Chapter 382: Decision

Zhao Qingran stepped into the Grotto-Residence.

Passing through a short passageway, he arrived at a rather spacious Main Hall within the cave.

The furnishings inside the hall were simple, illuminated only by the soft glow of a few luminescent pearls.

At the seat of honor, an elderly man with thinning white hair and a face etched with deep wrinkles sat cross-legged on an old, gray Meditation Cushion.

His aura was obscure and unreadable.

This person was none other than the Zhao Family Ancestor, Zhao Qiyang.

On either side below him sat two low Altar Tables and Meditation Cushions.

"Take a seat."

Zhao Qiyang raised his eyelids slightly, his voice flat. "I do not have any Spirit Tea to host you with here, so you will just have to make do."

Zhao Qingran complied and sat down on a Meditation Cushion on the left, asking with concern, "Granduncle, you have been in seclusion for two years. I wonder if your attempt to break through to the Golden Core realm has gone smoothly?"

Hearing this, Zhao Qiyang's lips twitched into a bitter smile.

He let out a long sigh, one that seemed to carry the weight of a severe illness. "Spiritual Power Crystallization stopped at seventy percent.

The remaining thirty percent feels like sinking into a quagmire; making even an inch of progress is impossibly difficult.

As for the final bottleneck to condense the Golden Core, I am afraid it is hopeless in this lifetime."

Zhao Qingran's heart also sank.

Remembering something, he asked with a sliver of hope, "What if you had the aid of dense Spiritual Qi?"

"A Tier 2 Spirit Vein might be able to help me complete the remaining Spiritual Power Crystallization within half a year.

But if you are talking about something that would be of assistance in breaking through the Golden Core bottleneck..."

Zhao Qiyang slowly shook his head, a flash of yearning for resources and the helplessness of reality passing through his eyes.

"It absolutely must be a Tier 3 Spirit Vein!"

"However, looking around us, I am afraid only a perilous place like the Azure Sea Forest would have one."

"The Azure Sea Forest..." Zhao Qingran muttered. "Even if there is one, it is likely occupied by a great demon."

"Forget it, let us not talk about this old bag of bones anymore."

Zhao Qiyang waved his hand, refocusing his gaze on Zhao Qingran.

Though he looked aged, his eyes remained sharp.

"Tell me, what exactly is it that has put you in such a difficult position, even driving you to interrupt my seclusion?"

Zhao Qingran's expression turned serious, and he immediately started from his visit to the Xu Family.

He detailed Xu Chuan's recruitment offer, the terrifying claim that the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation would be vastly different from the five-hundred-year calamity, and how he had verified this with the Emperor of Great Liang, among many other matters.

He also included the fact that the Xu Family possessed a Tier 3 grand array and could help the Zhao Family produce a Golden Core cultivator in the future.

Upon hearing the terrifying aspects of the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation, Zhao Qiyang's half-closed eyes suddenly snapped wide open.

His pupils constricted, and a look of absolute shock and awe erupted from the depths of his cloudy eyes.

Clearly, this matter had completely surpassed his past understanding.

The Grotto-Residence fell into a long silence, with only the halo of the luminescent pearls flowing wordlessly.

Zhao Qiyang stroked his beard and lowered his head, sinking into deep contemplation.

After a long time, he raised his head.

He looked at Zhao Qingran with a burning gaze.

Though his voice was hoarse, it carried a resolute and decisive tone: "Choose the Xu Family!"

Zhao Qingran's body trembled slightly as he looked over.

"Becoming a Vassal will naturally damage our reputation, and many clan members will inevitably find it hard to accept,"

Zhao Qiyang said slowly, every word seeming to have been weighed heavily. "But compared to the annihilation of our entire clan and the severing of our thousand-year Inheritance, which is more important?

Moreover, if we bet correctly and the Xu Family truly possesses such heaven-defying means...

Our Zhao Family will be able to rise along with them, riding the tide of their success.

When that time comes, truly stepping into the ranks of a Golden Core Aristocratic Family and allowing our clan to become genuinely powerful will no longer be an unreachable dream!

Qingran, in extraordinary times, we must take extraordinary measures.

When it concerns the Clan Fate, we cannot afford to be Hesitant and Indecisive!"

