Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1859: The Divine General's Path
Previously on Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather...
Chapter 1859: Chapter 1119: The Divine General’s Path
The Yellow Springs Hall is located at the southern end of the Wanhua Western Region, neither too far nor too close to Spring Valley, approximately over thirty thousand miles away.
After the conclusion of Hong Fuxiu’s Core Formation celebration, Xuanzhen, Yun Xiao, and Kou Ta led several Foundation Establishment Cultivators and over a thousand Divine Generals on the journey to the Yellow Springs Hall.
This was the first expedition of the Divine General army. Calling it an army might be an exaggeration; to date, the Spirit Source Land only has over two thousand Divine Generals, who have taken over the guard duties of the Immortal Palace.
However, the Immortal Palace does not require so many Divine Generals for guarding, so they take turns on duty.
Divine Generals do not need to cultivate by themselves, but they need the nourishment of Spiritual Energy and the Golden Light Divine Spell. They don’t occupy residences or cultivation grounds, but the Divine General Nurturing Array of the Wuzhen Taoist Palace is their place of residence and cultivation.
Ordinarily, they remain on the chessboard, receiving nurturing from the disciples of the Wuzhen Taoist Palace.
Divine Generals differ from Cultivators and Ghost Cultivators; though they have independent consciousness, it is not very strong. While on the Divine General Chessboard, they mostly remain in a sleep-like state.
This state of sleep does not harm them in any way, nor does it cause discomfort. In fact, it is their preferred state.
In truth, Yang Zhenshan has not restricted their freedom, allowing them to wander freely in the Spirit Source Land, yet in times of idleness, they still prefer staying on the Divine General Chessboard.
With the increasing number of Divine Generals, they have become a familiar presence in the Spirit Source Land.
Of course, among these Divine Generals, there are also some rare cases who do not enjoy staying on the chessboard, always roaming freely, wandering the streets and alleys of Jade Capital.
The most peculiar among them is An Nianjiu.
This An Nianjiu is the transformation of An Yuxing’s Divine Soul. He has lost all memories of his previous life, yet retains many of his former habits, especially the one where he takes no joy without alcohol, which remains unchanged.
Above the vast clouds, the fiery Vermilion Bird Cloud Boat sails through the Cloud Sea, riding the waves.
The other Divine Generals stay quietly in the cabin, either sleeping or idly chatting, except An Nianjiu who sits at the ship’s railing, gazing at the vast Cloud Sea, holding a gourd of wine, leisurely savoring the spicy taste of the drink.
Unlike the previously shabby An Yuxing, An Nianjiu now wears a dark black Scale Armor, his jet-black hair meticulously combed, exuding a heroic aura, carrying a fierce presence like a war-hardened general.
His lack of dishevelment is not because he has become fond of cleanliness, but because Divine Generals are Yin Souls, and everything on them is formed by yin energy. They do not require meticulous grooming, only a thought to change their appearance.
At this moment, An Nianjiu actually resembles An Yuxing in his younger days, as An Yuxing was also a great general on the battlefield.
“I knew you would be hiding here drinking!” Xuanzhen approached An Nianjiu, speaking with a half-smile.
An Nianjiu glanced at him disdainfully, “Didn’t I tell you to stop bothering me?”
“Heh heh, this poor Taoist just wanted to see an old friend.”
“Old friend! Hmph, your old friend is gone; now I am me, not your old friend!”
“All the same, all the same!”
Xuanzhen carelessly lifted his robe, straddling on the railing of the ship.
Is An Nianjiu still An Yuxing?
This question holds no meaning.
If you say he is, he is; if you say he isn’t, he isn’t.
Though An Nianjiu is derived from An Yuxing’s Divine Soul, he possesses an independent personality different from An Yuxing, having his own self-awareness.
Strictly speaking, he is not the An Yuxing of the past; he is a new existence.
Like other Divine Generals, they are all new entities.
Even those Divine Generals transformed from Ghost Cultivators differ from their former ghostly selves, as their self-awareness has changed.
Nevertheless, many in the Spirit Source Land enjoy treating some Divine Generals as continuations of certain departed figures, including Yang Zhenshan.
“Pour me a drink!” Xuanzhen took out a wine cup, extending it towards An Nianjiu.
“Don’t you have your own wine?” An Nianjiu glanced at the cup with discontent, but still poured Xuanzhen a drink, because he couldn’t win against Xuanzhen.
If he could defeat Xuanzhen, given his temperament, he would have long swatted this annoying old Taoist aside.
Xuanzhen ignored his displeasure, savoring the somewhat intense wine, gazing at the vast Cloud Sea, “Don’t feel upset, some things are inevitably unavoidable, and some occur naturally as they should!”
“Your existence is not merely a continuation, nor should your future linger in someone’s past.”
“You have your own future!”
An Nianjiu looked at him, “Future? What future do I have?”
“Of course you have a future, as long as you exist, you have a future!” Xuanzhen said earnestly.
“We Divine Generals have no path to the Tao, how can there be talk of a future?” An Nianjiu remarked.
This is the greatest flaw of Divine Generals; unable to cultivate autonomously, they rely on others for nurturing. Although their strength can increase, this passive enhancement leaves them feeling helpless and deprives them of the motivation to progress.
Xuanzhen said, “Paths to the Tao are forged by people; how do you know there is no path belonging to Divine Generals in this world?”
“Is there?” An Nianjiu pondered.
“Of course there is.” Xuanzhen’s gaze was penetrating as he looked at him.