The morning in springtime on the summit of Fangmu Mountain was chilly, with dampness blanketing the landscape. Drops of dew plummeted, landing on leaves, grass, and the ground.
Lin Shiming stood at a corner of the mountain's edge, gazing down at the mountain below, where a sea of clouds spread and rolled eastward.
Further east, a glimmer of the early sun rose from the horizon, breaking through the sea of clouds in a spectacular display.
This was Lin Shiming's second day back at Fangmu Mountain, and he had been instructed to wait here for further notice.
In the distance, a Spirit Talisman flew in, transforming into a streak of flame. Under the manipulation of spiritual energy, it formed a string of text.
"Hurry to Qinglian Pool, the old clan leader summons you!"
Lin Shiming dared not delay, applying a lightness spell to his feet, and headed towards a cobblestone path leading higher up the mountain.
At a pavilion en route, a middle-aged man in blue robes awaited him, it was none other than the Second Elder, Lin Yuqi.
"The old clan leader is summoning you by Qinglian Pool, don't make him wait too long!"
"Yes, second granduncle," Lin Shiming nodded and then crossed the pavilion, continuing on his way.
The further he walked, the more concentrated the spiritual energy Lin Shiming felt. Fangmu Mountain housed a third-rank Spirit Vein, and Qinglian Pool, derived from the vein, held the densest spiritual energy in the entire mountain.
Soon, Lin Shiming saw a spirit pool about twenty meters in diameter. Compared to the Spirit Pool in Peach Blossom Valley, the one on Fangmu Mountain was larger and the mist of spiritual energy thicker, presenting an almost supernatural fairyland to the senses.
In the center of the pool, lush lotus leaves floated on the surface.
Next to the pool, there was also a pavilion.
A young man was seen fishing within the pavilion.
However, what was strange was that the young man's hair was as white as snow!
"Are you the descendant of Hou Yuan?" The young man, noticing Lin Shiming's arrival, lifted his fishing rod, then with a flip, stowed it away in his Storage Bag.
"Responding to seventh great-uncle—Shiming indeed is!" By now, Lin Shiming had realized that the person before him, who appeared to be of similar age to himself, was actually the venerable clan leader of the Lin Family, Lin Xianzhi.
He seemed in much better condition than the rumors had suggested.
"Come and sit," Lin Xianzhi said, taking a seat first at a stone table within the pavilion.
On the table was a chessboard with white pieces evidently being dominated by black, which continued to encroach upon them.
Lin Shiming walked over and took a seat as Lin Xianzhi had indicated.
In his mind, he pondered whether he was being asked to play chess.
But to play chess, one could simply take the black pieces and continue the encroachment.
"Shiming, what do you think a family clan is?" Lin Xianzhi spoke first, but his question didn't concern the pieces on the chessboard.
Upon hearing this, Lin Shiming was momentarily stunned.
What is a family clan?
This question left Lin Shiming unable to come up with an immediate answer.
Cultivators often say, "Seek only the fate of immortality, do not question what lies ahead."
One word, "seek", represents the active quest, the courage to lead, to dare to challenge the heavens and earth, to vie with the sun, the moon, and to struggle with the earth itself!
If that's the case, why consider whether the path ahead is a broad avenue or a thorny bog?
Then what about the clan? Lin Shiming's thoughts were in disarray, unable to find a correct answer.
Upon reflection, were the principles of the family that he had understood before truly correct?
As people must have goals, what should be the goal of a cultivator born into a clan?
"No rush, take your time to think about it. Look at these white pieces, because they are not certain of victory, they haven't launched a counterattack! Instead, they are continuously being consumed," observed Lin Xianzhi, seeing Lin Shiming's hesitation and speaking again.
Lin Shiming refocused his attention on the chessboard and discovered that, indeed, the main forces of the white pieces were still preserved; only the peripheral branches had suffered losses.
However, achieving a successful counterattack would be no easy feat, given the ongoing disparity in strength between the white and black pieces.
Lin Shiming couldn't help drawing parallels with the Lin Family, which had been weakening for many years as part of the Purple Mansion Family. How could this happen without someone behind the scenes steering the course?
