Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension-Chapter 644 - 395 Qi Fortune and Involution_2

Chapter 644 -395 Qi Fortune and Involution_2

Zhao Sheng nodded slightly and waved his sleeve again, helping Zhao Xinfu up from the ground while asking, “I’ve only recently returned to our clan; I’m still unsure—whose descendant is Xinfu among our ancestors?”

“I was just about to explain. Xinfu is the Ninth Prince today, and if we trace back up the lineage, the ancestor is Qingyang Ancestor’s legitimate second son, Ancestor Hua Xiong. Of course, though divided into two branches today, both come from Qingyang Ancestor.

Speaking of which, all the descendants of the Imperial Family should thank you, for bringing back news of Qingyang Ancestor.”

Hearing this, Zhao Xinfu, without a second word, was about to kneel and perform a grand salutation, but with quick reflexes, Zhao Sheng pressed him back with a finger.

“Enough, no need for such formalities,” Zhao Sheng hurriedly said. These elaborate rituals are too burdensome, and troublesome!”

Qingshan Ancestor observed everything and had a general understanding of what kind of person Zhao Sheng was.

He gave Zhao Xinfu a covert look, hinting something, and the other lightly nodded in response.

After some brief pleasantries, Qingshan Ancestor brought out a sealed jade box and presented it to Zhao Sheng while smiling, “I heard that Qiong Tian you successfully crossed the tribulation. I was extremely delighted; I don’t have much to offer; I present you with a First-level top-grade spirit vein and a land deed covering a thousand miles as a congratulatory gift. Please don’t despise it!”

“I absolutely cannot accept! Ancestor’s gift is too precious, and I cannot accept it,” Zhao Sheng, moved by the gesture, immediately spoke to decline the offer.

Qingshan Ancestor dismissed the refusal, saying, “Ah, it’s just a small token. According to the customs, whenever a new Nascent Soul Ancestor is born in the family, not only will all the Supreme Elders present congratulatory gifts, but invitations will also be sent across the Central Continent to hold a Nascent Soul Ceremony. This gift cannot be declined, otherwise, it would break the tradition.”

“Well then, Qiong Tian here greatly appreciates the gift from the Ancestor,” seeing no other choice, Zhao Sheng had to accept this “generous gift.”

“That’s more like it! Tradition is tradition, and must not be abandoned!” Qingshan Ancestor said, his face showing a satisfied smile upon Zhao Sheng’s acceptance.

After receiving the jade box, Zhao Sheng pondered briefly, then took out a blood-red shining treasure talisman and waved it towards Zhao Xinfu’s table while smiling, “Since it’s tradition, I cannot go against it. But seeing Xinfu so distinguished and likeable, I’m heartily pleased. This is a tunneling talisman I created in my early years called the Hundred-Mile Rainbow Talisman; it’s quite powerful. I gift it to you today.”

“This… a gift from an elder must not be declined! Xinfu gratefully accepts, thanks to the generous gift from the Ancestor!” Zhao Xinfu, slightly hesitant at first, quickly and gladly accepted the third-rank top-grade treasure talisman.

Zhao Sheng nodded inwardly, truly worthy of a prince capable of contending for the throne, perfect in etiquette, graceful in demeanor. In person and mind, he is indeed extraordinary.

Actually, from the moment he saw Qingshan Ancestor and Zhao Xinfu, Zhao Sheng had already understood the purpose of their visit.

Needless to say, both parties were aware of the implicit intentions since they had personally made the visit.

Both parties were clearly aware, no need to state the obvious.

In the past two days, Zhao Sheng had already sent off two groups of “distinguished guests”; today these two were, relatively speaking, the slowest to react.

Just then, a green-robed young man, carrying a teapot and cups, gracefully flew onto the terrace, and proceeded to serve thousand-year-old peach blossom tea to the three one by one.

While tasting the tea, Qingshan Ancestor, “fired with enthusiasm,” started narrating incessantly to Zhao Sheng about some major events experienced by the Southern Sky Zhao Family over the past two thousand years since its foundation.

Starting from the ancestral founder establishing the clan by Dragon Carp Lake, he spoke of the clan’s reluctant migration to Taifu Mountain and its subsequent rapid rise.

Then, of Ancestor Xuanjing establishing the Golden Core, waging a war to pacify Xinglong Origin, and laying the foundation for imperial hegemony.

It continued with the centuries of accumulation, as the family grew increasingly powerful, until finally, three hundred years ago, the Southern Sky Zhao Family marched out from the Southern Border, invading the Ten Thousand Nations Plain, capturing seven million miles of territory over thirty years, ultimately founding one of the seven lord-level dynasties in Central Continent, the Great Zhao…

Zhao Sheng listened quietly, occasionally chiming in to agree, further invigorating the narrator.

These “old stories” that Qingshan spoke of, most of which were painstakingly set by Zhao Sheng himself, resonated deeply with him more than the narrator could.

