Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 173: Chapter 169 It’s not that I don’t want to stay, it’s really that I can’t!

An inch longer, an inch stronger.

A single force can suppress ten strategies.

No matter how nimble your moves are, no matter how intricate your sword formations, you have to get close to me first.

As the seven-foot spear swung with sudden changes, Hua Jinqiu barely managed to react, but behind her stood Cao De and Xue Linfu; the two reached out, promptly pulling Hua Jinqiu behind them.

The formation shifted, two in front, one at the back.

Cling clang!

They tried to block Yang Zhenshan’s long spear, but the powerful force almost sent their long swords flying.

Realizing they couldn’t stop Yang Zhenshan’s spear, Cao De and Xue Linfu quickly retreated. Defense turned into offense, with Yang Zhenshan spinning after them like a top.

However, he was obviously not as fast as them, so they soon gained distance from him. Fortunately, this also freed Yang Zhenshan from the situation of only retreating passively.

Both parties stood still, facing each other once again.

Yang Zhenshan’s eyes flickered. Although he did not know the Sky Blue Sword Array, through the probing just now, he understood that the opponents were using some kind of battle formation.

A three-man formation, to defeat them, the formation must be broken first.

With this in mind, Yang Zhenshan launched another attack, rushing forward like an arrow toward the three.

To break the formation, he needed to scatter them, preventing them from forming an advantageous formation.

The spear swept across, forcing Cao De to dodge and move away from Xue Linfu and Hua Jinqiu, but Yang Zhenshan quickly found that Xue Linfu and Hua Jinqiu actually moved with Cao De.

Yang Zhenshan turned the spear to sweep at Xue Linfu, with the same result.

It was as if the three were bound by an invisible elastic band; even if one was forced to temporarily distance from the other two, the rest would move together.

This tacit understanding gave Yang Zhenshan a splitting headache.

He simply couldn’t separate them!

Not far away, Su Kun stroked his sparse beard and chuckled.

The Sky Blue Sword Array emphasizes the unity of three, moving as one; how could it be easily broken.

”Master Yang is not weak, but it is almost impossible for him to break the formation.”

Yu Qingyi frowned slightly. She knew for certain that her three masters’ Sky Blue Sword Array was formidable but didn’t know exactly how powerful it was as she had never experienced it personally.

Now, seeing Yang Zhenshan fighting her three masters, she couldn’t think of a way to break the formation either.

”Sect Leader, this is enough!” Yu Qingyi expressed her dissatisfaction again.

Su Kun glanced at her with murky eyes, ”Hmph, have you forgotten that you are the Sect Leader?”

He felt a sense of disappointment.

It’s one thing for the family’s cabbage to be dug up by someone else, but for the heart of the Sect Leader to be swayed, that was infuriating.

Yu Qingyi hung her head, a flush of peach coloring her cheeks.

She remembered a phrase Yang Zhenshan had said, ’My lady, we are family.’

By rights, she was not married yet, and the Sky Blue Sword Sect should be her home, but she always thought of Yang Zhenshan, of the Yang family.

At this moment, Yang Zhenshan was entangled in a fight with Hua Jinqiu and the others.

Having adapted to their sword formation, although Yang Zhenshan could not break the Sky Blue Sword Array in a short period, he had adapted to their combat style and was no longer being chased and forced to retreat awkwardly as in the beginning.

After trembling for more than a moment, neither side had emerged victorious.

Just as everyone thought the battle would continue for a while, Cao De suddenly shouted, ”Stop, stop, stop!”

Yang Zhenshan, surprised, withdrew from the battlefield; Hua Jinqiu and Xue Linfu also stared at Cao De, perplexed.

”Brother, what’s wrong?” Hua Jinqiu asked with a furrowed brow.

Cao De, one hand on his waist and another leaning on his sword, replied, ”I twisted my back!”

...

A moment of speechlessness among the crowd.

Twisted his back!

”Brother!” Hua Jinqiu called out somewhat angrily.

Cao De looked up, helpless, ”Sister, your brother is over sixty now, not a young man anymore!”

