Song Changsheng scratched his head with an awkward smile and said, "I thought I'd been discreet enough and didn't expect you to notice."
Just as Xia Yunxue had pointed out, when he released Chang Tianhua earlier, he had secretly injected a wisp of fire energy into his body. This trace of fire would follow his meridians and invade his dantian and Qi sea.
Once he started cultivating again, Chang Tianhua would feel as if his dantian were on fire, suffering unbearable pain.
This fire energy was a special ability granted by the cultivation technique Song Changsheng practiced. It could only be removed before it reached the dantian.
Once it got in, even Foundation Establishment cultivators would be helpless against it unless his Sect Master father could somehow procure a rare treasure to neutralize it, Chang Tianhua's cultivation path was essentially over.
It had to be said like mother, like son. Their methods were strikingly similar.
Using underhanded tactics might seem dishonorable, but mercy to your enemies is cruelty to yourself. It all came down to perspective.
"These spirit stones are for your cultivation." Xia Yunxue handed over the thousand-plus spirit stones they had extorted from the Earthfire Sect members to Song Changsheng.
He didn't decline partly because they came from his mother, and partly because his cultivation consumed a lot of resources. He needed the support.
And just like that, Song Changsheng was now carrying more than two thousand spirit stones practically a rich man.
Still, while it looked like a lot, spirit stones disappeared quickly. If he wanted to reach Foundation Establishment, this sum was far from enough...
Not long after, Third Elder Song Luyao arrived. She had just slain a mid-grade Tier-2 demonic beast. Feeling the tremors from Foundation Establishment-level combat, she had rushed over without rest, worried that Xia Yunxue might be in danger alone.
After Xia Yunxue explained everything that had happened, she returned to the mortal city that was where she was truly supposed to be stationed.
Once Xia Yunxue had departed, Song Luyao gave Song Changhu a cold glance and said, "Your cultivation is lacking, and you're too reckless. When we return, you'll go reflect behind the mountain for a month."
"Yes, ma'am." Song Changhu answered obediently, meek as a rabbit, without showing a hint of dissatisfaction.
Then Song Luyao turned to Song Changsheng. The frosty expression on her face finally softened a bit. "You did well. Your mother raised a good son. After the trial ends, I'll report your achievements to the Grand Elder."
"Thank you, Elder. This was simply my duty," Song Changsheng replied promptly.
"Hmph, too modest just like your father," Song Luyao shot coldly, then announced the end of the trial and told everyone to prepare for the return to the clan.
.....
Three Days Later – Clan Council Hall
In the clan's council hall, the elders who had stayed behind and several esteemed senior members of the family had gathered.
The seat of honor remained empty indicating that Song Xianming had not emerged from seclusion. This was not good news. Today's clan meeting was of great importance, and the patriarch's absence could only mean that his condition was worse than expected.
"If the hour has come, then let us begin," said Grand Elder Song Xianyun as he looked around the room.
"We've received word from Lu Ke's side. The main branch will soon be refining a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills. According to the agreement we have with them, we should be allotted three to five pills. I believe we should immediately start gathering spirit stones before something unexpected happens," said an elderly clan member, standing up and speaking gravely.
Song Xianyun turned his gaze to Song Luzhou, who wore the expression of someone about to weep. "Luzhou, you're in charge of the clan's finances and the Hundred Arts Hall. Give me a straight answer how many spirit stones can we spare right now?"
"Uncle Twenty-One, it's not that I'm being negligent, but the truth is... we don't have much to offer at the moment.
"The merchant route through Luoxia City has been cut off for years that alone has cost us thousands of spirit stones annually.
"The demon-hunting teams are down to just two, and they bring in only a few hundred spirit stones a year. It's barely better than nothing. As for the spirit stone mine we've ceded ten percent of the profits to those five families, which means another few thousand gone each year..."
Song Luzhou launched into a long, exaggerated account of the clan's financial woes over the years. From his tone, posture, and delivery, it sounded like the clan was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Bang!
A senior elder slammed the table and stood up, beard bristling, eyes wide in fury. "You brat! All this talk of hardship just tells me how much we have. After all these years of careful management, don't tell me we have nothing! If we don't, then it means you've been lining your own pockets!"
Song Luzhou shrank back a little, looking wronged. "Uncle, you're accusing me unjustly."
"Then tell us how many spirit stones do we have?"
"100,000. That's the maximum. Not a coin more," Song Luzhou said stubbornly.
"100,000? Can we get five Foundation Establishment Pills with that?" The elder pounded the table again in frustration.
Others quickly stepped in to calm him down, worried that the over-hundred-year-old elder might keel over from rage.
Once the elder had been soothed, Song Xianyun cleared his throat and said, "Luzhou, even though the main branch is giving us a favorable price, each pill still costs over 30,000 spirit stones. 100,000 won't be enough. See if there's anywhere else we can scrape something together."
Still stubborn, Song Luzhou replied, "Unless we borrow from the entire clan, I won't be able to cough up another coin."
Sigh... Song Xianyun let out a deep sigh. He knew Luzhou wasn't lying stingy as he was, the man had always been reliable when it came to the clan's major affairs.
If Luzhou said he could only come up with 100,000, it meant the clan's resources had truly been stretched to the limit.
"Prepare an announcement. I'll swallow my pride and personally ask our clansmen for support," Song Xianyun said solemnly.
"Sigh... I'll contribute 300 spirit stones," said one elder as he stood.
"I'll offer 200."
"I'll give 400."
One by one, the elders stood and pledged their savings. They were only Qi Refining cultivators, and these amounts were almost everything they had.
"I'll contribute 3,000," declared Song Xianyun.
Song Luzhou grimaced as though parting with his soul. "I'll give 2,500."
When it came to Third Elder Song Luyao's turn, however, she said coldly, "Everyone, I believe it's still too early to be raising money."
Before she even finished, Song Luzhou leaped up and said, "Ninth Sister! I already emptied my coffin savings you're not seriously hesitating now, are you?"
Song Luyao shot him a cold glare. "Not everyone is as obsessed with money as you. Uncle Twenty-One, I have reason to say this."
Song Xianyun nodded. "Explain."
"The last time we received Foundation Establishment Pills from the main branch was eight years ago. Back then, we were supposed to get six pills, but they deducted three under various pretexts.
"In the end, those three pills helped our sister-in-law and Twelfth Brother reach the Foundation Establishment.
"We all know the reasons they gave were just excuses. In truth, the pills that should have come to us were redistributed to other branch families.
"And the reason was simple after that war, the Patriarch lost his chance to break through to the Purple Mansion realm, and our family suffered severe losses. The main branch no longer sees us as valuable. We've declined to the level of a Foundation Establishment clan.
"So yes on paper, we should get five pills this time. But in reality, even securing just three might be a struggle. That's all I have to say."
Her words cast a shadow over everyone in the room because the situation she described was all too likely to come true.
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