Family Mission

Zhou Minghan had high expectations for Zhou Yang.

The Jade Spring Zhou Clan, starting from its founder Zhou Yuquan, had always had a Foundation Establishment Cultivator stationed there, which was how it had managed to develop to its current scale in just over two hundred years.

But now, it was as if the Zhou Clan's luck had run out. For over a hundred years since Zhou Minghan, no new Foundation Establishment Cultivator had emerged.

This was dangerous.

For a cultivation family, the worst fear was a sudden generational gap in high-level cultivators.

Once they lost the protection of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the Zhou Clan would not only be unable to continue expanding its scale, but might not even be able to hold onto the Jade Spring Lake Oasis and the ancestral land of Jade Spring Peak.

Therefore, under Zhou Minghan's secret instructions, the Zhou Clan's development had actually quietly halted in recent years. He feared that further expansion would invite covetous eyes, leading to a calamity of clan annihilation after his fall.

But this was not a permanent solution. The best course was for the Zhou Clan to produce a new Foundation Establishment Cultivator to station the family before his death.

As long as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was stationed there, relying on the third-rank formation [Myriad Woods Upholding Heaven Formation] on Jade Spring Peak and the help of dozens of Qi Refining clansmen, even if multiple Foundation Establishment Cultivators attacked, they could not harm the Zhou Clan's foundation.

Originally, Zhou Minghan had placed his hopes on the "Xuan" generation juniors, and had even made up his mind that if no one in the Zhou Clan advanced to Foundation Establishment before his death, he would rather offer the Jade Spring Lake Oasis and most of the Zhou Clan's output to the Yellow Sand Sect in exchange for their protection, than let the clan be wiped out for holding too much wealth and inciting envy.

But now, Zhou Minghan realized that perhaps he should change his mind.

Given the potential shown by Zhou Yang, a junior of the "Yuan" generation, if he were given another twenty or thirty years, his hope of establishing a foundation might be far greater than those of the "Xuan" generation.

He carefully examined the young man standing before him. The youth's handsome and elegant appearance was not his focus; what he valued was the poised and unassuming attitude the youth displayed before him, that calm and steady mindset of being able to face his scrutiny without flinching.

After his inspection, only one thought remained in his mind.

This child is worthy of great responsibility!

Of course, as an elder, no matter how satisfied or pleased he was inside, he would not show it too openly on his face—he must not encourage arrogance in the young.

Thus, though his heart was brimming with joy, his expression instead returned to indifference, and he looked at Zhou Yang with a calm face and asked, "Do you know why I called you here?"

"Grandson does not know," Zhou Yang answered honestly.

"Originally, according to clan rules, young cultivators of the clan must descend the mountain to gain experience and serve the family for a period of time after turning twenty before they can return to the mountain for secluded cultivation."

"But your situation is special. Although you are only seventeen, you are already at Qi Refining Layer Six. In the past hundred years, no one in the clan has had such cultivation when they descended the mountain at twenty."

"It so happens that you just broke through with the help of Earth Vein Spiritual Qi, so you will need at least five years to temper your mana. If I let you stay on the mountain, wouldn't that be a waste of manpower?"

"Therefore, I have decided to make an exception and let you descend the mountain early to serve the family. This is also a training for you, which will greatly benefit your future cultivation."

Zhou Minghan looked at Zhou Yang, who wore an expression of rapt attention, and with a slight curl of his lips, he solemnly stated his arrangement.

As expected, after hearing his words, Zhou Yang's expression changed—clearly, he had never expected that being called here would be for this reason.

But what left Zhou Minghan unsure whether to be pleased or annoyed was that after a slight change, Zhou Yang's face quickly returned to calm, and he respectfully bowed and said, "Grandson understands and is willing to obey the clan's arrangements."

Seeing this, Zhou Minghan asked in a strange tone, "Aren't you curious about where I plan to send you?"

"Grandson believes that no matter what arrangement Great-grandfather makes, it will ultimately be for Grandson's good."

Zhou Yang smiled inwardly and directly tossed out this line, leaving Zhou Minghan speechless for a long time.

After a long while, he laughed angrily and scolded, "You little sly fox! Both Xuanhao and his wife are upright people—how did they produce a little rascal like you?"

Without waiting for Zhou Yang to protest, he took the initiative to reveal his plan for Zhou Yang.

"Your Spiritual Root attribute leans toward metal and fire, and you cultivate the 'Blazing Sun Fiery Art,' a domineering and masculine technique. Apart from lacking some combat experience, your combat techniques are not inferior to any cultivator of the same level."

"It just so happens that the cultivator stationed by the clan at Qingping Mountain has reached the end of his term. You will go and take his place for five years. After five years, I will send someone else to relieve you."

"Also, I hope that during this time, you can find the time to learn the Artifact Forging Art among the hundred arts of cultivation. The clan currently has no good seedlings in artifact forging to take over my work. If you can achieve something in this area, it will be a great boon for the entire clan."

After finishing his arrangements, Zhou Minghan waved his hand and tossed a gray Storage Bag and a small silver shield into Zhou Yang's hands.

