Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 5 Busy

Li Shiqing gave orders to Li Shiren and Li Shiting to ensure the secular relatives on the Spirit Boat were properly housed. Meanwhile, he personally guided Li Zhirui and the remaining family members toward the central hub of Da Rong Island.

Upon arrival, Li Zhirui and the group encountered Li Shilian, another Foundation Establishment cultivator of the family and a peer of Li Shiqing.

"Second Brother, has some misfortune befallen the family?" Li Shilian asked, approaching with a heavy brow after pacing anxiously since Li Shiqing’s appearance.

Observing that the entire island’s contingent was gathered, Li Shiqing chose transparency and provided a truthful account of the recent events.

"It is a relief that no one was harmed. Furthermore, after years of cultivation, Da Rong Island is fully prepared to serve as our primary clan territory," Li Shilian remarked, his expression brightening as he felt a deep sense of consolation.

"Mm." Li Shiqing nodded before addressing the rest of the kin, "Dawn is still a few hours away. You should all return to your quarters and rest."

He didn't dwell on the availability of rooms; for those on the path of Cultivation, sleeping under the stars with the earth as a mattress was a common occurrence.

"Second Brother, were all traces of our path erased before you departed?" Li Shilian inquired with lingering concern once the others had dispersed.

"Have no fear. We deployed Chaos Fragrance Powder to mask our scent and scrubbed every trail," Li Shiqing assured him.

Chaos Fragrance Powder is a specialized spiritual tool designed to scramble scents, effectively neutralizing tracking spells and the keen senses of spirit beasts.

While using the powder didn't guarantee absolute safety, it was unlikely the White Jade Sect would expend such vast resources to hunt down a mere Foundation Establishment family.

Nodding in agreement, Li Shilian began detailing the current state of Da Rong Island and its surroundings. He aimed to provide Li Shiqing with a rapid, thorough briefing on surviving under the Yuanming Sect’s dominion.

"Since the clan is moving here permanently, the local spiritual energy will surely be stretched thin. Second Brother, what is your plan to address this?"

Li Shiqing offered a small smile. "The family has brought our entire reserve of Spirit Stones, including those currently being nurtured by the Spirit Vein. The energy supply will not be an issue for now."

"Nurturing" involved placing depleted Spirit Stones near a Spirit Vein so they could absorb its power. It was a painstaking process, often requiring a century just to recharge a single low-grade Spirit Stone.

"But after allocating the one hundred thousand Spirit Stones required to upgrade the Spirit Veins for the family's growth, our remaining reserves must be quite low, right?"

Despite his long stay on Da Rong Island, Li Shilian remained well-informed about the clan's finances. He knew the family struggled to accumulate significant wealth each year.

Li Shiqing’s expression darkened. After a brief silence, he forced a weary smile and replied, "We will have to take things one step at a time."

At daybreak the following morning, the chime of a bronze bell signaled the cultivators to wake. They opened their eyes from meditation and gathered at the family’s main hall.

Once the assembly was complete, Li Shiqing spoke. "The family's current plight is no secret. To rebuild, the coming days will be grueling. I expect every one of you to endure this hardship."

"I am confident the Li family will not buckle under this pressure. Instead, we shall use this trial to be reborn like a phoenix from the ashes!"

These words provided a sense of stability to the clansmen, soothing even the deep-seated anxiety felt by Li Zhirui.

"Now, for the assignments," Li Shiqing continued, detailing the plan he had formulated during the night.

"First, we must stabilize the Spirit Beasts brought from Bailang County. Li Shiren will head the team, assisted by Li Zhihua and Li Zhirui... your goal is to settle the beasts."

The Li family’s livestock was limited to six varieties of first-order Spirit Beasts: Crimson Feather Chickens, Green-headed Fish, White Silkworms, Black Ducks, Yellow Hornets, and Tusked Swine.

The Cloud Fish captured during their recent voyage would now be added to their repertoire.

Though the variety was small, these creatures were the lifeblood of the clan's economy, providing nearly forty percent of their annual Spirit Stone revenue.

The family had limited themselves to these six types over the centuries to avoid direct competition with other vassals of the Beast Taming Sect. Furthermore, the immense time, effort, and Spiritual Objects required for their upkeep made rapid expansion difficult.

While they did raise a few second-tier Spirit Beasts, those were reserved as Contracted Spirit Beasts for the clan's elites rather than for trade.

Other tasks included clearing Spirit Fields on the eastern plains to transplant the Spiritual Medicines and Spirit Grains salvaged from their old home.

The mountains sheltered the least utilized of the island’s three Spirit Veins. With only twenty people previously stationed on the island, managing two Spirit Veins was already a full-time job; doing more would have hampered their personal Cultivation.

For any cultivator, their realm is their foundation. The family would never demand labor that stunted a member's growth.

However, everyone expected a poor harvest this year. The relocation was too sudden, and the stress of the journey had undoubtedly harmed the roots of the spiritual plants.

Additional duties like house construction and Spirit Vein maintenance were deemed less urgent or required fewer hands.

...

"Uncle Ren, are there indigenous Spirit Beasts already being raised here?" Li Zhirui asked as they reached a massive lake where Spirit Fish flickered in the depths.

This lake, spanning dozens of miles, sat atop the third Spirit Vein of Da Rong Island.

Li Zhirui was known as a prodigy, but he also possessed a unique gift: an extraordinary affinity for magical lifeforms.

Domesticated Spirit Beasts were naturally drawn to him. Unlike other cultivators who had to use bribes or force, Li Zhirui gained their trust instantly.

The source of this trait remained a mystery. As a modest Foundation Establishment clan, the Li family kept this secret closely guarded to protect him.

This natural talent made Li Zhirui the most skilled beast-tamer of his generation, navigating the work with ease.

"Indeed. The family has been cultivating two first-tier species here: White Water Shrimp and Flower-scaled Fish. They are quite popular in the Yuanming Sect's markets," Li Shiren explained, showing his deep knowledge of the island's operations.

However, the immediate goal was housing the original six species. Li Shiren began constructing a Formation to divert Spirit Energy from the lake to the shore, creating a suitable habitat for the land-dwelling beasts.

He also had to adjust the lake’s existing Formation to partition areas for the Green-headed Fish and Black Ducks.

Li Shiren served as the clan’s sole second-tier Array Master, which was why the Clan Leader had entrusted him with this complex logistical task.

Once the foundations were laid, Li Zhirui and the others took over.

Li Zhirui approached the Tusked Swine pens and released twenty-five of the beasts from his Spirit Beast Bag.

The change in environment distressed the swine; they snorted aggressively, and the two alpha breeders showed bloodshot eyes—a clear warning of an impending charge.

Acting quickly, Li Zhirui utilized his unique aura and offered some feed, successfully soothing the agitated animals.

He let out a quiet breath of relief. Tusked Swine were notoriously fierce, and his young body wouldn't have fared well against a stampede.

The other Spirit Beasts proved far more cooperative. Once released and fed, they settled into their new enclosures without further incident.