Chapter 238: Development
After several days of selection, five names finally made it to the second round: Wanxian, Wanling, Green Lotus, Profound Spirit, and Penglai.
The last name was proposed by Li Zhirui, but in this world, there was no legend of the Three Immortal Islands of Penglai. The only reason it made it to the second round was that everyone knew the name came from Li Zhirui.
To save face for this Golden Core Cultivator, Li Zhizhun manipulated the process behind the scenes to ensure Penglai entered the second round.
The final selection didn't last long, taking only one day to complete.
By dusk that day, Li Zhizhun announced the new name of Da Rong Island in front of all the clanspeople.
"Wanxian Island!" Li Zhizhun proclaimed loudly, "May our Li family, like this name, give birth to ten thousand Immortals!" Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire
"Ohhh!"
"Wanxian Island!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, especially the clansman who had come up with the name; he was incredibly excited. Although he was only a Qi Cultivation cultivator, with the name's confirmation, he would be enshrined in the family's history, existing along with the Li family's legacy!
In addition to establishing the name of their domain and the expansion of Wanxian Island, the Li family also saw significant developments in other areas over the past five years.
Firstly, the number of clanspeople had grown. With the increase in mortal population—according to last year's census, there were at least over a million mortals on Wanxian Island—the number of children tested for Spiritual Roots was also steadily growing, with those carrying the Li family bloodline now making up eighty or even ninety percent!
After all, several decades had passed, and at the very least, two generations had come of age, which had given the Li family ample room for control.
And with such a large base number, even if those with Spiritual Roots constituted only a thousandth of a percent, each year would bring a substantial influx of fresh blood to the Li family.
However, it was quite regrettable that even though a large number of children entered the Spirit Wisdom Court each year, no other genius with dual spiritual roots had emerged. It was as if Li Zhirui, Li Zhiyue, and Li Chenghuo had exhausted the family's luck over the years.
As the number of clanspeople increased, the Li family began to gradually reclaim the Spirit Fields of the original Nine Springs Island, no longer leasing them to Loose Cultivators. Instead, they either rented them directly to clanspeople or simply managed them through the family, assigning tasks to the clanspeople.
In the future, a portion of the original Blue Mountain Island would also be retrieved. The remaining Spirit Fields would function like those on Red Pine Island, serving as a marketplace—a massive one that allows Loose Cultivators to sustain themselves on Wanxian Island.
After all, the development of a clan cannot rely solely on its own members; it must accumulate wealth from other cultivators' hands, and Loose Cultivators are the best targets.
While the foundational strength surged, the development of high-level power did not lag. Li Shiren, Li Zhiyue, and others successively reached the late stages of Foundation Establishment, seizing the opportunity to challenge the Golden Core stage.
Li Zhixuan, Li Chenghuo, and others who had been laying foundations in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment for many years were also close to advancing further.
The number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators was also steadily increasing, thanks to the cooperation with the Southern Edge Commerce Association, which allowed private transactions of a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills each year.
The only disappointment was Li Shiting, who had been stuck at the late stage of Foundation Establishment for many years and had not found the opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage. She had left to gain experience a year ago, hoping to find a chance to break through the shackles amid the great terror of life and death.
While the Li family grew stronger, other forces have not remained stagnant. Putting aside distant ones for now, let's talk about the Yuanming Sect, which seems to have entered a period of rapid development as well.
First, Mingling achieved the Middle Golden Core Stage, and then they took in two disciples with dual spiritual roots. This put some pressure on the Li family, but that was all.
After all, Li Zhiyue and Li Chenghuo had been developing for many years, and the information about them was well concealed by the Li family. Yuanming Sect did not fully understand the situation; otherwise, they wouldn't be so self-congratulatory and ostentatious.
——
"Dang dang dang!"
One day, while investigating the situation with Da Qing, Li Zhirui suddenly heard a series of urgent bell tolls, his expression froze, and then a tinge of sorrow appeared.
Three prolonged bell sounds signified that a clansman who had made great contributions to the family's development had died!
And Li Zhirui could guess who it might be—it was Elder Li Shile, who had always been kind to him.
However, it wasn't until he arrived at the main hall that he learned it wasn't just Elder Li Shile who had passed away but also Li Shiqi, the very first Miscellaneous Affairs Elder.
Li Zhirui was very familiar with this elder because it was he who had set up the position of Miscellaneous Affairs Elder when he acted as the clan leader.
And no matter which of them, they both had made indelible contributions to the development of the clan!
In fact, with the cultivation levels of these two elders, living to this day was already an extreme, and among their peers, apart from Li Shiqing and Li Shilian, the others had already passed away.
As long as the clansmen on the island arrived at the family graveyard, Li Zhizhun publicly spoke of the two elders' merits and contributions, "…We, as the successors, must not forget the efforts of our predecessors!"
"For the rise of the Li family, strive with all our might!"
"For the rise of the Li family, strive with all our might!"
In the solemn and respectful setting, in front of each ancestor's grave, all the clansmen recited in a deep voice, their words echoing into the heavens and carried by the wind miles away.
Because of the passing of the two elders, Li Zhirui's mood had also become somber for a few days, but soon, a huge surprise dispelled his sadness.
That was, after so many years of accumulation, Da Qing was finally about to advance to the third rank!
You should know that Li Zhirui, in order to promote Da Qing's breakthrough as soon as possible, invested a large number of resources in it every year. If those resources were used for the clansmen, it would allow a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator to breakthrough to the late stage within three years.
This demonstrates how enormous the resources Li Zhirui spent were. If he were not a third-tier alchemist with a success rate of ninety percent for making second-tier Spirit Pills, if he didn't possess extraordinary treasures like a space element, it would have been impossible to achieve this.
Fortunately, in the end, everything was worth it!
The birth of a third-rank Spirit Beast that could rival a Golden Core was more important than ten Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivators.
Chirp!
"I need to sleep," Da Qing conveyed this thought before no longer being able to keep its eyes open and closing them heavily.
Before long, his body emitted a powerful suction force, swallowing the dense Spiritual Energy within the cave dwelling.
If it weren't for Li Zhirui's cave dwelling being a third-rank Spirit Vein Spirit Cave with extremely dense Spiritual Energy, it might have been necessary to gather the nearby Spiritual Energy to support Da Qing's breakthrough.
The commotion from Li Zhirui's dwelling might have been hidden from most of the clan members, but it could not be concealed from Li Shiqing and Li Shilian.
Instantly, they understood the situation and unsolicited joy spread across their faces.
After a short while, they appeared at the entrance of Li Zhirui's cave dwelling.
"Zhirui, this kind of commotion…could it be Da Qing breaking through to the third rank?" Once inside, Li Shiqing couldn't wait to ask.
Li Zhirui nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, Da Qing has finally completed its accumulation and started the breakthrough to the third rank today."