Chapter 12: Contract

After arriving at the destination!

Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao stared at the empty hilltop before them, wide-eyed and utterly baffled.

In Ye Qingxuan's mind, the revered ancestor he had always imagined should reside in a magnificent palace; how could he possibly dwell on such a small hill?

Besides, there were no signs of anyone living on this hilltop.

Though puzzled in his heart, Ye Qingxuan did not speak up to ask.

They were already inside the Xuantian Sect; it was better to be cautious. If he asked and the ancestor overheard it, leaving a bad impression would be disastrous.

Ye Yuhong paid no attention to the two's subtle gestures. After landing, he respectfully bowed.

Seeing this, Ye Qingxuan hurriedly led Ye Qingxiao to bow in the same direction as Ye Yuhong.

After bowing, Ye Yuhong took out a jade talisman, activated it with magic power, and shouted loudly:

"Revered Ancestor, Ye Yuhong, the current head of the Ye family, leads family members to seek an audience with you!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the space not far ahead of the three rippled, and a cave dwelling suddenly appeared in their original spot.

At the same time, a bold voice came from within:

"Hahaha, little Yuhong, no need for all this formality; just come in!"

Hearing the ancestor's words, Ye Yuhong's old face flushed red. After a light cough, he regained his composure and calmly led the strangely expressioned Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao into the cave dwelling before them.

After entering the cave dwelling, Ye Qingxuan discovered a world within.

The space inside was vast, filled with many rare flowers and exotic herbs, and a spiritual spring flowed within the cave.

The concentration of spiritual energy inside was also superior to that outside.

Reaching the depths of the cave dwelling, Ye Qingxuan finally saw a middle-aged man dressed in simple, ancient attire, appearing roughly the same age as Ye Yuhong.

Ye Yuhong led Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao to a spot not far before the middle-aged man, who sat cross-legged, and bowed deeply, saying:

"Yuhong pays respects to the Revered Ancestor!"

Seeing this, Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao behind him followed suit, bowing deeply and saying:

"Qingxuan and Qingxiao pay respects to the Revered Ancestor!"

This middle-aged man was none other than Ye Zhaoyang, the Ye family's ancestor cultivating in the Xuantian Sect, a Nascent Soul cultivator and a figure from the previous generation of the Ye family.

However, to everyone's surprise, upon hearing their address, Ye Zhaoyang simply waved his hand and said displeasedly:

"Don't keep calling me 'Revered Ancestor.' In the Ye family, I am the ancestor, but in the Xuantian Sect, I am just an ordinary core disciple!

If you keep calling me 'Revered Ancestor' like that, and my friends find out, won't they laugh themselves to death?"

Seeing that his own ancestor was displeased, Ye Yuhong could only helplessly persuade:

"Revered Ancestor, propriety cannot be abandoned. Besides, you truly are our ancestor!"

Hearing Ye Yuhong speak thus, Ye Zhaoyang felt both amused and helpless, and finally compromised:

"Very well, just don't address me that way in front of my friends."

Afterwards, Ye Zhaoyang turned his gaze to Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao behind Ye Yuhong, asking with confusion:

"Wasn't there only one spot for a Fortune Cultivator? Why did you bring two people?"

Facing his ancestor's question, Ye Yuhong pulled Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao forward and introduced them:

"Revered Ancestor, this is Ye Qingxuan, the disciple selected by the clan to obtain the Fortune Cultivator spot.

This is Ye Qingxiao, possessing a top-grade five-element spiritual root, the most talented member of the Ye family in recent centuries. I wish for him to enter the Xuantian Sect to cultivate."

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhaoyang's gaze swept past Ye Qingxuan to rest on Ye Qingxiao, and he said joyfully:

"Excellent. With your five-element spiritual root talent, in a cultivation environment like the Xuantian Sect, breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm is merely a matter of time, and you may even have a chance to glimpse the Soul Transformation realm!"

"Thank you, Revered Ancestor, for your auspicious words. In the future within the sect, I will rely heavily on you!"

Although Ye Qingxiao was usually carefree, he was not foolish. How could he miss such a good opportunity, especially since the other party was his own ancestor?

In the Xuantian Sect, having someone to rely on was far better than having none.

Setting aside other matters, if his own ancestor simply gave him a few unused resources in the early stages, it would significantly accelerate his cultivation speed.

