Wang Changsheng

Great Song, Ning Province.

Peaceful County was one of Ning Province's seventy-two counties. Its territory was mostly mountains, rivers, and hills, with a sparse population. Lotus Island was the only lake island within Peaceful County.

Lotus Island was named for its shape, which closely resembled a blooming lotus. Many lotuses were planted on the island.

At dawn, a blazing sun rose in the east and shone over Lotus Island, bringing it a trace of warmth.

At the center of the island stood an enormous courtyard, filled with pavilions, towers, gardens, and covered walkways.

In the middle of the courtyard was a small artificial lake. A vast blanket of white mist shrouded the entire lake, concealing the scene within.

As time passed, the white mist gradually dispersed.

A large stretch of azure lotuses grew in the lake. At its center stood a lotus-shaped stone platform, upon which rested a two-story azure pavilion. Above its entrance hung an azure Plaque more than ten feet long, bearing three large golden characters written with the soaring grace of dragons and dancing phoenixes: "Azure Lotus Pavilion."

Inside a room on the second floor of Azure Lotus Pavilion, a Blue-robed Youth of eighteen or nineteen sat cross-legged atop an azure meditation cushion.

The Blue-robed Youth had sword-like brows, clear and handsome features, and black hair draped over his shoulders, giving people a remarkably pleasant impression.

His eyes were slightly closed, and his breathing followed a peculiar rhythm. As he inhaled and exhaled, specks of Blue Light emerged around him, while a faint blue radiance enveloped his body.

Little by little, time passed, and the motes of Blue Light streamed into his body.

The Blue-robed Youth opened his eyes, and a sharp gleam flashed from them.

"I've finally advanced to the Fifth Level of Qi Refining."

Wang Changsheng slowly exhaled, and a faint smile appeared on his lean face.

"Ninth Uncle-Grandfather, breakfast is ready."

A respectful male voice came from outside.

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly. "Qiusheng, bring breakfast in."

Wang Changsheng pushed open the door and walked downstairs.

A Blue-robed Youth in his twenties entered through the door, carrying an azure tray in his hands.

On the tray sat a bowl of white rice, a plate of greens, and a small dish of tofu. The fragrance wafted through the air, enough to make one's appetite surge at the mere smell.

"Ninth Uncle-Grandfather, Qiuyue made this breakfast for you. Please see whether it suits your taste."

Wang Qiusheng arranged the food and stood to one side, his expression exceptionally respectful.

Wang Changsheng frowned slightly. "Didn't I tell you? We were to have breakfast together. Why did you only bring my portion?"

"Father repeatedly instructed me that Ninth Uncle-Grandfather is an elder. This grandson must serve you carefully and must not slight you in the least. This grandson would never dare dine at the same table as Ninth Uncle-Grandfather. I hope Ninth Uncle-Grandfather will forgive me."

Wang Qiusheng's expression tightened as he explained cautiously.

Wang Changsheng sighed, shook his head, and said, "Forget it. Go have breakfast. Come back to clear the dishes after you finish."

"This grandson obeys."

Wang Qiusheng immediately agreed. After bowing deeply, he backed out of Azure Lotus Pavilion.

Five hundred years ago, the Wang Family's ancestor, Wang Yuangang, had brought his entire family to settle in Changping Prefecture of Ning Province.

At the time, the Wang Family had been no more than a household of seven. Yet under the protection of two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, their population had multiplied more than tenfold in less than a century. Although only a handful of fortunate people possessed Spirit Roots, this still laid the foundation for the Wang Family's later rise.

After several centuries of development, the Wang Family's population continued to multiply, and the number of Cultivators steadily increased. At present, the Wang Family had one hundred and forty-five Cultivators, as well as over a hundred thousand clansmen without Spirit Roots.

The Wang Family's clan headquarters was located at Azure Lotus Mountain in Changping Prefecture. Most Wang Family clansmen with Spirit Roots lived on Azure Lotus Mountain.

Azure Lotus Mountain had originally possessed a First Rank High-Grade Spirit Vein. However, through the efforts of generations of Wang Family ancestors, that First Rank Spirit Vein had been cultivated into a Second Rank Low-Grade Spirit Vein, capable of providing sufficient spiritual qi for Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

As for the hundred thousand or so Wang Family clansmen without Spirit Roots, they were spread across three counties within Changping Prefecture: Peaceful County, Azure Cloud County, and Azure Bamboo County.

The Wang Family's current Family Head was Wang Mingyuan, Wang Changsheng's father. Wang Mingyuan possessed Four Spiritual Roots, and his aptitude was not particularly good. However, he handled matters fairly and treated others modestly, so most of the clansmen had chosen him as the Wang Family's Family Head, entrusting him with affairs both great and small.

The Wang Family's Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Wang Yaozong, rarely showed himself in ordinary times and spent all year in Secluded Cultivation.

Wang Changsheng's mother, Liu Qing'er, was a Rogue Cultivator. She had a Triple Spirit Root, and her aptitude was a little better than Wang Mingyuan's.

Back then, Wang Changsheng's grandfather, Wang Yaozu, had opposed Liu Qing'er entering the family. Wang Yaozu had intended for Wang Mingyuan to marry the legitimate daughter of the Zhao Family of Guangyang Prefecture, strengthening the ties between the two families. The Wang Family and Zhao Family were roughly equal in strength, and their Foundation Establishment Ancestors were friends. This marriage would have benefited both sides.

Yet Wang Mingyuan refused to agree, with the air of a man who would marry no one but Liu Qing'er. Enraged, Wang Yaozu confined Wang Mingyuan for three years.

