The Zhou family, Ye Hantian…
The moment Lou Xingyao heard these names again, an indescribable sense of strangeness surged within him, a sharp reminder that he truly existed in another world.
Wen Hanshan had always been a man of unwavering discipline when it came to cultivation, his life revolved entirely around it. Naturally, Lou Xingyao, as his disciple, had to follow him through the same grueling and relentless training.
Over the past three years, besides growing spiritual rice, Lou Xingyao had devoted himself entirely to meditation and cultivation.
Otherwise, how could he have possibly broken through to the fifth level of Qi Condensation within such a short span of time?
After entering the Endless Forest, the situation had become even more demanding. Every step forward was filled with peril, leaving him no room to relax, not even for a moment.
In circumstances like these, where survival and progress consumed every breath, how could he possibly have the time or energy to think about the Zhou family or Ye Hantian?
Before hearing that name again, Lou Xingyao had almost forgotten the fact that he had once transmigrated into a novel.
But the mere mention of “Ye Hantian” stirred something within him, awakening fragments of forgotten memories from the story’s original plot.
At this very point in time, the events of the original novel had officially begun.
Ye Hantian was destined to obtain the Spirit Cleansing Plant within the Endless Forest, purify the fire spiritual root in his body, and awaken a single metal spiritual root, a transformation that would mark the true beginning of his legendary path.
Lou Xingyao had already thought of the Spirit Cleansing Plant three years ago, back when Wen Hanshan had decided that their destination would be Xilin County.
However, he had never entertained the idea of obtaining it for himself.
Firstly, because that opportunity was fated to belong to the novel’s male protagonist.
Even though Lou Xingyao hadn’t particularly liked Ye Hantian when he had read the novel in his previous life, he had no intention of competing with the protagonist for his destined fortune.
Secondly, and more importantly, the Spirit Cleansing Plant was utterly useless to him. His dual spiritual roots, wood and fire, might not have been as superior as a single spiritual root, but for him, they were the perfect combination.
Especially since he had long set his goal on becoming an alchemist.
No alchemist could succeed without both the fire and wood spiritual roots. The fire root granted precise control over the ever-changing flames during alchemy, while the wood root allowed one to sense the life force and energy of spiritual plants more keenly, enabling refinement of their essence with greater precision.
The two complemented each other perfectly and were indispensable to the path of alchemy.
Thus, the Spirit Cleansing Plant would only harm him rather than purify his body or soul.
Moreover, his cultivation speed, despite possessing dual spiritual roots, was in no way inferior to that of a single spiritual root cultivator.
Having read the original novel, Lou Xingyao knew that this difference in cultivation speed was largely tied to the purity of one’s spiritual roots.
The Tianming Continent, being merely a small world, had long suffered from the heavenly calamity that struck a hundred thousand years ago. The destruction of that era caused the continent’s Dao inheritance to remain incomplete ever since.
Because of this, talent was judged in a simplistic manner, by counting the number of spiritual roots one possessed. But in truth, the purity of those roots mattered far more than their number.
Spiritual root purity was typically divided into ten grades, one being the lowest, ten the highest. The higher the purity, the faster the cultivation speed.
Cultivators whose purity surpassed 80% were recognized as possessing Heavenly Spiritual Roots.
And if all the spiritual roots of a multi-root cultivator reached above 80%, such a person was called a Heavenly Multi-Spiritual Root cultivator.
In terms of cultivation speed, such individuals were by no means slower than those with single spiritual roots of low purity.
A single spiritual root with 70% purity already signified a rare genius, one in a thousand. To achieve 80% or higher purity across multiple roots was something nearly impossible.
Therefore, when comparing those with multiple roots to those with a single root, the former were generally considered inferior in talent.
Even though the Tianming Continent’s method of judging talent through the number of spiritual roots was overly simplistic, its accuracy still reached around ninety percent.
Lou Xingyao didn’t know the exact purity of his spiritual roots, but judging from his cultivation speed, he had a vague estimation in his heart.
Even if he hadn’t reached the threshold of a Heavenly Spiritual Root, his purity shouldn’t be below seventy percent.
Given all these factors, the Spirit Cleansing Plant was utterly unnecessary for him.
As for Wen Hanshan, he was already a single spiritual root cultivator. Judging from the later parts of the novel, his purity had reached an astonishing ninety percent. The Spirit Cleansing Plant would be even more useless to him.
Reflecting on this part of the novel’s plot, Lou Xingyao couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The protagonist truly deserved to be called the author’s favorite.
