Although Song Changsheng was eager to test the power of the Earthheart Cold Flame, this wasn't the right place. If he accidentally set the bamboo residence on fire, that would be a disaster.
He carefully stored away the Soul-Slaying Gourd, then considered refining the Measuring Heaven Ruler as well, but unfortunately, he didn't have enough five-element essence, so he had to put that plan aside.
At this moment, dawn was just breaking. Song Changsheng opened the bamboo window, breathing in the fresh morning air while thinking about how to approach the Rong Clan.
Although ambushing Yu Chengbo and the others would benefit both the Song and Rong Clans, the Rong Clan was notoriously proud and difficult to deal with.
A hundred years ago, the Song Clan had stood on equal footing with the Rong Clan, but now, without any Purple Mansion cultivators, they were naturally looked down upon.
Trying to ally would almost certainly be rejected. Worse, Song Changsheng might be mocked and kicked out, all because his clan no longer matched their status.
"If it were anyone else, this wouldn't be so troublesome."
He sighed softly, though an idea had already begun to form in his mind.
"Qingluo, the city curfew is over now. Head back to the shop and wait for the family's reply. Once you get it, let me know immediately."
Song Changsheng came downstairs and gave his orders to the busy Song Qingluo.
"Understood!"
After sending Qingluo off, Song Changsheng also made his way toward the Dao Discourse Hall.
Following the end of the birthday banquet, the City Lord would be lecturing for three days, and today was the first day.
The City Lord was someone who could discuss the Dao as an equal with Golden Core cultivators. His insight into the Dao had already reached a level that most could only look up to in awe.
Not only was this beneficial for juniors like Song Changsheng, but even Purple Mansion cultivators wouldn't miss such a rare opportunity.
In the human cultivation world, there was a saying:
Before the Golden Core stage, cultivation depends on your spiritual roots. But to break through into the Golden Core stage, it depends on your comprehension.
Breaking through wasn't about speed or how good your spiritual roots were, but about your understanding of the Dao.
Only once a cultivator's insight touched that threshold could they pierce through the veil and step into the Golden Core realm.
And that came down to comprehension; the higher your comprehension, the more likely you could reach and break through that barrier.
Without it, even someone with Heavenly Spiritual Roots would have no chance of reaching the Golden Core.
That's why top-tier sects and clans didn't place too much emphasis on spiritual roots.
A Heavenly or Variant Root cultivator appearing in the Qiyan Cultivation Realm would no doubt cause a stir, and most forces would fight to recruit them.
But for first-rate powers, such talent was no big deal.
They possessed immense resources. As long as someone had high comprehension, even with average roots, they could be quickly cultivated to the Purple Mansion stage, and eventually break through to the Golden Core.
The better one's comprehension, the faster this path became.
Otherwise, why would Purple Mansion cultivators so often gather on Mount Tianyin to debate the Dao?
It wasn't just to guide juniors, it was primarily to deepen their understanding.
This time was no different. Listening to the City Lord's lecture would help all cultivators, from juniors to seasoned veterans, hone their grasp of the Dao.
But Song Changsheng had long harbored a doubt:
The City Lord's comprehension of the Dao far surpassed the Purple Mansion stage.
He had reached Peak Purple Mansion over a century ago, so why hadn't he stepped into the Golden Core realm?
With Luoxia City's wealth and foundation, the City Lord had no shortage of options.
Whether he pursued the Path of the Primordial One Golden Core or the Five Elemental Golden Core, it was well within his reach.
He also sat atop a fourth-grade spiritual vein, meaning he faced none of the challenges that hindered most cultivators.
The only explanation Song Changsheng could think of was:
The City Lord simply didn't want to break through.
As for the reason? That remained an enigma known only to the man himself.
Purple Mansion cultivators typically had lifespans of around 500 years. Since the City Lord had just celebrated his 400th birthday yesterday, that meant he still had about a hundred years left, possibly more, if he used life-extending treasures. Time was still on his side.
"What exactly are you waiting for?" Song Changsheng lowered his head in deep thought.
At that moment, the City Lord's gentle voice rang out, "That will be all for today. We will continue tomorrow."
Only then did Song Changsheng realize that the lecture had already ended.
He quickly stood up and, along with the others, bowed respectfully.
"Many thanks to the City Lord for his guidance."
He had only absorbed the first half of the lecture. For the latter half, he had been spacing out; it was just like dozing off in class back in the day.
It wasn't that he didn't value the opportunity; it was simply that the City Lord's level was far too high. He could only comprehend the first half; the rest may as well have been written in another language.
Forcing himself to memorize what he couldn't understand felt meaningless to him.
"If you can't understand it the first time, listening ten more times won't help.
Because… you simply haven't reached that level yet."
