22: Clarify the path and system tasks

Chen Xuan smiled again.

This time, he smiled heartily.

Even though the Chen Family was currently suffering such a severe blow.

The Chen Family.

A small Family that, apart from him, had not produced a second Golden Core Realm cultivator in two hundred years.

When facing powerful enemies.

Not a single person retreated.

They were all seasoned individuals who had Cultivated for decades, even a hundred years.

Did they not know the strength of the Wang Family and the Zhou Family?

Did they not know that starting a war now might lead to their own demise?

Did they not know that the Chen Family might be annihilated because of this?

How could that be?

Everyone in the main hall knew.

But even so, they still chose to.

Fight!

Why?

Cultivating Immortality, wasn't the ultimate goal to achieve Immortal Ascension and eternal life for oneself?

Why were these Elders of the Chen Family below so fearless of death now?

Including the five enshrined Elders, their Battle Intent was soaring.

Those who didn't know their identities might even think they were Bloodline Disciples of the Chen Family.

Chen Xuan, even now, still couldn't quite understand.

Was the honor and disgrace of a Family's power truly more important than an individual's life?

He was Reborn into this Immortal Cultivation world with the experience of his previous life, influenced by many online Immortal Cultivation novels he had read.

He believed that Immortal Cultivation should be a solitary endeavor, a struggle to survive, to Cultivate and grow stronger, where a Fellow Daoist's death was preferable to one's own, reaching the peak of the Grand Dao, accompanied by solitude.

At this moment, Chen Xuan, however, saw another path with a different scenery.

It also required desperately surviving, Cultivating diligently, and becoming stronger.

The difference was, it required a group of people to work together, to strive together, and to rush towards the peak of the Grand Dao hand in hand.

Even if they all ended up shattered in the process, they would have no regrets.

"Chen Family, Family, Chen Xiao."

Above the main hall, there was complete silence.

Everyone looked at Chen Xuan, who had suddenly broken into a brilliant smile for some unknown reason, their minds filled with confusion.

Isn't this...?

This atmosphere, this occasion.

Smiling like this.

Is it appropriate?

Hmm~~~

From a reasonable perspective, it was indeed a bit inappropriate.

But who made Chen Xuan their Old Ancestor? If they had opinions or thoughts?

They had to keep them to themselves.

Chen Xuan put away his smile and looked at Chen Xiao.

"You are excellent!"

The sudden praise, instead of bringing Chen Xiao any joy, made him feel a little panicked.

He thought to himself.

"What's wrong with Old Ancestor?"

Unconsciously, the Clan Chief of the Immortal Cultivation Family, the Chen Family, had already changed from the first generation to the sixth generation.

It had been almost four hundred years.

Chen Xuan was the third generation; he only learned about the Chen Family managed by the first two generations from the Family records and did not experience it firsthand, so he would not comment.

The later third, fourth, and fifth generations.

They were unremarkable; if Chen Xuan had not emerged, the Chen Family would likely have already declined.

Until Chen Xiao's generation.

Now, this was the most glorious time.

Chen Xuan merely provided protection for the Chen Family; in the century after achieving Golden Core.

Although his strength was unmatched in the Family, he was revered as the Grand Elder, and after all his peers died, he even earned the title of Old Ancestor.

However, he had never interfered with the Chen Family's development, not even appearing more than three times.

He had not given the Chen Family a single cent of the resources he obtained from outside, yet he received the Grand Elder's monthly offerings.

Chen Xuan knew that he deserved it.

Without him, a Golden Core Realm cultivator, guarding them, the Chen Family would have no foothold in the Qilian Mountains.

He had never considered that he was also a part of the Chen Family, that there was no such thing as 'should' or 'should not'.

It was as if he had never truly integrated into the Family.

In his eyes and heart, to put it bluntly, the Chen Family had always been like a burden, and Chen Xuan had never taken seriously such a small Family whose annual profits could barely match the cost of one of his Cultivation Medicinal Pills.

A century's worth of offerings was less than the resources he gained from casually slaying a Golden Core Yao Beast during his outdoor training.

