling of a Core Formation cultivator who had sat down for many years.

Although they went somewhat late and others had already arrived first, the careful Liu Liu Yuxin still found a third-tier spiritual item that had been missed. After the two sold this item, they also exchanged for many spirit stones.

Relying on these spirit stones, Liu Liu Yuxin not only successfully broke through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, but Song Song Changze's cultivation also went a step further and had reached the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment.

Now, the couple Song Song Changze and Liu Liu Yuxin had both become late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and had become seeds of the family who could form the core. Their prestige among the many cultivators of the Song family had gradually exceeded other family elders, only worse than Song Song Yuanfang, who had managed the family for many years.

Song Song Yuanhao, who chose to go to the State of Song southeast of "Taiyue Lake," also had good luck.

After arriving in the State of Song, he got the opportunity to participate in the secret realm trial opened by the "Hunyuan Sect," not only obtaining many spiritual items from the secret realm but also finding a third-tier low-grade spiritual herb.

However, Song Song Yuanhao was somewhat unlucky when competing for spiritual items in the secret realm and encountered a powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment expert.

After a great battle, although Song Song Yuanhao successfully escaped with the second-tier top-grade spiritual talisman given by Song Song Qingming, he was seriously injured and spent more than a year slowly recovering.

Because the injury delayed a lot of cultivation time, Song Song Yuanhao's cultivation only successfully broke through to the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment a few years ago, and his cultivation speed was a step slower than Liu Liu Yuxin's.

However, Song Song Yuanhao's travel abroad also increased his experience and fighting ability. Coupled with the fact that he was an exotic spiritual root cultivator not inferior to dual-spiritual roots, as long as he cultivated diligently, he still had a great chance to surpass the couple Song Song Changze and Liu Liu Yuxin and successfully form the core first.

Song Song Yuanqian and Song Song Yuanxue also left the family to travel abroad one after another, but compared to others, their opportunities were slightly worse, only increasing some experience and not obtaining any high-tier spiritual items.

Now, their cultivation was still at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. Compared to the cultivation speed of Song Song Changze and the others, it was slightly worse.

Among them, Song Song Yuanxue had already cultivated to the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment and was not far from the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Song Song Yuanqian, because of her relatively late Foundation Establishment time, had just broken through to the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment not long ago.

Now, the many Foundation Establishment elders of the Song family who had been arranged to travel abroad had all returned to the family, except for Song Song Yuanli, who had been in the State of Wu for more than ten years and had not returned yet, which made Song Song Qingming always feel somewhat worried.

If it weren't for the fact that Song Song Yuanli had sent letters back during the period and his life tablet left in the family had not had any accidents, Song Song Qingming would have intended to go out to find him.

The many Foundation Establishment cultivators of the family traveled abroad, some had good luck finding their own opportunities, and some had average luck with average gains. These were all within Song Song Qingming's expectations.

After all, individual opportunity is something that is hard for people to figure out; it is not something you will definitely encounter just because you travel abroad.

No matter whether these family juniors had gains abroad or not, as long as they could return safely, Song Song Qingming felt very relieved.

Now, the sixteen Foundation Establishment elders of the Song family, except for Song Song Yuanli who had not returned and Song Song Xuanting who was stationed at "Shuangfeng Mountain," had all come to the family "Council Hall."

Currently, the Song family had a total of sixteen Foundation Establishment elders, among whom there were four late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, namely Song Song Yuanli, who had already cultivated to the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment before traveling abroad, Song Song Changze who successfully broke through a few years ago, and Liu Liu Yuxin and Song Song Yuanhao who were at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment.

There were six mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, among whom Song Song Yuanfang and Song Song Yuanxue had already cultivated to the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment, and Song Song Yuanqian, Huang Leqing, and Song Song Xuanting had cultivation levels still at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment.

The last mid-stage Foundation Establishment elder, Song Song Xuanqing, successfully broke through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment a few years ago, and his current cultivation was only at the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment.

The remaining six early-stage Foundation Establishment elders, Song Chen Xuanfeng, Song Song Xuanyu, Song Song Xuanling, Song Song Xuanying, Song Song Linfeng, and Song Song Linrui, had not been established for long, and basically all successfully established their foundations after the demon beast unrest.