”If I were ten years younger, I could fight for another two hours with no problem, but alas, I’m old!”

That expression was one of helplessness and desolation, with a hint of melancholy.

”Yes, I’m old, I can barely hold on after such a short fight!” Xue Linfu said, slightly out of breath.

Hua Jinqiu was also out of breath, but being young, she could still hold on.

As for Yang Zhenshan, he wasn’t red-faced or panting and still looked as calm as ever.

Cao De looked at Yang Zhenshan, seeing his composure, ”Enough, you win!”

”Brother, I’ll leave the rest to you, I need to go and get a plaster for my back, it’s not what it used to be!”

Su Kun tugged at his sparse beard, ”Useless thing!”

”If you’re useful, why don’t you fight yourself!” Cao De retorted irritably.

Su Kun said no more; with his old arms and legs, he probably couldn’t last more than a few jumps.

If it was a fight to the death, he could still show off his might, but for this kind of competition, he really couldn’t endure it.

Seeing the two quarreling, Yu Qingyi suddenly beamed, her eyes soft and tender as she looked towards Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan handed the spear to Ding Qiu, smiling as he watched this scene.

He guessed that these four masters didn’t really want to trouble him; they just wanted to test him.

”Greetings, Master Su!” Yang Zhenshan stepped forward and gave Su Kun a fist and palm salute.

”Hm!” Su Kun gave him a cold glance and said, ”Go up the mountain.”

Upon hearing this, a smile crept up onto the corners of Yang Zhenshan’s lips that he couldn’t suppress.

All around him, disciples of the Sky Blue Sword Sect cast friendly smiles his way.

Although Su Kun’s attitude was less than pleasant, everyone knew that his allowing Yang Zhenshan to come up the mountain meant he agreed to Yu Qingyi marrying Yang Zhenshan.

Following that, Yang Zhenshan proceeded up the mountain amidst the crowd.

”Brother-in-law, can you really recommend me for an official position?” Luo Feiyu sidled up to Yang Zhenshan and asked in a low voice.

Yang Zhenshan was initially startled, as he did not know Luo Feiyu, but from what he asked, he guessed the connection.

After all, he had only mentioned facilitating an official position for Luo Feiyu.

He sized up Luo Feiyu, who was burly and tall, able to hold his own against Yang Mingwu and Song Dashan, exuding a fierce aura.

Judging by his physique alone, he had the potential to become a fierce general.

”I heard that the weapon you train with is a pair of hammers?” Yang Zhenshan asked with some curiosity.

”Yep, my hammer technique is really powerful. Even my master doesn’t dare to face me head-on!” Luo Feiyu said with a proud face.

His master was Xue Linfu, who possessed cultivation at the Postnatal Sixth Layer. Although Xue Linfu was no longer young, his strength was still formidable.

However, hammers as a weapon were too overbearing, and even a minor hit could result in serious bone and muscle injuries; who would want to experience the brunt of a hammer strike willingly?

”What is your cultivation level now?” Yang Zhenshan asked again.

”I just broke through to the Postnatal Third Layer two months ago!” Luo Feiyu said.

Yang Zhenshan gave a slight nod, at twenty-four years old and having reached the Postnatal Third Layer, this was undoubtedly the mark of a prodigy.

His aptitude should be similar to that of Yu Qingyi, and he would likely break through to the Postnatal Sixth Layer before the age of thirty.

”Seeking an official position is possible, but only after I marry your senior sister!” The corners of Yang Zhenshan’s eyes revealed a hint of slyness.

Luo Feiyu’s eyes lit up as he said, ”Brother-in-law, rest assured, I will definitely support you! Not just me, my master will support you too!”

Yang Zhenshan smiled, ”Then brother-in-law will thank you first!”

As the group entered the hall of the Sky Blue Sword Sect, Su Kun extended his hand to point towards the seat of honor on the left and said, ”Master Yang, please!”

Others would usually start with courtesy before resorting to force, but they had chosen force followed by courtesy.

Now that the martial contest was over, Yang Zhenshan’s status still required special attention.

