There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 248 Growth
The news of Chen Qing's emergence from seclusion quickly spread throughout Mingxia Mountain, causing quite a stir.

“Master, the people in this mountain know that you have come out of seclusion and all want to pay their respects,” Bai Shaoyou reported after understanding the situation, and also explained the situation: “In addition to the junior brothers and sisters, there are also people in charge of various affairs in this mountain.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Qing thought for a moment and said, "Since we will all be members of the sect in the future, we should meet. You can make the arrangements."

"Here!"

Bai Shaoyou left immediately, but he had clearly made arrangements beforehand. He quickly got everything ready, and everyone waited in order to be received, which not only showed discipline but also allowed Chen Qing, who had not been seen for a long time, to quickly grasp the situation in the mountains.

The first to enter were Chen Qing's closest confidants.

"Squeak!"

With a flash of golden light, the little monkey nimbly jumped onto Chen Qing's shoulder, affectionately rubbing its cheek against his. Its golden eyes were full of pure joy, and the luster of its flowing fur seemed to be even brighter. Clearly, it had not slacked off in the past six months and was about to enter the inner sanctum and step into the first realm!

"Meow—"

A meow rang out, and the little black cat, Shadow Leopard Scale, perched on the roof beam, widened its emerald eyes, its whiskers trembling slightly, and murmured, "Meow... Master, the Dao aura emanating from you is as obscure as an abyss, yet it subtly harmonizes with heaven and earth. Could it be that you have truly touched the edge of that threshold? And it's only been half a year!" After the initial surprise, its words carried a hint of flattery, "As expected of the Master I have chosen, the revival of Taiyi is promising... uh, the great rise of Hidden Star is imminent!"

Chen Qing smiled without saying a word, then turned his gaze to Fang Da'ao and Qu Xiaoyao, who were standing respectfully below.

His two apprentices have changed quite a bit in the six months since he last saw them.

Fang Da'ao's figure became increasingly tall and strong, his aura was deep and focused, and his brows showed less of the playfulness and more of the determination and composure. His muscles and bones were bulging, and a strong blood and qi were locked inside, which showed that he had made great progress in the path of physical cultivation.

In contrast, Qu Xiaoyao was more beautiful and graceful, with wisps of water vapor emanating from her body. She was both lively and profound, and her cultivation had become much more solid. She had also already stepped into the first realm.

"Disciples Fang Da'ao and Qu Xiaoyao greet our Sect Leader Uncle! Congratulations on your completion of seclusion and your great progress in cultivation!"

Upon seeing Chen Qing, the two immediately stepped forward, their voices loud and clear, filled with heartfelt respect and excitement. They were the earliest and most loyal followers of Chen Qing, and his strength was their greatest source of confidence.

"Excellent, your foundation is solid, you haven't slacked off, and you've already reached a high level. Now it's time to pass on the methods to advance further." Chen Qing nodded slightly, offering words of encouragement that stirred the two men's hearts and filled them with anticipation.

Next up was Sun Jiao.

"Junior Sun Jiao greets Sect Leader Chen." He was very respectful, his eyes clear.

The change in the temperament of this young man, who was sheltered here because of the bond between his ancestors, was particularly noticeable.

The initial awkwardness of being a guest in someone else's house had faded considerably. Although he remained respectful, his face showed more confidence and composure. He stood tall and straight, and the spiritual energy within his body flowed smoothly, showing signs of a breakthrough.

Chen Qing's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then he nodded and said, "Your temperament is calm and your inner spiritual light is abundant, very good. If you have any questions about your cultivation, you can ask your senior brother Bai for guidance, or you can come and ask me."

"Thank you, Sect Leader!" A hint of gratitude flashed in Sun Jiao's eyes as he respectfully withdrew.

Following them were the deacons in charge of various places in the mountains.

Manager Qin, in charge of cultivating the spiritual fields; Steward Shi, in charge of the warehouse supplies; Instructor Li, who supervises the disciples' cultivation; and Registrar Liu, who coordinates construction and development...

Most of these people were carefully selected by Bai Shaoyou or transferred from other places and brought to the mountain. Now they each perform their duties and manage the huge mountain gate in an orderly manner.

