Chapter Thirty-Three: The Rise of the Fox Clan and the Jiang Family

Qin Tian returned to the Morning Light Sect in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range, his spirit shattered and his demeanor hollow. When his fellow disciples saw him in such a state and tried to offer comfort, he seemed not to notice them at all, retreating into his own immortal cave dwelling.

The news soon reached Liao Chen’s ears. He had not expected his young disciple to return from his hometown in such a state, so he flickered into existence within Qin Tian’s cave.

"Master, why have you come?" Seeing Liao Chen, a ripple of emotion finally stirred within Qin Tian. At this moment, Liao Chen was his only kin, and he felt not only respect but a deep reliance on his master.

Liao Chen frowned, looking at the dejected Qin Tian, and asked, "Tian'er, tell me what happened. Why are you in this state?"

Qin Tian did not hide anything, relaying the truth to Liao Chen. Liao Chen had not realized that his own unintentional actions had brought such a fatal disaster upon the boy's grandmother. He felt a pang of regret; had he known, he might have brought the old woman into the sect, and perhaps this would have been avoided. However, to comfort the boy, Liao Chen spoke with solemnity:

"Tian'er, you need not be so pessimistic. Your grandmother was a mortal, and she was destined to leave you sooner or later. Of course, since she was harmed by another, life cannot be restored once lost. But have you ever considered that while she cannot bring herself back to life, you might be the one to help her return?"

Qin Tian had never imagined such a possibility. "Master, is that true? How could my grandmother be resurrected?"

Liao Chen continued, "Tian'er, you and I are practitioners of the Dao. To cultivate is to defy the heavens. Once your strength is sufficiently immense—when even the heavens cannot suppress you—you will be able to control the very fabric of existence. At that time, you will hold the power of life and death, able to flesh out white bones and resurrect those who have passed away with ease!"

The more Qin Tian heard, the more excited he became. If his mysterious master spoke the truth, there was no need for despair. "Master, I want to become strong! I want to become the great power you speak of! Just what realm must I reach to resurrect my grandmother?"

Liao Chen chuckled. "Tian'er, your resolve is commendable. But to resurrect her, you must reach at least the God King realm! Such a realm cannot be attained in a moment; it may take hundreds of thousands of years, provided you do not fall before reaching it."

In truth, Liao Chen did not know if the God King realm could truly resurrect Qin Tian’s grandmother, but he could always ask his "system," which he was certain would know. For Qin Tian, knowing that a path existed was enough. He was not overly concerned with the time or cultivation level required. With a path now open, his previous dejection vanished, and he vowed to Liao Chen:

"Master, this disciple will surely cultivate diligently and strive to reach the God King realm as quickly as possible. Not only will this allow me to resurrect my grandmother, but it is also the best way to repay your profound kindness."

Liao Chen nodded and vanished. All three of his direct disciples had now gained new perspectives, which would serve them well in the future. Their previous experiences had been too sheltered, which had hindered their progress. Now, free from those fetters, they would go much further. This was Liao Chen’s role: a master who transmits the Way and resolves doubts, ultimately cementing his own legendary legacy.

Elsewhere, the sect's recruitment event was in full swing. Time flew by, and as the two-month deadline arrived, major powers and rogue cultivators from across the Qian-Yuan Continent arrived at the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range. The number of applicants reached fifty thousand, and if their retinues were included, the total exceeded one and a half million. According to sect rules, only the applicants were allowed to enter the core area of the mountain range; their retinues had to remain on the outskirts.

The Spirit Fox clan had arrived early to maintain order on the periphery. With their help, Zhu Wuneng found the task much easier. Managing both applicants and retinues had been overwhelming, and while the Morning Light Sect had many outer-sect elders and disciples, they were all demon beasts and lacked experience in administrative management.

The Fox clan, though also demon cultivators, had interacted with humans for generations and handled social nuances with ease. Before they became an affiliate of the Morning Light Sect, such tasks would have been thankless burdens, but now things were different. With such a super-power as their backer, no short-sighted force dared provoke them. The Fox patriarch, Hu Baoshan, had never felt so lighthearted. He walked with a spring in his step, never missing an opportunity to mention that his daughter was a direct disciple of the Morning Light Sect. With such a status, it was impossible for the Fox clan not to flourish.

Some forces, hoping to get their disciples into the Morning Light Sect, offered heavy bribes to Hu Baoshan. But Hu Baoshan was no fool; he would not make promises his daughter hadn't agreed to. However, he had received plenty of medicinal pills from Jiang Qian, and selling a few on the side was no issue. The pills he sold were rare and highly coveted. He sold as many as he wanted at whatever price he chose; the desperate factions didn't care about the cost, as long as he was willing to sell.

For these factions, the pills were secondary; winning over the Fox clan was the real goal. Meanwhile, the Jiang family of Vientiane City was also being courted by major powers. However, since the massacre of the Jiangs, only the elderly, weak, and young remained. The only capable young men left were Jiang Hong, Jiang Feng, and Jiang Yue. Since their rescue, they had been serving as menial disciples in the outer sect, but now, with resources provided by the sisters Jiang Qian and Jiang Yue, they were determined to enter the inner sect.

Although the Jiang family did not assist in the recruitment, they had acquired many pills, which became the key to their resurgence. Third-tier Pei Yuan pills were secretly sold for one million low-grade spirit stones each, while third-tier Marrow Cleansing pills fetched five million. Fourth-tier versions sold for as much as one hundred million low-grade spirit stones.

With this wealth, the Jiang family had the resources to cultivate their youth. The patriarch, Jiang Fuyan, even demanded that every adult male take at least ten wives to rapidly expand the family line. It was a desperate measure; since the Su family’s purge, the Jiangs were nearly extinct.

Despite Jiang Fuyan’s efforts, the resurgence would take at least fifteen years. Jiang Fuyan himself had taken ten wives and worked tirelessly, though only six were currently pregnant. His brother, Jiang Fushou, had taken seven, and all seven were pregnant—a truly joyous occasion.

Just as Jiang Hong, Jiang Feng, and Jiang Yue were preparing to break into the inner sect, Jiang Fuyan and Jiang Fushou arrived at the Morning Light Sect with a group of young, beautiful women, demanding that the three men choose at least twenty wives each or be disowned. Jiang Hong was miserable—as Jiang Fuyan’s only son, this was a heavy burden—but he refused to choose.

At that moment, Jiang Yue stepped in and threatened: "Brother Hong, if you don't lead by example, how can the Jiang family flourish? You are the pillars of our legacy. Our uncles' demands are not excessive. I hear our uncle has even taken ten wives himself to set an example. Do you wish to bring shame upon him? Cultivation is important, but the expansion of our family is even more vital. If you do not cooperate, Qian'er and I will cut off your cultivation resources."

Jiang Hong had no choice but to agree. With him on board, Jiang Feng and Jiang Yue followed suit. They accepted all the women brought to them, finally setting the two elders' hearts at ease.