The Mysterious Figure Reappears

Great Xia World, Donghai Commandery.

Whoosh!

Amid a ripple, Zhou Yu's figure appeared above the Zhou Clan's territory in Donghai Commandery.

"I'm back. This operation went rather smoothly." A faint smile appeared on Zhou Yu's face.

Of course, it had gone smoothly because he had broken through in cultivation, and his strength was far greater than before.

Otherwise, with the appearance of a Peak Celestial Immortal, life and death would have been impossible to predict.

With so many people there at the time, it would have been heaven-defying luck if even half of them had escaped.

Without dwelling on it, Zhou Yu quickly flew into the Zhou Clan Tribe. He had not told anyone about this trip, so his return was equally silent.

However, not long after returning, Zhou Yu summoned the Zhou Clan's current patriarch.

He was a Primordial Spirit Daoist named Han Yu.

"Greetings, Ancestor."

Daoist Han Yu bowed with immense excitement. To him, Zhou Yu was practically a legend.

In this era, there were only three Earth Immortal Loose Immortals in the clan. The other two were relatively ordinary immortals, but Zhou Yu was the very foundation upon which the Zhou Clan had been established. The Zhou Clan's status in Donghai Commandery rested entirely on Zhou Yu's reputation alone.

A Loose Immortal who had lived for more than three million years was terrifying on reputation alone.

Since beginning his cultivation, Daoist Han Yu had only seen Zhou Yu once, during the patriarch's inauguration ceremony. Now that Zhou Yu had personally summoned him, Daoist Han Yu was naturally greatly excited.

"Mm, there is no need for such formality." Zhou Yu asked, "Have any major events occurred within or outside the clan recently?"

"Major events?"

Daoist Han Yu was puzzled, but after considering it, he still told Zhou Yu about several recent matters that could barely be considered noteworthy.

These included, but were not limited to, the clan discovering a mineral vein somewhere, a Primordial Spirit Daoist of the clan dying outside, and a Purple Mansion cultivator of the clan joining an immortal cultivation sect.

"Mm." Zhou Yu nodded. They were all ordinary matters.

"Remember to restrain the clansmen. If I discover that anyone has done something detrimental to the clan's Merit and Destiny Aura, you, as patriarch, will not escape responsibility either," Zhou Yu said coldly.

At those words, Daoist Han Yu shuddered.

Merit and Destiny Aura.

These had been written into the clan rules when the Zhou Clan first rose to prominence, and Zhou Yu had always attached particular importance to them.

In truth, ordinary clans, even great clans, rarely paid much attention to such things.

But Zhou Yu had understood from the very beginning that Merit and Destiny Aura were tied to a clan's survival. Ancient feudal lords and even the Great Xia Dynasty actively accumulated Merit.

For example, the Great Xia Dynasty had established the Yinglong Guard. Aside from guarding the realm, they were also tasked with exterminating those burdened with great sins.

Killing those with great sins naturally earned Merit. Once Merit became abundant, Destiny Aura would gather.

Zhou Yu imposed the same requirements on the Zhou Clan Tribe. Those who slew evil cultivators and accumulated Merit were rewarded; those who committed evil and caused chaos, tarnishing Merit, were banished from the clan at best and executed outright at worst.

After accumulating it generation by generation, the Zhou Clan's Merit had become relatively abundant.

Now that the great calamity was approaching, these matters were even more important.

"Please rest assured, Ancestor. Since I took charge of the clan, not a single person burdened with great sins has appeared, and none ever will!" Daoist Han Yu hurriedly said.

"Mm."

Zhou Yu nodded. With a wave of his hand, a porcelain bottle immediately appeared.

"This contains two million jin of Origin Liquid. You may use it to cultivate to the completion of the Primordial Spirit stage. Give the rest to the younger generation for their cultivation," Zhou Yu said.

"Two million jin of Origin Liquid?" Daoist Han Yu was so excited that he could scarcely believe it.

As expected of the Ancestor. He casually produced so much Origin Liquid. This was enough to purchase a decent immortal-grade magic treasure, wasn't it?

If a reincarnated immortal had this Origin Liquid, he could easily save ten thousand years of cultivation and return to the Earth Immortal level.

"Ancestor, how could nurturing the younger generation require so much Origin Liquid?" Daoist Han Yu asked.

He only needed eighty or ninety thousand jin of Origin Liquid to cultivate to the completion of the Primordial Spirit stage. The remainder was far too much.

