Chapter 458: Chapter 443: A True Man Should Be Like This!
Although the Qin Family of Wanhua Mountain is merely a cultivation clan, its influence surpasses that of many cultivation sects.
Not to mention anything else, just speaking of Wanhua Mountain being a Tier Five Top-Grade Spirit Mountain, it’s something that ordinary cultivation sects cannot possess.
Moreover, the Qin Family has been passed down for more than two thousand years, longer than the history of many cultivation sects, and the number of clan cultivators exceeds ten thousand, with Golden Core Stage cultivators continuously presiding over the family.
Currently, besides the old ancestor Qin Mingde being a Ninth-Layer Golden Core Stage cultivator, there is also Qin Wufeng with Third-Layer Golden Core cultivation, and within the Haoyang Sect, there is a female Golden Core cultivator Qin Zhiyun from the Qin Family.
This woman is the concubine of a Nascent Soul Stage elder of the Haoyang Sect; although she is an Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator, her status is actually higher than that of some Late-Stage Golden Core cultivators.
This clearly shows the extent of the Qin Family’s influence.
If it weren’t for the founding ancestor of the Qin Family originating from Haoyang Sect and established the ancestral mandate to eternally be loyal to Haoyang Sect, with the influence of the Qin Family, it wouldn’t be difficult to join the Anti-Light Alliance’s Thirty-Six Middle Gates.
Compared to the truly millennium-old family like the Qin Family, the so-called first family of the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, the Zhou Family, is completely insignificant.
Therefore, upon learning from Jin Qu, the shopkeeper of Cyan Cloud Pavilion, that the ancestor of the Qin Family, Qin Mingde, is celebrating his nine hundredth birthday, Zhouyang immediately decided to go and witness it.
He has ambitious aspirations to turn the Zhou Family into a millennium-old family, and the Qin Family, a truly millennia-old cultivation clan, is an example he can learn from and emulate. Understanding more about the survival methods and development process of such millennia-old families will undoubtedly be greatly beneficial to his future plans for the development of the Zhou Family.
As for the birthday gift, since he is not any Qin Family member’s friend, he simply prepared a small piece of Tier Five Lower Grade Demon Beast "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" hide as a birthday gift.
This small piece of beast hide, once cut, can make about five sheets of blank Tier Five Lower Grade Talisman Paper. As a birthday gift, it’s not too valuable, but it also won’t undermine Zhouyang’s identity as a Late-Stage Purple Mansion cultivator.
To avoid disrupting anything, Zhouyang did not let his Dao companion Xiao Ying and niece Zhou Guangxiang accompany him for this birthday celebration at the Qin Family; instead, he traveled together with Jin Qu, the shopkeeper of Cyan Yuan Pavilion, to the ancestral land of the Qin Family at Wanhua Mountain.
Haoyang Immortal City is fifty or sixty thousand miles away from Wanhua Mountain; Zhouyang and others flew for two days before reaching the Wanhua Immortal City, established by the Qin Family, not far from Wanhua Mountain.
"Wanhua Mountain of the Qin Family usually does not entertain outsiders. We will stay at the Qin Family’s villa in Wanhua Immortal City for two days, and ascend the mountain to celebrate on the day of the birthday celebration."
Jin Qu, who led Zhouyang’s arrival, gently explained, then took him to the cultivator responsible for guest reception at the Qin Family, handed over the invitation they had, verified their identity, and checked into the Qin Family’s villa.
To avoid disrupting anything, in the next few days, Zhouyang pondered the cultivation of "Wave-Riding Dragon Step" and "Azure Dragon’s Fang," two body cultivation combat skills, at his villa residence until the day of the birthday celebration arrived. Then, he bathed and changed clothes and followed Jin Qu to fly towards the not far Wanhua Mountain.
"What a truly Immortal Mountain Blessed Land!"
Due to the large-scale celebration, the Qin Family rarely closed most functionalities of the Mountain Protection Array, making the scenery of this Tier Five Top-Grade Spirit Mountain fully visible to the cultivators attending the birthday celebration.
