Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1442 - 909: Researching the Path of Life and Death (2)

It became possible for Yang Zhenshan to dictate the fate of others, wielding power over their very Lifespan.

At this juncture, however, his capabilities were limited to merely shaving off a few decades from a person's Lifespan.

Nevertheless, even the forfeiture of a few decades was sufficient to plunge innumerable Cultivators into abyssal terror.

Upon gaining mastery over the Withered and Flourishing Divine Power, Yang Zhenshan felt a surge of contentment.

Though this Divine Skill might currently possess limited utility, its latent potential was undeniably vast.

To have grasped such a formidable Divine Skill was a clear sign of celestial favor.

Following this, Yang Zhenshan engaged in an exchange of Cultivation Insights with Yu Qingyi. His primary aim was to detail the process of his Divine Skill comprehension, in the hope that Yu Qingyi might also awaken to the Path of Life and Death.

The outcome for Yu Qingyi remained uncertain, yet after absorbing Yang Zhenshan's account, he too entered a period of seclusion.

Yang Zhenshan's own solitary cultivation had reached its conclusion. Just as he was contemplating a visit to the Pill Hall to craft a batch of Demon Essence Pills, Qingxia arrived with an urgent message.

"Master, an invitation from Ziwei Tower has arrived!"

Qingxia presented an invitation to Yang Zhenshan. He opened it with a touch of surprise, his gaze quickly scanning its contents.

"Zhang Xian of the Wuxiang Sect is the sender!"

"Have there been any significant developments in the Sea of Spirit recently?"

Qingxia responded, "No major shifts to report. The inhabitants are, however, occupied with preparing congratulatory tokens for Zhang Xian's advancement."

Yang Zhenshan offered a slight nod. Martial Artists of the Divine Soul Realm were not to be equated with those of the Golden Body Realm. With Zhang Xian's ascension to the Divine Soul Realm, it was customary for all significant forces within the Sea of Spirit to extend felicitations as a mark of respect.

He lowered his head, re-examining the invitation's text.

"Martial Immortal Ceremony!"

Zhang Xian's intention to host a Martial Immortal Ceremony was not unexpected. The Sea of Spirit observed a tradition wherein any Martial Artist newly achieving the Divine Soul Realm would conduct such a ceremony, akin to the Foundation Establishment rites for an Immortal Cultivator.

"Delegate the handling of this matter to Ziwei Tower," he instructed, returning the invitation to Qingxia.

"Is Master not planning to attend in person?" Qingxia inquired, a note of doubt in her voice.

"A grand assembly of Martial Artists – what purpose would an elder such as myself have in attending?" Yang Zhenshan mused, shaking his head gently.

A chasm existed between Immortal Cultivators and Martial Artists, not solely based on social standing, but fundamentally because their respective paths could not be meaningfully compared.

Yang Zhenshan, having once walked the martial path, could no longer offer guidance to Golden Body Realm Martial Artists in their cultivation, as he had not personally traversed the Golden Body Realm experience.

By extension, it was even less feasible for Martial Artists to offer counsel to Immortal Cultivators.

Their disparate paths meant that any collaboration would prove fruitless. While the Immortal Path and Martial Arts might share superficial similarities, their profound divergences made mutual advancement or deep understanding exceedingly difficult.

Had it been a gathering of fellow Immortal Cultivators, he would have readily attended, perhaps even engaging in exchanges of Cultivation Insights with other Daoists.

However, for a convocation of Martial Artists, he felt disinclined to expend his valuable time.

"Then, who should represent us? Does Master have any particular individuals in mind?" Qingxia probed.

These questions arose not from her own curiosity, but were prompted by Ziwei Tower's expectations.

Given that the event pertained to a Martial Artist of the Divine Soul Realm, Ziwei Tower naturally placed significant importance on it. Short of a personal decision from Yang Zhenshan, it fell to others to determine the appropriate response.

Yang Zhenshan contemplated for a moment. "Dispatch Ming Cheng and Ding Qiu to attend."

