"Cutting grass without removing the roots, the spring breeze is blowing again."
"Considering the size of the Li family, they couldn't have disappeared without a trace. Send a few alert clan members to watch the roads around Chaotic Burial Mountain. If they see any Li Clan members, report immediately."
"Besides, since the Li family left in a hurry, they wouldn't have been able to take all of their resources with them. Did we gain anything from this trip?"
Chen Qingyu smiled and replied,
"Not only did we gain, but the harvest was substantial. During our visit to the Li can, we discovered 500 catties of blood rice, several acres of fertile land, seven captured Dark Gold Beasts, and ten Ghost Tailed Chickens..."
"In addition to these items, we also secured access to the Li clan's hunting grounds within Chaotic Burial Mountain and some small markets that belonged to them."
Chen Xingzhen's expression brightened upon hearing this.
Blood rice was a local specialty near Chaotic Burial Mountain. These oval-shaped grains were about the size of the third knuckle of a little finger. It got its name from its overall blood-red colour.
Ripe blood rice contained a small amount of vital energy and was easily absorbed, often, more suitable for cultivators than the flesh of Body Tempering Realm beasts.
In fact, blood rice was a common commodity in the small markets surrounding Chaotic Burial Mountain. Though the Chen clan had grown it before, the harvest was disappointing.
The encirclement by the Li Clan prevented them from harvesting any blood rice grains from the fertile fields.
Initially, they were worried about their clan's food supply after the war, but the recent harvest has eased their worries.
Aside from the blood rice, the Li clan's captured ghost beasts have brought Chen Xingzhen great joy.
He immediately declared,
"Quickly gather half of the various ghost beasts to use for the Divine tree's sacrifice!"
Chen Qingyu and the others had no objections.
They all recognized the key role of the Divine tree. Without it, their clan might not even exist.
Besides, after the Li Clan collapsed, the hunting grounds and markets that originally belonged to the Li clan now naturally belong to them.
Before the conflict, the Chaotic Burial Mountain had been divided among the three major clans.
Each clan had its own hunting grounds. Once the Chen Clan falls, the Li Clan will undoubtedly become stronger after absorbing their resources.
Indeed, the resources of Chaotic Burial Mountain are limited. The absence of one clan allows another to flourish even more.
Fortunately, the Li clan's attempt at theft didn't completely backfire.
In addition to the hunting grounds within Chaotic Burial Mountain, ownership extends to the markets below each clan.
While the mountain itself is remote, the surrounding areas offer fertile fields suitable for growing blood rice.
Many villages rely on blood rice as a staple food, though most of their inhabitants were ordinary people rather than warriors.
When the Chen Clan decided to settle here, they aimed to lay a foundation for future development.
However, despite two decades of efforts, the Chen Clan now faces decline and even the threat of extinction.
"Chen Tianjing, how is the Li Clan reacting? Any news?"
Chen Xingzhen inquired, his gaze fixed on Chen Tianjing who had returned.
Chen Tianjing shook his head. "The Li Clan seems to be unresponsive. They didn't send many clan members to investigate."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xingzhen's expression relaxed slightly.
In the tumultuous world of Chaos Burial Mountain, both the Chen and Li clans were deeply concerned.
They feared that the Liu clan might take advantage of their vulnerability during the ongoing conflict and launch an all-out attack.
However, it appears that the Liu clan has shown no such intentions.
Despite their considerable strength, they have chosen a path of peaceful development since their establishment in the region.
Even at this opportune time for the two big families to strike, the Liu family remained inactive.
Perhaps they are deliberately avoiding involvement, or there may be other reasons.
For Chen and Li, this situation is both a relief and a cause for vigilance.
As long as they can maintain the current balance, they anticipate further growth for their own families.
When that time comes, even if the Liu family has bad intentions, they will be adequately prepared.
"Keep an eye on the Liu family; we cannot afford to be complacent," Chen Xingzhen warned. Vigilance remains crucial in this delicate balance.
"Understood, Clan Leader."
"By the way, starting tomorrow, our family will hold the seven-day Sacred Tree Festival," Chen Xingzhen announced with authority.
"This festival is of utmost importance, as it directly affects the prosperity of our family. I expect all clan members to prepare accordingly."
"Qingyu, regarding the offerings for the Sacred Tree Festival, this task falls to you. Tomorrow, take some clan members to hunt in Chaos Burial Mountain. Remember, stay within our territory and avoid going too deep."
"Understood," Chen Qingyu nodded solemnly.
Chen Tianyu interjected,
"Clan Leader, the Li Clan hasn't been completely wiped out yet. Is it wise to hold the festival now? What if they take advantage of it to launch a surprise attack? Remember, the Li Clan still has two Blood Coagulation Realm warriors."
Chen Xingzhen chuckled, "If they dare to attack during the festival, they'll face fierce resistance. However, the Li Clan still has some remnants, even if they are weaker in cultivation. It might not be cost-effective to push them too hard now. Instead, let's use the Sacred Tree Festival as a distraction. When they show themselves, we'll gather our forces and wipe them out."
Chen Tianyu and the others were impressed by the clan leader's foresight. They hadn't considered these factors.
"Clan Leader, the Dark Gold Beasts and Spirit-Tailed Chickens have arrived," a clan member reported from outside the ancestral hall.
Chen Xingzhen's face lit up, and he commanded urgently, "Quick, bring them in! Let's sacrifice them all to the Sacred Tree!"
Above, Ji Yang looked down at the various spirit beasts with growing anticipation.
It was finally time for his harvest.
Even though these Dark Gold Beasts were only at the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm, their size and life force surpassed that of the one Chen Qingyu had hunted earlier.
And this Spirit-Tailed Chicken also seemed promising - it was much bigger than the two the Chen family had originally sacrificed.
The ritual began without delay.
To better understand the contribution of each spirit animal in terms of life force and spiritual energy, Ji Yang opened his tablet and closely observed the situation.
As countless drops of blood seeped into the ground, Ji Yang's vital energy surged.
After the ritual ended, Ji Yang checked his tablet attributes once again:
[Vitality (Qi and Blood): 37 (Convertible to Vitality)]
[Spiritual Strength: 19]
[Derivation Points: 15]
[Available for derivation!]
Previously, his vitality was at 0 and his spiritual energy was at 6.
However, absorbing the vital energy from the three dark golden beasts and the Spirit-Tailed Chicken resulted in significant changes.
Upon careful observation, Ji Yang discovered that the Spirit-Tailed Chicken had contributed a total of 25 points of vital energy and 10 points of spiritual energy.
In contrast, the three Dark Gold Beasts had contributed 12 points of vital energy and 3 points of spiritual energy.
The disparity was obvious, especially in spiritual energy.
Interestingly, despite their larger size, the Dark Gold Beasts still lagged behind the Spirit-Tailed Chicken.
It seemed that the Spirit-Tailed Chicken offered better value for Ji Yang's efforts.