Clan Cultivation: Starting with Building an Island Immortal City

98: The baby girl from the Han family was named Lingxi.As the New Year approached, ”Anye Ward,” a newly developed settlement on the outskirts of Linhai City, was already densely populated, with crisscrossing fields and paths.

This place was originally barren hills, but after the Li Family replaced Xia Donghai as the de facto controller of Linhai City, they adopted a work-relief program, taking in refugees from all directions to Cultivate terraced fields and build houses.

Now, looking out, there were neat tile-roofed houses, the sounds of chickens and dogs, green rice seedlings in the fields, and tea and fruit trees just starting to bear on the hillsides, subtly hinting at an era of prosperity.

According to incomplete statistics from Li Qingshan and others, the current population affiliated with the Li Clan is nearly 100,000, and it continues to show a gradual upward trend.

Li Yinglong, in a simple black robe, walked side-by-side with Li Qingshan on the newly paved bluestone road.

His gaze swept over the diligent farmers in the fields, the children playing in the ward, and the dust raised by the Escort Agency’s carriages in the distance, and he nodded slightly.

These displaced people, who came from the battlefields of the Central Plains and the bitter cold of the north, found a new livelihood here, and also provided the Li Clan with a solid human Foundation and a source of incense offerings.

”Clan Chief, Han Wu’s home is just ahead.”

Li Qingshan pointed to a courtyard built against the mountain in the northeast corner of the market.

Han Wu was an escort who fled from the Central Plains, possessing some Mortal martial arts. He was honest and diligent, and now served as a squad leader in the Family’s Escort Agency. His wife was also a strong woman from the north, and their Family lived a relatively comfortable life.

Li Yinglong’s steps were steady, but his mind was subtly connected to the incense censer hanging high in the ancestral shrine within his Sea of Consciousness.

This time, it was this censer that, before the New Year, sensed an anomaly in a newly born soul lamp. A faint but pure spiritual glow quietly lit up, guiding him here.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and Li Qingshan stepped forward to knock.

Han Wu opened the door. Seeing the Clan Chief personally arrive, he was first stunned, then showed both apprehension and excitement. He hurriedly bowed and ushered the two in.

The courtyard was clean. A strong woman was holding a baby girl in swaddling clothes, cooling off under a jujube tree.

The baby girl was about one year old, with a rosy complexion and bright black eyes. She wasn’t afraid of strangers, but instead babbled and waved her small hands.

Li Yinglong’s gaze fell on the baby girl. Without needing the System’s prompt, the Bloodline connection from the Immortal Family ancestral shrine already gave him a feeling—this girl indeed possessed a Spiritual Root!

Though as faint as a spark, it was pure and natural, favored by Heaven And Earth.

His thoughts stirred, and he secretly communicated with the System:

”Investigate this girl’s Spiritual Root Aptitude.”

”[Command confirmed. Target: Han Family baby girl (unnamed). Scanning initiated... Scan complete.]”

”[Spiritual Root Attribute: Three-element miscellaneous Spiritual Root (Earth, Water, Wood). Spiritual Root Purity: Grade C-minus. Cultivation Aptitude: Mediocre.]”

”[Special Note: A faint ancestral Bloodline imprint detected, determined to be ”intergenerational inheritance.” Among her direct ancestors, there was once a low-level Cultivator. The Bloodline Power, dormant for several generations, has manifested in this girl.]”

”Bloodline inheritance...”

Li Yinglong silently repeated in his mind. The System’s prompt matched his conjecture.

Although this girl’s Spiritual Root was not exceptional, its very appearance was of extraordinary significance!

It confirmed a rule:

The probability of a Cultivator’s descendant having a Spiritual Root is much higher than that of a Mortal.

In the long run, as the Li Immortal Clan branched out, intermarried, and integrated with its affiliated populace, more descendants with Spiritual Roots might be born. This was the Foundation for the Family’s eternal prosperity!

He showed no expression on his face, and spoke gently to Han Wu and his wife:

”No need for formalities. Before the New Year, I sensed the Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence and knew that your Family had a newborn daughter with spiritual charm. I was busy with trivial matters before, but today I made a special trip to see her.”

Upon hearing this, Han Wu and his wife were even more uncontrollably excited.

Although they didn’t understand the Immortal Dao, they knew that a ”Spiritual Root” was the key to embarking on the Immortal Path, an immortal destiny that Mortals yearned for!

Li Yinglong approached and carefully observed the baby girl’s face, finding her bones to be extraordinary and her Qi and Blood vigorous, far exceeding that of ordinary infants.

He took out the suet jade pendant he had prepared earlier. The pendant was ancient in style, with a hint of Azure Dragon Origin swirling in its center, which he had warmed and nurtured with his own pure Dragon Origin.

”This pendant is a gift for the child.”

