Cloud Summit.
Several hazy, illusory figures stood silently, gazing down at the vast, dark blue ocean below.
Countless islands dotted the misty, boundless ocean like stars in the sky. Zenxin Island and its surrounding isles were clearly visible.
"...How are things?"
After a long silence, a somber voice spoke.
"The Ling Family's upper echelon is preparing for war with great diligence. It seems they know they're at a disadvantage, so they haven't slacked off in the slightest."
Another, calmer voice replied.
Then, a disdainful sneer cut in. "No matter how diligent they are, they're doomed to lose this war. No one can save them!"
"Be that as it may, for our Wu Family to swallow the foundation the Ling Family has painstakingly built over centuries, the price we'll pay will not be small!" said the calm voice.
"Mm, that's right. If those restless neighboring powers jump out to reap the benefits while we're trying to absorb the spoils of war, it won't be good news for us."
"Devouring Zenxin Island's foundation, absorbing it smoothly, and doing so without paying too high a price—that is the outcome that best serves the family's interests."
"As it stands, that will be difficult. After all, the Ling Family still has three Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators watching over it."
"So, my opinion is that we should wait a little longer. We'll make our move after those two old geezers from the Ling Family die of old age. We've already waited so many years; what's another decade or so?"
"Perhaps. But it's not my call to make. The Elders must discuss it and come to a decision!"
"Yes, let's go back and confer, then! The Shielding from this treasure is limited. We must leave at once, or we risk being detected by the Ling Family Cultivators."
Immediately after, the figures vanished without a sound.
A few breaths later, two graceful, curvaceous, and alluring figures appeared in the same spot.
"...They certainly ran off quickly!"
A cool, elegant voice rang out, tinged with a hint of anger.
Another voice, mellow and pleasant, asked, "Patriarch, are we really just going to let them leave like that?"
The woman was silent for a moment before saying, "Now is not the time to openly turn against them. We must endure it for now!"
"Qiu Yao, what do you think our chances are of winning this inevitable war?"
Tang Qiu Yao replied softly, "Outsiders may not favor our family, but when that day truly comes, they will realize just how wrong they were."
The Female Patriarch said in a low voice, "But the two Elders don't have much time left. And while a few of the younger generation show promise for breaking through to Foundation Establishment, it's uncertain if they'll make it in time."
Tang Qiu Yao smiled. "The world is full of surprises. The Wu Family's leaders think victory is in their grasp, but you, Patriarch, will show them what a real surprise is."
The Patriarch fell into a thoughtful silence. After a moment, she said, "Inform the entire family. We cannot be careless. The foundation our family has toiled for centuries to build cannot be destroyed on our watch."
"Yes, Patriarch!"
Tang Qiu Yao acknowledged.
...
「On the foredeck of the Sea Boat.」
Ling Zifeng glanced at the vast Celestial Vault above with a flicker of doubt, but found nothing amiss. He turned his attention back to the table before him.
At that moment, besides the old man in white—his steward, Tian Wenhua—several dozen Ling Family disciples were on duty on the deck. The number of surrounding servants, guards, and maids was even greater.
Currently, Ling Zifeng managed over two thousand Loose Cultivator Pearl Gatherers, most of them recently recruited. This was because the family's upper echelon had raised the quotas for harvesting and stockpiling marine resources.
Thanks to the back-breaking labor of these two thousand-plus workhorses, Ling Zifeng's daily intake of various resources was a considerable sum.
The side effect was that every day, a few unlucky souls were left behind on the seabed forever, keeping the strange and bizarre sea monsters company.
But that was just the way it was for those who worked in the sea. If you came back, you were tough; if you didn't, it was fate.
Risking one's life for a chance at precious Spiritual Sand and Spirit Stones was a helpless necessity. There was no one to blame but fate.
Several more Large Sea Boats of the same specifications were on the surrounding waters, all under Ling Zifeng's command and dispatch.
"...How long has that kid been down there?"
Ling Zifeng asked lazily, holding his wine cup.
Tian Wenhua replied in a low voice, "It's been over two hours! Knowing his habits, he should be back any minute now!"
Ling Zifeng nodded. "It's good he's coming back soon. His status now is different from those workhorses. He should be spending more time on his Cultivation to improve his strength."
