Chương 82: The Clear Light Owed

It wasn't that the Jiang family feared the Zhang family. Rather, Jiang Wenshi's actions had been completely unnecessary. Jiang Wuhe let out a sorrowful sigh and slowly took his leave. Fang Xinjin and Zhou Yuezi stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, watching the departing cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou," Fang Xinjin said, his voice layered with meaning, "barring any unexpected complications, given Zhang Huaijin's talent, Qingtai Prefecture may soon gain another Purple Mansion Realm cultivator."

"The Earth fiend spirit body, for all its reputation as a spirit body, demands a massive investment of resources to mature. For a family that has barely established itself at the Foundation Establishment Realm, providing those resources…" Zhou Yuezi shook his head slightly.

"Even if Zhang Huaijin grows to his full potential, it will take a hundred years. Do you truly believe our two families will stand still for an entire century? Besides, another Purple Mansion Realm cultivator in Qingtai Prefecture, is that not ultimately a good thing for the prefecture?" His voice was exceptionally calm.

"That is a fair point," Fang Xinjin conceded with a nod. Weng Zho had been able to discern Zhang Huaijin's constitution at a glance, and naturally, so could Fang Xinjin and Zhou Yuezi.

"Besides," Zhou Yuezi continued, turning to face Fang Xinjin directly, "do not forget that the Zhang family still has a member at the Heavenly Crane Sect. That clansman has already been accepted as a direct disciple of Weng Zho. And I need not remind you who Weng Zho is."

"In the Eastern Region Great Wilderness, where spirit beasts and demons stand thick as forests, we human cultivators must support one another." Fang Xinjin nodded, his expression betraying nothing. But he understood the unspoken truth beneath Zhou Yuezi's words. Among humans, geniuses were not rare. What was rare was a genius who lived long enough to fulfill their potential. Only those who survived could truly be called geniuses.

'Of course you're not worried,' Fang Xinjin thought to himself, a trace of irony curling through his mind.

'Langya County lies outside your family's sphere of influence.'

"You are right," he said aloud.

"We human forces do need to support each other." A pause. Then, more quietly: "I have a feeling that those Demonic Cultivators we purged years ago are beginning to stir once more. Like dying embers, ready to reignite." Zhou Yuezi's expression shifted. He slowly exhaled, a long, troubled breath.

"Yes. The spirit beasts may be powerful, but at least their movements can be tracked, anticipated. But those Demonic Cultivators… they kill without blinking, slip through your fingers like loaches, and they target our mortal populations. Almost impossible to defend against." The two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators stood in heavy silence, their voices thick with shared concern. —— The next morning, at dawn. Cultivators on Blood Lion Mountain departed one after another.

The four Foundation Establishment Realm families of Langya County gathered and began their long journey home. The spirit beasts within the Purple Dusk Mountain Range had thinned considerably. With over thirty cultivators traveling together, even the boldest spirit beast thought twice before approaching. All four families had suffered losses. But none had been hit harder than the Tian family. Not only had Tian Jianwei fallen, but four of their Qi Refining Realm cultivators had also been killed as well.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Along the way, the Tian family members trudged forward like mourners at a funeral, their faces pale, their spirits crushed. They did not know how they would face the rest of their clan upon their return… No one knew that Zhang Huaijin was responsible for Tian Jianwei's death. The body had been carried off by a spirit beast. By now, it had likely been reduced to beast dung. Even if Tian Jianmo launched an investigation, he would find nothing.

Zhang Huaijin's actions had been flawless. —— Ten days later. The four families parted ways at Langya County town, each returning to its own territory. Zhang Huaijin led the Zhang family clansmen back to the Green Bamboo Mountain. Zhang Chongwen and Zhang Lixian's tense hearts finally relaxed at the sight of him. Grief flickered across their faces as they looked upon the two fallen clansmen being carried home. But the casualties, at least, were not catastrophic.

For the Zhang family of the past, a fifty percent survival rate would have been considered a blessing from the heavens.

