Inside the ornate, crimson Taoist temple, everything that met the eye was a vivid red.
In the center stood a fleshy statue with multiple heads and hands, its face blurry, carrying a mysterious charm.
The handsome yet withered Blood Son knelt respectfully on a futon, devoutly praying in his heart to the statue of the Ancestor of Primordial Blood Creation.
Behind him were the Shengxue Cult members, looking like stray dogs, each with a sorrowful expression on their faces.
The Right Protector, nearly ninety years old with sparse hair and looking like a piece of rotting wood, watched the Blood Son, who was immersed in his own world. He then glanced at the miserable state of the Shengxue Cult members, recalled the cult's glory thirty years ago, and couldn't help but sigh. “Blood Son, the Wanxing Martial Academy is pursuing us relentlessly. What should we do next?”
Hearing this, the Blood Son slowly opened his eyes, bowed repeatedly to the statue, and then said in a low voice, “Wait for the Blood Ancestor to awaken.”
Wait for the Blood Ancestor to awaken? So many years had passed that the Right Protector had long since lost hope. He gave a bitter smile. “Blood Son, what about before the Blood Ancestor awakens? The believers can't hold on much longer. Now, we don't even dare to leave Lord Blood Leech's body.”
The Blood Son was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Everyone, hang in there. Things will get better.”
He paused, then added, “Once the Blood Ancestor awakens, everything will be fine.”
“The point is, we can't hang on any longer, Blood Son!” The Right Protector struck his cane hard against the ground, his voice desolate. “Many believers are already planning to leave the Shengxue Cult. They've had enough of this life of hiding. Blood Son, if you keep going like this, the Shengxue Cult will truly perish.”
The Blood Son turned his head to look at the believers behind him.
Those who had harbored thoughts of leaving lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
The Blood Son fell silent for a moment. Under the gaze of the other believers who still held onto hope for the Shengxue Cult, he once again prayed respectfully to the statue.
“I will ask the Blood Ancestor.”
The crowd of Shengxue Cult members: “...”
The Right Protector nearly had a heart attack. His face, old and withered like tree bark, held a complex expression as he looked at the statue.
He took a deep breath and said, “Blood Son, I believe we should recruit new believers from the outside. We have been placed under the Resentment Curse by the Jiyi Sect, meaning the highest martial arts rank we can ever reach in our lifetimes is the First Rank. Only by finding an outsider and nurturing them with the accumulated resources our Sacred Cult has gathered over the years to help them break through to the Zenith realm can we catch our breath amidst the Wanxing Martial Academy's encirclement, and perhaps even aid in the Blood Ancestor's awakening.”
Only upon hearing the last sentence did color return to the Blood Son's eyes.
He nodded and said, “Right Protector, do as you say. Do you have a suitable candidate in mind?”
The Right Protector spoke slowly, “The Debt-Lending Bladesman. He has sneaked into the Wanxing Martial Academy to kill multiple times, so he must harbor a deep hatred for them, just like us. Furthermore, I have observed him. He went from only being able to target ordinary people to moving freely under the encirclement of the Wanxing Martial Academy and the Crimson Robe Attendants in just under two years. With such rapid progress in strength, his talent must be extraordinary, and he has the potential to reach the Zenith realm.”
...
Several carriages were parked outside the Posuo Hall, with servants continuously moving items onto them.
Zhuang Xun controlled Yi Wangyou and jumped onto a carriage excitedly, shouting, “I want to drive one myself!”
Zhou Ziruo rolled her eyes. “Do you even know how to drive? You want to drive a carriage yourself, and the journey is very long.”
Yi Xiaoxiang waved at Yi Wangyou. “You'er, come here. Sit here.”
“Oh.” Zhuang Xun jumped down from the carriage and crawled into the compartment where Yi Xiaoxiang and Zhou Ziruo were.
The convoy moved forward slowly, leaving the Wanxing Martial Academy. After about one shichen, they arrived outside the Zhou Manor at noon.
At the entrance, the Zhou Family Head and Zhou Zixing had already been waiting for a long time.
Looking at Yi Xiaoxiang as she stepped down from the carriage, the Zhou Family Head smiled. “Cousin, you're back.”
Zhou Zixing said respectfully, “Aunt.”
Yi Xiaoxiang's mother was a woman of the Zhou clan, the youngest sister of the old master of the Zhou family, the aunt of the Zhou Family Head, and the grandaunt of Zhou Zixing and Zhou Ziruo.
By relation, Yi Xiaoxiang was the Zhou Family Head's cousin and the aunt of Zhou Zixing and Zhou Ziruo.
The three of them caught up for a while before turning the conversation to Yi Wangyou, who was idling on the side.
Zhou Zixing laughed heartily. “Hahaha, this must be my little cousin! He truly is a fine young man. I have heard so much about you.”
Zhou Ziruo burst out laughing. When Zhou Zixing looked over in confusion, she shook her head. “It's nothing, Brother. Keep exchanging pleasantries with your little cousin.”
The Zhou Family Head also tried to build rapport with Yi Wangyou. “Come, this is a meeting gift from your uncle. Take it.”
“Oh~ What is it?” Zhuang Xun curiously took the exquisite wooden box handed over by an attendant. It was quite heavy.
The Zhou Family Head smiled. “Your uncle didn't know what you liked, so I just prepared something simple. See if it suits your taste.”
Zhou Ziruo chimed in, “Father, just give this brat some pastries to get it over with. He only cares about eating.”
With that, she tapped her finger in the air toward Yi Wangyou's head. “This time you can eat to your heart's content, so don't keep eyeing the things in my room.”
The Zhou Family Head laughed. “Alright, I'll have the servants arrange it right away.”
“Hahaha, I've also prepared a meeting gift for my little cousin.” Zhou Zixing said mysteriously, “Little cousin, come with me. I'll show you something good, something you won't find on Mount Dazhou.”
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