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Unfortunately, to protect the younger sprouts of the Lineage, the higher-ups had established a clan rule more than two hundred years ago, when the clan was first founded: only clansmen who had reached the age of eighteen could leave the Lineage. Anyone who left without permission would be severely punished. Thus, Ling Pengyun could only abandon his thoughts of leaving the mountain.

Such clan rules were also a means of protecting the Lineage's young shoots.

Though Ling Pengyun was quite pleased by this, the expressions of the other four Peng Generation clansmen present changed drastically.

They had all heard a thing or two from their elders about the brutality of the Cultivation World. They likewise knew how weak Early-Stage Qi Training cultivators were. Even Early-Stage Qi Training demon beasts could slaughter them with ease. One careless step, and they might perish beyond the borders, body and Dao extinguished.

Moreover, most of the spiritual energy within those Low-Order Spirit Veins assigned for external garrison duty was used to sustain the Spirit Fields developed there. The remaining spiritual energy was exceedingly thin. If they were stationed there and wished to raise their cultivation, they could only rely on Spirit Stones, medicinal pills, and other spiritual resources. If they cultivated solely on that thin spiritual energy, their progress would inevitably crawl at a snail's pace.

With these two difficulties before them, they were somewhat unwilling to leave years early to garrison spirit mountains.

Ling Yunhong, the Ling Clan Head, had long mastered the art of reading faces and observing expressions. Seeing the looks on the faces of the Peng Generation youths, he knew this was somewhat difficult for these five juniors. Therefore, to dispel their concerns, he offered substantial benefits and said,

"This is also a measure born of necessity. I hope you can understand the Lineage's current predicament. The Lineage cannot simply watch the five First Rank Low Grade Spirit Veins within our territory remain unoccupied, with no one developing Spirit Fields upon them, planting spiritual resources, and generating income for the Lineage!"

"The Lineage also knows that, aside from Pengyun, the four of you are only at the second or third level of Qi Training and cannot display much strength! Under normal circumstances, we should not have sent you out of the mountain gates early to work for the Lineage, but the Lineage is truly short of manpower!"

"Therefore, if you are willing to go and stand guard, the Lineage will provide each of you with three First Rank Middle Grade Offensive Spirit Talismans and two First Rank Middle Grade Defensive Spirit Talismans for self-defense, free of charge! Your stipends for garrisoning those Spirit Veins outside the Lineage will be the same as those of ordinary clansmen stationed outside on spirit mountains—twice your original stipend. In addition, each of you will receive one extra Qi Refining Pill every month!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of Ling Pengyun and the other five Peng Generation clansmen immediately lit up. With Spirit Talismans to make up for their shortcomings in combat strength, as well as a considerable amount of Spirit Stones and Qi Refining Pills to meet their cultivation needs, garrisoning a spirit mountain outside the Lineage was not entirely unacceptable!

Although Ling Pengyun was quite tempted, he did not intend to be the bird that stuck its head out first, agreeing before everyone else and placing the other four clansmen in an awkward position.

He turned around and cast questioning looks at the other four younger clansmen one by one. Only after they had all expressed their agreement did he turn back to the four Lineage higher-ups seated at the long council table. "This junior, Ling Pengyun, is willing to accept the Lineage's commission, leave Clan Mountain early, work for the Lineage outside, and garrison a Spirit Vein!"

"This junior, Ling Pengming, is willing to accept the Lineage's commission."

"This junior, Ling Peng..."

"..."

The five Peng Generation clansmen present each spoke in turn, expressing their agreement.

"You are fine sons of the Ling Clan. Of the five of you, only Pengyun is a ranked Spirit Plant Farmer. Among the five newly occupied Spirit Veins, the sole First Grade Middle Rank Spirit Vein has six mu of Spirit Fields developed upon it. Pengyun, as a Spirit Plant Farmer, will garrison it. The other four newly occupied Spirit Veins are all more or less the same, so you may choose for yourselves!" Ling Yunhong said as he waved his hand, taking out five maps showing the distribution of Spirit Veins occupied by the Ling Clan within An Yang County and handing one to each of the five Peng Generation clansmen.

Ling Pengyun and the others had no objections to this arrangement.

Managing more Spirit Fields was not necessarily a good thing. Besides, only Spirit Plant Farmers were truly skilled at cultivating spiritual plants.

