Playing inventor in a cultivation world-Chapter 15: Looming Danger

"I’ve just made another modification to their techniques. That makes it 200 silver spirit crystals I’ll be receiving."

Elder Cassius looked at him with a frown. "How do you know I brought a hundred silver spirit crystals?"

Seraph shrugged. "I don’t know, I just guessed. The Patriarch isn’t so hard to predict after all."

Hearing such a comment from a five year old kid, Elder Cassius was stunned and infuriated. The Clan Patriarch wasn’t so hard to predict? That was already bordering an insulting remark.

However, he restrained himself from lashing out, taking a deep breath to calm down.

"Well, I get your message. The remaining hundred would be delivered to your house by noon."

Yelena, who had been listening to their conversation was shocked. Two hundred silver spirit crystals?! Her father only earned around a fifty silver spirit crystals in a month. Yet, Seraph had earned four times that amount just this morning.

She turned to look at her brother, a mix of unease and awe in her eyes. How had he become so... distinct?

Elder Cassius immediately left to report to the Patriarch again after confirming the second modification. Meanwhile, Seraph decided to return home with Yelena.

Before he did that, he drew a few blueprints for the Head of Blacksmiths and asked him to create them.

The chubby man readily agreed, claiming it would be delivered latest tomorrow.

"You’re almost like a VIP in the Smithery now, Seraph."

Yelena said with a smile, gently pulling her brother towards their house.

Her brother didn’t reply, but he merely shrugged with a smug smile. Seeing that smile, Yelena was relieved. At least that smugness proved that her brother was still human and hadn’t been overtaken by some weird spirit.

When they arrived close to the house, Seraph whispered. "Hey, Big Sister."

He pulled her down to his height so she could hear him.

"This is twenty silver spirit crystals. Don’t let our parents know about this one. They should only know about the remaining hundred coming in the evening."

Yelena blinked. "I... shouldn’t tell?"

He nodded, "Yes. Count it as hush money."

Yelena’s lips twitched and she shook her head. "No need. I won’t tell our parents if you don’t want me to."

Seraph froze momentarily. "You won’t?"

Yelena nodded with a sincere smile. "I won’t. I’ll always support my cute little brother."

He lowered his head slightly, hiding his expression from her.

’It is really rare finding someone like this.’

He looked up again, beaming with a bright smile.

"Thank you, Big Sister. However, I still want to give you the twenty silver spirit crystals." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Eh? Haven’t I already said I wouldn’t report you?"

"It’s fine. I just want to give you because you’re my cute big sister."

"Ah, you..."

Unable to say a word, Yelena received the crystals with a pout. Perhaps this was her brother’s act of kindness.

......

From then on, things became smoother for Seraph over the next five years. He gradually perfected the smithing techniques of the clan, earning a steady income from his work. Also, he had trained Ariana well enough that she could now defeat kids older than her in pure swordsmanship skills.

His own cultivation had grown by leap bounds, as he had finally broken through a stage and become an Initial Advanced Stage cultivator. His dantian was successfully created, housing his pool of spirit essence.

The clan had been very peaceful and prosperous over those five years, and finally, their envious neighbors were ready to attack.

In the Scota Clan Manor...

A familiar group of three were gathered again, their expressions grim.

"That damned Moonveil. What the hell is going on with them?" Matriarch Suho seethed in anger.

"I don’t understand how." Patriarch Tun Ban sighed, a weary expression on his face.

Nevak, the Patriarch of the Scota Clan, said seriously. "We can no longer delay this matter. Their business with the larger clans has made us hesitant like cowards. We need to attack them before they also become a major clan."

Matriarch Suho scoffed. "Attack them? No, I want them destroyed."

Tun Ban shook his head. "All that doesn’t matter. What actually matters is halting their progress. By now, they have almost thirty kids with four-ci-aptitude and almost a hundred with three-ci-aptitude."

"It’s almost like they’re being blessed by a god." Nevax scowled in irritation.

"Forget all what you’re saying. I want us to attack and erase them once and for all. Else, they might come back to bite us in the future."

Matriarch Suho huffed, her impatience evident.

"Naturally, we would attack them. But..." Nevak leaned forward. "That would be by night. We can’t risk being seen attacking them at broad daylight."

Patriarch Tun Ban agreed. "Yes. And it’ll be easier staging an ambush at night. They wouldn’t be able to coordinate themselves."

The Suho Clan Matriarch relaxed. "Is that so...? Then it is settled. I will prepare my men."

Suddenly, she paused. "Right. Make sure not to kill the boy called Seraph. I want him."

Nevak’s expression turned sharp. "You want one of the five-ci-aptitude kids? That’s bold of you, woman."

Matriarch Suho smiled with evil intent. "Hmph! Don’t you dare think I wouldn’t attack you in your own house, Nevak. What I want is what I want."

Before it could turn into a fight, Patriarch Tun Ban spoke up. "Nevak, we’re all old friends. Let’s not fight over something like this. Suho can have the boy, and you can have the girl too. I’ll settle for two four-ci-aptitude kids as compensation."

The two Clan Leaders stated at him, then agreed. Nevak glanced at Tun Ban again, shaking his head internally.

’This is why you’d always lose. You always choose to compromise. It is better to be aggressive, you idiot.’

Meanwhile, Matriarch Suho had a pleased smile on her face.

’With that boy, I’ll surely be able to breed a lot of talented children for my clan. Perhaps I should make him my personal concubine? It would be a waste letting another woman have him.’

Harboring such pedo thoughts, she left the Scota Clan with her entourage.

Far away in the Moonveil Clan, Seraph shivered on his bed.