I'm determined to become an immortal!

Chapter 91 Earth Spirit Root

He Weixiong hurried as fast as he could and finally returned to Changyang Mountain before dark.

His trip north to deliver the annual tribute took nearly a month and a half, and even with his late-stage Qi Refining cultivation, he was somewhat exhausted.

However, before he could even return to his own courtyard to catch his breath, the clan elder sent someone to summon him.

He Weixiong's heart skipped a beat.

Why is the clan elder in such a hurry? Could it be that something has happened in the clan again?

He dared not delay and immediately headed to the back of the mountain.

Upon arriving at Guiyuan Cave, they met Elder He Weixian, who was beaming with joy and wearing a smile.

"Great news!"

This is great news!

He Weixian stood up and pulled He Weixiong to sit down in front of him. While pouring tea, he said, "Thirteenth brother, you don't know."

A little over a month ago, no sooner had you left than a major event occurred in the clan.

Our He family is truly blessed by our ancestors. This year's selection of immortal seedlings has revealed that one of our disciples possesses a fire-type earth spirit root!

""

"Earth elemental root?!"

He Weixiong had barely touched the stone bench when he heard this and suddenly stood up, his old eyes wide open.

It should be noted that the former patriarch He Sheng was only a top-grade spiritual root of both earth and water, yet he was already a genius that the Silver Sand River had not seen in decades, making the other four Foundation Establishment families breathless.

The Earth Spirit Root is even superior to the High-Grade Spirit Root. With such talent, let alone in the Silver Sand River region, even in a pseudo-core sect like the Golden Cloud Sect, one would be treated as a core disciple and nurtured with all one's might.

"Which branch or lineage are you from?" He Weixiong's voice trembled slightly. "The eldest branch? Or the third branch?"

He Weixian's expression turned somewhat strange. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "It's Xue's son... the child that the Liu family sent over back then."

He Weixiong's smile froze instantly.

"Liu Jingxing?"

"His name is now He Jingxing. This child has been recognized by his ancestors and has been included in our He family genealogy."

He Weixiong's face immediately darkened, and he remained silent. In his heart, his grandson was far inferior to his grandson.

Seeing this, He Weixian couldn't help but say, "Thirteenth Brother, if we don't accept this child, then he can only be a member of the Liu family. Are you willing to see the Liu family have another genius disciple with an earth-spirit root?"

He Weixiong swallowed back the words of objection that were on the tip of his tongue, his expression changed several times, and finally he shook his head helplessly.

If the Liu family truly produces a genius with an earth-elemental root, he will surely soar to great heights in the future, which would not be a good thing for the He family.

"Our He family is currently in a period of transition, and the most important thing is to quickly train another Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Lord Xuan Turtle can protect us for a while, but he can't protect us forever.

Otherwise, if something unexpected happens one day, how will our He family maintain its foothold in the Yinsha River area?

He Weixiong had already understood the meaning behind the elder's words: he wanted to do everything he could to cultivate He Jingxing.

Sure enough, He Weixian said again, "Originally, we planned to do our best to cultivate He Ziyang. This child is valued by that mysterious Lord of the Mansion, and his temperament and aptitude are also quite good."

But he was only a mid-grade spiritual root. If he continued to cultivate step by step, he would be lucky to even reach the threshold of Foundation Establishment within twenty years.

He Jingxing is different. With his earth-spirited root talent, plus the current savings of our He family, we can expect to cultivate him into a Foundation Establishment cultivator within ten years.

That's true, but He Weixiong still felt uneasy.

To be honest, he was not satisfied with He Jingxing and He Ziyang, but what could he do when the main branch disciples were so useless?

Although the clan elders are now implementing reforms and the clan atmosphere has improved a lot, the previous generation has been wasted. It will take at least twenty or thirty years to cultivate a new generation of capable main branch disciples.

But can the Ho family wait that long?

