The Ancestor Wishes to Travel

Facing Ancestor Longyan felt completely different from seeing Ancestor Mingsheng. Though Ancestor Mingsheng looked somewhat aged, he gave off the blazing vitality of a man in his prime.

Ancestor Longyan, however, was not only thin but seemed to carry a faint air of fading twilight. It was hardly surprising. Her condition had worsened steadily in recent years, and she had drastically reduced her consumption of Spirit Food to save resources for the family's younger generation.

As a Spirit Platform Realm cultivator, her bodily functions were vastly stronger than those of a Qi Refining Realm cultivator. Yet according to the law of conservation of energy, energy could not arise from nothing. The stronger the body, the greater its natural consumption.

Ordinary food had far too low an efficiency in converting qi and blood for a Spirit Platform Realm ancestor. Thus, any Spirit Platform Realm ancestor generally needed to supplement their diet with Spirit Food over the long term to maintain their powerful bodily functions, even using it to strengthen themselves further.

But after Sixth Great-Uncle Wang Xiaohan failed to break through to the Spirit Platform Realm, the family's resources grew increasingly tight. Ancestor Longyan gradually reduced her consumption of Spirit Food. Now, her yearly consumption amounted to only eighty jin of Spirit Rice, one hundred jin of Spirit Fish and Spirit Meat, and two second-grade Guyuan Pills.

The Spirit Food altogether came to only thirty-six Qian Gold, while the two Guyuan Pills cost merely sixty Qian Gold.

A dignified Spirit Platform Realm ancestor consumed less than one hundred Qian Gold worth of resources each year! That was probably only enough to maintain a state of quiet cultivation...

In truth, she was not the only one doing this.

The family elders likewise received only enough Spirit Food and other resources to sustain their bodies. Their cultivation had stagnated for years. They had yielded every opportunity to younger, more promising descendants.

"Shouzhe, are you saddened?" Ancestor Longyan did not turn around. Her voice was ethereal and light, without the hoarseness common in elderly women.

"I simply feel sorry for you, Ancestor," Wang Shouzhe said honestly.

In fact, Ancestor Longyan was only one hundred and fifteen years old, merely a few years older than Ancestor Mingsheng of the Lu Clan. She was still far from the lifespan limit of the Spirit Platform Realm.

Back then, Ancestor Longyan had advanced to the Spirit Platform Realm at thirty, then reached the middle stage of the Spirit Platform Realm at sixty. Her body had remained in its youthful, beautiful, peak condition.

At that time, how high-spirited she had been, her sights set squarely on the higher Celestial Realm!

Unfortunately.

The beast disaster of Changlong Calendar 3095 had forcibly pressed the Ping'an Wang Clan from the clouds into the mud, while also snapping Ancestor Longyan's wings.

"The tide rises and falls; flowers bloom and wither. Such things are the most ordinary matters in the world," Ancestor Longyan said calmly as she slowly turned around. "I have heard from Hui about your recent actions. You did well."

Though her figure was somewhat thin, paired with an ordinary cotton gauze robe and cloth shoes, she instead possessed an airy, otherworldly immortal grace. Her starry eyes resembled a hundred-foot cold pool, utterly unfathomable.

The only thing Wang Shouzhe found regrettable was that Ancestor Longyan wore a veil over her face, making her features impossible to see.

But she had not begun wearing the veil today. Ever since Wang Shouzhe could remember, she had always dressed this way, and he had never once seen Ancestor Longyan's true face.

"Thank you for your praise, Ancestor." Wang Shouzhe cupped his hands. "So long as you do not blame Shouzhe for being rash." After a pause, he added with some curiosity, "Did you summon Shouzhe here because you have some instructions?"

He felt slightly uneasy, fearing that Ancestor Longyan might oppose his implementation of the ranking competition system. The older generation valued harmony and affection among clan members. They might suspect that competing for ranking positions would lead to brothers turning against brothers and sisters falling out with one another.

"Shouzhe, you are the Clan Leader." Ancestor Longyan spoke with utter calm. "I will not point fingers at you."

"Then this time, Ancestor..." Wang Shouzhe was somewhat baffled. Ancestor Longyan was not the sort to call him over simply for a chat and a few casual compliments.

"I need you to make arrangements and accompany me to Baidao Guard," Ancestor Longyan said.

Baidao City?

Wang Shouzhe froze. Only after quite a while did he recall that it was a Citadel City near the East Sea. His slow reaction was normal; he had never even left Changning Guard in all his life, so how could his mind have wandered so far?

Moreover, ever since that great disaster, Ancestor Longyan had never left the bounds of Changning Guard.

Suppressing his curiosity, he cupped his hands and said, "Shouzhe accepts the order. Please wait two days, Ancestor. I will make the arrangements at once." Whatever Ancestor Longyan intended, Wang Shouzhe could not possibly refuse this request.

After receiving his orders from Ancestor Longyan, Wang Shouzhe returned to his own courtyard, took out a map of the provinces and commanderies, and began examining it as he planned the journey.

For Ancestor Longyan's trip, secrecy was the first priority.

The insect plague was currently at its fiercest. The Liu Clan and Zhao Clan were running about like headless flies, but even so, they could not let down their guard.