Having started practicing the Profound Truth Black Water Scripture, Ling Changqing was now considered a member of the family, and Ling Zifeng naturally saw him in a different light.
At that moment, dozens of fathoms deep in the icy water, the sharp-eyed Ling Changqing had been fighting an ice-mouthed short-tailed spotted fish for some time. He finally found an opening and viciously plunged his Short Sword into its belly.
He gripped the hilt and twisted it forcefully several times. The sea fish, over ten feet long and weighing more than seven hundred pounds, let out a hoarse, agonized roar. It thrashed and struggled desperately, churning up a great deal of sand and gravel from the seabed.
However, trapped in Ling Changqing's relentless grip, it had no hope of escape. In moments, its strength faded, and scarlet blood stained the surrounding water.
Ling Changqing raised a hand and pointed. A Profound Ice Talisman flared with light, freezing the great fish's entire body solid. He then stored it in his Storage Pouch.
The strong scent of blood spread through the water in all directions. With his keen Divine Soul, Ling Changqing could faintly sense several terrifying auras rapidly approaching.
Fortunately, today's haul was already sufficient. Ling Changqing formed a hand seal for a Spirit Technique, and the Water Escape Technique silently activated, carrying his body away from this treacherous place.
Just a few breaths later, swarms of Sea Beasts descended on the area, but where could they find any trace of the culprit?
Amidst the churning waves on the surface, Ling Changqing's figure emerged, enveloped in a faint blue curtain of light. His face was pale, his physical and Spiritual Power nearly depleted.
A small boat from the distance had already sped over. The servant rowing it was accustomed to the blue-robed youth's outstanding performance and said little upon seeing him.
A moment later, Ling Changqing was back on the foredeck of the Sea Boat.
"You're back?"
Ling Zifeng set down his wine cup, stood up, and said with a smile.
Ling Changqing nodded. "My luck was good today. I caught a big one, plus a pile of other miscellaneous things."
As he spoke, he took the ice-mouthed short-tailed spotted fish out of his Storage Pouch, along with piles of Moonlight Vine Gourds, Yunzhu Grass, Jade Crystal Winter Beauty Pearls, and several large chunks of Purple Profound Sand Gold Ore.
"...Nice one, kid! You really did it!"
Ling Zifeng's gaze was instantly captivated by the great fish. Even the many Ling Family disciples nearby were stunned, thinking for a moment that their eyes were deceiving them.
The ice-mouthed short-tailed spotted fish was a First Rank Demon Beast. Its combat power wasn't particularly formidable, but the key was that it was extremely rare. It typically lived in the Deep Sea, more than three hundred zhang down, and was seldom seen in shallower waters.
For Ling Changqing to not only find such a large creature today but also kill it and bring it back, was a true stroke of incredible luck.
Had it been any other Pearl Gatherer, they probably wouldn't have been able to handle it even if they did encounter one. A reckless attempt would most likely have cost them their life.
Tian Wenhua stepped forward to inspect it briefly and said in a low voice, "We can probably harvest four to five hundred pounds of meat from this. Plus the scales, bladder, bones, and so on are all very useful materials. Young Master, you've really... struck it rich this time!"
The meat of a Deep Sea ice-mouthed short-tailed spotted fish was tender and delicious, rich in Spiritual Qi. The benefits of consuming it regularly were self-evident, making it one of the high-end ingredients favored by wealthy Cultivators.
Naturally, the Ling Family's upper echelon wouldn't turn down such a prize. According to the prices on Ling Zifeng's resource collection list, one pound of fresh fish meat could be exchanged for ten Spiritual Sands.
Adding in the other valuable materials, Ling Changqing's haul this time had already surpassed what other Pearl Gatherers earned in several months of hard work.
"...Hmm, for your earnings this time, young man, let's round it up to a neat sum: one hundred and fifty Low-grade Spirit Stones, plus two hundred family merit points!"
Tian Wenhua quickly calculated the total value of Ling Changqing's haul, covertly exchanged a look with Ling Zifeng, and then announced the final price.
"Alright, thank you for your consideration, Lord Steward."
Ling Changqing nodded. He knew Ling Zifeng would surely earn much more from this himself, but there was no need to dwell on it.
Unfortunately, such pleasantly surprising hauls didn't happen every day. Otherwise, Ling Changqing feared he would soon be able to pay off his loan ahead of schedule.