Chapter 539: Zhou Family
"Ruyan is our clan’s hope. Do we really want to put her in so much danger?" A female cultivator asked, looking at the clan patriach.
However, the patriach was expressionless and wasn’t moved by the woman’s pleas.
"Suzhou is different from Bozhou town. If the children don’t experience some hardships and learn to restrain themselves before arrivingnin Suzhou, they will bring disaster to the clan." The patraich said but the woman was not convinced.
"Ruyan has always been well behaved." She said and quickly continued.
"She understands her responsibilities and won’t let the clan down."
"The fifth elder is right. Ruyan has never caused us worry." Someone said.
Hearing this, one of the gathered people sneered and began speaking.
"The seventh girl is proud and arrogant. She relies on her heaven-grade spiritual root to look down on everyone, and always feels entitled to everything good in the world. Such a personality will attract trouble in Suzhou." She argued.
"The seventh girl’s arrogance is justified." Someone said and quickly continued.
"A heaven-grade single spiritual root is rare even in Suzhou." He said.
"It’s rare but the seventh girl is only a true immortal and our Zhou family is relying on the Duan clan to settle in Suzhou. The Duan family may not be willing to protect us if we cause too kuch trouble." Someone said.
"The seventh girl may be engaged to the heir of the Duan family but don’t forget that he is also a heaven-grade spiritual root cultivator. Our clan will suffer if the seventh girl treats Duan family’s heir with her usual arrogance."
The room fell silent when these words fell.
In the end, a male cultivator stepped forward and looked at the gathered elders.
"I support the patriach’s decision." He said and quickly continued.
"The elders will teleport to Suzhou to lay a foundation for the clan."
"As for the children, let them experience life while making their way to Suzhou. Those who survive will be the best of our descendants and they will be the capital for our revolution."
"What if Ruyan doesn’t survive? Won’t we have migrated to Suzhou for nothing?" Someone asked and another elder answered.
"The engagement with the Duan clan is not for Ruyan but for any descendant with a heaven grade spiritual root. Our clan can wait if Ruyan fails to live up to expectations." He said.
Shen Xu shook his head when he heard this.
From the discussion, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan learned that the Zhou clan’s patriach had coincidentally saved the life of the Duan clan’s patriach.
As a result, the Duan clan betrothed its heir to a child of the Zhou family.
However, this betrothal was not unconditional and could only be achieved when the Zhou clan produced a heaven-grade spiritual root cultivator.
Because of this, the engagement remained unfulfilled for one hundred thousand years and it wasn’t until Zhou Ruyan was born that the Zhou clan saw the light.
[What do you think?] Shen Xu transmitted to Zhen Yuan.
[The Zhou clan has a good plan but who knows if it will work?!] Zhen Yuan said.
After all, the clan had hired three hundred masters to escort the children to Suzhou.
Although the descendants would inevitably suffer some hardship during the journey, the masters would ensure that they wouldn’t suffer too much.
Considering this, Zhen Yuan felt that the outcome could be what the Zhou patriach hoped or it could go the other way, strengthening the descendants’ sense of entitlement.
[The patriach is right though. The clan will be in trouble if the members don’t learn to restrain themselves when they reach Suzhou.] He said.
Although he and Shen Xu had mostly been in the space since arriving in Bozhou, they still heard a little about the Zhou clan. To put it mildly, the Zhou family was full of troublemakers and to be blunt, most of the clansmen were local bullies.
[Let’s just do our job and separate from the Zhou clan when we reach Suzhou.] Shen Xu said and Zhen Yuan hummed in agreement.
[Did the book mention the Duan Clan?] The man asked and Shen Xu nodded.
[The Duan clan is the most powerful family in the lower Heaven. Most importantly, the clan in the lower and middle heavens are only side branches. The main branch is in the upper heaven.] The double said and Zhen Yuan couldn’t help but frown.
[Will such a family really honour an engagement with a minor clan from a tier three city?] He asked.
Hearing this, Shen Xu sighed and began explaining.
[You and I have encountered incredible people and don’t take heaven-grade spiritual roots seriously.] He said and quickly continued.