They stepped forward one by one to report on the affairs under their jurisdiction over the past six months. Their words were concise, their data clear, and their expressions respectful with awe for the sect leader. After all, they already knew all about his deeds and the astonishing background of the Hidden Star Sect from Bai Shaoyou.

As Chen Qing listened to everyone's words, he would occasionally ask a question or two, which always hit the nail on the head, making everyone feel intimidated and not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

After these "insiders" finished their greetings, Bai Shaoyou led in a group of visitors that surprised Chen Qing.

Since they were several demons, each with an extraordinary aura, different appearances, and considerable cultivation, they were all quite powerful.

Only after Bai Shaoyou explained did he realize that these were the demon leaders who had previously occupied several side peaks of Mingxia Mountain: the Black Bear Demon, the Flower Snake Demon, and the Ape Demon.

As soon as the three demons entered the mountain gate, they all suppressed their demonic aura and transformed into half-human, half-demon forms, dressed in coarse cloth. Their appearance was somewhat comical, but their demeanor was extremely respectful, even showing a hint of trepidation. However, their gazes toward Chen Qing were filled with excitement and eagerness.

Upon meeting, the leading black bear demon immediately prostrated himself down like a mountain collapsing and a jade pillar crumbling, his voice booming: "This lowly demon, Black Bear, along with his men, pays respects to Lord Mingxia! Congratulations on your great achievement in divine power!"

The snake demon was of the same appearance and called itself "Biqing," while the ape demon called itself "Tongbi." Both of them bowed respectfully and expressed their submission once again.

Chen Qing glanced at them, then looked up and saw many small demons of various shapes and sizes peeking out from outside the mountain gate, looking at this place with curiosity, awe, or doubt.

He withdrew his gaze and said, "Why are you all here on the main peak instead of guarding your own peaks?"

The black bear spirit, Black Bear, quickly raised his head, his honest bear face forcing a submissive expression: "Replying to the Mountain Lord! We truly admire the Mountain Lord's supernatural powers and are impressed by the grandeur of the Hidden Star Sect! We no longer want those mountains; we are willing to join the Mountain Lord's sect, seeking a proper title as guardian spirit beasts. From now on, we will obey any orders without question! We only ask to hear the Mountain Lord preach from time to time and absorb some of the Daoist essence and immortal energy!" His words were direct and without beating around the bush, yet they expressed the sentiments of all the demons.

The snake demon Biqing and the ape demon Tongbi nodded repeatedly, gazing longingly at Chen Qing.

Chen Qing was somewhat surprised to hear this.

He had thought that even if these demons submitted, it would be out of necessity. He hadn't expected them to come to him willingly and so readily. But after a moment's thought, he realized that it was probably because the Daoist aura he had revealed during his sermon half a year ago had affected these demons. They had probably also seen the strange phenomena that occurred during his seclusion, which had won over these power-worshipping demons.

With this thought in mind, he looked at Bai Shaoyou, who nodded slightly, indicating that he was aware of the matter. Bai Shaoyou then transmitted his voice, saying that subduing these local bullies would be beneficial to stabilizing the sect and expanding its power.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Qing decided to go along with Bai Shaoyou's wishes. He actually had limited talent and little interest in running a sect, while Bai Shaoyou was obviously happy with it and had talent. Since he brought the group of demons here at this time, he obviously wanted him to endorse him so that he could have a legitimate reason to do so.

“In that case, I grant your request.” He immediately announced, “You will be temporarily organized as the Mountain Guardians and placed under the command of Shaoyou. You must remember that once you enter the sect, you must strictly abide by the mountain rules and diligently cultivate. If you have any disloyal intentions or disturb the disciples or the people, you will not be spared.”

The three demons were overjoyed upon hearing this and kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you for your kindness, Mountain Lord! We will certainly abide by the mountain rules and loyally protect the mountain!"

After giving his instructions, looking at the assembled disciples and guardian beasts before him, and feeling the growing prosperity of Mingxia Mountain, Chen Qing felt satisfied.

"If this were a management game, this would be a kind of settlement scene at this stage. This foundation has finally taken initial root, and there is no need to worry about it collapsing in an instant. It can be considered as fulfilling Master's instructions. However, in the end, my talent for management is only average. The reason why I have this situation is actually because my cultivation has improved. When one's cultivation level is high, everything is a smooth road."