Considering the eminence of a Divine Soul Realm Martial Artist, while he himself could afford a measure of detachment, the Yang family could not afford to appear dismissive.

Yang Mingcheng, as the eldest son of the Yang family and a Golden Body Realm Martial Artist, possessed the standing to suitably represent the family's interests.

"Understood!"

Qingxia acknowledged his command and then departed.

With a subtle shift of his form, Yang Zhenshan materialized within the Pill Hall situated on Flame Mountain.

Inside the Pill Hall, Zhang Hexuan and Yang Zongyuan were engrossed in the practice of Alchemy.

"Master!"

"Forefather!"

Upon perceiving Yang Zhenshan's arrival, both disciples promptly rose and offered their salutations.

Yang Zhenshan responded with a slight nod, his Spiritual Sense probing the Pill Furnace. He inquired, "What brings you back here?"

Zhang Hexuan replied with a smile, "This Disciple has achieved notable advancements in Alchemy recently, prompting my return to attempt the refining of Gathering Spirit Pills."

For the past few years, he had resided in Qingli Immortal City, yet he would periodically visit the Spirit Source Land. These visits were either for consultations with Yang Zhenshan or to gauge his Alchemy proficiency using the Furnace of Eight Trigrams within the Pill Hall.

The necessity of the Furnace of Eight Trigrams for his assessments stemmed from its Golden Crow Fire Control feature. This allowed him to dedicate his full attention to other aspects of refinement, freeing him from the burden of managing the flames and thereby deepening his comprehension of auxiliary elements.

Yang Zhenshan stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the shifting medicinal properties within the Pill Furnace. He gave a slight shake of his head. "Your command over the medicinal properties still requires refinement. This particular batch of Gathering Spirit Pills has unfortunately failed."

The Gathering Spirit Pill is a Second-Order Pill. While classified among the more accessible Second-Order Pills for refinement, its inherent difficulty significantly surpassed that of any First-order Pill.

Despite Zhang Hexuan's notable advancements in Alchemy, he remained some distance away from attaining the status of a Second-rank Alchemist.

"This Disciple also sensed the deficiency," Zhang Hexuan acknowledged.

Yang Zhenshan's attention shifted to him. "There is no need to hasten your Alchemy pursuits. Your cultivation has remained at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer for several years; it is now opportune to commence preparations for Foundation Establishment."

Cultivation serves as the fundamental bedrock; all other pursuits follow in its wake.

The cultivation progress of his seven Disciples adhered to a structured, step-by-step methodology. The majority were capable of achieving the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer around the age of fifty.

Yang Jizhen, Ma Qiuyan, and Cui Yang had already successfully navigated the path to Foundation Establishment. Ning Yun, too, had embarked on her preparations and, barring unforeseen circumstances, was slated to attempt her breakthrough the following year.

Zhang Hexuan, presently forty-five years of age, had attained the Qi Refining Ninth Layer three years prior. Following a few more years dedicated to consolidating his cultivation, he would be suitably positioned to attempt Foundation Establishment.

"This Disciple understands," Zhang Hexuan replied with evident pleasure.

Just at that moment, a muffled thud emanated from within the Pill Furnace—a clear indication that the Qi Gathering Pill had met with failure.

"Clean out the Pill Furnace. I intend to refine Demon Essence Pills henceforth," Yang Zhenshan instructed curtly.

Following Yang Zhenshan's brief command, Zhang Hexuan and Yang Zongyuan immediately set about their tasks.

One was assigned the duty of purging the Pill Furnace, while the other undertook the preparation of the necessary medicinal ingredients. In less than an hour, all was in readiness.

...

Several days elapsed.

Yang Mingcheng and Ding Qiu arrived concurrently at the Wuxiang Sect.

The mountain gate of the Wuxiang Sect did not possess the same grandeur and ethereal aura as that of the Xuanqing Sect, nor did it exude the tranquil harmony characteristic of the Illusion Moon Sect. Instead, the Wuxiang Sect presented a visual akin to a sprawling temple complex.

