Parents Arrive

When Zhou Yang emerged from the cave dwelling of the Old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, his expression had completely returned to a state of calm.

For a cultivator with a Mid-grade Spiritual Root to advance from Qi Refining Layer Seven to Qi Refining Layer Nine within a decade was almost impossible.

The path of cultivation always became more difficult with each advancement. After Qi Refining Layer Seven, an increase of one cultivation level every ten years would be considered a very good cultivation speed for a cultivator with a Mid-grade Spiritual Root.

Take Zhou Yang's father, Zhou Xuanhao, and his Third Aunt, Zhou Xuanyu, for example. Both of them reached Qi Refining Layer Seven in their thirties. Then, Zhou Xuanhao cultivated to Qi Refining Layer Nine at sixty-three, while Zhou Xuanyu was slightly faster, reaching Qi Refining Layer Nine at fifty-eight.

Zhou Yang had reached Qi Refining Layer Seven at the age of twenty-two. Under normal circumstances, he would definitely be able to advance his cultivation to Qi Refining Layer Nine before the age of fifty, leaving him ten years to plan for Foundation Establishment.

However, since the Old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, had already hinted that he would help him solve the problem of the Foundation Establishment Pill, Zhou Yang had to go all out. Otherwise, given the Zhou Family's current situation, they absolutely could not afford the Spirit Stones to purchase two Foundation Establishment Pills in a short period.

Zhou Yang did not want what happened to his Third Aunt, Zhou Xuanyu, to happen to him again.

"I originally planned to focus on improving my Artifact Forging Art after breaking through to Qi Refining Layer Seven. Now, it seems I'll have to put Artifact Forging Art aside for now to reach Qi Refining Layer Nine as quickly as possible."

For a cultivator, the most fundamental and important thing was to improve their cultivation realm. Learning skills like Artifact Forging and Alchemy should also serve this purpose.

When improving his cultivation realm conflicted with improving his Artifact Forging Art, Zhou Yang would naturally abandon the latter without hesitation and focus on cultivation.

If he neglected his cultivation in order to improve his Artifact Forging Art, it would be a complete reversal of priorities, and he would have no chance to regret it later.

With his mind made up, he immediately returned to the cave dwelling where he had been cultivating and continued his practice.

To enable him to advance his cultivation to Qi Refining Layer Nine within a decade, the Old Clan Leader had made a special arrangement to temporarily allocate this cave dwelling for his use. Furthermore, no family missions would be assigned to him during the next decade.

His only task now was to cultivate, cultivate, and cultivate some more, doing everything he could to reach Qi Refining Layer Nine as quickly as possible.

While Zhou Yang was wholeheartedly dedicating himself to secluded cultivation, the Late Qi Cultivation cultivators dispatched by the Zhou Family to various garrisons began to return to the family under the guise of mourning the Great Elder, Zhou Qian.

Among these returning cultivators were naturally Zhou Yang's father, Zhou Xuanhao, and his mother, Lin Yuting.

"Dad, Mom, when did you get back? Why didn't you tell your son earlier? Do you know how much I missed you!"

When Zhou Yang received a telepathic message from the Old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, several months later, informing him to go down the mountain to the family ancestral hall for a meeting, he saw his parents standing with a group of elders as soon as he arrived. In an instant, his eyes turned red.

"Mom missed Yang'er too!"

Mother Zhou, with red eyes, also stepped out from the crowd and hugged her son, whom she hadn't seen in seven or eight years.

"Mom's Yang'er has grown so tall. When Mom left, you were only up to my shoulders. Now you're a head taller than me and even more handsome!"

The woman hugged her son's shoulders, her jade hand stroking Zhou Yang's smooth, jade-like handsome face with great affection, her eyes filled with joy.

"Alright, alright, this is the ancestral hall. You two, mother and son, be mindful of your surroundings. Once the important matters are concluded, you can talk to your heart's content in private."

