Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1280: Chapter 832: Xuanzhen’s Troubles

Just as Yang Zhenshan controlled the soul crow to sneak into the courtyard, Xuanzhen was meditating cross-legged in a quiet chamber inside the courtyard.

At this moment, Xuanzhen looked almost the same as he did more than twenty years ago, still wearing a gray Taoist robe, hair pinned with a wooden hairpin, the snow-white horsetail whisk placed beside him. His complexion was rosy, hair a mix of black and white, with faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and forehead, not noticeable unless observed closely.

More than twenty years ago, when they came to the Sea of Spirit, Xuanzhen was already over 150 years old. By rights, his lifespan should have been at an end, but perhaps due to the life-extending effects of the Wuzhen Taoist Palace’s cultivation technique, he did not appear aged at that time.

Now, more than twenty years have passed, and Xuanzhen’s age is probably over 180, yet his appearance still seems so youthful.

After cultivating for a long time, Xuanzhen slowly opened his eyes, his gaze incredibly deep, as if he could see through everything in the world, giving one the feeling of being seen through.

"Come in!" Xuanzhen suddenly said.

The door of the quiet chamber was pushed open, and a man dressed in black attire with a pale complexion walked in.

"Haha, Steward Xuanzhen, long time no see." Mo Xuanyu looked at Xuanzhen, his pale face full of a bright smile.

However, Xuanzhen looked indifferent. He picked up the horsetail whisk, slowly stood up, and looked at Mo Xuanyu with displeasure, "Why did you call me here?"

Mo Xuanyu showed no concern for his displeasure and casually said, "Actually, it’s not a big deal. I want you to help me find someone."

"Who?" Xuanzhen asked.

"I don’t know. This person once made a move in Ancient County City and used a powerful Thunder Skill to destroy a Ghost General," Mo Xuanyu said.

He was naturally referring to Yang Zhenshan, though he didn’t know Yang Zhenshan’s identity.

"Thunder Skill?" Xuanzhen seemed interested.

"Yes, indeed, a Thunder Skill!" Mo Xuanyu confirmed.

Xuanzhen pondered for a moment, "Are there any other clues?"

"This person is related to the Lu family. As for other clues, there are none at the moment!" Mo Xuanyu said.

"I understand. However, I can’t guarantee I can find him!" Xuanzhen agreed.

However, in the next moment, a trace of a strange color flashed in his eyes, and his gaze swept toward a tree outside the door.

Mo Xuanyu noticed his abnormality, turned his head, and looked outside, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing!" Xuanzhen shook his head slightly.

Mo Xuanyu was not suspicious and said, "Then I’ll leave this matter to you. I hope you don’t disappoint the Sect Master’s expectations."

With that, he turned and left.

After confirming he had left, Xuanzhen’s gaze suddenly became sharp.

"Come out!"

He coldly stared at the lush tree crown outside the door.

Among the foliage, Yang Zhenshan, controlling the soul crow, was full of surprise and doubt. This old guy had become an Immortal Cultivator and was even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Interesting, interesting!

Yang Zhenshan controlled the soul crow to fly out from the tree crown.

Seeing the soul crow, Xuanzhen was first taken aback, then slightly furrowed his brows.

Just now, he sensed soul power fluctuations hidden in the tree crown, but he thought it was a person hiding there, never expecting it to be a crow.

This crow!

It’s not a real crow!

"Who are you?"

The means of Immortal Cultivators are strange and varied; controlling a crow or transforming into one is not surprising.

"Your old friend!" Yang Zhenshan controlled the soul crow, flew straight into the quiet chamber, circled once, and landed on the incense table.

"Old friend?" Xuanzhen furrowed his brows even more.

He didn’t have any old friends here; in fact, he didn’t even have a single friend.

"Oh, you wouldn’t have forgotten me, would you? I’ve been looking for you for a long time!" Yang Zhenshan said teasingly.

Xuanzhen looked at the soul crow, "Who exactly are you?"

"Haha, I already said, an old friend. Here’s a hint, Wuzhen Taoist Palace!" Yang Zhenshan said.

Upon hearing "Wuzhen Taoist Palace", Xuanzhen’s eyes instantly shot out a brilliant light.

Regarding his origin from Wuzhen Taoist Palace, he had never mentioned it to anyone here, and the only ones who knew his identity were those few who accompanied him to the Sea of Spirit.

"You are Yang Zhenshan!"

He finally thought of Yang Zhenshan.

