The Family's Current Situation

"I never imagined that such a small choice back then would lead to such a huge disaster."

Ling Pengyun was filled with regret.

For a moment, he was afraid to face Ling Pengxing.

However, Ling Pengxing, who was on the Lingxiao Mountain, already in his twilight years, and wielding a wooden sword, sensed Ling Pengyun several miles away with his keen senses.

Although he was a mortal, he could not see Ling Pengyun's figure clearly from several miles away; all he could see was a black dot.

But he could sense that the black dot was familiar.

He then stopped what he was doing and slowly put down the wooden sword in his hand.

Suddenly, he thought of something, his expression brightened, and he shouted loudly at the black dot several miles away.

"Eighth brother, is that you?"

Hearing this call from several miles away, Ling Pengyun trembled.

After a long while, Ling Pengyun finally calmed himself down, transformed into a streak of blue light, and quickly headed towards Lingxiao Mountain.

Upon seeing this scene, Ling Pengxing, located atop Lingxiao Mountain, was filled with joy.

"Flowing Light Escape Technique".

"The Golden Core Realm!"

"Eighth Brother has entered the Golden Core."

"The Ling Clan is destined for prosperity!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Despite his advanced age, Ling Pengxing seemed to have grown younger, his hunched back even straightening up a bit, as he laughed and muttered to himself.

After a few breaths.

As soon as Ling Pengyun landed on the Lingxiao Mountain, Ling Pengxing immediately went to greet him.

"Congratulations, Eighth Brother, you have entered the Golden Core realm."

"Eighth Brother, now that our Lineage has you, can we be considered a major Golden Core clan?"

"In the future, the Golden Core Force of our Yan Kingdom will become the Five Sects One Clan."

"Hahaha!!!"

Ling Pengxing, whose foundation had been severed, laughed excitedly upon seeing Ling Pengyun.

"Third Brother... I heard about the Lineage matters from my father." Ling Pengyun saw this scene but didn't know how to respond.

If Ling Pengxing's foundation were not lacking, he might have had a chance to explore the Golden Core Ling Pengxing.

Ling Pengxing also saw through Ling Pengyun's thoughts, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of self-reproach.

"Eighth Brother, you are not to blame for how I have ended up. If my cultivation had been stronger back then, I wouldn't have ended up like this."

"If I had ventured into the Demon Beast territory more often in the past, killed Demon Beast to earn more Spirit Stone, and bought Cultivation Resources, perhaps things would not be like this today."

"Five years ago, the dozens of Qi Refining clansmen who were stationed with me at the Ling Clan would not have all died from burning their lifespans by continuously using desperate Law Technique."

"Back then, my Third Grandfather entrusted me with the responsibility of managing the Lineage, but I failed to do so well."

In the end, Ling Pengxing, a man of such resolute character, had tears welling up in his eyes.

Five years ago, as the temporary head of the Lineage, he should have been responsible for everything, but due to his lack of strength, he was unable to protect his Lineage from the storms.

This caused the dozens of Qi Training Stage clansmen who had exhausted their lifespans by continuously using desperate techniques when the Poison Blood Demon Sect attacked the mountain gate five years ago to die one after another before their eyes.

Ling Pengyun and Ling Pengxing both blamed themselves, because they had treated the Ling Clan as their own home.

"Third Brother, you don't need to do this. You've done enough. The Lineage was able to survive that Small Demon Uprising because of you."

"I will make the Poison Blood Demon Sect pay for the Lineage feud."

Ling Pengyun said in a deep voice.

Hearing Ling Pengxing's approval made Ling Pengyun feel a little better.

However, the deaths of those dozens of clansmen had become a knot in his heart.

He sighed helplessly and then stopped thinking about it.

Then, he looked at the sky and saw that Ling Yunhong, who had left with Ling Pengyun six years ago, had not returned to the clan. He asked in confusion.

"By the way, Eighth Brother, why hasn't Third Grandfather returned?"

"Our Third Grandfather is still searching for Golden Core Opportunity in the Boundless Sea Region Cultivation World. He will return to the clan in three to five years," Ling Pengyun said simply.

