A leisurely life in the world of cultivation

Chapter 226 Almost there
Tao Ling'er blinked and asked, "Junior brother, where will we stay temporarily?"

There isn't even a cave around here, so we can't exactly sleep in a snowdrift, can we?

Suddenly, Situ Qingyue had a flash of inspiration and said, "Is this the Ice and Snow Little Secret Realm?"

Li Weizhou smiled and nodded, his fingertips forming a hand seal. He said, "That's right. This used to be that small, icy secret realm, but it has been destroyed by the Sin Clan. However, the interior space remains safe. I've set up a hidden array at the entrance, which can even conceal fluctuations in spiritual energy. Even if that old ghost from the Hu family comes in person, I'm confident he won't find the entrance. Although there's no spiritual energy inside, it's safe. It'll only take three to five days, so please bear with it."

A wisp of chaotic spiritual light condensed at his fingertips. He flicked his finger lightly, and with a soft "hum," the originally smooth snow surface suddenly shimmered with fine white light. Six ice crystal pillars appeared abruptly, and in the blink of an eye, they wove together to form an archway half a person's height. Behind the archway was a hazy snow scene, which was the entrance to the secret realm.

Tian Ru leaned forward and reached out to touch the light membrane at the edge of the archway. She felt a gentle spiritual energy enveloping her in warmth and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Wasn't this secret realm destroyed by the black miasma? How come it's still warm?"

She has lived for over two hundred years, and all the novel things she has seen in the past two or three years combined do not equal the number of things she has seen in the past two or three years.

Li Weizhou laughed and said, "After I cleared away the black miasma, I used some Taoist magic, but there is still a chill inside."

After saying that, he stepped aside to make way for the entrance and said, "Please come in, Master's wife."

Tian Ru had been to this little secret realm before. She bent down to enter, and after landing, she saw a very simple space. The "sky" was pitted and uneven, with a bright lamp hanging above it to serve as the "sun." She naturally recognized an electric light now...

Four two-story villas were nestled in the valley. Xi Mei teased Tao Ling'er, saying, "Senior Sister, your dream has come true this time."

Tao Ling'er fell in love with this villa the moment she first saw it in the Outer Branch tenant area, but her master's wife, Tian Ru, worried that she was too playful and would spend all her time watching TV day and night if she actually moved in. Therefore, she strictly forbade Li Weizhou from sending her there.

But there's nothing we can do now...

Tao Ling'er feigned modesty and said, "I've long since decided I don't want to live here anymore."

But in the end, he was too shallow in his thinking, and he couldn't keep up a smile on his face. He would smile for a while, and then he would force himself to tighten his muscles, purse his lips and furrow his brows. But after a while, he couldn't hold it in anymore, and he would grin, and then immediately stop smiling.

This sight made everyone laugh, which eased the discomfort of wandering and hiding.

Li Weizhou said, "You can stay here for a few days. Once this matter is resolved, things will be easier from now on."

Tian Ru sighed, "I heard from Yue Niang that you were the most peaceful person in the mortal realm, and you didn't even want to be a duke. Now that you're in charge of the sect, you have endless worries. I'm sorry to have to put you through this..."

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, Li Weizhou waved his hand and laughed, "Worrying now is so you can be lazy later. Besides, it'll be soon, it'll be soon."

……

Zhongzhou.

After Tingyang Xiao quickly returned to Zhongzhou, he felt that the sky in Zhongzhou seemed much higher and wider than that in the Northern Spiritual Domain.

It's not prejudice, it really does feel much more relaxed.

The spiritual energy here is not as thin and wispy as in the Northern Spiritual Domain. The ancient trees along the roadside are all vigorous and strong, with translucent spiritual resin condensed on their trunks. Sunlight shines through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

In contrast, even the trees in the Northern Spirit Realm have turned somewhat black.

He stood at the foot of Thunder Mountain, watching a translucent fish swimming in the light blue mountain stream in the distance. Its tail fin swept across the water, leaving a faint golden mark that faded after a moment.

Occasionally, a blue phoenix will fly across the sky, and the streaks of light left by its wingtips can hang in the sky for a long time.

