Family Secrets

"Speaking of which, the Wangdu Fang branch choosing to contend for the position of main lineage this year was to be expected."

Fang Zhongwu explained: "After all, the ancestral blessing and purification will descend within these few days."

"Purification, to put it plainly, is the various energies accumulated in the Ancestral Hall over a century, including faith, incense, and the like."

"This kind of energy is incomparably pure. It can reshape one's physique and even stimulate the body's potential—its uses are boundless."

Fang Zhongwu said with no small amount of emotion: "Our Fang family has endured five thousand long years, a span even more ancient than the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"The Ancestral Hall, empowered by the strength of successive generations of experts, is steeped in Dao resonance and can spontaneously absorb the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon."

"Over so many years, it has become comparable to a top-grade Spiritual Treasure."

Having said this, Fang Zhongwu lifted his gaze and looked outside the house, as if he could pierce through countless obstacles and land upon the Ancestral Hall.

"Our Fang family actually possesses such profound foundations." Fang Yuan was astonished.

A Spiritual Treasure was already exceedingly rare, a clan-guarding divine weapon for a noble house, something as scarce as phoenix feathers and qilin horns even within the Great Zhou Dynasty.

As for a top-grade Spiritual Treasure, that was even more exaggerated.

Scour the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, and one might not even find a single one.

"Otherwise, do you think the Wangdu Fang branch would strictly adhere to the ancestral precepts and return every five years to pay respects to the ancestors?"

The rules of the ancestral precepts were certainly important, but the interests laid out before them were what truly moved people's hearts.

"The Wangdu Fang branch's strength far surpasses ours. If they refuse to follow the rules, what then?"

Fang Yuan voiced the doubt in his heart.

"They wouldn't dare." Fang Zhongwu was very confident.

"After the Great Zhou Dynasty was founded, the Wangdu Fang branch once developed to a very high stage."

"At some point, a certain family head, during one of the ancestral rites, openly attempted to seize the position of the main lineage."

"Such a thing happened?"

Fang Yuan was quite surprised. Clearly, these matters were little-known secrets of the clan.

Fang Zhongwu nodded. "At that time, he resorted to force, trying to seize the ceremonial regalia and the seal of the family head."

"He was very strong—one of the few at the very pinnacle of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He gravely wounded the family head and many clansmen, and snatched the family head's token."

Fang Zhongwu paused, then said in a deep voice: "But that very night, he suddenly died a violent death, with no one able to discern the cause."

"Not only that, but the clansmen who had acted alongside him also died within a few days."

Fang Yuan's expression turned grave. For the first time, he learned that the ancestral land possessed such a mysterious power, one that inspired awe.

"Afterward, they obediently returned the family head's token."

"For a very long time afterward, the people of the Wangdu Fang branch didn't even dare to come to the ancestral land for the rites."

"That family head who made his move, along with his clansmen, was completely erased from the clan genealogy."

Being left out of the clan genealogy meant the family did not recognize you, and your direct descendants would have no way to rise, doomed to utter decline.

"It wasn't until later, when relations between us and the Wangdu Fang branch improved somewhat, that the previous family head agreed to let them return."

Fang Yuan had never imagined that the Fang family had such a deep history behind it. Reaching the present day had indeed been no easy feat.

"From now on, the people of the Wangdu Fang branch might not stay quiet again. Fang Runan is no mediocrity."

Fang Zhongwu's gaze was deep, seeing far ahead.

"Dad, even if I hadn't made a move today, you would have had a countermeasure ready, wouldn't you?" Fang Yuan suddenly said.

Fang Zhongwu smiled but did not answer. He only said: "What you did today will earn you the support of many clansmen and establish your authority."

Fang Yuan still had a strong sense of clan identity. He smiled and nodded.

"To avoid any further unforeseen trouble, stay in the ancestral land these two days. After the purification, refine the Yinshe Grass and break through to Foundation Establishment."

