Discussing Candidates for the Expedition
Late December.
On this day, the sound of a bronze bell rang out from the Lingxiao Mountain.
Ling Pengyun, who was cultivating in seclusion in a courtyard halfway up Lingxiao Mountain, immediately opened his eyes upon hearing this sound.
"Now that it's the end of the year, the bronze bell on the mountaintop, which symbolizes deliberation, is ringing. It should be a call for the clan's senior members to attend the year-end summary meeting."
Six months ago, when Ling Pengyun Ling Ruxian to the Affairs Hall to purchase the Spirit Gathering Pill, Ling Ruxian, the steward of the Affairs Hall and the Great Elder of the Ling Clan family, told Ling Pengyun that this newly Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Lineage must go to the Council Hall to attend the year-end summary meeting at the end of the year.
In addition, since Ling Pengyun had agreed to the matter, he did not linger. He immediately stood up and walked out of the quiet room, following a path paved with pebbles towards the top of the mountain.
Before even reaching the summit, Ling Pengyun could see from afar that Ling Clan's Great Elder Ling Ruxian, was standing outside the protective light barrier around the summit.
Seeing this, Ling Pengyun had some guesses in his mind and quickened his pace.
A short while later, he walked up to Ling Ruxian.
"Eleventh Great Grandfather," Ling Pengyun greeted first, then inquired.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've been waiting for you here. You've only recently entered the Foundation Establishment, and you're mostly in seclusion. The Lineage hasn't had time to call on the other elders to appoint you to a position, and you don't have Elder Token. To avoid making it difficult for you to enter the mountaintop, I've specially waited for you here to enter together once the council bell rings at the top of the mountain," Ling Ruxian explained with a smile.
After saying this, Ling Ruxian used the Elder Token hanging at his waist to form Secret Method, opening a small opening just big enough for a person to pass through on the huge light screen protecting the mountaintop.
Ling Pengyun and Ling Ruxian followed the small opening and carved out a path along the Elder Token on the mountaintop filled with the misty clouds, entering the Council Hall.
As soon as the two entered the Council Hall Council Hall, Ling Yunhong, who was already waiting there and seated at the head of the Council Hall, pointed to the seat to his left and greeted them.
"Peng Yun, you shall sit in the chief seat on the left. The chief seat on the right shall belong to Peng Xing."
Upon hearing this, Ling Pengyun looked in the direction Ling Yunhong was pointing, his expression shifting slightly.
The placement of this council table is extremely important.
The earlier a position is, the higher its status.
"Third Grandfather." Ling Pengyun had already entered the Foundation Establishment, but he hadn't decided what was wrong with him taking that position. He first cupped his hands to Ling Yunhong, who was sitting in the main seat at the council table, and called out to him before walking to the chief seat on the left that Ling Yunhong had pointed to.
After taking my seat, I waited for a moment.
Once Ling Pengxing, who was also a newly Foundation Establishment cultivator in the mountains, the Fifth Elder Ling Yunxi, and the Sixth Elder Ling Yunqian, who had just returned from delivering spiritual items to the shops where the Lineage had Clan Mountain, were all present, Ling Yunhong, who was in the main seat of the Council Hall, also spoke.
"Now that everyone is here, let's officially begin this year-end council meeting."
The Ling Clan originally had six elders, but the other three elders had their own affairs and were not in the clan for most of the year.
"The first priority at this year-end council meeting is to appoint Peng Yun, who has only recently entered the Foundation Establishment, as the second Supreme Elder of the clan."
"This position does not involve managing Lineage affairs on a regular basis, but it has the same power as the Clan Head as me and Peng Xing. The three of us are equal and there is no need to distinguish between us."
"As for Peng Yun's offerings, they are the same as Peng Xing's, consisting of six Second Rank Low Grade Spirit Gathering Pill each year."
"Do you agree to this?"
As Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Ling Pengyun is fully qualified to serve as the Supreme Elder of the Lineage.
As for the annual offering of six Spirit Gathering Pill, there's not much to say. Although six Spirit Gathering Pill are worth 1,200 Spirit Stone in the outside world, with Ling Yunhong, a second-level Alchemist, all that's needed is the Spirit Stone for the materials used to refine these pills.
As soon as Ling Yunhong asked this question, the Supreme Elder Ling Pengxing, the Great Elder Ling Ruxian, the Fifth Elder Ling Yunxi, and the Sixth Elder Ling Yunqian all expressed their agreement in the Council Hall.
Ling Pengxing was appointed as the Lineage's Supreme Elder at the end of the year he entered the Foundation Establishment stage a year ago.
As for Ling Yunqian, who had just returned to the clan, as the Sixth Elder of the Lineage, he was informed by Ling Ruxian that Ling Pengyun had successfully Foundation Establishment not long after returning.
Therefore, he was not surprised at this moment.
Seeing that everyone agreed, Ling Yunhong, who was in the main seat, was quite satisfied.
He then took out a token with the words "Supreme" engraved on the front and "Ling" engraved on the back from his Storage Bag, as well as a token covered with small characters, and handed it to Ling Pengyun, who was sitting to his left, and began to introduce it.
