Before leaving, Granny Zeng said meaningfully, "Jiuyang, you are a peerless genius. Perhaps when you break through to the Earth realm, you will vaguely sense the truth."
"Rest well and prepare to participate in the Young Master competition."
After leaving a few riddles, Granny Zeng departed.
At night, Chen Jiuyang began to cultivate with the medicinal herbs. His skin turned red, and crimson true qi surged within him, his blood and qi like tides. The crimson true qi was subtly tinged with an almost imperceptible gold.
"Hoo!"
Four hours later, it was already 1:30 AM. Chen Jiuyang exhaled a breath of stale air, slowly retracting the true qi within him. He opened his eyes, "I have broken through to the seventh acupoint."
"Congratulations, Young Master, on another step forward in your cultivation!" Fang Bahua emerged from the side, holding Chen Jiuyang's clothes, his eyes filled with unconcealable astonishment. He smiled and congratulated him.
Chen Jiuyang had only just broken through to the seventh acupoint, and his blood and true qi already showed signs of being difficult to suppress. The true qi was dense and pure, more terrifying than his own as a Grandmaster of the Earth realm. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Fang Bahua would not have believed that a martial artist of the Profound realm could possess such blood and true qi.
Was this the gap between ordinary people like him and peerless geniuses?
Chen Jiuyang could defeat elite figures at the peak of the twelve acupoints when he had only four acupoints. Now that he had broken through to seven, how much had his combat power increased? Even Fang Bahua, an Earth realm Grandmaster, could not imagine.
"Thank you for guarding me, Uncle Fang." Chen Jiuyang had come to the Chen family, not only to break through his cultivation but also to ensure the safety of the Chen family. He had asked Fang Bahua to guard him.
"You are too kind, Young Master," Fang Bahua said with a smile.
Chen Jiuyang put on his clothes. He also sensed something amiss. The blood and true qi of his Nine-Nine Pure Yang Body were too fierce. If he hadn't cultivated the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, simultaneously cultivating true qi, divine soul, and physical body, his physical body might not have been able to withstand such powerful and terrifying true qi.
Chen Jiuyang said, "It's getting late, Uncle Fang. Please go and rest. After you wake up, I'll need your help to protect my family."
"Yes, Young Master," Fang Bahua replied respectfully.
Acting cautiously was Chen Jiuyang's style. As soon as he returned to the Chen family, he would have to compete for the position of Young Master against other Chen family geniuses and elites. Who knew if any disgruntled individuals would try to threaten Chen Jiuyang by targeting his family.
The next morning.
Chen Jiuyang's family, dressed and groomed, arrived at the Chen family ancestral hall, led by Granny Zeng and Chen Gaoming.
The Chen family ancestral hall was vast, capable of holding a thousand people. Currently, hundreds of Chen family members, all core figures of the Chen family in Chen County, were packed inside. The hall had sixty-four seats, all occupied, and even Granny Zeng, with her status, could only sit in the second row.
The first row was occupied by a group of elders, all appearing pale and like ordinary people. Only Chen Jiuyang, with his powerful divine soul, could sense that these elders sitting in the first row were all Earth realm cultivators, their martial arts cultivation unfathomable.
Granny Zeng sat in the second row. Chen Jiuyang mused that the Chen family had nearly twenty to thirty Earth realm Grandmasters. Was this the Chen family's foundation? It was likely not their full strength, as the Chen family had industries all over the Dragon Country and also the Misty Rain Sect abroad.
The Chen family's strength was indeed terrifying.
Standing in the center of the ancestral hall was a middle-aged man with thick black hair cascading over his shoulders. He exuded an imposing aura and wore a blue brocade robe. Without a doubt, this was the current Patriarch of the Chen family.
An old woman from the Chen family stood outside the ancestral hall and called out loudly to Chen Jiuyang, "Kneel!"
Chen Jiuyang, along with his parents, sister, grandfather, and grandmother, immediately knelt down.
The Chen family Patriarch stood in the center of the ancestral hall, looking at Chen Jiuyang's family. His voice was deep and authoritative, "Chen Jiuyang, do you agree today to return to our Shu Mountain Chen family, pay respects to our Chen family ancestors, and from this day forward, become a part of our Chen family, bringing glory to our Chen family's name?"
"Chen family descendant Chen Jiuyang is willing to return to the Shu Mountain Chen family."
The old woman outside the ancestral hall called out loudly, "Bow!"
Chen Jiuyang, kneeling, moved forward into the ancestral hall and bowed deeply to the densely packed wooden tablets and divine statues.
"Boom!"
At this moment, Chen Jiuyang's divine soul trembled. In the unseen depths, the bloodline within him rejoiced. He looked up at the wooden tablets and divine statues and saw the Pure Yang Medical Immortal, which deeply shook him. The Pure Yang Medical Immortal was positioned at the highest place, and the statue was covered in dust.
He was indeed a descendant of the Pure Yang Medical Immortal. Because he also possessed the Nine-Nine Pure Yang Body, he could awaken the inheritance left by the Pure Yang Medical Immortal.
The Chen family Patriarch held a thick genealogy book and turned to a new page, writing a large heading: Chen family descendant, son Chen Jiuyang.
"Rise, child," the Chen family Patriarch said gently to Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang stood up and waited to the side.
Then, the Chen family Patriarch looked at Chen Jiuyang's father, "Chen Jianmin, do you agree today to return to our Shu Mountain Chen family, pay respects to our Chen family ancestors..."
The process of acknowledging one's ancestors was the same for everyone: after being called out, they would kneel and enter the ancestral hall, adding their names to the genealogy.
Figures like Chen Xuecheng, Chen Xiaobo, and Chen Jiuyang's grandparents were all able to return to the Shu Mountain Chen family due to Chen Jiuyang's influence, and they would be able to live a life free from worry about food and clothing in the future.
This was a typical case of "one person achieves the Tao, and his dependents ascend to heaven."
After the core members of the Chen family witnessed the ancestral acknowledgment process, the matter of returning to the Chen family was concluded.
However, the people standing in the Chen family ancestral hall did not disperse.
The Chen family Patriarch put down the genealogy book, scanned the entire hall, and said with a deep and authoritative voice, "Our Chen family has been passed down for a thousand years. There is no distinction between direct and collateral lines. All within the five degrees of kinship in the genealogy can participate in the Chen family's Young Master trial."
"Sixty years form a Jia, fifty years form a generation. Fifty years have passed. According to the family rules, those under fifty years old who believe they can take on the position of Chen family Young Master should step forward."
"Swish, swish!"
Including Chen Jiuyang, over thirty people stepped forward.
The Chen family Patriarch nodded with satisfaction, "Our Chen family has been passed down for a thousand years, relying on the emergence of talented individuals generation after generation. To prevent our Chen family disciples from killing each other, the Young Master trial has five stages. Whoever achieves the first place and the fastest speed will be our Chen family's Young Master."
"Follow me."
The Chen family Patriarch led the crowd through the ancestral hall and stopped before an ancient residence. "This is the first stage, the Puppet Stage."
"As the Young Master of our Chen family, one must possess sufficient martial cultivation and attainment to uphold our Chen family's honor."
"This Puppet Stage was constructed by our ancestors a thousand years ago. No matter how high your cultivation, there is a corresponding Puppet Stage."
"First, who will go?"
A Grandmaster of the Earth realm stepped forward, "The capable go first. As I am in the second layer of the Earth realm, I will go first to set an example."
The Chen family Patriarch slowly nodded. Being in the second layer of the Earth realm and under fifty years old was indeed an elite.