The Three Families of Lower River: Fan, Zheng, and Chen

(Bonus update—please show your support...) That had all happened long ago. After the great calamity, only a wisp of the Divine General's spiritual light remained, and he had fallen into a deep sleep. How could he still work miracles?

But that did not stop Tang Changsheng from saying so. It was not that he meant to deceive anyone.

Tang Changsheng believed that as his cultivation advanced, he would one day restore the Protector King Divine General!

Ling Xiaoyu suddenly smiled. "Mage, is that the so-called Dead Man Mountain over there? I heard it was once an ancient battlefield."

"A band of long-haired soldiers retreated from the mainland to Lower River back then, only to be ambushed at Dead Man Mountain. Not only were thousands of them burned to death, but the trees across half the mountain burned away too. That's why the mountain is bare and why they call it Dead Man Mountain, right?"

Tang Changsheng's pupils contracted slightly. "I never expected Miss Ling to know such ancient history. Come to think of it, you're not from Lower River, are you?"

Ling Xiaoyu wrinkled her nose and gave him a sly smile. "Of course I know. I also know the General's Temple protects the Three Families of Xiajiang. Your temple has presided over every ancestral rite they've held..."

Tang Changsheng kept his expression unchanged. "That's no secret. Plenty of people know it. Especially you, Miss Ling—you're a cousin of the Chen Household. It's hardly surprising you'd know!"

Fan, Zheng, and Chen were known as the Three Families of Xiajiang. Compared with underworld bosses like Zhang Dacheng and Zuo Xingfa, they were in another league.

Those three families had controlled Lower River for generations. Though they had long since moved away, the reach of their vast power and influence extended far beyond Lower River.

Each family possessed astonishing wealth. Their marriages bound them together in a tangled web, and the companies and businesses they held stakes in wielded immense influence across much of Southern Yi.

Yet all three families' ancestral graves remained in Lower River. Their ancestral rite, held once every thirty years, was an event that shook the entire region.

Who could say how many wealthy merchants, politicians, and celebrities would come from other places to attend?

For centuries, the General's Temple had presided over the Three Families of Xiajiang's ancestral rites. There had never been an exception!

That alone showed how exalted the General's Temple's standing was!

"Is that so? But I heard the Fan Household proposed changing who presides over the rite!" Ling Xiaoyu flashed him another sly smile.

Tang Changsheng's heart lurched. This time, he could not hide it. "Is that true?"

"You said yourself that I'm a cousin of the Chen Household. Naturally I'd hear about something like this! The three families just haven't made a final decision yet!"

Tang Changsheng finally let out a long breath. If they had not decided, there was still room to turn things around.

It seemed his recent actions had far exceeded the three families' expectations. That was what had made them hesitate!

With a clearer picture of the situation, Tang Changsheng regained his composure.

Then he saw the girl smile slyly again. "What do you say? Agree to one condition, and I'll help you settle this."

Tang Changsheng asked in surprise, "You can settle something like this?"

Before she could answer, he shook his head. "No need. I'll handle it myself!"

An idea had already taken shape. The Three Families of Xiajiang had begun having second thoughts for one simple reason: they doubted his magical power.

Tang Changsheng believed that once they knew he was capable of presiding over the rite, they would never replace him!

At that thought, he grew more at ease. There were still several months before the ancestral rite. With his current magical power, presiding over it would be a little difficult.

But if he could forge his Spirit Terrace,

and reach the Spirit Terrace Realm—the Foundation of the Dao in which "the heavenly heart turns without cease, and the spirit terrace never shifts; of the thirty-six thousand arts, this forms the foundation, and the heavenly heart shines forever"—then nothing could go wrong!

At his refusal, Ling Xiaoyu grew anxious. "Don't worry, I won't ask for anything unreasonable. I just want to learn Daoist arts from you..."

After talking with Ling Xiaoyu for a while, Tang Changsheng had to admit something, distracted though he was. She was beautiful, and beneath her youthful liveliness lay good breeding and poise. Being around her felt easy. It was hard not to want to get closer...

In short, talking with her was a pleasure, nowhere near as troublesome as Tang Changsheng had imagined.

Having such a beautiful woman nearby might even mean a lovely companion at his side while he studied. The thought was tempting.

But Tang Changsheng still shook his head!

What a joke. The General's Temple held too many secrets. How could he let someone stay there on a whim?

Above all, he had to keep everyone from discovering that he traveled back to the "Immortal Realm" to cultivate!

There was simply no possibility of letting the girl stay at the General's Temple.

Ling Xiaoyu tried both threats and inducements. "Think about it. Your General's Temple has always presided over the three families' ancestral rite, but that might change... If you teach me magic, I'll help you..."

Mid-sentence, she cried out and twitched her dainty nose. "What's that smell? Is something burning?"

Tang Changsheng had caught the scorched smell too. "Oh no!" he shouted.

He rushed inside like a whirlwind. Curious, the girl followed close behind him.

Tang Changsheng ran straight into the kitchen and hurriedly lifted several clay pots off the stove.

Talking with her had made him forget what he had cooking, and he had nearly burned the rice!

The General's Temple kitchen was fully equipped with modern cookware. But lately, Tang Changsheng had taken it into his head to cook rice in old-fashioned clay pots...

After rescuing the meal, Tang Changsheng scratched his head in embarrassment and, as though possessed, asked, "You haven't eaten either, have you?"

The moment he asked, he regretted it.

But the girl gave him a radiant smile. "No. I'm hungry, actually!"

She came over and eagerly helped set out the bowls and chopsticks, leaving Tang Changsheng to swallow every word of regret.

Still, the ancients had a saying: beauty was a feast for the eyes!

With such a beautiful girl sitting beside him, smiling so sweetly, even his appetite seemed to improve.

Better yet, she was not like those women who fussed about dieting and ate no more than a kitten.

Nor did she set a bowl of plain water in front of herself and rinse every bite of food in it before eating...