Grand Elder

Nine Peaks Ridge, Precious Lingzhi Peak.

That day, after Zhou Chun emerged from the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion, he returned to his quarters as usual and first sat in meditation to recover his magic power.

But he had been meditating for less than two quarters of an hour when he sensed the array in the courtyard being disturbed by an outsider.

After ending his meditation and getting to his feet, he opened the courtyard gate and saw Zhou Yong waiting for him with an anxious look on his face.

When Zhou Yong saw him come out, he immediately said in a deep voice, "The clan leader has ordered that, apart from the cultivators guarding the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion and the Mountain Protecting Array, all clansmen inside the mountain gate are to gather at Pagoda Peak. An important matter is to be announced publicly!"

After saying that, he cupped his fists toward him. "I still have to notify the others. Brother Chun, hurry to Pagoda Peak."

An important matter was to be announced publicly?

A flash of doubt crossed Zhou Chun's eyes. After watching Zhou Yong's departing back, he immediately tidied himself up and set off for Pagoda Peak.

When he reached Pagoda Peak, he found that dozens of Zhou Family cultivators had already gathered there.

They ranged from centenarian elders to teenagers barely into their teens, all wearing bewildered expressions. Clearly, like Zhou Chun, they had all been suddenly summoned here.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun gave up on asking around. He greeted several familiar clansmen, then waited alongside them.

After waiting for more than half an hour, when the number of Zhou Family cultivators gathered on the mountain neared a hundred, clan leader Zhou Guyi and the three elders finally emerged from Zhongping Hall.

Yet just as Zhou Chun and the others thought the reason for the gathering was about to be announced, clan leader Zhou Guyi and the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators suddenly bowed toward the mountaintop and saluted in unison. "We respectfully welcome the Grand Elder out of seclusion."

As soon as their voices fell, a mass of azure light shot into the sky from the mountaintop. It soon descended onto the mountainside, revealing the figure of an old man with white hair and blue robes.

This blue-robed elder was none other than Zhou Wende, the Violet Palace cultivator who now served as the pillar of the Zhou Family.

Although he looked somewhat old, Zhou Wende's age was not particularly advanced among Violet Palace cultivators.

Violet Palace cultivators generally lived for more than four hundred years, and some could even survive for nearly five hundred.

Zhou Wende was only a little over two hundred years old. The reason his hair had already turned completely white was that he had been just over two hundred when he reached the Violet Palace Stage, already nearing the lifespan limit of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

In fact, Zhou Wende's breakthrough to the Violet Palace Stage more than a decade ago had been, for the Zhou Family of today, a blessing from Heaven.

If Zhou Wende, the Violet Palace cultivator, had not dared to shoulder the burden and step forward, then when the Three Absolute Sect was dismantled, few Zhou Family cultivators would have dared to face Yu Jinghua, a Golden Core stage cultivator, let alone declare that they would establish an independent faction and found the Zhou Family.

Thus, in the Zhou Family of today, Grand Elder Zhou Wende was deeply respected and enjoyed the heartfelt support of the people.

Now that he had appeared, all the Zhou Family cultivators present, led by clan leader Zhou Guyi, bowed and saluted him. "This junior pays respects to the Grand Elder."

"Fellow clansmen, there is no need for such formalities. Follow this old man into the Ancestral Shrine first!"

With a sweep of his wide sleeve, Zhou Wende led the way toward the Ancestral Shrine, whose gates had remained tightly shut ever since its construction.

As a Cultivation Family organized around its lineage, the Zhou Family had naturally devoted great attention to constructing its Ancestral Shrine. Every material used was precious, and it was protected by an independent array.

Under normal circumstances, only Grand Elder Zhou Wende and clan leader Zhou Guyi were qualified to open the Ancestral Shrine.

Now, when Zhou Wende opened its gates, Zhou Chun and the other Zhou Family cultivators followed behind him and saw the inside of the Ancestral Shrine for the first time.

As soon as they entered, they saw a square courtyard with an open sky above it. Several lotus leaves floated on the pond in the center, their green surfaces as lustrous as jade and brimming with spiritual energy.

Beneath the lotus leaves, several enormous golden carp swam endlessly through the clear pond water, faint spiritual energy radiating from their bodies as well.

Looking at the covered corridors on either side of the courtyard, they saw murals and written records on the walls describing the origins of the Zhou Family and recounting the great deeds once accomplished by some of its ancestors.

For example, one Zhou Family ancestor named Zhou Tong had once joined forces with two Golden Core stage friends to slay a fourth-tier Flood Dragon that had wreaked havoc throughout the Cultivation World.

One of the murals depicted this Zhou Family ancestor striking down the Flood Dragon with his sword.

Another Zhou Family ancestor, named Zhou Xia, had once entered a wondrous land and brought back a spirit insect known as the Jade Spirit Bee, greatly benefiting the Zhou Family.

