Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1255: Chapter 821: Fat Sheep and Neighbor (Part 2)

Among these, some can become spirit beasts, serving as the battle companions of Martial Artists, such as the Red Cloud Horse, Flying Slave Eagle, Gale Grey Wolf, and Golden Feathered Fire Crow.

Some can be production-type mutant beasts, capable of yielding special materials, like the bones and fur of the Gold-devouring Rat, the Spiritual Amber secreted by the Spiritual Amber Moth, or the silk of the Crystalized Demon Spider.

Some can be used as delicacies; many aquatic mutant beasts relocated from the lakes of the Ancient Relic Array are rare gastronomic treats.

Some are still in the discovery phase, like the Red-tailed Sawtooth Fish, which is very fierce and difficult to tame. Currently, various departments in the Clan Hall are researching the uses of this mutant beast.

In the Spirit Source Land, taming mutant beasts and utilizing beast materials have long been skilled trades.

The head of the Beast Taming Department is Luo Feiyu. He became the head because, besides Yang Zhenshan, he was the first to tame the Gale Grey Wolf, and a mature one at that.

Yang Zhenshan subdued the Green Wolf King with strength, earning the wolf pack’s recognition, while Luo Feiyu similarly subdued a Gale Grey Wolf, gaining a loyal and reliable Gale Grey Wolf.

“These Cloud Tiger Cubs are excellent; properly trained, we might need them for cavalry formation in the future!”

In the horse farm of the Beast Taming Department, Yang Zhenshan released four Cloud Tiger Cubs and spoke to Luo Feiyu.

Cavalry formed with Innate Martial Artists and mutant beasts is something Yang Zhenshan has anticipated for a long time.

Sadly, the Spirit Source Land has been unable to form such a cavalry.

Although Spirit Source Land has long had the Red Cloud Horses, which can be used as mounts, the horses have too many drawbacks. Firstly, their flight speed is too slow; in aerial combat, they’re like sitting ducks. Secondly, their endurance is poor, with at most a flight of two hours, clearly unsuitable for flying mounts.

Red Cloud Horses originally were just ordinary horses, and even after generations of breeding to become mutant beasts, their potential remains low.

If one wished for them to breed Second-Order mutant beast bloodlines, it would take at least a thousand years of breeding.

In contrast, Cloud Tiger Cubs are more suitable as mounts for Innate Martial Artists. Once adulthood is reached, Cloud Tiger Cubs can achieve the Qi Refining Middle Stage, and with some training, can reach the Late-stage Qi Refining. Carefully cultivated over decades, they might even advance to a Second-Order mutant beast.

Therefore, among these mutant beasts, Yang Zhenshan values the Cloud Tiger Cubs the most.

As for the Illusion Moon Fox and Heavenly Turtle Beast, they’re also just First-order mutant beasts; it’s not easy to cultivate them to Second-Order.

The reason why Illusion Moon Sect and Wuxiang Sect have these two Second-Order mutant beasts is that the two Major Sects spent hundreds of years cultivating them.

“Understood, Family Head. We’ll nurture them well!” Luo Feiyu said, smiling as he patted the mane of a Cloud Tiger Cub.

The appearance of the Cloud Tiger Cub looks quite fierce, but they are actually very gentle mutant beasts. As long as they’re not provoked, they remain well-behaved.

“Yes, the Spirit Fish and Mystic Turtle also need careful breeding. Whether we can have fish every meal depends on those Spirit Fish and Mystic Turtles!” Yang Zhenshan laughed.

White River Spirit Fish and Nine Patterned Xuan Turtle are gourmet delicacies; Yang Zhenshan holds great expectations for them.

Once they breed freely in the Spirit Source Land, Yang Zhenshan intends to savor their flavors.

“Haha, I’ll personally look after those Spirit Fish and Mystic Turtles!” Luo Feiyu chuckled.

Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder, “I’ll leave these spirit beasts to you then!”

Leaving the horse farm, Yang Zhenshan returned to the cave dwelling in Lotus Heart Valley.

Upon returning, he discovered a guest in his cave dwelling.

An old man with silvery white hair, dressed in a gray-white feathered robe, exuding a certain immortal aura.

Yu Qingyi was entertaining the elder, and they seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.

“Who might this be?” Yang Zhenshan inquired.

“Master, this is our neighbor, Immortal Master Yao Fu.” Yu Qingyi introduced upon seeing Yang Zhenshan return.

Neighbor!

Yang Zhenshan cupped his hands in greeting, “I am Yang Zhenshan, greetings to Senior Yao!”