Ling Pengxing had the Life Tablet of the Clan Head Ling Yunhong and knew that Ling Yunhong was not in any trouble. In addition, Ling Pengyun did not want to talk about this matter, so he did not ask any further questions.

Then, with a solemn expression, he said, "Eighth Brother, now that you have returned to the clan, I will entrust the responsibility of protecting the clan to you."

Ling Pengyun nodded slightly, agreeing to the matter.

Subsequently, the two of them went to the mountains to find Ling Penglin, Ling Pengshan, and Ling Pengqiu, who had also burned too much of their lifespan and were now old men.

Ling Penglin, Ling Pengshan, and Ling Pengqiu are in a slightly better situation than Ling Pengxing.

The three of them had simply exhausted their lifespans, but their cultivation levels remained. However, due to their advanced age, their cultivation and strength could only be displayed at about 70% of their peak.

If they fight desperately, they can unleash their full power, but this will shake their foundation and accelerate the loss of their lifespan.

It is worth mentioning that none of the three gave up on the path of cultivation. Six years later, the Array Formation Master Ling Penglin has advanced from the Foundation Establishment Third Layer to the Fourth Layer Foundation Establishment.

Ling Pengshan, whose qualifications were average and whose temperament was steady, also broke through from the Fourth Layer Foundation Establishment to the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer.

Ling Pengqiu, a genius in Fire Element Spell Cultivator, also broke through from the Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer to the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer.

They also gained more than ten years of lifespan due to the benefits brought about by their breakthroughs in cultivation.

This incident made Ling Pengyun look at him in a new light.

In particular, even though Ling Pengqiu's cultivation speed has slowed down, it is still not weak. In the remaining ten years of his lifespan, he still has much to achieve.

At the same time, this gave Ling Pengyun an idea.

If he could use the Yin Yang Primordial Qi to enhance Ling Pengqiu's cultivation speed.

They found many items to extend his lifespan and buy him some time, as well as items to replenish his Qi and Blood to repair Ling Pengqiu's damaged body.

Perhaps, this could help Ling Pengqiu, whose lifespan is running out, break through to the Foundation Establishment Completion.

Furthermore, if he could successfully improve the "Saint Demon Fate Continuation Art" recorded within that Saint Demon Art, allowing Righteous Path cultivators to also use this Higher Vehicle Secret Method that can enhance a cultivator's breakthrough time limit, Ling Pengqiu would also have the opportunity to attempt to break through to the Golden Core stage.

However, this is quite risky. If Ling Pengqiu is in good health, transferring Yin Yang Primordial Qi to him is also part of Ling Pengyun's plan.

However, Ling Pengqiu is now an old man, and items that can prolong his life or enhance his Qi and Blood are all expensive.

If Ling Pengqiu fails to break through to the Golden Core realm, Ling Pengqiu, whose lifespan is already limited, will soon die from exhaustion, and all the investments will be in vain.

With a myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind, Ling Pengyun decided to suppress this idea for now and observe Ling Pengqiu's performance.

After all, the last time he condensed Yin Yang Primordial Qi was seven years ago, and it will take him another two years before he can condense another mouthful of Yin Yang Primordial Qi.

As for Ling Penglin, Ling Pengshan, and Ling Pengxing, they are all still far from the Foundation Establishment Completion. Especially Ling Pengxing, even if the Yin Yang Primordial Qi can help him restore his foundation, he still needs to start cultivating from scratch.

Given that his lifespan is already short, it can be basically concluded that he has no Immortal Fate.

The Yin Yang Primordial Qi is incomparably precious. Since this energy is not available during times of abundance, it should naturally be passed on to the most suitable person.

Furthermore, Ling Pengyun also has a Daoist partner, Yan Siyi, and an only son Ling Chengxia, who has not yet entered the Yin Yang Primordial Qi.

If it weren't for feeling guilty towards Ling Pengqiu and the others, Ling Pengyun wouldn't have had the idea of transferring that Yin Yang Primordial Qi to Ling Pengqiu two years later.

While Ling Pengyun was distracted, Ling Penglin, Ling Pengshan, and Ling Pengqiu were all overjoyed and excited for a while because of Ling Pengyun's ability to enter the Golden Core stage.