Fang Yuan nodded heavily, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart.

Fang Family Village lived in seclusion from the world. Those who dwelled here included both ordinary people and Cultivators, living in harmony, with the latter rarely using their true qi.

All followed the rhythm of rising at dawn and resting at dusk, living a very orderly life.

Grain and meat were not lacking, clothes and cloth were plentiful. The fragrant grass was lush, and fallen petals lay scattered in profusion—it was like a paradise on earth.

"Living in a place like this year-round brings a tranquil peace to the heart, which is beneficial for elevating one's state of mind."

Along the way, many local clansmen greeted Fang Yuan warmly.

Their smiles were pure and simple.

Returning to his rustic village cottage, Fang Yuan felt a slight bit of discomfort. Usually, he was used to being waited on.

"Time to cultivate seriously!"

Fang Yuan sat down cross-legged, sinking his consciousness into the panel, and tapped the "+" on the cultivation level.

[You have cultivated bitterly for one year. Your true qi has grown increasingly condensed, but you still lack the coalescence of divine sense. Your cultivation has not yet achieved a substantive breakthrough.]

A familiar line of text appeared before his eyes.

Fang Yuan's heart was as still as an ancient well. He had seen these words many times before, and now he only felt his internal qi had thickened slightly more.

Fang Lian's shock was not without reason.

Anyone who had never personally crossed hands with Fang Yuan simply couldn't understand how condensed over a decade of honed qi could be!

"Though I failed to break through, the condensed qi will transform into true essence of higher quality."

Fang Yuan took a deep breath, swallowed a Spirit Gathering Pill, and while tempering his spirit, habitually reviewed the day's battle.

"If Fang Lian had gone all out from the very start of the fight, even bringing out a Spiritual Weapon, I would have had a hard time handling it."

Fang Lian, also an heir of a noble clan, possessed clan-suppressing martial arts and even Spiritual Weapons that were no weaker than Fang Yuan's—perhaps even stronger.

Moreover, to fully unleash a Spiritual Weapon's power, one needed to be at the Foundation Building Realm.

Once Fang Lian drew a Spiritual Weapon, his strength could at least double.

However, being able to read an opponent's psychology during a fight was also a crucial element of victory.

"From now on, no matter what kind of opponent I face, I must go all out!"

As the saying goes, even a lion must use its full strength to hunt a rabbit.

The Mad Blood Daoist and Fang Lian were the clearest comparison.

Though both had been defeated, the Mad Blood Daoist still had some commendable points.

"I have you to thank for that."

Feeling the slight tremor of the Jade Cup in his dantian, Fang Yuan couldn't help but smile and praise it.

A Spiritual Treasure could already spontaneously generate an artifact spirit, possessing a certain intelligence, but the Jade Cup was shattered, its spiritual consciousness long destroyed.

"One day, I will repair you."

Three days passed quickly.

Elders from Fang Family Village left one after another, for a large clan had many affairs requiring someone to oversee.

And this day was also when Fang Yuan was to undergo the baptism.

"Yuan'er, go with a reverent heart to receive the baptism in the Ancestral Hall," Fang Zhongwu instructed.

Fang Yuan nodded, went through many procedures such as purification, and then stepped into the ancestral hall alone.

Following Fang Zhongwu's instructions, Fang Yuan came before the spirit tablets of past ancestors, sat on the cushion below, and focused his mind to sense the Dao resonance of the hall.

But Fang Yuan's realm was too low—how could he perceive the Dao resonance?

When he closed his eyes, it was as if he was in a vast white world, with only him walking forward alone.

This state lasted for an unknown amount of time.

Immersed in the spiritual world, Fang Yuan suddenly saw a dazzling beam of light before him.

At the same time, dense white runes emerged on the walls of the ancestral hall, leaping back and forth.

Then, rings of light rose from the cushion where Fang Yuan sat—nine rings in total, radiating a blinding brilliance...