Chapter 143

Mount Taiyuan, in the Huang family council hall.

More than a dozen late-stage Qi Refining cultivators of the Huang family were standing obediently before two Foundation Establishment ancestors.

"Have you investigated the situation of the person from the Song family who suddenly reached Foundation Establishment?"

Facing the inquiry of the two ancestors, an older man in the crowd quickly stepped out and replied: "Reporting to the ancestors, we have investigated clearly over the past two days. The person from the Song family who just reached Foundation Establishment is named Song Qingming. This person is a 'Qing'-generation cultivator of the Song family. Judging by the fact that he only reached the ninth level of Qi Refining in his forties, he is likely a three-element spiritual root cultivator."

"Three-element spiritual root Foundation Establishment, his luck is not bad. But why have you never mentioned this name before? Didn't the patriarch specifically instruct you to pay more attention to the talented cultivators in the vassal families below?" Huang Chengliang, with a majestic face, asked again thoughtfully.

Hearing the ancestor's reprimand, the dozen or so Huang family cultivators below suddenly became nervous, looking at each other in dismay, not knowing how to answer.

Seeing that no one was speaking, the old man who had answered first had to bite the bullet and continue: "The most talented cultivator of the Song family is named Song Qingze. We have actually been paying attention to him for years, but this person left the Song family many years ago to join the Carefree Sect..."

"I am asking about the one who has already reached Foundation Establishment; why are you bringing up others? Has no one among you contacted this person in all these years?" Huang Chengliang interrupted the old man with some displeasure, his tiger-like eyes scanning the others.

"Reporting to the ancestor, seven years ago, when the family campaigned against Chifeng Ridge, Song Qingming responded to our summons and participated in that great battle. I saw this person when I was receiving the Song family cultivators at that time, but his cultivation was only at the eighth level of Qi Refining. In that battle, the Song family cultivators performed very ordinarily and did not attract much of my attention. Later, during the demonic beast chaos, Song Qingming also followed us to Mount Huoyun, and his performance was equally mediocre. I didn't expect that after a few years, this child would actually reach Foundation Establishment." The person who stepped out to speak was Huang Xianlong, who had once received the Song family cultivators at Mount Wufeng. This person had known the current Song family patriarch, Song Changfeng, for many years and had some friendship with him.

Another middle-aged man continued: "We have also investigated Song Qingming's recent situation over the past few days. A year after the demonic beast chaos, this person suddenly left Qinghe County, seemingly to the Carefree Sect. By the time he returned to Qinghe County last month, he was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Hearing this, another Huang family Foundation Establishment ancestor, Huang Shengyue, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up: "Third Uncle, this Song Qingming likely succeeded in Foundation Establishment near the Carefree Sect. Please send a message to Nineteenth Uncle and ask him to help inquire within the sect what kind of Foundation Establishment spirit item Song Qingming obtained and how he actually achieved Foundation Establishment."

Huang Chengliang nodded and accepted the task, then said: "Shengyue, the patriarch is still in seclusion, and it is inconvenient for me to move around. You should go to the Song family yourself. Pay attention to see what his talent is really like and whether he can be used by our Huang family in the future."

Huang Shengyue nodded and said: "Third Uncle, rest assured, I will prepare everything properly."

——

Qinghe Market, in a secret chamber behind the Gao family restaurant.

The Gao family patriarch, Gao Jinhe, looked at a young man in front of him with a smile and said slowly: "Fellow Daoist Lu, you must have heard, right? Not long ago, Qinghe County gained another Foundation Establishment cultivator. I feel that we might have gained another helper."

"Brother Gao, what do you mean by this? Please be more specific." The other young man speaking was the patriarch of the other Foundation Establishment family in Qinghe County, the Lu family patriarch, Lu Xingde.

Gao Jinhe paused and said: "I only found out not long ago. My daughter, Yuyao, is of similar age to this newly established Foundation Establishment fellow from the Song family and even had some friendship with him. I am willing to come forward and try to see if we can pull him to our side."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xingde said with a look of surprise: "Brother Gao, our two families have been suppressed by the Huang family for many years, and most of the resources in Qinghe County have been occupied by them. For all these years, we have had no other choice but to swallow our anger. Now that such a rare opportunity has arisen, I ask Brother Gao to seize it well. As long as this matter succeeds, my Lu family will definitely follow the Gao family's lead from now on."

The Lu family only had Lu Xingde as a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He had only reached Foundation Establishment for forty-some years, and his cultivation was only at the third level of Foundation Establishment. In Qinghe County, the Lu family occupied the southeast side, and the cultivation resources within their territory were already scarce, and they had to constantly face the suppression of the massive Huang family. Lu Xingde, who had always been cautious, decisively chose to embrace the Gao family to resist the Huang family's step-by-step encroachment.

——

Chifeng Ridge, the Qian family.

Qian Guangyao looked at the dozen or so remaining cultivators below and said slowly with some pain: "Choosing to move the family here back then was indeed a wrong step I took. Now, although we have the protection of the mountain-guarding array, there are few clansmen left. What is the point of guarding this empty spiritual vein?"

"I have already decided: from now on, the whole family will join the Carefree Sect. This spiritual vein will also be handed over in exchange for some resources to distribute to everyone. Those willing to go to the Carefree Sect with me, follow me; those who are not, return to the ancestral land at Mount Linlong. However, from now on, separated by thousands of miles, you will no longer be able to rely on me."

The Qian family cultivators below, hearing that the patriarch was going to abandon this place and join the Carefree Sect, shed tears one after another. But their voices were weak, and even if they spoke to persuade him to stay, it would be difficult to change the patriarch's mind, so they could only be filled with sorrow.

The Qian family had been established in Qinghe County for hundreds of years. They never expected that just as someone in the clan reached Foundation Establishment and they were ushering in a moment of good development, they would suddenly suffer the devastating disaster of the demonic beast chaos. The mortals under their rule were almost all dead or injured, and now even the family itself could hardly continue.

Song Qingming, who was on Mount Funiu, did not know that with his return after Foundation Establishment, the situation in Qinghe County was undergoing some subtle changes.

Ever since Song Qingyu gave him a colorful spirit beast egg, he had been studying it in his cave dwelling for over half a month, yet he still had no clue.

"Judging by the bright appearance of this spirit beast egg, it shouldn't be a dead object."

It was just that he had searched through many materials but still couldn't find a way to hatch this spirit beast egg. He had also tried catalyzing it with magic power, but it had no effect, which couldn't help but make him feel a bit discouraged.

He really didn't expect that just after reaching Foundation Establishment, before he could show off in front of his clansmen, he would encounter such a difficult problem. If those two little girls knew he was helpless, he wouldn't know where to hide his face.

Just as Song Qingming was racking his brains, a sound transmission suddenly entered from outside the cave dwelling. Opening it, he realized it was the patriarch asking him to go to the council hall. Song Qingming could only temporarily put aside the matter of the spirit beast egg and walk out of the cave dwelling.

The next chapter will have some problems, everyone watch it later.