"The elder is right." He Weixiong finally sighed, his tone still carrying a hint of resentment, but no longer showing any resistance. "It's just... those elders from the main branches probably won't be happy about this."

"You have to swallow your anger even if you're unhappy." He Weixian snorted coldly, slamming his dragon-headed cane down heavily. "The rules of our He family are now set by the Lord of the Manor."

Immortals and mortals are separated; only the talented are promoted.

Anyone who dares to tamper with this matter will face my wrath.

At this point, his tone softened slightly, and he added, "I plan to hold a grand celebration for Jingxing in a while."

First, we must formally state our position;

Secondly, this serves to inspire the clansmen.

He Weixiong nodded, then hesitated, as if remembering something, and said, "But...should we report this to Lord Xuangui first?"

"I was just about to ask you to make another trip," He Weixian nodded. "This is a matter of great importance concerning the future of the entire clan, so I must inform Lord Xuan Gui."

He Weixiong gave a wry smile. His old bones had just returned, and now he was about to head north again.

But he knew this was a serious matter, so he immediately agreed.

He Weixian watched his departing figure, picked up the now-cold teacup, gazed at the flickering candlelight on the cave wall, and murmured to himself, "Earth Spirit Root... the Liu family's seed... yet it happens to be an opportunity for my He family."

"Fate is truly cruel."

More than a month later, He Weixiong returned travel-worn, but the news he brought back troubled the clan elder.

"Lord Xuan Gui has gone on a journey and his return date is uncertain."

The little green snake didn't give a definite answer either. I was afraid that if I delayed too long, Elder, you would worry, so I came back to report first.

He Weixian was troubled upon hearing this, but he knew that this matter could not be delayed. After some hesitation, he finally made up his mind.

He first summoned He Ziyang and asked the boy to write a letter to the Lord of the Prefecture, detailing the whole story.

He Ziyang naturally agreed, but his heart was filled with mixed feelings. At fourteen years old, he knew that the clan was going to do everything in its power to nurture He Jingxing, and that his own future was at stake...

Unfortunately, no one cared about his feelings.

Upon receiving the letter, He Weixian immediately summoned the elders of each branch of the clan and announced to the public that the entire clan would celebrate together seven days later!

The news caused an uproar throughout Changyang Mountain, with everyone discussing it.

Inside the Green Bamboo Courtyard, He Ziyang was urging the little monkey Changming to learn to read.

This intelligent water monkey is becoming increasingly clever. Not only does it recognize hundreds of characters, but it can also write its own name crookedly on the ground with a twig.

Hearing his classmates discussing He Jingxing's background and his exceptional talent in earth spirit roots, He Ziyang's composure finally wavered. He whispered, "Changming, He Jingxing's talent is far superior to mine."

He Ziyang looked out the window at the sunlight filtering through the green bamboo. The boy's unique confusion and melancholy were noticed by the perceptive little monkey, who looked up at him with some puzzlement.

"I only have a mid-grade spiritual root, while he has an earth spiritual root. It's right for the clan to put so much effort into nurturing him." He Ziyang looked down at his outstretched palm, which had a thin layer of calluses from holding a sword day and night.

"But I'm not willing to accept this."

Master Yun once taught me that in the path of cultivation, aptitude is merely a stepping stone, while character is the ladder to heaven.

Just because I am not as good as him today doesn't mean I will never be as good as him.

Changming scratched his cheek and chirped twice, as if echoing him.

He Ziyang smiled and rubbed the little monkey's head: "You're becoming more and more human-like."

Come on, write a few more characters. Today, we need to practice the character "静" (quiet/still).

Seven days later.

As dawn broke and the morning mist lingered, Changyang Mountain was already bustling with activity.

New red silk had been laid out long ago on the bluestone steps leading from the foot of the mountain to the top.

The ancient trees on both sides of the mountain path are covered with colorful banners and spirit lanterns. When the morning breeze blows, the banners flutter and the spirit lanterns sway, casting dappled light and shadow.