Had it not been for the marriage arrangement, the Sky Blue Sword Sect would have welcomed Yang Zhenshan with open arms.

”Master Su, after you!” Yang Zhenshan certainly could not be pretentious at this time, as they would soon become his elders.

Although the four Masters Su had no blood relation to Yu Qingyi, she was an orphan adopted by the Sky Blue Sword Sect and grew up there. The four elders had all watched her grow up, and their affection for her was deep.

Yang Zhenshan had thought Su Kun would sit in the main seat, but to his surprise, Su Kun sat in the seat of honor on the left, while Yu Qingyi took the main seat.

Inside the hall, there were only Yu Qingyi, Yang Zhenshan, and the four elders. The other disciples stood outside the door, not entering.

Su Kun looked at Yu Qingyi, who had taken the higher position, and couldn’t help feeling gloomier when he saw she kept her gaze fixed on Yang Zhenshan.

Ah, it is hard to keep grown daughters by your side.

It’s not that they didn’t want to keep her, but rather they truly couldn’t.

”Master Yang, we understand your purpose here. Since Qingyi is willing, we have no reason to object. However, I have a blunt statement to make upfront,” Su Kun said with a solemn expression.

Yang Zhenshan responded, ”Master Su can just call me Zhengshan, and you can speak frankly with me!”

”Alright!” Su Kun, stroking his sparse beard, fixated his cloudy gaze on Yang Zhenshan, ”Qingyi is the Sect Leader of our Sky Blue Sword Sect. Even though she is getting married, she is still a disciple of our sect!”

”The Sky Blue Sword Sect is Qingyi’s maternal family. If Qingyi suffers grievances in the future, we in the Sky Blue Sword Sect will seek justice for her!”

”Master Su, please be assured!”

Yang Zhenshan was just about to express his stance when Su Kun waved his hand to interrupt, continuing, ”Empty promises are unnecessary. No matter what you say now, it’s your future actions that will count.”

”I only want to tell you that we, people of the worldly society, act rashly; when faced with injustice, more often than not, we choose to resolve it by force.”

Yang Zhenshan nodded lightly, Su Kun’s words were not unfounded.

Heroes use martial power to defy the law.

With a weapon at hand, the desire to kill arises naturally.

When a common man rages, blood will be splattered three feet around.

Martial Artists, with their formidable martial power, prefer to resolve issues through force.

Incidents of Martial Artists killing officials were not unheard of in Da Rong.

Of course, Su Kun’s words carried more of a warning, what he really hoped for was that Yang Zhenshan would treat Yu Qingyi well in the future.

”Master Su is right, what I say now is meaningless.”

”But I will say this, Master Su, please rest assured, I, Yang Zhenshan, am a man who stands tall under heaven. I cannot bring myself to bully a woman.”

”The future cannot be determined, but the past can prove that I am neither fickle-hearted nor unfaithful.”

”The Yang family has a rule: one may not take a concubine until the age of thirty without an heir.”

”Now that I am beyond the doubtful years and blessed with a family full of children and grandchildren, I will definitely not take another concubine!”

”Qingyi is my lawfully wedded first wife and will be registered in the Yang family’s genealogy as the rightful wife. My Yang family will naturally not mistreat her.”

Yang Zhenshan said earnestly.

It was also what he truly thought in his heart.

To hold hands with his partner and grow old together is what everyone desires, and Yang Zhenshan was no exception.

Previous society was simply too restless, making it extremely difficult to maintain a long-term relationship.

But this world is different; as long as one can keep a true heart and earnestly tend to the relationship, sustaining long-term affection is quite easy.

The most important concerns for a woman getting married are, first, her status, on which Yang Zhenshan entirely fits the bill, as Yu Qingyi is his first wife through a proper wedding, despite being a second union.

Second, they worry about their future husbands having multiple wives and concubines, favoring the concubine over the wife, which is not uncommon in wealthy households.

Yang Zhenshan mentioned the Yang family’s rules and his age to prove that he will not take concubines in the future. He wanted to reassure Master Su and the others so that they would be confident in marrying Yu Qingyi to him.