Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Underground Spirit Vein

WHOOSH!

A black Flying Ship sped through the air, coming to a halt above Little Plum Mountain.

Li Ping stepped out of the Flying Ship. With a wave of his hand, he stored it in his Storage Bag before flying down toward the mountain.

His arrival quickly alerted the members of the Ji family. Daoist Ji hurried out to welcome him inside.

The Ji family was a small Cultivation Clan. Aside from Ji Shuwen, who had joined the Crimson Flame Sect in the neighboring Yun Kingdom, and Ji Shu Xuan, who had gone to an Immortal City to seek his fortune, there were a total of six Cultivators remaining on Little Plum Mountain: Daoist Ji himself, his two sons, two grandsons, and one granddaughter.

With the exception of one grandson, all of them had five-element Spiritual Roots.

The Ji family’s Cultivators lived on the Spiritual Land atop the mountain, while the family’s mortals resided on the mountainside and at its base.

...

After being welcomed into the house by Daoist Ji, before his host could even speak, Li Ping cheerfully took out the deed for the Little Plum Mountain Spiritual Land and placed it on the table.

Daoist Ji was puzzled. "Brother Li, what is this?"

Li Ping smiled at him, tapping his finger on the three characters for "Little Plum Mountain" on the deed. His smile was open and sincere. "Brother Ji, before coming to Little Plum Mountain, I made a special trip to the Yu family of Bifeng Lake and bought this Spiritual Land. This is the deed for Little Plum Mountain."

The rulers of the Jiang Kingdom were the Jiang family, a Core Formation Cultivation Clan. The deeds were issued and backed by the Jiang family, and possession of one signified ownership of the Spiritual Land.

Hearing this, Daoist Ji shot upright. He gripped the edge of the deed so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

He stared at the writing on the deed for a long moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Surprise gave way to a flicker of anxiety in his eyes, and his voice was deeper than before. "Brother Li, why did you buy this Spiritual Land?"

Li Ping observed Daoist Ji’s furrowed brow. Though he didn’t understand the man’s anxiety, he leaned forward slightly and gestured to the deed on the table. His smile turned more serious. "Brother Ji, to be honest with you, I bought this Spiritual Land specifically for you."

But Daoist Ji’s reaction was not what Li Ping had expected.

Upon hearing Li Ping’s words, he first froze, his pupils dilating slightly. A look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face, but beneath it, Li Ping could sense his tension—he was clutching the hem of his robes, as if trying to hide his unease.

His brows were tightly knitted, and his breathing involuntarily quickened.

Li Ping wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but he thought he saw a trace of fear on the man’s face.

Taking in Daoist Ji’s changing expression, Li Ping picked up his teacup and swirled it gently, a teasing note in his voice. "Brother Ji, from the look on your face, could it be that you’re not impressed with this Spiritual Land?"

He saw Daoist Ji’s lips move, as if he wanted to speak but was hesitating.

Li Ping leaned forward again, resting his hands on the edge of the table. He looked at him earnestly and continued, "Brother Ji, don’t rush to figure it out. Hear me out first. The ownership of this Little Plum Mountain Spiritual Land is still in my name for now. Your family doesn’t own it directly; you’re just ’renting’ it from me. Of course, when I say ’rent,’ I have no intention of collecting any rent. Your family can settle down and cultivate here with peace of mind."

He paused, then said with a smile, "I’ve already thought it through. As long as one of two conditions is met, I will personally hand over the deed to the Little Plum Mountain Spiritual Land, making it truly yours. Either your family’s Shuwen successfully breaks through her bottleneck and becomes a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, or your family produces a few more Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators. Once you have two or more Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators, I will also transfer the ownership of the Spiritual Land to you completely."

As he spoke, Li Ping’s gaze remained fixed on Daoist Ji’s face. He guessed that the man’s earlier complex expression stemmed from worrying that his family wasn’t strong enough to protect the Spiritual Land.

Although they would have the deed issued by the Jiang family, a deed was ultimately just an inanimate object.

The Cultivation Realm had always respected strength above all. With the Ji family’s meager power, even holding the deed, they might not be able to defend Little Plum Mountain.

If they were targeted by covetous Loose Cultivators or other Cultivation Clans, it could bring about a disaster that would wipe them out.

And the perpetrators wouldn’t have to fear being hunted by the Jiang family afterward.

After all, what Cultivator didn’t know a few techniques for disguise and concealment?

...

Li Ping finished explaining the arrangements for the Spiritual Land, feeling that his considerations had been perfectly thorough. He had solved the Ji family’s immediate predicament of lacking a Spiritual Land for cultivation, avoided the risk of them being unable to defend it due to their insufficient strength, and even set up a clear plan for the future transfer of ownership. Anyone hearing this should have breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, in his view, the root of Daoist Ji’s earlier anxiety, tension, and fear was simply the worry that his family was not strong enough to protect the Spiritual Land.

Now that he was holding onto the ownership as a "protective umbrella" and giving the family ample time and space to grow, all their worries should have vanished.

He was even calculating in his head that Daoist Ji would probably cup his hands in thanks or perhaps politely decline the gift of the Spiritual Land out of modesty.

He didn’t expect, however, that after a moment’s wait, he only saw Daoist Ji slowly raise his head, a wry smile in his eyes.