However, listening to descendants boast of how the ancient Ancestor once did such great deeds was quite entertaining to Zhao Sheng, so he listened even more earnestly.

Qingshan talked for four hours; when he reached the recent centuries of the family’s entrepreneurial history, the details became much clearer.

Then he began to strategically interweave personal biases into the narrative, sparing no effort in elevating some while disparaging others, speaking quite boldly.

As a Nascent Soul Ancestor, Qingshan did not deign to disguise his opinions, and his words were based on his personal experiences.

In the latter half of the business endeavor, it gradually inclined towards the Imperial Family of Great Zhao, especially the previous three “Emperors,” who were all juniors to Qingshan, naturally, he would not let them off.

“…The founding Emperor was named Zhao Jingheng, a ruthless man whose heart and wisdom were not only peerless among his peers but unmatched even among family members under five hundred years old, so he became the founding Emperor of Great Zhao.

Of course, he also gained the most from it. He occupied a full one-tenth of the founding Qi Fortune. It was less than thirty years after ascending the throne when he progressed from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core in one go, and by the time he abdicated a hundred years later, this young man had reached the Late Stage of Golden Core.”

Hearing this, Zhao Sheng suddenly interjected, “Ten days ago, Ancestor Jingheng had already visited. Indeed, he is a dragon among men, and he is the pillar of our Zhao Family’s future.”

Upon hearing this, Qingshan Ancestor’s expression changed slightly, but he still casually waved his hand, pretending not to care, “It turns out that this young Jingheng is so swift on his feet; no wonder he took the lead back then. But leaving him aside, let’s talk about the second Emperor of Great Zhao, Zhao Miaodi…

Speaking of him, it must be said that Jingheng indeed set a ‘good example.’ So-called Qi Fortune is a treasure, priceless even for all the gold! The Emperors of Great Zhao, with the Dynasty’s Qi Fortune boosting them, not only had an unbelievably fast cultivation speed but also were spared from ten thousand tribulations.

If it weren’t for the ancestral decree to alternate the throne every hundred years, perhaps Jingheng would’ve shamelessly clung to his position and never abdicated.

Thus, the intensity of the second succession dispute can be imagined. Although Zhao Miaodi eventually claimed the throne, it was not that there were no others more outstanding than him; it was simply the unpredictability of fate. Of course, this child was qualified as an Emperor, but one thing was quite poor – his overly intense desire for power. When he stepped down, he had barely advanced to Golden Core, utterly wasting such a grand opportunity. Truly a case of wasted talent!”

Zhao Sheng nodded slightly, seemingly in agreement.

Seeing this, a gleam of sharpness flashed in Qingshan Ancestor’s eyes, and he changed the subject to start talking about the third Emperor, who was the biological father of Zhao Xinfu, Zhao Hengfeng.

His ultimate victory was completely beyond everyone’s expectation because both Zhao Jingheng and Zhao Miaodi came from Zhao Huaying’s lineage, yet Zhao Hengfeng originated from Zhao Huaxiong’s branch, a lineage previously powerless to glimpse the throne, yet from it emerged someone of great talent who snatched the imperial seat from others, reflecting his strong character and capability.

The grand battle for the throne a hundred years ago was “spectacular,” as Qingshan Ancestor did not mention, but Zhao Sheng could guess that without the covert support of Qingshan or other Nascent Soul Ancestors, Zhao Hengfeng snatching the throne would have been bizarre.

Zhao Sheng thought to himself and quickly understood the thoughts of Qingshan and others.

If the throne continued to be passed down within Huaying’s branch, it would inevitably cause a severe imbalance in the strength of the Shen Character Lineage.

Moreover, how could the other seven lineages of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith just watch the “Shen” lineage monopolize the throne and exploit the Dynasty’s power to “feast heartily”? They definitely would not!

Since ancient times, only interests have truly touched people’s hearts!

No matter how rapidly the power and range of influence of the Southern Sky Zhao Family expanded, the Cultivation Resources were ultimately limited and could not satisfy the appetites of all family cultivators.

Therefore, everyone started to “scramble” together!

And not only scramble with external forces but more so with our own kin.

Scramble past others just like Emperor Zhao Jingheng, who, within just three hundred years, leapt to Nascent Soul.

If you can’t out-scramble others, you can only blame yourself for being useless, just live honestly for a hundred and eighty years, have a few more children, then get buried in the family cemetery, only to turn into dust after a century.

The position of Emperor Zhao Hengfeng should not be doubted, it surely resulted from “internal scrambling,” and surely the other seven lineages made great efforts behind the scenes.

Zhao Sheng even dared to assert that among the other seven lineages of the Zhao Family, several lineages must have received substantial rewards in recent centuries.

The result was obvious, and the contest for the throne this time was certain to be even more intense than a hundred years ago.

But…what does any of that have to do with him?

After all, regardless of the scrambling, the one who ends up as Emperor would still be a descendant of Zhao Sheng!

Alas, I know what you guys mean, but I just watch and do not interfere, it’s just a word “play.”