Speaking of, he had also searched for Yang Zhenshan, but at that time he was alone and weak, making it impossible to find Yang Zhenshan among the vast crowd.

He searched for a period but couldn’t find him, so he gave up.

Moreover, he thought that Yang Zhenshan would surely disappear among the masses after coming to the Sea of Spirit.

In the west of the Stormy Sea Area, Yang Zhenshan was known as a favored child of the heavens, rising from a mere farmer to a formidable figure who shook the world in just forty years. However, in the Sea of Spirit, Yang Zhenshan, this favored child of the heavens, was not valued at all.

He thought Yang Zhenshan might achieve something in the Sea of Spirit, but the achievements would be very limited, at most integrating into the many Martial Arts Families like those small families.

He understood well how difficult it was for an outsider to establish a foothold in the Sea of Spirit.

Back then, he encountered obstacles everywhere in the Sea of Spirit. He first went to the Xuanqing Sect, only to find he couldn’t even get close to the sect’s gates, not to mention he didn’t even have the qualifications to reside in Green Jade City.

Later, he sought refuge with the Twelve Families, as apart from the three major sects, only the Twelve Families could help him advance further.

Unfortunately, the Twelve Families also looked down on him, an old man.

After wandering for three years, he came to Yu Mountain Town, intending to follow the concept that if the Sea of Spirit didn’t have a place for him, he would go elsewhere.

He initially wanted to join a caravan in Yu Mountain Town and mix in for a while, but unexpectedly, he found a treasure.

"That’s right!" Yang Zhenshan responded.

Looking at the soul crow, Xuanzhen felt both shocked and delighted.

The shock was that he actually met Yang Zhenshan again, and the delight was that he finally met a true old friend.

Alone in a foreign land.

The feeling of it, Xuanzhen had experienced it quite profoundly.

Don’t be fooled by his current progress on the Immortal Path, having become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator; he understands deeply in his heart that he can never truly blend into this vast world, for his roots remain in that expansive Wanshan Ridge.

At this moment, encountering an old friend in a foreign place, Xuanzhen was overjoyed.

"Is it really you!"

"Haha, of course it is! Who else would care about an old man like you!" Yang Zhenshan was equally delighted.

Not only Xuanzhen encountered an old acquaintance but Yang Zhenshan did too.

Even though he had many old friends around him, he was still happy to have found Xuanzhen.

Xuanzhen’s ability to cultivate peace was excellent; after a moment of surprise, he calmed down.

"Have you started cultivating the Immortal Path?"

"That’s right. Haven’t you also switched to cultivating the Immortal Path?" Yang Zhenshan said.

Xuanzhen shook his head slightly, "I haven’t switched."

"What do you mean?"

Xuanzhen gave a bitter smile, "This humble Taoist’s original cultivation was the Immortal Law!"

Yang Zhenshan was stunned, "You mean the inheritance of Wuzhen Taoist Palace is the Immortal Path?"

"That’s right!" Xuanzhen closed the door and walked over to sit on the mat.

The inheritance of Wuzhen Taoist Palace is the Immortal Path?

Yang Zhenshan found it somewhat incredible, but upon careful thought, it didn’t seem impossible.

"Calling it the Immortal Path is somewhat self-flattering; in reality, it’s just a few incomplete cultivation techniques. This humble Taoist only discovered the difference in the Sea of Spirit!" Xuanzhen explained.

"Because of the Spiritual Energy?" Yang Zhenshan asked.

"Exactly, the Spiritual Energy around Da’an is almost non-existent, even at my Wuzhen Taoist Palace, it’s so thin it’s imperceptible, causing me to cultivate for a hundred years without realizing I was practicing the Immortal Law!" Xuanzhen said.

Yang Zhenshan nodded as he understood.

Both Da’an and the Ten Thousand Miles Sea Domain are places of Spiritual Wilderness, meaning the Spiritual Energy is exceptionally thin.

Over there, not to mention Immortal Cultivators, even elemental Martial Artists would face difficulties.

"But you are quite fortunate to have a spiritual aperture!" Yang Zhenshan exclaimed.

"Haha, yes, this humble Taoist indeed is fortunate! But it seems your opportunities aren’t small either!" Xuanzhen looked at Yang Zhenshan with glistening eyes.

Yang Zhenshan controlled the soul crow to hop, "But how did you get involved with the Soul-breaking Blade?"

At this, Xuanzhen’s face darkened slightly.

"I had no choice!"

"Explain it in detail!"

