bookbashuk Chapter 343 Ancestral Pagoda Baptism, Breaking Through to Immortal Rank!
Chapter 343 Ancestral Pagoda Baptism, Breaking Through to Immortal Rank!
Chapter 343 Ancestral Pagoda Baptism, Breaking Through to Immortal Rank!
Lu Yu stood in the center of the square, not immediately turning his gaze to any of the jade platforms. He slightly raised his head, meeting the thousands of gazes, his voice clear and steady, echoing distinctly in the silent Tianzhu Peak: "This junior has just returned to the clan, and my knowledge of the essential inheritances of the Mo, Xuan, and Qing lineages is truly limited. Bloodlines are certainly important, but the path of cultivation on the Great Dao is long and arduous."
"Besides talent and bloodline, abundant resources and proper guidance are also indispensable."
"Only by clearly understanding the path ahead and knowing what we can rely on can we, as juniors, be single-minded, courageous, and diligent, so as not to fail our bloodline, the high expectations of our clan, or our own desire to seek the Dao."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three lineage leaders, Mo Xing, Xuan Qing, and Qing Xuan Jun, before bowing respectfully and asking in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "May I ask the three lineage leaders, if I were fortunate enough to join your lineage, what kind of assistance could your lineage provide for my cultivation path? I would like to hear the details for your consideration."
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room subtly changed.
Many elders' eyes flashed with surprise. This Holy Son was not playing by the rules. He actually asked about "benefits" directly at this solemn and dignified ceremony.
But this question is also reasonable. After all, choosing the main branch is related to one's future path, and understanding the support that each branch can provide is only natural.
Some of the younger clansmen were secretly astonished. This Holy Prince was truly audacious, not afraid of offending the leaders of the three clans.
All eyes immediately turned to the three pulse leaders, to see how they would respond.
This was not only an opportunity to answer Lu Yu's question, but also a chance to demonstrate the depth and magnanimity of each lineage and the importance they placed on this Holy Son of the Eight Divine Lineages in front of the entire clan.
After a brief silence, Xuan Qing, the head of the Xuan lineage, spoke first. He wore his usual gentle smile, and his voice, though not loud, carried clearly throughout the hall: "Your Highness, the Holy Son, has considered all this thoroughly, and it is indeed the right thing to do. Our Xuan lineage has the deepest expertise in the art of alchemy, and most of the clan's top alchemists come from our lineage."
He paused briefly, then said calmly, "If Your Highness enters my Xuanmai, the treasure trove within will be open to you. In addition to the regular allocation of cultivation resources, I can arrange for Your Highness to receive a Nine-Turn Profound Origin Divine Pill every ten years to help you solidify your foundation, cleanse your spirit, and comprehend the mysteries of heaven and earth."
Upon hearing this, many clansmen who knew the preciousness of this pill gasped in shock. The Nine-Turn Profound Origin Divine Pill was a closely guarded secret of the Profound Vein, extremely difficult to refine, and belonged to the finest among high-grade divine pills.
It has a remarkable effect on helping powerful beings at the Great Perfection of Earthly Sovereign level break through bottlenecks and solidify their foundations. It is also quite beneficial to the cultivation insights of powerful beings at the Spiritual Grade Heavenly Sovereign level.
A stable supply of one pill every ten years is a remarkable undertaking, demonstrating the profound resources of the Xuanmai sect in alchemy and its emphasis on the Holy Son.
Xuanqing seemed to think that wasn't enough, and added with a smile, "In addition, every hundred years, Your Highness will be provided with an extra, even rarer, Qiankun Creation Pill. This pill draws upon the power of heaven and earth, and can help one glimpse the path to immortality. Although the probability is only ten percent, it is the highest sincerity my Xuan lineage can offer."
"A Qiankun Creation Pill that takes a hundred years to form!" These words caused a murmur of surprise. Even the elders on the high platform, who were used to seeing all kinds of storms, were slightly moved, their eyes gleaming.
The Qiankun Creation Pill is the finest among the peerless spiritual pills. Its difficulty in refining and the rarity of its materials are renowned throughout the entire Futu Ancient Clan.