"Peng Yun, this Supreme Elder Token is your symbol of identity. The content written on that white paper is the method to activate the Supreme Elder Token to open the protective array light curtain. With these two items, you can freely enter and leave the mountaintop."
"Furthermore, you can rely on that Supreme Elder Token to command the Lineage cultivators when necessary."
Ling Pengyun reached out and took the Supreme Elder Token, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes, thinking to himself.
"I wonder how happy my parents and my Fifteenth Great Grandfather will be when they find out that I have broken through to the Foundation Establishment and become Supreme Elder."
After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment, he went into seclusion and did not have time to tell his parents or Ling Rushui, who was like a great-grandfather to Ru Generation Ling Pengyun and ranked fifteenth in the Ling Rushui.
The thought of Ling Rushui made Ling Pengyun's joy turn into a somber mood.
"If we calculate the age of the Fifteenth Great Grandfather, he should be over one hundred and ten years old. Moreover, eight years ago, when I was still stationed at Azure Stone Mountain, the cultivation of the Fifteenth Great Grandfather had already begun to decline."
"His lifespan is probably nearing its end."
"After this meeting, we should go and find the Eleventh Great Grandfather to see if the clan can spare another member to take over the Fifteenth Great Grandfather's post at the Lineage's shop in the Cloud Mist Market, so that the Fifteenth Great Grandfather can return to the clan."
Just as Ling Pengyun was lost in thought, the Clan Head Ling Yunhong, who was in the main seat, spoke again.
"Now that the first thing is done, it's time to talk about the second thing."
"More than two months ago, Yang Changxing, the Supreme Elder of the Level Cloud Mountain Yang Clan, came to see me."
"His main purpose this time is to bring me, the Immortal Spirit Crane King in the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment in the Lineage, and a newly promoted Foundation Establishment member in the family, a total of three Foundation Establishment, into the territory of Serpent Dragon Lake to hunt down Demon Beast in the Foundation Establishment Completion, so as to obtain the inner core of the Demon Beast in the Foundation Establishment Completion and refine the unique Small Hundred Spirits Water of the Hundred Spirits Sect."
"After the matter is settled, in addition to giving my Ling Clan a Small Hundred Spirits Water for free, the Meridian Protecting Pill Yang Clan will also sell three other Hundred Spirit Stone Meridian Protecting Pill, which also have the effect of assisting in Foundation Establishment, to our Ling Clan at the low price of 3,000 spirit stones per pill."
"As for hunting Foundation Establishment Completion Demon Beast, Yang Changxing is also quite confident. He has already comprehended the Flame Fire Return to Ruin Art recorded in the Yang Clan Clan's Flame Fire Return to Ruin Technique to the Consummation Realm, and has the opportunity to kill enemies beyond his level. The three Foundation Establishment from my Ling Clan can assist him from the side."
"However, this matter is too significant, and it doesn't just involve me alone. It's extremely dangerous, so I didn't agree immediately. I'm bringing it up now to ask what your thoughts are on this."
"After all, the Small Hundred Spirits Water and the Meridian Protecting Pill are invaluable treasures to the Ling Clan."
On the market, a Second Rank High Grade Meridian Protecting Pill is worth about four to five thousand Spirit Stone, with some fluctuations.
Elder Ling Ruxian frowned, thought for a moment, and then spoke.
"The Yang Clan's Flame Fire Return to Ruin Technique is no weaker than the Azure Sea Sky Sword recorded in our Ling Clan's Azure Sea True Scripture. It is indeed quite possible that it can kill enemies beyond their level."
"Of the three Foundation Establishment that my Ling Clan needs to contribute this time, apart from you, who has reached the Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment and has some ability to protect yourself from Foundation Establishment Completion Demon Beast, the other two are not very strong."
"Although the Immortal Spirit Crane King has been at the Foundation Establishment for some time, he can at most fight against Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment Demon Beast once or twice."
"Peng Yun and Peng Xing, who are still needed to participate in the battle, have only recently entered the Foundation Establishment and are not very strong. It will be extremely dangerous for either of them to participate in the battle to kill the Foundation Establishment Completion Demon Beast."
Ling Yunhong said helplessly upon hearing this.
"I am aware of the dangers involved, but the reward offered by the Yang Clan is not low. Although the small amount of white spiritual water and the three Meridian Protecting Pill sold to us at a low price can only increase the probability of a half-level cultivator breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, they are still considered good Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object for my Ling Clan."
"In addition, many talented people have emerged from the Peng Generation. For example, Peng Cheng, Peng Generation is ranked ninth, Peng Lin, who is ranked tenth, Peng Liang, who is ranked sixteenth, Peng Shan, who is ranked twenty-third, and Peng Qiu, who is ranked twenty-seventh, all have good talents and at least have the aptitude of Three Spirit Roots."
"The Lineage is now also engaged in Pill Refining, and the family has abundant resources of pills. With the help of this batch of pills supported by the Lineage, the cultivation of these five talented Peng Generation members will surely make rapid progress."
