Reincarnated as a Divine Tree-Chapter 239Vol. 1 - - Death Quota

The next day, in the ancestral hall of the clan, several fresh corpses were swiftly refined through the clan's secret ritual.

The clan’s refining method was simple—it required special medicinal ingredients and the blood of clansmen. Fortunately, the clan had accounted for this when gathering herbs from Chaotic Burial Mountain, so the bodies only needed a few days to settle after the process was complete before they could be used.

The time it took for the bodies to settle depended on each person’s physique, and the higher the cultivation realm, the faster the bodies were refined.

Once the bodies were refined, the clan established a new rule.

During any major clan battle, only three death slots would be permitted.

Chen Xingzhen explained that the Divine Tree’s power was limited and could not revive too many people in a short period. He urged all clansmen to cherish their lives and avoid unnecessary risks.

This new clan rule shattered the plans of several older clansmen who had already made up their minds.

Three death slots? That’s far too few!

If they died too late, wouldn't they have died for nothing?

After handling the aftermath of the recent battle, the Chen Clan’s construction efforts, which had previously stalled, were finally nearing completion.

Thanks to the combined efforts of villagers and clansmen, the Chen Clan grounds now looked completely revitalized.

From a distance, the clan grounds appeared to be the size of a small city. Tall outer walls had been erected, complete with patrol posts. Even an Innate Realm cultivator would find it difficult to infiltrate the clan unnoticed.

With these walls in place, the clan no longer had to worry about outsiders spying on them.

The newly constructed buildings within the clan grounds were arranged in an orderly fashion. The streets and alleys were paved with blue stone slabs to form wide roads capable of accommodating horse-drawn carriages. These roads were designed to facilitate transportation within the clan.

Drainage channels had been built beneath the stone slabs to manage water flow.

Compared to the previous layout, the current territory was significantly more expansive. The internal space could now accommodate a population of over a thousand.

It was a forward-looking plan for the clan’s future, though the road ahead remained long and challenging.

As night fell, the ancestral hall was bathed in the soft glow of the lush locust tree, its shimmering light beautiful beyond words. However, the surrounding walls blocked all this radiance, leaving only the bright moon clearly visible overhead.

After offering his respects at the ancestral tablets inside the ancestral hall, Chen Xingzhen moved to the space behind the memorials.

This area was quite spacious. Originally, only the damaged corpse of the clan’s founding ancestor was housed there, but now several new bodies had been added.

They were clansmen who had died in the recent battle. After a week, their bodies had hardened considerably; even their hair was affected. However, their eyes were lifeless; these were now soulless shells.

All that remained was to activate the clan’s secret technique to control them. But only those with the Chen Clan bloodline could wield that control.

Chen Xingzhen slowly stepped forward and inspected the corpses one by one. Seeing that they had mostly finished settling in, he nodded in satisfaction.

This time, a total of six clansmen underwent refinement, including three who were at the Body Tempering Realm.

According to the previous clan rules, Body Tempering cultivators were not eligible for refinement.

However, due to the clan's current abundance of space and in honor of the deceased, Chen Xingzhen made an exception and amended the clan regulations. From now on, the bodies of deceased clansmen could be refined and placed in the ancestral hall to be revered by future generations.

Although the bodies of Body Tempering cultivators were not particularly durable after refinement, the clan was short on manpower. Occasionally bringing them out to plant Blood Rice or chop wood was still a practical option.

After completing his inspection, Chen Xingzhen turned his gaze toward the half-preserved remains of the founding ancestor, his eyes filled with deep respect.

The founding ancestor’s body was severely damaged. Only one arm and one leg remained, and those had been broken in the last battle with the Li Clan. His face was covered in scars from blades and swords, making his original appearance impossible to recognize.

Yet, Chen Xingzhen vaguely remembered this ancestor's identity.

His name was Chen Zhifan. He was two generations senior to Chen Xingzhen’s father and was one of the few Innate Realm cultivators during the clan’s migration.

The clan owed much of its survival and growth over the years to this elder. Without him, the Chen Clan would not be where it is today.

Though he could no longer be used in battle, his body and memorial tablet remained sacred and worthy of the clan’s eternal reverence.

Chen Xingzhen put his lingering worries aside and stepped out of the room. He walked beneath the shade of the trees.

The new clan grounds were fully constructed. The Blood Rice had been planted, and the Chaotic Burial Mountain was now largely under the clan’s control. The clan had documented which areas produced specific medicinal herbs and where fierce beasts were known to dwell.

Some of the mature herbs were sent to Yong’an City to be sold and exchanged for jade coins to purchase the clan's necessary supplies. The rest were kept in reserve for internal use.

Though most clansmen currently had little need for them, villagers from around Chaotic Burial Mountain occasionally came seeking medicine. In such cases, the clan was generous and did not withhold aid.

Additionally, the clan’s blacksmith workshop expanded significantly. Combined with the abundant iron ore in Chaotic Burial Mountain, the clansmen’s forging skills have improved greatly.

According to clan members, the clan will be able to forge Hundred-Fold Tempered Iron Weapons in about one month.

These weapons can channel a martial cultivator’s internal blood and qi, providing a noticeable boost in combat effectiveness.

While Hundred-Fold Tempered weapons might not be considered anything special in Yong’an City, for the current Chen Clan, they represent a significant advancement.

Additionally, the young clansmen had made remarkable progress. Though many had yet to master their combat techniques, their practical combat abilities had noticeably improved under the guidance of two martial arts instructors. Daily lessons at the clan’s academy enriched their thinking, and many achieved breakthroughs through personal insight.

Overall, the clan was thriving. Perhaps it wouldn’t take decades—just a dozen years might be enough to multiply the clan’s size several times over.

However, as the saying goes: "If one has no long-term plans, they will face immediate worries."

The clan's strength in the recent battle had exceeded its actual capabilities. The situation was complex, and the enemy was only defeated because Chen Qingyu pushed a certain battle technique to its limit.

The Shi Clan had lost a powerful cultivator at the Innate Realm Great Completion, and they would not easily let this go. The next time they came, it would not be so simple.

The troubling part was that there had been no news from the Shi Clan recently. It was as if they had gone silent.

However, Chen Xingzhen knew that beneath this silence, a storm was brewing.

Unfortunately, the clan had already maximized its development. There was no room for further breakthroughs in the short term. Even the next batch of Blood Rice would take more than two months to harvest.

Facing an uncertain future, Chen Xingzhen had no clear way to strengthen the clan further or prepare for the risks ahead.

Perhaps the only option left was to rely on the Zhou Clan's name to make their enemies hesitate.

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