"Alright, go make the arrangements."

"Remember to keep Ah Nu's matter in mind."

...

Inside the Black Water Pavilion.

Shen Yuan slowly closed the "Little Rejection Divination Scripture" in his hand, his eyes shut gently, beginning to deduce the content of the "Little Rejection Divination Scripture" in his mind.

Wei Qiuling wasn't wrong; cultivating this Path of Great Derivation is indeed quite difficult.

These days, aside from the basic cultivation, he spent most of his time studying these hexagrams of divination, yet could only grasp a superficial understanding without finding the real path.

Now, after revisiting the "Little Rejection Divination Scripture," it seemed he had a bit more insight than last time.

Sitting cross-legged on the meditation mat, his Divine Sense immersed entirely in his Sea of Consciousness, Shen Yuan began to attempt to use the insights gained from the "Little Rejection Divination Scripture" to control and refine the White Jade Turtle Shell.

Buzz!

Time passed unknowingly, and suddenly the White Jade Turtle Shell in the Sea of Consciousness trembled slightly.

Feeling this, Shen Yuan was suddenly overjoyed!

It worked!

In that instant, he could clearly feel the connection between himself and the White Jade Turtle Shell seem to deepen slightly!

Thus, it appeared that as long as he continued refining with the Path of Great Derivation, this White Jade Turtle Shell would eventually be completely refined by him and fully under his control.

With this realization, Shen Yuan stopped thinking too much and immediately continued with the refinement.

Yearly Offering.

After dinner.

Shen You was playing in the courtyard with a few younger brothers and many Immortal Seedlings selected over the years.

To foster a sense of belonging to the Shen Family in these children selected from various affiliated clans, every Immortal Seedling deemed to have a Spirit Root has been arranged to reside at the estate over the years.

They eat, live, and play together with the descendants of the Shen Family.

Among the more than ten children, Shen You was not the oldest, yet because of his forthright personality, he could most easily enliven the atmosphere and had become the king among the group of children.

The two-year-old He Zhongyi was also riding a robust big black dog, crazily running around the courtyard with his brothers and sisters.

In the nearby pavilion.

Shen Chongming, dressed in a profound black tight outfit overlaid with a black fox fur robe, though only thirteen years old, was not much shorter than his father Shen Wenxing.

"Chonghong, the mountain is unlike this Black Water Pool, full of dangers everywhere."

"Besides guarding against the Western Wilderness Barbarian Cultivators, those poisonous insects and wild beasts aren't easy to deal with either."

"Once there, listen to your uncle more and don't act recklessly."

The ten-year-old Shen Chonghong nodded repeatedly and then spoke excitedly:

"Brother, when I reach the mountain, can I go see the Giant Centipede third uncle subdued?"

"I heard it's very powerful!"

Learning that his father wanted him to go train in the mountains, Shen Chonghong was particularly excited.

"Of course," Shen Chongming said with a slight smile, "but every time you go, you need to bring it some Spirit Rice, Spiritual Spring Water, and such."

"Treat it politely, like an elder."

Hearing this, Shen Chonghong immediately pulled a face, somewhat puzzled: "Isn't it just a Demon Beast? It's been subdued by third uncle, so it's just a henchman of our family…"

Shen Chongming squinted at him and said, "When did you develop such an arrogant mindset?"

"What's wrong with a Demon Beast?"

"That's a Qi Cultivation Perfection being."

"In the Cultivation Realm, strength rules; it submits to the Shen Family because of third uncle's power, not because of you or me."

"Let's not say you can't even defeat its offspring now, even if one day you become stronger than it, you should never harbor such thoughts."

As Shen Chongming spoke, he glanced at those Immortal Seedlings playing with Shen You in the distance and solemnly said.

"The art of employing people values the heart first."

"Tempting with benefits or using strength to coerce are inferior methods."

"To make them devote themselves and loyally serve the Shen Family, you must show them enough respect, understand their urgent needs, and be more aware of their concerns than they are."

"Don't wait for them to speak up; fulfill their wishes and give them what they want as much as possible."

