Chapter 215: Support (A Tribute to the White Silver Grand Alliance Leader! )
“Who are the elites the family plans to send? ”
Yan Hong Xiu asked, hearing a few names, all of them the only remaining mid-stage Qi Refinement experts in the family.
Generally speaking, for a Qi Refinement family's Foundation Establishment seed to achieve Foundation Establishment within a sect, family support is indispensable.
For instance, dispatching experts to help them complete sect missions, or gathering precious spiritual items for the Foundation Establishment seed to submit to the sect, earning contribution point rewards. . .
However, ever since the changes on Spirit Sky Island, the Yan family had declined. They were already barely managing to grit their teeth and support the cultivation of two disciples, leading to many elders' cultivation stagnating.
Other avenues were largely impassable. What remained was only to dispatch experts to help the Foundation Establishment seeds complete dangerous hunting missions, risking their lives against Demonic Cultivators and Monster Beasts!
Generally speaking, such tasks were only undertaken by cultivators within the family who were already aged, nearing the end of their lifespan, or had no hope for their cultivation path.
But after some thought, Yan Hong Xiu was greatly surprised: “Yan Dong Qing is going too? He's only twenty and has already cultivated to the fourth level of Qi Refinement. He's the future hope of the family; how can you send him? ”
Seeing Elder Yan Seven's bitter smile, Yan Hong Xiu instantly understood.
Therefore, even something as short-sighted as 'killing the goose to get the golden eggs' was something they would do!
“These past few years. . . the family's situation hasn't been very good. . . ” Elder Yan Seven, with no other choice, could only reveal part of the truth: “Just two years ago, we had no option but to marry Hongye to the Dragon Snake Island Master as a concubine. . . ”
“My youngest sister? ”
Yan Hong Xiu was greatly shocked: “Are you mad? Although that Dragon Snake Island Master is at Qi Refinement Perfected, he's notorious for cultivating dual-cultivation techniques, habitually draining female cultivators' yin essence. . . Her going there is nominally as a concubine, but in reality, she'll be a cauldron. Isn't that pushing our youngest sister into a pit of fire? ”
“Sigh. . . I didn't want to either, but there was no other way. . . These past two days, to gather some Spirit Stones, the last two female cultivators in the family also hastily married out. . . ”
Elder Yan Seven wept, tears streaming down his face: “My reason for coming to you today is also to give my final wishes. If I die outside. . . all matters of the family will fall upon your shoulders. ”
Yan Hong Xiu immediately felt a suffocating oppression in her chest, unsure how to vent it, almost wanting to spit blood.
With a change of thought, she flew towards Dragon Fish Island without looking back.
“Hong Xiu, what are you doing? ”
Elder Yan Seven was greatly alarmed.
“I'm going to beg the Young Master. Even if I have to kneel until I die before the Evergreen Pavilion, I must ask him to act. . . ”
Yan Hong Xiu gritted her teeth.
What's more, she knew that the Young Master was currently nurturing Zhan Tu, hoping to use this to improve his relationship with the Black Heaven Sect and gain another channel. But Zhan Tu was, at most, at the early Qi Refinement stage; how could he compare to Little Nineteen?
If this were the reason, perhaps there might still be some hope?
...
Atop the Evergreen Pavilion.
Fang Xi sat at ease, Xiahou Ying gently massaging his shoulders from behind.
“Oh? I didn't expect the Yan family member sent to the Black Heaven Sect all those years ago to have achieved so much? ”
He took a sip of spiritual tea, his expression calm as he looked at the kneeling Yan Hong Xiu and Elder Yan Seven.
Calculating the time, it had been more than twenty years since the Yan family sent their talented clan members to the Black Heaven Sect as a sort of pledge.
Those who could be sent to a major sect back then clearly possessed superior-grade spiritual roots.
Cultivating on a third-order spiritual vein, possessing superior-grade spiritual roots, and with the aid of mentors and pills, to break through to Qi Refinement Perfected at around thirty years old was truly enviable.