From a distance, Zhouyang saw the afar Wanhua Mountain, with its mountain peaks towering amidst scenic waters, spiritual qi emanating transformed into various colored mist hovering over the mountainside, thus making the palace and pavilion standing there seem as ethereal and mysterious as an Immortal Palace.
Aside from these unique mountains and scenic waters, the mountain is also planted with many rare spirit woods and spirit elixirs not easily seen outside, among which are some spirit medicines and fruits even making Zhouyang’s heart move.
At the same time, within the mountain spirit woods, one can glimpse many rare birds and exotic beasts nurtured by the Qin Family cultivators. Zhouyang, using the divine technique "Separation Fire Golden Eye," spotted deep within the forest atop a hundred-foot-tall giant tree a golden-haired giant tiger over thirty feet long, whose aura unmistakably belongs to a Tier Five Lower Grade Demon Beast!
"Tier Five Lower Grade Demon Beast Golden Flame Tiger, when it was a Tier Four High-Grade Demon Beast, it was subdued as a mount by the Qin Family ancestor. Later, with the Qin Family’s help, it narrowly survived the Celestial Thunder Tribulation becoming a Tier Five Demon Beast. Now it is the Clan Guardian Spirit Beast of the Qin Family, with a status equivalent to Golden Core Stage cultivators within the Qin Family, and revered by many Qin Family cultivators as ’Venerable Hu’!"
Noticing Zhouyang’s gaze change, Jin Qu followed the direction of his gaze and glanced, then with a tone full of envy, revealed the origin of the golden-haired giant tiger.
Zhouyang knew it was not the Qin Family having such a Tier Five Demon Beast as a Clan Guardian Spirit Beast that was envied, but rather envying a Tier Four High-Grade Demon Beast receiving Qin Family’s help could ascend to Tier Five and earn human respect, envying the Qin Family’s vast resources.
Although the Cyan Origin Sword Sect he originates from, in terms of strength, only rivals or doesn’t fall short against the Qin Family, the resources a sect’s Purple Mansion cultivator could receive are far inferior to the resources a clan’s Purple Mansion cultivator could get.
The Qin Family could spend vast resources to elevate a demon beast to Tier Five; Cyan Origin Sword Sect would be unwilling to invest such great resources on a Purple Mansion cultivator with no deep background and not an extraordinary talent like him.
Man is inferior to tiger!
In his heart, Zhouyang silently lamented together with Jin Qu, yet outwardly without revealing a hint of unusual expression, exclaimed: "No wonder it’s a millennia-old family, even their Clan Guardian Spirit Beast is a Tier Five Demon Beast!"
Upon hearing this exclamation, Jin Qu’s face twitched involuntarily and responded dejectedly, "A Tier Five Demon Beast as Clan Guardian Spirit Beast, indeed the Qin Family is unique in Jinyang Country. No choice, they have strong connections above..."
Towards the end of his words, Jin Qu suddenly realized something, quickly shut his mouth and said no more.
However, Zhouyang from this early part of his speech had already figured out Jin Qu intended to say the Qin Family relied on familial connections to receive the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator care of Haoyang Sect.
Yet, after all, this wasn’t something honorable, and concerned the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator’s family matters, of course, Jin Qu didn’t dare speak of this outside of Qin Family’s mountain gate, or else if overheard, it would be truly costly to endure!
With a knowing smile on his face, Zhouyang immediately helped defuse his awkwardness and changed the topic, saying, "I wonder who will win the prize at the gift presentation ceremony for the Qin Family Ancestor’s birthday this time. Let’s speed up and get inside to find out!"
Jin Qu, hearing these words, felt relieved, and a smile returned to his face as he repeatedly said, "Absolutely, absolutely, Fellow Daoist Zhou is right, we should hurry up and go inside."
At that point, the two of them increased their speed, flying to the Wanhua Mountain, and descended from their flying swords to the foot of the mountain before the Welcoming Tower, handing over their invitation and birthday gifts to the welcoming cultivators of the Qin Family.
"Jin Qu, shopkeeper of Cyan Yuan Pavilion in Haoyang Immortal City, representing Cyan Yuan Pavilion in Haoyang Immortal City, presents a birthday gift, a Thousand-year-old Jade Reishi!"