Zhao Qingran took a deep breath.

The Ancestor's decision happened to coincide with the deepest inclinations of his own heart.

It also dispelled his last trace of confusion.

He stood up and cupped his hands solemnly. "Since Sixth Paternal Granduncle also thinks so, I know what to do.

I will do my best to convince the Elders of the clan and quickly begin selecting the branch members, organizing our important Inheritance, and preparing for the relocation to Dongxi."

Zhao Qiyang nodded slightly, a gratified smile appearing on his face. "Go ahead and do it without worry. This old bag of bones can still Look After the family for a few more years."

"Sixth Paternal Granduncle," Zhao Qingran suddenly thought of something and added, "If this matter succeeds, perhaps you could also relocate to Dongxi for your seclusion.

Qingyan once said that the Spiritual Qi in Dongxi is so dense that even Black Cloud lingers there and forgets to return.

Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, I suspect their Spirit Vein is at least High Grade Tier 2, or perhaps... even a Tier 3 Spirit Vein.

It might be of great benefit in helping you complete your Spiritual Power Crystallization and even attempt breaking through the Golden Core bottleneck."

A glint flashed in Zhao Qiyang's eyes, and his hand stroking his beard paused slightly before he replied calmly, "I will leave all these arrangements entirely up to you.

If the Xu Family is unwilling, there is no need to force it."

"Understood, Sixth Paternal Granduncle. Then I will no longer disturb your quiet cultivation."

Zhao Qingran bowed once more, turned around, and exited the Grotto-Residence.

Upon leaving the premises, Zhao Qingran sent a message to Zhao Qingyan, informing him of the Ancestor's decision and his own resolve.

Zhao Qingyan was overjoyed upon hearing this. "If even the Ancestor agrees, then our chances of convincing the rest of the clan are much greater."

"No, convincing the clan will still require Deep Deliberation. After all, the matter of becoming a Vassal..."

"Family Head, why not entice them with benefits?" Zhao Qingyan suggested. "We can state our speculations about the Xu Family as certainties, such as the Tier 3 Spirit Vein and the Xu Family's confidence in helping someone advance to the Golden Core stage.

That would explain why the Xu Family has had successive members achieve Core Formation.

We can also inform them of the situations with the Zhou, Qin, Li, and Wang families."

"That is a brilliant idea!"

The two briefly discussed the matter and settled on a strategy to persuade their clan members.

The next day.

The Zhao Family convened another Clan Meeting.

The scale of this meeting was massive; not only were all the Foundation Establishment Elders present, but dozens of Qi Condensation Disciples with good potential and aptitude also appeared at the gathering, including two Qi Refining geniuses with Earth Spiritual Roots.

One was named Zhao Yeshuang, a mere twelve years old at the 5th Layer of Qi Condensation.

The other was named Zhao Yemo, seventeen years old at the 9th Layer of Qi Condensation.

For an Aristocratic Clan like the Zhao Family, there was naturally no shortage of cultivation resources during the Qi Refining Stage, so the gap in progress wouldn't be too large.

Typically, it was only upon reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage that disparities would gradually widen.

When aptitudes were similar, progress depended entirely on the supply of resources.

"Silence."

Zhao Qingran sat upright in the master seat, his imposing presence on full display.

A soft shout suppressed the subtle murmurs in the hall.

His gaze swept across the room, taking in the varying expressions of everyone present, and he said slowly, "Today, the core of the entire clan has been gathered here.

The matter to be discussed concerns the survival of our Zhao Family's thousand-year Inheritance.

It concerns the life, death, and future of every clan member sitting here and our descendants."

He did not beat around the bush and directly revealed everything about the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation.

The Foundation Establishment Elders had already been informed during the last Clan Meeting, so they all maintained a calm, composed demeanor.

However, the crowd of Qi Condensation Disciples erupted in an uproar.

"There is actually a Beast Tide catastrophe?!"

"Even the Great Liang Imperial Family has little confidence in surviving it?"

Immediately after, Zhao Qingran dropped the bombshell that the Xu Family could offer shelter to a portion of the Zhao Family.

But the prerequisite was that they had to become their Vassal Family.

At this point, even the remaining Foundation Establishment Elders could no longer sit still.

One by one, they practically clamored to join the fray of the argument!