This is truly a blessed land, a place where outstanding people and beautiful scenery abound!
Perhaps after that kid comes and sees the world, he'll be tempted.

He shook his head, then transformed into a bolt of lightning once more, soaring straight to the highest peak of Thunder Mountain...

……

Eight thousand li to the west.

Inside the council hall deep within the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall, the gaunt old man sitting at the head of the table was none other than Hu Wanshan, the patriarch of the Hu family. The earthly aura emanating from him caused several elders at the Spirit God Realm in the hall to bow and hold their breath.

Of course, this is not a good thing.

This only proves that the Hu family patriarch is increasingly unable to suppress his cultivation and conceal his aura, and the tribulation of lightning is not far off.

Although his escape speed wasn't much faster than Tingyang Xiao's, the Hu family was more than 8,000 miles closer to the Northern Spirit Domain than the Tingyang clan, so Hu Yuan returned to his family first.

After explaining the situation in general terms, Hu Yuan suggested to his ancestor Hu Wanshan, "Ancestor, I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you to make the trip yourself. A mere mortal from the lower realm has grown to the point where he can fight me on equal terms in just three years. Hu Yue left behind an unparalleled legacy; it cannot fall into the hands of outsiders!"

Upon hearing this, the eyes of many of the Hu clan's spiritual elders nearly popped out of their sockets.

Although some of them had even reached the Great Perfection of the Spirit God Realm, they knew full well that there was no way for them to go any further.

Talent is limited; once you reach your limit, that's it.

In fact, most cultivators in the world who can reach the Spirit God Realm are already exceptional individuals.

They had already resigned themselves to their fate and given up, but they never expected that Hu Yue would leave behind such a legacy, which allowed a child of the lower realm to grow to this level in just three years.

Even if this person opened the Hidden God Palace, their talent would be unparalleled.

However, such people do exist in Zhongzhou. Even those who were rescued from the lower realms and opened the Hidden God Palace have achieved considerable success, but none are nearly as exaggerated as this.

What does this mean?
This only proves that the legacy left by Hu Yue is of unparalleled quality!

The First Elder took a half step forward, his voice filled with barely suppressed urgency, and said, "Ancestor! This is the peerless inheritance left behind by Hu Yue! How dare a mere mortal from the lower realm, who is not close to our Hu family, take it? We have to trouble you to go there personally and reclaim the inheritance. Even if we cannot break through, with this inheritance, we can still be worth one or even several Venerables. The Hu family will surely be able to sweep away its decline!"

The Second Elder chimed in, "Yes, Ancestor! The Hu family's heritage must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands! This is the foundation of our Hu family! With this heritage, Ancestor can prepare for the tribulation with peace of mind."

The elders inside the hall chattered amongst themselves, their eyes burning with greed, and even their breathing was more rapid than usual.

These were all elders of powerful clans who used to be very imposing and concerned with appearances.

If they can reply to someone who has been talking for a long time, the younger generation will feel honored.

But at this moment, they are like ants on a hot pan, restless and uneasy.

They stared at Hu Wanshan as if he were the last straw they could grasp, and no one noticed that the old ancestor's hand, hanging in his sleeve, was slowly clenching.

Hu Wanshan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the anxious faces in the hall. His imposing aura suddenly intensified, and the discussions in the hall instantly ceased, leaving only the soft crackling of the candlelight.

His gaze swept over the many family elders below the hall, and a sense of sorrow filled his heart.

Don't these scoundrels know that every time he makes a move, he could completely lose control and cause the tribulation to arrive prematurely?
If he reacts hastily, he will face certain death.

However, these beasts paid no attention whatsoever.

Even his personal disciples were like this.

He's not his biological son after all...

Hu Wanshan closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, the sorrow in his eyes had been suppressed by a layer of coldness. He suddenly had an overwhelming desire to see the place where Hu Yue had stood back then, to see what kind of amazing legacy he had left behind.

That was his son's legacy.

Hu Wanshan stood up, his aura condensing once more, only heavier than before. He slowly said, "You stay behind to guard the family, I will go to the Northern Spirit Domain."

The elders were instantly overjoyed and quickly bowed, replying, "As the Ancestor commands!"

No one noticed the icy coldness in Hu Wanshan's eyes as he turned and walked out of the hall.