Song Changsheng didn't know how much the others could grasp, but for him, half was the limit. Still, it was more than enough. He had gained new insights into the Dao.
"The clan's reply should've arrived by now. Time to find Qingluo."
Stretching lazily, Song Changsheng made his way out of the hall.
A voice called out behind him,
"Fellow Daoist Song, how much did you gain today?"
He turned to see Zhuang Yuechan catching up to him. He smiled and replied,
"The City Lord is truly worthy of his title as the number one below the Golden Core. I've learned a great deal."
"I've studied under my master for years and heard this lecture countless times," Zhuang Yuechan said with a sigh,
"But even now, I still can't fully comprehend it."
"Don't be discouraged, Fellow Daoist Zhuang. The City Lord is someone who can discuss the Dao on equal footing with Golden Core cultivators. His insights are far beyond ours.
It's like… elementary school students trying to understand a college course, grasping even a little is already impressive."
"Elementary school? College?" Zhuang Yuechan furrowed her brows in confusion. Despite her vast reading, she had never heard these terms before.
Song Changsheng blinked, realizing that these concepts were foreign in this world. Seeing that she was about to press further, he quickly waved it off with a chuckle.
"Not important. I just meant the City Lord's teachings are too profound for us. Even understanding a portion is a blessing.
I only understood about half of it, and already my comprehension of the Dao has deepened significantly."
Before Zhuang Yuechan could respond, a familiar voice chimed in mockingly,
"Bragging without even trying to hide it. I could barely grasp a tenth of it, and you're saying you understood half? What a joke."
Song Changsheng turned to see two people approaching: an old man and a young one.
The elder's aura was restrained, but he gave off the feeling of a boundless ocean capable of devouring him whole at any moment.
The younger man looked to be around thirty, holding a folding fan. He had fair skin, bright eyes, and delicate features, so much so that if not for his flat chest and Adam's apple, Song Changsheng would have mistaken him for a woman.
He was more beautiful than many women Song had seen.
He was also familiar. Song Changsheng had met him once before, and they had a minor conflict over Zhuang Yuechan.
Song ignored the young man and instead respectfully saluted the elder.
"Junior Song Changsheng greets Senior Hanhai."
Hanhai Sanren didn't have the best reputation and was known for being petty. However, Song's courtesy left him no room for criticism, so he nodded slightly.
"Young friend, no need for excessive formality. You said you understood half of today's lecture?"
Without hesitation, Song Changsheng replied,
"That was just me bragging in front of a friend. Please forgive the boast, Senior."
"Hah! I knew you were bluffing," Hai Dongping sneered, twirling his fan with a smug expression, as if he had seen right through everything.
"Stay grounded while you're young," Hanhai Sanren said calmly. "Dongping, let's go."
The elder didn't take Song's claim seriously; he had understood less than half of the lecture, so there was no way a junior like Song Changsheng had grasped more.
Since Song had wisely backtracked, Hanhai saw no need to press further and walked away with Dongping, who looked as though he had just won a battle.
Once they were gone, Zhuang Yuechan chuckled softly.
"Fellow Daoist Song, you think on your feet. With Hanhai Sanren's temper, if you had insisted on your earlier claim, things might not have ended so peacefully."
Song Changsheng gave her a wink and smiled.
"How do you know I wasn't bluffing? Maybe I was exaggerating earlier."
"I've come to know your character well enough," she said with a light smile.
"Though I was surprised you understood half, it's not completely unbelievable."
Song Changsheng paused for a moment
This feeling of being trusted… was pretty nice.
At first, he didn't realize that comprehending half the lecture was anything special.
He had assumed everyone had more or less the same understanding, so he spoke without thinking.
It wasn't until Hai Dongping claimed he had only understood a tenth that Song Changsheng realized
He had just unintentionally flexed hard.
As Hanhai Sanren's disciple, Hai Dongping was no slouch when it came to talent.
If even he could only grasp a tenth, then for Song to claim half,
It did sound like arrogant boasting.
Just like Zhuang Yuechan had said, given Hanhai Sanren's petty nature,
Song had wisely changed his tune and downplayed himself, dodging what could've been a troublesome situation.
Now it seemed… that move had paid off.
"Fellow Daoist Song, your comprehension is truly astounding," Zhuang Yuechan said sincerely.
"The first time I heard my master give a lecture, I only understood about three-tenths, and he already praised me as exceptionally gifted.
But compared to you, I still fall far short."
Song was just about to respond when he saw Song Qingluo hurrying over.
Upon noticing Zhuang Yuechan nearby, Qingluo hesitated slightly, as if unsure whether to speak.
Zhuang Yuechan immediately picked up on the mood and gracefully stepped back.
