The Grand Ceremony
Mosquito Immortal City.
Zhuang Yun strolled through the bustling streets of the outer city and entered a shop with a 'Closed' sign.
"This shop is currently closed. Please..."
The shopkeeper looked up as he spoke, and upon seeing Zhuang Yun, quickly stood up and bowed, "Master!"
Zhuang Yun sat down in the shop, and the shopkeeper personally served him tea. He then took out a Storage Bag and gently placed it on the tea table. "Having received the patriarch's order, I began selling off all the properties in the city and acquiring various spiritual materials. It's mostly done now; only this shop in the most prime location remains unsold."
Zhuang Yun sipped his tea and said, "The Golden Core Ceremony is just around the corner, why haven't you made your move yet?"
The shopkeeper hesitated and said, "Master, with two Golden Core cultivators currently in charge of Mosquito Immortal City, prices in all industries within the city have skyrocketed, especially shops in prime locations, which have already quadrupled in value. After the Golden Core Ceremony, prices will surely rise further. It would be a real pity to sell now."
"Hmph!" Zhuang Yun snorted coldly, "Even if it's multiplied several times, no matter how high its value, if it's not converted into Spirit Stone, it's worthless. Right now, the value of shops in the city has skyrocketed, it's the perfect time to make a fortune. Remember, only Spirit Stone that end up in your Storage Bag are real Spirit Stone. Go, find the buyer, and we can sell it."
Seeing the displeasure on the head of the household's face, the shopkeeper, though puzzled as to why the head of the household would abandon such a tremendous fortune and instead do something so short-sighted, could only agree and immediately contact the previously interested buyer.
Soon, in less than a few hours, the shop located in the heart of the outer city was sold for five times its original purchase price.
Zhuang Yun then used the newly acquired fortune to purchase various spiritual materials in the city. He then instructed his trusted aide, "Take all the purchased spiritual materials and return to Old Cold Mountain. Give them to Zhuang Xian and tell him that if I cannot return, he should go see the Ancestor. I have already informed the Ancestor that he will succeed as the head of the Zhuang Household family."
"Yes, I will return immediately and bring the spiritual materials back safely!" The confidant replied and then left.
Zhuang Yun's gaze then turned towards the direction of the City Lord's Mansion, where various colored rays of light were currently emanating, as the venue was being set up for the Golden Core Ceremony. If Mosquito Immortal City truly intended to join the Cloud Spirit Sect, as the Ancestor had said, then it would be extremely dangerous for the Zhuang Household, a subordinate force of the Cloud Spirit Sect. He didn't know if he could leave alive.
*****
Before they knew it, the day of the Golden Core Elixir Ceremony arrived.
"Boom! Boom..."
Amidst thunderous roars, beams of red light shot into the sky, exploding into dazzling fireworks and manifesting various Jixiang flowers, plants, fish, and insects. Congratulatory figures from various sects and Foundation Establishment Lineage across the Three Kingdoms flocked to the venue.
"The envoy from the Cloud Spirit Sect has presented a bottle of century-old Yunlu!"
"The Jinjiang Qian Clan in the Yue Kingdom has presented a nine-tailed Dragonfish!"
"The Purple Mist Li Clan in the Tang Kingdom presents three century-old purple bamboo stalks!"
"The Old Cold Mountain Zhuang Clan in the Chu Kingdom has presented two century-old Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms!"
"..."
After presenting his congratulatory gifts, Zhuang Yun was led into the venue by a welcoming maid. He arrived at a designated area and saw many familiar faces from the Foundation Establishment Lineage of the Chu Kingdom. Among them were family heads like himself, as well as Foundation Establishment Ancestor who had come in person.
Looking at the other areas, there are the areas of two other countries, as well as areas where Rogue Cultivator are mixed together.
Although he only had the cultivation level of the Qi Refining Late Stage, he represented the Zhuang family, Zhuang Household of the seven major Foundation Establishment Lineage in the Chu Kingdom, so his position was relatively high, only behind the Cloud Spirit Sect, which was at the very front.
As time passed, the venue gradually filled with people. The powerful aura of Foundation Establishment made Zhuang Yun tremble with fear. He sat in his seat, not daring to go anywhere or look around, for fear that a single wrong glance would offend some Foundation Establishment Ancestor and bring disaster to the Zhuang Household.
As dusk fell and the sun set, and lanterns were hung up, a chilling aura swept across the entire area, sending a shiver down Zhuang Yun.
"Haha, I'm so sorry to have kept you all waiting!"
A dark cloud swept in from the horizon, making the aura even more terrifying, causing even the many Foundation Establishment cultivators to change color repeatedly.