He was indeed on the verge of losing control. Some say that if you live too long, you'll get tired of living.

Actually, that's not the case. The longer you live, the more afraid you become of death.

Facing the imminent tribulation of lightning, Hu Wanshan's Dao heart was already stretched to its limit.

Decisions made in this state are often quite reckless...

……

On Thunder Mountain.

After passing through the triple Thunder Array, when Ting Yangxiao stepped into the Thunder Palace, the spiritual energy inside was like a tide, and the golden and fire energy was several times more concentrated than outside the mountain.

The pillars of the hall, cast from black iron, were engraved with ancient thunder patterns, each line flowing with pale purple lightning. In the main seat of the hall, Tingyang Cang, the patriarch of the Tingyang clan, sat cross-legged on a cloud-patterned futon, his fingertips twirling a thunder-patterned jade talisman the size of a pigeon's egg. The celestial pressure emanating from the jade talisman caused Tingyang Xiao to subconsciously suppress his aura and bow, saying, "Grandson Tingyang Xiao greets patriarch."

Tingyang Cang slowly opened his eyes, a flash of lightning seeming to pass through them. He nodded slightly, signaling him to stand up, and said, "Tell me about the matter of the Northern Spirit Region."

"Ancestor! During this trip to the Northern Spirit Region, I have actually met an unparalleled genius!"

Tingyang Xiao straightened up, his voice brimming with excitement, "That Situ Qingyue is a naturally gifted lightning-type divine power user. When she fought me, it seemed she only used 70% of her strength, but in my judgment, it was probably only 50%! She fought me to a draw at the Spirit Origin Realm. Everyone knows that those who open the Hidden Divine Palace also possess innate divine powers! This woman has not only mastered the latter half of the 'Thunder Sword Manual' to a superb degree, but she has also made a name for herself in sword intent. If she can cultivate the 'Great Thunder Sun Scripture,' I believe that sooner or later, she will be able to cultivate the unparalleled phenomenon of a golden crow emerging from a sea of ​​thunder!"

He became increasingly excited as he spoke, saying, "I have already given her the 'Golden Crow Thunder Escape Manual' and also mentioned the matter of a marriage alliance between our descendants. Although Li Weizhou seems gentle, he is a man of great loyalty and righteousness, and he also possesses spatial abilities. Both he and his wife are innate supernatural beings. If we can bring them into our Tingyang Clan, they will surely become pillars of the family in the future! However..."

He then changed the subject and mentioned Li Weizhou's request.

After a moment of silence in the hall, the Grand Elder of the Tingyang Clan, standing to the side of the hall in a long black robe, slowly shook his head and said, "Thirty-six, you have already given him the spiritual technique before he has even joined the sect. It is a bit hasty and impatient. Putting aside his talent, what about his character? If he is a cold-hearted person, he will often be ungrateful. Even if he has exceptional talent, it will not be a good thing."

Another white-bearded elder nodded and said, "The Grand Elder is absolutely right. While those with innate supernatural powers are rare, the hidden danger of being 'untamed' is even greater. If their family is willing to enter the Central Plains and go to Thunder Mountain to receive family teachings and be influenced and educated, that would be fine. But if they always stay in the Northern Spiritual Domain and do not get involved in the family's karma, even if they receive our benefits, they may not be willing to help the Tingyang Clan when it comes to a critical moment."

"exactly."

Another elder spoke up, saying, "Sending the 'Golden Crow Thunder Escape' earlier was already a gesture of goodwill. If they were even slightly sensible, they should have followed you back to the clan to pay their respects to the Ancestor."

Tingyang Xiao's heart sank as he listened. He had thought he had made a great contribution and would be rewarded handsomely, but what was going on?

These old fogies finally figured out just how exceptional Situ Qingyue's talent truly was...

However, he did not lose heart.

After all, only the patriarch of the Tingyang clan can make the final decision!

He looked up and saw the lightning-patterned jade talisman on Tingyang Cang's fingertip trembling slightly, as if he was pondering something. His gaze swept over everyone in the hall and finally landed on Tingyang Xiao, but he did not speak for a moment.

