Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 227: The Gui Ran Sect

“Ancestor, rest assured. My soul has always been stronger than the average cultivator’s. That Vine Demon was already damaged; how could a remnant soul possibly defeat me?” Wang Hao said with a reassuring smile. “By the way, Ancestor, I devoured a portion of its memories. I know the history of this place.”

He proceeded to recount the origins of the underground cavern to Wang Guang’an.

“The Gui Ran Sect?” Wang Guang’an frowned, searching his memory. “I have heard of a Gui Ran Sect, but they are currently a Golden Core sect located in the Wanxiang Archipelago. I wonder if they are the same lineage?”

“It is likely the same sect,” Wang Hao replied. “According to the memories, they abandoned this site thousands of years ago. Even if they wanted to return, a mere Golden Core sect lacks the strength to reclaim a lost territory this far inland.”

He gestured to the barren rock around them. “Besides, the mineral wealth here was exhausted eons ago. Apart from the damaged Spirit Vein and the potential for a medicine garden, this place holds no strategic value for them anymore.”

“Mn. Let us not worry about ghosts of the past,” Wang Guang’an said, dismissing the thought. “Let us examine the harvest of the present.”

The duo turned their attention to the prize: the Life Spirit Fire.

Refining a Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire in a hostile environment was too dangerous and time-consuming. Wang Hao decided to capture it first and transport it back to the family. The Third Rank Dharma Treasure, the Blue Jiao Furnace, was the perfect vessel.

Wang Guang’an had already returned the furnace to Wang Hao, as he would be busy with his own cultivation and unable to perform alchemy for the foreseeable future. However, Wang Hao’s Foundation Establishment cultivation made manipulating the treasure difficult.

“Allow me,” Wang Guang’an said.

Wang Hao produced the furnace. Wang Guang’an formed a seal, and the Blue Jiao Furnace hummed with power, expanding in size and radiating a brilliant blue light. He inverted the furnace, positioning the mouth directly over the green flame.

“Collect!”

A beam of azure light shot from the furnace mouth, enveloping the Life Spirit Fire.

The flame was currently masterless and lacked true sentience; it was merely a high-energy object containing immense vitality. Faced with the suction force of a Third Rank Dharma Treasure powered by a Golden Core cultivator, it offered no resistance. It flickered briefly, then was sucked into the belly of the furnace.

CLANG!

The heavy lid slammed shut, sealing the flame inside.

Wang Hao extended his Divine Sense through the furnace wall. The flame had shrunk considerably. Cut off from the external Spirit Vein, it instinctively reduced its output and entered a dormant state. This was perfect; a dormant flame would be much easier to refine later.

With the fire secured, their eyes fell upon the object it had been resting on—a jagged chunk of dark green rock.

At first glance, it looked like ordinary stone stained by centuries of exposure to the green fire. But upon closer inspection, they realized it was something far more precious.

Wang Guang’an summoned a Spirit Sword and slashed at the rock.

Clink!

To their shock, the strike of a Golden Core cultivator only left a shallow white mark on the surface.

They exchanged a look. “Treasure!”

Wang Guang’an struck again, carving a second groove. He then grabbed the rock with his bare hands and applied force, snapping off a fist-sized chunk.

Summoning his own Pill Fire, he enveloped the fragment.

Under the intense heat, the rock began to melt. Drop by drop, impurities fell away like black rain, until only a single, peanut-sized granule of green metal remained.

“Firefly Essence Stone!” both men exclaimed in unison.

Wang Guang’an held the tiny granule up to the light, laughing delightedly. “No wonder the Spirit Fire chose this spot. Firefly Essence Stone is rich in gentle Fire Spiritual Power. It has a natural attraction for flames!”

Unlike the volatile Fireflame Stone, Firefly Essence Stone possessed a stable, nurturing heat—a perfect match for the Life Spirit Fire.

It was also a premium crafting material. While ill-suited for offensive weapons due to its softness, it was god-tier for defensive artifacts. Adding just a small amount to a shield could increase its defensive capability by thirty percent. A single ounce could sell for nearly a thousand Spirit Stones.

Wang Hao eyed the remaining boulder—about the size of two water vats. The Vine Demon must have dug this up from somewhere deep below. If we can find the original vein, the Wang family will be rich.

Wang Guang’an stowed the ore and looked around at the devastated cavern. The lush garden of ancient herbs was gone, incinerated in the battle.

“A pity about the thousand-year Spirit Herbs,” he sighed. “They were buried along with the demon.”

“We secured the Spirit Fire. That is the greatest harvest,” Wang Hao comforted him.

“True. I am being greedy,” Wang Guang’an chuckled bitterly. Still, losing herbs worth hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones stung his heart.

“We lost the herbs, but we gained this,” Wang Hao said, pointing to the charred stump of the Vine Demon. “The Wood Core of a seven-thousand-year-old Third Rank demon. That is no small consolation.”

A Wood Demon’s core was equivalent to a beast’s Inner Core (Neidan)—the condensed essence of its lifelong cultivation. But Wood Cores were far rarer and exponentially more valuable.

If sold, this single item could fund the entire overseas expansion with surplus to spare. But selling it for mere Spirit Stones would be a waste; its rarity rivaled materials used for Nascent Soul formation.

In addition to the core, they harvested Yimu Essence (Oto-Wood Essence) from the demon’s remaining body. This green liquid was the plant equivalent of Lifeblood Essence, accumulated drop by drop over millennia. It was invaluable for assisting Wood-attribute cultivators or accelerating the growth of Spirit Plants.

Wang Guang’an’s mood improved significantly. “This monster sucked the land dry for a thousand years to form this core. It even degraded a Third Rank Spirit Vein. In the end, we still came out ahead.”

If the Third Rank vein had remained intact, the value of this land would have been tenfold. A Third Rank medicine garden could produce wealth beyond imagination.

“Ancestor,” Wang Hao said, “according to the demon’s memories, this underground space stretches for hundreds of miles. We are only halfway through. Should we continue exploring?”

In truth, his System Map had unlocked a new section. He had spotted a subterranean river on the mini-map that looked… interesting.

Wang Guang’an nodded. “Since we are here, we might as well sweep the area thoroughly. We need to clear any threats before the family moves in.”

They traveled deeper into the dark void. After a few miles, the sound of rushing water echoed off the walls. An underground river appeared before them, its dark waters shimmering with faint traces of Spiritual Qi.

The banks of the river were lush with vegetation, nourished by the spiritual water. Wang Hao spotted patches of Ghost Grass—a First Rank Spirit Herb known for its pure spiritual energy. It was a key ingredient for Ghost Pills, which functioned similarly to Yellow Dragon Pills for cultivation advancement.

The abundance of Ghost Grass meant the Wang family could establish a dedicated production line here, supplying pills for the younger generation or for sale.

Splash!

Suddenly, the water erupted. A high-pressure jet of water shot from the river, aiming straight for them.

“Hah! You beast, instead of hiding, you dare to attack?”

Wang Guang’an laughed dismissively. He waved his hand, shattering the water column into mist. With a backhanded flick, he fired a bolt of spiritual light into the river.

BOOM!

The water exploded upward in a geyser.

When the spray settled, the surface was dyed red with blood. Moments later, the carcass of a massive carp floated to the surface.