The Liu Patriarch agreed after briefly pondering Wu Tianmo's marriage proposition. The Liu clan's position within the town had already fallen behind the Wu Clan. Rather than wait for a powerful rogue cultivator to appear, it would be better to formalize an alliance.
Perhaps this would keep the Zhang and Chen clan in check somewhat, while the Zhang was focused on the town's growth. The Chen Clan was growing eerily close to the Black Tower, which is dangerous.
At the end of the day, the patriarchs were only Meridian Opening Realm which in the larger world was very weak.
Tying themselves to the ship that is the Wu Clan could be a great opportunity for them. From what he could see, they're natural-born swordsmen and would provide the Liu clan with a bit of protection.
---
Back at Tianfeng's Courtyard
---
Wu Tianmo walked into the open courtyard where Tianfeng was sitting slightly aggrieved.
"Senior Bro.... Patriarch... What just.."
Wu Tianmo sighed,
"Tianfeng, you must understand our family's situation better than anyone. It is only us that carry the Wu bloodline, our burden is heavier than others."
Tianfeng nodded and looked away at the full moon,
He hesitated for a moment before sighing,
"I understand Patriarch, it's not like I have my primal yang anyways."
Wu Tianmo didn't delve deeper into it, in general if one was to maintain their primal yin or yang they would have a faster cultivation speed. Often devil cultivators would plunder this to increase their cultivation speed.
Tianfeng's time as a slave had an impact on him, before the fall of the Wu Clan. He was an arrogant youth who constantly competed with Wu Tianmo for the position of senior brother. He never won, but he never lost that fire to surpass him.
The harshness of the world had taken it's toll on him and only he knew what had really happened.
One thing was for certain, he was different, more reserved.
The previous youth would never have allowed another to decide his engagement, especially not his "Senior Brother".
Wu Tianmo took out a few of the jade slips that were within his crimson moon storage ring,
"Don't resist"
Using his own divine sense he imparted their information into Wu Tianfeng's mind.
"Tianfeng--"
Tianfeng's mood instantly elevated interrupting Wu Tianmo mid sentence,
"Sen-- Patriarch! These techniques... How did you find set of wood and fire spirit root cultivation techniques? While these individually are yellow grade, when combined they're a black level cultivation technique!"
Wu Tianmo smiled, happy his junior brother's mood was elevated.
"I happened upon a fortuitous opportunity within Blackwood Forest not long ago. Our clan will have the ability to rise again."
Wu Tianfeng looked Wu Tianmo up and down regaining a bit of his personality,
"I see..."
He crossed his arms, chuckled and nodded his head,
"So that's how it is! How else could you have surpassed me so much? I was even in a higher realm when I first saw you at the Black Tower! Tsk..."
Wu Tianmo avoided delving in to Tianfeng's experience as a slave, even if he wanted to understand how Tianfeng rose to the 5th Stage of Body Reforging he didn't want to bring up a painful past.
"These techniques are apart of the Fivefold Lunar Essence Arts. You possess the fire and wood spiritual roots, which elevates the technique to the black level Blazing Grove Moon Art."
Wu Tianfeng felt his pulse quicken,
Even at the main Wu Estate only the elders could cultivate a black level technique!
Wu Tianmo's face stiffened and his eyes narrowed,
"You must understand how precious a technique like this is. You may never disclose it or pass it on. If the other families, even the Liu, were to find that we possess such a powerful technique our clan would be destroyed."
He sighed,
"For now, the next few generations will only cultivate the yellow grade techniques. This will give the youth something to do and allow the clan to slowly build up its strength."
Wu Tianfeng's eye narrowed,
"So my marriage is the next step in that goal it seems?"
Wu Tianmo nodded,
"She's quite beautiful, and a cultivator. Which increases the odds of you producing children with spiritual roots. How many cultivator clans have faded into obscurity because they didn't prepare a next generation? Your job is simple, to have plenty of kids and cultivate your strength."
Wu Tianfeng sighed,
"Great so I'm a stud horse."
Wu Tianmo chuckled and flicked his forehead,
"You have been fairly compensated, prepare well. We will have the ceremony in a little over a month. At that time, the main clans will host a meeting for the town. Many things will change, familiarize yourself with the estate and the town."
Wu Tianmo left Tianfeng's courtyard and sat cross legged in the training field,
"Let's see here... while the Fivefold Lunar Essence Art is good. The Crimson Lunar Blood Scripture underwent a change once I cultivated to the Meridian Opening Realm. Things have been so chaotic I haven't had time to really digest it all. Let's see.."
He entered his mind space to find his Crimson Lunar Blood Scripture had a Meridian Opening Realm chapter,
In this realm I have to open my meridians and connect them via pathways...
The Meridian Opening Realm is one of the most dangerous early realms to cultivate, often needing a secluded cultivation cave to safely progress. If you pause while creating a pathway to a new meridian, you will immediately enter deviation and possibly lose your life.
It seemed straight forward, to use your refined essence to create channels between the meridians, to expand them as much as you can until you reach the next meridian. Creating the pathway was the dangerous part, however once they were connected that danger would be gone.
Thankfully his refined qi was morphed into blood qi in the last realm, filling it with vitality. Therefore, even if he failed it wouldn't immediately take his life, but the consequences would still be severe.
Wu Tianmo decided to give it a try, his refined qi and body were more resilient than others giving him confidence.
Sitting in the lotus position he began to create his first pathway. Every cultivators body had some guidelines for how the pathways should connect, so creating them were somewhat straight forward. The pain was the problem, it was as if a scalpel was carving inside your body and clearing a predetermined path.
Wu Tianmo was in pain but his face stayed serene, this was discipline. After so many battles, his pain tolerance was higher than most. Yet that wasn't the only reason, he felt that his refined Qi has underwent another change after breaking through the Meridian Opening Realm.
He persisted, slowly creating the path.
This is going to take a while...
Days passed in silent cultivation, the outside world slowly fading from his awareness. Fully devoted to the task at hand.
---
One Month Later
---
Wu Tianmo grinned but didn't open his eyes. Using his refined Qi he continuously attacked the outer shell of the circular meridian within his body.
*Pop*
A surge of power rippled throughout his body, immediately his total refined Qi reserves doubled.
Finally it had opened, and a flood of refined qi started to circulate between the two open meridians. He had broken through to the second stage of the Meridian Opening Realm.
Spiritual Essence from all around started to be drawn towards him, refining at an incredible pace turning into his own refined qi.
After a few hours the surrounding spiritual essence began to settle.
He breathed out a breath of turbid air, analyzed his newly opened meridian and the pathway that connected them.
Interesting... Is this because of the Crimson Lunar Blood Scripture?
This is no ordinary meridian transformation...
His internal meridians and pathways had changed.
No longer mere channels of blood qi but dark black pathways with refined Qi flowing like liquid steel infused with crimson essence.