“Haha, greetings, Pleasant to meet you, Yang. I came uninvited, forgive me!” Yao Fu said.

After polite exchanges, the two sat down, while Yu Qingyi refilled Yao Fu’s tea.

Yang Zhenshan soon began chatting with Yao Fu, who didn’t discuss any serious matters, just idly chatted for over two hours before leaving, seemingly having merely come to visit the neighbor.

“Strange, this person seems to be showing friendliness!” Yang Zhenshan said, puzzled when he saw him off.

“Hmm, this person seems somewhat humble! What is his cultivation?” Yu Qingyi asked.

Yang Zhenshan replied, “Qi Refining Eighth Layer.”

“Qi Refining Eighth Layer, in this Lotus Heart Valley, that’s not considered low-level,” Yu Qingyi noted.

In Lotus Heart Valley, there are many Immortal Cultivators, yet they don’t have an easy time.

Cultivators in the Qi Refining Early Stage without backing are like ordinary people in Lotus Heart Valley, working in shops or doing chores—simply put, they’re like laborers.

Don’t assume all Immortal Cultivators have cave dwellings; those at the bottom in Lotus Heart Valley live outside the valley, in the shanty town without any array protection, where spiritual energy is much lower compared to inside the valley.

Living outside the valley is a fortunate thing for them, as they can absorb some spiritual energy from Lotus Heart Valley’s spirit vein.

In Lotus Heart Valley, having Qi Refining Middle Stage cultivation barely allows a decent life, and Late-stage Qi Refining is finally a little respectable.

Of course, those with unique skills are exceptions.

The Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation mean that any unique skill allows one to live well in Lotus Heart Valley.

However, learning these skills isn’t easy; Pill and Artifact, talisman arrays are even harder, requiring significant backing from family sects impossible for commoners.

When Yang Zhenshan studied alchemy, wasted ingredients alone cost thousands of spirit stones, and while refining Jade Marrow Pill, more than ten thousand spirit stones were consumed before success.

Such expenses are impossible for Loose Cultivators.

Besides the expenses, inheritance is also needed.

Ordinary Loose Cultivators finding inheritance of any Immortal Hundred Arts poses extreme difficulty; even the common Spirit Plant Farmer’s inheritance is hard to obtain.

Thus, many Qi Refining Early Stage cultivators only do menial jobs, little different from ordinary folk.

And Yao Fu at Qi Refining Eighth Layer doesn’t necessarily need to be so humble in showing goodwill; he isn’t aware Yang Zhenshan possesses Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation.

…

In the subsequent days, Yao Fu would often visit, not merely for a free cup of spiritual tea, but bringing small gifts now and then, like a few ounces of spiritual tea, a few pounds of spiritual wine, or some mutant beast meat.

Though modest, the gifts weren’t irksome.

Yao Fu was a long-time resident of Lotus Heart Valley, having lived here for nearly a century, and was well aware of many things in Lotus Heart Valley.

Yang Zhenshan was glad to chat with him because he could gain deeper insights into Lotus Heart Valley and the Qingli Dynasty from him.

Until after the new year when Yao Fu brought his grandson to visit Yang Zhenshan, Yang Zhenshan learned Yao Fu’s motive for befriending him.

The Yao family is an Immortal Cultivation Family; according to Yao Fu, his grandfather was an Immortal Cultivator, reaching the sixth layer and obtaining some incomplete talisman inheritance, considered a mid-grade First-order Talisman Master.

Due to his grandfather’s opportunity, the Yao family became an Immortal Cultivation Family.

However, the Yao family is small, having lasted over two hundred years, producing only six Immortal Cultivators, and except for Yao Fu and his grandson Yao Cheng, others have passed away.

Thus, the Yao family currently has only Yao Fu and Yao Cheng as Immortal Cultivators.

Yet, the Yao family has dozens with no spiritual aperture, some living in the mundane world, some in Lotus Heart Valley, barely qualifying as an Immortal Cultivation Family within the valley.

Yao Fu seeks goodwill not only from Yang Zhenshan but also many neighbors and small families in Lotus Heart Valley.

What he seeks is merely ensuring that when his lifespan ends, people may care for his grandson, allowing his grandson and the Yao family to continue surviving in Lotus Heart Valley.

It’s an old cultivator’s helplessness and sorrow.

Yang Zhenshan can understand Yao Fu’s predicament; his grandson, Yao Cheng, has only Qi Refining Third Layer cultivation, lacking care in the future would make life very difficult in Lotus Heart Valley.