Vol. 1 - Ch. 78 - Innate Realm

After Chen Xingzhen turned around, the smile on his face vanished. 

Beside him, Chen Tianjing looked equally worried and said,

"Patriarch, the Liu clan definitely has bad intentions. Why did you agree to their request?"

Chen Xingzhen sighed, his expression grave. 

"Of course, I know that. But since they discovered the Blood Rice, they must already have some idea of the situation. If we tried to hide it or outright refused them, wouldn't that just confirm their suspicions and show that we know their true intentions?"

"Only by agreeing could we avoid exposing any missteps," he continued, his brow furrowed in thought.

Though it seemed the immediate crisis had been averted, Chen Xingzhen knew the Liu clan would make another move soon. He needed to prepare for the worst. But could his performance today truly deceive the Liu clan long enough to buy the Chen clan more time?

More worrisome was the strength of the Liu clan. One of the warriors in Liu Zishan's group, a late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm cultivator, hadn't appeared in their previous investigations. Could the Liu clan be even more powerful than they had thought?

But Chen Xingzhen’s greatest fear wasn’t those Blood Coagulation Realm warriors—it was the possibility that the Liu clan might have an Innate Realm warrior. If that were true, how could the Chen clan resist?

One thing was certain: the Natural Blood Spring could never be handed over.

Chen Xingzhen’s tone hardened as he ordered, 

"Inform everyone to prepare for battle. Double the number of guards tonight. I will seek guidance from the Divine Tree and consult the elders."

Chen Tianjing and the other man beside him shared a solemn look before swiftly heading off to organize the clan's defences.

Meanwhile, Liu Zishan and his two companions were some distance away from the Chen estate. The smile on Liu Zishan's face had long since disappeared.

One of the clan members at his side spoke up, 

"Patriarch, the Chen clan is still planting Blood Rice in winter. They likely don't realize that the Blood Spring goes dormant in this season. They might not even know that the Blood Rice here is due to the Natural Blood Spring. The way the Chen patriarch agreed so easily—it seems we can bargain for something else without resorting to violence."

The other clan member nodded. 

"Zicheng is right. The Chen clan seems ignorant of the spring's true significance. Based on my observations, they don’t have many Blood Coagulation Realm warriors. I could easily lead a team tonight to capture the estate and secure the spring."

But Liu Zishan shook his head. 

"You underestimate them. This time, I used a bamboo leaf blessed by Lord Qingling. The Chen clan is not as simple as they appear, especially their ancestral hall—there are too many unknowns. Unfortunately, Lord Qingling is currently in a deep sleep and cannot offer us more guidance. Additionally, none of the Chen clan members have left the estate, which shows they are prepared for a confrontation. How could they not know about the Blood Spring?"

Hearing Liu Zishan’s insight, the two clan members’ expressions shifted. They had been too focused on evaluating the Chen clan’s martial strength and had overlooked these crucial details. Coupled with the warnings from their own clan totem, it was clear that obtaining the Natural Blood Spring would not be as simple as they had thought.

"Chief, what do we do next?" one of the clan members asked. 

"We can't seriously give them the secret recipe for Blood Rice, can we?"

Liu Zishan smiled faintly. 

"The Chen clan has some strength, but as for their clan totem… we cannot afford to fail this time."

He paused before giving his next command. 

"Tomorrow, inform all our warriors to prepare. I will personally ask Elder Shengrong to come out of seclusion."

At these words, both men visibly relaxed.

Liu Shengrong was a revered elder of the Liu clan, an Innate Realm-level warrior who had once been at the peak of the Innate Realm, nearing a breakthrough to the Inner Qi stage of the Five Elements. 

Unfortunately, due to a grievous injury sustained during a past clan conflict, his cultivation had dropped to the early stages of the Innate Realm, and he had gone into seclusion to heal ever since.

Despite this, an Innate Realm warrior was an insurmountable force compared to a Blood Coagulation Realm cultivator. 

The Chen clan, lacking such a powerhouse, wouldn't stand a chance. If Elder Shengrong could be persuaded to join them, the Natural Blood Spring would surely fall into the Liu clan's hands.

…

The Secret Chamber of the Liu clan

Liu Zishan respectfully bowed his head toward the sealed stone chamber and called out in a solemn voice, 

"Liu Zishan, the current head of the Liu clan, respectfully requests the presence of Elder Shengrong!"

His voice echoed in the still air, fading as it reverberated through the stone crevices. Liu Zishan stood silently, showing no signs of impatience. 

He waited for what felt like an eternity, his heart steady but expectant. Finally, after half an hour, the sound of stone grinding against stone broke the silence. The massive door to the chamber slowly rumbled open, revealing an elderly man.

Elder Shengrong emerged with a weathered face, his long white hair and beard indicating the toll of age. His expression was as stern as ever, but a subtle vigor lingered in the air around him. 

As soon as Liu Zishan laid eyes on him, a wave of relief washed over him. He had feared the worst during the elder’s long seclusion, wondering if his declining condition had taken a fatal turn.

Fortunately, the elder was still alive, and more importantly, his aura seemed stronger than before.

"Elder, are your injuries healed?" Liu Zishan asked in surprise, his voice filled with cautious hope.

Shengrong shook his head, his expression calm but distant. 

"They have only improved slightly. I’ve returned to the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, but it will take more time to fully recover my peak strength."

Without skipping a beat, Shengrong’s sharp eyes locked onto Liu Zishan. 

"Before I went into seclusion, I told you not to disturb me unless it was of great importance. Now that you have called me, I assume there’s progress?"

Wasting no time, Liu Zishan relayed the news about the discovery of the Natural Blood Spring and its potential to rejuvenate their dying clan totem. As he recounted the recent developments, Shengrong’s stern expression gradually gave way to satisfaction. His lips curled into a rare smile.

"Good, good, good!" Shengrong exclaimed, repeating the word three times. The joy in his voice was undeniable. 

Relying on himself alone to restore his cultivation was indeed too slow. However, with the help of the clan totem, he could save a lot of time.

The Natural Blood Spring was exactly what he had been hoping for—its power not only promised to restore the totem but also offered the possibility of accelerating his recovery.

For Elder Shengrong, time was his greatest enemy. At one hundred and thirty years old, he had long passed his prime. The setback from his previous injury had stripped him of ten precious years, leaving him with only a decade to live. 

Without the help of the totem, it would be difficult for him to break through to the Inner Qi realm. However, with the Natural Blood Spring, there was a real chance to extend his life and restore his strength to its former glory.

Looking at Liu Zishan, the elder sighed deeply. 

"If the clan totem were still active, you would have nearly broken through to the Innate Realm by now."

Liu Zishan gave a bitter smile, fully aware of the truth in Shengrong’s words. The decline of the totem had stunted the progress of many talented martial artists in the Liu clan, himself included. 

Without the totem’s support, even promising warriors found themselves limited in their advancement.

But now, with the opportunity to restore the totem, Liu Zishan’s ambitions were reignited. The Liu clan’s decline could finally be reversed. 

They were not confined to their small territory in the Chaotic Burial Mountain—once the totem was revived, they could reintegrate the scattered branches of their clan and reclaim their rightful place in the southern border.

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