"If you treat them with arrogance like this, it's hard to make them as usable as an arm in critical moments, and in front of enough benefits, it might breed betrayal among subordinates, leading to disaster."

"Command with awe, know with respect, those good at command often manage this balance, achieving…"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Shen Chonghong waved his small hands with a bitter face: "These things are too difficult."

Suddenly he smirked and said, "Brother, these things are for you to consider. I don't want to think so much; after all, everything about the Shen Family will be under your control in the future."

"I'll just be the sword in your hand, pointing wherever you want, and fighting there."

"As for all those talks about command, I don't care."

"As for the Giant Centipede, I'll treat it like a big brother; is that alright?"

Seeing his earnest look, Shen Chongming chuckled dryly.

Afterward, he cautioned him on a few more things and let him go play with those kids in the courtyard.

Under the eaves not far away, Shen Chongxuan sat quietly on the steps with a book on his lap, vigorously writing.

He noted down every word of Shen Chongming's talk on command and then added at the end.

"The third-generation direct eldest grandson Shen Chongming has unique insights, wise beyond his years, and proficient in command; truly a blessing for the Shen Family…"

February, everything comes back to life.

Shen Chonghong replaced his elder brother Shen Chongming and went to the frontline in the mountains.

At Luoxia Mountain, a significant conflict erupted between the He Family under its rule in Jinghe County and the Suihuo Sect, along with its governed Zhang Family.

Ultimately, three Fetal Breathing strongmen from Luoxia Mountain took decisive action, slaying a mid-stage Fetal Breathing cultivator from the Suihuo Sect over the skies of Jinghe Swamp, avenging the surprise attack on Yunzhong County City by the Suihuo Sect.

Luoxia Mountain reclaimed its original territory in Jinghe County, and the conflict between the two sides temporarily came to a halt, with Shen Wen'an returning to the Black Water Pavilion.

At the beginning of March, the Yangnao Land's just-recovered tranquility was once again shattered by a piece of news.

From the northern Three Mountains County of Jinghe County came word that two loose cultivators from the noble families simultaneously discovered a "Profound Light Grass" in a place called "Seven Sages Mountain," and after a conflict erupted, inadvertently triggered a hidden array in the mountain, entering a previously unknown Secret Realm.

According to one of the loose cultivators who came out alive.

That Secret Realm in the mountain appeared like an Immortal's dwelling, with pavilions, terraces, Immortal Mountains, Spiritual Springs, Spirit Herbs, and Medicines everywhere, but it also contained many dangers.

After entering, the other person advanced merely dozens of feet and was slain on the spot by a mysterious light!

Seeing that man die, he suppressed his greed and fled in a hurry.

The moment the news broke, the One Qi Sect controlling the Three Mountains County immediately dispatched three Fetal Breathing Realm cultivators and numerous disciples to Seven Sages Mountain, sealing the entrance to the Secret Realm.

They were preparing to enter the Secret Realm and conduct a thorough search.

However, as two Fetal Breathing Realm cultivators from the One Qi Sect entered the Secret Realm through the array, they instantly felt a strange power in the Secret Realm, which sealed the Immortal Embryo within them firmly.

In an instant, the two Fetal Breathing realm experts completely lost contact with their Immortal Embryos, as if becoming ordinary people, and their appearance suddenly aged into that of old men.

The two were so frightened that they scrambled out of the Secret Realm.

Though their connection with their Immortal Embryos was restored, their appearance never reverted.

As many Immortal Sects came for the news, the One Qi Sect dared not continue blocking the entrance to the Secret Realm, facing offenses from so many Immortal Sect influences, and reluctantly agreed to open the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm to all sects.

Any disciple of an Immortal Sect or a loose cultivator from a noble family wishing to enter the Secret Realm only needed to pay a piece of Spirit Crystal Fragment or a pound of Spirit Rice.

The news spread, causing the entire Yangnao Land to erupt in excitement.

Numerous Immortal Sects and noble family forces temporarily set aside their grudges against each other, dispatching disciples to the Seven Sages Mountain in Three Mountains County, preparing to enter the Secret Realm to seek opportunities.

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