Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 24 The Three Lineages are Established, Hiding Trouble and Opening Up Opportunities

Meng Xihong summoned his eldest son, Meng Yanqing.

The five-year-old boy already stood tall and straight like a pine tree, with a resolute gaze that hinted at the aura of a martial artist.

“Yan Qing,” Meng Xihong said in a steady voice, “you have excellent physical attributes and a resilient character, making you a fine candidate to inherit the martial arts.”

He handed over a booklet with fresh ink, its cover bearing three bold, powerful characters: "Hun Yuan Zhuang" (Primordial Unity Stance).

"This is the foundation-building stance method created by your father by integrating what he has learned and a trace of the true meaning of 'concealment'. It emphasizes the foundation, nourishes qi and blood, accumulates strength, and has defense hidden within."

"With diligent practice, external strength and internal strength will naturally develop. In the future, it is possible to reach the Transformation Realm or even become a Grandmaster! The martial arts lineage of the Meng family begins with you!"

Meng Yanqing accepted the manual with both hands, feeling the weighty expectations and power within it. His eyes blazed with fervent light. He knelt on one knee, his voice resounding: "Thank you, Father, for your generous gift! Your son will overcome all obstacles and diligently practice! I will protect my family with martial arts until death!"

In the study room.

Meng Xihong placed several carefully selected Confucian classics in front of his second son, Meng Yanwei, with a warm, lustrous blue jade pendant beside him.

This is what he earned over two years of business. He had someone buy it back from Yunzhou, and it has a slight calming effect.

“Yanwei,” Meng Xihong said, looking at his intelligent and reserved youngest son, “you are meticulous and have a good grasp of the big picture; this is a great talent. To govern a country and bring peace to the people, one must understand principles and cultivate one’s character. Reading this book of sages is not only about understanding principles, but also about cultivating a righteous spirit within your heart.”

"This energy can dispel evil and delusion, calm the mind, enhance wisdom, and even... connect with the righteous energy of heaven and earth! This is the foundation of the Meng family's literary tradition. Once you have cultivated this energy and your mind is filled with wisdom, I will pass on to you the method of cultivating righteousness and conveying the Way through literature! Keep this jade with you to help concentrate your mind."

Meng Yanwei bowed deeply, accepting the books and jade pendant with both hands, his eyes clear and firm: "Your son will remember your teachings, Father! I will certainly devote myself to my studies, understand principles and cultivate my character! I will use literature to convey the Way and wisdom to secure my family!"

“You are only four years old, but you have the mind of an adult. Too much wisdom can lead to trouble. As your father, I only wish for your peace and happiness.” Meng Xihong sighed softly, his voice filled with pity.

After settling his two sons in, Meng Xihong went to the bedside of the sleeping Meng Yanning. The spirit-locking barrier of the "Locust Wood Box" remained sturdy.

He gently stroked his eldest daughter's cheek, his eyes deep: "Yan Ning, grow up well. Your father has laid the foundation for your path. When your spiritual root manifests, the immortal path of our Meng family will be brought to glory by you!"

Finally, his consciousness sank into the sea of ​​consciousness.

The ancient, golden genealogy book floated silently, radiating a soft and warm light.

As Bai Shi attained enlightenment through Qi cultivation, he bestowed upon his eldest son the "Hun Yuan Zhuang" (Primordial Stance), which embodies the true meaning of martial arts, and the "Martial Arts Foundation," while passing on his second son the foundation of literary cultivation, the basis for nurturing Qi, and the "Literary Mind and Spirit"...

In the darkness, he felt an unprecedented connection between himself and his entire family, and a faint yet resilient "force" was quietly gathering above the Meng residence.

"One person's strength is not true strength. When an entire clan is united, its power can shake mountains!" Meng Xihong realized, "This is the foundation of our strength!"

"As the Meng family grows stronger, so too do I. One day, I alone will be able to stand against an entire clan!"

He composed himself and took out a low-grade spirit stone, holding it in his palm.

