Storm Clouds of War

After the wind and snow had passed, spring rain once again fell upon the eaves, pattering softly.

Inside the room, as he slowly lifted his Spirit Pen, a Mid-Grade Flying Sword Talisman was complete. Lin Chang'an could not help but let out a slow breath.

"One year."

A year had already passed since he awakened his talent last year. In just a few short months, Green Bamboo Mountain Market had expanded at a staggering pace. With the Two Major Sects working together to develop it, it had become a renowned major market throughout the surrounding region.

Countless Rogue Cultivators had surged in like a tidal wave. During this time, he too had experienced the benefits of prosperity. Mid-Grade Talismans sold with exceptional ease, allowing his cultivation to advance much faster.

[Name: Lin Chang'an]

[Lifespan: 41/99]

[Realm: Qi Refining Fourth Layer (28/100)]

[Cultivation Method: Evergreen Art (Grandmaster: 138/5000)]

[Skills: Golden Light Talisman (Proficient 106/1000), Godly Travel Talisman (Proficient 16/1000), Flying Sword Talisman (Proficient 9/1000)]

Looking at his Attribute Panel, a smile could not help appearing on Lin Chang'an's face.

"Elder Lu's notes on the Evergreen Art have helped me tremendously. Then again, it makes sense—this is the accumulated experience of a Qi Refining Late Stage cultivator who spent more than fifty years immersed in it."

As his understanding of the Evergreen Art deepened, and with the aid of Spirit Stones, his cultivation speed increased once more.

The additional year of lifespan, meanwhile, was the life-prolonging effect of the Evergreen Art.

"If Proficient corresponds to Mid-Grade techniques, then Grandmaster corresponds to Upper-Grade techniques."

His explorations over this period had taught Lin Chang'an that techniques merely proved one's ability had reached a certain level. One still needed the corresponding inheritance.

"The skills of a First-Order Mid-Grade Talisman Master allow me to quickly grasp newly learned Talismans. At present, though I have only mastered the Mid-Grade Golden Light Talisman and Flying Sword Talisman, they are enough for now."

Lin Chang'an looked at his progress with the Flying Sword Talisman. After several months, he had become skilled enough to reliably produce Mid-Grade Flying Sword Talismans.

"Qi Refining Fourth Layer is still somewhat weak for the current situation. I need to improve my skills faster to obtain more resources."

He could do without the inheritance of First-Order High-Grade Talismans, but his skills had to reach that level first.

Over the past few months, the Market had seemed reborn, expanding several times over from before.

The Market was packed with people, bustling and noisy.

As for the demonic beasts from before, they had long become Spirit Stones in the eyes of countless cultivators. Even the Second-Order Late Stage Wolf King had been severely wounded and fled.

When he stepped out of the courtyard, he happened to see Er Niu's child playing with several children from the Zhou Family.

"Zhou Yifan, you're not allowed to have the surname Zhou!"

"That's right! Your father's surname is Li. You should be called Li Yifan!"

"Beat up this outsider!"

Amid the children's rough play, Er Niu's son Zhou Yifan—one of the children found to possess a Spiritual Root—furiously scuffled with several children older than himself, showing not the slightest fear.

"Yifan, you little troublemaker."

Li Erniu came out just then. At the sight, his instinctive aversion to trouble made him hurry over and seize his son by the ear. The children who had been fighting immediately scattered like birds and beasts.

When he spotted the returning Lin Chang'an, an embarrassed look appeared on his face.

"Big Brother Lin, you're here. These children are far too rowdy."

"Come, call him Uncle Lin."

Li Erniu pulled his son Zhou Yifan out from behind him.

Though he was only five, perhaps because of his circumstances, Lin Chang'an saw only stubbornness and resilience in the child's eyes.

Lin Chang'an gently stroked the child's head and shook his head with a sigh. In this life, how could everything possibly go as one wished?

Besides, this was someone else's family matter.

"Er Niu, your leg looks much better."

Lin Chang'an smiled and changed the subject. Li Erniu patted the leg whose injury had healed.

"It's completely healed."

However, when he came out this time, Lin Chang'an looked doubtfully at the red decorations hanging at the Zhou Family residence.

"Er Niu, does the Zhou Family have some happy occasion?"

"Big Brother Lin, they discovered quite a few resources during the recent Land Reclamation. The clan and the Wang Family are preparing to form a marriage alliance."

Li Erniu's expression was somewhat complicated. Not long ago, the two great families had fought each other to the death, yet now they had begun intermarrying.

Two Female Cultivators of the Zhou Family with Spiritual Root talent had married into the Wang Family, while the Wang Family had likewise sent three Female Cultivators over in marriage.

Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an understood. As the Market expanded during this period, not only had more outside cultivators arrived, but quite a few families of outside cultivators had come as well.

The clearest example was that two branch families of Foundation Establishment families under the Mystic Sound Pavilion had moved here to settle down. This had made the local Wang and Zhou Families keenly feel the threat from outsiders.

Only by joining hands could the Wang Family and the Zhou Family withstand this impact.

"So that's how it is."

Lin Chang'an was not particularly surprised. After all, a family was not a single person who could act recklessly as they pleased.

As the two spoke, Zhou Yifan, that sensible child, lowered his head and had already returned home.

Li Erniu, however, looked somewhat embarrassed. In the end, he scratched his head and said, "Big Brother Lin, the clan recently made a decision. I'm afraid I won't be able to remain your neighbor."

Hearing this, Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded.

"That's a good thing, Er Niu. The Zhou Family simply hadn't expected trouble to arise inside the Market before. Now that they're moving you into the clan grounds, you won't have to worry about your wife and child's safety."

Perhaps they had been careless before, or perhaps they had not taken it seriously.

But now, though Er Niu was not strong, he was still a Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivator. Naturally, he was worth paying attention to.

Faced with Lin Chang'an's congratulations, Li Erniu smiled as well. Then the two began discussing the Market's developments during this period.

"Recently, disciples from the Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion have led quite a few cultivators to hunt a large number of demonic beasts. I heard even the wolf pack that attacked the Market last time was crippled."

"The Little Princess has ventured deep inside time and again as well. Some time ago, she slew a First-Rank Late Stage demonic beast. Business at the shops is gradually improving too."

Lin Chang'an listened with a heart full of emotion. Everyone was struggling to live.

"However, I heard from the clan that there have been quite a few Cultivator Bandits outside recently. It seems many of them were tempted by the Divine Sword Sect."

Lin Chang'an understood at once. What the Li Fire Palace and Mystic Sound Pavilion could do, the Divine Sword Sect could naturally do as well.

They were using Rogue Cultivators to create chaos and wear down the other side's strength.

Before the Sects went to war, the Rogue Cultivator forces within the Yue Kingdom would either be brought under control or exhausted completely.

That was the law of survival: the weak were meat for the strong.

"This is no longer a simple dispute over a Market. At any moment, it could escalate into a war among the Three Great Sects. The Yue Kingdom has become a land of trouble."

Lin Chang'an's gaze was deep as he silently made his calculations.

He did want to flee, but leaving the country was another matter. Setting aside whether he even had the means, with his frail strength, would he not be plainly telling others that he was a fat little sheep?

Leaving would only be more dangerous.

"At the very least, I need the strength of Qi Refining Late Stage. Only then will I have the power to protect myself if war breaks out and I need to leave."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an was somewhat glad that, unlike Er Niu, he had no family ties binding him.

How could Li Erniu know that Big Brother Lin, walking beside him, was already considering plans to flee?