Return to Lotus Island

After Wang Changxing was found to possess Five Spiritual Roots, he still refused to accept his fate and cultivated with great diligence, but with little result.

With the aid of spiritual items, his peers could at least reach the Second Level of Qi Refining by the age of ten, yet Wang Changxing remained at the First Level of Qi Refining.

By the time he was fifteen, most clansmen his age had reached the Fourth Level of Qi Refining, while Wang Changxing had only barely reached the Second Level of Qi Refining.

Thus, Wang Changxing came to terms with it, and his thoughts of cultivation gradually faded. He turned his attention to eating and drinking instead.

The Lineage was already struggling to make ends meet, and with his poor aptitude, it naturally would not provide him with large amounts of spiritual items. He could only set his sights on the delicacies of the Mortal World.

As a Cultivator, Wang Changxing selected ten highly skilled cooks from among the mortal members of the clan to prepare meals exclusively for him. In less than a year, his weight had more than doubled.

Though Wang Changxing was very fat, it did not hinder him from doing things.

He served as a shop assistant at the Spirit Grain Hall opened by the Wang Family, where he was responsible for selling spirit grain.

Male clansmen with poor aptitude like Wang Changxing generally worked at the lowest level. Once they reached a certain age, they would marry and have children under the Lineage's arrangements, adding fresh blood to the Lineage.

Wang Changxing did not resist this arranged fate. On the contrary, he rather enjoyed it. With his aptitude, no matter how hard he cultivated, he could at most reach the Sixth or Seventh Layer of Qi Refining in this lifetime. Since Foundation Establishment was beyond his reach anyway, he might as well live freely and at ease—working at the Spirit Grain Hall on schedule, returning to Azure Lotus Mountain on schedule, eating whenever he wanted, sleeping whenever he wanted. So long as he did not violate the clan rules, the elders would not interfere.

When Wang Changsheng was young, he often played with Wang Changxing, and the two had been quite close.

"I'm on leave today and can stay at Azure Lotus Mountain for a month. If you're not in a hurry, how about coming to my place for a few drinks?" Wang Changxing warmly invited him.

"Next time. I still need to hurry back to Peaceful County," Wang Changsheng tactfully declined.

Wang Changxing did not take it too seriously. He had only been making polite conversation. After chatting for a few moments, he parted ways with Wang Changsheng and headed up the mountain.

By the time Wang Changsheng returned to Peaceful County, it was already past noon.

He did not immediately return to Lotus Island. Instead, he went to the quarry in Green Stone Town.

The quarry had already been concealed by a vast expanse of dense white mist, making it impossible to see what lay within.

As soon as Wang Changsheng approached the quarry, a figure rushed out from the dense white mist. It was Wang Changge.

"Ninth Brother, didn't you return to Azure Lotus Mountain? Why are you back so quickly? Did Third Uncle have some instructions?" Wang Changge asked in surprise upon seeing Wang Changsheng.

"No. I am the Celestial Master of Peaceful County, so I returned to guard Peaceful County. Fourth Brother, wouldn't setting up a Formation make us more conspicuous?" Wang Changsheng asked curiously, pointing at the dense white mist.

Wang Changge smiled slightly and explained, "This was Fifth Uncle-Grandfather's decision. We'll be staying here for several years. Rather than mining in secret, we might as well openly set up a Formation and mine the ore. Without any evidence, who would come looking for Trouble with us? Besides, a Defensive Formation has been set up here as well. Unless a Foundation Establishment Cultivator attacks, Qi Refining Stage cultivators cannot take this place."

Wang Changge was full of confidence. In addition to one First Grade High Rank Formation and one First Grade Middle Rank Formation, more than forty Qi Refining Cultivators guarded the site. There were three Clan Elders at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer alone. Qi Refining Stage cultivators would absolutely be unable to capture it; this place could be called impregnable as a fortress of gold. Even if it truly came under attack from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, they could use a Tier 2 Low Grade Hundred-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman to call for aid. At a Foundation Establishment Cultivator's speed, they could arrive in less than two hours.

