"Our lineage-protecting formation is still only second-tier mid-grade. I think it's time to upgrade it, at least to second-tier top-grade."
"That way, if an enemy below Golden Core comes attacking, we can use the formation's defenses to hold them off briefly."
Lineage-protecting and sect-protecting formations.
These were essentials for any cultivation power.
Lu Changfeng's proposal received unanimous approval from the Lu Household's other three Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The massacre carried out by Devil Cultivators had happened.
It had made Lu Chenxing feel afraid at the first opportunity, too.
After all, his own life was facing a potential threat.
But when he thought of the big fellow transported ahead of time from Great Xia to a certain place in the Lu Household, the fear in his heart instantly dispersed.
All that remained was a brimming sense of security.
What bullshit Devil Cultivators.
They had better come at Golden Core or Nascent Soul.
Otherwise, Lu Chenxing would even consider them a waste of shells.
"Grandpa Patriarch, we need to prepare on two fronts. Your Changfeng Sword is only a mid-grade Spirit Artifact. I think you should replace it with a supreme-grade one."
"And Grandpa Changgeng's blood saber and Grandpa Xuanming's flying sword should also be replaced with higher-grade, more powerful supreme-grade Spirit Artifacts."
"One isn't enough, either. What if an enemy has some special means of breaking it during a fight? Everyone should have two supreme-grade Spirit Artifacts prepared. We should also get a batch of all kinds of auxiliary Law Artifacts with functions like soul-snatching, spell-breaking, and defense against Divine Sense attacks, and equip everyone with them."
"We also need more pills for restoring Spiritual Power and unleashing bursts of Spiritual Power, as well as Secret Methods. If you can't beat someone and you're about to die, who cares about side effects? Unleash your power, kill the enemy, and survive first. Spirit talismans are crucial, too. They're single-use and expensive, but they're the simplest, most direct means of fighting. Ideally, we should get a third-tier spirit talisman. If any petty villains below the Golden Core Realm dare attack, just throw out a talisman and leave them regretting it too late!"
"A lineage-protecting formation is essential, but second-tier top-grade isn't quite enough. It would be great if we could upgrade it to third-tier. Anyone below Golden Core who came to our Lu Household could only stand outside the gates and stare helplessly..."
"And..."
No more 'and.'
Whatever else you have, it's no use.
We can't afford it!
Two supreme-grade Spirit Artifacts per person meant eight for four people.
Did he think supreme-grade Spirit Artifacts were cabbages? Each one cost at least forty high-grade Spirit Stones, equivalent to four hundred thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.
Never mind the third-tier spirit talismans and third-tier lineage-protecting formation he had mentioned afterward.
Things at the Golden Core level.
They simply weren't something Foundation Establishment cultivators could covet.
Unless they exhausted everything the Lu Household possessed, in which case they could just barely afford a single third-tier spirit talisman.
And then what?
Would the entire lineage be so poor that everyone had to fight over the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi naturally released by the Spirit Vein, with their cultivation slowing to a turtle's crawl?
The losses would completely outweigh the gains!
The Law Artifacts Lu Chenxing had brought out were indeed quite valuable.
But this batch was only worth around a hundred high-grade Spirit Stones in total, nowhere near enough to fulfill his grand vision.
"Little Chenxing has a point. We really should make proper preparations."
Though they knew it was a pie in the sky, the three old men willingly swallowed it anyway. Lu Changfeng spoke first in praise, and Lu Changgeng followed in agreement.
"Our lineage's treasury has accumulated a batch of resources over the years. Leaving them there only lets them gather dust. If some powerful enemy really does come knocking, we'll only be handing them a windfall. We might as well turn it all into cash, then use it up to strengthen ourselves."
"What do you think, Patriarch?" Lu Changgeng looked at Lu Changfeng.
The treasury's resources were the lineage's foundation, to be used only when the lineage was in such dire straits that it could no longer hold on.
Right now, everything still involved only hypothetical enemies.
Doing as Lu Changgeng suggested really would take considerable resolve.
Lu Xuanming also spoke at the right moment. "Patriarch, don't forget that Little Chenxing has an artifact-refining channel that can supply Law Artifacts steadily. Our Lu Household doesn't actually need to keep resources in reserve."
With the two echoing each other, Lu Chenxing joined in as well.
He nodded furiously.
"That's right, Grandpa Patriarch."
"Don't worry. This channel of mine is very stable, and its production capacity will keep rising. The batch before last was only worth three or four hundred thousand in total, and this time it directly doubled to over a million. Next time, it might double again, and then there's the time after that, and the time after that..."
