Chapter 5, The Return of the Ancestors

In his heart, his third sister has always been so young, so beautiful, and so capable, yet now she has aged so much

The plump old man was startled and looked around, unable to help but exclaim: "Third sister, is that you? Third sister?"

Oh, very well, I will give you face," the old woman said with a smile, "Meng Pingping, go and summon all the elders of the clan to the Hall of Blazing Fire, I wish to see them.

"What Meng Pingping, I am Meng Yanping." The stout old man muttered, and hurried to summon the clan elders.

One is a middle-aged woman, while the other is an elderly woman leaning on a cane

The plump old man had red eyes; he was the only biological brother of "Meng Xiangu." Although other elders in the family also referred to her as "Third Sister," this was due to the family's vast size, as it had a history spanning over a thousand years, with many family members being several generations apart. The plump old man's name was "Meng Yanping," the current head of the Meng family. He was nearly twenty years younger than Meng Xiangu, so during their childhood, it was Meng Xiangu who took care of him, acting both as an older sister and a mother.

... ...

She walked towards Dongning City, supported by a cane, enveloped by ripples, with each step spanning several dozen zhang. Even as she passed by some travelers and merchant caravans on the official road, those people seemed oblivious to the 'old woman', continuing to chat and laugh cheerfully.

In a moment, she arrived at the city gate entrance

The Great River

Sister Meng, if you have any needs that require my assistance, a letter will suffice, and I, Huang Xiangning, will certainly do my utmost to help you

Sister Meng. The middle-aged woman's eyes glimmered with a hint of tears; her 'Sister Meng' had not appeared so aged before. This time, after the severe injury, her age was fully revealed, yet one could still faintly discern from her appearance that the old woman had been a beauty in her youth

On Age

Hearing his sister call him 'Pingping', the clan leader Meng Yanping also felt more energized while walking

"Yes," the patriarch and all the elders replied in unison

A melodious bird call echoed, and a gigantic bird, bathed in thunder, swooped down from the clouds, with two figures seated cross-legged on its back

The old woman smiled as she continued to walk forward. A large number of people, including the guards at the city gate, did not notice her. It was as if the old woman did not exist in this world; she simply entered the city, walked along the streets, and arrived at the ancestral home of the Meng family.

Meng Xiangu remained silent

"Third Sister, I am already ninety years old, yet I am still the head of the Meng family. Can you call me by my full name?" the plump old man could not help but say

As this bird approached the ground, the massive wings unleashed thunder that surged in all directions, causing the entire wilderness to tremble, with electric serpents darting about before dissipating

Only the most important matters within the family will bring us here. Today, the area around the Hall of Fiery Flames is heavily guarded

Meng Xiangu frowned, at the age of forty-seven, she had yet to achieve the凝丹, and her hopes of becoming a deity or a demon were truly bleak

The old woman watched her companion leave, then turned to look at Dongning City, a smile on her face: "It is time to go home; being able to return to one's roots, the heavens have treated me well!"

"When I need you, I will speak up," the old woman said with a smile. "Alright, hurry back now."

"Goo goo goo." In one of the small courtyards of the ancestral home, a plump old man was drinking in silence.

This matter concerns the rise and fall of the family and allows for not the slightest negligence. Those who engage in personal gain will be dealt with directly according to family law. After Meng Xiangu finished speaking, she walked out, leaning on her cane

On the ninth day of the second month, in a desolate area outside Dongning City, the sky was overcast

"Younger generation, having three is quite good," said the clan leader Meng Yanping. "Meng Zhu, that lad, is twenty-three this year, at the No-Leak stage, currently serving in the military at Qinyang Pass. He comprehended the secret technique at nineteen. Then there is Meng Wenying, that girl, she is sixteen this year and mastered the top swordsmanship at twelve. And there is Dajiang's son, Meng Chuan, who is fifteen this year and achieved mastery in top knife techniques at thirteen. Although Meng Wenying and Meng Chuan are both young, they have not comprehended the secret technique."

"Sister Huang, I have arrived, I am back in my hometown, you may return now," said the old woman, leaning on her cane with a smile.

Dongning City

Meng Xiangu stood there with a cane, looking up at the plaque in the hall that bore the two characters: 'Blazing Fire'

Enter the ancestral home

"This farewell may indeed make it difficult for us to meet again," the old woman sighed with a smile, "but I consider myself fortunate, at least I can return to my hometown before I die and spend the last years of my life there. Those who died in battle have truly become nothing but a pile of yellow earth."