What made this event stand out even more was that the Spirit Cleansing Plant incident was described in great detail in the novel, except for the actual process of Ye Hantian obtaining it.
Neither the time nor the exact location was ever mentioned.
Readers at the time had been completely baffled by this writing style, but as the story continued, they realized that several other key events were similarly vague.
Eventually, they grew used to it and even regarded it as part of the author’s mysterious “Path Equal to Heaven” style of narration.
Thus, Lou Xingyao had no concrete knowledge about the Spirit Cleansing Plant’s location. Even if he had wanted to try finding it, he wouldn’t have known where to begin.
What truly shocked him was not the Spirit Cleansing Plant itself, but the revelation that Ye Hantian was somehow connected to the Zhou family. This detail had never been mentioned in the original novel.
After pondering for a while, Lou Xingyao could only attribute it to the author’s unconventional yet distinctive storytelling.
Outside, the crowd continued to chatter.
“Ye Hantian? Isn’t he from the Zhou family? Then why is his surname Ye?”
“They say he thinks ‘Zhou Hantian’ sounds unpleasant. He refused to use it.”
“And the Zhou family agreed to that?”
“What choice do they have? A single spiritual root is incredibly rare! How could they risk offending him over a surname?”
“That’s true. But what about the previous genius?”
“You mean Zhou Hanshan? I heard he was kicked out after his wedding!”
“What? What happened?”
“No one knows the details. But soon after the wedding, the Zhou family publicly announced that they had severed all ties with Zhou Hanshan. They claimed that all karmic bonds between them had been broken.”
“What? Even the ancestral connection?”
“Exactly!”
……
Lou Xingyao didn’t bother listening to the rest. He already knew how things would unfold. Still, the gossip spread like wildfire, and the camp buzzed with excitement.
A single spiritual root cultivator was already a rarity in a thousand years, yet the Zhou family had produced two within twenty. How could such news not cause a sensation?
Judging by the Zhou family’s current attitude, it was clear how much they valued their new prodigy.
Not only did they publicly recognize him, but they also hosted a grand banquet to celebrate and announce it to the world.
During the feast, the head of the Zhou family even declared before the gathered guests that Ye Hantian would be the family’s next heir, promising to fully support his foundation-building journey.
Such treatment, Zhou Hanshan had never received it, not even at his peak.
……
News like this spread rapidly. No wonder the cultivators at the camp abandoned their vigilance to indulge in gossip.
Even without trying, those with higher cultivation like Wen Hanshan could hear every word from afar.
Lou Xingyao glanced sideways, worry flickering in his eyes. He was deeply concerned for Wen Hanshan.
“There’s an open area to the northwest. We’ll set up camp there,” Wen Hanshan said calmly, seemingly unaffected by the gossip. He even completed the registration with the person in charge as though nothing had happened.
The composed attitude of the very man being gossiped about only made Lou Xingyao feel more frustrated.
The temporary camp was built for cultivators, so the accommodations were limited. Several tents had been set up in the open field and were provided to those in need.
Though they appeared simple, the tents were equipped with basic facilities and embedded isolation formations to ensure privacy.
Wen Hanshan, ever cautious, set up additional defensive and warning charms as he always did before resting.
Now that they were in an unfamiliar territory, his vigilance only increased.
After confirming that the area was secure, he turned toward Lou Xingyao, who had been fidgeting in silence since they entered the tent, “What is it? You’ve been holding back your words.”
“Did you… hear what they were talking about outside?” Lou Xingyao asked tentatively.
“Hmm?” Wen Hanshan gave him a sidelong glance.
“What do you think about it?” Lou Xingyao pressed cautiously.
“Of course, it has nothing to do with me,” Wen Hanshan replied with a light chuckle.
His calm tone and understated response made it clear that the rumors hadn’t affected him in the slightest.
As Lou Xingyao pondered his words, Wen Hanshan’s composed voice sounded again, “Since I left the Zhou family, anything concerning them has nothing to do with me.”
There was not a trace of emotion in his voice. It was evident that he had long let go of the Zhou family. Yet, this detached composure only made Lou Xingyao’s heart tighten with discomfort.
Originally, their relationship had merely been that of a master and disciple bound by a simple agreement. But ever since Wen Hanshan took him under his wing, he had been both teacher and friend, a guiding light along Lou Xingyao’s cultivation path.
For such a man to sever all ties with his family so decisively… what kind of pain or betrayal had he endured?
Disgust and disappointment welled up within Lou Xingyao. The Zhou family’s actions were truly loathsome, and though his mind was full of doubts, he forced himself to remain silent.