Within the Sect's precincts stood dozens of pagodas and over ten temples, complemented by various halls, pavilions, and waterside structures.

While the Wuxiang Sect housed pagodas and temples dedicated to the veneration of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it was not, in essence, a Buddhist Sect. The practice of Buddhist belief was restricted solely to the confines of the Precepts Hall.

The origins of this arrangement could be traced back to the era when Heavenly Sword True Monarch established the Wuxiang Sect and appointed its inaugural Sect Master—a cultivator of Buddhist principles.

Heavenly Sword True Monarch's objective was the creation of a Martial Arts Sect, yet the chosen Sect Master was a proponent of Buddhist cultivation. Consequently, this Buddhist cultivator refrained from converting the Wuxiang Sect into a purely Buddhist institution; he merely preserved the Buddhist inheritance within the Sect's Precepts Hall.

The Wuxiang Sect buzzed with an unusual level of activity on this particular day. Not only had representatives from various Sects and Families within the Sea of Spirit converged, but powers from all adjacent regions had also dispatched envoys to bear witness to Zhang Xian's Martial Immortal Ceremony.

Under the guidance of a Wuxiang Sect Disciple, Yang Mingcheng and Ding Qiu were escorted to a spacious plaza situated before a grand palace.

The plaza was furnished with numerous tables, each laden with an assortment of fruits and tea.

The seating arrangements designated for Yang Mingcheng and Ding Qiu were positioned advantageously, placed relatively close to the front and far from the rear rows.

Furthermore, to their immediate left sat none other than Lu Fusheng.

"Junior Yang Mingcheng extends his greetings to Uncle Lu!" Upon noticing Lu Fusheng, Yang Mingcheng promptly stepped forward and offered a respectful bow.

The Yang family and the Lu family had maintained amicable relations for many years. Despite Yang Zhenshan's infrequent public appearances within the Sea of Spirit in recent times, the Yang and Lu families had engaged in numerous collaborative ventures.

Yang Mingcheng recognized Lu Fusheng instantly, experiencing an unexpected sense of familiarity.

Lu Fusheng's physical resemblance to the elder Yang Zhenshan was striking—tall and upright in stature, possessing a commanding presence, and adorned with a flowing beard. A casual glance might easily lead an observer to mistake Lu Fusheng for the former Yang Zhenshan.

However, Lu Fusheng did not recognize Yang Mingcheng. As the eldest son of the Yang Family, Yang Mingcheng had made scarcely any public appearances within the Sea of Spirit. This occasion marked his debut into public life within this region.

"Who might you be?" Lu Fusheng inquired, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I am Yang Mingcheng, a junior. My father is Yang Zhenshan," Yang Mingcheng stated plainly.

Lu Fusheng's demeanor shifted to one of gravity. "Ah, so you are the eldest Young Master of the Yang family!"

"Uncle, please, do not bestow such high praise upon this junior. Simply calling me Ming Cheng would suffice," Yang Mingcheng responded, displaying his characteristic sincere smile.

It was common knowledge within the Sea of Spirit that the Yang family boasted four Young Masters. However, they were largely unknown figures, as their appearances in the Sea of Spirit were infrequent.

Consequently, while people were aware of the Yang family's four Young Masters, very few had actually encountered them.

Lu Fusheng himself had only had the occasion to meet Yang Mingzhi previously.

"Hahaha, it is indeed a selten sight to behold an esteemed nephew of your talent!" Lu Fusheng exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

Times had certainly evolved. In earlier days, the Yang family was merely an unremarkable Lingxi Yang Family. Now, they had ascended to become the Lingxiu Yang family. More significantly, "Lingxiu Yang family" was merely a designation; the family had long since expanded beyond the confines of the Sea of Spirit, establishing a presence not only in Qingli Immortal City but also in White Cloud Immortal City.

Furthermore, the formidable strength the Yang family had demonstrated was not to be dismissed lightly.

Presently, the Yang family stood undisputed as the most powerful entity among the twelve Families of Lingxiu.

This was an accepted reality, acknowledged even by the three great Sects.