On the natural platform halfway up the mountain, a ceremonial platform about ten feet high has already been erected.

The altar was made of jade, covered with a red carpet, and surrounded by various spiritual flowers and fruits, filling the air with fragrance.

It was still early, but many members of the He family had already arrived from all directions.

Those main branches of mortals who migrated to the mortal city were also granted special permission to send representatives from each household back to the mountain to attend the ceremony.

Dressed in brand-new clothes, with a mix of nervousness and curiosity on their faces, they lined up in long queues on both sides of the mountain path, taking turns to climb the mountain.

At the third quarter of Chen hour, the bell tolled seven times.

The gate of the Changyangshan Ancestral Hall slowly opened.

He Weixian, dressed in a black robe and holding a dragon-headed cane, was the first to step into the ancestral hall.

Behind him, the elders of each branch of the family entered in order, followed by the disciples of the He family.

Today, He Jingxing changed into a brand-new crimson brocade robe, with a gold silk belt tied around his waist, and his small body stood up straight.

As He Linxue led him through the crowd, he subconsciously lowered his head, not daring to look at the curious or scrutinizing gazes on both sides.

He Linxue gently squeezed his little hand and whispered, "Xing'er, lift your head."

"You are now a member of the He family, no longer someone anyone can bully."

He Jingxing took a deep breath and slowly raised his head.

His features still retained a touch of childishness, but his eyes possessed a calmness far beyond that of his peers.

The ancestral worship ceremony was solemn and lengthy.

He Weixian personally presided over the ceremony, which included burning incense, offering sacrifices, and reading the eulogy. The whole process took two or three hours.

After the eulogy was read, he kowtowed to the ancestral tablets and said, "Ancestors above, today my He family has gained another son."

He Jingxing, the son of He Linxue, the head of the main branch of the family, possesses a fire-elemental earth spirit root and is exceptionally talented.

From this day forward, you will be incorporated into the main branch of the family, becoming a separate branch, enjoying all the benefits of the main branch's disciples, and receiving support from the entire clan!

These words caused an uproar in the room.

For He Jingxing to establish a separate lineage to carry on the bloodline is unprecedented in the He family.

If this move is approved, it means that He Jingxing's status in the He family will be elevated to the same level as the elders of each branch of the family, or even higher.

Many people present subconsciously looked at He Ziyang, who was standing in the corner.

Everyone knows that if He Jingxing hadn't suddenly appeared, this honor should have belonged to him today.

He Ziyang's face showed no sign of anything amiss; he simply stood quietly among the disciples of Qingzhu Academy, holding the dusty little monkey in his arms.

He felt the gazes from all around him, but he simply lowered his eyes slightly and remained expressionless.

Next, the clan elder publicly extracted a trace of He Jingxing's essence blood, made it into a life tablet, and placed it in the side hall of the ancestral hall, alongside the other new and old life tablets that were also hanging there.

It is a great honor to have one's life tablet placed in the ancestral hall, and this can only be done with the approval of the entire clan.

The only exception was the former clan chief, He Sheng. For some unknown reason, after becoming the clan chief, he quietly took his life tablet from the ancestral hall.

He Linxue couldn't help but tear up when she saw this scene.

Her husband died young, and she had her cultivation destroyed. She thought that this was the end of her life. She never expected that her son would have a chance to rise in the world, and the He family would dote on him to the extreme.

But she knew in her heart that this was only the beginning.

Subsequently, the elders of each branch of the clan led their members to take turns offering blessings and gifts to He Jingxing.

Elixirs, magical artifacts, spiritual materials, and spiritual stones.

Even Qingzhu Academy selected Master Yun and He Ziyang as representatives to present a handwritten copy of "Initial Explanation of Erosion Text" and a ten-year-old herb for nourishing the spirit.

He Jingxing bowed in return to each of them, displaying impeccable manners and without the slightest arrogance, which secretly pleased many clansmen who had harbored resentment towards him.

As noon approached, guests began to arrive from outside the mountain.

