Martial Immortal

Yun Long lightly tapped his fingertips on the table, the faint clicking sound echoing clearly in the silent hall.

His gaze was calm, but his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

Cooperation was not impossible.

The secrets of the cultivation world, which he had struggled to uncover with all his effort, the information from ancient texts he desperately sought, might find a breakthrough from the Ning Family.

For the Yun Family to establish roots in Wanfang Lake, relying solely on their own exploration would be too difficult.

Yun Long raised his eyes and looked at Ning Yongrui, his voice steady, "Commander Ning, what exactly are your plans? Please state them clearly. Our Yun Family is new here and knows very little about the power distribution and resource abundance in Wanfang Lake."

Upon hearing this, a knowing smile appeared in Ning Yongrui's eyes.

He knew Yun Long had agreed.

Able to bend and stretch, assessing the situation – this young Yun Family head was indeed no ordinary person.

"Patriarch Yun is straightforward," Ning Yongrui nodded slightly. "Although Wanfang Lake Town is small, it can accommodate several cultivation families besides the Yun Family, and for good reason. It's because Wanfang Lake hides Three Treasures."

He paused, building anticipation, before continuing.

"The first is the spiritual fish in Wanfang Lake. Among them, a first-tier spiritual fish, the Dragon Whisker Golden Tail Fish, is the most precious. This fish has a miraculous effect on pregnant women. If consumed regularly, it not only increases the chance of the fetus being born with a Spiritual Root but also improves the quality of the Spiritual Root."

Yun Long's heart stirred. Spiritual Root! This was precisely what the Yun Family needed most. His wife, Li Lingyue, was only three months pregnant, and if they could obtain it, it would be perfect.

"The second is the Heart Calming Lotus," Ning Yongrui continued. "The seeds of this lotus can help Qi Refining Stage cultivators accelerate their cultivation, clear their minds, and calm their spirits, preventing the dangers of qi deviation. And its dried leaves are also excellent materials for refining Qi Augmentation Pills used by martial artists."

"The third is the Earth's Core Ice Crystal. This is a first-tier ice-attribute artifact refining material, quite rare."

As Ning Yongrui's voice fell, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Yun Long's fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, remaining silent for a long time.

These Three Treasures, which could be continuously produced, were the foundation for a family's stable development.

"How are these Three Treasures currently distributed?" Yun Long asked.

"Wanfang Lake has vast waters, and most of the spiritual fish in the lake are controlled by the Li Family, whose generations have made their living by fishing," Ning Yongrui's expression remained unchanged. "On the south bank of Wanfang Lake, there is a peculiar swamp that produces an abundance of Heart Calming Lotuses, which the Lu Family firmly controls."

"As for Donghu City, it falls within the sphere of influence of the Mo Family. The Earth's Core Ice Crystals are produced deep underground in Donghu City."

Ning Yongrui picked up his teacup and took a sip, his eyes deep.

"My Ning Family was ordered by the Dynasty to guard this place, and we have only been here for less than ten years. Our foundation is still shallow, and we haven't been able to get a share of these Three Treasures."

He said it lightly, but Yun Long heard the underlying unwillingness and ambition.

Ning Yongrui put down his teacup and took out a jade slip with a warm luster from his sleeve, gently pushing it towards Yun Long.

"Inside this, there is a more detailed record of the various forces in Wanfang Lake and the Three Treasures."

Yun Long picked up the jade slip; it felt slightly cool in his hand.

The information he had painstakingly tried to gather was now being offered to him.

Ning Yongrui glanced at Yun Long's words, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. This young Yun Family head was indeed as sharp as the rumors suggested.

"Patriarch Yun, please see for yourself," Ning Yongrui stopped beating around the bush.

He placed the teacup back on the table, making a soft clinking sound.

"The Three Treasures of Wanfang Lake are each held by three families: the Li Family, the Lu Family, and the Mo Family. For decades, these three families have been in constant flux and friction, vying for resources."

He lowered his voice slightly, a hint of anticipation in his tone, "To my knowledge, the contradictions between them have reached a boiling point, and a major conflict is imminent."

"At that time, it will be our chance to enter the fray," Ning Yongrui looked at Yun Long, his eyes gleaming.

Yun Long tapped his fingertips on the table, but inwardly, he was dismissive.