The old man twirled the lightning-patterned jade talisman between his fingers twice, and a flash of lightning flickered in his eyes. Although he was not particularly burly, he stood as tall and imposing as a thunderous mountain.

The dark robe was woven from millennia-old thunder silkworm silk mixed with dark gold patterns. When the hem fell, faint purple thunder light flowed through the patterns.

After a moment, Tingyang Cangfang slowly said, "To cultivate sword intent at the Spirit Origin Realm and still be able to fight to a draw with your Spirit God Realm cultivation... Such talent is no less than any genius I have ever seen."

He slowly raised his eyes, revealing a pair of deep purple pupils. The corners of his eyes were slanted, carrying a sharpness that was not angry but imposing. Although there were fine lines at the corners of his eyes, they did not make him look old. Instead, they added to the majesty that had been accumulated over the years. There was a faint golden lightning mark on his forehead, which was a unique mark of the Earth Venerable Realm cultivators of the Tingyang Clan.

“Those with innate divine abilities in the lightning element are one in ten thousand. To be able to master the Thunder Sword Manual to such an extraordinary level shows that one’s talent in swordsmanship is equally astonishing. How can such a talent not be included in our clan? As for his temperament, there is plenty of time to observe him slowly.”

Tingyang Cang understood better than anyone what a peerless genius meant.

Since Tingyang Xiao has already discussed this to this extent, there's no reason for him to miss out.

The elders in the hall were taken aback upon hearing this. The First Elder reminded them, "Ancestor, but they are unwilling to come to Zhongzhou and have always remained outside..."

"If you don't want to come, then wait a while."

Ting Yangcang raised his hand to interrupt, saying, "Talent is hard to come by, and we can't force him with complicated formalities. We've already given away the 'Golden Crow Thunder Escape,' so there's no need to be stingy. However, at the age of thirty-six, he will eventually have to come back to pay respects to his ancestors and be included in the ancestral hall and genealogy. These are no small matters."

Tingyang Xiao felt a sense of relief and quickly stepped forward, saying happily, "Grandfather is wise! These are all as expected, and I have already reached an agreement. However, I still have one concern..."

As he spoke, he recounted how Hu Yuan, the head of the Hu family, had personally gone to the area and clashed with Li Weizhou. The expressions of the elders of the Tingyang Clan became even more moved.

They had indeed heard the legendary story of Li Weizhou slaying spirits and blocking immortals.

But most people don't believe it...

Or perhaps, they believe that the sinful cultivators in harsh and remote places are all frauds.

But right now, Ting Yangxiao witnessed with his own eyes that Li Weizhou, a mere youth who had only been up from the lower realm for three years, had actually suppressed the patriarch of the Hu family in Zhongzhou, that True Monarch powerhouse, by using the power of the formation!

Although this person is not considered a master within the Immortal Realm, he is still a True Lord.

Moreover, he is a True Lord of Zhongzhou!

How can it be? !
But Tingyang Xiao didn't have time to say much. He looked at Tingyang Cang and said, "Ancestor, Hu Yuan of the Hu family has already returned to Zhongzhou. He will definitely instigate Hu Wanshan to go to the Northern Spiritual Domain to cause trouble for Li Weizhou! Hu Wanshan's tribulation is approaching, and he can hardly suppress his aura. He is most reckless at this time. If he makes a move for Hu Yue's inheritance, I am worried that Li Weizhou will not be able to stop him..."

Ting Yangcang smiled indifferently and said, "Hu Wanshan was once a hero, but who would have thought he would fall to this state. The Hu family is a bunch of short-sighted fools who think they can turn things around by clinging to some inheritance? Is Hu Wanshan's inheritance inferior to Hu Yue's?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the elders of the Tingyang Clan.

And you know what? A few of the older folks actually blushed...

Tingyang Xiao hurriedly said, "Ancestor, what about the Hu family... should I go to the Hu family with the ancestral decree and give them a warning?"

"No need."

Tingyang Cang waved his hand, his gaze piercing through the palace, seemingly able to see the Hu family eight thousand miles away, and said indifferently: "I will personally go to the Hu family and see if they dare to touch anyone from the Tingyang clan."

Before he finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the Thunder Palace amidst a sky full of lightning.

……

(End of this chapter)