238: Chapter 238 A Messy Plot

Cangwu Kingdom, Wind Spirit Sect.

Before the towering mountain gate, spiritual mist swirled, and white jade stone steps extended downward. At this moment, the mountain gate plaza was already bustling with noise and excitement. Numerous Cultivators who had heard the news gathered on the periphery, each stretching their necks, their faces filled with the excitement of watching a show.

"Whoa! The Chi Family of Hu Kingdom really went all out; the Old Ancestor, the Family Head, and the Grand Elder have all been deployed!"

"Tsk tsk, has the grand play of 'reuniting with relatives' begun? Could they really be long-lost relatives?"

"Hey, who knows? But Sect Master Chi and that young Elder are truly beautiful; standing together, they look like a painting!"

"That is Elder Fuqu of the Moonshadow Sect!"

The Chi Family of Hu Kingdom's procession was full of grandeur. The leader was an old man dressed in dark brocade robes with cloud patterns. He had a crane-like appearance with a youthful face, and his eyes were sharp as lightning. The profound aura of the Body Integration Early Stage around him commanded respect without anger; he was none other than the Chi Family Old Ancestor, Chi Zhengyang.

Standing beside him was the steady and composed Family Head, Chi Chengye, dressed in magnificent robes. Two other Elders with profound auras stood slightly behind.

Behind the Chi Family Old Ancestor, the person standing at the head of the Elders seemed subtly different.

This person appeared to be middle-aged with a square face, wearing the standard Chi Family brocade robes similar to the other Elders; at a glance, there was nothing special about him.

He stood silently with calm eyes and impeccable posture. However, if one perceived carefully, one could detect a subtle, heavy aura emanating from him—a refined air of someone long accustomed to being in a high position and in control. It was just that he had deliberately restrained it extremely well, making it almost impossible to detect unless one's spiritual sense was exceptionally keen.

"Look quickly! The main characters have arrived!" a sharp-eyed Cultivator shouted.

Two streams of light arrived gracefully from the direction of Guest-Welcoming Peak, landing lightly on the steps before the mountain gate.

"Sect Master Chi!"

The Chi Family Old Ancestor, Chi Zhengyang, stepped forward with a warm smile on his face. His gaze swept over Chi Shuying and Chi Wanhe as he spoke aloud in a voice like a booming bell, praising:

"I have long heard that Sect Master Chi is peerless in elegance and exceptional in cultivation, leading the Wind Spirit Sect to prosperity. Seeing you today, it is truly as the rumors say! And this must be Elder Chi, right? To have reached the Soul Transformation realm at such an age, you are truly gifted with boundless potential! It is a great fortune for the Chi Family to have such daughters!"

The Chi Family Head, Chi Chengye, also quickly cupped his hands, his attitude extremely polite: "The Old Ancestor is absolutely right! Both Sect Master Chi and Elder Chi are the outstanding gems of our Chi Family lineage!"

The initial flattery had made Chi Wanhe feel a bit embarrassed, but the words that followed started to sound wrong.

Chi Shuying's willow eyebrows furrowed tightly, and her mouth curled into a cold sneer. What do you mean 'our Chi Family lineage'? Are you actually planning to 'reunite with relatives'?!

"Please watch your words, Chi Family. Although we share the same surname, when has I, Chi Shuying, ever had any connection with your Chi Family?"

Chi Zhengyang coughed lightly, his face showing a look of great emotion: "Sect Master Chi, let me speak plainly. This matter is truly a matter of coincidence. During the previous battle in Cangmu Kingdom, one of our Chi Family Elders had the honor of witnessing Sect Master Chi's heroic bearing, and was shocked to find that Sect Master Chi's appearance is... eight or nine parts similar to a portrait of an ancestor enshrined in our Chi Family ancestral hall!"

"Whoa! Is there really such a clichéd plot?" a Cultivator on the periphery couldn't help but mutter, but his mouth was immediately covered by his companion.

"Wuwuwu, I am so moved, a Family reunion!" another Cultivator deliberately pinched his voice to make a weird sound, drawing a burst of laughter.

There were also onlookers who wanted to stir up more trouble, jeering: "It's good, keep going, tell us more!"

Chi Zhengyang acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing: "This matter is of great importance. I immediately ordered people to investigate the genealogy in detail and trace the origins. Upon investigating, it actually uncovered a long-buried secret!"

Chi Zhengyang's tone carried a sigh: "It turns out that an ancestor of our Hu Kingdom's Chi Family line once had a younger brother. Years ago, the two brothers had some... friction for some reason. The younger brother, in a fit of anger, left home and, according to records, eventually established a new household in the land of the Lan Kingdom, spreading his branches and leaves. The ancestor, being angry at the time, strictly ordered the two branches to cease all contact..."

Chi Shuying's elegant eyebrows knitted slightly, and suspicion arose in her heart. She was very clear about her own Family's history; the Chi Family of Lan Kingdom was merely a fourth-grade small clan, and the Legacy never mentioned any connection with any great clan from Hu Kingdom, let alone any secret about an ancestor's younger brother leaving.

Chi Wanhe looked at Chi Shuying in astonishment, her big eyes filled with confusion, as if silently asking: "Old Ancestor? This... is different from what you said before? Did we get it wrong?"

Didn't you say there were none? What is this that has popped up?

Chi Shuying met her gaze, her own eyes also carrying a trace of confusion. The other party spoke with such detail, even the location (Lan Kingdom) and the reason (fraternal friction) were specific and clear; it sounded... as if it were true?

But she was very certain that in her own Family's Legacy, there was absolutely no such thing! Was it not recorded in the Legacy?

Chi Chengye chimed in at the right time, his tone earnest: "Sect Master Chi! The grievances of our ancestors have long since faded away like smoke. As descendants, we are connected by blood; how can we let the old matters of hundreds of years ago sever our Family affection? We should discard past grudges, look out for one another, and work together to advance the great cause of the Chi Family!"

"That is exactly the point!"

Chi Zhengyang nodded, looking at Chi Shuying with burning eyes: "Of course, empty words are no proof. To avoid being abrupt, and to confirm this Bloodline origin, I have specially brought the 'Origin-Tracing Kinship Jade' from our Chi Family's Legacy!"

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and a round, translucent white jade disc appeared. The jade disc contained mysterious and complex blood patterns, emitting a mysterious aura.

"This jade was left behind by our Chi Family ancestor and is extraordinary. Anyone possessing the direct Chi Family Bloodline only needs to take a strand of hair and drip a drop of essence blood onto the jade. If the Bloodlines share the same origin, the jade will react, and the blood patterns on it will flow and connect on their own, blooming with radiance!"

Chi Zhengyang explained solemnly, "Sect Master Chi, may I ask you to try it, to prove the Bloodline?"

The area before the mountain gate instantly fell silent, all eyes focused on Chi Shuying, waiting for her decision.

At this moment, the "Grand Elder," who had been standing behind the Old Ancestor in silence, had calm eyes, but a glimmer of light flashed deep within them.