Strange

Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain has become quiet and deserted again.

Only Xue Yang remained, kneeling before the cave abode, head bowed and silent.

The Xue Household patriarch casually killed several ringleaders with the [Calamity of Wu Earth], bringing the rest to their senses.

The difference in cultivation realms is as vast as the difference between a human and an ant.

People don't usually look down to pay attention to ants.

Therefore, no matter how aggressively ants bar their fangs and claws and act recklessly, people don't care.

But if one day an ant feels it is worthy to be on equal footing with humans, or even wants humans to obey its commands, then it is not far from death.

"Ancestor..." Xue Yang took a deep breath and said, "This turmoil was absolutely not instigated by this junior."

"Heh, if that were the case, you would have died long ago." The Xue Household patriarch sneered, mercilessly exposing Xue Yang's ulterior motives. "The [Wu Earth] lineage produces cultivators who are often hot-tempered and unable to calm their minds, but ultimately they are not [Bing Fire] cultivators who will burn out their brains."

"Although you didn't instigate this, you deliberately condoned it."

"Otherwise, that bunch of good-for-nothings wouldn't even be able to get up Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain."

"Such petty tricks are fine with me."

"My surname is Xue, and my clan is full of useless good-for-nothings. Only you are barely of any use. So you won't die today."

"If one day you try to use this rhetoric to deceive other cultivators, you will die instantly."

Xue Yang's expression changed slightly, and he gave a wry smile, saying, "This junior knows his mistake."

"No need to admit wrongdoing. I know it was difficult for you to manage the family." The Xue Household patriarch's tone softened, and he said calmly, "Today, I've killed all those who liked to act like they were superior because of their age."

"From now on, you'll face fewer obstacles in managing the household."

"Playing power games and scheming is no problem. Whether you want to use them to test my intentions or to use me to purge the clan, it's all fine."

"Just remember, strategy is merely a means; strength is the foundation."

"If you were even at the Late Stage of Qi Refining, with a chance of reaching Foundation Establishment, those good-for-nothings wouldn't dare raise their voices."

Xue Yang was filled with shame and lowered his head, saying, "This junior is incompetent and has disappointed the Ancestor."

"It's alright." The Xue Household patriarch said in a cold voice, "I know you despise the Blood Qi of Human Pill, yet you have repeatedly presided over the refining of Human Pill, resulting in a deficiency in your State of Mind and making it difficult to make any progress."

Xue Yang stood there, stunned and speechless.

The Old Method sects on the Southern Edge Continent at most boast of their illustrious lineage and the prestige of their patriarchs.

Only the Xue Household members, no matter who they are facing, can hold their heads high and say, "I am a descendant of immortals!"

Despite the Xue Household's immense prestige, their ancestor frequently consumed Human Pill and vital Blood Qi.

Xue Yang was perplexed and caught in a dilemma throughout his life, which led to his Dao Path being blocked and his progress being slow.

"Our ancestor possessed unparalleled wisdom and could attain the [Rainbow Rosy Clouds] realm through emptiness, naturally allowing him to be extremely noble and esteemed." The Xue Household patriarch was equally proud of his bloodline. "Unfortunately, our descendants are incompetent, unable to cultivate the [Rainbow Rosy Clouds] realm, and even cultivating [Wu Earth] is fraught with difficulties; naturally, they can only wallow in the mud and hide in the rotten soil."

Although Xue Yang's cultivation was fraught with difficulties, his mind was sharp. He noticed that his ancestor was different today, clearly possessing a more vibrant life force. So, he boldly asked, "May I ask, Ancestor, why did you go to such lengths to assist that Hua Household female cultivator?! Allowing her to enter the secret realm to absorb Qi Gathering was already more than enough; there was really no need to go to such lengths to use the [Zhaoyao Four Seasons Cauldron]."

After a moment of silence, the Xue Household patriarch slowly said, "Back then, Zhuohua practiced the [Yi Wood] Dao of Withering and Flourishing, violating a grave taboo. He could only die quickly to preserve the Lineage."

"She went to Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain and willingly accepted being burned to death by [the Li Fire]."

