Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1566: Chapter 969: Each with Their Own Plans (Part 2)

"Let’s go see Kou Ta and the others first."

After Yang Zhenshan spoke, he brought Ning Yun to the Wuzhen Taoist Palace.

The Wuzhen Taoist Palace was no longer what it used to be. All those pagodas from the Wuxiang Sect had been torn down and replaced with many pavilions and palaces.

However, the Four-direction Hall was still there, serving as the Sect Main Hall of Wuzhen Taoist Palace.

Xuanzhen was not around; the one managing the Wuzhen Taoist Palace was his Disciple Chang Ming.

Chang Ming was now over forty, with cultivation at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer. Among Xuanzhen’s few Disciples, he was the most outstanding and the one Xuanzhen was grooming as his main successor.

"Chang Ming pays respects to Old Ancestor!"

"Mm. Please invite Kou and Fellow Daoist Hong over, and also Li Shangyuan."

At Yang Zhenshan’s instruction, a short while later Chang Ming brought the three of them to a side hall of the Four-direction Hall.

Li Shangyuan was also wearing Daoist robes now. He had taken Xuanzhen as his master as a registered Disciple, and could now be considered a member of the Wuzhen Taoist Palace.

"I greet Pill Master Yang!"

"Disciple pays respects to Old Ancestor!"

"Hehe, sit." Yang Zhenshan gestured for Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta to sit down.

Li Shangyuan was a Disciple of the Wuzhen Taoist Palace, and in front of Yang Zhenshan he now counted as a junior, so Yang Zhenshan did not invite him to sit.

"You came to me for something?" Yang Zhenshan looked at Li Shangyuan.

Looking a little embarrassed, Li Shangyuan said, "Disciple’s cultivation has now reached the Peak of Qi Refining."

"Peak of Qi Refining." Yang Zhenshan smiled. "This is what I promised you back then; there’s no need to feel awkward."

As he spoke, he took out a superior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill and handed it to him. "Take it. Ning Yun, you’ll stand guard for him when the time comes."

What Li Shangyuan wanted was a Foundation Establishment Pill. Back then Yang Zhenshan had promised to give him one pill.

"This disciple obeys." Ning Yun said.

"Disciple thanks Old Ancestor!" Li Shangyuan received the Foundation Establishment Pill and thanked him in delight.

With a wave of his sleeve, Yang Zhenshan let his Mana surge out and helped him back to his feet.

"You and I are old acquaintances; there’s no need to be so formal."

"Since you’ve already joined the Wuzhen Taoist Palace, then cultivate properly here. Xuanzhen will not treat you poorly."

"If you need anything, you can look for Ning Yun."

After a few simple words with Li Shangyuan, the latter sensibly took his leave.

Once he had departed, Yang Zhenshan turned his gaze to Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta.

"You two are here for the matter of the Sun Cave Heaven?"

Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta exchanged a look. "Yes. We want to venture into the Sun Cave Heaven."

Yang Zhenshan held his tea cup and took a light sip, then said unhurriedly, "You should be aware of the danger involved."

"It’s a rare chance. If we let it slip by, we’ll probably regret it for the rest of our lives." Hong Fuxiu said in a low voice.

For any Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the Sun Cave Heaven was a heaven-sent opportunity.

It wasn’t that they were greedy; it was that they had to fight for it.

If they didn’t, they would only be able to struggle bitterly their whole lives. If they did, they might just get a chance to soar into the sky in one leap.

What Immortal Cultivators feared most was not taking risks, but being unable to move forward on the path of immortality.

Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta were both quite strong; among Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, they counted as outstanding.

But they were still constrained by a lack of resources. Even though they were Guest Elders of the Ten Thousand Treasures Store, even though Yang Zhenshan gave them very high salary, they still found it hard to make progress.

"To be frank, I don’t recommend that you go. But if you insist on going, I won’t stop you." Yang Zhenshan looked at them.

Although Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta were currently drawing the pay and salary he gave them, they were not Yang Zhenshan’s subordinates; at most they could be considered hired hands.

In fact, the pay and salary Yang Zhenshan gave them were very generous. The pay was in the form of contribution points at the Ten Thousand Treasures Store. The reason they could stay in the Sea of Spirit for so long was because they had accepted the task Yang Zhenshan posted at the Ten Thousand Treasures Store, so this reward was unavoidable.

The salary, on the other hand, came from the Guest Elder salary of the Wuzhen Taoist Palace. It was a bit lower than the cultivation salary in the Spirit Source Land and was the same as what Bai Xiaoyun received.

Yang Zhenshan could forbid Yang Jizhen and the others from going to the Sun Cave Heaven, but he could not demand that Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta also stay away.

Hong Fuxiu hesitated for a moment, then said, "We’d like to go together with Pill Master Yang. Please be at ease, Pill Master Yang, we’re willing to serve under you. If Pill Master Yang doesn’t trust us, we can swear a Great Dao Oath."