Their current cultivation was still at the first or second layer of Foundation Establishment, and only Song Chen Xuanfeng's cultivation was slightly higher, having reached the peak of the third layer of Foundation Establishment, not far from breaking through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

In addition to the changes in Foundation Establishment cultivators, the number of Qi Condensation cultivators and mortals in the Song family had also grown significantly over these years.

After the demon beast unrest, after more than twenty years of recuperation, the total number of cultivators in the Song family also ushered in a wave of explosion, and now it had exceeded six hundred people.

Although it was still some distance from the nearly one thousand cultivators at the peak of the Ma family years ago, as long as the family developed slowly, the number of Song family cultivators would sooner or later exceed this number one day.

Thanks to the peace in Qinghe County, the number of family mortals had also grown steadily over these years, and it had recently been counted to more than nine hundred thousand, not far from exceeding one million.

Because of the family's development, these family mortals were no longer limited to "Mount Mount Funiu" and were scattered in every corner of Qinghe County.

Qinghe Market, Chiyan Market, Shuangfeng Mountain, and Bai Yang Mountain basically had family mortals living there wherever the Song family's industries were involved, helping cultivators manage these industries.

Even in "Mount Tuoyun Mountain," thousands of miles away, Song family cultivators had left mortal bloodlines there.

Scanning the many family elders in front of him, seeing that everyone had arrived, Song Song Qingming took the lead in stating the purpose of calling everyone together.

"The purpose of asking you to come back today, Song Yuanfang should have already told you, so I won't repeat it too much."

"Now that the family is developing so fast, we certainly cannot always be limited to this small place in Qinghe County and should think of ways to expand our influence."

"Otherwise, sitting in a corner, no matter how many cultivation resources there are, they will sooner or later be consumed by us, which is not conducive to the family's development in the future. I have decided to organize cultivators to open up wasteland and expand territory in the north in the near future."

"You are all family elders. If you have any opinions or ideas, you can say them now. Everyone can speak freely and don't be too restrained."

"The spirit beast turmoil has just passed, and now is the perfect opportunity for the family to develop. I support the Patriarch's idea to expand our territory to the north!"

"Sixteenth Uncle is right. The family now has sufficient manpower, and there are dozens of vassal families in Qinghe and Pingyang counties that can be deployed. We could have expanded our influence long ago."

"Now there are no powerful demon beasts in the many spiritual mountain territories north of Jin Shan Market. Without the need for several ancestors to take action, we alone can easily sweep away all spiritual mountains within a thousand miles."

"I also support expanding territory,"

Hearing the Patriarch, Song Song Qingming, express his idea that the family would expand its territory to the north, Song Song Yuanfang, who was sitting at the head of the table below, immediately stood up to echo the sentiment.

Other family elders, hearing this, also stood up one after another to express their approval, and no one had any opposing opinions.

Any low-tier cultivation family in the cultivation world, once they advance to become a high-tier Core Formation or Nascent Soul force, will basically expand their influence outward rapidly.

The Song family had been a Core Formation immortal clan for many years and had only created "Chiyan Market." For a long time, they had not vigorously expanded their territory outward, and many family cultivators had long been somewhat dissatisfied with this.

Over these years, including Song Song Yuanfang, many family elders had also put forward suggestions to expand territory outward. It was just that, because the family had just advanced to a Core Formation family and the lack of foundation for the number of cultivators, Song Song Qingming's main energy was focused on his own cultivation and supporting Song Song Qingyu and the other two to form the core, and he had always been relatively conservative about the family's expansion of territory.

Upon hearing that their Patriarch, Song Song Qingming, had the idea to expand their territory outward, these Foundation Establishment elders were naturally very much in agreement, and a look of excitement appeared on each of their faces.

Family power expansion could also bring a large amount of resources to the Song family. By then, every family cultivator could benefit from it, and these Foundation Establishment elders could naturally share a lot of benefits.

These were all interests that concerned everyone, and they wished the family could expand as soon as possible, so naturally, no one would jump out to oppose it at this time.

The Song family territory, the west and south directions, were other counties in the State of Wei adjacent to them, and there was no space for expansion, so they could only develop to the east and north.

The "Mount Mount Yunwu" in the east, although there were no powerful demon kings, was surrounded by mountains, and there were miasmas in many places that were not suitable for mortals to survive, making it very troublesome to govern.

The Song family had only found "Chiyan Market" as a relatively suitable place to develop to the east. After so many years of development, although they had expanded many new territories, the space for development was also relatively limited.

