Chapter 147

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

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

It had been more than three years since he left home to go to the Carefree 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, Fourth Brother had already arranged a marriage for him. It is estimated that in another year or two, Song Qingming will also be a grandfather.

In the entire Song family, only Song Qingming himself was still the same as before. Due to the Foundation Establishment washing his physical body, 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 be able to wait for you to return the next time you leave." Although Mother Song looked older on the outside, her spirit was actually better than a few years ago. At the advanced age of nearly seventy, the old lady still insisted on going to the courtyard every day to do some chores within her power.

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 nodded with a smile and said: "On this long journey, I also bought some elixirs that are good for your health. I will give them to Fourth Brother in a while and let him remind you to take them on time."

"I won't eat them. Every time you bring back these things, I'm already someone with one foot in the grave. Don't you know how to spend some effort to find something I like? I'd rather go see your father sooner, so as not to let your father, that dead ghost, forget me after a long time."

"I'm going to the market in the east soon. Just tell me what you like, so I don't have to rack my brains to guess. Don't worry, as long as it's in this Qinghe County, I will definitely get it for you." Seeing that his mother was in a temper again, Song Qingming hurriedly raised his hands to surrender and said.

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

"..."

Qinghe Market.

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

Now, after Foundation Establishment, he was able to fly on a sword, and it only took Song Qingming less than half a day to arrive here.

The several Carefree Sect disciples guarding the market gate became nervous when they saw a streak of sword light suddenly fly from the horizon.

It wasn't until Song Qingming landed and put away his flying sword, and the several people saw Song Qingming's face clearly, that they stepped forward and bowed.

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

Song Qingming smiled and waved his hand: "No need for formalities. I came here at the invitation of Fellow Daoist Lu to attend the council."

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

"Master has been in the market council hall these past few days, waiting for the arrival of several seniors. Please go in first, Senior Song." The leader among the several late-stage Qi Refining cultivators 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 happened to see Song Qingming's portrait at Lu Yuanfeng's place not long ago.

Song Qingming nodded, said nothing more, and walked straight into Qinghe Market.

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

It had been years since he came, and although the number of cultivators coming and going in the market hadn't 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 recent years, almost touching the threshold of a top-grade alchemist. The spirit elixirs she refined now were not only very popular in the market but also deeply loved by many Song family cultivators. In the clan, besides Song Qingming and Patriarch 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 Song family and the market.

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

Seeing Song Qingming, who had already reached Foundation Establishment, the slightly aged Song Changqiu was suddenly 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 really didn't expect you to actually 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 reached Foundation Establishment, the elders in the family were indeed sincerely happy for him. After all, the Song family had migrated to Qinghe County for two hundred years, always living 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're crying and snotting like this, it's not shameful. Isn't this making the Supreme Elder laugh at you?" Fourth Aunt, seeing Fourth Uncle so uncomposed, hurriedly reminded him.

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

The reason Wang Changhua called Song Qingming "Supreme Elder" was because not long ago, Patriarch Song Changfeng found Song Qingming again to discuss matters and wanted to give up the position of patriarch again, but this time it was still rejected by Song Qingming. The Song family discussed that this wouldn't do either; 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 way to temporarily give him the title of Supreme Elder. Now, besides several familiar elders in the clan, everyone had slowly started to change their address to him.

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 patriarch in these past few years. In these past few years, besides Song Qingming's Foundation Establishment, the Song family had also been developing steadily in other areas. Now, the income from various items in the clan had exceeded that before the demonic beast chaos.

Furthermore, Sixth Uncle Song Changfeng had been very good to Song Qingming over the years. When he was still preparing spirit stones for Foundation Establishment in Yangshan Market, Sixth Uncle traveled thousands of miles to send him spirit stones. Although it wasn't much, this was also a moving memory that Song Qingming couldn't forget in his heart. If he were to suddenly take the position of patriarch from Sixth Uncle now, he really couldn't accept it in his heart.

The title of Supreme Elder is generally only used by major sects. It is a position with power above the Sect Master. Generally, small sects and cultivation families rarely have this title. Generally, the highest power is directly held in the hands of the patriarch.