Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation

Chapter 515: Chapter 281: Ling Qiyue: Selecting Beauties Is Husband’s Favorite Game, Right?

Ling Qiyue had no objection to this; it was an indispensable foundation for any veteran Nascent Soul power.

Although the family’s territory was growing larger and they were a bit short-staffed, it could still be accomplished as long as they were willing to spend more time on it.

As for the process, the Stewards and Elders would conduct the first few preliminary rounds of selection, and then Ling Changqing would handle the final check. This was how it had always been done.

The sense of accomplishment Ling Changqing got from being able to see through the mists of the river of fate and identify one Immortal Seed after another who was suitable for cultivation was truly unparalleled.

The ethereally beautiful Yu Yalan covered her mouth and chuckled. "This must be what you love doing most, husband, right? By the way, now that you’ve advanced to Nascent Soul True Monarch, has *that* ability of yours improved as well?"

Before Ling Changqing could speak, Ling Qiyue laughed. "This isn’t what he loves most. It’s choosing beauties for a pageant! Isn’t that right?"

Ling Changqing was speechless. ’Am I really that kind of person? You don’t have to slander me like this, do you?’

Tang Qiu Yao was lost in thought. ’For the family’s future, and even more so to balance the influence of those outside female cultivators on Ling Changqing, a beauty pageant might be unavoidable.’

Of course, the two matters could be combined. After the Immortal Seed selection was over, they could simply single out the women with the most outstanding looks and character from the finalists and send them to serve Ling Changqing.

As long as they cultivated with Ling Changqing, their cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds—far more effective than consuming any Heavenly and Earthly Treasures.

...

「Three months later.」

Outside the Linsha Sea Region, high in the Celestial Vault.

A Tianzhou Skyboat, about a hundred zhang long, lavishly decorated, and shrouded in a cyan-gold light screen, slowly flew in from the horizon.

Inside the Tower Boat, in an opulent and elegant cabin, more than ten cultivators in varied attire sat in a circle. There were men and women, young and old.

In the center was a massive Magical Projection Light Mirror, clearly displaying the maps of five sea regions: Feiyu, Chi Xue, Linsha, Gui Qing, and Dragon Horn.

Originally, these five sea regions were independent of one another. Moreover, each region was internally fragmented, like a tray of loose sand, completely unable to unite their strength.

But now, these sea regions had been united under the control of a single family. To the surrounding powers, large and small, this was like a fishbone stuck in their throats, robbing them of sleep and appetite.

"...I truly never expected that in the few short years I was in seclusion, the situation in the surrounding sea regions would change so drastically!"

sighed an old man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a green robe and a greatcloak.

He was Song Yuanshan, the Sect Leader of the Binghai Sword Sect from the Yu Tong Sea Region. He was the only Nascent Soul True Monarch in his sect and had already reached the Middle Stage Nascent Soul Cultivation.

Another man, a burly, bald monk in coarse hemp clothes with an icy gaze, snorted.

"I had my people investigate the Ling Family’s past. They’re just a small clan that rose to prominence in less than a hundred years. I have no idea what kind of incredible luck they must have had to be able to swallow up five sea regions. On what grounds?"

This was Fa Ming, the abbot of the Sheng Xiang Sect from the Demon Suppression Sea Region. His cultivation was even higher than Song Yuanshan’s.

The Demon Suppression Sea Region was quite far from the coastal areas of Yuzhou; it was actually adjacent to the coastal waters of Yaozhou, separated from the Ling Family’s territory by seven or eight sea regions.

Therefore, this matter didn’t really concern the Sheng Xiang Sect. In the foreseeable future, it was highly unlikely that the Ling Family would extend its reach to their territory.

However, for Nascent Soul True Monarchs whose lifespans exceeded a thousand years, the Ling Family’s rate of development was simply too fast. It was not impossible that, within their lifetimes, the Ling Family could unite the coastal regions of Yuzhou and eventually threaten their own territories.

At this moment, a stunningly beautiful young woman with skin like ice and bones of jade, dressed in a water-red skirt and holding an exquisite flower basket on her fair wrist, spoke with a smile.

"The Patriarch of the Ling Family can be called exceptionally gifted, and the opportunities he’s obtained are no small matter. That’s how he was able to build such a massive foundation in less than a hundred years!

"However, expanding so quickly certainly means their foundation is unstable. If they don’t know when to advance and when to retreat, and fail to understand the times, I’m afraid they’ll inevitably make too many enemies and find themselves targeted by all sides!"

This beautiful young woman was from Zuihua Palace, located on the Yuzhou Continent adjacent to the coastal region. It was a sect with three Nascent Soul True Monarchs in residence. She was the Sect Leader, Su Zhenxia.

Clearly, the Ling Family’s actions had attracted the attention of certain powers in Yuzhou’s coastal region, who had thus decided to intervene.

The other cultivators also spoke up, the gist of their words being that the Ling Family’s behavior had severely disrupted the regional balance and stability.

Although the situation in the Yuzhou Cultivation Realm was currently tense and delicate, with all the major players focusing on the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty and the movements of the top-tier powers, Zuihua Palace and other coastal powers had still taken notice of the Ling Family’s unexpected rise.

So, after a period of networking, the leaders of these powers arranged to pay a visit. They wanted to have a "talk" with the Ling Family’s upper echelon—or rather, to deliver a warning—to make the family behave and stop crossing the line.

...

Meanwhile, at the family headquarters on Linsha Continent, the first batch of preliminarily shortlisted Immortal Seeds had already been escorted from the five sea regions by the Elders.

For once, Ling Changqing had woken up early. After being dressed by his women, he went to receive this batch of over twenty thousand prospective Immortal Seeds.

Of course, over the next six months, several more batches of such Immortal Seeds would be sent over.

After Ling Changqing’s appraisal, only a small fraction of them would ultimately be allowed to stay and receive the family’s resources for their training.

In the center of the vast plaza, Ling Changqing stood on a high platform, his gaze quietly sweeping over the young boys and girls in their white Magical Robes, all of whom wore nervous expressions.