Second, they had to consider Ancestor Longyan's physical condition. If they could avoid jolting her about, they would. Someone would also need to attend to her along the way. The choice of someone to serve her personally required careful consideration as well.

Before long, he had drafted the route and plan for the journey.

"Wang Gui." Wang Shouzhe called the servant boy in. "Go invite my Fourth Aunt Xu, as well as Wang Lici."

Wang Gui froze. "Fourth Aunt Xu? Which Xu?"

"You brat, obviously the one from my Fourth Uncle's household! There are only a few dozen clan members and family dependents in the whole household, young and old alike. You cannot even remember them?" Wang Shouzhe frowned, nearly kicking him.

"Does the Clan Leader mean Madam Rou?" Wang Gui hurriedly nodded and bowed as he ran out. "I'll go right away, right away."

Still, Wang Gui could hardly be blamed. For one, there was more than one Xu in the family. For another, Wang Shouzhe's Fourth Aunt, Xu Zhirou, had always kept a low profile. After Fourth Uncle Wang Dingbang passed away five years ago, she had become even more reclusive.

Yet Wang Shouzhe remembered Fourth Aunt Xu Zhirou quite clearly. She came from the direct line of the Jinsha Xu Clan. During the period after Wang Shouzhe's birth mother passed away when he was young, Xu Zhirou had been the one caring for him.

Even after First Madam Gongsun Hui married into the family as his father's second wife, Xu Zhirou had helped care for him for quite some time. After all, Gongsun Hui had still been a delicate young maiden back then; it was Fourth Aunt Xu Zhirou who taught her everything hand in hand.

In his memories, Xu Zhirou had been gentle and meticulous, yet also exceptionally deft and clever with her hands. She was skilled at preparing small dishes and making little trinkets to cheer him up.

Back when he had been ignorant and grieving, it was Fourth Aunt who cared for him through his darkest days. Unfortunately, she later became pregnant with Fifth Sister Wang Luojing, and half a year afterward, she returned home to nurture the pregnancy.

From then on, Wang Shouzhe lived with First Madam Gongsun Hui, until he moved into his current Young Clan Leader's courtyard to live alone at fourteen.

Wang Shouzhe had chosen Fourth Aunt Xu because he valued her gentleness and attentiveness. Ancestor Longyan needed an experienced, mature woman at her side to care for her during the trip, and after thinking it over, Fourth Aunt was the perfect choice.

Setting aside these stray thoughts for the moment, Wang Shouzhe continued refining his travel plans.

Before long, Fourth Aunt Xu Zhirou and Wang Lici were led by the servant boy Wang Gui into his side hall.

The last time Wang Shouzhe had seen Fourth Aunt was during his late father's funeral. As one of the women of the household, she had naturally been busy everywhere, managing all kinds of affairs. But Wang Shouzhe had been muddleheaded at the time and had scarcely spoken with her.

Now, looking closely, he saw Xu Zhirou dressed in a plain, fine-patterned cotton skirt, without any unnecessary jewelry. She was simple and clean. The only difference from his memories was that she now bore the faintly weathered appearance of a middle-aged woman.

It was only natural. She had borne three children in succession, and Fourth Uncle had passed away five years earlier. Merely raising those children had been enough to exhaust her.

"Xu Zhirou greets the Clan Leader." Xu Zhirou lowered herself in a graceful salute.

Wang Lici beside her hurriedly bowed as well. "Lici greets Fourth Uncle."

"Fourth Aunt, there is no need for such formality. Please call me Shouzhe as you always did." Wang Shouzhe hurriedly returned Xu Zhirou's salute. "Come, come. Please sit and speak." Then he smiled and beckoned to Wang Lici. "Big Girl, you sit too."

The two thanked him and took their seats.

After Wang Gui busied himself serving tea, fruit, and snacks, he withdrew.

Wang Shouzhe chatted with Xu Zhirou for a while before turning his attention to Wang Lici. Seeing the girl with a candied fruit in her mouth, he smiled and asked, "What has Big Girl been busy with lately?"

Wang Lici hurriedly swallowed half the candied fruit, rose to her feet, and answered nervously, "In reply to Fourth Uncle, I have not been busy with much. I just read and cultivate every day."

This girl was the daughter of Wang Shouxin, Wang Shouzhe's eldest brother. She was sixteen this year and the eldest among the eighth-generation girls of the Lici generation, so everyone of Shouzhe's generation liked to call her Big Girl.

"Mm, sounds like you have been quite diligent. Good, very good." Wang Shouzhe was deeply gratified. At least one of the girls in the family knew to study diligently. He immediately said with a smile, "Then Fourth Uncle will test your lessons. If you pass, there will definitely be a reward."

"What?"

Wang Lici's pretty, slightly chubby face turned pale with fright, and even her calves began to tremble. Fourth Uncle was the Great Devil King, ten times more terrifying than her father Wang Shouxin. One only had to look at the miserable fate of her own elder brother, Wang Zongwei, to know it.

Her heart filled with regret, and her eyes moistened. Had she known Fourth Uncle would summon her today to test her lessons, she should have crammed desperately these past few days and worked harder.

But who could have known this would happen?

Her mind buzzed...

Truly.

Disaster! Fell! From! The! Sky!