Daoist Ji let out a soft sigh, a hint of helplessness in his tone. "Brother Li, you’ve really presented me with a huge problem."

"A problem?" Hearing this, Li Ping was completely baffled. ’How could such a thoughtful arrangement be a problem in Daoist Ji’s eyes?’

But before he could ask for details, Daoist Ji had already begun to voice his concerns. "Brother Li, to be honest with you, I had already made up my mind. Once the ten-year lease on this Spiritual Land expired, I was planning not to renew it, but to take my clansmen and leave Little Plum Mountain."

Seeing Li Ping’s expression, Daoist Ji sighed and said resignedly, "Brother Li, it’s a long story. It’s also related to something I’ve been wanting to tell you but never found the right time for. Never mind. Seeing is better than explaining. Come with me. You’ll understand the situation as soon as you see it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up and walked toward the door of the pavilion with slightly hurried steps, gesturing for Li Ping to follow.

Li Ping’s confusion only deepened, but he quickly followed. He saw that Daoist Ji wasn’t heading down the mountain; instead, he turned and went straight toward the back of Little Plum Mountain.

It was nearly dusk. The setting sun bathed the mountain’s vegetation in a warm golden light, and the forest wind rustled through the pines, creating a sound like ocean waves. But this serene scenery did nothing to relax Daoist Ji.

Along the way, he kept glancing around, looking quite nervous, as if terrified of being discovered.

Little Plum Mountain wasn’t large. As Cultivators, the two moved far faster than mortals, and it wasn’t long before they arrived at a rock wall on the mountainside.

The rock face was covered in moss, blending seamlessly with the surrounding stones. Without close inspection, it was impossible to spot anything unusual.

"Brother Li, grab my sleeve," Daoist Ji said in a low voice.

Although Li Ping was confused, he trusted Daoist Ji. He quickly did as he was told and grabbed the man’s sleeve.

Then, he saw Daoist Ji feel around on the rock wall for a moment, and suddenly—

A soft light enveloped them. The space around them rippled, and their figures vanished. When they reappeared, they were in complete darkness.

Li Ping instinctively circulated his Spiritual Power. A faint glow emanated from his fingertips, illuminating the scene before him—they were standing in a narrow passageway, flanked by cold rock walls.

"What is this?" Li Ping was utterly shocked as he felt the dense aura of Spiritual Power around him.

According to his senses, the concentration of Spiritual Qi in this dark passageway had already reached the level of a Tier Two Spirit Vein.

A Tier Two Spiritual Land could serve as the ancestral grounds for a Foundation Establishment Immortal Race, capable of supporting the cultivation of Foundation Establishment Cultivators. To think that such a treasure was hidden behind a rock wall on Little Plum Mountain!

Daoist Ji gave a wry smile. "Brother Li, now you should understand why I didn’t dare to stay on Little Plum Mountain any longer, right?"

The shock in Li Ping’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by understanding.

Hearing Daoist Ji’s words, he slowly nodded to show that he understood.

A Tier Two Spiritual Land like this was indeed not something a small family like the Ji clan, with only a handful of members, could occupy. No wonder Daoist Ji was preparing to leave.

An innocent man gets into trouble for the treasure he carries.

Daoist Ji’s early preparations to move were not born of cowardice, but from a clear understanding of the gap between his family’s strength and the value of the Spiritual Land. It was the most prudent way to protect themselves.

"My grandson discovered this entrance by accident while playing mischievously behind the rock wall. Based on my judgment, its general location should be deep beneath Little Plum Mountain." Daoist Ji sighed. "At the time, we followed the passageway inward but were stopped before we got very far. A Tier Two Demon Snake was coiled inside. We only caught a glimpse of it from a distance before we fled in terror.

"Originally, I was thinking of asking you, Brother Li, to come back and explore this place with me. After we were done, I planned to completely destroy the entrance and take my family far away from Little Plum Mountain, to avoid the life-threatening trouble this Spiritual Land could attract."

At this point, Daoist Ji shook his head helplessly, his tone a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "But I never expected that you would buy Little Plum Mountain, Brother Li. That has put me in a difficult position."

"After all, no matter what, it would be a terrible shame to destroy the entrance to a Spiritual Land that is at least Tier Two, as we’d likely never be able to get back in!"

"Especially since this Spiritual Land now belongs to you, Brother Li."

...

Hearing Daoist Ji’s words, Li Ping’s heart stirred.

Generally speaking, the concentration of Spiritual Qi on the periphery of a Spiritual Land is completely different from that at its core.

Take the Yu family’s Bifeng Lake, for example. Its outer Spirit Vein was only Tier One, while the Spirit Vein on Lake Heart Island reached Tier Two.

For this Underground Spirit Vein, the Spiritual Qi concentration they sensed right at the entrance had already reached the Tier Two level. So, what tier would the Spirit Vein be at its core?

’Tier Two Upper Grade?’

’Or even... Tier Three?’

At this thought, Li Ping’s breathing couldn’t help but grow heavy.

He took a deep breath and shook his head slightly. "Destroy the entrance? Brother Ji, this is a heaven-sent opportunity for your family. How can you throw it away so easily?"

His tone was firm. "First, let’s kill that Tier Two Demon Snake and see what lies beyond the passageway before we decide anything else."

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