This also helped to dissipate much of the weariness they had shown, and their complexions improved.

The three of them then congratulated Ling Pengyun as well.

Ling Pengyun also caught up with Ling Penglin and the others.

After about half an hour, when everyone had finished catching up, Ling Pengyun spoke up.

"Tell me about the changes in your Lineage over the past six years."

For the past six years, although Ling Pengxing, since the end of the Small Demon Uprising five years ago, the management of the clan's tedious affairs has been handed over to Ling Pengshan, who had no skills, a steady temperament, and a slow cultivation speed.

Ling Pengshan then took out the Lineage account book from his Storage Bag and read it aloud carefully.

"The biggest change in the Lineage during these six years is the number of Lineage cultivators. In the Small Demon Uprising five years ago, a total of fifty-three Lineage members died. Among them, there were fifteen of the Yun Generation, five of the Xiao Generation, three of the Peng Generation, five of the Cheng Generation, and the youngest, the Wan Generation, totaling seventeen."

"Among the deceased clan members, the oldest Yun Generation generation, and the youngest, those of the Wan Generation, comprised the largest number."

"The Yun Generation are the older generation, all of whom are Hui people who have been retired. After the Small Demon Uprising incident, only Ancestral Grandfather Yun Hong is left in the Yun Generation."

"The seventeen members of the Wan Generation who died were all young and were the future pillars of the Lineage. With their deaths, even though the Lineage has more than 400,000 ordinary members, it will be difficult for the Lineage to produce any talented members of the Wan Generation for at least the next ten years."

"The Lineage has entered a period of transition where there is no successor."

"Fortunately, Cheng Xin, the Pill Refining prodigy that the Lineage was focusing on cultivating, was Pill Refining at the headquarters of the Sky Talisman Commerce Association in Serpent Dragon Marketplace back then, so he escaped a bit. Four years ago, he successfully entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, Pill Refining skills have now been improved to the Second Rank Low Grade, which can be considered a good thing."

"Over the years, fearing that the Lineage might be invaded by Devil Cultivator, I have never allowed Cheng Xin to return to the family. Instead, I have kept him at the headquarters of the Sky Talisman Commerce Association to Pill Refining."

"Currently, the Lineage has 211 members across the five generations: Yun, Xiao, Peng, Cheng, and Wan. Among them, those at the Qi Training Stage..."

"Another major change is in the territory of my Ling Clan. During that Small Demon Uprising, it wasn't just our Lineage that suffered from the attacks of those demonic cults. The territories of the Azure Bamboo Wang Clan and the Cloud Mist Wen Clan, which are adjacent to our territory, were also invaded by the Poison Blood Demon Sect."

"Neither of these two clans is as strong as our clan. The cultivators of the Cloud Mist Wen Clan and the Azure Bamboo Wang Clan who were left behind in these two clans were all killed, and the mortals under their command also died."

"Without the Foundation Establishment Cultivator overseeing the area, nearly half of the First Rank Spirit Vein in the Azure Bamboo Wang Clan's territory have been leased to our Lineage at extremely low prices, including the Azure Bamboo Wang Clan's only Second Rank Spirit Vein."

"By relying on the Spirit Vein of the Azure Bamboo Wang Clan to cultivate Spirit Plant, the Lineage can harvest about two thousand Spirit Stone worth of spirit medicine every year."

"The Cloud Mist Wen Clan was not giving up. They borrowed two second-rate Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object from the Lineage to assist a member in Foundation Establishment, but they were unsuccessful."

"Because of the kinship agreement between my Lineage and the Cloud Mist Wen Clan, I did not seize the Wen Clan's Spirit Vein."

"However, the Wen Clan is also sensible. Every year they send at least two thousand Spirit Stone worth of spiritual spirit medicine, which is nearly half of the profits from the spiritual plants grown in the Spirit Vein of the Wen Clan's territory."

"The Lineage's remaining income, as it was six years ago, mainly comes from seven sources: planting Spirit Plant, Pill Refining pills, crafting weapons, making talismans, raising Earth Silk Spirit Silkworm and spiritual fish, and brewing spiritual wine."