After all, the Lin Family possessed a Profound Rank Purple Mansion cultivation technique, capable of reaching the Purple Mansion Realm.
He then thought of the Seventh Uncle Ancestor, who had always been suppressed, constantly recovering from his injuries.
The Seventh Uncle Ancestor was waiting to heal and return to his peak, just like the Lin Family was waiting for an opportunity to rise, an opportunity to turn the tide.
The intention of the Seventh Uncle Ancestor was now clear.
The Lin Family had enemies—and powerful ones at that—evaluating Lin Shiming's feelings and dependence on the family.
Of course, this also meant that Lin Shiming was gradually moving up within the Lin Family's hierarchy, heading towards a leadership role.
In the world of cultivation clans, there are always some family members who are fixated on the path of immortal cultivation, believing that their family would hold them back before setting out alone to make their own way.
There are three thousand paths to immortality; each chooses their own.
This was not an uncommon occurrence; one Spirit Root Cultivator, after helping his family become a Purple Mansion Family, left them, claiming to fulfill the cycle of karma, never to return.
For a family that had invested everything in cultivating a genius, this was nothing short of disheartening, yet they were helpless!
"Replying to the Seventh Uncle Ancestor, Shiming is dull and can only understand that the family is the root. I was born here, raised here—the family is like my Dao heart!"
"The family prospers, I prosper; the family declines, I decline!"
"Therefore, Shiming wishes to become the family's sharp sword, to cut down all enemies!" Lin Shiming spoke, each word deliberate.
And it was at this moment that his concept of family became much clearer.
Indeed, as a family cultivator, from birth, he had been with his family. To reach the true end of the immortal path, one could not escape the word "family."
"Hmm! A much better answer than your father's," Lin Xianzhi nodded, then continued to speak:
"You probably guessed it. Our Lin Family has a powerful enemy, the Purple Mansion Family!"
"I was injured by those people too, and they poisoned me with a peculiar toxin. Although I've been able to suppress and neutralize most of it over the past thirty years with the help of the Green Lotus Spirit Pool's lotus roots and seeds, most of my meridians have been damaged and obstructed, and my cultivation level even began to regress, rendering me unable to take action!"
"Fortunately, the Second Rank Supreme Grade Spiritual Wine you brought back this time can treat internal injuries, regulate meridians, and harmonize spiritual energy. I estimate that in no time at all, I should be able to recover to the combat power of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."
"I called you here mainly to ask what reward you desire?"
"Replying to the Seventh Uncle Ancestor, retrieving the Spiritual Wine was an effort by the entire family. Shiming only contributed a small bit of meager effort and dares not ask for a reward," Lin Shiming repeatedly waved his hands.
After the family's great victory, with seniors giving their all and uncles laying down their lives, he dared not claim credit for himself.
He could not do such a thing either.
"The family must have rewards as well as punishments. Since you won't say, I shall give you a Second Rank Superior Grade Flying Sword then!" Lin Xianzhi did not wait for Lin Shiming to respond, but simply waved his hand, and a dark green small sword appeared in Lin Shiming's hand.
"This sword is called the Lotus Sword, used by me in my youth. It holds sentimental value for me now, so I bestow it upon you! I hope you will continue to strive and reach new heights!"
"Additionally, you may cultivate here for a while and attempt to breakthrough to the sixth level of Qi Cultivation!"
"Thank you, Seventh Uncle Ancestor!" Lin Shiming quickly waved his hands to express his gratitude and was thrilled with the elder's suggestion to attempt a breakthrough here.
To know that this Spirit Pool was a Third Rank Spirit Pool; cultivating and breaking through here not only doubled the speed but also made it easier to solidify the cultivation level.
However, before that, Lin Shiming had two more things to ask.
"Seventh Uncle Ancestor, there is an item that Shiming does not recognize, and I wonder if I might trouble you to help identify it." Lin Shiming took out the stone from the Magical Pavilion. He had initially wanted to search for information in the treasure hall's library, but with the experienced Seventh Uncle Ancestor present, it made sense to have him take a look first.
"Eh!" Lin Xianzhi took the stone and was obviously startled by its ability to absorb Divine Sense.