Hearing Ye Qingxiao's words, Ye Zhaoyang immediately burst into loud laughter:

"Hahaha!"

This time, facing the title "Revered Ancestor," he showed no sign of resistance.

Ye Zhaoyang himself also possessed a five-element spiritual root. As long as one with a five-element spiritual root did not perish, breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm and becoming a core disciple in the Xuantian Sect was not difficult.

Therefore, between Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingxiao, Ye Zhaoyang placed greater value on Ye Qingxiao.

After all, a Fortune Cultivator from a first-rank Fortune Land would bring him hardly any resources.

One could only say that the potential of Fortune Cultivators from small families was too low.

The Ye family did not have surplus resources to cultivate Ye Qingxuan into a high-rank Fortune Cultivator. To Ye Zhaoyang, a Fortune Cultivator was a bottomless pit; abandoning him was a pity, yet cultivating him was tasteless.

But a clan member with good talent was different. A Nascent Soul cultivator's lifespan limit could reach three thousand years; he had ample time to wait for Ye Qingxiao to grow.

Once Ye Qingxiao broke through to the Nascent Soul realm, as members of the same clan, they could naturally assist each other.

By then, whether venturing out on expeditions or undertaking sect missions, their safety and chances of obtaining resources would be far greater.

The Xuantian Sect was vast in wealth and influence, but it would not support idlers; the higher the tier of resources, the higher the requirements for exchange.

Core disciples with average talent like Ye Zhaoyang were everywhere in the Xuantian Sect.

For ordinary disciples with dim prospects like them, to obtain high-tier resources and accelerate their cultivation speed, they must either work hard on sect missions or venture out themselves to seek opportunities.

But whichever path they chose, the danger of going alone would inevitably increase significantly.

Although Ye Zhaoyang had some old friends within the sect, they were all cunning and shrewd; how could they be as reliable as clan members he cultivated himself?

After thoroughly and satisfactorily inspecting Ye Qingxiao, Ye Zhaoyang turned his gaze to Ye Qingxuan:

"Ye Qingxuan? Are you certain you are willing to become a Fortune Cultivator?"

Ye Qingxuan saw that Ye Zhaoyang's smile had already faded. He felt no indignation at the unfair treatment but responded respectfully:

"Reporting to the Ancestor, Qingxuan has made up his mind and is willing to become a Fortune Cultivator!"

How others treat you depends on the benefits you can bring them.

Although Ye Zhaoyang is his Ancestor, he is not his parent; Ye Qingxuan was already content just to be asked for his opinion.

A person's worth lies in self-awareness; at this moment, he shows no prospects whatsoever.

Therefore, Ye Qingxuan remained perfectly calm in his heart, with no dissatisfaction, after all, the Ye family had already done everything humanly possible for him.

Across from him, Ye Zhaoyang, hearing Ye Qingxuan's reply and seeing his calm demeanor, thought to himself:

"This youth has a good temperament, but I wonder how long he can endure the torment of sitting motionless once he becomes a Fortune Cultivator!"

Seeing that Ye Qingxuan had volunteered to become a Fortune Cultivator, Ye Zhaoyang said no more, took out a contract, and handed it to Ye Qingxuan, saying:

"Since you are willing, then sign this contract!

According to the previous regulations, aside from the sect's planting tasks, for any additional income from the Fortune Land, the family takes thirty percent, I take thirty percent, and the remaining forty percent is yours.

The family needs to develop, so that thirty percent share remains unchanged. As for my thirty percent share, I will forgo it, considering it as support from the Ye family and from me, your Ancestor.

If you have no objections, then sign it!"

Regarding those low-grade resources from a First-Rank Fortune Land, Ye Zhaoyang truly looked down on them, so he gave them to Ye Qingxuan as a favor.

And Ye Qingxuan, for his Ancestor's kindness, did not pretend to decline; his face lit up with joy, and he bowed gratefully, saying:

"Qingxuan thanks the Ancestor for his support!"

He then glanced over, confirmed there were no errors, and signed the contract.

Those thirty percent resources, which his Ancestor looked down on, were actually a significant boost for Ye Qingxuan himself in the early stages, fully capable of accelerating his growth considerably.

As for the family and the Ancestor, Ye Qingxuan could only look for opportunities in the future to repay the family and the Ancestor.