Chapter 333: Ten Years

Song Qingming, currently in his cave dwelling on Mount Funiu, looked at the dozen small jade bottles delivered before him with a hint of surprise on his face. He spoke softly to Song Qingshi, who stood to the side:

"To think there are so many monster souls collected in just these few days. The family's monster-hunting team has been much more diligent lately than in the past!"

"Indeed! Ever since this mission was posted, everyone has been very proactive. Many young people in the family have also taken the initiative to come to the Golden Treasury Pavilion to exchange for the Soul-Collecting Technique," Song Qingshi replied with a calm expression.

Song Qingming nodded slightly, showing his satisfaction. "This is more than enough for this month. Qingshi, keep an eye on this. From now on, set a limit on the number of monster souls collected each month. Don't let everyone's enthusiasm for this task disrupt the normal operations of other parts of the family."

"Understood, I will notify everyone immediately!" Song Qingshi nodded and acknowledged the order.

"Good, you go ahead and get busy. Looking at your cultivation base, you shouldn't be far from a breakthrough. I have a few elixirs here that should be useful for your practice; consider it a reward for your recent hard work.

For those of us on the path of the Dao, the path itself comes first. Do not let these trivial matters delay your own cultivation. If the Golden Treasury Pavilion becomes too busy, tell the eldest brother and have him send someone to assist you."

Seeing the small porcelain bottle Song Qingming handed to her, Song Qingshi accepted it, bowed to express her thanks with a smile, and then nodded before exiting Song Qingming's cave dwelling.

Over these years, as the several 'Chang' generation cultivators who managed affairs gradually passed away, their generation of cultivators had basically handed over the management of affairs to the next generation. The manager of the Golden Treasury Pavilion had also changed from the Clan Leader Song Changfeng to Song Qingshi, who had been recommended by Song Qingming.

The fourteenth elder, Song Qingshi, had followed Song Qingming for a long time in her early years to learn the way of formations. Although they were of the same generation in the clan, their relationship was effectively that of master and disciple.

Although Song Qingshi's innate spiritual root talent was not as good as the tenth elder, Song Qingyu, her personality had been careful and steady since childhood. Coupled with the years of influence from following Song Qingming, she had a knack for managing family affairs, and Song Qingming was quite at ease leaving the Golden Treasury Pavilion in her hands.

In order to practice the Soul-Devouring Art given to him by Feng He, Song Qingming had to frequently go out to hunt monsters and collect their souls. Although his cultivation base was high enough to quickly kill these low-level monsters, collecting the souls from their corpses was not a simple matter. Sometimes, killing five or six low-level monsters could result in returning empty-handed; doing this alone was simply too inefficient.

Later, after some thought, Song Qingming simply posted a mission in the family's Golden Treasury Pavilion to capture monster souls and placed the corresponding Soul-Collecting Technique directly in the pavilion. He let other Song family cultivators participate in this mission to help him solve this troublesome problem. After all, he was the leader of a cultivation family; it would be a waste not to utilize the many people under his command.

Currently, what Song Qingming needed for the Soul-Devouring Art were the lowest-level Grade 1 low-grade monster souls. Most Qi Refining cultivators could kill such monsters on their own, and the Soul-Collecting Technique was not a difficult spell to learn. In just one month, many Song family cultivators had already mastered this spell.

Seeing such a high-reward, low-difficulty mission suddenly posted in the Golden Treasury Pavilion, many Song family cultivators were attracted to it. For a time, the areas near Mount Funiu suffered heavy blows to the monster population, making the Song family's territory much more peaceful.

With them helping to handle this troublesome task, Song Qingming was finally able to focus wholeheartedly on practicing the Soul-Devouring Art.

After seeing Song Qingshi off, Song Qingming sat cross-legged with his eyes closed on the meditation cushion in his cave dwelling. After a series of incantations, his Primordial Spirit slowly emerged and detached from his physical body.

Song Qingming had previously practiced the Soul-Forging Art, so his Primordial Spirit was already three parts stronger than that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. Now, using this technique of Primordial Spirit detachment was already second nature to him.

Under Song Qingming's control, a jade bottle containing a monster soul was opened. A dim ball of light instantly escaped from the bottle; it was the monster soul captured by the Song family cultivators earlier.

Having been trapped in the bottle for so long, the small ball of light was already quite manic. However, before it could make a move after gaining its freedom, a somewhat transparent giant hand firmly grasped it.

Seeing something trying to restrain it, the small green ball of light immediately began to struggle. But compared to the transparent giant that held it, the small ball of light was simply too weak. It was quickly crushed and swallowed.

After devouring this monster soul, Song Qingming quickly retracted his Primordial Spirit and began a long period of meditation to refine it.

Thus, spring passed and autumn came. After a long period of arduous practice, Song Qingming finally cultivated the Soul-Devouring Art to the second level ten years later.

Having successfully cultivated the Soul-Devouring Art to the second level, Song Qingming actively released his spiritual sense and discovered that it could now extend forty to fifty zhang. Ordinary cultivators of the same rank who had not practiced soul-strengthening techniques could at most extend theirs ten or twenty zhang. His Primordial Spirit was now nearly twice as strong as theirs. Seeing that his years of hard work had finally yielded good results, Song Qingming satisfiedly put away his technique and walked out of his cave dwelling.

"Seeing the Seventh Brother so happy, could it be that your cultivation base is about to break through again?" Song Qingyu, who was meditating on the mountaintop, noticed the movement and walked over with a smile.

Seeing Song Qingyu, Song Qingming chuckled and shook his head slightly. "It's just that the technique I was practicing has made progress. I've been sitting in the cave dwelling for years; I'm afraid it's difficult to break through my cultivation base just by hard work. I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage.

Tomorrow, I've decided to go to Yangshan Market again to see if there are any elixirs that can help with the breakthrough. Is there anything you want to buy? I'll look for it for you."

"The elixirs I use for cultivation are almost gone. Please bring some back for me, and I'll give you the spirit stones when you return. Also, please check if there are any Grade 2 water-attribute monster furs. I've had some new insights into my talisman-making recently and want to see if I can use this opportunity to break through and become a Grade 2 talisman master," Song Qingyu said quickly after a moment of thought.

"Good! I've noted it down. Don't skimp on the elixirs you need for cultivation in the future. Just tell me if you don't have enough spirit stones."

Seeing that Song Qingming was in a good mood after coming out of seclusion, Song Qingyu hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask, "Seventh Brother! How have you considered the matter I mentioned to you last time?"