“Sigh~ Fourth Elder, don’t blame yourself too much.” Brian Brooks sighed and comforted him, “With our kind of four-spirit-root aptitude, even if all conditions are perfect and we have Foundation Establishment Pills, the chance of success is only sixty or seventy percent.”

Though he said this,

Both brothers looked somewhat gloomy. Failure was inevitable, but no one wanted it to fall upon themselves.

For a cultivation family of The Brooks Family’s level, every Foundation Establishment attempt required the whole family to save up for a long time. If it failed, it would be a heavy blow, even affecting the family’s rise or fall.

“Father, Fourth Uncle.” The eldest grandson of the main branch, Alan Brooks, cupped his hands and said, “Prosperity or decline is fate. What matters now is to discuss the family’s future development strategy and countermeasures.”

Brian Brooks’s expression turned serious as he said in a deep voice, “Before Father passed, he already gave instructions. Regarding the profit distribution of the [Sheshan Market] we co-run with the Zhao and Zheng families, as well as the border disputes and interests with them, we can make appropriate and necessary concessions.”

As soon as these words were spoken,

Everyone’s faces grew somber.

Previously, Eric Brooks’s failure at Foundation Establishment had already hurt the family’s strength. If they further reduced their share of interests, the family’s finances might become stretched thin, leading to decline.

“To survive is what matters most.” Brian Brooks showed the bearing of a family head, his face stern as he said, “[Nanyue Zhao Family], [Lingbei Zheng Family], after all, are cultivation families under Yunyang Sect’s rule, just like our The Brooks Family, and we’re even related by marriage. As long as we adjust our share according to our strength and take what we deserve, they’ll still care about appearances and won’t go too far.”

“Our main defense this time is against the [Linhai Bai Family].”

At the mention of this name, the atmosphere instantly turned grim.

The Linhai Bai Family was different from the Zhao and Zheng families; it belonged to the rival faction of [Wuhen Mountain].

In its early years, the Cangyi The Brooks Family developed rapidly. The founding ancestor, Ethan Brooks, was extremely powerful and capable, beating the Linhai Bai Family back again and again, so much so that their ancestor didn’t even dare to make a sound!

It could be said that nearly half of the territory under the Cangyi The Brooks Family was bitten off from the Bai Family.

If not for the high-level negotiations between Yunyang Sect and Wuhen Mountain, trading other interests for temporary peace, Ethan Brooks might have charged into the Bai Family’s lair alone with his sword. But now, Ethan Brooks was dead.

The Linhai Bai Family had finally gotten a once-in-a-lifetime chance for revenge—how could they let it slip by?

“Now we need to discuss how to deal with the Bai Family’s retaliation,” Brian Brooks said in a deep voice. “I’ll start by sharing some of Father’s last instructions. Everyone, act accordingly…”

While Brian Brooks and the others were in their meeting,

Ethan Brooks had already figured out some of the uses of the Fortune Pearl and the purple energy. After consuming a wisp of purple energy, he left the Fortune Pearl.

After getting a bit familiar, he began to stroll around the ancestral hall.

First, he used an out-of-body consciousness to “observe” his own form, discovering that his appearance had reverted to about eighteen years old.

He was once again young and handsome, full of heroic spirit, and his mood improved, making him feel even younger.

Next, Ethan Brooks discovered that his heroic spirit state was very different from that of a wandering ghost.

If he were a wandering ghost, his Foundation Establishment son, Brian Brooks, would have sensed his spirit long ago.

But now, even when he approached his eldest son Brian Brooks, the latter didn’t notice at all and kept on talking non-stop.

It was the first time he realized that his usually quiet and reserved eldest son could talk so much.

However, Ethan Brooks knew better than anyone the predicament facing the family, and he had no interest in listening to his sons and grandsons hold a family meeting and discuss the same old issues.

With a thought,

Ethan Brooks appeared outside the ancestral hall.

He was ready to wander around and see, from another perspective, the family he had devoted his life to building.

After all, when he was alive, his authority was overwhelming.

All his descendants were obedient and well-behaved in front of him.

Walking along the wide stone path outside the ancestral hall, passing through a quiet pine and cypress grove, he finally left the ancestral hall’s grounds. Ahead, things gradually became lively, with branch family members, maids, and servants coming and going.

Soon,

Ethan Brooks encountered his first target.

One of his great-grandsons of the fourth generation, fifth in the Jing generation—Jason Brooks.

Jason Brooks was the third son of the main branch’s eldest grandson, Alan Brooks, and his mother was Zhao Mengyan, the legitimate daughter of the Nanyue Zhao Family.

He was nineteen years old, tall and slender, with a heroic and handsome appearance.

His looks bore a five or six tenths resemblance to Ethan Brooks’s current youthful form.

Truly a fine young man.

At this moment, the mourning period had ended.

Jason Brooks had taken off his mourning clothes and changed back into a cultivator’s outfit.

But his eyes still held a trace of sorrow, not yet fully recovered from the grief of his great-grandfather’s passing.

“A good child, so filial,” Ethan Brooks was quite pleased.

He thought of the mysterious purple energy in the Fortune Pearl.

With his knowledge from past and present lives, since it was generated during the family descendants’ rituals, it was most likely meant to be used on the family’s descendants.