Chapter 550 - 296: Xianyin Pavilion: Why Don’t You Marry a Few More...

「Linsha Continent.」

Atop a cluster of mountains, within a newly constructed manor, over a hundred beautiful women in gorgeous gowns, all with bright eyes and pearly teeth, were listening to the Patriarch lecture on the Dao.

Their attire was somewhat thin, revealing large swathes of flawless, snowy skin. With hair as black as ink and exquisitely beautiful features, their large, clear eyes were filled with concentration.

These were the most outstanding young women from the last batch of new recruits, selected for their all-around qualities. Now, they were being personally trained and guided by the Patriarch, Ling Changqing.

Behind a ten-foot-long Golden Silk Mingtan Wood Table carved with dragons and phoenixes, Ling Changqing sat ramrod straight. Dressed in magnificent purple robes, with red lips and white teeth, his clear, cold voice, tinged with majesty, echoed unhurriedly throughout the hall.

As the Patriarch, Ling Changqing had many matters to worry about on a daily basis, so he didn’t often guide the family’s new generation in their Cultivation. Only his own Dao Companions were worthy of his extra time and effort.

In the crowd, Bai Shuangqi lowered her head and adjusted the embroidered, lace-trimmed collar of her dress, which felt a bit too low. The exquisite, bright red bustier with gold patterns outlined a deep, bottomless, snowy-white cleavage.

Although she had been at the family’s main residence for some time, coming from a common fisherman’s family, she still felt a little shy about this overly bold and revealing attire, especially the undergarments.

Fortunately, all the sisters around her were dressed the same way. More importantly, the Patriarch liked it, so she had gradually grown used to it.

After inscribing a few key cultivation tips into the Jade Scroll before her, Bai Shuangqi let out a soft breath and turned her head to glance out the window.

The feng shui here was superb. Looking out through the Array’s light barrier at the edge of the manor, the magnificent landscape of mountains and rivers unfolded like a painted scroll. Spiritual Qi suffused the air, creating a unique and natural vista.

It was said that Ling Changqing himself was very pleased with the scenery here, which was why he had ordered this manor to be built. Whenever he had free time, he would bring a bevy of his beauties here for a short stay.

From the peak, one could see two majestic and imposing mountain ranges to the north and south, wreathed in clouds and mist.

On the great plain at the foot of the mountains, several great rivers, like Jade Belts, meandered through, connecting east to west and branching into countless smaller tributaries. Their clear waters reflected the Celestial Vault.

For any Nascent Soul power, this was a feng shui treasure land that one could only hope to encounter by chance. If a Grade Five Spirit Vein were to form here in the future, it would be qualified to serve as the foundation for a Divinity Transformation power.

More than an hour later, Ling Changqing set down the Jade Scroll Book in his hands and his gaze swept over the crowd of alluring and beautiful Female Cultivators, who were all sitting upright before him.

They returned his gaze with tender affection, a fervent heat hidden within their moist, beautiful eyes. In any case, most of these young women already knew what their future held, so their attitude toward him was naturally not so reserved or fearful.

"...Alright, that’s all for today!"

He said gently, "You are all free to do as you please now, but you may not leave the manor grounds."

"Yes, Patriarch."

The Female Cultivators obediently agreed. Once Ling Changqing stood up and left the hall, they completely relaxed and began to chatter amongst themselves.

Ling Changqing rounded a corridor and, following a familiar path, took a seat in an octagonal stone pavilion, his gaze drifting several dozen yards away.

A biting mountain wind howled past, brushing against the azure light barrier of the Array and stirring faint ripples across its surface.

The summit was actually ten thousand zhang high in the sky, with the highest clouds only reaching the halfway point up the mountain. As a result, not only was the high-altitude airflow here bone-chillingly cold, but the wind speed was also incredibly fierce. Low Grade Cultivators wouldn’t dare to set foot here casually.

Ten years had passed since his return from the Qinghao Continent. The situation in the Yuzhou Cultivation Realm had temporarily calmed down, but things in Shunzhou were anything but peaceful.

The powers from several surrounding continents had already formed an alliance, with the Buddhist Pure Land as its leader, and launched several probing attacks against the Primordial Demon Palace with a large number of experts.

The Primordial Demon Palace, of course, wouldn’t just sit back and take a beating. It fought back without any sign of weakness. The current result was a stalemate; neither side could get the upper hand.

The two sides were still in a standoff, but the higher-ups on both ends were gradually losing patience. The outbreak of all-out war might only need an insignificant spark.

However, due to the great distance, Yuzhou had not yet been affected. Although powers like the Yu Family, Lu Hua Palace, the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty, and the Liu Ying Clan had joined the alliance, their Disciples had not yet had the chance to go to the battlefield.