One pill every hundred years—this Xuanmai is clearly using unparalleled elixir resources to forcefully forge a path to sainthood.
Mo Xing, the head of the Mo Mai sect, remained expressionless on his cold face. After Xuan Qing finished speaking, he spoke in a hoarse voice, concisely: "The Mo Mai sect is not good at alchemy."
His gaze was like lightning as he stared directly at Lu Yu: "But my Mo Clan is inherited from ancient times, and its methods for hunting, raising, and tempering super divine beasts are unparalleled in the world."
"If Your Highness comes, I can guarantee that you will receive at least the pure flesh and blood of a super divine beast equivalent to the late stage of the Spirit Grade Heavenly Supreme every month. We will use the most domineering method to temper Your Highness's body, making it indestructible and powerful enough to shatter the heavens."
He paused, then continued, "Furthermore, I can grant Your Highness a peerless celestial artifact treasured by my lineage, the Shadow-Breaking Shuttle. This item combines offense and defense, and excels at concealment and space-breaking, allowing one to find a glimmer of hope in dire situations. It is a supreme treasure for both survival and assassination."
Unlimited supply of super mythical beast flesh and blood, plus a peerless immortal artifact that combines offense, defense, and escape!
Upon hearing Mo Maimai's words, many warlike clansmen revealed fanaticism in their eyes.
Finally, all eyes turned to Qing Xuanjun, the head of the Qing lineage. He remained calm throughout, as if the astonishing conditions offered by the Xuan and Mo lineages had not stirred him in the slightest.
After Mo Xing finished speaking, Qing Xuanjun slowly raised his eyes and looked at Lu Yu. His voice was still gentle and calm, but it carried a kind of confidence that was calm yet powerful: "The high-grade pills that the Xuanmai can provide, the peerless spiritual pills that take a hundred years to produce, my Qingmai treasury has no shortage of such things, and will only supply more."
"The flesh and blood of the super divine beast promised by the Ink Vein, a peerless sacred artifact of celestial grade, can also be provided by the Qing Vein if Your Highness requires it, but—"
He paused slightly, a profound brilliance belonging to a Grandmaster of Immortal-grade Spirit Arrays flashing in his eyes. His voice suddenly became clear and cold, like ice and jade clashing: "I will only give you three hundred years of Qingmai's resources."
These words shocked everyone present. Three hundred years? Compared to the lifespan and cultivation span of Heavenly Sovereigns, which are often measured in millennia or tens of thousands of years, three hundred years is an incredibly short time!
Qing Xuanjun seemed oblivious to the astonishment of the crowd and continued calmly, "For the next three hundred years, all the resources in the Qing lineage's treasury, including but not limited to the elixirs mentioned by the Xuan lineage and the sacred flesh and blood artifacts mentioned by the Mo lineage, will be available for you to use at your leisure. I myself will also dedicate myself to guiding you in the way of spirit arrays during these three hundred years, helping you to unleash the potential of the Eight Divine Lineages."
"but,"
He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharp and fixed on Lu Yu, "Three hundred years from now, if you cannot ascend to the Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign level through your own efforts, or at least possess the qualifications to challenge for the Saint-grade—then all extra supplies and special guidance from the Qing Clan to you will immediately cease. You will receive resources in the same regular share as other ordinary elders of the Qing Clan."
His voice echoed across the silent mountaintop: "I, Qing Xuanjun, and the Qing lineage I command, do not nurture mediocrity, much less geniuses with potential that they cannot realize. The Eight Divine Lineages are an unprecedented opportunity, but if such an opportunity cannot be transformed into true, unparalleled power, it is meaningless."
"Three hundred years is the time I'm giving you. I want to see if you are a true dragon that appears only once in ten thousand years, or merely—a snake with special bloodline."
These conditions are completely different from the long-term, stable "supply" model of the Xuanmai and Momai.
What Qing Xuanjun offered was like a gamble, wanting to invest everything in a very short time in exchange for a result that could be described as heaven-defying.