"The Storage Bag contains some low-level artifact forging materials, along with my personal insights on the Artifact Forging Art and a copy of the clan's collection, 'True Understanding of Artifact Refining.' Take good care of these things and never let them be passed on to outsiders."

"As for this [Silver Gang Shield] artifact, it is a fine piece among the many second-tier artifacts I have forged. Consider it my compensation for your early descent from the mountain."

"Alright, if you have nothing else, you may take your leave. The trip to Qingping Mountain should be completed within a month."

Zhou Yang was stunned by Zhou Minghan's stream of words and actions. At the very end, he instinctively gripped the items in his hand and replied, "Then Grandson will take his leave."

It was not until he walked out of the cave dwelling and heard the door close that he shook himself and came to his senses, realizing what had happened.

Recalling the matters Zhou Minghan had just explained in the cave, he muttered to himself with a confused look, "What just happened to me? Why was I so dazed and unresponsive? That's not like me!"

No sooner had he spoken than his heart suddenly leaped, and a bold guess surfaced in his mind.

"Could it be that Old Clan Leader cast some spell on me?"

In the next instant, he immediately stopped this dangerous train of thought.

Even if Old Clan Leader had cast a spell on him, it must have been just a joke. There was no need to overthink it; letting his mind run wild would only harm himself.

Thinking this, he looked at the Storage Bag and artifact in his hands, carefully put them away, then greeted his Seventh Grandfather Zhou Yun, who was sipping tea alone under a tree, asking him to open the formation and let him down the mountain.

Just before stepping out of the formation, Zhou Yang turned back to glance at the mountaintop, where Seventh Grandfather Zhou Yun stood under the tree, smiling as he watched him leave.

"This kid seems to have noticed something. I'd better not use such little tricks to tease him anymore, to avoid causing any unfortunate misunderstandings."

In the cave dwelling at the mountaintop, Zhou Minghan, observing Zhou Yang's expression after he left through his divine sense, tugged at his beard in slight embarrassment, a trace of regret flashing across his face.

He had indeed, while speaking, quietly cast a soul-capturing spell he had learned in his early years to influence Zhou Yang's mind.

It wasn't that he feared Zhou Yang would resist his arrangements; it was purely because he couldn't stand the youth's overly mature demeanor and wanted to tease him a little.

Just like when adults tease children by giving them a sip of strong liquor, then watching the child trying to act grown-up end up with tears and snot streaming down their face as they cough and sputter, laughing heartily.

This kind of teasing might initially give the elders a sense of smug satisfaction from a successful prank, but when they realize their joke makes the younger generation resent them psychologically, they end up full of regret.

Zhou Minghan was in exactly that situation now.

Fortunately, Zhou Yang was genuinely mature in his mindset, not just putting on a show of maturity, so he didn't hold a grudge against the old man who was wholeheartedly devoted to the clan over such a small joke.

After descending the mountaintop, he quickly returned to his attic halfway up the mountain, closed the door, and began organizing the day's gains.

First was the Storage Bag the Old Clan Leader had given him. This type of storage artifact, made from the hide of the Spirit Void Rat beast, was practically standard equipment for every cultivator. Even the poorest rogue cultivator would find a way to acquire one.

Of course, Storage Bags also came in different sizes and grades. The kind typically used by Qi Refining Stage rogue cultivators had an internal space of only about three feet square, barely enough for a few changes of clothes and some small odds and ends.

For a Cultivation Family like the Jade Spring Zhou Clan, any clan member who reached the Qi Refining Stage could receive a five-foot-square Storage Bag for free from the clan. Zhou Yang, thanks to having a good father, usually used one that was a full zhang square.

But now, his Storage Bag had been upgraded again.

The Storage Bag the Old Clan Leader had given him looked drab and unremarkable, but its internal space was actually three zhang square. Besides a forging cauldron for artifact crafting and several books on the Artifact Forging Art, it was also packed full of low-tier forging materials like Dark Iron, Red Copper, and Hundred-Year Ironwood.

Zhou Yang did a rough calculation. If he were only making weapons like swords and sabers, which required less material, these supplies would be enough for him to practice forging several hundred times.

"Normally, when clan members learn the Artifact Forging Art, the clan provides free materials to practice with, but at most they give you a hundred tries. The Old Clan Leader gave me this much material—even the dumbest person could succeed two or three times!"

Zhou Yang looked at the Storage Bag stuffed full of materials, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't moved.

He knew the Old Clan Leader had always been strict about separating public and private matters. Even with his exceptional talent, the old man wouldn't make an exception for him in this regard.

So there was only one reason he could use so many materials to practice now: the Old Clan Leader had used his personal savings to exchange these materials from the clan's treasury.

"It seems the Old Clan Leader really wants me to inherit his Artifact Forging Art. As the only Third-Rank Artifact Forger in the clan, he must have noticed something. Maybe I really do have considerable talent in artifact forging."

Zhou Yang thought of his own cultivation technique, the Blazing Sun Fiery Art, and suddenly felt a flash of understanding. A knowing smile spread across his face.

Then he carefully put away the Storage Bag and turned his attention to the other thing the Old Clan Leader had given him: the Second-tier Artifact, the Silver Gang Shield.