Although he was pleased and delighted, he was not blinded by the current situation. On the contrary, he was very clear about what had brought about the change!

"If I were still just the head of a small sect, with cultivation only at the first level, I wouldn't even be able to maintain the sect now. In the previous upheavals, I probably would have already perished! So, in the end, it all comes down to strength and the pursuit of the Dao. This is not only the path to personal transcendence but also the foundation for the sect's survival!"

With this thought in mind, his gaze swept over the crowd and looked towards the horizon beyond the mountains. What he was thinking about was that desolate snow-capped mountain shrouded in mist, and the "Demon Buddha Dao Fruit" that concerned the path of cultivation and involved cause and effect.

"It's time to set off for Wanghai City."

However, before Chen Qing could even make his decision and set off, news arrived first.

"Master, an urgent message has arrived from home!" The one who came to report was naturally Bai Shaoyou. "It says that the Taiyin Ruins are exhibiting increasingly unusual activity, deviating from their original trajectory and approaching our Mingxia Mountain! Those prodigies from Dongling Continent have also caught wind of this and are following closely behind, and will arrive within our sect's sphere of influence in no time!"

"Oh?" Chen Qing's eyes flashed. "So, I don't need to make a special trip to Wanghai City?"

Just as he was pondering this, the talisman in his bosom suddenly trembled.

With a thought, Liu Shuang'er's voice rang out: "Chen Qing? You've really come out of seclusion? Perfect! Let me make this brief. For some reason, the ruins are moving towards Mingxia Mountain, followed by a group of arrogant Eastern Spirit prodigies, each with an incredibly powerful background! Since you have no intention of participating in the trial, pretend you don't know. Keep your mountain gates closed and continue your seclusion. Don't interfere, lest you needlessly invite trouble! I imagine the ruins will soon pass through the Mingxia Mountain Range and won't have much of an impact."

She spoke very quickly, clearly worried that Chen Qing would get involved in trouble.

Chen Qing knew her good intentions. He had previously explicitly refused a trial spot, stating that he was not interested in the matter, and she naturally wanted to help him avoid it. However, the situation had changed, and he needed to find someone to inquire about clues about that mountain. So, he changed his mind and asked directly, "Fellow Daoist Liu, I have a question for you. Have you ever heard of a mountain with a golden sun hanging on its summit, twisted dark spots covering its waist, and gray mist swirling at its foot?"

Liu Shuang'er was silent for a moment, as if recalling something, and then said, "The features of this mountain are so distinct. I seem to have seen it once in an ancient book, but the memory is vague. Please wait a moment while I send a message home and use my connections to investigate. I will get back to you as soon as I have any news."

"Thank you."

Just then, Bai Shaoyou came over again and asked, "Master, there is news from home that my elder brother has arrived at Xiaoyingzhou and has important matters to discuss with me. He has ordered me to go there immediately..."

Chen Qing glanced at him, knowing that such a large family had complicated internal affairs, so he waved his hand and said, "Since your brother has summoned you, there must be something important. You may go."

"Thank you, Master!" Bai Shaoyou breathed a sigh of relief, respectfully withdrew, and hurriedly left.

No sooner had he left than a disciple guarding the mountain came to report: "Sect Leader, the Canglang Hermit of the Giant Wave Sect and Shi Chongshan of the Sunken Sand Gang have come to visit together, saying they have important matters to discuss."

Chen Qing's eyes flickered slightly. Since he became the leader of the alliance, these two were the most enthusiastic about getting close to Mingxia Mountain among the local sects of Nanbin. They arrived at the same time when the ruins were acting strangely, and their purpose was self-evident.

"Invite them in."

Before long, the Hermit of Canglang and Shi Chongshan strode into the hall.

Both men were weary from their journey and looked worried, but upon seeing Chen Qing, their worries turned to joy.

"Alliance Leader! You've finally emerged from seclusion!"

Before Chen Qing could ask, the Hermit of Canglang explained his purpose: "The undercurrents in Nanbin are turbulent. Several sects that were already wavering have become disloyal because you have not shown your face for a long time and have received secret support from the geniuses of Donglingzhou. They are trying to challenge the authority of Mingxia and covet the position of Alliance Leader!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qing showed no sign of anxiety. Instead, he said, "It's alright, it's a small matter. Just tell me the list."

(End of this chapter)