The Zhou family was the first to arrive.

The Zhou family patriarch personally led two direct descendants to the door, presented a generous gift, exchanged a few pleasantries, and was then led to a seat in the guest area.

The Zhou family patriarch smiled broadly, but in his heart he was secretly calculating that the He family had produced a person with an earth spirit root who would eventually reach the Foundation Establishment stage, and that life would probably be even more difficult for them.

The Wen family arrived shortly after.

Since being terrified by He Sheng at Lianyue Lake, Wen Xun has never dared to have any designs on the He family again, and he dares not be negligent in the slightest when he comes here this time.

He personally brought two congratulatory gifts, adopting an extremely humble attitude, and showered He Weixian with compliments upon meeting him.

The person who came from the Sheng family was someone unexpected.

Sheng Minglan, dressed in a lake-blue long dress with a three-foot-long sword tied at her waist, stepped into the mountain gate with a heroic and spirited demeanor.

After presenting her congratulatory gift, she didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "Elder He, Minglan has come to offer her congratulations on the orders of the Ancestor."

The patriarch said, "With such a fine son, how can the He family not prosper?"

He Weixian quickly thanked them. He was most wary of the Sheng family because the Sheng family was extremely powerful!

The Liu family is the most aggrieved.

Liu Qingsong lost an arm and is still recovering, so he could only send an elder from the clan to help.

It was only on the way that I heard that the He family's current genius disciple with the Earth Spirit Root was actually from the Liu family.

The Liu family felt extremely awkward, but they had no choice but to come despite their reluctance.

But to their surprise, as they approached Changyang Mountain, the young men from various families began to laugh at the Liu family.

"I heard that He Jingxing's original surname was Liu, and it was the Liu family that ruined such a talented disciple."

"Tsk tsk, the Liu family really has the heart to do that, almost letting such a talented disciple starve to death on Liuzui Island."

"This child is not destined to die. He probably hates the Liu family to the core. The Liu family will have a hard time from now on."

When the elders of the Liu family heard these words, they wanted nothing more than to tear these people's mouths apart.

But he dared not.

He had personally witnessed He Sheng's methods at Lianyue Lake.

The scene of that poisonous dragon hovering over the Liu family's house and poisonous rain falling from the sky is still a nightmare that haunts him every night.

He could only lower his head and present his congratulatory gift, even his polite words were stammering. Then he slunk away to a corner of the guest area. The luncheon was held in the martial arts arena. He Weixian specially invited several spiritual chefs from Xiajiangfang and prepared a banquet with over a hundred tables.

Holding his wine glass, He Weixian listened to the cheerful laughter of his clansmen and watched He Jingxing surrounded by a crowd of admirers. The heavy weight that had been pressing on his heart for two years finally eased a little.

Everything seems to be moving in a positive direction.

If the He family is given another ten years, and He Jingxing grows up, then...

Just as he was thinking this, a long announcement suddenly rang out from the mountain gate: "Lin Wanrou, head of the Xiajiang branch of the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce, along with steward Chen Keshan, have come to congratulate the He family on the birth of their talented disciple!"

He Weixian's wine glass trembled slightly.

The previously lively atmosphere in the training ground suddenly quieted down after this announcement.

Everyone turned to look at the same time.

Then Lin Wanrou, dressed in a scarlet dress and with her face covered by a light veil, gracefully walked along the mountain path.

Half a step to her side, Chen Keshan walked with his hands behind his back. His body shone like lightning, and although he did not release his aura, he had a kind of oppressive feeling that made people feel uneasy.

Lin Wanrou walked straight to the front of the stage before stopping. Her bright phoenix eyes swept over the guests and finally landed on He Weixian. She smiled and said, "On this joyous occasion of the He family's wedding, I am honored to have come uninvited. I hope Elder He will not mind?"

He Weixian's mind was on high alert, but he dared not be impolite. He stood up, leaning on his dragon-headed cane, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Manager Lin, you are too kind. We are guests, please take your seats."

