C50 Dazzling Spirit Stone

A pall of gloom hung over the Yu Family in the north as worry clouded the hearts of its members.

At just sixteen, Yu Feifei had already attained the Early Period of the Spirit Accumulating Stage, marking her as the most gifted cultivator of her generation within the Yu Family.

She was also the cherished only daughter of Yu Lian.

"Keep these last few Spirit Stones safe," Yu Lian said, as he carefully handed a bag of the precious stones to Yu Feifei. "I fear the family may soon struggle to distribute Spirit Stones on schedule."

Yu Feifei, her youthful face rounded with a touch of baby fat, looked up at her father and replied, "But Father, your own cultivation requires Spirit Stones as well."

For any cultivator, Spirit Stones were indispensable.

These stones were imbued with a purer form of the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, allowing for direct absorption and refinement during cultivation.

They were also essential for setting up formations, refining pills, tempering weapons, and quickly replenishing spent Spiritual Qi after injuries.

At the Pulse Opening Stage, a cultivator typically only needed to tap into the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth to gradually open their meridians.

During this stage, the body's demand for Spiritual Qi was limited, so not relying on Spirit Stones wasn't a major issue.

Naturally, if one did use Spirit Stones at the Pulse Opening Stage, the cultivation process would be much more efficient.

Upon entering the Spirit Accumulating Stage, refining the body and blood required a greater influx of Spiritual Qi.

At this juncture, having Spirit Stones could double the effectiveness of one's efforts.

Within the Great Realm, there were three subdivisions: the Early, Middle, and Late Periods. Advancing through these smaller realms often necessitated a substantial reserve of Spirit Stones for unforeseen needs.

As a prodigious third-generation member of the Yu Family, Yu Feifei was held in high esteem.

Following her breakthrough to the Spirit Accumulating Stage, she was entitled to a monthly allotment of Spirit Stones from the family for her cultivation.

Yet, with the family under the oppressive thumb of Su Yin, Yu Feifei was well aware that securing Spirit Stones would become increasingly challenging.

There was even a looming threat that the supply might be cut off entirely at some point.

Recently, Yu Feifei had learned from her doting relatives that some of the family's devotees and guest elders were contemplating seeking new allegiances, potentially severing ties with the Yu Family.

The guest elders and worshippers weren't actually Yu family members; they were simply earning their keep in Spirit Stones.

Without Spirit Stones at their disposal, expecting unwavering loyalty from them was utterly unrealistic.

"My cultivation..." Yu Lian's face darkened, and he managed a weak smile. "Let's just drop it. This is as far as I go in this lifetime. I'm not destined for any significant achievements on the path of cultivation."

His eyes brightened. "But you, you're different! You're the pride of your father and the future of our family! I might make do without Spirit Stones, but you, you cannot."

At his words, Yu Feifei felt a lump in her throat. "Father, these Spirit Stones... they're your treasured collection, aren't they?"

Yu Lian sighed, "There's not much left. Use them sparingly. I'll figure something out to get more in the future."

Head bowed, Yu Feifei fought back tears. "The Su family never lifted a finger to help us in our time of need. They're quick to kick us when we're down, only seizing opportunities for their gain. They don't deserve our respect!"

"Shh," Yu Lian hushed her, then coughed and called out, "Who's there?"

"Big brother, it's me," Yu Lili's voice came from outside.

Relieved, Yu Lian opened the door to welcome Yu Lili, asking with a hint of confusion, "Weren't you at our family's old house in Elfview a few days ago, looking for Yu Yuan? What brings you here so unexpectedly in the dead of night?"

"It's late; I had to wait to sneak some things out," Yu Lili replied with a smile.

"Auntie," greeted Yu Feifei, her smile sweet even as tears threatened to overflow.

"What's the matter, Feifei?" Yu Lili asked, her tone light and smiling.

"How can you still smile?" Yu Lian shot a stern look at his sister. "Didn't you hear about the commotion? Many guest elders are trying to break away from the family. Some of the clan elders have been pressuring Uncle every day to grovel before Su Yin and obey the Su family's every command."

"So that's what's happening," Yu Lili realized, glancing at the cloth bag on the table. "It all comes down to poverty. They're desperate, with their livelihoods at stake."

Yu Lian huffed in irritation, thinking to himself, "Was that really necessary to point out?"