After the other four Peng Generation clansmen had each selected their garrison posts, the meeting gradually drew to a close. Aside from Ling Pengyun, who was left behind alone, the other four Peng Generation clansmen were led down the mountain by Grand Elder Ling Ruda.

Ling Yunhong, the Clan Head seated in the main seat, said in a deep voice, "Pengyun, I hope you bear no resentment over the Lineage's arrangements this time. Although your spirit root is poor, your sensitivity to spiritual energy is excellent. Among the Peng Generation, you are also the only one capable of catching up to Peng Xing. However, that newly occupied First Grade Middle Rank Spirit Vein has abundant spiritual energy and enough land to develop many Spirit Fields. Only a Spirit Plant Farmer can properly tend so many spiritual plants. The Lineage is short-handed, and the Spirit Plant Farmers elsewhere each have their own duties. At present, you are the only idle Spirit Plant Farmer in the Lineage. With no other choice, we had to dispatch you!"

"However, rest assured. The Lineage knows that you will manage a relatively large number of Spirit Fields in the future, and tending the spiritual plants within them will consume no small amount of time. We fear this may delay your cultivation, so your stipend will be increased by two Yellow Sprout Pills suitable for your cultivation level. I hope you will not speak of this matter, lest the other clansmen harbor misgivings!"

"Furthermore, according to the benefits granted to First Rank Low Grade Spirit Plant Farmers by the Lineage, you may receive a ten percent share of the harvest from the Spirit Rice planted in the Spirit Fields under your management. Naturally, this share depends on your own efforts. If the Spirit Rice harvest fails to meet the required standard, then there will be no share!"

Spirit Plant Farmers could use secret methods to hasten and increase the yield of spiritual plants.

Of these, increasing the yield was most conspicuous when applied to spiritual plants such as Spirit Rice.

Hearing that there were additional benefits, Ling Pengyun was secretly delighted. Yellow Sprout Pills were First Rank Middle Grade cultivation pills, and consuming them would be of tremendous benefit to his cultivation.

As a cultivator, Ling Pengyun naturally knew that resources were indispensable upon the path of cultivation. He would never complain about having too many cultivation resources, much less Yellow Sprout Pills and shares from spiritual plant harvests.

At the same time, he understood that because of his relatively rapid cultivation progress, he had already gained the Lineage's attention. Even though he appeared to outsiders to possess only a Five Spirit Root, otherwise, why would the higher-ups go to such lengths?

Could it be solely because he was a Spirit Plant Farmer?

As an old-established Spirit Plant Farmer family, the Ling Clan had no shortage of Spirit Plant Farmers. Yet Ling Pengyun had never heard of any First Rank Low Grade Spirit Plant Farmer receiving such treatment.

Of course, if there truly had been one, perhaps he too had been warned, like Ling Pengyun, not to spread the matter.

Ling Pengyun said with a smile, "Clan Head, you overstate it. I was raised by the Lineage, so I am a man of the Lineage. Working for the Lineage is this junior's duty. Besides, this junior also wishes to leave Clan Mountain and take a look outside!"

This answer truly satisfied the Ling Clan higher-ups present. What the Lineage favored most were people with high aptitude, high awareness, and a strong sense of belonging to the Lineage.

"Not bad. We did not misjudge you!" Ling Yunhong said with a smile.

Immediately afterward, Second Elder Ling Ruxian, the one-armed elder who had remained silent at the council table, took two manuals from his Storage Bag and used the Object Manipulation Technique to send them to Ling Pengyun. "Pengyun, these are the fifth and sixth levels of the subsequent cultivation method for the Azure Water Art, along with the second level of the Ling Clan's most important Spirit Plant Secret Method, the Lingxiao Ripening Technique. I am giving them to you together."

"During the five years you will be stationed outside Clan Mountain at a Low-Order Spirit Vein, if your cultivation or attainments in the path of spiritual plants improve, this will save you the time of returning to the Lineage to request them. That is why I am giving you these two items in advance. But remember well: you must not pass on the later portions of the Azure Water Art or the Lingxiao Ripening Technique. If they are leaked, the clan rules will deal with you!"

When Ling Ruxian uttered those final four words, Ling Pengyun could clearly sense a towering killing intent emanating from him. That killing intent was formless, yet it made Ling Pengyun's heart tremble.

Ling Pengyun began to mutter inwardly. If he truly leaked these two cultivation manuals, he feared that...

He could not help recalling the rumors surrounding the Second Elder before him, a man who rarely smiled and seldom interacted with the clansmen.