55: Chapter 55: From Arrogance to Obsequiousness!

Wurong County, north of the city!

A giant manor covering over a thousand mu sat quietly in the north of Wurong County. Night had cast its heavy veil over the surroundings, but the entire manor was brilliantly lit.

Warm, yellow light spilled across pavilions, towers, winding waters, and corridors. Figures moved to and fro, walking in haste, and a faint clamor lingered, completely devoid of the silence and tranquility the night should have held.

This manor was the ancestral home of the Zhou Family!

The Zhou Family was one of the top Martial Artist families in Wurong County, having been passed down for hundreds of years on this land, with a Foundation that was unfathomably deep.

The Family's Legacy had never been broken, with an Innate Realm powerhouse seated in every generation, making their Foundation incredibly stable; even the government dared not easily provoke them.

At this moment, in a courtyard within the manor, Old Ancestor Ancestor Zhou Tong sat in the seat of honor, looking at Zhou Shuyan before him with a somewhat indifferent and disappointed expression.

"Senior, please forgive me; it is Shuyan who has disappointed you!"

Even with his head lowered, Zhou Shuyan could still feel Ancestor Zhou Tong's indifferent and icy gaze, as if countless needles were pricking his entire body, so he quickly spoke to admit his fault.

"Hmph!!!"

Ancestor Zhou Tong let out a cold snort, then said, "You have indeed disappointed me. With a cultivation of Condensing Qi Stage 6, you were actually defeated by a mere kid at Condensing Qi Stage 6. The reputation our Zhou Family has accumulated over hundreds of years has all been thrown away by you!"

"This grandson is incompetent; I ask Senior to punish me!"

Zhou Shuyan's expression changed, his body trembled slightly, and he quickly knelt down to say.

"Hmph, punishment? You deserve to be punished!"

Ancestor Zhou Tong coldly glanced at Zhou Shuyan, and thinking of that earth-grade breakthrough pill that had been lost, a flash of heartache and anger crossed his eyes.

"However, considering that you are going to the Prefectural Academy for the Martial Examination in three days, I will record this punishment for now!"

"Thank you, Senior!"

Hearing Ancestor Zhou Tong's words, a flash of cunning joy crossed Zhou Shuyan's eyes as he respectfully kowtowed in thanks.

"Hmph, don't be happy too soon!"

Ancestor Zhou Tong glared at Zhou Shuyan, and with his Innate Realm cultivation, how could Zhou Shuyan's little tricks be hidden from him?!

"There are still three days left. I have prepared a bottle of Return to Origin Stage Qi-Nourishing Pills and a High Grade Profound Rank Breakthrough pill for you!"

"I want you to break through to the Acquired Realm before the next Prefecture City Martial Examination. If you encounter that kid named Chen An at the Prefecture City Martial Examination, I want you to defeat him personally, wash away the shame of today's defeat in public, and win back the face our Zhou Family has lost!"

"If you can't do it, don't blame me for settling all old and new accounts together when the time comes; I will punish you for all your crimes and show no mercy!"

"Yes, Senior!"

Zhou Shuyan felt a jolt in his heart, a bitter smile flashing across his face, but he still resolutely said, "Senior, please rest assured; this grandson will definitely do his best and not live up to your high expectations!"

"Hmm, go!"

Seeing Zhou Shuyan's attitude, Ancestor Zhou Tong's expression eased slightly, and he said indifferently, "I have already had someone deliver the Medicinal Pill to your courtyard; Cultivate well!"

"Yes, Senior, this grandson takes his leave!"

Zhou Shuyan quickly bowed, respectfully retreated a few steps, and then turned to walk out of the courtyard.

Watching Zhou Shuyan's departing figure, Ancestor Zhou Tong's somewhat turbid eyes flickered, and then he sighed slightly.

Outsiders saw his Zhou Family as flourishing, with Innate Realm powerhouses in every generation, but only he knew in his heart that the Zhou Family was not as glorious as outsiders saw.

Right now, the entire Zhou Family was being supported by him alone.