‘What was I doing when I was thirty? ’
Fang Xi felt a slight sense of melancholy: “To achieve this at thirty, he is undoubtedly a Foundation Establishment seed; truly impressive. . . ”
Yan Hong Xiu, however, knew that her own Young Master had only barely achieved Foundation Establishment at nearly sixty years old, and her heart couldn't help but tremble. She quickly said: “Yan Chang Kong merely benefits from the sect's abundant spiritual energy, which is why his cultivation is slightly faster. . . As for Foundation Establishment, it still depends on fate. We hope the Young Master can lend him a hand. If Yan Chang Kong is fortunate enough to establish his foundation, then in the future, the Young Master will also have someone in the Black Heaven Sect to speak on his behalf. This is a win-win situation. ”
“Hmm, but. . . with no ties of kinship or friendship, why should I help? ”
Fang Xi felt the slight change in Xiahou Ying's hand strength behind him, and his smile deepened.
Yan Hong Xiu glanced at Elder Yan Seven.
Elder Yan Seven immediately kowtowed: “This old man, in the name of the Yan family patriarch, is willing to hand over all of the Yan family's cultivation methods, inheritances. . . to Senior! ”
After all, the Yan family was a Foundation Establishment family; it still had some heritage.
Unfortunately, to Fang Xi, it was a joke.
He asked a few questions and, upon learning that the Yan family's core inheritance was merely a quasi-second-order talisman-making inheritance, immediately lost interest.
Elder Yan Seven observed his expression, then gritted his teeth: “Besides that. . . my Yan family is willing to offer a second-order spiritual vein as collateral! ”
This sincerity was quite good.
Fang Xi had never heard of a second-order spiritual vein being sold, but its value should be comparable to a Foundation Establishment Pill.
After all, Foundation Establishment Pills were often priceless but unavailable.
‘Too bad. . . in the entire Myriad Islands Lake, few could afford the price. ’
‘And. . . the Myriad Islands Lake isn't actually short of spiritual veins right now. . . Golden Turtle Island is still empty, and the spiritual energy there is even better, a mid-grade second-order. . . ’
‘Besides, if you gave me a second-order spiritual vein, what good would it do me? I can't even leave half of Dragon Fish Island right now! ’
Even though the Demonic Tree was growing rapidly, its roots currently barely covered a small portion of Dragon Fish Island, and Fang Xi's activity range was limited to this area.
It would be decades before its roots could potentially spread across the entire Dragon Fish Island.
At this time, even if there were a third-order spiritual vein outside, he wouldn't be able to use it.
The Yan family thought they had offered their most precious item as collateral, unaware that in Fang Xi's mind, its value was no different from a roadside stone.
“Pledging a spiritual vein is too much. . . it wouldn't sound good if word got out. ”
Fang Xi took another sip of spiritual tea, then picked through a pile of jade slips, taking the Foundation Establishment cultivation method of the Yan family's ancestor, the quasi-second-order talisman dao inheritance, and a second-order spiritual item: “I'll just take these three things. . . As for support? There's no way I'll run off to fight for your family's cultivators. At most, I can contribute some Spirit Stones. . . How about these three items being valued at one thousand Spirit Stones? ”
“Young Master is truly honorable! ”
Yan Hong Xiu immediately agreed, knowing that even if their family's last remaining assets were put up for auction, they might not fetch so many Spirit Stones.
This was indeed the Young Master providing strong financial aid.
It was just. . . still a bit regrettable that they couldn't secure the intervention of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
One must know that even if enough contribution points were gathered, one still had to queue to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill from the Black Heaven Sect.
It was based on a comprehensive ranking of spiritual root aptitude, background influence, sect contributions, and so on, with exchanges then made from highest to lowest.
If a Core Formation ancestor or the sect master's kin cut in line, one could only stare blankly.
Even if the Yan family's Little Nineteen, Yan Chang Kong, gathered enough contribution points, his place in the queue for a Foundation Establishment Pill at the Black Heaven Sect would certainly not be very high, making it still quite dangerous.
If there was a Foundation Establishment cultivator as a backer, it could at least add a point to one's background. . . Of course, a Foundation Establishment backer from outside the sect was clearly not as strong as having a Foundation Establishment master from within the sect as one's support.
However, although Yan Chang Kong had acknowledged a Foundation Establishment cultivator as his master, he was only a nominal disciple, and that was still thanks to Yan Wu Xu's connections from back then.
As soon as the Yan family ancestor died, the relationship immediately became distant; it was impossible for him to exert himself for Yan Chang Kong's Foundation Establishment.
...
“Young Master. . . ”
Watching the departing figures of the two Yan family members, Xiahou Ying's voice, soft and alluring to the bone, gently sounded behind Fang Xi, her breath, like orchids, brushing his earlobe: “You're truly good to Yan Hong Xiu's family. . . ”
“What? Little girl, are you envious? ”
Fang Xi turned and pulled Xiahou Ying into his embrace, teasing her.