Wen Hanshan, however, spoke first.
“If there’s something you want to ask, just ask it.”
“No…” Lou Xingyao shook his head.
“Your face says otherwise,” Wen Hanshan said with faint amusement. “If your heart is clouded by unnecessary thoughts, it’ll hinder your cultivation.”
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Lou Xingyao finally whispered, “Do you know Ye Hantian?”
“I don’t,” Wen Hanshan replied without hesitation.
Lou Xingyao was startled. According to the novel, the first encounter between the protagonist and the so-called villain had always carried the weight of past enmity, as if both were already aware of each other’s existence.
How could Wen Hanshan possibly not know him?
Before he could dwell further, Wen Hanshan continued, “But I have heard of him.”
“What do you mean?” Lou Xingyao blinked in confusion. Did this mean they hadn’t met face to face?
“Ye Hantian is the illegitimate son of the Zhou family’s head and also my half-brother.” The Zhou family’s head, Zhou Yiming was Wen Hanshan’s father.
Lou Xingyao was completely stunned.
This revelation had never been mentioned in the novel. Not even a whisper of such a rumor existed on the Tianming Continent.
Human nature, no matter the world, was fond of gossip. In his previous life, stories about wealthy families dominated the headlines. Even here in the cultivation world, that same nature remained unchanged.
In Canglan City, how could such an explosive secret remain hidden? Especially among the great clans residing there? Both the He family and Zhou family were prominent families of Canglan City.
Ever since the Zhou family had produced a single spiritual root genius like Zhou Hanshan, all topics related to them had become the center of endless gossip.
Rumors about them had even spread as far as remote counties like Pingyang.
Moreover, the Lou and He families were in-laws, and whenever Madam He visited, she always brought along a large entourage of maids and servants. They would gather in private to exchange all kinds of gossip about Canglan City.
Thus, news and whispers about the Zhou family were never in short supply within the Lou household.
Perhaps it was because Wen Hanshan had always lived in seclusion that, among all the gossip, the topics most discussed were those concerning his father, the head of the Zhou family.
Everyone seemed fascinated by the so-called deep love between the head of the Zhou family and his wife, Wen Miaoyin.
Of all the rumors Lou Xingyao had heard, one stood out most clearly that the head of the Zhou family had always been deeply devoted to his first wife.
His affection for Wen Miaoyin never changed, even though she wasn’t from any noble clan in Canglan City. Her origins were obscure; she had been nothing more than an orphan girl whom the head of the Zhou family had once rescued by chance.
According to the tales passed around, the head of the Zhou family had gone through countless hardships to marry Wen Miaoyin. Not only did he openly defy the family’s order forbidding their union, but he also endured countless jokes and mockery from those around him.
In the end, he had even staked his own life on the line. It was only then that the elders of the Zhou family finally relented and allowed him to marry the beauty.
Even after their marriage, the head of the Zhou family kept his word, to remain loyal to her for a lifetime.
When Wen Miaoyin’s health declined from old injuries and she was unable to conceive, he still refused to take concubines or adopt a child to continue his bloodline.
Perhaps Heaven finally took pity on their devotion. In the tenth year of their marriage, Wen Miaoyin miraculously gave birth to Wen Hanshan, their only child.
However, her body had long been frail. The difficult childbirth reopened her old wounds, and within a few years, she passed away, leaving only father and son behind.
Since then, the head of the Zhou family seemed to have sealed his heart away. He rejected every proposal from the clan elders to remarry and instead devoted all his time to raising and cultivating Wen Hanshan.
On the day of their wedding, when Lou Xingyao sat within the bridal sedan being carried toward the Zhou family residence, he heard whispers along the street
“If not for his affection for Madam Zhou, the head of the Zhou family would have kicked Young Master Zhou out long ago.”
At the time, Lou Xingyao hadn’t thought much of it. But now, after witnessing both the Zhou family’s behavior and Wen Hanshan’s attitude toward them, that rumor no longer seemed far-fetched.
Even the image he once had of a man deeply devoted to his wife shattered completely after learning the truth about Ye Hantian’s identity.
An illegitimate son, of the same age as Wen Hanshan. No matter what the circumstances were, it could only mean one thing: the head of the Zhou family had betrayed Madam Wen.
And judging from Wen Hanshan’s calm yet distant demeanor whenever the Zhou family was mentioned, Lou Xingyao could tell, he already knew the truth.
Only now did Lou Xingyao finally understand why Wen Hanshan had changed his surname from Zhou to Wen.
