Chapter 147: Supreme Elder

Time flew by, and another two months passed. The Song family finally received news from Qinghe Fang: the Xiaoyao Sect invited all major families in Qinghe County to go to Qinghe Fang for a council.

Before setting off, Song Qingming specifically took some free time to return to Mujiao Town to see his long-lost family.

More than three years had passed since he left home to go to the Xiaoyao Sect for Foundation Establishment. Song Qingming saw that there were more white hairs on his mother's head, and even his fourth brother had become an old man with a full beard.

His nephew, Song Yunshan, whom he had watched grow up, was already as tall as him. At the beginning of the year, his fourth brother had already arranged a marriage for him. It was estimated that in another year or two, Song Qingming would also become a grandfather.

In the entire Song family, only Song Qingming himself remained as he was before. Due to the tempering of his physical body during Foundation Establishment, Song Qingming now looked even younger than he did three years ago.

"You child, you just left when you said you would. You haven't been home for several years, and now you suddenly ran back. I don't know if my body will still be able to wait for you to return the next time you leave." Although Song Mother looked older on the outside, her spirit was actually better than it was a few years ago. At the advanced age of nearly seventy, the old lady still insisted on doing some chores within her ability in the courtyard every day.

The older generation had all come through hardships. Even if life was good now, they would not forget the days of hard work back then.

Song Qingming smiled, nodded, and said, "On this long journey, I also bought some pills that are good for your health. I will hand them to Fourth Brother in a moment and have him remind you to take them on time."

"I won't eat them. Every time you bring back these kinds of things, I am someone whose body is already buried up to the neck. Don't you know how to spend some effort to find something I like? I might as well go see your father early, so as not to let your father, that dead ghost, forget me after a long time."

"I am about to go to the market in the east. Whatever you like, just tell me directly, so I don't have to spend effort guessing. Don't worry, as long as it exists in this Qinghe County, I will definitely get it for you." Seeing that his mother was having a temper again, Song Qingming hurriedly raised his hands in surrender and said.

"Alright! Then go help me find a daughter-in-law."

"..."

Qinghe Fang.

In the past, when Song Qingming was still a Qi Refining cultivator, it would take at least two or three days to come over from Mount Funiu.

Now, after Foundation Establishment, he was able to fly on a sword, and it took him less than half a day to reach this place.

Several Xiaoyao Sect disciples guarding the market gate, seeing a sword light suddenly fly from the horizon, hurriedly became nervous.

It was not until Song Qingming landed and put away his flying sword that the few recognized Song Qingming's face, and then they stepped forward to bow and salute.

"So it is Senior Song from Mount Funiu who has come. We pay our respects."

Song Qingming smiled, waved his hand, and said, "No need for formalities. I have come at the invitation of Daoist Lu to attend the council."

The Daoist Lu in Song Qingming's mouth was the Foundation Establishment cultivator sent by the Xiaoyao Sect to guard and manage Qinghe. He had been here as a guarding cultivator for nearly fifty years. Before Song Qingming was even born, this person was already a pivotal figure in Qinghe County.

"Master has been in the council hall of the market these past few days, waiting for the arrival of several seniors. Senior Song, please go in first." The leader among the few, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, happened to be Lu Yuanfeng's disciple. The reason they were able to recognize Song Qingming so quickly was precisely because this person had just seen Song Qingming's portrait at Lu Yuanfeng's place not long ago.

Song Qingming nodded, did not say anything more, and walked straight into Qinghe Fang.

After entering the market, Song Qingming did not rush to find Lu Yuanfeng, but first went to the Song family shop on the west side of the market.

Having not come for several years, although the number of cultivators coming and going in the market had not increased much, the business in the Song family shop was indeed much better than before.

Second Sister Song Qingwan's alchemy skills had also improved greatly in these few years, almost reaching the threshold of a top-quality alchemist. The spiritual pills she refined were not only very popular in the market but also deeply loved by the many cultivators of the Song family. In the clan, apart from Song Qingming and Clan Leader Song Changfeng, the prestige of the other several elders was not as high as hers. Although she was obsessed with alchemy and did not hold the position of elder, she basically had the final say in all matters related to the market for the Song family.

He wanted to find Second Sister to chat, but discovered that she happened to be in seclusion for alchemy, so Song Qingming could only go to the back hall to see Fourth Uncle.

Seeing Song Qingming, who had already achieved Foundation Establishment, Fourth Uncle Song Changqiu, who already looked somewhat aged, was instantly so excited that his face was full of tears.

"Qingming, when you went down the mountain back then, I knew your aptitude was extraordinary. I truly didn't expect that you would really succeed in Foundation Establishment. From now on, our Song family is also a Foundation Establishment family. Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, and the ancestors of the Song family, if they have spirits in heaven, must be gratified."

Song Qingming nodded calmly. Ever since he achieved Foundation Establishment, the elders in the family were indeed genuinely happy for him. After all, the Song family had migrated to Qinghe County for two hundred years and had always lived a life of looking at others' faces. Now that a Foundation Establishment cultivator had finally appeared, they could at least hold their heads a little higher in this Qinghe County.

"I say, old man, you are crying with snot and tears, it's not shameful. Isn't this making a fool of yourself in front of the Supreme Elder?" Fourth Aunt, seeing Fourth Uncle so undignified, hurriedly reminded him.

"You only know how to interrupt, you only know you didn't believe my eye for talent back then. If you don't believe me, ask Qingming, did I say his aptitude was extraordinary back then..."

The reason Wang Changhua addressed Song Qingming as Supreme Elder was because not long ago, Clan Leader Song Changfeng had found Song Qingming again to discuss matters, wanting to give up the position of clan leader again, but this was rejected by Song Qingming again. The Song family members discussed that it wouldn't do to always be like this; they couldn't let Song Qingming, this Foundation Establishment cultivator, serve as an ordinary elder in the family. This was how they came up with a method and temporarily gave him the title of Supreme Elder. Now, apart from a few familiar elders in the clan, everyone had slowly started to change their address to this.

To tell the truth, Song Qingming didn't care much about this title. He just didn't want to take over the family so anxiously. After all, Sixth Uncle had actually made great contributions as clan leader these past few years. Apart from Song Qingming's Foundation Establishment, the Song family had also been developing steadily in other areas these past few years. Now, all kinds of income in the clan had exceeded that before the demonic beast chaos.

Furthermore, Sixth Uncle Song Changfeng had been very good to Song Qingming all these years. When he was still preparing spirit stones for Foundation Establishment in Yangshan Fang, Sixth Uncle traveled thousands of miles to send him spirit stones. Although it wasn't much, this was a moving memory that Song Qingming found hard to forget in his heart. To ask him to suddenly take the position of clan leader away from Sixth Uncle now, he truly felt somewhat unable to accept it.

The title of Supreme Elder is generally used by major sects and is a position with power above the Sect Master. It is relatively rare for small sects and cultivation families to have this title. Generally, the highest power is directly held by the clan leader.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 148 =====