Chapter 587: Where Does the Blood of Reform Begin?

Master Tushan Xiancheng.

A grand welcoming ceremony was being held here.

Ninety-nine pure-black heavenly horses spread their wings to lead the way, ninety-nine black dogs guided the path on the ground, and nine hundred and ninety-nine black sheep flanked both sides.

These heavenly horses, black dogs, and black sheep all carried the aura of Foundation Establishment, their coats sleek and glossy, their forms majestic and swift, with not a single wound upon their hides.

On the outer perimeter were still thousands upon tens of thousands of horses, cattle, sheep, and dogs, mostly at Qi Refining, with Foundation Establishment common, led by large numbers of Jin Dan Jing lead horses, lead sheep, and lead dogs, arrayed in neat ranks on the outside.

These were wealth, symbolizing the General Heishi clan's abundance and prosperity.

At the very center, numerous black crows circled in flight, forming an array, occasionally beating their wings in unison, their caws rising high, Dao resonance spreading, welcoming their honored guest with an ancient rite that had endured for ten thousand years.

Surrounded at the center by these enthusiastic spirit beasts and spirit birds were two cultivators, one old and one young.

The old man had a gaunt face and a stern, rigid expression.

The young cultivator sat perfectly upright, handsome in appearance, flawless from every angle, occasionally responding to the surrounding black crows with impeccable courtesy, causing many of the female black crows' eyes to flash with admiration.

It was not only because of his looks and his cultivation at the peak of Jin Dan,

but also because he was the foremost figure of the righteous path of the Northern Plains, a prodigy of the Guishan Tie family, and the Gui Gui Juzi among the two prodigies of the Zhengmo Alliance!

If one could win his favor, even as a mere concubine, the chance of reaching Nascent Soul would increase by severalfold out of thin air.

"Uncle, the General Heishi main line... it seems truly has thinned out."

Gui Gui Juzi wore an impeccable, gentle smile on his face, but his transmitted voice carried a hint of disgust, instinctively hating the breaking of rules.

"In the General Heishi clan's 'Black Crow Guest-Welcoming Rite,' within the span of less than half a quarter-hour, there were actually fifty-seven mistakes!"

"Most of these black crows are surely not of the main bloodline, otherwise they could not commit such clumsy errors."

He declared decisively.

Between main line and branch line, there was no difference in appearance or cultivation, but anyone familiar with them could tell the vast gap between the two at a single glance, especially cultivators within the clan.

It was a tremendous difference in habits, status, and upbringing.

"Indeed so."

The stern-faced old man beside him sighed softly: "Tian Hua Master Dinghai Zhenjun sent me what happened inside the Luoxu Sect ruins. Those branch-line, mixed-blood Jin Dan once tried to join forces to slaughter all the main-line Jin Dan, fortunately blocked by our clan's outstanding junior Guichi... but regrettably, in the end they were still slain by an unknown Nascent Soul old monster's avatar, a Master Tushan sword cultivator."

A cold killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Such a Nascent Soul cultivator — if it had been several hundred years ago, the Guishan Tie family would have already gathered a large number of Nascent Soul cultivators to surround and slay him, grinding even his Nascent Soul to ash, to fulfill the righteous path's rite.

Now... they lacked the strength to spare.

Constantly stationing large numbers of Nascent Soul cultivators at the border between the Dari Qingse Jianzong and the Dari Sect left no further strength to mobilize large numbers of Nascent Soul cultivators for other matters, even matters tied to the ancestor's Golden Emperor Diagram.

"Uncle, rest assured. It's merely a shameless old monster who seized a junior's opportunity."

Gui Gui Juzi smiled: "Once I advance to Nascent Soul, I will certainly spend a hundred years tracking him down, drag him out, and use his head and Nascent Soul to vindicate the Tie family's name."

"Just remember these things."

The stern-faced old man nodded.

This was the Tie family's way of survival.

Even if they could not accomplish it, they must still try their utmost, not shunning death itself — only thus could they earn the trust of the righteous and demonic clans over thousands upon tens of thousands of years, and their unceasing offerings.

"Welcome, Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun, honored by your presence!"

Before Master Tushan Xiancheng, Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun, with his hawk-like nose, came out of the city ten li to greet them, bearing a respectful smile, bowing deeply from a great distance.

He did not dare raise his head until the two Tie family members had come before him, his posture humble to the extreme, like a junior.

Logically speaking, it should not have come to this.

Both were Nascent Soul Master Dinghai Zhenjun, and he was the head of a clan — his standing was even a notch higher than Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun's.

"Shen Ya, why go to such lengths?"

The stern-faced old cultivator Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun showed no pleasure, frowning: "According to etiquette, it should not be so. Could it be that you too are of mixed-blood origin, ignorant of etiquette, and not of the main bloodline?"

This accusation was extremely severe.

It was tantamount to directly calling someone a mongrel.

If this had happened two hundred years ago, it would have been an insult to the clan's honor, and could have triggered war between the two great clans.

"Main line, branch line..."

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun raised his head, not angered, and sighed faintly: "Are these not all the blood of our ancestors? Sharing the same surname, why must we still distinguish between you and me?"

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun and Gui Gui Juzi's expressions stiffened, their faces suddenly darkening.

This was a denial of the Tie family's ten-thousand-year conviction, and the very foundation of their existence!

And that, before such a great public gathering.

"Ancestor..."

