The Qian Family Ancestor

In the mountains, cultivation knows no days; half a month had passed in a blink.

A few days ago, winter had already begun.

Apart from the evergreen species, most trees had shed their leaves entirely.

In the side courtyard, Chen Xian, who had been sitting motionless like an old monk, suddenly gave a slight tremor. The ladybug sunbathing on his shoulder was startled and immediately flew off.

"Heh, Dao Disciple, sixth layer."

Chen Xian opened his eyes, a smile hanging on his face. His clear, bright gaze followed the flying ladybug as it crossed the stone table, passed through withered branches, and landed in a pile of fallen leaves.

His ears twitched slightly; from the leaf pile came a faint rustling sound.

He curled his fingers slightly and flicked a weak strand of Dao Power toward the leaf pile.

The leaves were blown apart, and the ladybug hiding beneath them took flight again, heading farther away.

Watching the ladybug disappear into the distance, Chen Xian stood up and stretched his old back.

The sensation of sharp ears and clear eyes made him feel as if he had returned to his youth, when heaven and earth were crisp and clean.

This was also the first time he had directly experienced the benefits of cultivation.

"Uncle, if nothing urgent, come to the Main Peak Council Hall for a meeting in a quarter of an hour."

The token at his waist suddenly transmitted a voice—it was Lei Qingyang.

Chen Xian yawned, puzzled. He was a man of leisure, utterly ignorant of sect affairs; why call him to a meeting?

But Lei Qingyang offered no explanation, and the token's communication was one-way, so he couldn't ask.

"I need to get a Sound Transmission Talisman," Chen Xian muttered, heading back to his room to change clothes.

Over the past half month, Jian Shan and Duan Cui had earned him over ten thousand Contribution Points.

On top of that, Jian Shan had been sending him Qi Induction Pills bottle after bottle, so he had nowhere to spend money.

He was quite flush at the moment.

A solid ten-thousand-point man.

But soon he would break through the third realm and aim for the Sword Master Realm, which meant more places to spend.

First, he needed to get himself a flying sword, right? He also had to buy a Realm-Breaking Pill, plus some auxiliary cultivation pills—everywhere needed money.

Fortunately, Jian Shan lived up to his reputation as a shrewd merchant, sharp in business.

He heard that the Blood Sugar Hawthorn had already been sold all the way to Ask-Dao City.

Because it could enhance blood and qi, aiding martial artists in cultivation, many martial arts schools and major clans were scrambling to place orders recently, and the price was steadily climbing.

After all, only he could produce it, and the output wasn't large—scarcity made it precious!

That was the profit of a monopoly.

A quarter of an hour later, at the Main Peak Council Hall.

"Greetings, Uncle!"

"Greetings, Uncle-Master!"

Along the way, every elder and steward he met politely bowed, and Chen Xian, maintaining the demeanor of a senior, nodded slightly in return.

Stepping into the Outer Hall, he realized there were quite a few attendees.

Elders and stewards from every peak had apparently been summoned to the meeting.

There were easily a hundred or two hundred people.

Most were courteous, but Chen Xian also noticed a handful of elders and stewards who seemed indifferent to him, not even bothering to come forward and greet him.

These people were also unfamiliar—at least, he hadn't encountered them during his frequent visits to the inner and outer sect lecture halls.

Liu Yunshu somehow drifted close to Chen Xian and lowered her voice to explain:

"Uncle, those over there are honorary elders and nominal stewards, mostly from the aristocratic families of Ask-Dao City."

"These family cultivators have always thought highly of themselves; besides the Sect Master, they don't give face to anyone. Don't pay them too much mind."

Someone leaning in to speak to him made Chen Xian turn his head—it was Elder Liu, who often followed Lei Qingyang.

Chen Xian nodded and shifted his gaze away from that group.

It was like how some universities cooperate with outside enterprises, arranging for corporate-partner teachers to hold nominal positions at the school.

These nominal teachers generally don't get involved in school affairs but serve as a bridge between the school and the partner company.

"In about twenty-something days, it'll be the Grand Sect Tournament. That's why the Sect Master has gathered everyone today—to discuss the tournament matters."

Liu Yunshu led Chen Xian into the Inner Hall while explaining the day's agenda.

After listening for a while, Chen Xian roughly understood what was going on.

