Chapter 7, Ore Veins

By the way, my brother's youngest son, Ping'er, is thirteen this year and has already begun to practice the Great Circulation.

The eldest brother's Xuan'er, the second brother's Ran'er, and your fourth brother's Xin'er are all now around fifteen or sixteen years old. They have already begun to practice the Great Circulation of Qi. Although they are significantly behind you, they are still doing quite well.

On two previous occasions, the Li family regrettably missed opportunities due to insufficient strength

The meaning of this statement is likely to inform Qingwei that, although he, as the clan leader, shows favoritism towards his younger son, he does not exploit his power for personal gain or misuse the resources of the clan

More than 800 years ago, the six major families, including the Li family, inadvertently discovered a red fire copper mine in the Luoxia Mountain Range, which led to intense competition.

Spirit tools are rare; even for true disciples, unless they have a powerful master or come from a wealthy family, it is uncertain how long they would have to toil to possess a spirit tool

Luoxia Mountain is a medium-sized mountain range located not far from Xianyang City, characterized by its general vitality, and therefore, it is not occupied by any significant forces

Ultimately, it was the True Sect that sent someone to mediate, allowing the six major families to determine the mining rights through sword duels every ten years

"I haven't made a mistake with the books, and there are still more than twenty days of work left. I believe it won't delay you too long, Eighth Brother," Li Ji explained.

I have lived in the mountains for a long time, yet I am aware that among the six prominent families in Xianyang City, our Li family, while not exactly at the bottom, is only slightly stronger than the Xiao family in the north of the city. Moreover, when it comes to experts, the Xiao family even has an elder at the Dao Foundation stage.

However, for a Chihuo copper mine, the Guizhen Sect would not go too far; they would extract thirty percent from the yields of several prominent families.

Before long, Qingwei saw three boys and one girl, four adolescents, arriving in an orderly manner at the hall

The four had already noticed a young Taoist priest, around twenty years of age, sitting at the head of the table. Upon hearing the clan leader's instructions, he promptly paid his respects, saying: "I have met with you, Eighth Uncle"

Qingwei had no reason to refuse this, thus he said: "If I remember correctly, it should be the fifteenth of next month, right?"

Although Qingwei had returned to the family a few times before, it was always a hurried visit, so he did not have much impression of the several young children

What Li Ji referred to were several juniors whose qualifications did not meet the requirements of the Guizhen School, yet they were significantly superior to the mediocre individuals.

Thus, he smiled and replied: "Third Brother, you flatter me. It is just right to see the children of the clan nowadays, and it will also be good to assess them a bit."

After all, the selection criteria for disciples of the Return to Truth Sect are higher than those of most other sects at the same level

This year marks the time for determining the mining rights for the next decade

Seeing that his third brother had taken it to heart, Qingwei decided not to say more. After all, although his own cultivation was at a higher level, Li Ji was still the clan leader and his elder brother.

In the Six Great Families of Xianyong City, I am the only clan leader whose cultivation is at the Qi Feeding stage; how can I not be anxious

Now that Li Jiji has successfully entered the Dao Foundation realm, hope has once again ignited in his heart

Subsequently, Li Ji summoned a guard and instructed him to bring in those four juniors

Glancing at the family patriarch, Qingwei shook her head and smiled, saying, "Third Brother, just speak your mind; you have always preferred to beat around the bush."

Li Jiwen smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this and said: "Ping'er was initially regretful about not being selected, but indeed, among our family, he possesses the best aptitude. Therefore, over the years, even if I have to share my cultivation resources with him, I will still nurture him well."

Although qualifications do not determine everything, in today's world, with limited lifespans, who can afford to wait for a late-blooming talent to develop

Li Jijian Qingwei, after putting away the Thunder Pearl, said: "Eighth brother, now that you have returned, it is best to stay for a while longer, so that you can also meet the younger generation of the family and guide them in their cultivation."

Currently, there are more than twenty disciples in the clan who are still underage. According to Li Ji, among them, there are a few who can be considered worthy of cultivation

Theoretically, everything within the sphere of influence of the Guizhen sect belongs to the sect's property and is subject to reclamation.

"Hurry up and greet your Eighth Uncle!" Li Ji commanded with an imposing demeanor

With Qingwei's current cultivation level, it would only take about five days to reach the Hanjing Lake that needs to be guarded, so time is still quite ample for him

Seeing that my third brother still has the mood to joke around, it seems that Qingwei no longer needs to worry about his state of mind

In this regard, several prominent families have no complaints, as it is possible that a more domineering sect could leave them with only 20% or even nothing at all.

Li Jiwen smiled and said, "Eighth brother, you may not be aware, but you are now a role model for the younger generation in the clan. If they were to see you, those mischievous little ones would surely be overjoyed."

Now, Qingwei has essentially obtained two spiritual artifacts for free, and is already overjoyed in heart.

Upon hearing this, Qingwei immediately reacted and exclaimed, "Is it the red fire copper mine at Luoxia Mountain?"

After all, although the Red Fire Primordial Copper is merely a mid-level material, it is still considered a valuable asset in the eyes of a force like the Li family.

Qingwei smiled and said, "What San Ge is most eager to mention is still your Ping'er, right? I can see that the corners of your mouth are about to lift up to the sky."

Li Jiwen, upon hearing this, could not help but sigh and said: "What the eighth brother has said, I certainly understand. Now that Ping'er has already laid the foundation, I indeed should consider my own cultivation."

Compared to other loose cultivators and even the senior brothers within the sect, having a piece of spiritual equipment at my side is already quite good; I cannot afford to be too picky said Qingwei with a satisfied smile

Those under the age of six are still learning some introductory concepts. Upon reaching the age of six, they will undergo an assessment by representatives of the Guizhen Sect. Those who pass will be directly accepted into the sect, while those who do not will remain in their families for cultivation. This is also a generous provision from the Guizhen Sect to several prominent families in Xianyong City

With a raised hand, a stream of true energy captured the treasure orb. In a state of being unclaimed, the Thunder Pearl did not exhibit any signs of resistance, allowing Qingwei to quickly leave a mark within it

In order to help Qingwei understand the situation, Li Ji began to introduce the current circumstances of the disciples within the clan.

Li Ji smiled awkwardly and said, "Even if I don't say it, I believe the Eighth Brother can guess it."

With a subtle smile that spoke volumes, he could not help but advise, "Third Brother favors Ping'er, and I can understand that, but you are also in your prime and should strive for a breakthrough as soon as possible"

Otherwise, to join the Return to Truth Sect, one must undergo countless trials

Disciples with generally average qualifications have already become the entry standard for most sects, but the Guizhen Sect has upheld the principle of valuing quality over quantity since its establishment. The qualifications of its disciples are mostly average, with many being slightly above average.

The six major families are also vassal forces of the Guizhen Sect, and despite several conflicts, they have managed to maintain control without completely falling out with each other

By the way, Brother Ba, you may not be aware that the elder of the Xiao family passed away three years ago. They are now truly the last family in the rankings.

Hehe, we are all family, there is no need for excessive formalities. It is also because our esteemed clan leader is too serious." Qingwei chuckled lightly and said warmly