If successful, the Qing Clan will possess a Saint-level Heavenly Sovereign whom he personally nurtured and with whom he has an extremely close relationship, whose future is limitless.
If it fails, Qingmai may lose a lot of resources, but it can also stop the loss in time.
This almost cruel pragmatism and pickiness made everyone feel the almost obsessive pride and strong self-confidence beneath Qing Xuanjun's calm exterior.
On the high platform, Mo Xing's expression grew even colder, while Xuan Qing's brows furrowed slightly. Clearly, neither of them had expected Qing Xuan Jun to propose such harsh yet highly tempting conditions.
All eyes were once again on Lu Yu, watching to see his choice. Would he choose the Xuanmai's stable and long-term support with its elixirs, the Momai's domineering and direct divine beast resources and treasures, or—the Qingmai's risky gamble?
Lu Yu stood in the center of the room, silent for a moment. He did not look at Xuan Qing or Mo Xing, but stared directly into Qing Xuanjun's deep and calm eyes.
The next moment, a calm yet firm voice broke the silence of the square: "This junior wishes to join the Qing lineage."
As he finished speaking, he bowed deeply in the direction of the jade platform where Qing Xuanjun was located.
There were no grand pronouncements, no haggling, just six simple words that conveyed the clearest attitude.
Achieving the status of a Saint-level Heavenly Supreme in three hundred years might seem like a pipe dream to others, but for him, it was simply a natural progression, not difficult at all.
In his eyes, the seemingly generous but actually limited "support" conditions offered by the Mo and Xuan lineages seemed rather stingy.
Qing Xuanjun looked at Lu Yu bowing below, his face still expressionless, but a faint glimmer of satisfaction seemed to flash in his deep eyes. He nodded slightly.
"it is good."
Immediately, Qing Xuanjun turned to the highest point in the center and bowed to the Grand Elder Futu Xuan, who had been observing the situation quietly, saying, "Grand Elder, the Holy Son Lu Yu has made his choice and voluntarily joined my Qing Clan. Please, Grand Elder and all the elders, make this decision."
Fu Tu Xuan's calm, unwavering gaze slowly swept over Qing Xuan Jun. After a moment of silence, his aged voice rang out: "Since it is a voluntary choice, in accordance with clan rules, Qing Xuan Jun, head of the Qing lineage, are you willing to accept the Holy Son Lu Yu into your lineage, to receive his teachings, and to bear the consequences?"
Qing Xuanjun's expression was solemn as he cupped his hands again, saying, "Qing Xuanjun is willing to accept the Holy Son Lu Yu into my Qing lineage, to teach him with all his might, and to share his glory and disgrace."
"good."
Fu Tu Xuan nodded slightly, his wooden staff lightly tapping the jade platform, producing a clear and melodious sound, "Holy Son Lu Yu, return to the Qing lineage. Elder Master of Ceremonies, inscribe his name on the ancestral stele in the Qing lineage register, from this day forward the lineage will be clearly defined."
An elder in charge of the ceremony stepped forward, holding an ancient jade slip, and approached the weathered ancestral stele.
A spiritual light gathered at his fingertips, and he gently traced the spot on the ancestral tablet where Lu Yu had originally left his name. As the light flowed, two ancient characters slowly emerged after Lu Yu's name—"Qingmai".
With this, the title was definitively established, and the Holy Son's allegiance was settled.
Fu Tu Xuan turned his gaze back to Lu Yu and continued, "As the Holy Son returns to his position, according to the ancestral rules of our Fu Tu ancient clan, every officially established Holy Son has the right to enter the Ancestral Tower once to receive the baptism of ancestral energy, in order to strengthen his foundation, cultivate his vitality, and stimulate his bloodline potential."
His voice, aged yet clear, expounded on the ancient clan's rules and graces: "Furthermore, all Heavenly Sovereigns within the clan, regardless of rank, have one opportunity to enter the Ancestral Tower for baptism. The Ancestral Tower is filled with boundless ancestral energy, and each baptism lasts for one month. How much ancestral energy one can absorb and how much fortune one can gain depends entirely on one's individual foundation and opportunities."
