Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

The next day, Li Zhirui rang the bronze bell in front of the main hall, gathering the clan members in the square.

"Have you heard? Zhirui is going to increase our monthly allowance," said a well-informed clan member excitedly.

All the Elders were present yesterday, and Li Zhirui didn't ask them to keep it a secret. Inevitably, they talked about it with their friends and family, so the news naturally spread.

"Really? Is it true?"

"It is true, but it seems that it isn't directly in Spirit Stones, but rather in Contribution Value."

"Ah? Contribution Value? Is it all in Contribution Value, or what?"

"I heard it's all replaced with Contribution Value."

The crowd, which was originally abuzz with conversation, instantly fell silent. Although Contribution Value was good, it was just a string of cold numbers and could not compare to the appeal of Spirit Stones.

"Let's just listen to what Zhirui has to say. I've heard there are several announcements to be made this time."

Without the mood to discuss further, the clan members just wanted to know what was really happening as soon as possible.

After the clan members on the island had all arrived, Li Zhirui finally came out of the main hall with the Elders.

"The reason I've called you all here is to make a few important announcements," Li Zhirui said straightforwardly, "The clan's guard team is expanding. You can go to Elder Li Shijing later to enlist. The compensation is tentatively set at forty-five Contribution Value points per month, with possible adjustments later on."

"The second matter is the one everyone is most concerned about, the monthly allowance." Li Zhirui's gaze swept over the clan members with various expressions and continued, "Indeed, as you all have heard, from now on, the monthly allowance will only be distributed in Contribution Value!"

"As for the specifics of the monthly allowance, let Miscellaneous Affairs Elder Li Shiqi explain it. He will be responsible for these matters from now on."@@novelbin@@

In reality, there wasn't much to say. In just one evening, Li Shiqi couldn't come up with a complete plan and could only repeat what Li Zhirui had said the day before.

However, after Li Shiqi's introduction, some clan members' dissatisfied feelings dissipated somewhat, and they were not so resistant to the Contribution Value. After all, this meant they would actually get more resources each month.

"Contribution Value can be exchanged for any Spiritual Objects in the clan, including Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects, and even Foundation Establishment Pills." Including Li Shilian and others, everyone looked at Li Zhirui in shock.

Everyone knew that in a small clan like the Li family, the distribution of Foundation Establishment Pills was based on who was most likely to have a breakthrough, as this was the only way to ensure that the clan produced Foundation Establishment Cultivators in each generation.

Cultivators with slightly poorer aptitudes had no chance of receiving Foundation Establishment Pills.

Some clan members, upon calming down and thinking carefully, realized that even if the clan truly offered Foundation Establishment Pills, they wouldn't be able to exchange for them.

With a Foundation Establishment Pill costing over seventy thousand Spirit Stones, the equivalent in Contribution Value would be substantial, and even with a discount for using Contribution Value, that would still be at least seventy thousand points.

A Qi Cultivation early-stage clan member of the guard could only earn seventy-five Contribution Value points per month; they would need to save without eating or drinking for a thousand months, nearly a hundred years!

Of course, if one had a higher cultivation level, the time required would be shorter, but not by much.

Nevertheless, Li Zhirui at least provided a path for those with poorer talents to climb upwards.

"Can Contribution Value be passed on to descendants?" asked a clan member loudly.

If that were possible, they could place their hopes on the next generation, giving them a solid foundation to grow better and possibly fulfill their parents' aspirations.

Li Zhirui nodded with a smile, then continued on this topic, "The clan now encourages having more children. If a descendant is found to have a Spiritual Root, depending on the quality of their talent, the clan will provide certain rewards!"

"What are the rewards, and are there any restrictions?"

"Offspring with Five Spirit Roots are rewarded with forty Spirit Stones, Four Spiritual Roots with sixty Spirit Stones, Three Spiritual Roots with one hundred Spirit Stones, dual spiritual roots with three hundred Spirit Stones, and if it's a Heavenly Spiritual Root, the family directly rewards one thousand Spirit Stones!