"If nothing unexpected happens, these five people will all be able to raise their cultivation to the Qi Training Completion before the optimal Foundation Establishment age of sixty."
"These five children are all around the same age. Given the clan's financial resources, it may be difficult to provide them with the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object at the same time."
"Does Eleventh Uncle want to see these five children, like you and Eighteenth Brother, reach the Qi Training Completion before the age of sixty, but be unable to Foundation Establishment due to the lack of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, ultimately regretting it for the rest of their lives?"
Ling Yunhong had killed more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Demon Beast, so he naturally understood the difficulty of killing Foundation Establishment Completion Demon Beast. However, the plight of the Lineage for the next ten or twenty years was already very clear. As the Clan Head, he had to stand up.
Otherwise, the Lineage will remain a small Lineage Qi Refining on Qi Refining, burying its talents.
As soon as Ling Yunhong said those words, a look of regret immediately appeared on the faces of Great Elder Ling Ruxian, the eleventh in the Ru Generation, and Ling Yunqian, the eighteenth in the Yun Generation.
Both of them were among the most talented members of their generation in the Lineage, having already reached the Qi Training Completion stage early on. However, due to the fact that the Lineage was still a small Qi Refining Lineage decades ago, even with enough Spirit Stone, they still dared not buy Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object. Without the help of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, breaking through to Foundation Establishment on their own would be extremely dangerous.
The reason why they dare not buy Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object is simple: even the cheapest second-grade Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, the Meridian Protecting Pill, is worth at least four or five thousand Spirit Stone, while a Second Rank Low Grade Law Artifact is worth about one thousand five hundred to two thousand Spirit Stone.
Given such temptations, how could the Ling Clan family have dared to flaunt their wealth when Devil Cultivator were rampant and the Ling family was still a small Qi Refining Lineage?
Ling Ruxian and Ling Yunqian could only watch helplessly as they grew older, until now, even with Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, there was little chance of them achieving Foundation Establishment.
Not a day went by that neither of them regretted not being as decisive as Ling Yunhong when they were young, and not trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment on their own.
Success Foundation Establishment; failure means certain death.
As for the Fifth Elder Ling Yunxi, who was also in this place, she was different from Ling Ruxian and Ling Yunqian. She relied on the formation to reach the First Rank Middle Grade and was appointed as an elder due to her important position in the Lineage. Her cultivation aptitude was not strong, and she only broke through to the Qi Training Completion several years ago.
At that time, she was already over sixty years old, even over seventy, so she didn't have much regret about not being able to complete her Foundation Establishment.
Seeing that Elders Ling Ruxian, Ling Yunqian, and Ling Yunxi did not offer any further advice, Ling Yunhong turned his gaze to Ling Pengyun and asked.
"Peng Yun, have you finished refining the Mixed Rock Shield that I gave you at the beginning of the year?"
"It's been refined." Ling Pengyun nodded slightly.
"That's good. This time, we'll be going into the Serpent Dragon Lake area with Yang Changxing of the Yang Clan family to hunt down Foundation Establishment Completion Demon Beast. Besides me and the Immortal Spirit Crane King, we also need to send a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. I plan to have you go with me. Would you be willing?" Ling Yunhong asked.
Before Ling Pengyun could respond, Ling Pengxing, with a worried expression, spoke up.
"Third Uncle, Eighth Brother has only been in the Foundation Establishment for a year and his strength is not much. I, on the other hand, not only entered the Foundation Establishment a year earlier than Eighth Brother, but I have also refined the Metal Attribute Second Rank Low Grade Flying Sword that you Third Grandfather, gave me a year ago. My strength has greatly increased. Combined with my Cultivation Method, my combat power is enough to defeat an ordinary Foundation Establishment Third Layer cultivator. Let me go. Letting Eighth Brother go will only increase his danger."
Seeing this, Ling Yunhong, who was seated at the head of the long table in the Council Hall, felt gratified.
It is a good thing that Ling Pengxing was able to step forward and had the idea of replacing Ling Pengyun when faced with such danger.
Ling Yunhong explained, "Peng Xing, Peng Yun is different from you. The Second Rank Low Grade Mixed Rock Shield he possesses is a defensive Law Artifact. Moreover, Peng Yun's cultivation Cultivation Method is long and profound. Although he has only recently entered the Foundation Establishment, the spiritual power in his Dantian is probably comparable to that of a second or third-level Foundation Establishment cultivator."
"With such abundant spiritual power, Peng Yun can support the Mixed Rock Shield to create a light screen to help me withstand attacks during battle."
"This also allows me to escape without needing to defend myself and launch a full-scale attack."
"As for Peng Xing, you will remain in the clan."
"The Lineage seems safe, but the Cultivation World has never been peaceful. If we let Peng Yun, who has not mastered a second-tier attack Law Artifact, take charge of the Lineage, we are far away in the Serpent Dragon Lake area, tens of thousands of miles away. We might let evil people find out, and the Lineage will suffer a great disaster. It is safer for you to take charge of the Lineage."
Upon hearing this, Ling Pengxing said nothing more.
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