"Loose Cultivator Zhouyang, presenting a birthday gift, five feet of Tier Five Lower-Grade Demon Beast Hide!"
The welcoming Qin Family cultivator accepted the gifts and invitation, and then noted down the origin and names of the gift givers in a white jade book. At once, another Qin Family cultivator responsible for announcing loudly proclaimed the results.
This proclamation had its own etiquette: when receiving a gift of great value or when the giver was of notable status, the voice of the announcer would transmit one after another to the mountain top, allowing all cultivators on Wanhua Mountain to hear.
As for those like Zhouyang and his company, whose origins were ordinary and whose gifts were not particularly rare or valuable, the sound would only be audible from the foot of the mountain to halfway up.
After giving their gifts, Zhouyang and Jin Qu followed the path opened by the Qin Family, walking up the mountain towards the main venue of the celebration at the mountain waist.
Todays, only Golden Core Stage cultivators are permitted to fly up to the halfway point of Wanhua Mountain; all other cultivators, regardless of their identity or origin, must walk to ascend the mountain.
The main peak of Wanhua Mountain is two thousand feet tall, and ordinarily, the entire mountain is concealed in clouds and mist, with only Qin Family cultivators permitted to ascend.
Today, the Qin Family has partially disabled the Mountain Protection Array’s functionalities for the celebration, giving outsiders a glimpse into the heritage of this millennial prestigious family.
Zhouyang and Jin Qu ascended the mountain leisurely, observing the various exotic flowers, grasses, and spirit woods planted along the path, occasionally exchanging views via whispered messages, feeling quite at ease.
While they had not yet truly reached the celebration’s main venue at the mountain waist, the announcer’s loud voice continuously rang out across the mountain from top to bottom.
"Golden Core Cultivator Elder Luo Zhenying of Haoyang Sect, presenting a gift, a Nine-leaf Red Heart Orchid!"
"Golden Core Cultivator Elder Fu Yulong of Haoyang Sect, presenting a gift, ten pieces of the Lifebound Golden Armor of the Fifth-Order Middle-Grade Demon Beast Golden Armor Mountain-Piercing Beast!"
"Golden Core Cultivator Elder Ren Feng of Haoyang Sect, presenting a gift, a Tier Four High-Grade Demon Pill!"
...
The sound of three Haoyang Sect Golden Core Stage cultivators presenting gifts echoed throughout Wanhua Mountain, followed by the sight of three pieces of auspicious clouds rising simultaneously from the base of the mountain, floating leisurely towards the mountain waist.
Those cultivators walking on the mountain below raised their heads and could clearly see the elegant and carefree figures of the three Golden Core Stage cultivators on the auspicious clouds.
"Haoyang Sect cultivators are so generous; any of these treasures are worth no less than ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, and are rare treasures in the market. And now they are giving them away so casually, tsk tsk tsk..."
Jin Qu privately transmitted a sigh of admiration to Zhouyang, unable to hide the envy on his face.
Indeed, not just him, Zhouyang himself felt intense envy in his heart.
Back when he hosted his Purple Mansion celebration, it was also extremely grand, attracting various cultivation clans from the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm to offer gifts and congratulations.
The value of the various congratulatory gifts he received at that celebration exceeded fifteen thousand lower grade spirit stones.
At that time, in his eyes, hosting a celebration that could receive so many gifts was truly profitable.
However, seeing now the variety of congratulatory gifts received by the Qin Family Ancestor for his birthday, he realized his perspective had been too narrow.
Any one of the gifts presented by the three Haoyang Sect Golden Core Stage cultivators just now surpassed the total value of all the treasures he received at his Purple Mansion celebration, and this is just a very small portion of gifts received by the Qin Family Ancestor today.
Jin Qu spoke simply, but both of them knew, even though Haoyang Sect Golden Core Stage cultivators are well-off, sending such gifts would surely cause some heartache for a long time, yet they still did so.
This shows how great the power and influence of the Qin Family truly are.
"A man should strive to be like this!"
Zhouyang inwardly shouted with passion, then his eyes focused, his posture straightened, and his steps grew firm as he boldly moved upward towards the mountain waist.