More spiritual lights rose from Xishan, and hundreds of escaping lights flew into Xishan's Taichong Peak. In this hundred-zhang-large clan den, over a thousand transformed clan members already stood, with nearly a hundred Heavenly rank clan members.
There were over a thousand Earth rank members, and this gathering only summoned a large portion of the clan.
For a full fifty thousand years, relying on the lingering glory of their ancestors and the blessings bestowed by Patriarch Taigeng when he dispersed himself into heaven and earth, the Xishan clan finally showed signs of great prosperity!
On the high platform, Granny Hua Geng appeared, followed by Venerable Shu. Elder Chi Li was not present.
The clan members below fell silent and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Clan Leader, greetings, Elder."
Granny Hua Geng's face was full of smiles, her appearance radiant. The signs of an elder in decline, facing the five decays of heaven and man, had instead made her look younger, even exuding an aura of thriving vitality!
"Rise, everyone."
The vast crowd below then rose.
"Fifty thousand years have passed since the Ten Thousand Serpent Ancient Sacrifice. In these fifty thousand years, we of the Xishan clan have recuperated and, borrowing the power of our progenitor, have finally shown signs of revival!
We have convened you all today to discuss our clan's rise!"
As Granny Hua Geng spoke, the clan members below were all shaken. After all, no clan did not wish for great prosperity.
A clan that does not wish to become a great clan, a clan that does not wish to be conferred the status of a supreme clan, is not a clan with fighting spirit.
As an ancient clan with strong cohesion and deep heritage, as a member of the million-strong Xishan, every snake yearns for their clan to become a supreme clan, a great clan, no longer a weak race that can be invaded at will.
Granny Hua Geng smiled at the excited faces of the crowd. A clan with fighting spirit, with vitality, with faith, has the potential to be a great clan.
"Now, our clan's strength has greatly advanced. Whether in Golden Immortal combat power or Earth and Heavenly rank combat power, we can easily crush small clans like the Spotted Hyenas and the Scarlet Fire Toads. However, we must not become complacent, nor should we be ostentatious or careless.
There are still over seventy thousand years until the next Ten Thousand Beast War. We have many things to accomplish in these seventy thousand years, but they must be done one by one. I, along with the two elders, have deliberated and decided on nineteen strategies. This will be our last independent decision.
Venerable Shu, please announce the nineteen strategies to everyone."
Venerable Shu nodded, stepped forward, and looked at the crowd, saying:
"The first strategy: On the southwestern borders of Xishan, we will comprehensively shrink our front lines to prevent unnecessary losses of clan members through friction with the two clans. We will wait until the next Ten Thousand Beast War to obliterate them with thunderous might!
The second strategy is the reform of the Xishan main peak and the cave dwellings on the four side peaks. Taichong will only be inhabited by Heavenly rank clan members. Four peak lords will be established on the four side peaks (East, West, North, South) to govern the clan members of their respective peaks. The peak lords of the four side peaks will temporarily be Heavenly rank late-stage clan members, with ten Heavenly rank clan members assisting in the governance of each peak.
The third strategy is for the four side peaks to each manage the clan members of Xishan within two hundred thousand li to the east, west, north, and south. Xishan's Taichong Peak will be the dwelling place for Heavenly rank clan members, Golden Immortal Venerables, and all important figures of the clan. The Clan Leader will directly govern and appoint the main influential figures of the four side peaks.
The fourth strategy: Golden Immortal Venerables will serve as clan elders. All major clan affairs must be approved by the four peak lords and the elder lineage before they can be implemented.
The fifth strategy...
...
The nineteenth strategy: A Green Wood Great Wall will be established on the eastern and northern borders of the clan territory to guard the entire eastern and northern borders of Xishan. Clan members are forbidden from entering the eastern and northern sides unless absolutely necessary. Specific matters will be personally entrusted to me.
Alright, these nineteen major strategies are what Xishan will accomplish in the future. If any clan member has any doubts, I will engrave the nineteen strategies in the clan language at the foot of Taichong Peak for the clan members to consult."
After listening, the clan members below were filled with ambition and pride, eagerly anticipating the changes that would occur in Xishan's future after these strategies were implemented!
After the clan gathering concluded, the clan members dispersed, leaving only Venerable Shu and Granny Hua Geng in the cave.
Venerable Shu looked at the vibrant clan members and sighed, "For how many epochs has it been? I have never seen such vitality in the clan as there is today."
Granny Hua Geng also nodded and smiled, "Indeed. No matter how Xishan fares in the future, at least now, the future is promising."
"Yes, if there's nothing else, I will go to the northeast to oversee things," Venerable Shu said.
Granny Hua Geng's smile faded, and she said solemnly, "The construction of the Green Wood Great Wall must be completed as soon as possible. The borders of the Mountain River Giant Ape supreme clan must not be crossed under any circumstances. After all, we must still show some respect.
As for the territory of the Green Lizard clan, when building the Green Wood Great Wall, we will push eastward for a hundred thousand li. We should take advantage of the weakness of the Green Lizard clan; there's no reason not to."
Venerable Shu's face twitched, and then he said, "But the Green Lizard clan is a vassal of the Giant Lizard supreme clan. If..."
"You said they are vassals, so why worry?" Granny Hua Geng's tone held a hint of sorrow. "When has the suzerain clan ever cared about the lives of its vassals? Even we, the thousand clans of the Eastern Wasteland, even supreme clans like the Black Lizard and the Mountain River Giant Ape, have we not always been vassals of the Dragon clan? Have we not been mere ants used by the Dragon clan to resist the Phoenix and Qilin clans?
When the war between the three great clans breaks out, all the thousand clans of the Eastern Wasteland will be sent to their deaths by the Dragon clan, be they small or supreme clans. This is the fate of vassals!"
Venerable Shu's face also grew somber, and he sighed, "I wonder if our Xishan clan can seize the opportunity of the war between the three great clans to soar to the heavens?"
"If you have such thoughts, how could the Great Luo ancestors of the supreme clans not have them? But look, they did not rise when the Dragon clan was weak and rising, let alone now? The only thing we can do is to survive, to let Xiao Qing, this innate god, who carries the destiny of our clan's holy son, survive."
Granny Hua Geng then smiled, "You don't need to worry too much. This old woman still has some chance of advancing further. A Great Luo supreme clan is not entirely out of reach!"
Saying this, Granny Hua Geng turned and left, leaving a stunned Venerable Shu to mutter to himself, "The Clan Leader, is she... grasping the opportunity to reach Great Luo?"
Elder Shu's dazed appearance was astonishingly similar to Qi's foolish little face. Truly, father and son.
...
After the nineteen strategies of Xishan were implemented, the snake clans within a million li began to bustle again. The land of Xishan gradually became lively and prosperous.
The Green Wood Great Wall in the north gradually stretched across Xishan's northern expanse, expressing an attitude of absolute non-aggression towards the Mountain River Giant Ape. To the east, it encroached for ten thousand li, occupying one-eighth of the Green Lizard clan's territory, yet they dared not speak out in anger. Even the Black Lizard supreme clan paid no attention to this matter.
However, both the Mountain River Giant Ape and the Black Lizard clans had taken notice of Xishan, this neighbor that was showing signs of becoming a great clan.
A few small clans knew that threats must be extinguished before they fully form. Naturally, these two supreme clans, which had stood in the Eastern Wasteland for hundreds of epochs, understood this principle. But for now, if Xishan were to be considered a threat, it would be underestimating them too much. Even if Xishan prospered for tens of epochs, it would not be enough to resist even a fraction of their own clan.
This was solely due to the existence of their Great Luo ancestors!