The Old Gives Way to the New, Choosing the Clan Head!
The Boundless Mystic Realm — Muxuan Mountain — Qin Wang Palace!
Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Qin Xiao, now in his eighties, has a few strands of white hair on his forehead, a man in middle age...
His cultivation level had been stuck at the Sixth Layer of Qi Condensation for quite some time...
From a young age, he displayed extraordinary maturity and an unprecedented ruthlessness; by the time he was a teenager, he had already taken charge of the Lineage.
Now, I have been running this household for nearly seventy years.
Having dedicated half his life to his Lineage, it's time for him to retire...
Compared to his brothers, his cultivation level has fallen far behind. Currently, among the second generation, Qin Hui has reached the Qi Condensation Completion...
Moreover, he has already grasped the Dao Rhyme and may take the final step at any time!
Next are the three brothers: Qin Wu third brother), Qin Zhao (fifth brother), and Qin Zhuang), all of whom have reached the eighth or ninth level of Qi Condensation...
What's lacking right now is an understanding of the Dao Rhyme...
As for the fourth brother, Qin Wen, after successfully Qi Condensation, he has been cultivating in the library, while deducing and perfecting the inheritance of the Dharma Sect...
While reading countless books and examining countless principles, he continuously improved his understanding of Confucianism.
His cultivation level has also advanced by leaps and bounds, catching up with his elder brother, and now he even has the cultivation level of the Sixth Layer of Qi Condensation...
Furthermore, all six brothers had taken the [Origin-Evolving Pill], and some had even used the [Cauldron Primordial Dao-Seeking Method]!
With both factors combined, the six individuals' qualities have undergone a complete transformation.
Apart from Qin Wen, the other five had all reached the level of two inches of spiritual light, making them veritable artificial geniuses with exceptional talent...
Reaching the Qi Condensation Completion was not difficult for them...
The difficulty lies in understanding the Dao Rhyme!
Half of Qin Xiao's lifespan has already passed; the remaining time is the red line he has set for himself...
Only by going further and having a longer lifespan can one continue to contribute to the Lineage!
As for the next clan leader...
This has become a problem that has been troubling Qin Xiao ever since, as the Qin Clan has now reached its fifth generation...
Of the three generations of the Qin dynasty, excluding the one who perished, the remaining eight have all achieved great success. Even those who lacked some talent later in life all attained it through the [Cauldron Primordial Dao-Seeking Method]...
With countless resources, they forcibly pushed him to the Qi Condensation Realm!
Among them, the eldest son, Qin Minghan, is the most perfect candidate. As the eldest grandson of the first branch of the family, he has impeccable lineage and excellent qualifications...
Calm and composed, gentle in action, and friendly to others, yet not lacking in shrewdness!
However, it was too calm, even indifferent—indifferent to life, indifferent to death, this extreme rationality...
But that became its most fatal flaw!
As expected of someone personally trained by Qin Lu, having cultivated under Qin Lu since childhood, his personality, though not as extreme as Qin Lu's...
But it's just as impressive, practically a carbon copy of Qin Lu in his youth!
The second son, Qin Mingdao, was equally outstanding in both literature and martial arts, but he possessed a ruthless edge and disliked politics, devoting himself to the study of insects...
He is also not a qualified candidate for clan chief.
The third sister, Qin Mingxi, is a woman who has already become dao companion with Li Shan and has children. She is also unsuitable to take over the Lineage...
The fourth son, Qin Mingyue, inherited Qin Wu's belligerent nature; he was a quintessential warrior, only suited for leading troops in battle and life-or-death struggles...
He has the talent to be a general, but lacks the ability to manage a household!
The fifth son, Qin Mingzheng, is not bad in terms of personality, aptitude, and ability; he is Qin Xiao's ideal successor...
However, he was also a prodigy in weapon crafting, so it was impossible for him to accept the position of clan leader.
The seventh son, Qin Mingwan, died young, while the ninth son Qin Mingle, was the Qin Clan's number one genius, after taking the [Origin-Evolving Pill]...