"A Vassal? Our Zhao Family has stood for nearly a thousand years. When have we ever needed to depend on others for our survival?!"

"Absurd! The Xu Family has only risen to power in the last few decades. Even if they have produced two Golden Cores, what right or ability do they have to demand our Zhao Family become their Vassal?!"

"Family Head! This is absolutely out of the question! Where is our Zhao Family's dignity? How can we face our ancestors?!"

The noise was deafening as voices of opposition and doubt surged like a tidal wave.

The reactions were especially fierce from a few white-haired, highly respected Late Foundation Establishment Elders.

Their faces flushed red, their Beard and Hair Bristling in outrage, clearly feeling an immense sense of humiliation.

Many young disciples also revealed expressions of unwillingness and indignation on their faces.

It seemed they had completely thrown their fear of the great tribulation to the back of their minds.

Faced with the torrential waves of opposition, Zhao Qingran did not forcefully suppress them. Instead, he sighed slightly, displaying an expression of deep empathy.

"Elders, clan members, please calm down.

When I first heard of this matter, my thoughts were exactly the same as yours!

Even if our Zhao Family is not a true Golden Core Aristocratic Family, we are only one step away from becoming one.

We are an illustrious thousand-year clan of Great Liang; how could we easily become someone else's Vassal?

Such a thing that damages our clan's integrity is something I, too, am unwilling to accept and strongly disagree with!"

His words caused many of the enraged Elders to calm down slightly, turning their eyes toward him.

However, Zhao Qingran suddenly shifted his tone. "Yet, the conditions offered by the Xu Family are simply... too generous!

So generous that even I could not help but be tempted and had to weigh them carefully!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Many Foundation Establishment Elders felt deeply curious, so they refrained from interrupting Zhao Qingran.

His gaze was piercing as he swept it across the crowd. "According to Elder Qingyan, the Xu Family very likely possesses a complete Tier 3 Spirit Vein!

The density and purity of its Spiritual Qi are comparable to a Secret Realm Grotto-Heaven!

Cultivating there for a single day is probably equivalent to half a month of painstaking effort in the outside world!"

The moment these words fell, the hall instantly went silent.

Many people, especially those trapped at a bottleneck and thirsting for Spiritual Qi—both the Foundation Establishment Elders and the young geniuses—involuntarily burst forth with a burning light in their eyes.

A Tier 3 Spirit Vein!

These were cultivation conditions that even the Great Liang Imperial Palace might not possess!

Zhao Qingran struck while the iron was hot, continuing his enticement. "Secondly, the Xu Family's Heritage is profound far beyond the outside world's imagination.

They seem to possess a Secret Method or unique resources that can significantly increase the chances of Core Formation!

Everyone, consider this: why is it that in recent years, only the Xu Family has been able to successively produce new Golden Core Perfected Persons?

This is absolutely no coincidence!

Their accumulation and methods have likely quietly surpassed the Cao Clan of Great Wei, the Great Liang Liu Clan, and even the Great Jin Sima Clan!"

Now, even the most stubborn Elders revealed expressions of shock and uncertainty, beginning to ponder the matter seriously.

If this were true, the Xu Family's Heritage was truly terrifying.

Seeing everyone's attitudes loosening, Zhao Qingran threw out his ultimate trump card. "The Xu Family Ancestor personally promised that if our Zhao Family is willing to become a Vassal and separate an excellent Bloodline to relocate to Dongxi, We will not only be able to borrow their treasured land and Formations to safely survive this Thousand-Year Great Tribulation and preserve our Zhao Family's Inheritance.

They will also throw their full support behind one of our Zhao Family's geniuses in the future to pursue the Grand Path of Golden Core!"

A deafening clamor erupted!

The Great Hall was in an uproar once again.

But this time, the clamor was completely different from the previous anger.

It was filled with shock, ecstasy, and disbelief!

"Help us achieve the Golden Core? Is this true?!"

"These... these conditions..."

"This is exactly why the Zhou, Qin, Li, and Wang families willingly became Vassals and separated their branches to relocate to Dongxi,"

Zhao Qingran continued. "This is an Opportunity. Now, this Opportunity is laid out right in front of our Zhao Family. It is up to us whether we seize it or not."