The methods of "Thick Earth Technique" flowed through my mind. Pure earth-attribute spiritual energy was slowly absorbed, nourishing my meridians, consolidating my cultivation at the peak of the third level of Qi Refining, and accelerating the final healing of my wounds.

Outside the window, dusk was falling.

Wufeng County town seems to have returned to its former tranquility, but undercurrents have already formed.

The Lin family's fury, the chain reaction triggered by fabricated intelligence, the Black Serpent and the shadows that might lurk behind it... crisis hangs like a sword of Damocles, ready to fall at any moment. However, within the Meng family, the foundations of the three lineages of martial arts, immortality, and literature, forged in blood and fire, have been quietly planted by Meng Xihong himself and taken root.

He sat calmly in the quiet room, like a pillar of strength.

Healing, cultivating, strategizing, nurturing talent… Time is of the essence, and he races against the clock, striving to build a solid dam for the Meng family to withstand the raging storm before an even greater storm arrives.

The rumors of shifting blame eastward, like a pebble thrown into a stagnant pond, quietly spread ripples in the shadowy corners of Wufeng County.

Whispers in the corners of taverns, idle chatter outside gambling dens, and exchanges in the back alleys of brothels all carry a deliberate yet vague excitement.

Cultivators battling, rare treasures emerging, escape light from Wild Wolf Valley... these words seemed to have grown legs and crawled into the ears of those who were interested.

Deep within the Lin family mansion, in a secluded courtyard.

Lin Lang stood with his hands behind his back by the window. He was tall and slender with a handsome face, exuding the air of a noble family.

Only his vertical pupils occasionally flashed a captivating, dark, blood-red light.

His fingers were long and slender, white, and at that moment they were unconsciously tapping lightly on the window frame.

Lin Bao stood three steps behind him with his head bowed, his burly body taut and straight, and the hideous scar on his face no longer looked so menacing.

He held up a blood-stained piece of silk, which was the "treasure map" forged by Meng Xihong. His voice was very low, filled with suppressed anger and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

"Young Master Lang, Lin Fei... is dead. The clues point to an abandoned house in the west of the city, where the traces of a battle are chaotic, with strong remnants of earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magical escape technique). This map was found near the scene, pointing to Wild Wolf Valley. I suspect... someone deliberately framed him, trying to shift the blame!"

"Shifting the blame?" Lin Lang's voice was not loud, but it carried a hint of coldness. His fingers, which were tapping on the window frame, paused. "Tell me about it."

“I suspect this picture is fake, and the method is clumsy.” Lin Bao reported with his head down. “What kind of place is Wild Wolf Valley? It’s the lair of a group of desperate rogue cultivators. If there were really any rare treasures, why would they leave such a flaw? They are clearly trying to lure us into fighting with the villains of Wild Wolf Valley, or those idiots from other branches, so that the real culprits can escape and catch their breath.”

He paused, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. "My men have already sent people to investigate along the last clue Lin Fei followed and the trail of the Drunken Heart Grass. In Wufeng County, there aren't many people who dare to touch my Azure Scale Guard."

"Not much?" Lin Lang slowly turned around, his gaze falling on the silk cloth in Lin Bao's hand. His gaze was calm and unwavering, yet it instantly sent a chill down Lin Bao's spine, as if he were being stared at by a highly venomous green serpent.

"Lin Fei is at the third level of Qi Refining and possesses a low-grade magic weapon. Even if he underestimates his opponent, he is not someone an ordinary martial artist can kill. To be able to kill him and then set up this seemingly clumsy but actually effective feint... Tell me, is there 'not many' with this kind of intellect and skill in Wufeng County?"

Lin Bao's forehead was covered in cold sweat: "This subordinate...this subordinate failed in his duty! Please punish me, Young Master Lang!"

Lin Lang ignored his apology and extended his hand.

Lin Bao immediately and respectfully handed over the silk cloth.

Long, slender fingers brushed across the blood-stained silk, a faint, almost imperceptible black aura swirling around the fingertips, probing and sucking at the texture like a living thing.

After a moment, the black mist paused slightly, then dissipated.

“Interesting…” A faint smile appeared on Lin Lang’s lips.

(End of this chapter)