"Alright, alright." Yu Lili began to pull out Spirit Stones from his belt, methodically placing them on the table. "Feifei is the pride of the Yu Family. How could she possibly cultivate without Spirit Stones? And look here, I've also got an Elemental Pill for you. It's perfect for you."

The table was soon sparkling with Spirit Stones, dazzling both Yu Feifei and Yu Lian.

There were easily over a hundred Spirit Stones!

And an Elemental Pill to boot!

Until now, the Yu Family had never purchased Elemental Pills for their younger members at the Spirit Accumulating Stage to refine their bodies, bolster their flesh, and enhance their combat abilities.

The reason? Elemental Pills were prohibitively expensive!

"Little sister, where did you... how did you get these?" Yu Lian's voice faltered as he gestured towards the Spirit Stones and the Elemental Pill. "You couldn't have just stumbled upon them!"

"Relax, all these Spirit Stones and the Elemental Pill are rightfully ours," Yu Lili said, beaming. "What's more, they represent a stable income for us going forward! What you're seeing is merely a fraction of our holdings. In the family treasury, we have several times this amount of Spirit Stones and Elemental Pills!"

"Ah!"

"How is that possible?"

The father-daughter duo was so astonished they looked like they could swallow eggs whole.

"That's the way it is."

Yu Lili moved with an effortless grace. "We can't let Feifei's cultivation fall behind. She can use these Spirit Stones and the Elemental Pill freely. Yu Yuan has made it clear that once the younger family members reach the Spirit Accumulating Stage, they'll all be supplied with Elemental Pills."

"Yu, Yu Yuan?"

"Of course. Who else in the family could produce such treasures?"

...

Outside the Yu Family's storeroom, Yu Wei and Yu Cann, accompanied by the aged elders of the Yu Family, approached at a leisurely pace.

Many of the elders were well into their seventies or eighties, their own paths of cultivation having reached their limits.

Without advancing to the Profound Break Stage, their lifespans would end naturally, just like any mortal's.

They harbored no more personal ambitions; instead, they pinned all their hopes on the younger generation, wishing for them to surpass their own achievements and someday step into the Profound Break Stage.

So when they learned that the Su family was deliberately targeting them and refusing to purchase the Yu family's herbs, they all stepped forward. Their concern wasn't for themselves, but for the future of their descendants.

"Ancan, it was I who supported you to become the family head, how many years has it been?" an elderly clan elder, who walked with a shaky gait, said. "The Yu family can't wither away under your watch, can it? Is apologizing really that difficult?"

"The Su family, as an imperial alchemy lineage, they need our herbs!"

"Why quarrel with them? Even if the Su family never lent us a hand when we needed it most, we must still bow our heads when we're under their roof."

"For the sake of the Yu family's legacy, please heed my advice. Would you apologize to Su Yin?"

He continued to offer this counsel all along the way.

Until...

Until Yu Wei, following Yu Cann's gesture, pushed open the grand doors of the storeroom, ushering the clan elders inside.

On the stone floor of the storeroom lay a dazzling array of Spirit Stones, stacked into a veritable mountain.

At first glance, there appeared to be more than ten thousand!

The brilliant light emanating from the ten thousand Spirit Stones caused the Yu family elders to squint, as if they had stepped into a wondrous dream.

"What's happening here?"

"Have I grown so old that I'm seeing illusions?"

"Spirit Stones, they're all Spirit Stones! Since when did our Yu family's storeroom hold so many?"

"Ah Cann, is this for real?"

One by one, the elders clutched at Yu Cann's sleeve, their eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and hope.

"You're not mistaken," Yu Wei assured them, stepping forward to pick up the Spirit Stones one by one, offering them to the venerable elders. "Please, feel free to examine them."

As the elders erupted into cheers, he himself felt a sense of surreal disbelief.

Wasn't he just as astounded when Yu Lili first showed him this vast quantity of Spirit Stones?

"The Yu family will no longer be at the mercy of the Su family!"

Old Master Yu Cann declared firmly, before adding with a wistful tone, "Perhaps, one day, our Yu family might rise to become an alchemy family of the empire, not just a lowly herb-cultivating clan."

"Ah Cann, you must tell me the truth. Does our Yu family truly have an alchemist in hiding?" the elder asked, his voice trembling with excitement.

The rest of the group slowly came to their senses, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

A genuine alchemist—what would that signify for the Yu family?

Yu Cann nodded slowly, meeting their hopeful, almost prayerful stares.

All at once, cheers that seemed to have been held back for ages erupted from the storeroom.

"..."