The place bordering the Fuyun Mountain Range in the north, although there were many mountains, the terrain was relatively flat, and the living environment was much better than "Mount Mount Yunwu," which was also the best direction for the Song family to expand territory at present.

Hearing everyone's generous and impassioned rhetoric, Song Song Qingming nodded slightly with a smile, "Since the family has decided to expand territory in the north, naturally we cannot just take some second-tier spiritual mountains, otherwise I wouldn't have called you all back."

"I already have a goal in mind, to directly take down the third-tier spiritual pulse of Bai Shiling as the front line for our Song family to fight against the northern demon beasts in the future, so that the flames of war will not easily affect the territories of Pingyang and Qinghe counties."

"If no one has any objections, then this matter is settled."

"Except for Song Yuanfang, Song Yuanqian, Leqing, Chen Xuanfeng, and Song Xuanqing who will stay behind to guard the family, everyone else will follow me to set out for Bai Shiling in two months."

"We will strictly follow the Patriarch's orders!" As soon as Song Song Qingming issued the command, the many family elders who had been selected felt a surge of joy in their hearts and responded in unison.

Only Song Song Yuanqian and Song Song Xuanqing, who were specifically named by Song Song Qingming to stay behind, showed disappointment, feeling regretful that they were not selected to participate in the family's expansion of territory.

Although the Song family was a family force, from the beginning of the family's establishment, the ancestors established the family "Cangjin Pavilion" by imitating the "Xiaoyao Sect's" merit system to evaluate and manage family cultivators.

Every Song family member would have their own account book in the family "Cangjin Pavilion," and all their merits and demerits in the family would be recorded.

All those who made contributions to the family, regardless of the size of the contribution, could receive family merit points issued by the "Cangjin Pavilion" and then use them to exchange for various spiritual items and cultivation resources needed in the "Cangjin Pavilion."

To prove one's value to others in the family and get more support from the family, the family merit points recorded in the "Cangjin Pavilion" were the most important proof for evaluating every clan member.

For every Song family member, family merit points were the things they had always dreamed of and wanted most.

Because in the future, if the family supports Foundation Establishment or Core Formation, if there are not enough "Cangjin Pavilion" merit points in hand, it will certainly be difficult to compete with others in the selection, and one can only miss the opportunity and path in vain.

But for ordinary cultivators, it is not so easy to obtain family merit points. One must have the ability to make contributions to the family.

Moreover, daily cultivation also requires many cultivation resources, all of which consume family merit points. Some newly ascended Qi Condensation clan members, like Song Song Qingming when his cultivation was low years ago, could not save many merit points all year round.

Even these Foundation Establishment elders of the family, except for guarding spiritual mountain industries for the family and occasionally using their own cultivation techniques to undertake family tasks, rarely have the opportunity to obtain family merit points.

Only people like Song Song Yuanxue, who have a very outstanding high-tier cultivation technique, earn family merit points faster than others, and their lives will be relatively more affluent.

Meeting the family's outward expansion is a great opportunity for all Song family members to make contributions to the family. They were not selected, so they were naturally very regretful.

Just after the family meeting, Song Song Yuanqian and Song Song Xuanqing specifically found the family's chief steward, Song Song Yuanfang, wanting him to help speak to the ancestors and give them an opportunity to contribute to the family this time.

Regarding this, Song Song Yuanfang was also somewhat helpless. This major event of the family expanding northward could not be done in a day or two.

So many cultivators in the family, including ancestors like Song Song Qingming, had to leave the family, and some cultivators must be left behind to guard various spiritual mountains of the family. No matter who Song Song Qingming chose, someone would miss this opportunity.

"You two have the heart to contribute to the family, which I naturally support. But now so many industries in the family cannot be left without anyone to look after, don't you think."

"To tell you the truth, if it weren't for Seventh Uncle personally naming me, I would also have the intention to go to the front line. I have always been in the family all these years, and my hands and feet are becoming more and more numb."

"Since the ancestor chose us to stay behind, he trusts us. Everyone should patiently do their own work and don't think too much. I believe he won't forget us when he comes back."

Hearing Song Song Yuanfang's comfort, Song Song Yuanqian couldn't help but sigh, "Sigh! It's hard to have an opportunity to contribute to the family, but it can only be missed in vain. We are really unlucky this time."

