Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 6 Consultation

Li Zhirui and his companions were unable to depart immediately after calming the spirit beasts. The subsequent days were vital for observing whether the creatures could successfully acclimate to their unfamiliar surroundings.

Fortunately, the Li family had previously compiled exhaustive manuals on raising these six specific spirit beasts, so no complications arose. The task was simple enough that only a few clan members were needed to handle the daily feedings.

Since they were now settled on Da Rong Island and he had some leisure time, Li Zhirui finally took the opportunity to enter his private space to care for his various spiritual plants and items.

In the meantime, Da Qing—who had been buried in a deep, meditative slumber—was spurred by Li Zhirui's recent breakthrough and finally emerged from his cultivation.

"You actually broke through?!" Li Zhirui, who had been performing the Spiritual Rain Skill, hurried over when he heard the familiar sounds, his expression radiating shock as he looked at Da Qing.

Naturally, Li Zhirui desired for Da Qing to advance, as it would directly bolster his own combat power. However, because the odds were historically low, he hadn't allowed himself to expect much.

In the three centuries since the Li family was founded, there had been no more than three cases where a cultivator reached Foundation Establishment and their bound spirit beast followed suit, such as the instance with Li Shiqing.

Da Qing offered no verbal reply; with his current level of spiritual intelligence, he lacked the capacity to answer such complex inquiries. Instead, he simply continued making his own restless noises.

"You little glutton," Li Zhirui muttered with a hint of annoyance, yet he did not neglect the creature. He promptly produced several spirit fruits and fed them to Da Qing.

This, in truth, was the primary catalyst for Da Qing’s advancement.

Thanks to his secret space, Li Zhirui never skimped on Da Qing’s diet. In reality, Da Qing enjoyed the finest treatment among all the spirit beasts of the family’s Qi Cultivators, never wanting for spirit fruits.

While Da Qing feasted on the fruits, Li Zhirui finished his chores in the spirit fields. Once the work was done, he exited the space accompanied by Da Qing.

After leaving Da Qing to grow accustomed to their temporary home, Li Zhirui commenced his daily cultivation session.

...

Managing the spirit beasts did not mean Li Zhirui was free of duties. The clan’s relocation to Da Rong Island brought an endless list of chores, and Li Zhirui and his peers were soon recruited for heavy labor.

Over the following weeks, the seventy-plus cultivators of the Li family were pushed to their limits. Beyond their mandatory daily cultivation, they had almost no time to rest.

However, this frantic pace helped the clan members move past the grief of losing their ancestral home, allowing them to begin building a connection to Da Rong Island.

As time slipped by, the Li family established a firm foothold on the island. The initial mountain of work eventually shrank, easing the burden on the clansmen.

On that same day, Da Rong Island’s first second-order Spirit Vein was successfully established. Moving forward, the family would no longer be forced to rely solely on spirit stones for their cultivation needs.

Li Shiqing, acting as the clan leader, delivered another address. He concluded with a stirring promise of a brighter future for the family before dismissing most of the members to their private affairs.

Li Zhirui, however, remained behind. According to clan protocol, those who reached the late stages of Qi Cultivation were eligible to serve as an Elder.

While official positions were limited and the family could not appoint everyone as an elder, late-stage Qi Cultivators were permitted to attend meetings. This was intended to prepare them for future leadership by familiarizing them with clan governance.

Though attendance wasn't strictly required—since some preferred to avoid the burdens of power—Li Zhirui had just achieved his breakthrough. Furthermore, this was the first major council since their migration. For both personal and public reasons, he felt compelled to be present.

"I received word from my fifth brother yesterday. On the very day we departed Bailang County, the Beast Taming Sect was annihilated by the White Jade Sect! Reports suggest that less than ten percent of their disciples survived!"

Li Shiqing’s opening statement was a total bombshell, leaving the assembly stunned and speechless for a long moment.

Though such an outcome had been feared, hearing the confirmation filled everyone with a chilling mix of terror and profound relief.

"Second Brother, how did the White Jade Sect deal with the Xie family, the Jiang family, and the other clans?" The first to break the silence was Li Shilian, the most senior member in attendance.

"They were forced to pay a fine of ten thousand Spirit Stones and were ordered to vacate their ancestral lands." The monetary fine was manageable; ten thousand Spirit Stones was a sum Foundation Establishment clans could produce.

However, being forced to abandon their ancestral lands was the same as severing the roots of those families. It was clear the White Jade Sect intended to dismantle them without a direct slaughter.

A wave of relief washed over the room. Had they not acted with such speed and resolve, they would likely be facing that same grim fate.

Yet, Li Zhirui felt a lingering worry that no one else had mentioned. Steeling his nerves, he spoke up: "Clan Leader, has the White Jade Sect put out any pursuit orders for families like ours who fled ahead of time?"

He was well aware that the White Jade Sect commanded Nascent Soul Cultivators, and the Li family certainly wasn't the only group to have fled.

Even though Da Rong Island was quite distant from Bailang County with several continental powers in between, there was no guarantee that news of their arrival here wouldn't eventually reach the White Jade Sect.

Li Zhirui’s question caused the tension in the hall, which had only just begun to dissipate, to spike once more.

Li Shiqing glanced at Li Zhirui with a look of surprise. He then chuckled and said, "It appears the younger generation does not lack talent. It seems we are truly growing old."

Li Zhirui didn't feel it was appropriate for a junior to respond to such a remark. He merely gave a strained laugh and tried to blend back into the background.

"I'll have my fifth brother send agents to investigate this. For the sake of safety, the family must remain low-profile until we have more information," Li Shiqing declared.

Beyond that concern, the most pressing matter was the future trajectory of the Li family's growth.

Li Shilian, who possessed the most knowledge regarding the White Jade Sect’s rule over Yunping State, shared his thoughts: "The counties of Yunbo, Yunhe, and Yunqing have all thrived due to their coastal positions, but Yunqing County is the most prosperous among them."

This was not only because Yunqing County sat at the heart of the coast—acting as a vital hub between the northern and southern states—but also because of its high density of Spirit Veins. The presence of three second-tier Spirit Veins provided such abundant Spiritual Energy that the Yunqing Marketplace drew cultivators from far and wide.

"Therefore, if the clan intends to open any storefronts, Yunqing Marketplace is undoubtedly the prime location."

The conversation shifted to this strategy, with various Elders offering their perspectives while Li Zhirui listened carefully from the sidelines.

"Zhirui, what are your thoughts on this?" Perhaps noting his earlier perceptiveness, Li Shiqing specifically invited Li Zhirui to speak.

After organizing the information he had gathered, Li Zhirui replied, "I believe the family needs to overhaul our entire industrial approach."

Back in Bailang County, because of the Beast Taming Sect’s dominance, all Spirit Beasts raised by subordinate families had to be sold as raw materials. The Beast Taming Sect would then process them into Spirit Food for a massive profit.

Li Zhirui recalled the time he reached the sixth level of Qi Cultivation and Li Shiren had taken him to a restaurant owned by the Beast Taming Sect. He had sampled two dishes: a ginseng soup made from Crimson Feather Chicken and crystal roasted pork from Tusked Swine.

Both were delicious and capable of boosting a Cultivator’s Mana, but they were incredibly expensive, costing twenty Spirit Stones for just two dishes.

Based on Li Zhirui's calculations, a single Crimson Feather Chicken could provide at least six bowls of soup, and one Tusked Swine could produce fifty portions of roasted pork.

Comparing the measly price the Li family received for selling the live beasts to the restaurant's revenue, it was clear the Beast Taming Sect made a fortune after selling only a few plates!