It just keeps doubling!
Could there be a whole group of top-tier artifact refiners behind this channel of yours?
Lu Changfeng and the other two had no idea what level of existence the team behind Lu Chenxing was, and merely took it as a joke.
Nor did they believe Law Artifacts could be supplied in ever-increasing quantities without limit.
Their experience was simply too limited.
Their imaginations weren't rich enough.
Still, a net income of over a hundred high-grade Spirit Stones in just two short months already far exceeded the Lu Household's previous total income from every resource channel over two months.
Lu Changfeng really should hesitate no longer.
"All right!"
"In that case, we'll take out everything accumulated in the treasury and sell it. We'll get one supreme-grade Spirit Artifact each. Forget the third-tier spirit talisman; everyone will get two second-tier supreme-grade spirit talismans for protection instead, one offensive and one defensive. As for the lineage-protecting formation, we'll upgrade it to second-tier top-grade. Mainly because even the combined value of all the resources in our treasury is nowhere near enough to upgrade it to a third-tier formation..."
A lineage-protecting formation was different from an ordinary formation.
It covered a wider area and consumed more, so it required more to set up.
Aside from materials, there was also the fee for engaging a third-tier formation master.
It truly wasn't something the Lu Household could afford.
Lu Chenxing wasn't disappointed that his proposal had been scaled back.
He had only been painting a pie in the sky. How could he really expect all of it to come true?
Realizing part of it was already quite good.
For an ordinary power, accumulating and stockpiling resources was very important. After all, no one could predict whether future developments would be good or bad.
If things went downhill, having resources on hand still offered hope of rising again.
Lu Chenxing had no intention of insisting that the Lu Household go all in, either.
It was just that they could accumulate and stockpile their resources somewhere else, such as Great Xia on Blue Star.
That place was absolutely safe.
Moving them over would also be very convenient!
They only needed to wait a month before they could transport them through the passage between the two worlds.
And so.
Having only just returned to the lineage, without even having time for a short rest, Lu Changgeng and Lu Xuanming set out for Spirit Spring Market again.
They would sell off the lineage's reserves and strengthen its Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The Wang Household was monitoring the Lu Household's every move. Although that dagger had become even more powerful, the Wang Household still chose not to act.
They planned to wait until success was guaranteed before making their move.
When would be the most suitable time?
At the very least, they needed to destroy another power equal to Clear Breeze Temple, or even stronger.
Ever since destroying Clear Breeze Temple, the demonic nature in Wang Haofeng's heart had grown ever deeper.
He already couldn't wait to carry out their next operation.
"Patriarch, when will we strike again? Who should our next target be? This old man thinks the Earth Spirit Sect is quite suitable. One foundation establishment middle stage and one foundation establishment early stage cultivator-with our Wang Household's strength, wouldn't they be easy pickings?"
Wang Haochang remained silent for a long time.
For some reason, he let out a sigh.
"The Earth Spirit Sect isn't suitable. I heard their young sect master has exceptional talent and secretly became the disciple of a True Person from the Spirit Creek Sect."
"The Yang Household, then. They only have two foundation establishment early stage cultivators. There shouldn't be any mishaps."
"Once our lineage-guarding treasure absorbs the blood of another lineage's cultivators, it will be powerful enough to slay foundation establishment perfection cultivators. Then it'll be the Lu Household's turn to repay their blood debt in blood!" As he spoke, a flash of hateful killing intent crossed his eyes.
The Lu Household was the root cause of his fall from the immortal path to the demonic path.
It had to be destroyed.
A light flickered in Wang Haofeng's eyes. "Good. Then we'll follow your wishes, Patriarch, and destroy the Yang Household first. When do we set out?"
"Once I break through to the foundation establishment late stage!"
As he spoke, a powerful, imposing presence erupted from Wang Haochang. The Spiritual Power in the Qi sea of his Dantian was almost full, and he would soon reach the verge of a breakthrough.
With foundation establishment late stage cultivation, coupled with the lineage-guarding treasure in his hands.
He was confident he could fight a foundation establishment peak cultivator.
And slay them across the cultivation gap!
"You should also go to Spirit Spring Market and buy a batch of Spirit Establishment Pills and Mystic Spirit Pills. While you're there, find out why the Lu Household has been visiting the market so frequently."
"Understood!" After receiving his orders, Wang Haofeng also left the Wang Household, flying on his sword toward Spirit Spring Market shortly after Lu Changgeng and Lu Xuanming of the Lu Household.
Meanwhile.
Another pair of eyes secretly watching the Lu Household also began to stir.