Liu Qing'er waited bitterly near Azure Lotus Mountain for Wang Mingyuan for three years, moving Wang Yaozu at last and earning permission to enter the family and meet him.

Liu Qing'er had worked at an Artifact Refining Shop for ten years as an Artifact Refining Apprentice. Once Wang Yaozu learned of this, he readily agreed to the marriage.

Wang Changsheng was an only son and ranked ninth among his generation. He possessed a Gold-Water-Earth Triple Spirit Root, with water as his Primary Spirit Root. His Water Spirit Root had an affinity of sixty, placing his aptitude around the middle among his generation. He cultivated the Wang Family's ancestral Cloud Rain Art.

This cultivation method was a Yellow Grade First Rank technique, allowing one to cultivate from the First Level of Qi Refining to the Ninth Level of Qi Refining. Its strength lay in its steadiness, its few Bottlenecks, and the ease with which those Bottlenecks could be overcome.

Wang Changsheng entered the Lecture Hall at the age of five, where he learned to read and write while Clan Elders taught him the knowledge of cultivation.

He began cultivating at eight and received ten jin of First Rank Low-Grade Spirit Rice every month.

At thirteen, Wang Changsheng advanced to the Fourth Level of Qi Refining and could receive three jin of First Rank Mid-Grade Spirit Rice each month.

When Wang Changsheng was sixteen, he was still only at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining. According to clan rules, he did not need to work before turning eighteen, and the Lineage would provide resources for his cultivation. If he failed to reach the Fifth Level of Qi Refining by eighteen, he would have to contribute to the Lineage in exchange for cultivation resources.

The Wang Family was now spending more than it earned, so Wang Mingyuan could only have the younger generation begin working two years early, seeking to increase income and reduce expenditure.

This decision drew opposition from some Clan Elders. They believed that the younger generation was the Lineage's future and should be allowed to cultivate until eighteen. The Clan Elders were even willing to contribute their monthly stipends to subsidize the younger generation.

Wang Mingyuan believed this was no way to resolve the Lineage's difficulties. To persuade the opposing Clan Elders, he invited Wang Yaozong out and convened a clan meeting.

As Family Head, Wang Mingyuan led by example and sent out his own son to serve as Celestial Master in Peaceful County for four years.

Peaceful County had the worst conditions of the three counties controlled by the Wang Family. With Wang Mingyuan leading by example and Wang Yaozong giving his approval, the voices of opposition faded away.

Because of this matter, Liu Qing'er had often complained about Wang Mingyuan in private, saying that his heart held only the Wang Family, the greater family, and not their own little family.

At sixteen, under his mother's reluctant gaze, Wang Changsheng left Azure Lotus Mountain with five jin of Spirit Cake that she had rushed to make overnight, arriving in Peaceful County.

Peaceful County was rather barren and sparsely populated. Several tens of thousands of Wang Family clansmen lived there, scattered throughout the county seat and the nearby villages and towns.

Wang Changsheng's duty was to protect the mortal people of Peaceful County from the harm of evil spirits, demons, and monsters.

Though the Wang Family clansmen living in the secular world had no Spirit Roots, their ancestors had possessed them. Thus, there was a considerable chance that their descendants would be born with Spirit Roots.

For this reason, the Wang Family stationed Cultivators in all three counties under its control, regularly testing for Spirit Roots.

Over the centuries, more than a dozen Wang Family clansmen living in the secular world had been found to possess Spirit Roots. Wang Yaozong's parents had been mortals. Because he had been tested and found to have Spirit Roots, he was sent to Azure Lotus Mountain to cultivate, eventually succeeding in Foundation Establishment under the Lineage's nurturing.

With Wang Yaozong as a living example, the Wang Family attached great importance to clansmen living in the secular world. Of course, the Wang Family also valued other commoners. Though the chance of a mortal's descendants producing a Cultivator was very small, the Wang Family treated all equally, periodically sending people into the secular world to test newborns for Spirit Roots and replenish its fresh blood.

Peaceful County's magistrate was appointed by the imperial court. The Wang Family would not interfere with the magistrate's handling of government affairs, but if evil spirits or monsters caused trouble, the Wang Family would send Cultivators to deal with them.

Wang Family clansmen without Spirit Roots could conduct business or enter government service as they pleased, and the Wang Family would not interfere. However, if their descendants possessed Spirit Roots, they had to be sent to Azure Lotus Mountain.

Wang Changsheng had been in Peaceful County for three years. He normally lived on Lotus Island and rarely left it.

Lotus Island had no Spirit Vein, and its spiritual qi was thin. Cultivation here proceeded very slowly. During his three years in Peaceful County, he had advanced only one minor realm, and that was after consuming quite a bit of Spirit Grain. Without Spirit Grain, Wang Changsheng might not have reached the Fifth Level of Qi Refining even after five years.

Spirit Pills were rather expensive, and Wang Changsheng's purse was empty, so he chose to eat Spirit Grain.

He was now at the Mid-Stage Qi Refining and was suited to consume First-Order Mid-Grade Spirit Grain. First-Order Mid-Grade Spirit Grain ripened once every two or three years and cost around one or two Spirit Stones.

Serving as Celestial Master in Peaceful County offered almost no chance to earn merit. His monthly stipend of one Spirit Stone could only buy one jin of Spirit Grain, which he quickly finished. With no other choice, he could only eat food without spiritual qi.

Immortal Clan Cultivation, please support it. The cultivation method's grade was adjusted slightly; it will not affect reading. It was originally Human Grade, but has been changed to Yellow Grade.