“Of course. . . my family and the other two families also have cultivators with good aptitude. . . ”
Xiahou Ying panted softly, a hint of resentment in her tone.
“Hmm, it's a pity, but this Young Master doesn't plan to send any more people to the Black Heaven Sect. . . ”
Investing in two disciples for the Black Heaven Sect was already enough.
Any more, and would he truly be a fool, supporting the Black Heaven Sect's development for free?
One to gather information at the bottom, and one who might climb to the middle ranks. . . that was indeed enough.
“However. . . if you serve me well, this Young Master isn't opposed to nurturing someone from one of the three major families. . . ”
Fang Xi suddenly revealed a wicked, charming smile.
“Mm. . . ”
Xiahou Ying timidly assented, two blushes suddenly appearing on her cheeks: “To be honest. . . this servant has also cultivated a certain secret art. Young Master, would you like to compare and see if it's more formidable than Yan Hong Xiu's? ”
...
“Hiss. . . ”
Shard World.
Hidden within the bronze mirror, Fang Xi's divine consciousness secretly drew a sharp breath, appearing utterly shocked.
‘That battle just now. . . Dan Ya was almost beaten to death; it was truly horrific. . . ’
Previously, Dan Ya had taken him to the Five Elements Tribe, and then they encountered two great Heavenly Demons.
One of them, a young man with a dissolute smile, was manageable, but the other Body Cultivation cultivator was truly terrifying, seemingly having cultivated Body Cultivation to the Core Formation realm, even possessing fleshly divine abilities!
That was also Dan Ya's most crushing defeat.
Even with her third-order treasured talismans continuously unleashed, she couldn't inflict much damage on that 'Senior Brother Ma', and was even almost counter-killed!
If not for taking them by surprise and activating the 'Ground-Traveling Golden Light Talisman', perhaps Dan Ya would have become one of their spoils of war.
“Judging from the Five Elements City tragedy earlier. . . it seems those two great Heavenly Demons weren't the ones who acted. . . ”
“The most powerful Five Elements Tribe, which occupies the East. . . could it be finished? ”
A golden flash.
Dan Ya had already arrived at a desolate plain, reaching the entrance of a canyon.
Only after entering did she discover a hidden world within.
Many Wu people were gathered in one place; judging by their tattoos and physiques, they came from different tribes.
“The Heavenly Demons massacred my tribe. . . using living flesh and blood to refine war drums. . . ”
“Revenge, revenge! ”
Many Great Wu gathered in one place, blood and tears flowing from their eyes.
This was the experience the Wu people had summarized after several encounters with Heavenly Demons: establishing a refuge and relocating some lower-ranked clansmen in advance.
There were many such refuges in the Xuan Wu Mystic Realm, and even if the Saint Gate disciples noticed them, they would deliberately overlook them, preserving some Wu people seeds for the future.
“Wu King Dan Ya? Why have you come here? ”
An elder holding a white bone staff and wearing a large string of bone necklaces around his neck stepped forward: “You must leave. . . a Wu King is too big a target; you will attract the Heavenly Demons' attention. . . ”
“I'm just here to find someone. . . are the people of the Five Elements Tribe here? ” Dan Ya demanded loudly.
A Wu person with reddish skin and a tall stature stepped forward: “My name is Blood Skull. . . I am the Great Wu of the Eastern Five Elements Tribe. . . ”
“Good. Give me the Five Elements Treasured Battle Glyph! ”
A trace of satisfaction appeared on Dan Ya's face: “I will provide you with an absolutely safe hiding place. . . to allow the inheritance of the Five Elements Wu to continue. ”
Blood Skull shook his head: “No. . . the Five Elements Treasured Battle Glyph is the most fundamental inheritance of our tribe; I cannot give it to you. . . ”
Dan Ya's frowned: “At this point, do you still believe you can preserve your inheritance? ”
A terrifying aura erupted from her, almost causing these surviving Wu people to cry out in distress, thinking Dan Ya had surrendered to the Heavenly Demons from outside and was coming to massacre them!
“But. . . I can give you other treasured Battle Glyphs, as long as you are willing to shelter the children of our Five Elements Tribe. . . ” Blood Skull sighed deeply, replying helplessly.
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