"Are we leaving the mountains?" The three elders exchanged bewildered glances, clearly taken aback by the sudden news.
They had spent so long in the secret realm that they knew little of the shifting winds outside or the changes in the clan's policies.
Still, these elders were not so easily fooled; they would not hear a gust of wind and immediately assume rain. Rich in experience and weathered by life, they always thought things through and weighed the gains against the losses.
Chen Cong smiled faintly and replied, "More or less, uncles. The arrangements for the Chen Clan to leave the mountains and enter the wider world have largely been settled."
Then he paused before adding, "Yes, great-granduncles. The last calamity ended rather too quickly, and now the Crimson Church's influence is growing by the day. They're recovering at an astonishing pace. Given the longstanding tension between our Chen Clan and them, we must prepare early so the next calamity doesn't catch us off guard."
After hearing this, Zhu Jiazhen pondered for a moment and said, "Naturally, we have no place questioning the clan's decisions. But judging by what Second Master just said, we feel two things are still lacking."
Chen Cong asked curiously, "Oh? Which two?"
Zhu Jiazhen's expression grew serious. "First, high-grade seeds. Although we have a treasure like the Spring of Life, without high-grade seeds, we will struggle to grow truly rare medicinal herbs. As things stand, we cannot support a large trading platform. Second, manpower. Developing and protecting the secret realm both require a great many people, and our current numbers are clearly insufficient."
As he spoke, a voice came from afar. "What do you mean, insufficient manpower?" Footsteps followed, and a hale old man with crane-white hair and a youthful face came flying over. It