Everyone rose in response, unable to suppress their curiosity as they secretly stole glances at Yang Lingqing.

"She's the Eldest Master's daughter!"

"She has become an Immortal Master. Her appearance hasn't changed much, but her aura is already far beyond what ordinary people can compare to."

The Yang family members thought silently to themselves.

"Father, Uncle, let us begin."

"Yes."

Yang Feiyun and Yang Xiaolei responded, stepping forward to report on the clan's affairs in turn.

Standing at the lower seats as usual, the two detailed the various matters to Yang Lingqing in order of urgency.

Facing their own daughter and junior, their expressions remained completely calm. They felt no awkwardness or discomfort whatsoever.

Having grown up alongside Yang Guanfeng, they had witnessed him step onto the path of cultivation and later assisted when he and Elder Yu purged and consolidated the Yang family.

This process had given them a profound understanding of the unbridgeable chasm between immortals and mortals.

It was like a fish that had flopped onto dry land-they existed on two entirely different planes of existence.

To a cultivator, mortal life and death were decided in a single thought.

Once the two finished their reports, Yang Lingqing gained a full grasp of the Yang family's recent changes.

The Beast Tide had inflicted heavy casualties and massive losses upon the Yang family. But because they had sheltered the majority of the commoners, their prestige in the surrounding regions had soared.

Over this period, many had flocked to them out of admiration, including wealthy merchants who originally resided in Baishi Town.

Baishi Town had fallen, yet the Yang family stood perfectly safe. The contrast was stark. If people didn't seek refuge here, where else could they go?

Thus, the village at the base of the mountain expanded rapidly. In a short time, its population had swelled to several thousand.

Yang Lingqing nodded slightly. "What is the situation on the south bank of the river?"

"Reporting to Immortal Master Lingqing, the land has mostly been reclaimed. Though not as fertile as the north bank, it is enough to feed the people," Yang Feiyun replied.

"Mm. Have all the recent refugees settle on the south bank. Leave the north bank to the clans that endured the Beast Tide alongside us."

Yang Lingqing reached out her hand. Beside her, a stone floor tile shattered as earth burst through.

A mound of dirt rose from the ground, moving toward Yang Lingqing's hand like a living creature. Wherever it passed, stone bricks and rubble were crushed as easily as tofu.

Witnessing this, the crowd in the hall was filled with shock and awe.

"Truly an immortal's methods!"

"Miraculous! Utterly miraculous!"

Ever since taking the seat of the Patriarch, Yang Guanfeng had not publicly displayed his cultivation in a long time. His prestige within the family was already absolute; he no longer needed to awe them into submission.

But Yang Lingqing was different. To the rest of the Yang family, she was a completely unfamiliar face.

Many only remembered her as the little girl from over a year ago.

Yang Lingqing knew this well. She also knew that a thousand words of explanation could never match the impact of seeing her power with their own eyes.

Sure enough, the moment she displayed her cultivation and techniques, the gazes fixed upon her completely changed.

Beneath their original respect, a layer of deep reverence and fear had taken root.

Their abstract understanding of cultivators had finally settled onto the very real person of Yang Lingqing.

They instantly realized that, just like Yang Guanfeng, Yang Lingqing could snuff out their lives at any moment if she so desired!

Standing to the side, Yang Feiyun and Yang Xiaolei could hardly mask their excitement. Their hearts surged with pleasant surprise.

The technique Yang Lingqing displayed was entirely different from Yang Guanfeng's path of absolute martial force.

This meant the Yang family had gained yet another cultivation inheritance!

Counting Yang Lingrui's Gang Wind technique, they now possessed three distinct inheritances!

At this moment, a half-palm-sized earthen token solidified at the peak of the dirt mound. Carved upon it was the character 'Qing.'

"I must trouble Father to take this token and pass down my decree. From now on, the three river-crossing bridges will be guarded by Clan Soldiers. The people of the south bank may cross to the north bank to trade, work, and farm, but they are forbidden from taking up permanent residence. Our Yang family still has much to accomplish. If any among the south bank make significant contributions, they will be granted the right to move to the north bank. This is the first matter."

Doing this established a clear hierarchy, ensuring that all who sought refuge with the Yang family understood the boundaries of intimacy, reward, and penalty.

The Yang family treated their own kin fairly, but they would not thoughtlessly shower kindness upon every stray cat and dog.

With this arrangement, the Yang family sat supreme upon the mountain.

At the mountain's base, the north bank belonged to the allied clans who had bled with them, guarded by the Clan Soldiers.

