Chương 33: A Common Man's Jade Ring

If the Zhang family had been a Purple Mansion Realm clan, or even a Golden Core Realm clan, none of this would have been a problem. But the Zhang family now was nothing more than a tiny clan at the Qi Refining Realm. A common man commits no crime, but possessing a jade ring is his crime. For the sake of Zhang Renan's future, the Zhang family had no choice but to act as they did. When Zhang Liliang came calling, the Wu family was immediately alerted. And the Wu family fully understood the Zhang family's decision.

Even if this Wind Spirit Root cultivator entered the Heavenly Crane Sect, his connection to the Zhang family wouldn't be severed. Because they shared the same blood. The Wu family was happy to go along with this and offer a helping hand. Having stood firm for over three hundred years, the Wu family had their own members who had already joined the Heavenly Crane Sect. In less than a day, the news reached the sect.

A Variant/mutated Spirit Root cultivator was an extremely rare find, even for a Golden Core Sect like the Heavenly Crane Sect. It drew the attention of the sect's upper echelons. The Heavenly Crane Sect dispatched a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator to visit the Zhang family. The spirit root testing ceremony at Green Bamboo Town had long since ended. Aside from Zhang Renan, only one other child among those tested later had possessed a spirit root. And that had been a Five Spirit Root.

In this year's ceremony alone, the Zhang family had produced three children with spirit roots. The three Foundation Establishment clans of Langya County received the news as well. As for the other Qi Refining Realm clans, they were green with envy and burning with jealousy. A Wind Spirit Root! They had all begun contemplating how to deal with the Zhang family going forward… But the Zhang family's response and their choice had come too fast.

Before anyone could even make a decision, the Purple Mansion Realm cultivator from the Heavenly Crane Sect had already descended upon Green Bamboo Mountain. Every major power in Langya County was left stunned by the Zhang family's decisiveness. Inside the Zhang family's main hall, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. At the head of the hall sat a burly, bearded elder in a crimson robe. He was completely at ease, his bearing extraordinary, his face imposing even without a hint of anger.

His thick eyebrows were joined together over the bridge of his nose, and a faint red light shimmered around them.

"I am Weng Zho, an elder of the Heavenly Crane Sect," he announced.

"Where is your Wind Spirit Root prodigy?" Weng Zho wasted no time on pleasantries. He got straight to the point. Zhang Huaijin, dressed in white, stood to the side of the main hall. Feeling the elder's presence, his heart trembled. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The man sat there like a blazing, explosive sea of stars, turbulent, surging, and overwhelming. He radiated a crushing pressure, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

So this was the pressure of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator? Zhang Huaijin wondered what level of the Purple Mansion realm this elder had reached…

"Honored Elder of the Heavenly Crane Sect, here he is." Zhang Liliang brought Zhang Renan before Weng Zho. The six year old boy wore fine clothes and forced himself to remain calm. He slowly raised his head to look at Weng Zho, a flicker of reverence in his eyes. Over the past few days, Zhang Huaijin had been instilling many lessons into Zhang Renan, hoping to foster some sense of belonging to the family. Weng Zho placed his palm on Zhang Renan's forehead and instantly perceived the boy's spirit root.

It was indeed a Wind Spirit Root. And the concentration of its energy attribute was remarkably high. At the very least, this child would become a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator in the future. With enough opportunity, there was a significant chance he could even reach Golden Core Realm. Weng Zho was very satisfied. A smile spread across his face.

"Renan, you will come with me from now on. You may address me as 'Master.'" His voice was calm, but to the Zhang family members hearing it, the words struck like thunder. Zhang Renan's talent had moved Weng Zho to the point of taking on a disciple. Let that sink in, this was a Purple Mansion cultivator, a being who stood high above and overlooked an entire prefecture's worth of life. Not only was he taking Zhang Renan into the Heavenly Crane Sect, but he was also making the boy his personal disciple.

"Renan greets his Master!" Though only six years old, Zhang Renan was no fool. He kowtowed and bowed deeply. Weng Zho's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"Alright, Renan. Come stand behind your master." Zhang Renan immediately did as he was told. Weng Zho's gaze swept across the Zhang family members, pausing briefly on Zhang Huaijin. Then he spoke.

"What does your Zhang family request? If the Heavenly Crane Sect can fulfill it, we will." Joy bloomed in the hearts of the Zhang cultivators at his words. All eyes turned to Zhang Chongwen. What the Zhang family wanted most right now was, without question, a Foundation Establishment Pill. Zhang Chongwen's expression remained calm. He bowed respectfully.

"We leave it entirely to the Honored Elder's discretion." Since Weng Zho had already taken Zhang Renan as his disciple, the relationship between them had grown closer. The Heavenly Crane Sect wouldn't treat the Zhang family poorly. After all, you have to spend money to make money. If the reward for the Zhang family wasn't generous, would these small clans still send their geniuses to the sect in the future? Weng Zho smiled slightly.

"I know what your clan needs most right now is a Foundation Establishment Pill," he said.

"As it happens, I am a Tier 3 Mid Grade Alchemist." The Zhang cultivators felt their minds shake. Even Zhang Huaijin was stunned. A Tier 3 Mid Grade Alchemist… even late stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivators wouldn't dare offend such a person lightly. The Foundation Establishment Pill was a Tier 2 Upper Grade pill, but even for most Tier 3 Pill Refiners, the success rate wasn't particularly high. The Foundation Establishment Pill was actually more expensive than many Tier 3 pills.

The eyes of the Zhang cultivators grew fervent. But Weng Zho's next sentence poured a bucket of cold water over their hearts.

"The sect's current stock of Foundation Establishment Pills is exhausted. Three years from now, I will fire up my cauldron to refine a new batch. I can give one pill to your Zhang family then." Zhang Chongwen breathed a small sigh of relief at those words.

"Furthermore," Weng Zho continued, "I can promise this. Three years from now, the member of your family who takes the Foundation Establishment Pill may come directly to the Heavenly Crane Sect. They can consume the pill and attempt their breakthrough right there on sect grounds. Whether they succeed or not will depend on their own ability." Zhang Chongwen and Zhang Liliang felt their minds tremble. This arrangement by the Heavenly Crane Sect minimized the Zhang family's risk to the greatest extent possible.

The Zhang family wouldn't have to worry about how to safely transport the precious pill all the way back from the sect in three years. For Qi Refining Realm clans and Foundation Establishment Clans alike, the Foundation Establishment Pill was the single most important treasure, a resource that could determine a clan's rise or fall. Every time one appeared, it triggered a scramble among the various families.

"In addition," Weng Zho said, "the Heavenly Crane Sect will grant your clan ten thousand lower grade spirit stones for your development." He paused, then added, "Renan is a member of your clan, and now he is my disciple. Here is my communication jade slip. And here are three Tier 2 Upper Grade talismans." Weng Zho's voice grew calm.

"As long as it does not harm the sect's interests or my own, you may ask me for one favor. As long as I live, that offer will remain valid." The entire main hall of the Zhang family fell silent. The Zhang family had sent their prodigy to the Heavenly Crane Sect. In return, the sect had given them one Foundation Establishment Pill and ten thousand lower grade spirit stones. It had to be said, this reward was already extraordinarily generous.

And the final three Tier 2 Upper Grade talismans were Weng Zho's personal compensation. By taking Zhang Renan as his disciple, he had formed a karmic connection with the Zhang family. Toward the Zhang family, he would not be stingy.