Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

They’re more like Artifact Spirits; probably because they’re still too young, their thoughts are very simple for the time being.

”Two hundred is still far too few. If we could have twenty thousand Divine Generals, then the Spirit Source Land could actually stand toe-to-toe with the Ghost Soldier army!”

”Next, what I need to do is to keep gathering and nurturing Yin Soul Ghost Generals, continuously cultivating Yin Soul Ghost Generals into Divine Generals, then slowly nourishing these Divine Generals so they grow ever stronger!”

”So long as I persist, White Jade City will one day possess an army of Divine Generals numbering in the tens of thousands!”

Yang Zhenshan carefully pondered the future development of the Divine General army. After a moment, he withdrew the golden light surrounding his body.

Over these years he had put part of his energy and time into the Golden Light Divine Spell, pushing it to the Great Success Realm. Though it was still far inferior to Xuanzhen’s level, for now it was already sufficient for him.

In truth, the Golden Light Divine Spell was not of much use to him. Aside from cultivating Golden Armor Divine Generals, it did nothing to enhance his own strength.

Even if he refined the Golden Light Divine Spell to perfection, it still wouldn’t bring him much of an increase.

Because he already grasped four kinds of Divine Dao Intent: the Life-and-Death Divine Skill, Body Becoming Formless, Sealing the Void, and One Spear Pierces the Void. Even if he were given one more Divine Dao Intent, it wouldn’t add much.

With Divine Dao Intents, what matters is quality, not quantity. One might be too few; two or three is most suitable, and any more is largely meaningless.

By comparison, what Yang Zhenshan really should do is raise the realm of his Divine Dao Intents.

Putting away the Divine General Chessboard, Yang Zhenshan rose and walked out of the meditation room.

”We respectfully welcome True Monarch out of seclusion!”

Red Cloud happened to run into Yang Zhenshan, and she walked up with a beaming smile to salute.

”Mm, not bad. When did you break through?” Yang Zhenshan looked at her and asked with a smile.

”Thanks to True Monarch’s blessing, Red Cloud just completed her breakthrough three months ago!” Red Cloud replied.

Red Cloud had already broken through to the Divine Soul Realm, which only showed that nowadays there were more and more people in the Spirit Origin Land breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm.

To be honest, Red Cloud and Qingxia breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm wasn’t all that surprising.

Their starting points weren’t high, but they were not lower than Yang Mingcheng, Yang Mingzhi and the others; in fact, the time the two spent by Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi’s side was even longer than that of Yang Mingcheng and the others.

Whatever resources Yang Mingcheng and the rest had, they had as well; and what Yang Mingcheng and the others lacked, they often possessed too.

Yang Zhenshan smiled and nodded. ”Where’s Madam?”

”Madam went to the Ancient Wood Forest; lately Madam has cultivated quite a few treants!” Red Cloud said.

”Oh? I’ll go take a look.”

Ever since Yu Qingyi began cultivating the Path of Spirit Giving, she would often go to the Ancient Wood Forest east of Jade City. The ten-thousand-year ancient trees there either became her test subjects or were cultivated by her into treants.

Arriving at the Ancient Wood Forest, Yu Qingyi was indeed there. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Finding Yu Qingyi, Yang Zhenshan started discussing the Path of Spirit Giving with her. He had already confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the Path of Spirit Giving, but as this was Yu Qingyi’s first time cultivating an Immortal Cultivation Technique, she was unclear on many points and thus needed Yang Zhenshan’s guidance.

Just as Yang Zhenshan was guiding Yu Qingyi, a deep blue Tunneling Light flew over from high above. Its speed was very fast—likely a Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Yang Zhenshan only glanced once and knew who had come.

”This subordinate pays respects to True Monarch of Life and Death!” Mu Xuan came before Yang Zhenshan and bowed. ”Greetings, Madam!”

The newcomer was Mu Xuan, one of the Immortal Clans who joined White Jade City from White Cloud Immortal City back then.

Mu Xuan possessed Peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, was steady and reliable by nature, and his strength was not weak. Yang Zhenshan thought quite highly of him.

Not only him; Wen Yu and Shen Ming had also earned Yang Zhenshan’s favor.

All three had once been top figures in White Cloud Immortal City. Whether in cultivation and strength, or in scheming and methods, they were outstanding among the many Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

During their first few years after joining White Jade City, Yang Zhenshan did not assign them any particular duties. But now more than ten years had passed, and the families they represented had gradually integrated into the Spirit Origin Land, so Yang Zhenshan trusted them more and slowly relaxed the restrictions on them.

Nowadays, they had begun to participate in many tasks within the Spirit Origin Land.

”Mm. What is it?” Yang Zhenshan asked.

”Reporting to True Monarch, we’ve just received word that the Unpredictable Ghost Sect is preparing to invade the Yunxiao Mountain Range!” Mu Xuan said.

Yang Zhenshan’s expression shifted slightly. ”Is the information reliable?”