Having traveled abroad for many years and failing to find an opportunity, finally returning empty-handed, Song Song Yuanqian had always envied Song Song Changze and the others who went out to get opportunities.

Now that the family has a great opportunity to expand outward, but can only watch it be missed in vain, Song Song Yuanqian couldn't help but sigh that her luck had been somewhat poor over these years.

Seeing this, Song Song Yuanfang's expression changed, and he hurriedly scolded, "Your cultivation is only at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment, and you haven't even reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, so why are you thinking about forming the core."

"Being so ambitious, how can you achieve the Jin Dan Avenue? I think you should learn more from Song Changze and the others and improve your cultivation steadily, which is the right path."

"How can one achieve the Great Dao of the Jin Dan by being so ambitious and unrealistic? I think you should still learn more from Song Changze and the others; focusing on steadily improving your own cultivation is the right path."

Even people like Song Song Yuanli and Song Song Changze, whose cultivation was higher than his now, were respectful to Song Song Yuanfang and very respectful to this family chief steward.

Seeing this brother who had always performed very kindly in front of people suddenly change his face and become somewhat angry, Song Song Yuanqian was also startled and hurriedly lowered her head, and the atmosphere at the scene suddenly became somewhat awkward.

Seeing this, Song Song Xuanqing, who was standing on the side, hurriedly stepped forward to smooth things over for her, "Hehe! Sixteenth Uncle is right. Our cultivation is still shallow, and discussing the matter of forming the core is indeed too early."

"Moreover, the Jin Dan Avenue is so difficult. There are tens of thousands of cultivators in the State of Wei, and how many people are lucky enough to successfully form the core."

"Even in the Xiaoyao Sect, not many people have this confidence. Why should we seek this trouble ourselves? It is better to steadily improve our cultivation and wait for the opportunity."

"Seventh Uncle went out to form the core years ago. Although my cultivation was shallow, I already remembered things and knew how difficult it was for him at that time, which is not as simple as you think."

"Don't talk about the few of us, Eighth Uncle apprenticed to the Xiaoyao Sect for many years, is his cultivation aptitude worse than ours? Even if he had sect support and obtained spiritual items for forming the core, he still couldn't pass this level."

"You are elders who have established foundations for so many years, but in cultivation, you are not as transparent as Song Xuanqing." Hearing Song Song Xuanqing's direct words, Song Song Yuanfang nodded slightly to express approval, and his expression finally softened.

Song Song Yuanqian, who had been reprimanded, saw that Song Song Yuanfang's expression looked better now, so she hurriedly nodded humbly, "I just said it on the spur of the moment, I didn't mean anything else, Sixteenth Brother, don't be angry."

Song Song Yuanfang heard this and sighed calmly, "I know you were unintentional, but the family is developing so fast now, and it is inevitable that there will be many people and many words. You should pay more attention to the influence in everything."

"Now is the time for the family to develop and expand its territory. Your words just now were not conducive to the family's unity. It's fine to say it in front of me, but if the ancestors on the mountain heard it, how would you explain it."

"Don't just seek the pleasure of the moment, think more about the consequences."

"Sixteenth Brother, I know I was wrong, I will definitely pay more attention in the future." Hearing Song Song Yuanfang's explanation, Song Song Yuanqian finally realized the impropriety of her words just now and hurriedly agreed to the other party's reminder.

Song Song Yuanfang saw this and waved his hand with relief, "As long as you know, I will remind Seventh Uncle about this matter when I have the opportunity."

"He always acts fairly and certainly won't treat us unfairly. You don't need to worry about this matter, you can go back with peace of mind."

"No matter who in the family can have the opportunity to form the core in the future, I hope you don't think too much."

"The family's development momentum is good now. As long as we can all be of one heart, life will always get better and better in the future. Perhaps each of us will have the opportunity to form the core, so why be in such a hurry."

"Mm! Then thank you, Sixteenth Brother, we will go back first and won't disturb you."

Knowing that Song Song Yuanfang had already taken this matter to heart, Song Song Yuanqian and Song Song Xuanqing showed joy on their faces, nodded hurriedly, and said goodbye to him. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 736 =====

Knowing that Song Song Yuanfang had already taken this matter to heart, Song Song Yuanqian and Song Song Xuanqing both revealed a look of joy on their faces and hurriedly nodded before taking their leave. (End of chapter)