Indeed, if he hadn't Awakened the Family-type System.

Chen Xuan would probably have left the Forbidden Ground behind the mountain again long ago to pursue his own Dao, never mind caring about the Chen Family's future development or fate.

These days, he had been closely observing the Chen Family's affairs, and now he had even personally come out of seclusion to preside over the overall situation.

This was actually still because of the System.

But now.

It was not entirely because of the System anymore.

Chen Xuan looked at the figures and faces below.

His mindset had also completely changed.

These were all fine young men of their Chen Family.

At this moment, he should wield his sword and lead everyone.

To attack the Zhou and Wang Families and avenge the Chen Family Disciples who died in battle!

Not just for the task the System had just issued.

For his own Dao.

But more importantly, Chen Xuan now genuinely wished to lead all the Chen Family Disciples to jointly reach the peak of the Immortal Dao.

To forge the First Immortal Clan of All Ages.

Who but I!

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for clarifying the Dao of Family Immortal Cultivation and firming his Dao. Expand the Family's power and lead the Chen Family to stand at the peak of all realms. The System hereby awards one Supreme-Grade Infant Breaking Pill and 100 Family Points as encouragement. Please continue your efforts, Host."

...

There was even a reward?

Chen Xuan was also surprised, this was truly an unexpected delight.

One Supreme-Grade Infant Breaking Pill was worth three hundred Family Points, which could only be accumulated in a month, and he was about to break through to the Soul Transformation Realm soon.

This Infant Breaking Pill had arrived just in time.

The additional one hundred Family Points reward could be exchanged for two Supreme-Grade Golden Core Pills.

They could be given to Chen Xiao and Chen Yuntian.

As for Chen Zhen.

The Blood Demon Curse, this forbidden art, he had stumbled upon it in a marketplace. It could increase battle power several times when used, which was truly Heaven-Defying.

However, the corresponding side effects were incredibly severe, to the point where even a cultivator could hardly bear them.

He was currently considered completely crippled, reduced to a Mortal awaiting death.

To recover, he would need a Fifth-Order Nirvana Pill.

A Fifth-Order Medicinal Pill corresponded to the Nascent Soul Realm.

If it were before the System's Awakening, Chen Xuan could only have regretfully given up on Chen Zhen, as it would be impossible for him and the Chen Family to acquire a Fifth-Order Medicinal Pill in a short period, even if they exhausted all their resources.

But now, he felt he could still save him.

However, not immediately. A Supreme-Grade nirvana pill in the System's exchange shop cost five thousand Family Points.

At the current rate of accumulating Family Points, it would take a year and a half.

Chen Zhen's body naturally couldn't wait that long.

Chen Xuan had secretly calculated that, with all life-sustaining methods employed, he could probably only extend his life by one more month.

Within this month, he must exchange for and administer the Supreme-Grade nirvana pill.

Otherwise, even an Immortal would be powerless to save him.

Five thousand Family Points, where would they come from?

He could only turn his attention to the two tasks the System had previously issued.

"Ding! Detecting that the host's Family development has encountered a phased hardship, a side quest has been triggered."

"Quest 1: Annihilate the Wang Family. Reward: 10,000 Family Points, Supreme-Grade Infant Breaking Pill * 10."

"Quest 2: Annihilate the Zhou Family. Reward: 10,000 Family Points, Supreme-Grade Infant Breaking Pill * 10."

"Side quest rewards are generous. Upon completion, they can provide the host with a large amount of resources, assisting the host in completing the main quest of forging the First Immortal Clan of All Ages early. Rewards will be issued upon completion without needing to accept the quest. The host can choose whether to complete them according to his own will."

The System was very user-friendly; it did not force Chen Xuan to complete the tasks.

However, the task content was designed to perfectly align with what Chen Xuan was currently about to do, so he would definitely choose to try his best to complete the tasks.

Annihilate the Wang Family and the Zhou Family.

Unify this ten-thousand-mile radius, allowing the Chen Family to truly make a name for itself in the southern region of the Qilian Mountains.