Chapter 525 - 518: Returning Home in Glory
Chapter 525: Chapter 518: Returning Home in Glory
An ordinary person, or even an ordinary beast, would have likely had a complete breakdown after experiencing so many paranormal events.
But Jinrong had one good quality: despite suffering repeated trauma, it would always be optimistic again by the next day, laughing and joking with Du Youqian.
Even an event as bizarre as a rooster getting pregnant failed to leave a lasting scar on its psyche.
’What a simple creature.’
Du Youqian felt an ever-stronger desire to tame Jinrong as his mount.
By the time the man and his chicken returned to the territory of the Five Races Alliance, Du Youqian had become extremely proficient with the Spring and Autumn Brush.
As for the Creation Jade Scroll Fragment, perhaps the piece he had obtained was too small to bear the writing of the Spring and Autumn Brush. He could only give up with regret; otherwise, he really would have tried to appoint an Earth God for fun.
"I’ll travel the rest of the way myself." Du Youqian tossed a handful of Bi Fang Gravel to Jinrong.
"Thank you for the reward, True Monarch!" Jinrong chirped happily, holding all the Bi Fang Gravel in its beak.
Du Youqian looked at the silly, wide-eyed Jinrong, its eyes shining. He admired its long, brilliant tail feathers, powerful wings, and the glossy black plumage covering its body. The more he looked, the more satisfied he felt.
"We’ll meet again! Next time we see each other, I might have some good news for you."
"Then I’ll look forward to the True Monarch’s good news! BOK BOK BOK!"
Du Youqian boarded his Flying Boat, soared into the sky, and quickly vanished over the horizon.
「A few short days later, the Flying Boat landed in Ruihan City.」
The important figures and Core Formation Ancestors of the Four Great Clans—save for Sui Zhi and those in Closed Death Gate seeking a breakthrough—all came out to welcome him. It was a mystery how they had learned that Du Youqian would be returning within a few days.
"We welcome the Ancestor home! Congratulations to the Ancestor on ascending to Divinity Transformation! May the Ancestor walk the Great Dao and have longevity equal to the heavens!"
Looking at the fanaticism and reverence in the eyes of these Cultivators, Du Youqian knew that if he were to order them to their deaths, they would not hesitate.
This was the cohesive power of a family clan.
’But how did they know about my advancement?’
Du Youqian hadn’t even used the Chat Group or private messages to tell Jie Yu, Lin Sha, or the others about his promotion. He had wanted to give them a shock when they met in person.
In the end, it was this body’s mother, Duan Shurui, who cleared up his confusion.
Duan Shurui, still as beautiful and young as a woman in her twenties, came over and gently took his arm. Walking inside with him, she explained, "Early yesterday morning, someone from the Alliance Headquarters sent a message through the long-distance Communication Array. They said you had advanced to Divinity Transformation and should be back in Ruihan City in a couple of days. At the time, no one could believe it; we all thought someone at the Alliance Headquarters was playing a joke."
"Then more news came in succession. Many Nascent Soul Masters have already set out to pay their respects to you. The Alliance is also preparing a small, private Divinity Transformation ceremony for you and has issued a gag order. Only then did we realize it was true."
"But I still find it hard to believe. Xiao’Er, tell me, have you really advanced to Divinity Transformation?"
Du Youqian saw she seemed to be holding her breath, her expression a mixture of hope and anxiety. He smiled and nodded. "It’s true."
Duan Shurui finally let out her breath, patting her trembling chest. "Whew... When I married into the Sui Family, I was filled with resentment. When I gave birth to you, I placed all my hopes in you, hoping you could reach Core Formation so I could finally hold my head high. Later, everyone said your aptitude was poor. I thought to myself, ’So what if his aptitude is poor? If he can reach Foundation Establishment and live an extra hundred years in peace and happiness, that’s not so bad. Marrying a few beautiful wives and concubines to spread his line would be nice too.’ But then you successfully reached Core Formation, and then Nascent Soul! It felt like a great blessing from the ancestors of both the Duan and Sui Families... I never even dreamed you could reach Divinity Transformation. I wouldn’t have dared to dream it. How many Divinity Transformation cultivators are there in the entire Immortal City Alliance? It’s never been made public, but I’d guess only one or two. Out of hundreds of millions of people, only one or two reach Divinity Transformation. My son is truly..."
At this, she shook her head, apparently unable to find a suitable word.
The mother and son walked slowly ahead, talking and laughing.
The rest of the Cultivators from the Four Great Clans followed behind, none daring to step forward and interrupt.
Even this body’s father and his own younger brother, Sui Xing, wanted to go up and say a few words, but every time they looked at Du Youqian’s not-so-imposing yet incredibly oppressive back, their legs would grow weak, and they would lose the courage to approach.
"Xiao’Er," Duan Shurui tugged hard on Du Youqian’s arm. "You’re a Divinity Transformation Ancestor now. There are things they don’t dare to say to you. But I am your mother. Even if you become a Void Step Great Power, a Harmonization Emperor, even if you become an immortal, I will still be your mother. So when your mother speaks, will you listen?"
Du Youqian gave a wry smile and, after a long moment, nodded.
Duan Shurui smiled. "Don’t look so glum. I’m not trying to harm you. You still haven’t taken a wife, and I haven’t said anything about it. After all, there aren’t many women in this world worthy of you. But you can’t leave behind no descendants! I’ve already spoken with the other three great clans. Each clan must provide one Core Formation woman to be your concubine. The Duan Family must provide one as well. And don’t be unhappy about it. You are a man dedicated to the Great Dao. You won’t even have to raise the children. I will personally see to it that they are raised to be successful."
"We’ll see," Du Youqian said, his brow furrowing for a moment before smoothing out again.
