The Peach Blossom Pocket's flying speed wasn't particularly fast. Bai Zichen estimated it was about the same as his own top speed when he ran with a Divine Movement Talisman.
But flying through the sky, looking down on the people below as they struggled over mountains and across rivers, was a massive boost to one's prestige.
Besides, a shield of light emerged when the Peach Blossom Pocket was in flight, blocking the strong headwinds. After a while, once the initial tension wore off, it was actually quite comfortable.
'When I have enough Spirit Stones, I'll buy a Flying Magical Artifact too. They're so convenient for getting around.'
Bai Zichen schemed, thinking he would have Bai Ying head to the Market later to check on prices.
The utility of a Flying Magical Artifact was obvious, whether for everyday travel or escaping with your life in a crucial moment. Plus, it came with the added bonus of showing off in front of others.
Imagine other Cultivators still trudging along on their own two feet, while you summon a Flying Magical Artifact and leisurely soar away. It instantly puts you in a different league.
'Better not. With my few Spirit Stones, there's no need to pretend I'm rich. Money has to be spent where it counts... Once I have enough Clan contribution points, getting an Ink Bamboo Sword will be just as impressive.'
The thought barely had time to form before the image of the pathetic little pile of Spirit Stones in his storage pouch brought him crashing back to cold, hard reality.
After all these years of saving, Bai Zichen had just over fifty Spirit Stones in his storage pouch—and that was only because a past windfall accounted for more than half of it. If he really wanted to buy a Flying Magical Artifact, he would have no choice but to take out a loan from the Clan.
What would have been a three-day journey took only a day and a half thanks to the Peach Blossom Pocket.
This place had once been a desolate wilderness, but with the development of the Five Mountains Temple, the Qingfeng Sect had simply built an annex here. The few packs of Demon Beasts that had roamed the vicinity were long since slain.
By the time the Bai Family party arrived, the annex was already bustling with activity. Most of the Clan representatives were present, gathered in small circles and chatting amongst themselves.
For this opportunity to comprehend the Inheritance Stele, the Qingfeng Sect had opened fifty slots in total: two for each of the fifteen Cultivation Families and twenty for its own Sect Disciples. This was considered quite generous. It was hard to say whether this was a one-time affair because it was the first opening, or if it would become the standard procedure for the future.
Honggu put away the Peach Blossom Pocket, presented a Jade Pendant to the Qingfeng Sect disciple at the entrance to verify her identity, and swept her gaze across the courtyard before walking unhesitatingly toward a corner.
The Cultivation Families themselves were stratified. Take the Top Five Families, for example. Each had multiple Great Foundation Establishment Cultivators presiding over them, and some even had ties to a Core Formation Ancestor, placing them a world apart from the other Foundation Establishment-level Cultivation Families.
The Qingxi Huang Family, for instance, had an ancestor who was once the closed-door disciple of a Core Formation True Man. He had passed down a complete Tier Three Array, which became the cornerstone of the clan's heritage.
When operated by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it could hold its own against a Core Formation True Man—if only for a short while.
Just for a little while.
Each of the fifteen families chosen by the Qingfeng Sect had at least one Great Foundation Establishment Cultivator within their ranks. That was the bare minimum.
"Honggu, you're late! You'll have to drink three penalty cups at the welcome banquet."
There were six or seven people gathered in this corner. The female cultivator at the center of the group beckoned with a slender hand, a broad smile on her face as she spoke.
"Sister Chen, it's been a while. I wonder if your tolerance for alcohol has improved lately? Don't tell me you'll need someone to help you back to your room after just a few cups again."
Honggu's tone was gentle, but there was a strange tension beneath her light-hearted banter. The moment the two female cultivators' eyes met, you could feel the sparks fly.
"That's Senior Chen Yixue of the Fragrant Pig Chen Family. She and Master competed for the same Dao Companion years ago, and they've never managed to get over it."
Bai Ling and Bai Zichen had fallen a step behind. She leaned in close and whispered in his ear, a few strands of her dark hair tickling his face.
Bai Zichen had of course heard of the Fragrant Pig Chen Family. They were one of the clans with the closest ties to the Bai Family.
They were famous for raising Spirit Beasts; the clan kept hundreds of black-furred Fragrant Pigs. These were Tier One Low-Grade Spirit Beasts whose meat was rich and delicious. Consuming it over a long period could even strengthen one's qi and blood.