The surrounding branch-line Jin Dan such as Hei Hei Louxi revealed wild joy, bowing their heads as low as possible, suppressing the excitement in their hearts.

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun took a long look at the Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun before him, and did not lose his composure before the crowd, doing nothing out of the ordinary.

On behalf of the Tie family, he strictly followed etiquette and carried out the welcoming ceremony.

After several hours of this, the three finished burning incense and paying homage before the ancestors' spirit tablets, and only then sat down at a table, dismissing all attendants.

Three cups of clear tea sent up curling wisps, the fragrance of tea filling the air.

But at this moment, none of them had the leisure to taste tea.

"Shen Ya, have you truly made up your mind?"

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun said slowly: "Branch and main line are the foundation of the clan. If it were truly as you say, who in the Northern Plains does not carry one or two drops of ancestor's blood? Having bred for ten thousand years, the bloodline has long since spread across the entire Northern Plains."

"This is the foundation!"

"The very foundation of our existence!"

"The foundation? That is so."

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun sighed bitterly: "When I was born, I was only a three-spirit-root. If I had not been of the clan's main line, if my father had not been the previous generation's General Heishi Master Dinghai Zhenjun, who used the spirit-root blood-sacrifice method to offer up large numbers of branch-line dual-spirit-root cultivators and heavenly-spirit-root cultivators to raise my aptitude, I would not even be Jin Dan now, would have died long ago, and my white bones would have long since rotted away."

"All of this is thanks to the status of the main line."

"The two of you—how could I bear to let all of this be lost?"

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun and Gui Gui Juzi's expressions eased slightly, a shared understanding passing between them.

They had deep feelings for the current family system and would not allow others to desecrate or trample it.

"But what about the Dari Sect?"

"What about the Dari Qingse Jianzong?"

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun's face chilled, his voice suddenly rising: "Their Nascent Soul cultivators are born faster than ours. If this continues, in a few hundred years, a thousand years, the destruction of our families is almost certain!"

"Are you just going to sit by and watch?"

"Or are you saying that your Tie family can submit, and the Dari Sect can tolerate the existence of you, the leader of the righteous path? Without us families, can your Tie family even exist?"

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun fell silent.

Reform,

this is the common recognition of every man of vision among the Northern Plain families, but the interests involved are too great, and the difficulties are immense.

Among them, the greatest difficulty

comes from their Tie family!

This is the foundation of their standing, a ten-thousand-year covenant of tribute—how could it be so lightly betrayed?

"The General Heishi are willing to double their tribute from this day forward."

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun's expression softened, and he said sincerely: "I ask the Tie family to consider the greater picture. The time has come when change is unavoidable. It is not only my General Heishi—the Yin family of the Heavenly Human Dao, the Mu family of Bingxuedian, the Liu family of the Zhenjun He Huan Sect—these internal Nascent Soul Zhenjuns are also brewing reform, taking in the side branches, expanding our core cultivator population."

"Especially the Mu family of Bingxuedian, even more radical than my General Heishi. Their side-branch disciple, Mu Mu Tianxue, has already subdued the Bingxuedian Holy Son and formally rules over both the main and side branches' Jin Dan of the Mu family—only the formal title remains unsettled."

"I beg you, Daoist friend,"

he bowed deeply: "for the sake of the Northern Plain families' greater picture, spare the Hei family this once."

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun said nothing.

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun maintained his prostrate posture, refusing to rise.

The two remained locked in this standoff for a long time.

It lasted several days, with no change, no concession from either side.

"Daoist friend."

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun sighed long and said slowly: "Reform may well be imperative, but my Guishan Tie family has enjoyed ten thousand years of tribute from the main line and must do something. Otherwise, we cannot regain the trust of the Northern Plain families."

"I truly cannot yield. I am sorry, Daoist friend."

"You mean…"

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun suddenly raised his head, his face full of disbelief.

"I mean,"

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun's face revealed a savage look. The heavy pressure of mid-Nascent Soul cultivation fully unfurled, the killing intent icy: "Any mongrel-blooded wretch who rebels must die!"

"One appears, kill one."

"Two appear, kill the pair!"

"Until we fight a battle, until all the disobedient are dead, until my Tie family's Nascent Soul and any Nascent Soul who dares to show their head perish together, until some Nascent Soul die—only then can my Tie family fulfill its ten-thousand-year covenant."

"Shen Ya, old friend of many years, let me ask you one thing."

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun stared fixedly at Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun: "Will you personally execute every one of the rebellious Jin Dan, or shall you and I fight a battle, proving with our blood and our deaths that my Tie family, at any time and in any place, upholds the rites of the Northern Plain, sparing not even the lives of Nascent Soul Zhenjuns?"

"Daoist friend, how did it come to this…"

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun's hand trembled.

"It must be so."

"Ten thousand years of tribute must have an accounting, or no one will be convinced—including you in the future."

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun's expression was coldly indifferent: "It is not only here with you. The Mu family of Bingxuedian, the Yin family, and the Zhenjun He Huan Sect—any side branch that wishes to rise, that wishes for reform, must climb over the corpses of my Tie family's Nascent Soul. No exceptions."

"Some people must die. Some Nascent Soul must die."

"I ask you one more time,"

"does reform begin with you, or what?"

Gui Fu Master Dinghai Zhenjun said coldly.

"This…"

Shen Ya Master Dinghai Zhenjun's face showed struggle, and for a long time he said nothing.

(End of this chapter)