"In those days I faced obstacles everywhere, so I thought about leaving the Sea of Spirit to seek breakthroughs elsewhere. Back then, I didn’t know I was cultivating the Immortal Law, so my thoughts remained on finding a method to mold the Golden Body through Martial Arts."

"Until arriving at Yu Mountain Town, by chance I entered an underground cavern, where I encountered people from the Soul-breaking Blade — no, precisely, people from the Unpredictable Ghost Sect!"

"Unpredictable Ghost Sect?" Yang Zhenshan hadn’t heard of this sect.

"Yes, the Soul-breaking Blade is merely a pawn laid in the Sea of Spirit by the Unpredictable Ghost Sect."

"So that’s how it is!" He always felt that this Soul-breaking Blade was quite unusual, turns out it had the Unpredictable Ghost Sect behind it.

"Continue,"

Xuanzhen’s gaze turned cold, "At that time, I inadvertently intruded into an array set by the Unpredictable Ghost Sect, was captured by one of their Blood Pool Stewards, and although I explained tirelessly that I intruded by accident, that person still humiliated me incessantly!"

"Haha, however, later he discovered I cultivated the Immortal Path, and actually gave me a chance to enter the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool!"

He knew Yang Zhenshan was unfamiliar with what the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool was, so he elaborated: "The Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool is a pool formed from the blood of myriad Martial Artists, linked to the Earth Veins’ Earth Evil Qi, set with a Great Array of myriad ghosts gathering Yin."

"Upon entering the blood pool, I was tainted by Blood Evil Qi and Ghost Qi, and within mere years, my cultivation reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement; but likewise, my Divine Soul was controlled by the Unpredictable Ghost Sect!"

Saying this, Xuanzhen glanced at the soul crow on the incense table.

Yang Zhenshan’s mind stirred, "You want to break free from the Unpredictable Ghost Sect’s control?"

"Yes!" Xuanzhen nodded slightly.

"How can you break free from their control?" Yang Zhenshan asked.

"Break the Great Array of myriad ghosts gathering Yin, destroy the blood pool, and smash the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Jade within the pool," Xuanzhen said with a chilling tone.

"What is this Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Jade?"

"It should be a Magical Treasure, though I’m not entirely sure, only know it lies within the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool, and all those who enter the pool will be under its control!" Xuanzhen explained.

Yang Zhenshan lifted the soul crow’s head, scrutinizing Xuanzhen, indeed, he discovered a hint of redness in the depth of Xuanzhen’s eyes.

Meanwhile, he could feel a trace of malevolent Evil Qi from Xuanzhen, confirming Xuanzhen’s words weren’t false.

Xuanzhen confiding these to Yang Zhenshan was to seek Yang Zhenshan’s assistance.

In this place, Xuanzhen didn’t have a single friend, and couldn’t find anyone to help.

Yang Zhenshan’s arrival gave Xuanzhen hope for breaking free from the Unpredictable Ghost Sect; even though he wasn’t sure if Yang Zhenshan could help, at least he could discuss some matters with him.

As for whether Yang Zhenshan would align with the Unpredictable Ghost Sect, Xuanzhen was sure he wouldn’t, knowing Yang Zhenshan’s temperament; Yang Zhenshan would certainly refuse to be manipulated or subordinate.

Even if Yang Zhenshan was also controlled by the Unpredictable Ghost Sect, he would surely share the same sentiment.

"Tell me about the Unpredictable Ghost Sect!" Yang Zhenshan said.

Xuanzhen nodded slightly, "My understanding of the Unpredictable Ghost Sect is limited to the Yin Ghost Department, which has a Director and Deputy Director, besides six Stewards, all Foundation Establishment Cultivators!"

"And many Ghost Soldiers are controlled by the Yin Ghost Department, I am just one of them!"

"Among the Yin Ghost Bureau’s high ranks I have encountered, only the Blood Pool Steward, Mo Xuanyu!"

Yang Zhenshan’s mind instantly grew tense, "What are Ghost Soldiers?"

"To enter the Blood Pool, receive its nourishment, have the Divine Soul controlled by the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Jade, becomes a Ghost Soldier. So far I’ve met seven Ghost Soldiers, apart from me, all others are Golden Body Realm Martial Artists!" Xuanzhen explained.

Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but take a deep breath, "Is the Unpredictable Ghost Sect this powerful?"

"Yes, very strong, but we face not the Unpredictable Ghost Sect, only the Yin Soul Bureau’s Blood Pool Steward, which is just the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool and Soul-breaking Blade!"