Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 590: Chapter 502: Various Forces Gather, Turmoil 2

His smile, however, gave off a chilling sensation.

His pallid complexion was unlike that of the living, and his eyes appeared cloudy as if tainted with ink.

Although he was smiling, the expression seemed exceptionally sinister.

”Please, have a seat!” Cui Kai hurriedly offered his place, asking Qu Fusheng to sit down.

Qu Fusheng waved his hand and then walked to the carved wooden table, placing his curved blade on it.

”You all must have heard about what happened in Cui Xia Valley!”

”Yes!”

Qu Fusheng nodded slightly, ”Good, the Sect Leader has decreed that you must destroy the Star Origin Fruit Tree!”

”Destroy it!” Cui Kai raised his head in astonishment.

”That’s right, destroy it!” Qu Fusheng nodded.

Cui Kai took a deep breath.

Destroying a Spirit Plant was nothing short of an act of enormous waste.

Spirit Plants are not easily cultivated; only in truly blessed lands can they grow, and it may take a decade or even several decades for a Spirit Plant to germinate, mature, flower, and bear fruit.

Even after a Spirit Plant grows, it doesn’t always maintain its lushness; some enter a dormant period every few years, while others have an almost fixed lifespan—withering after reaching a certain age.

For instance, the Three Yellow Plums tree in Sanshan Valley enters a three-year dormancy every ten years, during which it only sprouts and grows, without flowering or fruiting.

Some Spirit Plants may wilt after just a few decades, which is one reason why they are so rare.

As for planting Spirit Plants, that is nearly impossible.

A Spirit Plant requires a blessed land to grow, and while the term ’blessed land’ is somewhat vague, it might be more appropriate to describe it as a place where spiritual energy converges.

The spiritual energy in a blessed land might sustain only one Spirit Plant. If you plant several more, you won’t end up with more Spirit Plants; instead, you might cause the original one to die.

Unless you can find an unoccupied blessed land, which is almost as difficult as finding a new Spirit Plant.

Thus, planting Spirit Plants is virtually impossible.

Because of this, each Spirit Plant is a rare treasure, cherished and guarded by countless Martial Artists.

There’s a saying, ’To cut off a man’s wealth is akin to killing his parents’, but for Martial Artists, Spirit Plants are far more important than wealth.

Even if many cannot obtain the Spirit Fruit, they dislike it when someone destroys them.

As long as the Spirit Plant exists, there’s a chance they could obtain its fruits. But if the plant is destroyed, it equates to severing their opportunity to acquire the fruits.

Therefore, destroying a Spirit Plant is tantamount to an egregious offense against the world! One misstep could make one the target of public scorn.

”My lord, should we perhaps reconsider this matter? If, if we really destroy the Star Origin Fruit Tree, then our Seven Stars Hall will no longer have a place in Da Rong!” Cui Kai said with some difficulty.

Qu Fusheng revealed a mischievous smile, ”This is the Sect Leader’s command. What, you wish to defy the Sect Leader’s order?”

”I dare not!” Cui Kai trembled and quickly responded.

”Then that settles it. As for the rest, I’ll leave it to you to decide!”

With that, he got up and walked towards the courtyard exit.

Qu Fusheng came unexpectedly and left just as suddenly.

Cui Kai and the others watched him go, wanting to ask some questions but ultimately did not dare to speak up.

Only after Qu Fusheng had left did Cui Kai and the others exchange looks; in the end, all that remained were endless sighs.

This really was a distressing task for them!

To destroy the Star Origin Fruit Tree!

A single mistake could leave them with no place to be buried after death.

Yet, faced with the Sect Leader’s orders, they had no ground to refuse.

”Let’s prepare, tomorrow we shall head to Cui Xia Valley!” Cui Kai took a deep breath and instructed.

”Understood”

Deng Maoqi and the other two responded gravely.

...

Outside Cui Xia Valley, atop a towering mountain that reached into the clouds.

Two figures stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the verdant beauty of Cui Xia Valley.

”Didn’t expect even you, old man, would come out here!”

One of the elderly men, with the appearance of a young boy and snowy white hair, said with a light smile.

Beside him, another elderly man with a similarly youthful appearance, had a square face, and was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, exuding a casual and unrestrained demeanor as well as an extraordinary and detached aura.

This man was Xuanzhen, a Taoist from Wuzhen Taoist Palace in Suzhou Prefecture, while the one who just spoke was Zhang Ye, the oldest Innate Martial Artist from the Sanshan Valley.