He did not have the courage to embezzle it.

"Then nurture more of them. So long as their aptitude is passable, they may all be granted resources," Zhou Yu said.

This was an era of surging winds and clouds. Perhaps a true genius would rise from the Zhou Clan Tribe.

"Yes." Daoist Han Yu nodded.

Since the Ancestor had said so, he would naturally comply.

After Daoist Han Yu departed, Zhou Yu summoned the clan's sole Earth Immortal and likewise bestowed many treasures upon him.

To be honest, Zhou Yu considered the chances of this descendant surviving the tribulation and becoming an immortal to be almost nonexistent. But in this era, one could not be certain. What if he succeeded?

More importantly, Zhou Yu had just obtained Celestial Huoyun's treasures, and his wealth had suddenly grown abundant. He was not stingy about spending some resources to nurture his descendants.

While Zhou Yu was planning to nurture the clansmen, a black-robed figure appeared outside the Zhou Family Ancestral Land at some unknown time.

The black-robed figure revealed a trace of his aura, and Zhou Yu, within the clan, immediately sensed it.

His expression grew slightly solemn, but he did not hesitate. With a single step, he arrived outside the clan.

"As expected, a Celestial Immortal."

Zhou Yu looked at the black-robed figure. The other man smiled at him, and Zhou Yu's heart immediately skipped a beat.

"So it was you?" Zhou Yu looked at him and said,

"The Heavenly Dao Oath I made back then has already been fulfilled, and you said that we would have no further connection. What, have you come to find me for something else?"

This black-robed figure was precisely the mysterious person who had previously contacted Zhou Yu through the Tortoise Shell Magic Treasure.

"Fellow Daoist Ganyu, I did say that, but now I regret it." The black-robed figure smiled. "Your realm is now nearly that of a Peak Celestial Immortal, isn't it?"

Zhou Yu said nothing.

An ordinary Million-Year Loose Immortal was already comparable to a Top-Tier Celestial Immortal in realm, and he had been considerably stronger than an ordinary Million-Year Loose Immortal even before this.

Now that he had created the even stronger Nine Absolutes Universe Array, this move truly approached the realm of a Peak Celestial Immortal.

If not for that, his formation would not have been able to block Celestial immortal's attacks for three breaths back then.

"Impressive, truly impressive!" the black-robed figure sighed.

"With the divine soul of a Loose Immortal, your Dao comprehension has reached such heights. You can live for a full ten million years."

Ten-Million-Year Loose Immortals did exist, but they were exceedingly rare—beings of pure legend.

"It was merely luck." Zhou Yu calmly said, "Did you come here just to speak of this?"

"I came to invite Fellow Daoist Ganyu to truly join us." The black-robed figure smiled.

"With your realm, we can help you reincarnate and guarantee the success of your reincarnation. We can even help you overcome the Heavenly Tribulation!"

"Help me overcome the tribulation?"

Zhou Yu deliberately asked, "The Heavenly Tribulation is perilous. How would you help me?"

"You will naturally learn after joining."

"What would I need to do after joining?" Zhou Yu asked again.

"There will be some tasks, but all come with rewards." The black-robed figure tempted him.

"Fellow Daoist Ganyu, with your talent, if you have sufficient resources, you have every hope of becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal. At that point, everything will be completely different."

"I'll consider it," Zhou Yu said.

"Things are no longer as they were. You do not have much time," the black-robed figure said. "And do not forget, Celestial immortal is currently searching for you."

"You're threatening me?" Zhou Yu's expression turned cold.

"It cannot be called a threat, merely a reminder." The black-robed figure smiled. "I also brought some gifts to meet you. I will give them to you, Fellow Daoist."

With that, the black-robed figure waved his hand. Two bamboo tubes immediately flew out and landed in Zhou Yu's hands.

Zhou Yu accepted the two bamboo tubes and swept them with his divine sense. To his surprise, they contained two more Pure Yang-level manuals. He could view their complete contents so long as he swore a Heavenly Dao Oath not to pass them on.

"One hand held a stick, the other a sweet date. Ordinary Loose Immortals would not know the depths of this matter, so they would most likely agree along with the flow," Zhou Yu thought with a sigh.

"Hahaha, take your time considering it, Fellow Daoist. I will visit again another day." The black-robed figure laughed loudly before quickly disappearing.