"There's no rush to take our seats." Lin Wanrou chuckled, flipped her hand and took out a brocade box. The lid popped open on its own, revealing a fist-sized crystal, its entire body as red as blood, with faint flowing light moving within it.

"This is a second-grade mid-level spiritual material, Bloodstone. Consider it a congratulatory gift from my Tianhai Chamber of Commerce to congratulate the He family on the birth of their son."

The moment the words "Bloodstone" were uttered, the expressions of all the cultivators present changed.

This bloodstone is quite valuable, worth at least several thousand spirit stones.

In terms of value, it ranks among the top three of the congratulatory gifts sent by various parties today.

But the meaning of the words "bloodshed" is none other than the impending disaster of bloodshed. Giving such a gift on someone's joyous occasion is truly malicious.

He Weixian's fingers, gripping the dragon-headed cane, turned slightly white from the force, but he still forced a smile and was about to decline when Lin Wanrou gave him no chance to speak.

"It is truly a cause for celebration that the He family now has a worthy successor."

Today, guests from all sides have gathered, making it a truly special and auspicious day.

"Why not broaden the horizons of these juniors by inviting a few Foundation Establishment seniors to spar with them? This would allow them to witness firsthand the grandeur of the cultivation path."

At this point, she changed the subject, turning her gaze to the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Zhou and Wen families in the guest seats, and said with a smile, "Patriarch Zhou, Patriarch Wen, would you two be willing to do me the honor of exchanging a few blows with Deacon Chen from my Lower River Branch?"

"The two of you should come at once, so that the young immortals of the He family can see the prowess of Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Silver Sand River."

The room fell silent as soon as he said that.

Forcing the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Zhou and Wen families to join forces against Chen Keshan alone is hardly a friendly sparring match; it's a blatant humiliation.

Even more maliciously, Lin Wanrou used this to disrupt the He family's celebration, further humiliating the He family after the "Blood Stone".

Those members of the He family who understood the implied meaning were all indignant, and even He Jingxing's small face turned red.

He had suffered cold treatment in the Liu family since childhood, and he was most sensitive to the feeling of being looked down upon.

As he watched the woman on the stage, smiling radiantly, humiliating his people and the family he had just returned to his ancestral home, an unprecedented surge of anger welled up from the depths of his heart, burning his eyes until they turned red.

He Ziyang was filled with rage, his fists clenched tightly.

In the guest seats, the Zhou family patriarch and Wen Xun looked at each other, their expressions extremely grim.

reject?

Lin Wanrou is backed by the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce, and the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce is backed by the Lin family, a Core Formation family. How could they, as remote and small clans, afford to offend them?

promise?

However, neither of them had the guts. It had only been a little over a year since the incident at Lianyue Lake, and they didn't want to offend the He family and leave any leverage that would lead to trouble.

The scene froze for a moment.

Lin Wanrou, however, didn't care at all; instead, her smile became even more charming and alluring.

She did this intentionally today. From the moment she stepped into the mountain gate, she had been provoking the He family, trying to test whether He Sheng was still alive.

In her mind, if He Sheng were still alive, he would surely be hiding in Changyang Mountain. Since she had provoked the He family so much, He Sheng would definitely not be able to resist showing up and taking action.

"What?" Lin Wanrou's voice rang out again, her tone now tinged with impatience. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and she swept her gaze over Zhou and Wen with a half-smile. "Patriarch Zhou and Patriarch Wen, are you not prepared to give my daughter this face?"

The Zhou family patriarch and Wen Xun exchanged a glance, both seeing deep bitterness and regret in each other's eyes.

If I had known this would happen, I should never have come here today.

The two sighed in unison, about to make a choice, when an unexpected change occurred!

"A lowly maid from a collateral branch of the family who relies on her looks to serve men, does she really think she has any dignity?"

A clear, cold female voice descended from the sky like a thunderclap, resounding throughout Changyang Mountain.

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