"What’s the matter?"

"Is the Prince going back on his word?"

Seeing Wushi Ao staring blankly at him, Shen Chongming smiled faintly.

"Of course not!"

"Someone, bring the map!"

Wushi Ao snapped back to reality and hastily ordered someone to fetch the map.

After both parties confirmed the city transfers, Shen Chongming said, "From today onwards, Seven Sages Mountain belongs to my Shen Family."

"Fushan Country is obligated to help guard Seven Sages Mountain. Without the permission of my Shen Family, no one is allowed to set foot in Seven Sages Mountain, let alone enter the Secret Realm."

"Is the Prince able to comply with this?"

Wushi Ao nodded.

The cultivators of Fushan Country were not interested in that Secret Realm, so dispatching people to defend it wasn’t an issue.

After the transaction was completed, the uncle and nephew obtained the inheritance of three battle arrays and five thousand spirit crystals, and returned directly to Yunshui City.

Inside the Black Water Pavilion.

Shen Yuan sorted the spoils from this trip, placing the valuable ones on the third floor of the Black Water Pavilion, where he personally guarded them.

The ordinary ones were mostly handed over to Shen Li, instructing her to send them to the clan’s treasury in the Clan Court.

On the second floor, the father and son sat opposite each other.

"The great harvest has ended, and you should now focus on breaking through to the Golden Core."

Looking at his son in front of him, Shen Yuan spoke.

"No rush."

Shen Wen’an respectfully handed a cup of tea over, pondering for a moment before speaking, "The Golden Core Realm cultivators from the Southern Border did not intend to make a move this time."

"So I don’t need to rush to break through."

"Let’s wait until a few more cultivators with Fetal Breathing Perfection Realm power emerge in the family."

Shen Yuan’s hand paused slightly as he held the teacup, looking up at him, he said in a deep voice:

"This may take years or even decades more, and it could delay your future cultivation."

This son has sacrificed too much for the family.

Clearly having the opportunity to achieve the Golden Core Dao at any time, yet he forcibly refrained from making the breakthrough.

All just to wait for another in the family to emerge as a force capable of turning the tide in the Fetal Breathing Realm.

"No need to worry, Ah Die."

"Cultivation at the Golden Core Realm is different from Qi Cultivation and Fetal Breathing."

"A moment of enlightenment surpasses decades or centuries of hard cultivation."

"Besides, when I do break through, I will surely need to open the Heaven-Opening Gate again."

"By then, with the abundant spiritual energy descending from the Celestial Gate, my realm will surely catch up with Elder Jiang in an instant."

Shen Yuan sighed inwardly after hearing this.

"Now with Chongming’s cultivation nearing the Late Stage of Fetal Breathing, and your elder brother also saying the other day he’s preparing to seclude himself to break through to the Fourth Realm."

"Li’Er and her mother’s strength is also not weak anymore."

"In addition, the strength of the Snow Wolf King, Golden Toad, and Centipede Leader has all greatly improved."

"The Shen Family doesn’t really need to worry too much anymore."

Shen Wen’an nodded and then exhaled a long breath.

Listening to his father’s words, he suddenly felt that the burden on his shoulders had lightened quite a bit.

"And you, Ah Die?"

He shifted the topic and suddenly looked at Shen Yuan, speaking up.

The Path of Great Derivation was adept at concealing heavenly secrets and Qi, despite now having Half-Step Golden Core cultivation, he always felt there was a thin veil over his father’s aura, making the realm’s presence indistinct.

"Your father?"

Shen Yuan picked up the teacup in front of him and smiled faintly: "If the day comes that this family needs me to act, everything will be over."

"My cultivation is not focused on realm levels, and it’s hard to describe."

"By the way, if you’re not planning on entering seclusion during this period, make some time to visit Flame Lake City."

Shen Yuan changed the subject, his expression stern.

"What about Flame Lake City?"

Shen Wen’an was somewhat curious.

Shen Yuan did not speak, but got up and took a hand-drawn map from the desk beside him.

The map was densely marked with many things, including hexagram prophecies, the direction of earth veins, positions, and topography.

Shen Wen’an glanced at it, finding it somewhat difficult to understand.

Shen Yuan did not explain further, only pointing to an area on the left side of the map, saying: "After you get to Flame Lake City, continue westward, and help me verify the topography and earth vein direction of this area."

"If you encounter anything else unusual, note it down as well."

Shen Wen’an nodded, then glanced at the chessboard beside him that had been there for several years but had fewer than twenty pieces on it, curiously asking: "Have you been studying these things all these years, Ah Die?"

"Does it have any connection to that chessboard?"

Shen Yuan also cast his eyes toward the chessboard, a glimmer flashing in his eyes, softly murmuring.

"Your father just wants to see the direction of this grand game... "

...

Outside Yunshui City, in a hidden cave mansion in the mountains.

Shen Chongming stood with hands behind his back, looking at the burly woman in front of him, whose entire body was sealed of True Essence Spiritual Power.

This woman was over a zhang tall, and after shedding her armor and battle helmet, she still retained a certain charm.

"General Fu Feng, I still say the same thing: as long as the General is willing to take an oath of loyalty to the Shen Family."

"I will immediately have my third uncle remove the Sword Element Power from within you, sparing you from the daily torment of your meridians being torn by the Sword Essence."

General Fu Feng glanced at him coldly, saying: "Loyalty to the Shen Family?"

"If I were to regain my strength, I would surely execute you!"

"If you know what’s good for you, grant me a swift end, sparing us both this wasted conversation!"

Seeing her stubborn defiance, Shen Chongming sighed slightly.

"Third Uncle was indeed right, with cultivators like the General, taming them is truly not easy."

"Since that’s the case, the General should blame me not."

Hearing this, General Fu Feng’s brows knitted slightly.

"What do you intend to do?"

Shen Chongming ignored her, turning to look outside the cave mansion.

"Wu Jiu, come in."

As his words fell, a sturdy man from the Western Wilderness strode in.

"Patriarch!"

This brawny man was captured from the Western Wilderness cultivators when the Shen Family took control of it from the Hundred Beasts Mountain.

At the time, the Shen Family was in need of people, and after being captured, the nine of them took a True Spirit Oath, pledging loyalty to the Shen Family.