Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1313 - 850: If I Don’t Kill Him, My Dao Heart Will Be Unstable! (2)

Back then, Yang Zhenshan instructed his disciples in the same strict manner as he drilled soldiers, swinging a wooden staff; anyone making a mistake got a swift strike.

Yang Mingcheng, Yang Mingzhi, Lin Zhan, Wang Yunqiao, and the rest all endured such punishment.

These days, though, Yang Zhenshan lacks the leisure to personally tutor disciples so closely; he skips the step-by-step lessons and instead offers sporadic advice on their cultivation.

This marks the key divide between the Immortal Path and Martial Arts. Martial Arts demand grueling drills, but the Immortal Path stresses meditative practice. Once the gateway opens, constant hand-holding becomes unnecessary—mere occasional guidance proves enough.

…

Ancient Relic Array.

Qingxia escorted two young girls into the Transmission Hall.

"Here, Ning’er, rest your hand on the stone table!" Qingxia directed Li Janning to receive her cultivation technique inheritance.

Li Janning followed obediently, and soon the array patterns glowed brightly in the Transmission Hall, with three jade scrolls rising before her.

"Three of them!" Qingxia cried out in astonishment.

Over the years, countless individuals—nearly a thousand or more—had visited the Transmission Hall in Spirit Source Land to claim cultivation technique inheritances, yet the vast majority obtained just one. A rare few secured two, and before now, only Yang Zhenshan had ever gained three.

"Senior Sister, what are these?" Li Janning inquired curiously.

"These represent the cultivation techniques you’ll cultivate henceforth." Qingxia collected the three jade scrolls and explained.

"May I peek inside?"

"Not yet; your master will reveal them to you once we’re back!" Qingxia replied.

Even though the two young girls had begun cultivating mana, their divine souls remained quite delicate. Peering into the jade scrolls could overwhelm those souls with the vast information stored within.

"Alright!"

"Now, An’er, your turn!" Qingxia guided Li Jian’an forward.

Li Jian’an advanced and likewise obtained three jade scrolls.

This sight filled Qingxia with greater joy, confirming the exceptional aptitude of these two little girls.

Superior aptitude yields more cultivation techniques—a fundamental rule of the Transmission Hall.

"Time to return and see your master!"

Qingxia secured all the jade scrolls, grasped each girl’s hand, and departed the Transmission Hall.

…

Spirit Source Land, Quiet Chamber.

Yang Zhenshan sat in meditation when suddenly he felt one of his soul crows get crushed by someone.

"Lotus Heart Valley direction? Did I even station a soul crow there?"

Yang Zhenshan pinpointed the soul crow’s location, growing puzzled.

Lotus Heart Valley wasn’t some ordinary spot; Foundation Establishment cultivators passed through it often. Though his soul crows hid well, Foundation Establishment experts could still detect them, so he’d avoided placing any nearby.

After probing his other soul crows closely, he realized only the one with Xuanzhen eluded his senses—clearly the one Xuanzhen held.

"That old Daoist has finally appeared!" Yang Zhenshan knew Xuanzhen was calling him and inwardly grumbled.

Four months had elapsed since Mo Xuanyu withdrew from Black Mountain Ridge. In that time, Xuanzhen hadn’t contacted him once, and with the soul crow tucked in the Spirit Beast Bag, its presence stayed hidden from him.

Thus, even now, he remained ignorant of Xuanzhen’s whereabouts.

With a mere thought, Yang Zhenshan transferred his consciousness to the soul crow.

In a gloomy cavern, Xuanzhen sat cross-legged on a rush mat, the atmosphere around him foreboding.

"Old Daoist, where have you ended up?"

Yang Zhenshan scanned the cavern, asking in confusion.

The space measured roughly ten square meters, with stale air hanging heavy. Fresh chisel scars marred the walls, indicating a recent digging.

"Just outside Lotus Heart Valley!" A raspy voice emanated from Xuanzhen.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Yang Zhenshan detected something off and closely examined Xuanzhen.

His face looked normal enough, yet his voice carried a strange undertone.

"Fought someone and took a minor injury!"