”If you’re here, how could I, an old Taoist, not come and take a look?” Xuanzhen held a horsetail whisk and flicked it, dispersing the gathering morning mist.

Zhang Ye stroked his long beard, ”I had no choice but to come; Your Majesty personally requested me, so I had to give some face!”

”Hehe, in Sanshan Valley, good things are naturally not lacking for you, but this old Taoist can’t manage without coming over for a look!” Taoist Xuanzhen laughed lightly, speaking very casually.

Zhang Ye glanced at him, ”Don’t worry, there is a share for you this time!”

”Really? How so?”

”His Majesty has decided to bestow the title of Royal Retainers upon all the Innate Martial Artists in the world, and all Innate Martial Artists can receive a stipend from the court!”

”Is there really such a good thing?” Taoist Xuanzhen was somewhat surprised.

”Royal Retainers, ranked equally with the First Rank, can receive one Three Yellow Plum and one True Essence Pill from the court every year!”

Taoist Xuanzhen’s demeanor flickered, then a faint smile appeared on his face.

”Such an honorable status of Royal Retainer, equal to the First Rank!”

”In this case, won’t we all become the subjects of His Majesty in the future!”

He was an old fox, well-versed in the ways of the world, and he immediately understood the key point.

”What? You are not willing?” Zhang Ye asked with an indifferent expression.

”Willing, why wouldn’t I be?”

Taoist Xuanzhen swung his horsetail whisk, ”The situation is more powerful than people, the old Taoist still wants to live for a few more years, and dare not defy His Majesty’s decree!”

”That’s good!” Zhang Ye nodded his head.

...

Cui Xia Valley.

The camp of the Secret Martial Guard.

Yan Bo was looking at the surrounding forests with a solemn expression.

Originally, this place was lush with vegetation, hardly a spot to stand.

But now, due to the appearance of the Star Origin Fruit Tree, many Jianghu Martial Artists have come to join in the excitement, many plants have been chopped down and trampled upon.

The dense forest turned into camps of various sizes.

Every camp represented a force from the worldly society, and every Jianghu force had dozens or even hundreds of Martial Artists gathered here.

This turned the originally tranquil valley into a place filled with a harsh and murderous atmosphere.

The tense atmosphere made Yan Bo feel a heavy pressure.

While Yan Bo was observing the surrounding camps, a dozen Martial Artists suddenly ran to the front of the Secret Martial Guards’ camp.

”Hey, why are you court dogs blocking our way!”

A burly man with a fierce face asked.

”Shut up, dare to approach any further, and you will be put to death without exception!” The guarding Secret Martial Guard said coldly.

”Hahaha, do you think I am scared? Others might fear you dogs, but Tang isn’t afraid!”

”This Spirit Plant is nurtured by heaven and earth, a heavenly auspicious rarity meant for all people. Why should only you monopolize it, not even allowing us to take a glance!”

”Am I right, everyone!”

The big man shouted provocatively.

And the surrounding Martial Artists, hearing this, started to make a commotion as well.

”That’s right, why can’t we take a look!”

”You court dogs are too domineering, what’s wrong with letting us have a look?”

”Yes, move aside, move aside!”

As the shouting grew louder, the atmosphere in the valley became even more tense.

Still unyielding, the big man said, ”Are you going to move or not? If you don’t make way, don’t blame us for being rude!”

With that, he placed his hand on the hilt of his knife at his waist.

Inside the camp, seeing this, the Secret Martial Guards clenched their weapons in their hands.

Seeing this, Yan Bo stepped forward and roared, ”Shut up!”

”The Secret Martial Guards are handling official business, how can you interfere?”

The Secret Martial Guards also had a fearsome reputation in the Jianghu, instilling a strong deterrent in many Martial Artists’ hearts.

But here, the Martial Artists were not ordinary, they might dread the Secret Martial Guards’ ferocity, but they were not so fearful as to see them as invincible.

As soon as Yan Bo finished speaking, someone shouted, ”You castrated dog, dare to be so arrogant here!”

Yan Bo looked in the direction of the voice, but he couldn’t determine who had shouted.

”That’s right, a eunuch servant, trying to ride over us?”

”Castrated dog, get lost!”

”Ball-less servant!”

In an instant, a torrent of curses erupted, making the already tense atmosphere even more charged.