"It's getting late. I need to return and digest today's gains. I'll take my leave."
"Please go ahead, Fellow Daoist. See you tomorrow," Song Changsheng replied.
Once she was gone, Song Qingluo quickly handed him a crystal and said,
"Reply from the clan."
Without hesitation, Song crushed the crystal in his hand, allowing the encoded message to flood into his consciousness.
As expected, the clan strongly supported his plan.
What did surprise him, however, was that the old patriarch himself would be personally taking action this time.
"With Grandpa and the Grand Elder both involved, we're evenly matched with Yu Chengbo's group in terms of strength.
If we can bring the Rong Clan on board, this thing is practically a sure win."
He then handed his Young Clan Leader's token to Song Qingluo.
"Take my badge and go to the Rong Clan's residence. Invite Rong Shaoyuan for a private meeting."
Under normal circumstances, it would've been better for him to go in person,
But showing up himself would be too high-profile
and might alert the Lieyang Sect to their intentions, which would ruin everything.
...
"Song Changsheng?"
Seated on a jade bed, Rong Shaoyuan frowned slightly as he listened to the servant's report.
"Yes, sir. The messenger carries his badge as proof. He requests an audience,"
The servant replied, respectfully presenting the token.
Rong Shaoyuan glanced at it before withdrawing his gaze.
He didn't think anyone would fake something like this.
What piqued his curiosity was:
Why him?
He and Song Changsheng had crossed paths before, but never truly interacted, let alone built any rapport.
"Well, I've got nothing better to do. May as well see what he wants."
In Rong Shaoyuan's mind, although Song Changsheng came from a weaker background,
His extraordinary talent and the fact that he'd made a name for himself at the Lieyang Sect's expense meant he was a figure worth meeting.
...
At a four-cornered pavilion outside the bamboo lodge, Song Changsheng had already prepared wine and dishes, quietly waiting for Rong Shaoyuan to arrive.
Strictly speaking, this kind of matter should've been brought up with the Rong Clan's elders, the formal representatives of their delegation.
But Song Changsheng knew exactly how the Rong Clan operated.
If he went straight to the elders, he would almost certainly be turned away empty-handed.
So instead, he had chosen a more indirect approach.
Rong Shaoyuan was one of the most outstanding young talents in the Rong Clan.
Although he had yet to hold real power, his status was far from low.
Coming from him, the same words carried far more weight than if spoken by Song Changsheng.
"Apologies for the intrusion, and I hope Fellow Daoist Rong won't mind,"
Song Changsheng said with a friendly smile as he stepped forward to greet him,
seeing Song Qingluo lead the guest in.
Rong Shaoyuan cupped his hands in return.
"Since Fellow Daoist Song extended the invitation, how could I possibly refuse?"
The two sat down in the pavilion.
Gazing at the exquisitely prepared dishes and the fragrant spiritual wine that seemed to seep into one's very soul,
Rong Shaoyuan gave a slight smile and said,
"So then, Fellow Daoist Song, what is it you called me here for? You can speak freely."
Seeing that Rong Shaoyuan was being so direct, Song Changsheng didn't bother with unnecessary pleasantries either.
Lifting his cup with a smile, he said,
"The reason I've invited you, Fellow Daoist Rong, is naturally to discuss a matter of importance.
Forgive me for being blunt, but how fares your clan in the struggle over that spirit stone vein with the Lieyang Sect?"
At those words, Rong Shaoyuan's expression immediately turned cold.
A few years back, a small-scale spirit stone vein had been discovered on the border between Yangzhou and Xiangzhou.
There was no need to elaborate on the value of a spirit stone vein.
Its appearance sparked a fierce competition between the Lieyang Sect and the Rong Clan.
The two sides had been clashing ever since.
Though both had exercised restraint over the years, the prolonged conflict had taken a toll on both sides,
And things were escalating.
A full-blown war seemed imminent in the next month or two.
Yet the Rong Clan currently found itself entangled in constraints on other fronts.
If things broke out completely, the Rong Clan would likely be at a disadvantage
, a source of great frustration for the clan's leadership of late.
Hearing Song Changsheng bring up the issue now,
Rong Shaoyuan thought he was being mocked and felt a surge of irritation.
But seeing his reaction, Song Changsheng already had his answer.
With a calm smile, he said,
"I meant no offense, Fellow Daoist Rong. I just have one question:
Do you want to win?"
Rong Shaoyuan was now thoroughly convinced he should've stayed home today.
Suppressing the urge to get up and leave, he sneered,
"And what, do you have a way to make that happen?"
Song Changsheng met his eyes and replied casually,
"If Yu Chengbo and Mao Wuwei were to be eliminated…
How much would that shift the odds in your clan's favor?"
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