Entering the fray at the very end would only allow him to pick up scraps.

The Ning Family was definitely not the last to enter.

But he maintained a calm facade. Given the Yun Family's current scale and foundation, those resources were not an immediate necessity. Possessing them now would be a hot potato, potentially hindering the Yun Family's development.

Strength was the ultimate principle. What the Yun Family needed most was time.

Let's play along with the Ning Family for a bit, Yun Long felt a sense of ease.

Cooperating with the Ning Family would at least provide the Yun Family with a buffer, an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the environment.

With the main business concluded, the atmosphere in the hall eased somewhat.

The group chatted casually about the local customs and traditions of Wanfang Lake, as if it were just a normal visit.

Ning Yongrui subtly glanced in the direction of the training grounds outside the door. He brought up what he had seen earlier.

"Patriarch Yun, as I passed by the training grounds just now, I saw your disciple Shi Chen practicing his sword. That child has extraordinary bone structure and a spiritual aura; he clearly possesses a Spiritual Root," Ning Yongrui's tone carried a hint of confusion, and more so, a probe.

"Since he has such talent, why not let him begin Qi Refining cultivation immediately? No matter how strong martial arts are, they ultimately have their limits. Although the early Qi Refining stage is weak, it is the threshold to the great Dao. Delaying it, wouldn't that be a waste of valuable cultivation time?"

His words had a hidden meaning.

Shi Chen was not a true member of the Yun Family. Despite his outstanding talent, he remained with the Yun Family, and they were not even in a hurry to guide him onto the path of immortality.

In the eyes of cultivation families, this was an extremely dangerous matter. A powerful outsider could often become a significant hidden danger to the family.

Yun Long's gaze fell upon Ning Yongrui's face, his expression serene.

He recalled the fragmented pieces of information he had gathered over the years about "Entering Immortality through Martial Arts," and a bold guess gradually took shape in his mind. Perhaps, it was time to verify it.

He slowly opened his mouth, his voice not loud, but carrying an aura of undeniable confidence, "Little Chen is my disciple."

He paused, and under the increasingly puzzled gazes of Ning Yongrui and his son, he continued, "How I cultivate, he will naturally cultivate the same way."

"Even without a Spiritual Root, he will not be weaker than anyone else."

This statement struck Ning Yongrui and his son like a thunderclap out of the blue.

Ning Shaojie jolted, then suddenly stood up, exclaiming in disbelief, "Impossible! This is impossible!"

His face turned ashen, his eyes filled with incredulity, "How can anyone truly enter immortality through martial arts!"

In his limited understanding, "Entering Immortality through Martial Arts" was merely a distant legend, something only a select few who ascended from the lower realms, breaking the shackles of heaven and earth, could achieve.

Such figures were like myths; how could one appear before him, and moreover, be this unnervingly young Yun Family head!

Ning Shaojie slumped back into his chair, utterly dejected, his mind buzzing.

He had thought himself a proud prodigy, with the Qi Refining Stage being the starting point on the path to the great Dao. But now, Yun Long's words had utterly shattered everything he took pride in.

Ning Yongrui was equally astonished. He stared intently at Yun Long, as if seeing him for the first time.

He could feel the extremely restrained aura emanating from Yun Long, unfathomably deep. Qi Refining Layer Six? he thought with a bitter smile.

If Yun Long's words, "Even without a Spiritual Root, he will not be weaker than anyone else," were true, and if he was truly walking the legendary path of martial arts to immortality, then his current strength was likely far more than just Qi Refining Layer Six.

To kill Yun Long? Utterly preposterous!

He instantly understood why the few Xiantian realm martial artists of the Yun Family possessed strength far exceeding their peers, capable of fighting three or even five opponents alone.

It was clearly because they had a Martial Arts Grandmaster guiding them!

Ning Yongrui felt a chill rise from the bottom of his heart, instantly spreading throughout his body. He knew he had to immediately change his strategy towards the Yun Family.

This was not a "fallback plan" that could be easily manipulated and exploited, but an unfathomably deep existence, possibly even more powerful than his own Ning Family!

He had been congratulating himself just moments ago, thinking he held the initiative. Now, it all seemed like a joke. Ning Yongrui felt a pang of bitterness.