Father Zhou, being a man, was more restrained. Seeing his wife and son embracing each other and weeping after a long separation, he felt a sense of warmth but also feared gossip from other clan members. He couldn't help but reprimand them in a low voice, reminding them to be aware of the occasion.

Before they could even respond and separate, Zhou Xuanyu, standing nearby and also with red eyes watching the scene, sarcastically interjected without politeness:

"Sister-in-law and Yang'er haven't seen each other for eight years. What's wrong with them saying a few intimate words? Brother, your words might be acceptable to the younger generation, but everyone here is seventy or eighty years old! Who doesn't have a wife, children, and grandchildren? Who wouldn't understand such feelings?"

"You chose not to visit Yang'er in his mountain cave dwelling, and you even forbade Sister-in-law from going. Is this how a father should act? Is this how a husband should act?"

The older generation of the Zhou Family knew that Zhou Xuanhao and Zhou Xuanyu had always been at odds since childhood.

Both had Mid-grade Spiritual Root aptitude. One was a few years older and always acted like the eldest, while the other was the Old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan's granddaughter, spoiled by her elders since childhood. Her cultivation was also a step higher, so she didn't show any respect to her elder brother.

In their youth, they were at odds with each other, constantly causing trouble in the family through open and covert struggles. It was only when they grew older and were separated for long periods due to family missions that their relationship gradually eased.

However, whenever an opportunity arose, Zhou Xuanyu would seize it to mock her elder brother, Zhou Xuanhao, with her words.

There was no help for it; women, after all, held grudges longer than men!

Upon hearing Zhou Xuanyu's mockery of her elder brother, Zhou Xuanhao, the cultivators of the "Xuan" generation in the ancestral hall exchanged strange glances, their heads turned to the side. No one dared to intervene, and no one spoke.

As for the "Guang" generation cultivators like Elder Zhou Quan and Elder Zhou Yun, they were long accustomed to this. Not only did no one try to stop the two, but they watched the scene with chuckles, exchanging knowing glances as if they wished the two would start quarreling.

The elders knew about these past events, but Zhou Yang was completely unaware.

Seeing his Third Aunt speak up for him and his mother, he was both touched and worried about causing a misunderstanding.

He knew that his father's absence was not due to a lack of concern for him. On the contrary, it was precisely because his father cared about him too much that he didn't want to disturb his cultivation or hinder his path.

So, he quickly broke free from his mother's embrace and, with an anxious look, explained to his Third Aunt, Zhou Xuanyu, "Third Aunt, you've misunderstood my father. Father and Mother didn't visit me because they didn't want to disturb my cultivation. And I was indeed a bit rude just now, so I ask for the elders' forgiveness."

Seeing his anxious demeanor, those who knew the inside story suppressed their laughter, including his mother, Lin Yuting.

Zhou Xuanyu, however, rolled her eyes and snorted impatiently, "Hmph, hmph, hmph, Little Jiu, you really are an ungrateful little wretch! As soon as your parents come back, you forget all the kindness Third Aunt has shown you. It's true, if they're not your own flesh and blood, there's always a difference in the relationship!"

"Pfft!"

Mother Zhou, hearing this, finally broke into laughter, tears of joy streaming down her face.

Then, looking at her son, who was staring at her blankly, she playfully poked Zhou Yang's forehead with her finger and said with a smile, "Alright, Yang'er, your Third Aunt is just jealous. I think, since all the elders are here today, why don't you acknowledge your Third Aunt as your godmother? That way, she won't always be spilling her sour vinegar and splashing it all over your father!"

"This old man thinks this is a good idea. What do you think, Little Jiu?"

The Old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, who had remained silent until now, suddenly's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but agree with Mother Zhou Lin Yuting's suggestion.

Zhou Xuanyu, who had been displeased earlier due to being called jealous by her mother-in-law, now had a flicker of joy in her eyes. She stared intently at Zhou Yang, her beautiful eyes unblinking, her expression completely betraying her thoughts.

"If Yang'er has no objections, then your father also has no objections."

Father Zhou Xuanhao, who had also remained silent, now focused his gaze on Zhou Yang and expressed his opinion.