It was nothing more than the Sword Sect's annual year-end event: a grand, sect-wide competition, from elders down to outer disciples, all participating in the bouts.

First, to urge everyone not to slack in their cultivation, and second, for Lei Qingyang to understand the current overall strength.

Third, and most importantly, to select Inner Sect disciples and to recruit new aristocratic family members to join the Sword Sect.

For the aristocratic families, they wouldn't wait until the spring selection tests to compete for spots alongside commoners; participating in the Grand Sect Tournament was equivalent to early admission.

This was the Sword Sect's privilege granted to the aristocratic families.

It was meant to deepen ties between both sides, thereby strengthening the sect's control over Ask-Dao City.

"Do I, this old man, have to participate in the competition too?"

Thinking this, Chen Xian suddenly asked Liu Yunshu.

Liu Yunshu paused mid-step, then laughed: "Haha, if Uncle-Master has the interest, of course you can join."

Having said that, he looked at Chen Xian, his gaze shifting, and suddenly a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He cast a Sound Isolation Technique and asked in a low voice: "Uncle-Master is about to break through to the third realm of Dao Disciple?"

Chen Xian smugly stroked his beard and gave him a confirming look.

Liu Yunshu's eyes widened, and he laughed in disbelief: "How could it be so fast?"

As soon as he said it, he realized his lapse in composure and quickly lowered his voice: "Congratulations, Uncle-Master! Uncle-Master will surely return to the Master Realm."

"Just the Master Realm?" Chen Xian stared at Liu Yunshu, squinting with a smile.

Liu Yunshu was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter: "Hahaha, this junior's eyes were dull. Uncle-Master, please don't take offense!"

Chen Xian laughed along with him, his voice bright and cheerful.

Their cheerful laughter echoed through the hall, and everyone present exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding.

The crowd surged into the Council Hall and took their seats one after another.

Several elders from the aristocratic families gathered together to talk.

"Is that old man the rumored Uncle-Master Chen who returned after going missing from the Sword Sect?" said an elder in a brocade robe, his fingers rubbing the black iron token engraved with the character "Yuan" at his waist.

"Judging by how close Liu Yunshu is to him, it should be correct," another nodded. Then a worried look crossed his face: "If he's an Honored Realm expert, our aristocratic families might have to bow our heads again."

"Ancestor Xu worries too much. From this man's aura, I fear he hasn't even stepped into the Master Realm," a middle-aged elder with a token engraved with "Xie" at his waist sneered.

As he spoke, he glanced at a gaunt old man behind him who was resting with his eyes closed, and said in a teasing tone: "Ancestor Qian, I heard that old man took people to your house to break off an engagement a while back. How could you sit still? Aren't you angry?"

The old man called Ancestor Qian slightly lifted his eyelids and grunted: "Hmph, disputes among descendants are for descendants to worry about."

"Also, don't make fun of me. I only seek immortality and don't bother with worldly affairs."

The other aristocratic ancestors laughed awkwardly and dared not tease him further.

This Ancestor Qian was the oldest among them. A few years ago, he had broken through to the Dao Sect realm right at the limit of his lifespan. Now, he focused solely on cultivation, trying to break through to the Second Realm Heaven of the Dao Sect to extend his life, and had long stopped meddling in the Qian Family's affairs.

If not for the Qian Family's Qian Yue showing considerable talent in mortal martial arts, leading the entire clan to switch to martial cultivation and barely stabilizing their foundation, the Qian Family would have already fallen to a second-rate family in Ask-Dao City.

Such an ancestor was truly ruthless!

At that moment, the Council Hall suddenly fell silent. Everyone stopped talking and turned to look at Lei Qingyun as he walked in.

Ancestor Qian slightly opened his cloudy eyes, fixed his gaze on Chen Xian's back, and a hint of deep thought flickered in his gaze before he closed them again.

Chen Xian was completely unaware of this.

He was pondering how to conceal his cultivation.

These old bastards could see through his cultivation with just one glance—this gave him no sense of security at all. Where was the good old "playing the pig to eat the tiger"?

He hadn't even played the pig yet, and his skin had already been stripped off.

He needed to find a profound concealment technique or a Dao artifact. Walking around so exposed in front of people was really uncomfortable!