"Good. It is good that you are back," Zhang Chongwen said, his voice rough with emotion. He nodded and instructed the clansmen to prepare the bodies for burial on an auspicious date, so their souls could return to the ancestral home. The three generations, grandfather, father, and son retreated to the main hall of Green Bamboo Mountain.

"Grandfather," Zhang Huaijin announced, "I earned a significant number of merit points in this battle. Enough to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. However, the earliest I can claim that pill is in three years and the latest five." Zhang Chongwen and Zhang Lixian went still. Then Zhang Chongwen shot to his feet.

"Truly?"

"Truly." Zhang Huaijin briefly described the events on Blood Lion Mountain. Zhang Chongwen listened in silent astonishment that even a Purple Mansion Realm spirit beast had been slain. Zhang Lixian, however, was more stunned by his son's combat prowess. Zhang Huaijin had personally killed twenty Foundation Establishment Realm spirit beasts, including mid stage ones. Such strength was simply terrifying.

"Ha! Good! Heaven favors our Zhang family!" A smile broke across Zhang Chongwen's weathered face, only to be shadowed a moment later by gloom.

"It is a pity your second uncle cannot wait. He does not have the time," Zhang Chongwen said with a heavy sigh. A complex look flickered through Zhang Lixian's eyes. Zhang Liliang had still not reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm. He would need at least three years, perhaps longer, to break through to that stage. And by then, he would be fifty eight years old. The greater problem was the Foundation Establishment Pill itself, it would not arrive for years.

If Zhang Liliang wanted to attempt Foundation Establishment, his best option was the existing pill, the one tainted with tribulation baleful energy.

"I also obtained a drop of Clear Light Liquid," Zhang Huaijin said, reaching into his robe.

"It is diluted to an unknown degree from the Clear Light Divine Water, but perhaps it can neutralize the energy within that Foundation Establishment Pill." He held out the small vial to Zhang Lixian.

"When I first set foot on the path of cultivation," Zhang Huaijin continued quietly, "Uncle Liliang gave me talismans. He answered my countless questions. He never turned me away. This drop of Clear Light Liquid does not need to go into the family treasury. Put it directly on that Foundation Establishment Pill and see if it works. Consider it my way of repaying him." He paused.

"As for whether he chooses to take the pill afterward… that choice must be his own."

"Huaijin…" Zhang Chongwen's voice faltered.

"Grandfather," Zhang Huaijin said firmly, "the family is my root. I will never forget that. And I will lead this family to rise. We will become stronger." His words settled over Zhang Chongwen like a weight. From the old man's perspective, the Zhang family was already becoming a burden to his grandson. Constantly funneling resources back into the clan could not go on forever.

"Father," Zhang Huaijin added, shifting to practical matters, "I also obtained five vials of True Yang Pills and three vials of One Qi Pills. I will place them in the family treasury later. Please remember to exchange merit points for them appropriately." He spoke in official terms deliberately, to prevent Zhang Lixian from refusing. After all, his father had plenty of merit points of his own.

Tier 2 pills could only be consumed by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, and in practice, placing them in the treasury meant only Zhang Lixian would be able to exchange them.

"Huaijin," Zhang Lixian said slowly, "the family is not what it once was. Our numbers grow by the day. From now on, everything must be handled formally, by the rules." Zhang Huaijin understood that his father was referring to the Clear Light Liquid.

"I understand," he said with a nod. The three discussed family affairs a while longer before dispersing to their own tasks. Beyond the Tier 2 pills, Zhang Huaijin had also exchanged a large quantity of Tier 1 resources for the treasury. He met briefly with Su Xuiqi, checked on the Seven Colored Spirit Peach Tree, and then retreated into seclusion. The family members who had returned from Blood Lion Mountain also began absorbing the resources they had received, one by one entering their own secluded training.

Within the Zhang family, everything continued to develop in orderly fashion. And then, in the blink of an eye… Three years passed.