"After death, I returned to Heaven, and my Qi and Blood transformed into a [Yi Wood] elixir, which later helped me break through my cultivation realm."

"His entire Manifestation, Fate, has been incorporated into the [Zhaoyao Four Seasons Cauldron], replenishing the spring and autumn seasons."

"A mountain of ashes remained, which was also sent to the secret realm to nourish the spirit fields."

"Zhuohua and Zhuohua, truly befitting its Daoist title."

"That fire back then burned so brightly that it illuminated the sky, it was so dazzling, I still remember it vividly to this day."

[The Wu Earth Secret Realm].

Hua Chunning has already gathered the Fragrance of a Hundred Flowers.

Common flowers and rare flowers each make up about half of the collection.

Hua Chunning calculated the time and realized that there was still plenty of time before the one-month deadline, so she began to explore the secret realm.

Since her ancestors were all of the [Yi Wood] Dao Path, Hua Chunning still possessed some skill in identifying plants.

Many of them are recorded in the clan's traditional medicine manual.

Some were only vaguely recognized, so it's uncertain whether they were accurate.

And some were completely unheard of.

"This is the essence of Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain!"

Hua Chunning was secretly shocked. She remembered that she was a disciple of Supreme Mystery Mountain and had suppressed the idea of secretly digging up some Spirit Plant for the sake of her sect's reputation.

This secret realm is not vast.

After walking around, Hua Chunning found no fortuitous opportunity left by the Zhuohua and could only return to the cauldron.

The [Zhaoyao Four Seasons Cauldron] can actually manipulate the timing of the seasons.

Even if it's only confined to a secret realm, it's still an extraordinary magical Law Artifact.

Unfortunately, Hua Chunning knew nothing about weapon crafting. She stared at it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

"The four seasons are the four seasons!"

Hua Chunning gazed thoughtfully at the pure energy slowly emanating from the [Zhaoyao Four Seasons Cauldron]: "So, this side is east."

Spring is in the east, trees are in the east, [Lesser Yang] is in the east!

Hua Chunning walked in the direction of the gushing clear energy and found that many spiritual trees were indeed growing there.

Some are very tall, standing alone; these should be [Jia Wood].

Some roots intertwine, forming a forest; this is called [Gathered Wood].

"Huh?"

"What a huge peach tree!"

Hua Chunning stopped and admired it carefully.

Back when she was picking Spring Phenological Periods at Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard, Hua Chunning had a great fondness for [Peach Blossoms First Bloom], feeling that it was close to her own surname.

When I was a child, my grandfather said that there was also a very large peach tree in Rejuvenation Valley, which was Zhuohua.

Unfortunately, it was later cut down by someone, and we don't know who did it.

Hua Chunning went to check, but no trace of it could be found.

The peach tree in front of her was not tall, but its blossoms were extremely abundant, pink with white, far more beautiful than any peach blossom Hua Chunning had ever seen.

Hua Chunning walked to the tree and smelled a faint fragrance. Looking down at the soil under her feet, she found it was black.

"No wonder the flowers are blooming so profusely; it turns out this spiritual field is special."

Hua Chunning examined it closely, then bent down and touched the soil of the spirit field, only to find it vaguely familiar. "Could it be that the spirit fields in the secret realm also use plant ash as fertilizer?!"

Hua Chunning stood up and clapped her hands, then suddenly froze, reaching up to touch her face, finding it damp. "That's strange, why am I crying?"

Hua Chunning looked up at the peach blossoms covering the tree, but she was no longer amazed by them. Instead, her sorrow grew heavier and heavier, almost uncontrollable, and tears streamed down her face without her realizing it.

The peach tree is young and tender; its blossoms are bright and beautiful.

The more magnificent and beautiful the peach blossoms are, the closer they are to withering.

The moment this thought arose, the peach tree in front of me moved swiftly without any wind, and pink and white peach blossoms fluttered down from the tree.

The flowers have truly fallen.

"Flowers blooming and withering are perfectly normal occurrences."

"As long as spring returns, it will bloom again."

Hua Chunning did not dodge, letting the peach blossoms rain down on her, a sudden realization dawning on her. "The time to enter the Dao through Qi Ingestion is now."