"Good to know!" Yang Zhenshan pressed, "Where’s Mo Xuanyu?"

"Nearby!" Xuanzhen answered offhandedly.

"Planning to wreak havoc in Lotus Heart Valley?"

Having escaped the Sea of Spirit, Mo Xuanyu’s arrival at Lotus Heart Valley screamed ill intent.

"Likely, but right now he’s occupied collecting materials and arranging the Evil Blood Killing Array. It’ll take him seven or eight years to finish it!" Xuanzhen explained.

"Perfect, let him take his time. Gives me a chance to advance my own cultivation! He hasn’t grown suspicious of you, has he?"

"I’ve done nothing out of line; why suspect me?"

"Fair enough. So, why summon me?"

"I obtained an elixir recipe and need you to help refine the elixir!"

"Elixir recipe?" Yang Zhenshan showed mild surprise.

Funny timing with elixir recipes lately. He’d just made Illusion God Pills for Yue Ming when Jingshui delivered the Turtle Breath Pill recipe, and now Xuanzhen sought his alchemy aid too.

"Indeed!" Xuanzhen produced a jade scroll. "Can you make use of this jade scroll?"

"Nope!"

Yang Zhenshan snapped irritably, yet instantly a hand protruded from the soul crow’s chest, snatching the elixir recipe.

Soul crows couldn’t read jade scrolls, but he could pinpoint and fetch them via the crow. Teleportation wasn’t required; a simple grab worked fine.

"Hold on!"

He pulled back his consciousness to study the jade scroll’s elixir recipe.

Wind Dew Nectar—this wasn’t a standard elixir but a medicinal liquid crafted via the Water Refining Method.

Yang Zhenshan’s prior elixirs all used the Fire Refining Method, yielding neat pills. Wind Dew Nectar demanded the unfamiliar Water Refining Method, keeping everything liquid to safeguard medicinal properties without pill formation.

Fire Refining uses flames, while Water Refining liquefies ingredients mid-process for better preservation of essences, skipping solid pills.

Pills store longer typically, unlike liquids prone to spoilage.

Still, liquids act milder and absorb far easier when ingested.

Wind Dew Nectar, a Second-Order medicinal liquid, boosts Wind Attribute cultivation efficiency. Its ingredients aren’t scarce, refining difficulty low—it just needed him to grasp the new Water Refining Method.

Fully grasping Wind Dew Nectar, Yang Zhenshan returned his consciousness to the soul crow.

"Refinable, but where are the ingredients?" Yang Zhenshan questioned.

"You can do it?" Xuanzhen eyed the soul crow in shock.

"Did I forget to mention I’m an Alchemist? A Second-rank one, no less!" Yang Zhenshan boasted slightly.

"Ha, excellent!"

"Ingredients?"

"None on hand."

"No ingredients? How do you expect me to refine anything?"

Yang Zhenshan sensed trouble brewing, and it hit right away.

"I can’t easily procure them; front the cost for me. I’ll repay with Spirit Stones later!" Xuanzhen stated brazenly.

Yang Zhenshan went silent; this crafty old Daoist aimed to mooch off him.

Bah!

Not mere mooching—this was getting something for free.

"No pay from Mo Xuanyu?"

"I’m just a Ghost Soldier!"

Yang Zhenshan had no words; the old Daoist was truly pathetic, a mere toolman sans wages.

"Fine, I’ll handle the refining, though it’ll take a while!"

One couldn’t deny the old Daoist’s requests. After all, he was a golden opportunity dropped in his lap.

Fortune smiled—the Wind Dew Nectar materials cost little, far less than Foundation Establishment Pills, Illusion God Pills, or Turtle Breath Pills, on par with Gathering Spirit Pills. Gathering them posed no issue.

"Anything more?"

Xuanzhen grumbled bitterly, "When will you assist in slaying Mo Xuanyu?"

"Cultivators seek harmony; quit fixating on murder!"

"Without killing him, my Dao Heart won’t settle!"

Yang Zhenshan felt helpless. "I’m no match for him yet!"

"Round up allies to take him down!" Xuanzhen seethed with grudge against Mo Xuanyu.