With both parents' consent, the Old Clan Leader personally speaking, and his Third Aunt having always shown him great affection since childhood, Zhou Yang thought for a moment before walking up to Zhou Xuanyu, kneeling down, and respectfully kowtowing three times. "Your son, Zhou Yang, greets his godmother."

At this point, he was supposed to pay respects to Zhou Xuanyu's husband, Third Uncle Wu Tao, as his "godfather."

However, as a son-in-law taken in by the Zhou family, Wu Tao's level of trust could not be compared to that of Zhou family members. The Crimson Flame Iron Ore Vein was a top secret within the Zhou family. Old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan had long issued strict orders that unless Zhou Yang successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, this information was absolutely not to be revealed to anyone outside the family.

Therefore, at this moment, outer relatives of the Zhou family like Wu Tao were outside, holding down various positions in place of Zhou family members like Zhou Xuanhao, who had been reassigned to family duties.

"Good child, obedient child, get up quickly, get up quickly!"

The nervousness on Zhou Xuanyu's face vanished. She quickly reached out to help Zhou Yang up, her face blooming into a smile, her beautiful eyes filled with joy.

"Congratulations to Third Sister (Sister) on gaining a godson!"

The Zhou cultivators of the "Xuan" generation, who had originally been observing with their eyes on their noses and their hearts on their lips, now seemed to awaken from a dream. They all congratulated her with smiles.

The elders of the "Guang" generation, who had been winking and chuckling, also sent their blessings with hearty laughter: "Hahaha, Third Girl has wanted a son for so many years, and today she has finally gotten her wish. It is indeed worthy of congratulations, worthy of congratulations!"

Upon hearing the congratulations from these elders and her peers, the smile on Zhou Xuanyu's pretty face deepened. Without any hesitation, she pulled Zhou Yang's arm and drew him into her embrace, hugging him tightly. She laughed heartily, "Say whatever you want, I just like this child Yang'er. I've liked his steady personality and his intelligence since he was little. This is how a good man of the Zhou family should be."

Zhou Yang was held in Zhou Xuanyu's arms, completely bewildered. He looked at his mother, Lin Yuting, who was smiling, with wide eyes, feeling as though his mother had sold him out.

As expected, in the next second, he saw his mother narrow her beautiful eyes and say with a smile to his newly acknowledged godmother, "Masters give disciples gifts when they take them on as disciples. Since Sister Yu is taking Yang'er as a godson, there must be a gift, right? Our Yang'er doesn't lack elixirs or spirit stones. I think Sister Yu could just give some talismans she refined herself."

"You good-for-nothing Lin Yuting, I knew you wouldn't be so kind as to share your precious son with me for no reason. So you've got your eye on the treasures I have!" Zhou Xuanyu's eyebrows shot up, and she glared at Mother Zhou with feigned displeasure, appearing somewhat angry.

But when she turned back to look at the awkward Zhou Yang in her arms, she giggled, "Hehehe, Yang'er knows how to care for his godmother, unlike your heartless mother who would scheme against her good sister of many years for a few mere talismans!"

Despite saying this, she didn't hesitate at all. She reached out and patted her storage bag, taking out a stack of shimmering talismans and stuffing them into Zhou Yang's hands.

"Good child, here, these talismans are all the result of my practice over the years. Take them to use for now. If you run out, come find your godmother again. I may not have much else, but I certainly have plenty of these talismans I drew myself!"

Practice?

Talismans from practice are all Tier 2 High-grade?

Zhou Yang looked at the thick stack of talismans in his hands, his heart warming, feeling an indescribable sense of emotion.

He knew that each talisman within this stack was a masterpiece into which his godmother, Zhou Xuanyu, had poured a great deal of effort.

Even though Zhou Xuanyu herself was a Tier 2 High-grade Talisman Master, she definitely wouldn't have many Tier 2 High-grade talismans in her possession. Yet, she had given him such a thick stack all at once, clearly showing her affection for him.

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