Fu Tu Xuan's gaze fell on Lu Yu: "You possess the Eight Divine Meridians and are now at the late stage of the Spiritual Grade Heavenly Supreme."
As is customary, you possess the dual qualifications of both Holy Son and Supreme Being, and are permitted to enter the tower for two months.
"The ancestral tower will open for you in three days. You may make the most of this two-month period."
Ancestral Pagoda Baptism! Two months in advance!
Upon hearing this, the crowd reacted with varying expressions, their eyes filled with envy. To be able to enter the tower for two months was an unprecedented privilege among the younger generation of the Futu Ancient Clan.
It is both an unparalleled honor and a great expectation.
With the Grand Elder's words finished, the main part of this grand ceremony was completed.
Fu Tu Xuan said no more, his figure slowly fading away on the jade platform, as if merging into the hazy spiritual light.
The other elders on the jade platform also vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind countless onlookers still discussing the matter.
Qing Xuanjun stepped off the jade platform and appeared in front of Lu Yu.
"Come with me."
He spoke in a flat voice, then turned and left.
Lu Yu nodded to Xuan Cang beside him, then quickly followed.
The two of them, one after the other, transformed into two streaks of light and left the still bustling Tianzhu Peak area, flying towards the depths of the Floating Pagoda Realm, towards the majestic mountain range and continuous palaces belonging to the Qing lineage.
Not long after, deep within the Qingmai, in an extremely quiet and secluded courtyard.
Ancient trees towered in the courtyard, and a clear spring gurgled. Qing Xuanjun and Lu Yu sat facing each other at a simple stone table.
A pot of fragrant tea sits on the table, its aroma rising gently.
Qing Xuanjun poured Lu Yu a cup of tea and pushed it in front of him. He then picked up a cup himself, but did not drink it immediately. Instead, he looked at Lu Yu and asked, "How much do you know about the Ancestral Tower?"
Lu Yu accepted the teacup with both hands and replied respectfully, "Reporting to the clan leader, this junior only knows a little from some scattered rumors and what the Grand Elder said today. I only know that it is a sacred place of the clan, containing ancestral energy, which is of great benefit to cultivation, but I do not understand the specific mysteries."
Qing Xuanjun nodded slightly, not surprised by the answer.
He took a sip of tea, set down his cup, and his voice slowly rose in the quiet courtyard as he began to recount the core secrets of the Futu Ancient Clan to Lu Yu:
-
"It's normal to know a little bit. The secrets of the Ancestral Tower cannot be fully known by anyone other than the core disciples. It is the foundation of our clan, our strongest foundation, and has been passed down for hundreds of thousands of years."
His gaze was distant, as if piercing through time and space: "There is a rule in the clan that every Grand Elder, before sensing his impending death and passing away, will enter the deepest part of the ancestral tower alone, and release all the vast spiritual power he has cultivated throughout his life, merging it into the ancestral tower without reservation. Generation after generation of sages have followed suit, and this tradition has accumulated for hundreds of thousands of years—do you know what this means?"
Lu Yu's gaze narrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "This means that within the Ancestral Tower lies the lifelong cultivation of the strongest members of our clan over the past hundreds of thousands of years, and its power is almost limitless."
"good."
Qing Xuanjun glanced at him approvingly, "The essence accumulated over countless years has condensed into the ancestral energy within the tower. Ancestral energy is infinitely profound; it can cleanse the marrow and bones, solidify the foundation, and unleash the potential of one's bloodline. This is a legacy left by our ancestors, benefiting future generations."
He changed the subject and continued, "You are about to undergo a two-month baptism, twice as long as I did back then. I entered as a mid-stage Spiritual Grade Heavenly Sovereign, underwent a one-month baptism, broke through to the late stage, and used ancestral energy to initially refine a peerless immortal artifact, the Floating Pagoda."
Qing Xuanjun's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable expectation: "You possess eight divine meridians, giving you a higher starting point, and your cultivation has already reached the late stage. My requirements for you are very simple—"
He paused slightly, gazing intently at Lu Yu: "Your gains from this trip should at least be no less than mine back then, understand?"