Li Yinglong placed the jade pendant into the swaddling clothes:

”The pendant contains a trace of my Origin Qi, which can nourish her Meridians, strengthen her physique, and ward off common illnesses. In times of crisis, it can also protect her once.”

Han Wu and his wife trembled as they received it, about to kneel and perform a grand kowtow.

Li Yinglong flicked his sleeve, and a gentle surge of Qi held them up:

”Our Li Clan, in its establishment, prioritizes talent above all else, regardless of Origin. Since this girl has received the favor of Heaven And Earth, she is a future pillar of our Clan. When she reaches six years of age, she can be sent to the Clan school. I will personally teach her the Foundation Establishment method and accept her as a Named Disciple.”

As soon as these words were spoken, not only did Han Wu’s couple shed tears of joy, but even the neighbors gathered outside the courtyard erupted in excitement!

The Clan Chief personally promised to take a young girl from an affiliated household as his Disciple!

What a great favor and encouragement this was!

This meant that as long as their descendants were promising and talented, even if they were not of the main Li surname, they would have the opportunity to leap over the Dragon Gate!

”The Clan Chief is benevolent!”

”The Han Family’s girl has such good fortune!”

”From now on, we must work even harder for the Family!”

Amidst the discussions, there was an abundance of envy and hope.

Li Yinglong’s gaze swept over the expectant faces outside the courtyard, and he declared loudly:

”Today’s joy for the Han Family is not solely their joy, but also the joy of our Li Immortal Clan, and even more so, the shared joy of all of you who diligently serve the Clan and diligently uphold your livelihoods!”

”I hereby declare: Among the descendants of all the people under my governance, regardless of Origin or surname, if any possess a Spiritual Root, a pure Heart-Nature, and loyalty to the Family, our Li Clan will never allow their brilliant pearl to be obscured by dust, nor their fine jade to be wasted in the Mortal world!”

”The doors of the Clan school are always open, and the destiny of the Immortal Path is determined by Heaven. As long as there is a glimmer of immortal destiny, the Li Clan will spare no effort to Cultivate them, help them embark on the Dao, bring glory to their ancestors, and also strengthen our Clan’s prestige!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene first fell silent, then erupted into even more fervent cheers and praises, with even greater anticipation in everyone’s eyes.

Li Yinglong, however, felt little joy in his heart, but rather a hint of solemnity.

Nearly a hundred thousand people, yet only one such immortal seedling... A naturally formed Spiritual Root is, after all, rare.

The path of Family expansion, though seemingly flourishing and gradually strengthening its Foundation, still has the core of Immortal Dao Legacy as that elusive and hard-to-find Spiritual Root Aptitude.

The road ahead is long, and the responsibility is heavy.

Han Wu suppressed his excitement and earnestly said:

”Clan Chief’s heavenly grace, my Family is eternally grateful! I humbly request the Clan Chief... to bestow a name upon my little daughter!”

Li Yinglong pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the expectant faces outside the courtyard, and he declared loudly:

”Since she has entered my household, she shall follow our Clan’s order. This girl shall be of our Li Clan’s ’Ling’ generation, keeping your surname, and her given name shall be ’Xi’.”

”Han Lingxi.”

He slowly pronounced:

”’Ling’ signifies innate Origin, the Foundation for comprehending the profound Dao; ’Xi’ signifies the dawn’s first light, dispelling darkness and heralding clarity. May she be like the first ray of morning sun, illuminating her own Dao, and also bringing a new dawn of spiritual Awakening to our Li Immortal Clan!”

”Han Lingxi... What a wonderful name!”

Everyone praised in unison, deeply imprinting the name and the Clan Chief’s words in their hearts.

Han Wu and his wife, holding their daughter, repeatedly kowtowed in thanks, their hearts filled with boundless aspirations for the future.

Li Yinglong accepted their bow, encouraged the onlookers with a few more words, and then departed with Li Qingshan.

The purpose of this trip had been achieved. Not only had the first naturally awakened Spiritual Root descendant been confirmed, but this opportunity was also used to demonstrate the Family’s principle of ”meritocracy” to all affiliated people, greatly solidifying their morale.

Just as they left Anye Ward, a clansman quickly came to report:

”Clan Chief, news from the pier. The Angry Dragon Clan’s fleet from the Southern Border can already see their masts. They are expected to arrive in half an hour.”

Li Yinglong’s eyes flashed. The Southern Border allies were arriving, and Lin Xiaowan, who had been studying abroad for a year, was also returning with them!

He straightened his robes and said to Li Qingshan:

”Let’s go, follow me to welcome our guests.”

Their figures gradually faded into the distance, merging with the bustling streets of Linhai City.

And the name ”Han Lingxi,” along with the hope it represented, had quietly been sown like a seed in the hearts of countless people.