The so-called Great Dao Oath was to swear on one’s future. It carried strong binding force; once violated, Heart Demons would arise, and the possibility of reaching Core Formation would be almost cut off.

However, a Great Dao Oath was not omnipotent; there were still many loopholes that could be exploited.

Even so, a Great Dao Oath was still a shackle. Very few people were willing to swear such an oath.

Yang Zhenshan waved his hand. "No need. I trust the two of you."

The Great Dao Oath had binding force, but once the two of them swore it, it could also create a rift between them and him.

Forcing them to swear carried an element of coercion. They might be willing to do it, but it would definitely not be wholehearted.

Yang Zhenshan would not do something so offensive. As for whether Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta could be trusted, Yang Zhenshan still felt he could trust them; in his eyes, the two were friends worth associating with.

Of course, he would still maintain necessary precautions.

One must not be without a guarded heart.

Let alone Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta; even with Xuanzhen and Yun Xiao, Yang Zhenshan still maintained a measure of vigilance.

The Immortal Cultivation World was never short of betrayal.

A single ore, a single stalk of Spirit Grass, a single Cultivation Technique, a single Elixir—any of these could make sworn brothers betray each other, could make blood brothers slaughter each other.

So Yang Zhenshan harbored a portion of wariness toward anyone.

Including people like Yang Jizhen and Cui Yang.

But caution was just caution; Yang Zhenshan would still treat them sincerely and never be stingy with resources.

His wariness only meant he would have his own considerations in certain matters.

Yang Zhenshan weighed it a moment, then said, "I can take you along, but you must act according to my orders."

"As for the gains, I can’t guarantee how much I’ll give you. I can only promise I won’t shortchange you."

Some things could not be stated too plainly, and some things could not be done too absolutely.

They had yet to enter the Sun Cave Heaven; anything said now would be premature.

"Many thanks for fulfilling our wish, Pill Master Yang." Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta rose and bowed in thanks.

Yang Zhenshan waved his hand. "Since you’re going, then go make your preparations first. If you need anything, you can also look for Ning Yun."

"Pill Master Yang, don’t worry, we know what to prepare." Hong Fuxiu said.

...

After seeing Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta off, Yang Zhenshan headed to the Mianyun Continent again.

The ones seeking him were not only Jian Qingxiao, but also Jian Guyun.

Seeing Jian Guyun did not surprise Yang Zhenshan.

With something as major as the Sun Cave Heaven, Hidden Sword Mountain could not possibly turn a blind eye, nor could it avoid stepping in.

"Greetings, Elder Gu Yun."

In the Guest Elder Hall, when Yang Zhenshan arrived, everyone happened to be present.

Jian Guyun, Jian Qingxiao, Yun Xiao, Yun Xi, and Liu Yue.

"Elder Yang, please take a seat." Jian Guyun said with a gentle smile.

Yang Zhenshan was not polite and took a seat below Jian Guyun.

He was still the Hall Master of the Guest Elder Hall of Hidden Sword Mountain. Though it was only a title, it was still a genuine Hall Master position.

"What does Elder Yang think of the matter of the Sun Cave Heaven?" Jian Guyun did not waste words, going straight to the point.

Yang Zhenshan gave a small laugh. "How else can I see it? With immortal fortune right in front of us, who could be willing not to give it a try?"

Jian Guyun nodded slightly. "This old man will be going to the Sun Cave Heaven together with Canghai and Suxin. Would Elder Yang and Elder Yun Xiao be willing to go with us?"

Yang Zhenshan’s expression shifted slightly. Was Hidden Sword Mountain planning to stake everything?

From what he knew, Hidden Sword Mountain should have six Foundation Establishment Elders: Jian Guyun, Jian Canghai, Jian Suxin, and Jian Qingxiao, plus two from the younger generation.

But he didn’t know the exact details.

After all, he had never once visited Hidden Sword Mountain up to now.

Hidden Sword Mountain had always maintained some guard against them.

That was normal. After all, as Guest Elders, they were still outsiders within Hidden Sword Mountain.

This time, with Jian Guyun, Jian Canghai, and Jian Suxin all entering the Sun Cave Heaven together, one could say Hidden Sword Mountain was deploying its top combat strength.

"What about the Mountain Master?" Yang Zhenshan asked.

"The Mountain Master is still in seclusion. He won’t be coming out." Jian Guyun said.

Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment, then looked at Yun Xiao.

Yun Xiao gently shook his head.

Yang Zhenshan could only say, "We won’t be traveling together with the three seniors."

"Why?" Jian Guyun’s brows knit slightly.

"Senior should understand—we also wish to go a step further." Yang Zhenshan said.

The reason was simple: if he went with Jian Guyun and the others, Yang Zhenshan would lose the freedom to act and would be unable to make his own decisions; everything would have to follow Jian Guyun’s commands.

Having Yang Zhenshan obey Jian Guyun’s orders was obviously impossible.

Moreover, there was no foundation of mutual trust between the two sides.

Yang Zhenshan and Yun Xiao had a friendship spanning decades, but he did not have such deep ties with Jian Guyun.