The south bank belonged to the latecomers. They were responsible for their own survival, and the Yang family would not interfere.

The hierarchy was stark and clear.

"The second matter. On behalf of the two Ancestors, I ask Uncle to take a census of all the allied clans on the north bank. Count every child between the ages of ten and fourteen."

"Yes, I obey Immortal Master Lingqing's decree!"

Yang Lingqing did not explain the reason behind this census, but any clever person in the hall immediately caught the implication.

Back then, the three children Elder Yu had chosen from the Yang family all fell perfectly within this age range.

Now that they were counting again... did this mean a new round of testing and selection was about to begin?

These two matters seemed separate, but they were actually two halves of a single scheme designed to elevate the status of the north bank.

Once the news spread, the clans of the north bank would eagerly produce more offspring, praying they might birth a child with spiritual roots and soar to the heavens.

Meanwhile, the outsiders on the south bank, seeing the immense privileges enjoyed by the north, would work themselves to the bone for the Yang family, desperate to earn their way across the river.

"Are there any other vital matters to discuss?"

"Reporting to Immortal Master Lingqing, there are none."

"Mm. Dismissed."

After the crowd departed, only three people remained in the Council Hall.

"Uncle, you have worked tirelessly all this time. I must ask you to continue bearing this burden in the days to come," Yang Lingqing said as she stood up.

"It is no burden at all, merely my duty."

Yang Xiaolei quickly waved his hands, then asked cautiously, "Lingqing, what about my boy..."

Yang Lingqing smiled. "Linghu has successfully stepped onto the path of cultivation. He is currently out handling matters with the Ancestor. Uncle need not worry."

"Ah! Wonderful, wonderful news!"

Overjoyed, Yang Xiaolei repeatedly voiced his thanks before hurrying off to organize the census.

"Father."

"Qing'er."

After exchanging greetings, the father and daughter fell into a heavy silence.

Because her mother had passed away early, Yang Lingqing had always been a sensible, quiet child.

And with Yang Feiyun constantly buried in family matters, the two had rarely shared deep conversations.

Later, she was discovered by Elder Yu to possess cultivation talent, swept away into the Restricted Grounds, and had remained there until today.

It was fine when the hall was full of people, but now, completely alone with her, Yang Feiyun found himself completely bereft of topics to discuss with his own daughter.

"Qing'er, managing the household is no easy task. You must stay close to the Ancestor. Watch carefully, and listen well."

After racking his brain for ages, Yang Feiyun finally managed to speak.

But the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

They hadn't seen each other in so long, yet he had instantly resorted to his stiff, lecturing tone.

"Lingqing understands Father's teachings."

Nodding, Yang Lingqing raised her eyes to look at her father.

Yang Feiyun had barely entered middle age, yet his hair was already more than half white. It was clear just how much of his life he had poured into the Yang family.

"Father exhausts himself for the family, but you must still look after your health."

"Sigh. Qing'er is right. Father will remember."

After this brief exchange, silence descended once more.

Noticing his daughter's quiet gaze, Yang Feiyun looked back at her.

Meeting her eyes, a sudden wave of bitterness and profound guilt washed over his heart.

"Father need not worry. Lingqing understands everything in her heart."

"Yes. Qing'er has always been sensible."

"Father, in truth, I only want to know one thing."

"What is it? Tell me, Qing'er."

"That day, when I was taken away by the Ancestor to cultivate in the Restricted Grounds... were you proud of me?"

Yang Feiyun froze, utterly stunned.

After a long daze, he finally snapped back to reality. When he looked at Yang Lingqing again, his eyes were shimmering with tears.

His lips trembled. He tried to speak several times, but the words caught in his throat. Finally, he stomped his foot hard against the floor. "It is your father's fault! Qing'er, you don't know... you have always been, always! You have always been my pride! Whether or not you were chosen by the Ancestor that day, you are my most precious, beloved daughter!"

By the end, tears were streaming down Yang Feiyun's face.

He stepped forward, instinctively reaching out to grasp her hand. But mid-reach, he remembered her status as an Immortal Master. His hands hovered in the air, caught between advancing and retreating.

"Father."

Yang Lingqing reached out and grasped Yang Feiyun's suspended hand. His body gave a slight shudder before he slowly brought up his other hand, gently patting the back of his daughter's hand.

"Father, this is enough."

With that, Yang Lingqing withdrew her hand, turned around, and vanished from the Council Hall in the blink of an eye.

Yang Feiyun stood alone in the empty hall, lost in a daze for a long time. Finally, he let out a long breath. Gripping the earthen token his daughter had handed him, he turned and took wide strides out the door.