[However, heaven-grade spiritual roots are indeed precious and most importantly, that Zhou Ruyan has a special physique. The Duan family should accept the alliance if the Zhou clan doesn’t cause trouble.]
[You are right.] Zhen Yuan nodded and continued.
[Although her water physique is inferior to a water spirit body, it’s better than nothing.] He said.
[She can cultivate faster than ordinary heaven-grade spiritual root cultivators, and has extraordinary talent in inscriptions. She is not a bad match for a top heir.] Shen Xu said and wanted to say more but a voice interrupted his words.
"Each master will be assigned one descendant and will be responsible for their safety during the journey to Suzhou." Zhou Yong announced and suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"The clan requires the fellow immortals to sign a contract to finalise the hire." He said and the hired masters immediately reacted.
"What kind of contract?" A female cultivator asked.
"A contract to ensure that the fellow immortals do not harm the descendants of my Zhou family." Zhou Yong said and Someone sneered.
"What if the descendants of your Zhou family want to harm us? Can we protect ourselves?" He asked and several others nodded in approval.
After all, cultivators were not saints.
Who could be sure that conflicts would not arise, causing the descendants to turn against their protectors?
"Don’t worry, fellow immortals. My Zhou family will not let you sign an unfair contract." Zhou Yong said, waved his hand, and three hundred jade squares flew to each of the masters.
True to word, the contract was fair and no one could find something to complain about.
[Strange.] Shen Xu said but Zhen Yuan shook his head.
[Not really.] He said and began explaining.
[The Zhou family may be domineering, but the patriach is not stupid. He won’t dare to suppress us before we deliver the clan’s descendants to Suzhou city.] He said and the double nodded in understanding.
[The bridge can only be demolished after crossing the river.] He said.
[Exactly.] Zhen Yuan agreed
After everyone used a soul mark to sign the contract, Zhou Yong nodded and waved his hand.
A breath later, two large boxes appeared at the courtyard’s centre.
"Heaven immortals will come first." He said, pointing to one of the boxes.
"Each of you will draw the name of the descendant you will protect during the journey."
Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan exchanged a glance when they heard this.
Although Zhen Yuan was a great immortal, his cultivation level was hidden and he suppressed his realm when he accepted the task.
At this time, he and Shen Xu followed other heaven immortals and queued before the box.
An incense stick passed in the blink of an eye and before they knew it, it was Shen Xu’s turn to draw a lot.
’I hope I will get a reasonable ward.’ He thought and dipped his hand into the box.
Soon after, he withdrew it and displayed the paper in his hand.
"Zhou Man." He said and Zhou Yong nodded.
"Name?" He asked.
"Shen Xu." The double replied and Zhou Yong made an entry in his registry.
After Shen Xu left the queue, Zhen Yuan took his place and also drew a lot.
"Zhou Xuan." He said and after Zhou Yong made an entry, Zhen Yuan left the queue and stood beside Shen Xu.
[How do you think they divided the descendants? Who gets a heaven immortal protector and who gets a true immortal guardian?] Shen Xu wondered.
[Talent, lineage, legitimacy, cultivation level, ..., there are many ways.] Shen Yuan shrugged and the double nodded.
[Big families are messy.] He said and Zhen Yuan couldn’t help but smile.
[Your biological mother is from a big family and your father is likely to also be from a prominent clan.] He said and Shen Xu rolled his eyes before speaking.
[Ayuan, we probably can’t avoid the Bai family now that we are in the immortal realm.] He said and Zhen Yuan nodded.
[The main branch of the Bai family lives in the upper heaven. We have time to grow.] He said.
Shen Xu’s mother; Bai Xue, was an unknown variable in their life.
On one hand, she had let him live and on the other, she had abandoned him to the cultivation world.
Considering this, neither Shen Xu nor Zhen Yuan knew what her reaction would be when she saw the double in the immortal realm.
’What a mess?!’ Shen Xu thought and sighed in resignation.
After the allocation ended, the Zhou family’s servants escorted the hired masters to their wards.