Ling Changqing knew very well that all-out war was bound to come sooner or later. It was an unavoidable calamity for this world.

From his perspective, there was no need for too many complicated thoughts right now. All that mattered was managing his family peacefully; nothing else was important.

After a moment of contemplation, Ling Changqing’s Divine Thought sank deep into his sea of consciousness and began to communicate with Gong Ling.

Within his sea of consciousness, a message radiating a mysterious Dao Rhyme silently appeared:

[Master of the Era Star Palace: Ling Changqing]

[Bone Age: 116/2940]

[Cultivation: Middle stage Nascent Soul]

[Destiny: 440+919]

[Blessed Fortune: 433+736]

[Physique: 160]

[Root Bone: 175]

[Comprehension: 197]

[Divine Soul: 377]

[Alchemy Dao: 0/160,000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]

[Talisman Dao: 0/160,000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]

[Array Dao: 0/160,000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]

[Artifact Dao: 0/160,000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]

[Celestial Secret Technique and Divination: 0/200,000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]

[Primary Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Origin Secret Manual (Second Layer) 70,145/80,000]

[Primary Cultivation Technique: Taiyin Moonlight Divine Heart Refining Scripture (Fifth Layer) 166/80,000]

[Sword Cultivation Technique: Kunling Sword Manual (Second Layer) 70,760/80,000]

[Primary Cultivation Technique: Langhuan Celestial Essence Secret Manual (Fifth Layer) 580/80,000]

[Body Cultivation Technique: Xinghai Jade Pool Scripture (Second Layer) 66,510/60,000]

[Spirit Root: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Middle Grade Celestial Rank 339/80,000]

[Nobles: Celestial Monarch Luo Qi/Ji Minghui/Ji Xuanchen/Xia Qingying/Luo Du/]

[Dao Companions: Qin Mengxuan/Ling Qiyue/Luo Qingxuan/Xue Qingtan/Meng Feiyu/Su Qinglian/Yu Ruoshuang]

[Dao Companions: Bai Qingyi/Shangguan Qingying/Liu Ying Ziyi/Cen Xuyi/Mu Yunxiu/Mu Xinlan...]

The opportunities obtained from the Hongmeng Divine Hall, coupled with diligent, day-and-night Dual Cultivation with the women of his harem, had significantly advanced Ling Changqing’s breakthrough to the Middle stage Nascent Soul realm.

He had made breakthroughs in both the Taiyin Moonlight Divine Heart Refining Scripture and the Langhuan Celestial Essence Secret Manual. The former enhanced and strengthened his Divine Soul Origin, while the latter increased the total amount and purity of his Magical Power.

The remaining Primary Cultivation Techniques had also progressed to varying degrees, mainly due to the effect of sacrificing his Lifespan.

Furthermore, his skills in the Pill Talisman Array and the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination could now be further upgraded to the Upper Grade, provided he had enough Lifespan.

Because the total amount and condensed purity of his Magical Power far exceeded that of an ordinary Middle stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and with numerous Spiritual Treasures at his disposal, he could now face Late stage Nascent Soul or Peak Nascent Soul Cultivators without any pressure.

Perhaps only a Cultivator at the Divinity Transformation Level could guarantee suppressing Ling Changqing. After all, at this stage, the difficulty of challenging those in a higher Realm increased exponentially; even the most monstrous of geniuses would struggle.

However, if the Era Star Palace were to intervene, coupled with Ling Changqing’s supreme Luck and Fortune, the situation would be entirely different.

’Late stage Nascent Soul... a smooth breakthrough probably won’t be this easy. Without a great opportunity, I’ll likely need to grind for another two or three hundred years?’

Ling Changqing mused to himself, not feeling particularly anxious about it.

’Alright, for now, let’s upgrade the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination to the Rank Four High Grade level. The other Art Skills can wait.’

Ling Changqing instructed Gong Ling.

"Understood. This will require you to expend one thousand nine hundred years of Lifespan, Master. Are you sure you wish to proceed?"

"Proceed!"

Ling Changqing confirmed. As the Era Star Palace recovered further, its Lifespan consumption had also decreased. If he had done this during the Early stage Nascent Soul realm, the cost would have been two thousand years of Lifespan.

A chaotic-colored flame of Dao enveloped Ling Changqing. His lifespan melted away like snow under a scorching sun, with the greater part of it vanishing in an instant.

[Bone Age: 116/1,040]

[Celestial Secret Technique and Divination: 0/300,000 (Rank Four High Grade)]

As for the four Art Skills of the Pill Talisman Array, his Lifespan was now insufficient, so Ling Changqing decided to wait and wasn’t in a hurry to upgrade them.

"Your abilities must have recovered somewhat, right?"

