Family Rise by Daily Intelligence

Chapter 638 - 276: Thousand Faces Technique, Noble Family Predicament, Lake of Ten Thousand Ghosts

After Tian Clan Leader and his entourage left arrogantly, Xu Clan Leader’s fist, hidden in his sleeve, clenched and unclenched, despite his frustration:

"Situ Clan Leader, are we just going to let the Tian Family lead us by the nose like this?

If the [Profound Yin Grass] is snatched by the Tian Family, won’t they quickly have several members reaching the Half-Step Purple Mansion in their three families?

In that case,

their combat power would surpass ours.

This is putting us into a deadlock.

In the future, any benefits will slip from our hands, and even if there are any, we’ll only get the scraps!"

The Situ Family isn’t so bad off.

After all, Situ Feng possesses Purple Mansion Cultivation, one of only two among the Five Eighth-Grade Families, but our Xu Family is different.

We managed to ascend to Eighth Grade, relying on my daughter’s operation within the World Suppression Bureau. Now, in the clan, we can’t even manage a Half-Step Purple Mansion, let alone a Great Cultivator of the Purple Mansion.

Overall, our strength ranks the lowest among the Five Eighth-Grade Families.

Therefore,

in the resource allocation of North Huai Prefecture, our Xu Family almost never has any share, but to ascend to Eighth Grade, we’ve taken on considerable debt.

If this continues,

under the suppression of families like the Tian Family, our Xu Family is likely to decline rapidly and may be gradually devoured by them.

Hence,

today, the Yinluo Secret Realm is an opportunity for our Xu Family’s rise. If we can find the [Profound Yin Grass], even one member reaching Half-Step Purple Mansion will improve our disadvantage in the Eighth-Grade Families.

However,

after all his talking,

Situ Feng remained unmoved, adopting a nonchalant posture.

Normally, he wouldn’t have put up with this, but he needed something from Situ Feng, so he could only humble himself and say:

"Situ Clan Leader, since the Tian Family has decided to let ability speak, the cultivators our two families send into the Secret Realm might have to cooperate to have a chance. Clan Leader Situ, considering we still have a year, why not let our clan members familiarize themselves and practice some collaboration outside? What do you think?"

Situ Feng picked up a Yunsong Pastry from the tea table and said lightly:

"Xu Clan Leader, even if I want my clansmen to cooperate with yours, your Young Master Changqing likely won’t agree. To avoid unnecessary internal conflict, let’s act separately, as Clan Leader Tian said, and trust in fate."

This time entering the Yinluo Secret Realm, the Xu Family had the fewest slots, only three, while the Situ Family had seven.

The three Xu Family members going to the Secret Realm included Xu Changqing, a notorious playboy, another being Xu Changzhi, who followed his lead, and Xu Changyun, a lesser branch disciple, who used some trickery at the family tournament to secure a slot.

To Situ Feng, the Xu Family trio was nothing but liabilities, likely to only drag down progress, especially with Xu Changqing’s notorious reputation for being distracted by beauty.

Having hit a wall with Situ Feng, Xu Clan Leader returned to the camp discouraged, only to find Xu Changyun present. He gritted his teeth and asked:

"Where are Changqing and Changzhi?"

"Reporting to Clan Leader, the eldest young master wanted to stroll outside. He left some time ago and asked me to convey a message that he’ll return before the Secret Realm opens."

"He’s out of control! He acts on his own without awaiting my orders!"

This clearly showed a lack of regard for him as both the clan leader and his father.

Xu Clan Leader smacked the Eight Immortals Table in anger.

This son, spoiled by his aunt since childhood, was not meant to participate in this Secret Realm mission due to its danger and his unreliability.

Yet,

the son had asked his aunt that morning.

Xu Family’s ascent to Eighth Grade largely relied on his aunt in the World Suppression Bureau, leaving him bound to heed some decisions.

But now it seemed,

the Xu Family couldn’t count on retrieving the [Profound Yin Grass] from the Yinluo Secret Realm.

Xu Clan Leader sighed in frustration.

.....

Under the Xu Family’s camp, a Shadow Ghost Fiend carrying a Spirit-devouring Insect vanished like a ghost from beneath Bone Mountain.

After about a quarter of an hour,

the Shadow Ghost Fiend appeared on a small hill to the southwest.

The Spirit-devouring Insect opened its mouth.

A Memory Bean Pod fluttered toward Fu Changsheng.

After catching it, Fu Changsheng cast a technique, and instantly the scene from the recent council of the five major Eighth-Grade Families in North Huai appeared:

"Yinluo Secret Realm?"

A Secret Realm exists within this Forbidden Land?

Moreover, the entrance is the Ancient Tomb.

Fu Changsheng was somewhat surprised.

He vaguely understood why the major families created an atmosphere suggesting one could only enter, not exit, regarding the Yinluo Ghost Armor — to protect this Secret Realm.

Additionally,

the Five Great Families aimed for the [Profound Yin Grass] this time.

The first breakthrough to the Purple Mansion is to open the Niwan Palace, and the [Profound Yin Grass] serves as an auxiliary spiritual object, requiring growth in Yin Qi-rich areas with stringent conditions. Its artificial cultivation is unheard of within Great Zhou, mostly harvested from various Secret Realm Cave Mansions or sect relics.

This explains why,

ordinarily, Ninth-Grade Noble Families only have the opportunity to break through to the Purple Mansion after ascending to Eighth Grade.

Because Eighth-Grade Families serve as a stepping stone.

Upon learning this information, Fu Changsheng felt somewhat excited.