There are no restrictions whatsoever; the more offspring with Spiritual Roots you have, the more generous the reward will be!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere immediately heated up, with many clan members thinking of hurrying home to start procreating.

Li Zhirui sighed in his heart. He knew that such a practice was unfair to the female cultivators in the family, but for the development of the family, he had no choice. He could only offer them double the reward and some other benefits as a modest compensation.

The Li family rarely married off female cultivators because cultivators were too scarce, and they generally took husbands from among the Loose Cultivators.

There were already a few foreign surnames in the clan, and aside from not being able to cultivate the Wanling Sutra, their treatment is not much different from those with the family's surname.

"Alright! If there are no objections, then these regulations will take effect starting today," Li Zhirui said in an even tone as he waited.

He believed no one would stand in opposition, as these proposals were advantageous for all the clan members.

"I ask the Elders to come up with specific measures and methods as soon as possible. Once they have been discussed and confirmed to have no issues, they can be implemented." Having said that, Li Zhirui left directly.

As the Acting Clan Leader, it was his job to oversee the big picture; he did not need to manage every little thing personally. He lacked the energy and the strength to do so.

——

Li Zhirui pushed open the door and entered the quiet room, lit a piece of aloeswood incense, and after a moment, wisps of soothing fragrance rose. He sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, began to circulate his cultivation technique, and breathed in the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth.

This was the first time Li Zhirui had practiced the Wanling Sutra's Foundation Establishment Realm technique since his breakthrough.

He had been contemplating the cultivation technique during this time and hadn't rushed into cultivating. Firstly, because the technique was somewhat complex and Li Zhirui didn't dare to cultivate recklessly; secondly, because he was occupied with the family reforms, which had taken some of his attention.

If the absorption of Spiritual Energy during the Qi Cultivation Stage is likened to a small stream, then in the Foundation Establishment Stage, it's like a small river that has widened several times.

A large amount of Spiritual Energy is drawn into the body, refined through numerous meridians, and eventually forms a drop of mana that falls into the Dantian Sea of Law, enhancing the cultivator's mana.

The cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Stage is similar to the Qi Cultivation Stage, in that both involve the continuous accumulation of mana to strive for a breakthrough to the next realm.

The difference is that with each breakthrough during the Foundation Establishment Stage, the mana is condensed and made "denser," gradually transforming from a fluid to a solid state. Ultimately, in the latter stages of Foundation Establishment, a Golden Core Sprout emerges within the Sea of Magic.

Then, using the Golden Core Sprout as a foundation, one "nurtures" the mana, allowing it to grow until the Golden Core solidifies.

The whole process seems straightforward, but it has stymied countless Foundation Establishment cultivators who are unable to reach the Golden Core Realm in their lifetimes.

This is especially true for Loose Cultivators, whose mana is often too patchy or insufficiently accumulated. Fixated on reaching higher realms, even after two condensations and breaking through to the later stages of Foundation Establishment, their Golden Core Sprouts remain tiny, virtually eliminating the possibility of progressing further.

Several hours later, Li Zhirui slowly opened his eyes and, feeling the increase in internal mana, couldn't help but remark, "If I had this rate of cultivation back then, I probably would have been able to break through a minor realm in less than half a year."

But now, Li Zhirui estimated that, without any bottlenecks, it would take at least five to six years to break through the middle phase of the Foundation Establishment Stage with his current rate of cultivation.

And this is just the minimum requirement for breaking through the middle phase of Foundation Establishment. If Li Zhirui wished to reach the Golden Core, then he must accumulate as much mana as possible.

This was also the reason why both Li Shiren and Li Shiting had been at the Foundation Establishment Stage for many years, yet still lingered at the early phase of Foundation Establishment.

It wasn't that they couldn't break through, but they had grander aspirations and were unwilling to settle for a quick breakthrough!

Even though they were well aware that the chance of reaching the Golden Core was slim, they didn't want to give up just like that.