"That's good. Is there anything you need my help with? If not, I'll return to Lotus Island."

"I'll take you to see Fifth Uncle-Grandfather. Let's see how he wishes to arrange things."

Wang Changge took out a square Token and lightly waved it toward the dense white mist behind him. A streak of White Light flew out from the Token and vanished into the dense white mist in a flash.

The dense white mist churned and rolled, revealing a passage.

Wang Changsheng followed Wang Changge inside. More than a dozen clansmen stood around the location of the Profound Gold Mine, each holding a mining hoe. They raised their hoes high and smashed them fiercely against the Stone Wall that gleamed with Golden Light, producing a series of metallic clashes.

Chunks of ore glowing with Golden Light were mined out one after another and placed into Storage Pouches.

Not far away sat a tea table and a Grandmaster Chair. Wang Yaojing sat in the Grandmaster Chair, holding a book and reading it with great relish.

"Fifth Uncle-Grandfather, Ninth Brother has returned."

Wang Yaojing set down his book and asked in confusion, "Changsheng, why have you returned so quickly? Did Mingyuan ask you to bring me a message?"

Wang Changsheng shook his head. "No. Father told me to return. I've already reported the course of events to him, and he told me to return to Peaceful County and hold the fort. Fifth Uncle-Grandfather, do you have any instructions? If not, I'll return to Lotus Island."

"That boy Mingyuan sent you away so quickly." Wang Yaojing frowned.

He had thought Wang Mingyuan would let Wang Changsheng stay at Azure Lotus Mountain for a few days. He had not expected Wang Mingyuan to send Wang Changsheng away so quickly.

From a personal perspective, he felt Wang Mingyuan was somewhat cold and unfeeling. But from the larger perspective, Wang Mingyuan handled matters impartially. He had not kept Wang Changsheng for even a few extra days, sending him back to Peaceful County the very next day.

After giving it some thought, Wang Yaojing said, "Forget It. Since Mingyuan told you to return to Peaceful County, then return to Lotus Island. I haven't sent anyone to Lotus Island yet. If anything arises that you cannot resolve, come here and find me. You can also send a Carrier Pigeon message to the clan."

"This grandson obeys. This grandson takes his leave." Wang Changsheng agreed repeatedly, bowed to Wang Yaojing, then turned and left.

Wang Changsheng returned to Green Stone Town and took Wang Qiusheng back to Lotus Island.

Life returned to how it had been before. During the day, he practiced spells; at night, he cultivated. In Addition, he had memorized the contents of the Artificing Compendium so thoroughly that they rolled off his tongue.

This was not only his mother's instruction, but also his future.

With a Profound Gold Mine that could be mined for three or four years, the Wang Family would certainly be able to weather its current difficulties.

The Wang Family's ancestor, Wang Yuangang, had been a Second Grade Mid Rank Artifact Refiner. After Wang Yuangang, several First-Grade Upper Artifact Refiners had also emerged, but later the Lineage's circumstances became increasingly difficult, and it was no longer able to train Artifact Refiners.

It was foreseeable that once the Wang Family overcame its current difficulties, it would certainly train its own Artifact Refiners when it had sufficient financial resources, restoring the glory of its ancestors. When that time came, it would be Wang Changsheng's opportunity.

If the Wang Family wished to train Artifact Refiners, there was a high chance that he would become one of the Lineage's chosen trainees. After all, Liu Qing'er had instilled Artifact Refining knowledge in Wang Changsheng from childhood. At the time, Wang Changsheng had not understood and had felt his mother was making a mountain out of a molehill. Even maintaining his daily cultivation had been a problem, so learning Artifact Refining knowledge seemed like a waste of time. Looking back now, Wang Changsheng could not help admiring his mother's far-reaching foresight.

When they had studied cultivation knowledge, the Clan Elders had only briefly introduced the fundamental principles of Artifact Refining. They had taught much more about cultivation techniques, since that was the Lineage's primary source of income.

Without exaggeration, among the Wang Family's "Chang" generation, Wang Changsheng possessed the most solid foundation in Artifact Refining knowledge.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.