Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 4 Arrival

The trek spanning more than twenty thousand li was a lengthy endeavor, even when traveling by Spirit Boat.

As the vessel traversed the halfway point of its journey, shimmering spots of white light suddenly flickered before Li Zhirui’s eyes, jolting the sleepy youth from his slumber.

“Uncle Ren, look over there! What are those things?” Li Zhirui sent a hurried mental transmission.

Li Shiren, who was at the helm of the Spirit Boat, shifted his gaze toward the direction Li Zhirui indicated. Upon identifying the source of the white glow, he froze for a brief moment before his expression transformed into one of pure ecstasy.

“Cloud Fish!” he exclaimed urgently. Without a second thought for Li Zhirui, he immediately triggered a Communication Talisman to alert Li Shiqing on the accompanying vessel.

The name “Cloud Fish” rang a bell in Li Zhirui’s mind, yet he struggled to pull the specific details from his memory.

It wasn't until every Cultivator on board had been roused and the Spirit Boat brought to a standstill that he finally understood. As the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators moved to intercept the creatures, Li Zhirui caught a clear glimpse and remembered their significance.

Cloud Fish were an exceptionally rare and prized grade-one Spirit Fish. Even with their modest rank, their market value was immense!

Born within the clouds and sustained by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, these fish possessed bodies free of any impurities. They were perfectly untainted. Whether prepared as a meal or eaten raw, they could bolster a Cultivator’s mana. Most importantly, unlike pills, they never resulted in drug resistance or the accumulation of pill poison.

Because they were so elusive, they were almost never found in markets. Rumors had even circulated that the species was extinct, which explained why it took Li Zhirui so long to identify them.

After thirty minutes, the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators had successfully gathered every Cloud Fish in the vicinity.

“Hahaha...” Li Shiren’s booming laughter echoed as he stepped back onto the Spirit Boat. He approached Li Zhirui and gave his shoulder a hearty clap, saying, “Splendid work, boy! Had you not spotted them, this massive opportunity would have slipped right past us!”

“I was too preoccupied earlier to properly congratulate you on reaching the late stage of Qi Cultivation, and now you have performed another great service for the clan,” Clan Leader Li Shiqing remarked, his eyes beaming with pride and approval as he looked at Li Zhirui.

After a brief pause for thought, he declared, “Since it was you who found the Cloud Fish, I shall reward you with two pairs to mark your breakthrough.”

“But Clan Leader, you were the ones who actually caught them,” Li Zhirui replied quickly, feeling hesitant about his ability to properly maintain such delicate Spirit Fish.

“And how would we have caught them if you hadn't seen them?” Seeing the boy’s intent to decline, Li Shiqing waved his hand with finality, cutting off any further protest. “The matter is decided!”

“Then I thank the Clan Leader.” Li Zhirui relented and accepted the two pairs of Cloud Fish. He resolved to seek guidance from Uncle Shiling, the clan’s premier Beast Tamer, once they arrived at their new home.

The remainder of the trip proceeded without incident. This peaceful stretch only served to deepen the envy of the other young clansmen regarding Li Zhirui’s incredible luck.

Within Li Zhirui’s generation, there were thirteen members in total. He was the ninth by age, with four younger siblings following him.

Among his eight seniors, the eldest was already in his thirties or forties, while the youngest was a mere few months older than Li Zhirui himself.

“Ninth Brother, your fortune is truly something to be jealous of,” remarked Li Zhihao, the eighth-ranked sibling, who shared a close bond with him. He approached Li Zhirui with a look of genuine admiration.

Li Zhirui offered a small smile. “Eighth Brother, your own luck will surely arrive soon. There is no need for such haste.”

“Hahaha, I’ll take those kind words as a good omen!” Li Zhihao laughed, his mood brightening instantly.

This display caused several other clansmen to turn their heads away in annoyance.

“Da Rong Island is in sight!”

Li Shiren’s announcement drew everyone’s focus. They crowded the railings, peering ahead at the island emerging on the horizon.

“Uncle Ren, Da Rong Island seems quite expansive! Why hasn't it been claimed by another clan before now?” Li Zhirui asked, his curiosity piqued.

The island spanned three hundred li from north to south and over one hundred and fifty li from east to west. To the east, a jagged mountain range was visible, and the landscape was dominated by towering banyan trees that carpeted the hills.

Rather than answering directly, Li Shiren asked, “Do you recall your Uncle Fifteen?”

Li Zhirui nodded. He remembered that great-uncle, though he recalled that the man had passed away several years prior.

“Da Rong Island remained unclaimed because its Spirit Veins are buried deep underground. If Uncle Fifteen’s Spirit Seeking Beast hadn't detected them, we would never have discovered that three first-order Spirit Veins are hidden here.”

Li Zhirui didn't seem particularly impressed by the count. To his knowledge, Bailang County was not only richer in Spirit Veins but also possessed a second-order Spirit Vein.

“Only first-order? Then the spiritual energy here might be insufficient for the clan’s cultivators to progress,” he noted.

Spirit Vein grades corresponded to cultivation realms, ranging from the first order up to the ninth. These matched the stages from Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment all the way to Nascent Soul and Tribulation Transcendence.

A single first-order Spirit Vein could support about fifteen Qi Cultivators, but it was barely enough to sustain one person at the Foundation Establishment level.

Three first-order Spirit Veins were nowhere near enough for the Li family’s Qi Cultivators, let alone their four Foundation Establishment experts.

“Do not fret. The clan’s total migration to Da Rong Island included enough Spirit Stones to elevate one of these Spirit Veins to the second order,” Li Shiren explained, easing his worries.

He then gave Li Zhirui a playful shove, grumbling, “You’re just a kid; stop worrying so much. We elders aren't dead yet!”

“Understood,” Li Zhirui answered. He was well aware of his habit of overthinking—a trait he had carried over from his previous life and struggled to suppress.

...

“Halt! Who goes there?”

As the two Spirit Boats descended toward Da Rong Island, a sharp, wary voice rang out from below.

“Second Brother, have you really forgotten your own little brother in just a few years?” Li Shiren drifted out from the Spirit Boat, putting on a show of mock heartbreak.

Li Zhirui and the younger generation watched, stunned by this display. While Li Shiren wasn't usually the most dignified elder, they had never seen him act so shamelessly.

“Ahem.” Li Shiqing stepped forward to clear his throat as a warning. “Let us land first. We can talk once the secular members of the clan are settled.”

When Li Shijue saw the faces on the boats and heard those words, he realized the family was in the midst of a crisis. They wouldn't have brought so many people otherwise. He quickly opened the Formation to let the Spirit Boats through.

“Fifth Brother, has something happened back in Bailang County?” Li Shijue asked with concern.

Li Shiren sighed, recounting the entire ordeal in detail. Finally, he forced a thin smile. “Perhaps it is for the best. Now the whole family is united, and we don't have to wait ten years just to catch a glimpse of one another.”

To keep the residents of Da Rong Island from feeling isolated, the clan used to rotate the stationed members every decade under the guise of travel.

Furthermore, to maintain secrecy, the full route to the island was a secret known only to the family’s inner circle.

“True enough. Da Rong Island might just prove to be a better home than Bailang County,” Li Shijue added.

By then, the other cultivators on the island had been drawn by the noise and rushed over. They were initially overjoyed to see kin they hadn't visited in years, but they quickly sensed the gravity of the situation.

Before questions could be asked, Li Shiqing spoke up. “We shall discuss everything in the main hall.”