Third-Grade Spirit Vein!

"Qingxue, since you've entered the Zhang family's door, you're one of us now."

"As for that Cold Poison, you need not worry. Even if this old man has to swallow his pride and beg a few old friends, I'll find a way to secure the antidote for you."

Lin Qingxue's heart warmed, her eyes reddening slightly. "Thank you, Old Ancestor, for your concern."

After a few more pleasantries, Zhang Chen suddenly spoke up. "Qingxue, why don't you go have some tea in the side hall? I have a few important matters regarding the family that I need to report to the Old Ancestor alone."

Lin Qingxue was an exceptionally perceptive woman. Hearing this, she immediately rose and excused herself without a single unnecessary word.

Once the stone door had closed again, the Cave Mansion was left with only the old and the young.

Zhang Tianzheng's smile gradually faded, his gaze sharpening. "Chen'er, what do you want to say? Has something gone wrong with the inheritance?"

Zhang Chen said nothing. He simply took a deep breath and stopped suppressing the aura within him.

Boom—!

A thick and pure wave of spiritual power instantly erupted from his body.

The force of this aura was so strong that it stirred up a small whirlwind inside the hall.

It made the Ever-Bright Lamp of West Zhou flicker unsteadily.

Zhang Tianzheng's previously stern expression shifted dramatically!

His eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Zhang Chen before him.

It was as if he had seen a ghost.

"Qi Refining... Great Perfection?!"

The Old Ancestor's voice cracked, thick with disbelief.

Yesterday, this boy was at the Third Layer of Qi Refining. He slept one night, married a wife, and directly reached Great Perfection?

Such a cultivation speed—let alone in the Southern Domain, even across the entire Cultivation World—was unheard of!

"Is this the power of that inheritance?" Zhang Tianzheng asked, his voice trembling.

"Indeed it is."

Zhang Chen nodded, his expression solemn, as he began the lie he had already prepared. "Last night, Grandson consummated the marriage with Qingxue, and in that moment, I sensed the first awakening of the bloodline power."

"This cultivation of Qi Refining Great Perfection is the first gift bestowed by the bloodline."

"Incredible... truly terrifying!"

Zhang Tianzheng sucked in a sharp breath, his beard quivering with excitement.

Immediate results!

Truly immediate results!

He had originally thought it would take ten months of pregnancy and the birth of a child before seeing any effect. He never imagined that merely getting married could yield such a massive return.

"And that's not all."

Zhang Chen looked at the excited Old Ancestor and dropped the second bombshell.

"Besides the increase in cultivation, this bloodline awakening also granted Grandson a secret technique."

"What technique?"

"The Spirit Ascension Technique."

Zhang Chen slowly uttered the three words. "This art is an ancient bloodline divine ability. As long as it consumes the family's fortune and Grandson's essence blood, it can forcibly elevate the grade of a spirit vein. Though the cost is not small, the effect... is enough to defy heaven."

"Elevate a spirit vein?!"

Zhang Tianzheng shot to his feet. This time, he truly could not stay seated.

Spirit veins were the foundation of a cultivation family.

The reason the Zhang Family could rank among the top in the East Mountain Islands was entirely due to their one Second-Grade Mid-Rank main spirit vein and two Second-Grade Low-Rank auxiliary veins.

Even raising a spirit vein's grade by a single minor level would provide a tremendous boost to the cultivation speed of the family's cultivators.

But these were spirit veins born from heaven and earth!

Human power had its limits. Aside from those legendary Spirit Transmutation cultivators who could move mountains and drain seas, who dared claim they could elevate a spirit vein's grade?

"Chen'er, are you serious? This is no joke!"

Zhang Tianzheng grabbed Zhang Chen by the shoulders, his grip so fierce it nearly crushed his bones.

"Grandson is willing to sign a military pledge."

Zhang Chen met the Old Ancestor's eyes directly, his gaze unwavering. "If I fail, I will submit to the family's punishment."

Zhang Tianzheng stared at Zhang Chen for a long time before finally shaking his head. "Chen'er, what nonsense are you talking! We're all family—what punishment is there to speak of?"

"Since this is a heaven-granted inheritance, let's give it a try!"

He swept his sleeve, wrapping Zhang Chen up, and transformed into a streak of light, charging straight toward the Forbidden Ground at the Back Mountain of Dao Seeking Peak.

There lay the core of the Zhang Family's main spirit vein, and also the array eye of the entire family's Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation.

At the Back Mountain Forbidden Ground, spiritual energy swirled thickly.

A massive Spirit Spring Eye was slowly spewing white Spiritual Mist outward, though the concentration of the mist was not particularly high.

Occasionally, the flow would even break off.

This was the Second-Grade Mid-Rank Spirit Vein that the Zhang family relied on for survival—commonly known as an "Earth Vein."

Zhang Tianzheng casually cast a few hand seals, dismissed the West Zhou sentries hidden in the shadows, and sealed off this space.

"Chen'er, it's up to you."

Zhang Chen nodded and walked over to the Spirit Spring.

In his heart, he silently recited: "System, use Spirit Vein Upgrade Card."

On the surface, however, he put on a show—biting the tip of his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood, rapidly forming several hand seals that had no real meaning but looked impressively complex, and muttering incantations under his breath.

"Heaven and earth, dark and yellow, all energy stems from the root—rise!"

With a low shout, an invisible Golden Card instantly merged into the Spirit Spring beneath his feet.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred.

A deep, rumbling roar came from deep within the earth, as if a slumbering giant beast was awakening.

"Boom—"

The entire Dao Seeking Peak began to tremble violently. Zhang Tianzheng's expression shifted, thinking the Spirit Vein was about to explode.

Just as he moved to shield Zhang Chen, he was stunned by the sight before him.