He surveyed the room, taking in the violently shifting expressions of the crowd.

Especially the familial Elders standing behind Zhao Yeshuang and Zhao Yemo; their breathing had grown noticeably heavier.

"Of course, this is a matter of great importance, and the title of a Vassal is indeed not glorious.

Elders, clan members, if you have doubts and are unwilling to yield, I can completely understand.

After all, the Xu Family has made it clear that they will absolutely not force the issue. They will quietly await our clan's response within ten days.

Even if an agreement is not reached, our Zhao Family and the Xu Family will still remain Allies.

Naturally, when the great tribulation arrives, the Xu Family will certainly not have the spare capacity to assist our Zhao Family.

They will definitely prioritize protecting their own Dongxi Xu Clan."

Pausing for a moment, Zhao Qingran asked his final question: "Everyone, this matter is of grave consequence. You must deliberate on it carefully."

The hall fell into a fierce bout of hushed discussions and arguments.

Voices of opposition still existed, but it was no longer completely one-sided.

More people began to seriously weigh the pros and cons, especially since the "Golden Core Opportunity" and "Tier 3 Spirit Vein" held a fatal attraction for those with outstanding aptitude and the supporters backing them.

Zhao Yeshuang's Great-Grandfather, an Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment Elder, could not help but ask, "Family Head, is there more evidence regarding the Xu Family's ability to help people achieve Core Formation?

What is the success rate?"

Zhao Qingran, fully prepared for this, replied calmly, "How could the Xu Family reveal such secrets? As for the success rate, who would dare to guarantee anything when it comes to cultivation?

Even if our Zhao Family were fully prepared, we wouldn't dare claim that we could definitely guarantee a clan member's Core Formation, would we?

But if an Opportunity is right in front of us and we do not fight for it, Then the Golden Core realm will be truly hopeless!

Elders, do you think what I said is right?"

Many Elders nodded slightly, indicating their agreement.

Hearing these words, the eyes of many originally hesitant Elders gradually grew firm.

Even though the Zhao Family was a single clan, it was still divided into several factions.

If any particular faction produced a Golden Core cultivator, Then for the next several centuries, that faction would undoubtedly be the dominant force.

It might even result in the clan being divided into a main lineage and branch lineages.

The Cao Clan and the Great Liang Liu Clan were exactly like this. The members of the main lineage resided in the Imperial Palace, while the branch lineages lived in the Imperial City, or were even relocated elsewhere to fend for themselves.

This Zhao Clan Meeting concluded amidst fierce and complex debates, failing to reach an immediate resolution.

After three days of simmering tensions.

When the Clan Meeting was convened once more, the situation had gradually become clear.

Over eighty percent of the Foundation Establishment Elders and the outstanding children of the clan explicitly expressed their agreement to accept the Xu Family's conditions: to become a Vassal and split a branch lineage to relocate to Dongxi.

The remaining twenty percent were mostly silent or grudgingly accepted the outcome.

Those vehemently opposing it were already few and far between.

With the resolution passed, the next step was a much more tedious and conflict-prone process.

Because the selection of the branch members represented life and death; it represented their future prospects.

Arguments flared up once again, and this time, they were much more specific and sharp.

"My lineage has few members but outstanding innate talent! We deserve more spots!"

"Hmph! My lineage has made massive contributions to the management of the family. How could we be left behind at a time like this?"

"Why only relocate a portion? Since the Xu Family has a Tier 3 grand array, why can't our entire clan take refuge there? At worst, we'll just pay a higher price!" someone proposed with Wildly Imaginative thoughts.

Zhao Qingyan, who had been sitting silently on the sidelines listening, stood up at this moment and said coldly, "Rules are rules!

On what grounds should the Xu Family shelter our entire Zhao Family of tens of thousands?

If they make an exception for us, what would the Zhou, Qin, Li, and Wang families think?

What would the Xu Family's other Vassals, Relatives by Marriage and Old Friends think?

If everyone flooded into Dongxi, do you think the Xu Family is going to Open a Charity Hall?

If it were our Zhao Family, and an entire allied clan came to seek refuge with us, Would we take all of them in?"

Zhao Qingyan paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the rest of the people.

Anyone whose eyes met his immediately looked away, not daring to meet his gaze head-on.