Chương 68: The Gathering Storm

Zhang Huaijin and Zhang Chongwen discussed some family matters, then each retreated into seclusion to cultivate. By now, the ambient spiritual energy concentration on Green Bamboo Mountain had become comparable to that of a Tier 2, mid grade spirit vein. Three days later! Zhang Lixian returned from the Gao family compound, having finished repairing the Geng Metal Profound Light Formation.

He immediately dismantled Green Bamboo Mountain's original protective formation and set up the newly repaired Geng Metal Profound Light Formation in its place. The mountain's spirit vein began tirelessly channeling its energy to power the formation, slowly building up its reserves. The two Tier 2, low grade spirit artifacts at the formation's core constantly devoured spiritual energy, replenishing their own foundations. Everything was progressing in an orderly manner.

The power of the Geng Metal Profound Light Formation steadily increased. After settling the formation, Zhang Lixian also announced his seclusion. Across the vast expanse of Bing Province, all the major powers were frantically preparing for war, hoarding cultivation resources. Spirit artifacts, spirit talismans, and pills, these consumables were especially in high demand. No power felt they had enough. The family cultivators were all in seclusion, focusing on improving their strength.

It was the same in Langya County. The air was thick with the feeling of an impending storm. —— Two years passed in the blink of an eye. Over the nine prefectures of Bing Province bordering the Purple Dusk Mountain Range, a subtle aura of killing intent had begun to seep into the air. A storm was brewing over the Tang Kingdom. For Golden Core Realm powers, this war was just a minor squabble. For Purple Mansion Realm and Foundation Establishment Realm forces, however, this spirit beast tide would be the main event.

As for Qi Refining Realm families, they would be lucky just to protect their own clans and survive. Every single Tier 2 spirit mountain was a target for the spirit beasts. And in Qingtai Prefecture, the two major Purple Mansion Realm powers… the Fang Family and the Zhou Family! They had dispatched their own Purple Mansion Realm cultivators and mobilized personnel to take up positions at Blood Lion Mountain, deep in the Purple Dusk Mountain Range.

Blood Lion Mountain was a Tier 3, upper grade spirit mountain, protected by a Tier 3, upper grade formation called the Nine Stars Black Glass Array. Normally, the Zhou and Fang families took turns stationing one Purple Mansion Realm cultivator and ten Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators there. When a beast tide erupted, they would continuously send reinforcements. Their goal was to keep the majority of the Purple Mansion Realm and Foundation Establishment Realm spirit beasts out of Qingtai Prefecture.

If a large number of beasts broke through the defensive line, it would be a disaster for the cultivator powers of Qingtai's nine counties. Most cultivation families relied on the spirit fields they had painstakingly cultivated over the years. If spirit beasts rampaged through them, decades of accumulated wealth and family foundation could be lost in a single day. That was a burden no family could bear. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Currently, the Fang and Zhou families each had one Purple Mansion Realm cultivator stationed at Blood Lion Mountain. In addition to their own Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, every Foundation Establishment Realm family in Qingtai prefecture's nine counties was required to send one Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator to Blood Lion Mountain to help guard the spirit vein. The number of personnel each family contributed was based on its strength.

The Zhang family, which fell under Langya County's jurisdiction, was part of the Fang family's sphere of influence. One of the two Purple Mansion Realm families of Qingtai Prefecture! The Fang family was the stronger of the two, boasting three Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, one of whom was at the late stage Purple Mansion Realm. The Zhou family only had two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, the strongest of whom was only at the fifth level.

In Qingtai Prefecture, the Zhou family was perpetually at a disadvantage. According to the mobilization order the Zhang family received, they needed to send one Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator and ten Qi Refining Realm cultivators to Blood Lion Mountain. Of those ten Qi Refining Realm cultivators, at least three needed to be at the late stage. The remaining seven could be of any level. After two years…

Zhang Huaijin's cultivation base had reached the peak of the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Zhang Lixian had successfully broken through to the second level of Foundation Establishment Realm. He had also long since finished transitioning to his new cultivation technique, and the spirit vein on Green Bamboo Mountain was not lacking in spiritual energy. Zhang Huaijin, meanwhile, had devoured all the Foundation Establishment Realm spirit beast corpses he had obtained earlier.