Lu Yu nodded solemnly: "This junior understands and will certainly live up to the sect leader's expectations."
Qing Xuanjun nodded, seemingly remembering something, and casually said, "I observe that your cultivation has reached the late-stage peak of the Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign, and you are not far from the threshold of the Immortal Grade."
"I happen to have a Qiankun Creation Pill in my Qingmai storeroom. You can take it and use it; it might help you cleanse your spiritual energy and increase your chances of breaking through to a higher realm."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu was slightly taken aback. He looked up at Qing Xuanjun, a perfectly timed hint of doubt in his eyes: "One? Didn't the head of the sect say at the grand ceremony that—the Qing sect's reserves of this kind of pill are abundant, and in fact, even more plentiful?"
Qing Xuanjun remained expressionless, picked up his teacup and took another sip before calmly saying, "There are naturally more than one of these pills in the storehouse."
He put down his teacup and looked calmly at Lu Yu: "But I can only give you this one right now. The rest have either been reserved or traded away."
Lu Yu nodded thoughtfully, already understanding a bit of what was going on. The Qing Clan seemed powerful, but its resources were not inexhaustible, especially top-grade pills like these; their reserves and distribution were likely limited.
The fact that Qing Xuanjun could produce one on the spot was enough to show his sincerity.
"This junior thanks you greatly, Master."
Lu Yu didn't ask any more questions. He knew that sometimes knowing too much wasn't a good thing.
Qing Xuanjun waved his hand: "Okay, go and prepare. I will personally escort you to the Ancestral Pagoda in three days."
Lu Yu bowed and took his leave.
Only after Lu Yu's figure disappeared outside the courtyard gate did Qing Xuanjun's calm and composed expression relax slightly, almost imperceptibly.
At this moment, an elder of the Qingmai sect, with white hair and beard and a rather sorrowful expression, silently appeared in the courtyard. He bowed to Qing Xuanjun and said in a somewhat cautious voice, "Sect Leader—"
"Speak." Qing Xuanjun put down his teacup, his tone returning to its usual coldness.
The elder swallowed hard and whispered, "The Second Palace Master of the Western Sea Palace, the Protector of the Great Spirit Mountain, and the elders of the Pill God Clan have all sent people."
Looking at Qing Xuanjun's expression, he added succinctly, "They've all come to ask—when can the formation you promised to set up begin?"
Upon hearing this, Qing Xuanjun's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then returned to normal, his tone carrying a hint of impatience: "What's the rush? Do you think setting up three Immortal-grade arrays is so easy? Do you really think it can be done with a wave of your hand?"
He paused, his tone softening slightly, and said, "Tell them that since I, Qing Xuanjun, have made a promise, I will naturally not go back on my word. Tell them to be patient and wait. As the head of the Qing lineage of the ancient Futu clan, how could I possibly owe them anything?"
The elder quickly bowed his head and said, "Yes, I will go and report back immediately."
"Hmm." Qing Xuanjun waved his hand, signaling him to step back.
Once the elder's figure had completely disappeared into the courtyard, Qing Xuanjun's ever-straight back slumped almost imperceptibly. A rare look of sorrow, so incongruous with his status as the head of the clan, appeared on his usually calm face.
"well----"
"We'll have to raise another one—"
He muttered under his breath, his tone tinged with helplessness, "And it's an Eight Divine Veins of the Gold-Devouring Beast level—life is getting harder and harder."
Immediately, Qing Xuanjun sat up straight, gazing thoughtfully in a certain direction of the Floating Pagoda Realm, muttering to himself, "Hmm—it's time to visit Brother Mo Xing in the Ink Clan? He seems to have obtained a Nine Netherworld Fire Lotus last time, which would be perfect for that kid to temper his foundation—"
"Or perhaps, Xuanqing of the Xuanmai clan? I heard they just donated a batch of Star Essence Liquid to their clan's treasury; the quality should be quite good—"
"If all else fails—there seem to be a few newly discovered easy targets in the outer battlefields recently," said the Demon Emperor.
The risk is a bit high, but the potential reward is also huge!
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