On the strength of their Pig Raising Skill alone, the Fragrant Pig Chen Family ranked near the top of all Cultivation Families in terms of wealth.
Bai Zichen discreetly sized up the female cultivator from the Chen Family. She wore a magenta gown, and her figure was voluptuous and comely. 'There must have been some incredibly melodramatic history when she fought with Elder Honggu over a Dao Companion,' he thought, 'for them to still be harping on it after so many years.'
Chen Yixue called over her two young disciples, who looked considerably older than the pair from the Bai Family. "Come and greet Elder Honggu of the Bai Family. These are the two most outstanding youths of our Chen Family; one is at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, the other at the Peak of Third-Layer Qi Refining. How did your family end up sending two who are so young?"
"Ling'er, Zichen, come and pay your respects to your Aunt Chen." Honggu smiled, looking rather smug. She even found her gaze toward Bai Zichen to be much more pleasant. "My humble disciple, Bai Ling, has just reached the age of fifteen and possesses Dual Spirit Root Talent."
"I've long heard your Bai Family produced a pair of siblings with Dual Spiritual Roots. Our Clan Leader is quite envious." Chen Yixue's eyes shifted, her gaze falling upon the other youth. "Then this must be the younger brother... hmm?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Honggu's face, but she continued, "You have a sharp eye, Sister Yixue. My other disciple didn't qualify for selection this time. This is our Bai Family's own young prodigy, Bai Zichen—a twelve-year-old at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer!"
"Is that true?!"
It wasn't just Chen Yixue; the cultivators from the two other families who had been watching the drama unfold also jumped to their feet, their eyes flashing with Spirit Light as they scanned Bai Zichen from head to toe.
"To think your Bai Family has produced such a Cultivation Seed! He has a real hope of reaching Foundation Establishment! The Clan's future is secure!"
The ancient-looking Fang Family Elder spoke in a tone that was half-compliment, half-envy. His gaze was so intense it was frightening, as if he might try to spirit Bai Zichen away to the Fang Family at any second.
For Cultivation Families like theirs, with only a single Great Foundation Establishment Cultivator to hold the fort, the greatest fear was the approaching end of that cultivator's lifespan before a disciple from the next generation was ready to take their place.
The moment they lost their Great Foundation Establishment Cultivator, countless hungry wolves would start eyeing the meat in their bowl.
The Qingfeng Sect was mindful of its status and wouldn't get directly involved. But what about the other Cultivation Families, or the Loose Cultivators who were as vicious as wolves and tigers? Without the strength to match, they would be like a child holding a gold ingot in a crowded street—utterly unable to protect what was theirs.
Take the Red Leaf Fang Family, for example. Elders from the Qingfeng Sect and people from the Fire Phoenix Mo Family had long been coming to 'ask' for cuttings from the few Tier Two Spirit Tea Trees in Red Leaf Valley, hoping to graft them onto their own Spirit Trees.
If the Fang Family's Clan Leader were to pass away tomorrow, those people wouldn't be coming to the door for a few cuttings. They'd be coming for the entire Spirit Tea Tree!
This was why the Top Five Families were called Noble Cultivation Families: they had multiple Great Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Even if one passed away, the others could hold the fort until the clan's next generation of geniuses was ready.
Bai Zichen wasn't used to being surrounded and praised by strangers, so he could only shrink further back into the shadows.
He was well aware of the saying: the tree that stands out in the forest will be the first to be felled by the wind.
But with his cultivation at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, it was difficult not to attract attention.
"With your Zichen around, all the youths from our families have been thoroughly outshone," Chen Yixue said. "Young man, you do your best tomorrow. I'm not asking you to surpass the Sect Disciples, but at the very least, don't you dare lose to those so-called Top Five Families. Win some glory for your big sister here, and I'll be sure to reward you afterward."
Chen Yixue's voice was as pleasant as silver bells. Paired with the delicate expression on her face, she exuded a unique charm that was a mix of girlish innocence and a mature woman's allure.
"This junior is unworthy of the elders' praise. All my fellow cultivators here are dragons and phoenixes among men. The Inheritance Stele is mysterious and profound; it surely has its own unique way of judging talent. This junior only hopes not to finish last and bring shame to the Bai Family's name."
Bai Zichen's words did much to soften the gazes of the surrounding youths, who had been watching him like hungry tigers. They now came forward one after another to introduce themselves.