Trouble

Yun Long's gaze was profound, as if he could see a farther, vaster world.

He had already studied all the spell scrolls from the various families around Wanfang Lake.

The spells that once seemed profound and unfathomable to him now appeared so rudimentary, even laughable.

This realization did not bring him complete self-satisfaction.

Instead, it brought a deeper clarity, an almost chilling enlightenment.

The Yun Family, and indeed all the cultivation families of Wanfang Lake, were like frogs at the bottom of a well.

The sky they saw was merely the small patch visible from the well's opening.

And the Yun Family, perhaps due to their mysterious Family Genealogy, had by chance managed to slightly elevate their footing, stretch their necks, and catch a glimpse of the world outside the well.

This single glimpse was enough for Yun Long to clearly recognize the insignificance and ignorance of the Yun Family.

The true cultivation world, its vastness and mystery, was far beyond their imagination.

Those truly powerful spells, those miraculous magical treasures, remained legendary existences to them.

Yun Long withdrew his far-reaching gaze and gently exhaled a breath of turbid air.

This breath quickly dissipated in the night wind, carrying away some of the agitation in his heart. What remained was a heavy sense of responsibility.

He turned around, his gaze falling in the direction of the family's martial arts training grounds.

His father, Yun Ji's, figure, even in the darkness of night, still appeared so... focused.

Yun Ji had successfully broken through to the second level of Qi Refining half a year ago.

Now, he had already condensed the third strand of Mysterious Turtle Sea Suppressing Qi within his body.

This speed could already be considered exceptional talent among the cultivators of Wanfang Lake.

However, compared to Yun Long's own unbelievable cultivation progress, it seemed insignificant.

Yun Long knew in his heart that to truly cultivate the Great Arhat Fist and the Golden Bell Shield he mastered, the fundamental requirement was at least the peak of the third level of Qi Refining.

At that point, the quantity and purity of Qi Refining within a cultivator's body could initially support the operation of these two supreme spells.

Therefore, he was not in a hurry to teach these two spells to his father.

For now, Yun Ji cultivating the ordinary spells gathered from Wanfang Lake, although limited in power, could still allow him to familiarize himself with the circulation of Qi Refining and accumulate experience in casting spells.

This was a form of helpless compromise.

Yun Long's brows furrowed slightly.

He had secretly estimated that although his father Yun Ji's Mysterious Turtle Sea Suppressing Qi was of good quality, its compatibility with the Great Arhat Fist and the Golden Bell Shield spells was likely only average.

Especially for the Golden Bell Shield, that spell seemed to have more stringent requirements for the characteristics of Qi Refining.

The heavy and solid nature of Mysterious Turtle Sea Suppressing Qi did not seem to fully align with the indestructible and perfectly rounded essence of the Golden Bell Shield.

Of course, the specific situation would only be known through actual attempts in the future.

Perhaps there would be unexpected surprises.

Or perhaps, it would confirm his current worries.

Yun Long's gaze unconsciously shifted to another quiet courtyard.

That was the residence of his third sister, Yun He.

Yun Long's heart stirred. He could feel that Yun He was not far from breaking through to the Qi Refining Stage.

A hint of anticipation quietly grew in his heart.

Yun He had also received a card inheritance from the Family Genealogy, which contained the Wudang Xiantian Gong, a top-tier Qi Refining method in itself.

By normal reasoning, such a profound Qi Refining technique would likely be accompanied by equally extraordinary exclusive spells.

Once Yun He successfully broke through, she might be able to obtain these lost inheritances from the Wudang Daoist Doctor Card.

If it truly turned out as he expected, the Yun Family's predicament in terms of spell inheritance would be greatly alleviated.

The spells that complemented the Wudang Xiantian Gong could be cultivated not only by Yun Ji but also by his wife, Li Lingyue.

Li Lingyue, like Shi Chen, had chosen to cultivate martial arts to reach Qi Refining, rather than directly breaking through to Qi Refining through her Spiritual Root.

Yun Long had initially considered letting Shi Chen pave the way, but with Li Lingyue's choice, she might be the first person in the family to explore this path.

The choices of family members regarding spells would become more numerous over time, with the accumulation of the family's foundation.

The path of cultivation was never a smooth one.

Human hearts are unpredictable, interests intertwine, and conflicts and troubles are like shadows that linger around cultivators.

The Yun Family had the Ning Family acting as a buffer outside, and the peace they had enjoyed these past few months was already a rather rare situation.