”It should be accurate. The information came from the Beishan Jiang Family,” Mu Xuan said.

The Beishan Jiang Family was also an Immortal Cultivation Family, located at the northern edge of the Yunxiao Mountain Range, west of White Cloud Immortal City, more than two thousand li away from White Cloud Immortal City.

In the past, the Jiang family had also been an affiliated force of the Sky Cloud Sword Sect, and one of their Foundation Establishment Cultivators had even held a post in the Suxing Hall of the Sky Cloud Sword Sect.

The Jiang family was fairly fortunate: in the several upheavals that White Cloud Immortal City went through, they were never greatly affected.

Previously, when demon beasts escaped from the northern part of the Wanhua Mountain Range and attacked many Immortal Cultivator forces around White Cloud Immortal City, the Beishan Jiang Family, being west of White Cloud Immortal City and stationed quite far from it, suffered no attacks.

Later, when the Sky Cloud Sword Sect disbanded, the Jiang family withdrew from White Cloud Immortal City, thereby conveniently avoiding the siege of White Cloud Immortal City by the Ghost Soldier army.

In the battle of True Yang Immortal City, the Jiang family dispatched three Foundation Establishment Cultivators and over a hundred Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators. Though they suffered some casualties, overall the losses were not large.

Up to now, the Jiang family had instead become the strongest force among the various Immortal Cultivator factions in the northeastern part of the Yunxiao Mountain Range.

While that was somewhat like choosing the tallest among short men, it was undeniable that after enduring so many upheavals, the Beishan Jiang Family had preserved their strength intact.

If the information came from the Beishan Jiang Family, it should be correct.

But why would the Unpredictable Ghost Sect suddenly invade the Yunxiao Mountain Range?

Could it be they plan to first seize the Yunxiao Mountain Range, then set their sights on the Wanhua Mountain Range?

It’s not impossible.

Though the Spiritual Energy in the Yunxiao Mountain Range wasn’t particularly dense, many Immortal Cultivators and demon beasts were currently hiding there.

Whether for those Immortal Cultivators and demon beasts, or simply to seize territory, invading the Yunxiao Mountain Range was a perfectly reasonable choice.

This truly was ”the tree wishes for calm, yet the wind will not cease.”

Right now Yang Zhenshan had no desire to get involved in any conflicts, yet the shifting situation could drag him in at any time.

If the Unpredictable Ghost Sect really intended to invade the Yunxiao Mountain Range, Yang Zhenshan and White Jade City definitely could not stand by.

The reason was simple: when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.

North of the Yang Family Blessed Land lay the Sea of Spirit, and north of the Sea of Spirit lay the Yunxiao Mountain Range, within which were Hidden Sword Mountain and Cangyu Mountain.

Once the Unpredictable Ghost Sect invaded the Yunxiao Mountain Range, Hidden Sword Mountain and Cangyu Mountain would certainly have to resist; naturally, Yang Zhenshan had to stand on the same side as them.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Yang Zhenshan hadn’t contacted Jian Changhe and Que Lingyu in recent years; their past friendship was still there, and their alliance had not been dissolved.

The lack of contact was merely to avoid awkwardness, not because of any grudge or dissatisfaction.

In truth, none of them wanted to be drawn into conflicts right now, so they each chose to close their mountain gates and refrain from going out.

Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and said, ”Go keep watch over the eastern part of the Yunxiao Mountain Range. If the Unpredictable Ghost Sect truly intends to enter the Yunxiao Mountain Range, come report to me again.”

Since the Unpredictable Ghost Sect had yet to act, he saw no need to overreact; better to observe the situation first.

”Understood!”

Mu Xuan replied, then added, ”True Monarch, the Beishan Jiang Family wishes to seek refuge with us. Should we accept them?”

”Seek refuge?” Yang Zhenshan was slightly surprised, but then quickly understood why the Jiang family would make such a choice.

The Beishan Jiang Family lay in the northeastern part of the Yunxiao Mountain Range. Though they were on the outer fringe of the range, once the Unpredictable Ghost Sect invaded the Yunxiao Mountain Range, they would be the first to bear the brunt.

So right now they were bound to relocate, and their options were few.

They could either stay far away from troubled lands and find some remote place to hide, or move to Qingli Immortal City, where Yun Fan and the others would surely be willing to take them in.

Besides those two options, joining the Yang family was also a fine choice. With the Luo family, Wen family, Shen family, and Mu family as precedents, they ought to be quite willing to join the Yang family.

”You know the rules of our White Jade City. Go negotiate with them; so long as they are willing to abide by those rules, letting them join is not out of the question,” Yang Zhenshan said casually.

It was only an Immortal Cultivation Family, with a handful of Foundation Establishment Cultivators and a few hundred Qi Refining Cultivators, plus some Martial Artists and ordinary people. The Spirit Origin Land could easily accommodate them.

This matter wasn’t worth Yang Zhenshan appearing in person, nor did he need to personally vet them. Having Mu Xuan act as the intermediary was more than enough.