The black cloud formed by countless Gu worms swirled and fell above the main seat, revealing the figure of the ' Daoist Thousand Insects '.
Many cultivators rose to offer their congratulations. "Congratulations to Ancestor Thousand Insects on Golden Core Formation Pill!"
Amidst the congratulations, Daoist Thousand Insects gradually withdrew his terrifying Golden Core level aura and said with a smile, "Please be seated, everyone!"
"Thank you Ancestor Thousand Insects!"
Zhuang Yun echoed this sentiment, and only after seeing the Cloud Spirit Sect envoy take his seat did he sit down tremblingly.
With the arrival of Daoist Thousand Insects, the banquet officially began that night. A group of graceful dancers filed out and performed enchanting dances on the high platform in the center of the banquet. Then, maids brought out various precious Spirit Cuisine and wines, gradually raising the atmosphere of the venue.
In the blink of an eye, the moon hung high in the sky, the banquet was halfway over, another dance had finished, and after the dancers had left the stage, a loud shout suddenly rang out:
"Injustice! Injustice! We beg Ancestor Thousand Insects to do Rogue Cultivator!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old farmer-like Early Stage of Qi Refining rush into the hall and kneel down with a thud towards the main seat.
"Please, Ancestor Thousand Insects, do us Rogue Cultivator!"
"Who dares to trespass on this grand ceremony? Guards, drag him out!"
A Foundation Establishment cultivator standing next to Daoist Thousand Followers roared angrily, and immediately several law enforcement disciples flew out and came behind the man, intending to drag him away.
"Wait!"
Just then, Daoist Thousand Insects spoke, looking at the old farmer, "Today is my Golden Core Ceremony, so I will forgive your trespassing. Tell me your grievances, and if they are true, I will certainly stand up for you."
The cultivator immediately kowtowed several times, sobbing, "My surname is Luo, and everyone in the neighborhood calls me Old Man Luo. I was originally a spirit farmer under the jurisdiction of the Yunling Sect in the Chu Kingdom. After thirty years of hard work, I finally bought a spirit field, intending to pass it down to my family. However, the Yunling Sect, under the pretext of expanding the market, directly seized my spirit field, offering only three spirit stones as compensation. This is outrageous! When I argued with them, I was beaten and expelled from the market. Fortunately, I met a rogue cultivator from Mosquito Immortal City, which saved my life. That kind rogue cultivator said that Mosquito Immortal City is a holy land for rogue cultivators, and that the two Golden Core Ancestors were also rogue cultivators themselves. He would surely stand up for us rogue cultivators. That's why I traveled thousands of miles, enduring countless hardships, to come here, and by sheer luck, managed to enter the meeting place, just to beg the Ancestor to stand up for me and take back my spirit field."
"Hmm! There's actually such a thing!"
Daoist Thousand Insects suddenly stood up, unleashing a terrifying aura of Golden Core cultivator that overwhelmed the entire area. He looked at the envoy from the Cloud Spirit Sect and said, "Your Cloud Spirit Sect has truly gone too far, not even sparing a mere Spirit Farmer. Today, I will certainly do my utmost for this Old Man Luo, and for the sake of all the Rogue Cultivator in the world. I demand an explanation from your Cloud Spirit Sect. Tell me, is this true or not?"
The Cloud Spirit Sect envoy's eyes widened as he tried to speak, but the next moment he coughed up a mouthful of blood. The remaining Cloud Spirit Sect members were all pressed down by the terrifying pressure, unable to even straighten their backs, let alone speak.
"Hmph, you dare not answer my question? This clearly shows you don't take my Mosquito Immortal City seriously!"
Daoist Thousand Insects roared, his gaze sweeping over the representatives of the various Lineage of the Chu Kingdom, "You are all Rogue Cultivator Lineage of the Chu Kingdom. Tell me, have you been bullied by the Cloud Spirit Sect? Don't be afraid, speak your minds, and I will stand up for you."
No sooner had Qian Chongzi finished speaking than someone shouted, "Please, Ancestor Thousand Insects, do justice for my Li Household! The Cloud Spirit Sect is truly going too far, repeatedly oppressing our Lineage..."
Under the terrifying pressure of Qian Chongzi's Golden Core, one Lineage representative after another immediately expressed their feelings of being oppressed by the Cloud Spirit Sect. Soon, it was Zhuang Yun's turn.
Zhuang Yun was only at the Qi Refining Late Stage, and under the terrifying pressure of the Golden Core cultivator, he couldn't even stand up. He knew that if he didn't go along with Daoist Thousand Insects's wishes at this moment, he probably wouldn't be able to leave alive. He immediately threw himself to the ground and shouted loudly, "Please, Ancestor Thousand Insects, do justice for my Zhuang Household..."