This tranquility would eventually be broken.

On a dusk nearly three months later, the afterglow of the setting sun cast a dim golden hue on the entrance of Evergreen Valley.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The hurried knocking shattered the tranquility in front of the Yun Family's gatehouse.

Shi Tie pulled open the heavy bolt and found Ning Shaojie standing outside, covered in dust.

His clothes were slightly disheveled, fine beads of sweat dotted his temples, and his expression was filled with barely concealed anxiety.

"Young Shaojie, my nephew?"

Shi Tie was somewhat surprised.

Ning Shaojie's gaze swept past Shi Tie, eagerly peering inside.

"Uncle Shi, is the Yun Family Head here? My father... my father has run into serious trouble in Donghu City. It's a matter of utmost urgency, I implore the Yun Family Head to lend his aid!"

His voice was hoarse from urgency, each word carrying a heavy weight.

Yun Long's figure soon appeared from behind the gatehouse.

He heard Ning Shaojie's words, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

The Ning Family had been instrumental in the Yun Family's affairs, acting as liaisons, and shared a relationship where one's fall would mean the other's ruin.

If Ning Yongrui were truly in trouble, it would be far from good news for the Yun Family, which was just beginning to accumulate resources.

"Elaborate."

Yun Long's voice was calm, yet it possessed a power that settled the heart.

Ning Shaojie took a deep breath and quickly recounted the entire affair.

It turned out that people from the Liu Family, a cultivation family within Sanshui County, were causing trouble. A portion of the Dragon Whisker Golden Tail Spirit Fish caught annually from Wanfang Lake was sold by the Li Family to the Liu Family.

Now, the profit distribution of Wanfang Lake had changed, and the Liu Family wanted a larger share.

The Liu Family possessed cultivators in the late Qi Refining Stage, making them a relatively strong force within Sanshui County. At the time, the Li Family dared not seek external help, fearing it would be easier to invite a god than to send one away.

The annual yield of Dragon Whisker Golden Tail Spirit Fish was not large to begin with. The Liu Family's actions were merely a probe to gauge the reaction of the Ning and Yun Families, especially to see if Yun Long of the Yun Family was as powerful as rumored.

Ning Shaojie recalled the other party's disregard for the Ning Family, a flicker of humiliation and resentment flashing in his eyes.

Yun Long nodded.

"I'll go."

He didn't hesitate in the slightest.

Yun Ji also emerged from the backyard, his expression grave.

"Ah Long, be careful with everything."

Yun Long turned to his father, his gaze steady.

"Father, please rest assured, I'll entrust the family matters to you."

He then turned, looking in the direction of the family ancestral hall, his gaze softening slightly.

Li Lingyue's pregnancy was nearing its due date.

With a thought, the nine strands of extremely condensed Vajra Primordial Qi within him were instantly mobilized.

A pale golden stream of energy swirled and compressed in his palm, condensing.

Moments later, a palm-sized, invisible small bell, emitting a faint golden glow, silently took shape.

This golden bell was formed by him temporarily condensing his own nine strands of Vajra Primordial Qi as a foundation, following the mysterious principles of the Golden Bell Shield technique.

He flicked his finger, and the small golden bell flew up silently, passing through layers of courtyards. It precisely hovered directly above the circular roof of the family ancestral hall, then slowly descended, merging perfectly with the hall's structure as if becoming one with it. Its golden light retracted, becoming invisible.

"This bell can protect the ancestral hall for three days. If I cannot retrieve it in time after three days, it will automatically dissipate and transform back into primordial True Qi."

Yun Long's voice clearly reached Yun Ji's ears.

Using the spell consumed not Qi Refining, but the spiritual energy within it. Unless the Qi Refining was shattered, it had to be recalled into the body.

Once it left the body for too long, its spirituality would dissipate, and the Qi Refining would shatter, equivalent to a complete loss. It would require a significant amount of time and effort to re-condense, which would also be a considerable delay to his own cultivation.

This was the limit of what he could currently achieve.

To condense his own Qi Refining into a tangible form, have it leave his body to provide protection, and maintain it for such a duration was already astonishing.

Yun Ji nodded solemnly.

"I understand."

He knew the weight of this golden bell, and even more so, the risks his son was undertaking on this journey.

Yun Long said no more, turning to Ning Shaojie:

"Let's go."

As the night deepened, two figures quickly disappeared at the entrance of Evergreen Valley, speeding towards Donghu City.