Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

And as they awaited the next group of children to come in, an Elder remarked with a sigh, "I wonder how many children with Three Spiritual Roots will be born this year."

As for those with Dual Spiritual Roots and Heavenly Spiritual Roots, it seemed as though the consecutive births of Li Zhirui, Li Zhiyue, Li Chenghuo, Li Chenghui, Li Chengsheng, and Li Chengshuo had exhausted the Li family's fortune of several hundred years, resulting in no new children born with Dual Spiritual Roots thereafter.

Especially now, among the thousands of cultivators that made up the family's prime-age faction, not a single one with Dual Spiritual Roots had emerged; even Li Dapeng, the one with the highest level of cultivation, had merely reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment!

Thus, after years of shattered hopes, many Elders dared not dream of children with Dual Spiritual Roots and only hoped for the birth of more children with Three Spiritual Roots.

As time passed, batch after batch of children came in, and soon two to three hundred children had been tested.

Yet among so many, there were but a few with Three Spiritual Roots!

Although the Elders and Executors had grown accustomed to this, they couldn't help feeling some disappointment and helplessness.

"Next batch!"

Five children entered upon hearing the call, their clothes plain and patternless, symbolizing their origins—both their parents were mortals.

"Children, step forward, grasp the Spirit Measuring Ruler on the platform with your hands, close your eyes, and concentrate," they were instructed.

Over the years, the process of the Spirit Measuring Assembly had become well known, and these children, whose Spiritual Roots had been detected, had the steps etched in their minds after repeated emphasis from their parents.

"Hum—"

With the activation of the Spirit Measuring Ruler, specks of Spirit Light rose from the base. For some children, the Spirit Light changed rapidly, indicating the emergence of a second type of Spiritual Root and the fact that the purity of the first type was not high.

"Hiss!"

"This..."

The usually composed Elders stared fixedly at the Spirit Measuring Ruler in the hands of the child in the middle!

Because the measurement was nearly over, and his Spirit Measuring Ruler displayed only one color from start to finish—the pale blue of wind, indicative of incredibly high purity.

Such purity could ensure that even if he had Three Spiritual Roots, his cultivation speed wouldn't be slower than those with Dual Spiritual Roots!

But the truth was even more shocking and blissful, for it wasn't until the very end that his Spirit Measuring Ruler showed a faint, almost imperceptible red glint!

"Hiss!" Both Elders and Executors couldn't help but gasp when they witnessed this definitive moment.

"Wind-Fire Heterogeneous Dual Spiritual Roots!"

"Spiritual Root Purity ninety-nine to one!" The oldest Elder's eyes turned red with excitement, and he was breathing so heavily that one might worry he'd pass out then and there.

"Congratulations, child!" All eyes were filled with envy as they looked towards him, and it was the Elder in the middle who asked, "What's your name?"

As for the other four children beside him, they were completely ignored, even if one had been previously regarded as having important Three Spiritual Roots, unable to attract even a fraction of the Elders' attention.

"Li Hua, of the Hong generation!" exclaimed the boy with excitement.

Mortals from secular clans without Spiritual Roots were not allowed to include their generational name in their own, though it was recorded in the family tree to clarify the lineage's continuation.

"The Hong generation?" An Elder exclaimed with a hint of surprise.

"Jing, Ji, Xu, Feng, Yu; Chun, Shi, Shi, Zhi, Cheng; Da, Xue, Wen, Ming, Xian; Hong, Xun, Tai, Yun, Xin." These are the twenty generational names of the Li family.

In an era where the current strength of the Li family is still within the 'Da' generation, a clan member of the sixteenth generation had unexpectedly appeared! That's a difference of four generations! Even for an ordinary person, that would be nearly a century's span!

"If nothing else, you should be the oldest brother of the Hong generation." The Elder chuckled lightly, but he didn't allow them to linger any longer, waving his hand for everyone to leave.

Perhaps it was the good fortune brought by Li Honghua, but in the following batch of children several were found to have Three Spiritual Roots, and even without him, the count of those with Three Spiritual Roots this year would still surpass the numbers from previous years.

However, after the Spirit Measurement Gathering had concluded, the Elders were required to report the findings to the Clan Leader Li Dayuan, who had to either keep it in mind or give it a cursory glance, as per the protocol.

"A talent with exceptional dual Spiritual Roots has actually emerged!" Li Dayuan was delighted, as this signified that there were successors for the family!

"This matter is not allowed to be spoken of outside—if I hear it..." He didn't need to finish his sentence for everyone to understand the implications.

This approach was also for Li Honghua's benefit. After all, he was still too young, hadn't grown up, and lacked the power to protect himself. Such outstanding talent might very possibly attract the targeting of other forces!

Even though the relationship between the Li family and the several influencing powers nearby was ordinary, it could be said for certain that they wouldn't want the Li family's power to expand further, as it could lead to them being absorbed by the family's influence if this continued.

"Yes!" A chill went through the crowd, and they hastily bowed and agreed, not wishing to risk their lives on such an unrewarding task.

——

Meanwhile.

Thousands of miles away atop Myriad Thunder Mountain, inside the grand hall of the Shen Leishan Sect, many Elders had gathered to discuss an issue of grave importance.

That was the management and control over their territory and the suppression and recruitment of their vassal forces!

Actually, there wasn't much to discuss regarding territorial matters, as Shen Leishan could only directly control Myriad Thunder State, a land they had managed for a thousand years.

Naturally, after the obliteration of Yin Wind Cave, Wind Corruption Prefecture had also become their territory, but all they did was follow the rules and continue as in previous years.

The Elders' primary discussion was the second point, the control of their vassal forces!

Shen Leishan didn't want to see a strong and vibrant vassal; they should lead mediocre lives day after day, bear grudges against nearby forces, deplete themselves in wars, and then heed the Sect's summon to take care of some troublesome and petty matters for them.

And this family was none other than the distant, sea-isolated Li family!

The development rate of the Li family was terrifying; within a mere one or two hundred years, they had grown from a small Foundation Establishment clan into a genuine Golden Core family.

Of course, what was most crucial was that there were no nearby forces that were at enmity and warring with the Li family!

Without the depletion of war, the Li family would have plentiful resources to devote to cultivating their clansmen, thereby enhancing their own strength, which in turn was strengthening the family's power!

"Speak up then, how shall we target and strike at the increasingly powerful Li family?" Sect Leader Lei Tian thundered, his voice roaring like thunder, reverberating throughout the grand hall.

Although the Li family currently posed no threat to Shen Leishan's status and dominion, the reason Shen Leishan had not been overthrown or destroyed, as Green Mountain Sect had been, during the time they lost their Nascent Soul Cultivators, was due to their control over vassal forces!

Now, the Li family was gradually shedding the so-called bonds of control, which greatly displeased the higher echelons of Shen Leishan.