Ling Changqing said to Gong Ling.

"Yes, they have recovered a little, but not by much. After all, it was only a minor realm advancement."

Gong Ling replied.

Other abilities aside, the "Defying Fate" ability alone could now be used twice a month, on up to fifteen people each time, at the cost of one hundred years of Ling Changqing’s Lifespan.

In addition, the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land space of the Era Star Palace had expanded again, now reaching a radius of eighty li. The abundance of its Spiritual Qi was equivalent to a Grade Five Middle Grade Spirit Vein.

This would be more than enough to accommodate his many Dao Companions at the Divinity Transformation Realm for their residence and Cultivation in Seclusion.

After a long while, Ling Changqing concluded his conversation with Gong Ling and opened his eyes once more.

The sound of light footsteps approached. Cen Xuyi, bright and enchanting in a snow-white dress, walked in with graceful poise. She was followed by several young women as beautiful as peach blossoms, who carried trays of various pastries and fruits.

"Husband..."

The beautiful woman called out softly, then glanced back, signaling for the young women to enter and place the trays on the stone table in front of Ling Changqing.

"Is something the matter outside?"

Ling Changqing beckoned. The beauty’s lovely face flushed slightly. She waved for the Maids to withdraw, then lifted her skirt and came over to sit in his lap.

As her fragrant, smooth, soft, and voluptuously warm body settled into his arms, the flames in Ling Changqing’s heart couldn’t help but stir once more.

"Just now, Sister Yue asked me to come and invite you over, Husband. She said that the Elder Sect Leader of the Xianyin Pavilion has personally arrived and is asking to see you by name!"

Cen Xuyi said with a shy pout, using her long, shapely leg to press down on Ling Changqing’s misbehaving hand.

"Her?"

Ling Changqing was taken aback for a moment and immediately stopped what he was doing.

He was mentally prepared for this. Or rather, this was the showdown he had instructed Meng Feiyu to initiate with the upper echelons of the Xianyin Pavilion.

When Meng Feiyu first came to preside over the Ling Family’s territory, she was merely a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. It was only after gradually awakening the memories of her past life and becoming Ling Changqing’s Dao Companion that her Cultivation began to advance by leaps and bounds.

However, for the sake of secrecy, Meng Feiyu did not immediately report this to her superiors, choosing to conceal it instead.

Until she set off for the Hongmeng Divine Hall on the Qinghao Continent, the Cultivation level Meng Feiyu publicly displayed was only Late stage Golden Core, and the higher-ups of the Xianyin Pavilion never suspected a thing.

After returning from the Hongmeng Divine Hall, Meng Feiyu felt that her position was secure, and so she finally chose to lay her cards on the table with the Xianyin Pavilion’s leadership.

Of course, she didn’t reveal everything. She only said that she had caught the eye of the Ling Family’s Patriarch, who had given her many opportunities, allowing her to step into the Divinity Transformation Realm ahead of schedule.

The Xianyin Pavilion’s upper echelons took this matter extremely seriously. After some internal discussion, the Elder Sect Leader herself actually came to the Linsha Continent, intending to have a proper talk with Ling Changqing.

"I see. In that case, I’ll go and meet her."

Ling Changqing nodded nonchalantly. This was something he would have to face sooner or later; there was no avoiding it.

However, according to the newly upgraded Secret Method of Celestial Secret Calculation, Ling Changqing felt that this matter might not be trouble. On the contrary, it could be some kind of opportunity.

Ling Changqing stood up and left with Cen Xuyi, riding an Escape Light. A moment later, he was in a Secret Hall, meeting the person in question.

She was a beautiful woman with a cold expression and a majestic, powerful aura. She wore a deep purple Li Huang Xianglong Purple Robe, her hair was adorned with Vermilion Jade Phoenix Hairpins, and her almost exaggeratedly curvaceous figure appeared exceedingly elegant, dignified, and alluringly charming.

This was the current Elder Sect Leader of the Xianyin Pavilion: Ziyunxi. Her Cultivation was no less than Qin Mengxuan’s, and she was a renowned heavyweight in the Yuzhou Cultivation Realm.

Ling Changqing walked over slowly, nodding slightly in greeting, his salutation neither humble nor arrogant.

Given his current true identity and status, he didn’t really need to be overly deferential to her, even if she was the Elder Sect Leader of a sect.

"Patriarch Ling, there’s no need for such formalities. Please, sit and talk."

Ziyunxi turned her head, her beautiful eyes, as brilliant as stars, sweeping over Ling Changqing for a moment. She smiled and nodded.

"That girl Fei Yu is quite good. No wonder you took a liking to her! I am naturally happy to help you two be together.

However, since you’re so capable... how about marrying a few more?"

"..."