Its quality is a perfect 3.1 inches!
Such a prodigy would certainly not be allowed to take over the position of clan leader, especially since he is only in his early twenties and has already Qi Condensation Second Layer...
There is a chance that I will reach the Qi Condensation Completion by the time I reach the age of 60!
Given the right fortuitous opportunity, he might even break through to the Dao Foundation in the year of Jiazi, making him the undisputed number one genius of the Qin Clan...
He has never ventured outside the clan, and even within the clan, few know of him; they only know that Qin Mingle exists...
But no one really knows the whole story.
The remaining candidates--
Only the sixth son, Qin Mingyi, and the eighth son, Qin Mingyuan, remained. Below them were the fourth generation of the Qin family, arguably the weakest generation in the Qin Clan...
No one was qualified, exceeding the required standard by more than one inch!
The seven individuals who were able to advance to the Qi Condensation owed their advancement to the unwavering support of their clan, which provided them with the vital essence of the [Cauldron Primordial Dao-Seeking Method]...
Only then did seven Qi Condensation Realm cultivators emerge from among the thirty or forty people.
These seven people are: Qin Xin'an, the fourth generation leader; Qin Xinzhi; Qin Xinyang, the seventh generation leader Qin Xinmu; Qin Xinzhou, the tenth generation leader; Qin Xinxian, the eleventh generation leader; Qin Xinxian, the fifteenth generation leader; Qin Xinchen, the nineteenth Qin Xinchen...
These seven people, while not particularly outstanding, all possessed considerable courage and talent!
Thanks to the teachings of the Daoist Learning Academy, the Qin Clan family members are all quite capable; while not exceptionally outstanding, their abilities are remarkably balanced...
Especially when faced with extreme situations, they are never lacking in the will to kill!
They possess a ruthless streak to their very core, and are all capable of managing a household, though they may not necessarily elevate the Lineage to new heights...
But at least, maintaining the status quo is worry-free.
This is why Qin Xiao hesitated, and ultimately even convened a Lineage meeting to select the next successor...
Inside the main hall of the Qin Wang Palace.
The six members of the second generation of the Qin dynasty, after a long separation, gathered together to discuss this matter...
Qin Hui, however, seemed quite open-minded, asking, "What do you guys think?"
"Of the three generations, Mingyi and Mingyuan are both quite steady in character, so I have no objection to them taking over as clan leaders..."
"Among the fourth generation, although they are a notch below, Xin'an, Xinzhi, Xinyang are all quite good, except for their slightly lacking aptitude..."
"But in terms of ability, they are all outstanding individuals!"
"I approve of any of these five candidates for the position of clan leader..."
Upon hearing this—
The others all looked thoughtful, as if considering candidates, but Qin Zhao broke the silence first and spoke up:
"Mingyuan needs to focus on his cultivation. His ability to Spirit-Observing Dao Eyes is not bad, and he may even make further progress in his cultivation..."
"Pursuing higher goals is the path Mingyuan must take."
"Mingyuan, let's just forget about it."
Seeing this, the others did not object...
Qin Zhao's words make sense, and Qin Zhao concerns are understandable. After all, Qin Mingyuan has always been excellent, and he also possesses Acquired Spirit Physique...
Allowing him to be entangled in Lineage affairs and delay his cultivation is indeed a case of penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Therefore, Qin Mingyuan was singled out.
Just then, Qin Zhuang suggested, "How about..."
"Let Xin'an come?"
"After all, he is the eldest son of the fourth generation, and the son of Mingdao. He has a good character and temperament, and can shoulder great responsibilities in the future..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiao shook his head and replied:
"Xin'an is indeed a good child, but his background is a problem..."
"This child is Mingdao's offspring, conceived unintentionally while he was having fun with a female servant. Although his bloodline is undeniable, he is, after all, an illegitimate son..."
"It's inappropriate to appoint him as the clan chief!"