He had also used their beast's materials, along with other ores, to smelt and forge several Tier 2, low grade spirit artifacts. By now, Zhang Lixian and Zhang Huaijin were armed to the teeth. Ordinary early Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators couldn't compare to their wealth. Zhang Lixian had also become a Tier 2, low grade artifact forger. As for Zhang Huaijin, aside from his qi cultivation… He had quenched and refined an additional three of the Yin Yang Divine Needles within his sea of consciousness.

He now had twelve Yin Yang Divine Needles in total. Their quality had reached the point where they could clash directly with Tier 2, low grade spirit artifacts. And if he unleashed their full power, even a Tier 2, upper grade artifact couldn't match the needles' speed. Zhang Huaijin's soul had now reached the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. The power of the Yin Yang Divine Needles was even more terrifying! Swift and silent, they could extinguish a person's soul and spirit.

Blood Lion Mountain had Purple Mansion Realm cultivators standing guard. Unless absolutely necessary, Zhang Huaijin would avoid using soul based techniques. After all, such techniques were rare, and if a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator saw him using one, they would surely covet it. Zhang Huaijin's body cultivation had also advanced to the mid stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The energy within the Realm-Breaking Pearl continuously refined Zhang Huaijin's physical body, making his Earth Fiend Spirit Body even more powerful. Even the body of a mid stage Foundation Establishment Realm spirit beast was not as tough as Zhang Huaijin's. He had also awakened two new bloodline abilities. The first, borrowed from avian beasts, was Extreme Speed Mirage. The second, from bear type beasts, was Blood Bear Paw.

All of the Foundation Establishment Realm techniques from the Blood Demon Bone Tempering Art had been trained to at least Minor Achievement. One technique in particular, the Bloody Thousand Bone Thorns, he had trained to Major Achievement. He had also refined the Tier 2, upper grade spirit artifact he'd obtained earlier, the Violet Gold Azure Armor, until he could control it as easily as moving his own limbs. The black and white energy within the Realm-Breaking Pearl was now three quarters full.

The spiritual energy on Green Bamboo Mountain was abundant. And the countless Qi Refining Realm spirit beast carcasses, along with the earlier Foundation Establishment Realm ones, provided a vast source of energy for the pearl. That was why Zhang Huaijin's body had become so formidable. As for using spirit herbs… he was reluctant to part with them. Better to kill a few more beasts. In addition, the strength of the Zhang family's cultivators had exploded.

Zhang Linyi, Zhang Hong, and Zhang Liliang had all broken through to the ninth level of Qi Refining Realm. Zhang Liwei and Zhang Hanren had advanced to the eighth level of Qi Refining Realm. Even Zhang Huaijin's mother, Su Xuiqi, had stepped into the seventh level of Qi Refining Realm. The Zhang family no longer lacked resources for its Qi Refining Realm family members. Among the third generation, Zhang Zhewu, Zhang Haoyu, Zhang Wujian, and Zhang Yunli had all reached the sixth level of Qi Refining Realm.

The remaining members had reached the peak of the fifth level and were on the verge of breaking through. While the family wasn't short on resources, these younger members possessed four or five spirit roots, which are mediocre talents for cultivation. Furthermore, after their training sessions, they still had to earn their own cultivation resources. This made their advancement relatively slow.

But even with four or five spirit roots, as long as they didn't laze about, they were all but guaranteed to reach the peak of Qi Refining Realm before the age of fifty. If the Zhang family continued to prosper by that time, the pressure of purchasing Foundation Establishment Pills would lessen.

Every family member who reached the perfect stage of Qi Refining Realm would have a certain chance of receiving a Foundation Establishment Pill, thereby gaining the opportunity to attempt a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Of course, in addition to reaching the required cultivation level, they would also need to pay ten thousand merit points to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill.

And even if they had the merit points, the family would still weigh their accomplishments and contributions to the family before deciding who would be granted the precious pill.