Her figure raising bees and collecting honey could likewise be seen in one of the murals.

In short, every Zhou Family ancestor whose likeness appeared in mural form within the Ancestral Shrine had made immense contributions to the Zhou Family. Their achievements were worthy of being remembered forever by later generations of Zhou Family cultivators.

"People must not forget their roots, and even less must they forget their ancestors!"

"We cultivators seek the immortal path of longevity, but since we were born human, we must put humanity first, do what humans should do, and walk the human way."

"If it were not for the contributions of the Zhou Family ancestors listed on these Merit Walls, how could you and I have the chance to stand here today? How could we possess our current cultivation?"

"So, no matter how high your cultivation reaches in the future, and no matter where you are, do not forget the achievements of our ancestors. Do not forget whose blood flows through your veins!"

"Of course, this old man hopes even more that one day, one of your names will appear on these Merit Walls as well, so that the spirits of our honored ancestors in heaven and the Zhou Family descendants of later generations may take you as their glory and feel proud of you!"

Zhou Wende's deep, resonant voice slowly issued from his mouth and echoed leisurely through the Ancestral Shrine.

Every Zhou Family cultivator standing inside the Ancestral Shrine felt a strange emotion rise in their hearts after hearing his words.

Some of the elders wore ashamed, remorseful expressions, their heads lowered as if they felt they had failed their ancestors.

Some of the youths and young adults unconsciously straightened their chests, yearning shining in their eyes.

Even Zhou Chun's gaze tightened slightly, and he was somewhat moved.

Worshiping one's ancestors and bringing honor to one's lineage were things that even in his previous life had been admired and embraced by the people of his country.

He still remembered how, when he had been accepted into university, his parents, grandparents, and other kin had been so delighted that they told everyone they met. Even the villagers had praised him whenever they saw him, saying he had made something of himself.

That should have been the brightest moment of his previous life!

Unfortunately, after he entered society, such moments never came again. He had even stopped daring to return home often because he had never gotten married.

While he was thinking about matters from his previous life, Zhou Chun unknowingly followed the crowd into the main hall of the Ancestral Shrine.

The Zhou Family had already existed for more than a thousand years, and the number of cultivator clansmen it had produced over the years was beyond counting.

Therefore, apart from the first- and second-generation ancestors, only those with cultivation at or above the Foundation Establishment Realm had memorial tablets in the main hall.

The memorial tablets of those Zhou Family cultivators who had never reached the Foundation Establishment Realm were enshrined in the side halls on either side of the main hall.

In truth, however, because mortals were forbidden from entering the Ancestral Shrine, it was already difficult to find among the cultivators present today the descendants of many people whose memorial tablets were enshrined there.

Take Zhou Chun, for example. The parents and grandparents of this body of his had all been mortals. It was only within the fifth generation that a cultivator with a spiritual root—him—had appeared.

If he did not consult the clan genealogy, he truly would not know the names of the cultivator ancestors from three generations ago in his branch, or where their memorial tablets were currently enshrined.

And among the Zhou Family cultivators present, there were quite a few in the same situation as him.

Therefore, to prevent this from affecting the clansmen's unity, Zhou Wende simply led everyone from the main hall through the entire ritual, bowing and offering incense before every memorial tablet.

After the ritual was complete, everyone returned to the main hall of the Ancestral Shrine. Zhou Wende slowly turned around, his back to the memorial tablets of the ancestors behind him, and looked solemnly toward the crowd.

Seeing this, everyone's hearts tightened. They knew he was about to announce something major.

One by one, they immediately gathered their spirits, held their breaths, and waited in silence.

"Ever since our ancestor founded the Three Absolute Sect, my Zhou Family has existed. It can be said that however many years the Three Absolute Sect has carried on its legacy, the Zhou Family has carried on for just as many."

"For all these years, my Zhou Family has shared both honor and disgrace with the Three Absolute Sect. To preserve the sect's legacy and maintain its unity, the ancestors of the Zhou Family have always deliberately downplayed the influence of the lineage."

"Now that the Three Absolute Sect is no more, the Zhou Family has suffered a great calamity and split into two, with its clansmen scattered and divided."

"Since we clansmen of the Nine Peaks Ridge branch have inherited the Zhou Family orthodox lineage and continued our ancestors' incense offerings, from now on we must also take the lineage as our foundation and our bloodline as our bond. We must work together, forge future glory, carry the Zhou Family forward, and make our ancestors and descendants of later generations proud of us!"

At this point, Zhou Wende paused slightly and looked toward the clansmen listening attentively.

Then his tone suddenly sank, and he said solemnly, "Therefore, in order to carry the Zhou Family forward, to make cultivation smoother and more convenient for all our clansmen in the future, and to make the Zhou Family stronger and better, reform is imperative!"

"After several months of deliberation by this old man, the clan leader, and the elders, we have already worked out most of the areas that require reform. Today, we will announce them publicly here, before our ancestors and in their presence."