Meng Zhu, having only comprehended the secret technique at the age of nineteen, finds it truly too late to become a deity or a demon! For he has long forgotten which year he grasped the concept of 'force', and the prospect of achieving divinity or demonhood seems even more distant.

Carrying thunder and lightning, the birds swiftly soared into the sky, disappearing at the horizon

Protecting him has brought him to this day

Originally, she could patiently search for suitable juniors to cultivate, but now time is too tight, and she can only choose the shorter ones

Meng Dajiang shook his head

She wants to choose among the short ones, but truly cannot make a selection

can cultivate the third deity and demon in the family history

"Aunt." The overweight Meng Dajiang bowed.

"You all go back," Meng Xiangu said coldly. "In the coming years, the younger generation of the entire family will be given greater training; this is the foremost important matter for the family, and everything else is insignificant. Before I die, I want to see a promising seed that has the potential to become a deity or a demon"

In the grand hall

"In the younger generation of the Meng family, are there any talented individuals who have the potential to become deities or demons?" asked Meng Xiangu. Although the Meng family has been rooted in Dongning Prefecture for over a thousand years, they have only produced two deities and demons: one was the ancestor Yu Shan from five hundred years ago, and the other is Meng Xiangu herself. During their times, both brought the Meng family to its peak. ... What Meng Xiangu hopes for the most is ...

Meng Xiangu is one hundred and twelve years old this year, making her the oldest in the family. In terms of strength, Meng Xiangu became a deity at the age of thirty-five, protecting the Meng family for nearly eighty years. The Meng family has also prospered for eighty years, and her authority within the family is beyond doubt. At her command, many family members would likely not hesitate to sacrifice their lives.

The old woman's cane gently struck the ground, and where it hit, ripples of emptiness spread out, wafting in all directions and enveloping an area of one hundred feet around.

The middle-aged woman carefully observed the elderly woman, and in the end, she leaped onto the back of the bird. Soon, the bird shook its wings, and thunder spread in all directions through the void

Meng Xiangu looked at Meng Dajiang, who was standing beside her

Meng Family Ancestral Home, Hall of Fiery Flames

The elder sister plays the dual role of both a mother and a sister, raising him up

"Pingping, are you secretly drinking alcohol?" A voice echoed in the small courtyard.

At this moment, two figures finally descended from the backs of the flying birds

Hoo.

The patriarch and the elders stood respectfully, none daring to utter a word

Clearly, I have not seen any outstanding individuals, so I can only cast a wide net and hope that some of the younger generation, around eight or nine years old or eleven or twelve years old, will emerge as geniuses

The old woman instructed, "By the way, Pingping..."

Third Sister

The elderly woman leaned on her cane, gazing at the magnificent city before her

"Third Sister, is your injury truly beyond healing?" the stout old man pressed on.

An elderly woman, leaning on a cane, suddenly appeared in the yard, smiling at him.

Many clan members patrol the ancestral home, yet none can see the old woman

"As long as one does not fight desperately, one can still live for seven or eight years," the old woman said calmly. "Humans experience birth, aging, illness, and death; gods and demons also have a lifespan limit. What is there to be sad about? The next few years will be enough for me to properly arrange matters for the Meng family. Once news of my serious injury spreads back, what kind of response can Dongning Prefecture have?"

What about the younger generation? Meng Xiangu inquired

Meng Wenying, aged 16, and Meng Chuan, aged 15, are pressed for time, and crucially, they have not even mastered the secret techniques.

Boom

"Why are you crying? Am I not living well?" the old woman said with a smile

The Yun family and my Meng family have dissolved the engagement, specifically the engagement of the little fellow Meng Chuan. The fat old man said, As for the others, the four great demon families are merely making some minor moves; they do not dare to truly provoke my Meng family.

This is her hometown! The place where she lived during her youth

Deng

Well, when the marriage contract was initially established, Yun Wanhai also intended to leverage the power of the Meng family. Now that I am severely injured, it is only natural for him to dissolve the engagement with the younger generation

"Have you ever condensed the elixir?" asked Meng Xiangu

After gazing at the plaque inscribed with the words 'Fierce Fire' for a long time, Meng Xiangu finally turned around, her gaze sweeping over the assembled elders, each of whom was slightly tense and bowed.

"Da Jiang possesses exceptional talent; at the age of nineteen, he comprehended the secret techniques of swordsmanship, and by thirty, he grasped the momentum of the blade. Now, at forty-seven years old... he still holds a glimmer of hope to become a deity or a demon," spoke the bald, frail old man.