’Being a Divinity Transformation Ancestor used as a stud is naturally a bit degrading.’
No matter how charming and beautiful the women sent to serve him were, the key issue was that it was against his will.
But since it was a request from this body’s mother—and the only one she had made in his more than two hundred years of reincarnation—he could only weigh the matter and think of a way to satisfy her.
’Actually, if I just change my mindset, it might not be so unacceptable.’
’I’ll just think of it as a period of indulgence to celebrate my successful advancement to Divinity Transformation.’
Normally, once a Cultivator embarks on the path of Cultivation, pregnancy becomes difficult.
This is because "Refining Essence and Qi" leads to insufficient genetic material, while most Kun Cultivators practice "Slaying the Red Dragon," which likewise removes the basis for conception.
Furthermore, it is completely impossible for a Core Formation Realm Cultivator to impregnate a Cultivator below Core Formation or a Mortal; a reproductive barrier already exists.
However, if both partners are at Core Formation, or if one is at Core Formation and the other at Nascent Soul, there is a possibility of conception, though it remains low.
But for someone like Du Youqian, who had reached the Divinity Transformation Realm, his fine control over his body far surpassed that of the Nascent Soul Stage. He could easily allow a woman to become pregnant.
He planned to father one or two children to fulfill his mother’s expectations at a minimum, considering it repayment for the gift of this life.
Inside the room, Du Youqian took the main seat, and the Cultivators from the various great clans came forward to pay their respects.
In the years Du Youqian had been away from Ruihan City, eight new Core Formation Cultivators had emerged, a sign of its thriving prosperity.
Moreover, six of these eight Core Formation Cultivators were from the other three great clans.
The Sui Family no longer suppressed the other three clans. With a Nascent Soul Ancestor (this was before they knew Du Youqian had reached Divinity Transformation), continuing to suppress others would seem ungracious.
The difficulty of Nascent Soul Formation was such that not even those with a Top Grade Spirit Root or an Earth Spirit Root were guaranteed to succeed.
And even if they did succeed, Du Youqian was already at the Nascent Soul Late Stage when he left home. How could the Sui Family possibly fear these rising stars?
Currently, besides Du Youqian, the ones with the highest Cultivation in Ruihan City were the couple Sui Yu and Rong Qiao’Er. One had a Top Grade Spirit Root and the other an Earth Spirit Root. They had successfully reached Core Formation long ago and had been at Golden Core Perfection for decades.
But despite Du Youqian leaving them Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects and Life-Saving Elixirs, they still didn’t dare to take that step lightly.
After all, if they were to fall at the step of "Elixir Breaks and Infant Birth," even if a Life-Saving Elixir saved their lives, their vital energy would be greatly damaged. The hope of attempting to reach Nascent Soul again would become slim, so they preferred to wait and accumulate a deeper foundation.
Furthermore, the child they had given birth to back then, despite only having an Upper Grade Spirit Root, had good Comprehension. Now over 160 years old, they were at the Golden Core Middle Stage—another promising seedling.
As for the junior Du Youqian was most optimistic about, this body’s younger brother, Sui Xing, was truly worthy of his Earth Spirit Root. After just over sixty years of Cultivation, he was already at the First Transition of Core Formation.
After two more rounds of Scattering and Re-Cultivation, he could attempt to break through to Nascent Soul.
With Sui Xing’s talent, the probability of him succeeding in Nascent Soul Formation was quite high.
This time, Du Youqian planned to further observe his resolve and his attitude toward him.
If he passed the test, Du Youqian would explain to him some precautions for before Nascent Soul Formation and the correct method of achieving it, according to the Supreme Cave Truth Nine Revolutions and Nine Transformations Celestial Dance Scripture.
After receiving the homage of the Four Great Clans’ Cultivators, Du Youqian wanted to see Sui Zhi, but he learned that Qin Yiming had arrived not long ago and was currently in seclusion with Sui Zhi, attempting to create a new Divine Ability. This was, of course, an excuse. Sui Zhi simply didn’t want the news that he was afflicted with the Ghost Infant Gu to spread and cause a panic.
Du Youqian guessed they were trying to delay the day the Ghost Infant Gu would force a Core Formation, so he didn’t rush to disturb them, deciding to wait for Sui Zhi to emerge from seclusion naturally.
That very night of Du Youqian’s return, the Core Formation Kun Cultivators from the Bian, Rong, and Shen families were dressed in wedding attire and sent to his room.
Without any great fanfare, they quietly became Du Youqian’s concubines.
The three of them had several things in common: they were young, beautiful, and had good Spirit Roots.
As for things like personality, those were not taken into consideration. After all, they were just being used as vessels to bear the descendants of a Divinity Transformation Ancestor. After giving birth, the Sui Family would never allow them to raise the children.
If their personalities were agreeable enough to earn Du Youqian’s affection and he chose to keep them by his side, that would be a testament to their own abilities.
A few days passed, and high-ranking members of the Immortal City Alliance began to arrive one after another. Du Youqian’s friends, such as Kai Feng Master, Nanfeng Master, Master Pu Tai, and Ma Yu Master, all presented lavish gifts.
Even Kai Feng Master, who had always been on excellent terms with Du Youqian, was now much more reserved in his presence.
After all, the chasm to Divinity Transformation was not easily crossed. Although Kai Feng Master already possessed a Nascent Soul Late Stage Cultivation, he had no confidence that he could still keep up with Du Youqian’s pace.
As for those Cultivators who were on bad terms with Du Youqian, like Master Changfu—whom Du Youqian had killed once before—and his Dao Companion, Master Huaisu, they presented their lavish gifts trembling with fear, terrified that Du Youqian would settle old scores.