Although there were several older generation Acquired Realm Martial Artists in the Family, these people had exhausted their potential and had basically no hope of reaching the Innate Realm in this lifetime.

As for the younger generation, there were also very few who could shoulder the Family's heavy burden, and among them, Zhou Shuyan had the best Aptitude and Comprehension Ability.

Originally, Ancestor Zhou Tong had placed his greatest hopes on him.

But he did not expect that with his current cultivation, he would actually be no match for a County Academy student at Condensing Qi Stage 6, which truly made him worry about the Family's future.

He was already over one hundred and forty years old this year, and the maximum Lifespan of an Innate Realm Martial Artist was at most one hundred and eighty years.

If the Family could not produce another descendant capable of supporting the facade, when his Lifespan ran out, the Zhou Family would likely decline completely.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!!!~~"

Just as Ancestor Zhou Tong was lost in thought and worried about the Family's future, a sudden burst of applause rang out not far in front of him.

Ancestor Zhou Tong suddenly came back to his senses, a sharp and intimidating edge instantly flashed in the depths of his eyes, and his mind suddenly tightened.

Immediately afterwards, he was shocked to discover that on a wooden chair not far from him, an unfamiliar middle-aged man was sitting silently, having appeared from nowhere.

The other party seemed to have appeared out of thin air, silent and soundless; as an Innate Realm powerhouse, he hadn't noticed anyone approaching at all.

Ancestor Zhou Tong's aura instantly became sharp and restrained, his aged body straightened slightly, his thick Innate Realm pressure quietly spread out, and his gaze locked onto the suddenly appearing middle-aged man like a falcon.

However, he did not rashly make a move. The other party could sneak into the Zhou Family ancestral home and appear without him noticing; their cultivation was definitely far above his own.

"Who is Your Excellency?!"

"Breaking into my Zhou Family, what is your intention?!"

Feeling the pressure permeating the surroundings that would make ordinary people tremble and kneel, the middle-aged man only smiled indifferently, then suddenly raised his eyebrows.

The next moment, a more terrifying and vast pressure erupted from his body, pressing directly onto Ancestor Zhou Tong.

Ancestor Zhou Tong's expression changed drastically; he felt as if his chest was being tightly pressed by an invisible mountain, his breathing became stagnant, and his Xiantian cultivation, which he prided himself on, was like a firefly compared to the bright moon in front of this aura, so tiny it wasn't worth mentioning.

"Grandmaster?! Or even stronger than a Grandmaster..."

Ancestor Zhou Tong did not dare to continue thinking.

Even if it were just a Grandmaster, it was definitely not something he, a mere Innate Realm Martial Artist, could provoke or contend with.

And if this mysterious person in front of him was truly a supreme powerhouse who had surpassed the Grandmaster Realm, that would be a catastrophic disaster for him, and even for the entire Zhou Family.

Just as Ancestor Zhou Tong's mind was terrified to the extreme, that terrifying pressure was released and then retracted, vanishing into thin air in an instant.

The surrounding air returned to calm, and the invisible mountain pressing on Ancestor Zhou Tong's chest was suddenly removed; he secretly breathed a long sigh of relief.

Ancestor Zhou Tong forcibly suppressed the fear surging in his heart, quickly stood up, his expression respectful and with a bit of trepidation and panic, and carefully bowed to the mysterious middle-aged man: "Junior Ancestor Zhou Tong, greets Senior! Senior has arrived at my Zhou Family ancestral home late at night; I wonder what your orders are? Junior will definitely obey!"

Looking at Ancestor Zhou Tong, who had lowered his posture and was full of caution and compliance, Chen An, who was disguised as the mysterious middle-aged man, raised his eyebrows slightly.

With this ability to be arrogant then servile and to assess the situation, it was no wonder he could sit firmly as the Zhou Family's Old Ancestor and manage the rise and fall of a Family for many years.

His eyes shifted slightly, and Chen An's gaze fell indifferently on Ancestor Zhou Tong, saying calmly, "Ancestor Zhou Tong, scheming against my Disciple for no reason, do you know your crime?!"