As for Ye Hantian’s return to the Zhou family and his formal acknowledgment as a member, Wen Hanshan’s only response was a faint, indifferent sentence, “I wish them good fortune.”
His tone was calm, almost emotionless, as if the matter held no importance. Yet, to Lou Xingyao’s ears, those words sounded like the quiet before a storm.
Still, when he looked at Wen Hanshan’s composed face, he couldn’t say anything further.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Wen Hanshan truly seemed disinterested in the entire matter, neither Ye Hantian’s identity nor the betrayal of the head of the Zhou family appeared to stir him at all.
But then… How did these two, Ye Hantian and Wen Hanshan, end up as mortal enemies, locked in a life-and-death struggle?
As confusion flickered in his eyes, Wen Hanshan suddenly asked, “What’s on your mind now? Speak.”
Of course, Lou Xingyao couldn’t tell him the truth. This was knowledge from the original novel, something he could never reveal. So he quickly came up with an excuse.
“What? I’m just thinking about your injury!”
According to the original plot, by the time Ye Hantian obtained the Spirit Cleansing Plant, Wen Hanshan had already broken through to the middle stage of the Foundation Building Realm.
But now… forget about reaching the middle stage, Wen Hanshan hadn’t even stepped into the Foundation Building Realm at all.
Could this deviation be because of him?
Lou Xingyao’s thoughts grew heavier.
In the novel, Wen Hanshan had always been a solitary figure, a villain who walked his path alone, accompanied by no one.
So if Wen Hanshan’s stagnation was caused by his presence, didn’t that mean Lou Xingyao himself had altered the course of the story? Was he the reason Wen Hanshan hadn’t broken through yet?
The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became.
“Why are you panicking when I’m not?” Wen Hanshan’s voice was calm but carried a faint chill, as if he had seen through Lou Xingyao’s thoughts.
“How can I not worry? Your cultivation has been stagnant for so long! Do you expect me to just sit back calmly?” Lou Xingyao couldn’t help retorting. The protagonist was already advancing through the plot, while Wen Hanshan hadn’t made any progress at all.
He still didn’t know how the two would eventually become enemies, but if that time ever came, Wen Hanshan’s current state of stagnation would be a serious disadvantage.
“Don’t worry,” Wen Hanshan finally said after a pause, his voice softening slightly. “I’ve already made my arrangements.”
His composed assurance made Lou Xingyao’s heart ease a little, though concern still lingered. He hesitated for a moment before asking softly,
“Brother Wen… you will succeed in building your Foundation Realm, right?”
Before his injury, Wen Hanshan had already reached the ninth level of Qi Condensation. If he recovered fully, he should have no trouble returning to that stage.
In the cultivation system of the Tianming Continent, the Foundation Building Realm came right after the ninth level of Qi Condensation. Most cultivators would consume a Foundation Building Pill at that point to make their breakthrough.
From what Lou Xingyao remembered of the original novel, this was considered the orthodox method in a small world like Tianming Continent.
But in the larger realms of cultivation, there existed yet another stage beyond the ninth level, the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation.
Only cultivators of exceptional talent could reach that tenth level. Those who did so could break through to the Foundation Building Realm without relying on any Foundation Building Pill.
Such cultivators were known as Perfect Foundation Builders.
Though the road of Perfect Foundation Building was longer and more arduous, there was a saying, “Without a perfect foundation, one can never reach the Nascent Soul.”
Hence, though few could achieve it, most cultivators in higher worlds would still strive to reach the tenth level before using a Foundation Building Pill to ensure a stronger, longer cultivation path.
Given Wen Hanshan’s rank and talent in the original novel, he clearly possessed the aptitude to build a perfect foundation.
It would truly be a pity if he were to rely on a Foundation Building Pill while still at the ninth level.
As Lou Xingyao was mulling over how to bring this up tactfully, Wen Hanshan suddenly spoke, “I’m in no hurry to build my foundation. But since you’ve brought it up, I’ll tell you something important. There’s another realm above the ninth level of Qi Condensation, the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation.”
“Huh?” Lou Xingyao blinked, momentarily stunned.
That was exactly what he had wanted to tell Wen Hanshan!
But it seemed that Wen Hanshan already knew this as well.
Noticing his surprise, Wen Hanshan asked in return, “You already know?”
“It was mentioned in my inheritance,” Lou Xingyao replied quickly, composing himself. “I was just about to tell you the same thing, Brother Wen.”
“I see.” Wen Hanshan nodded slightly, his expression calm. It’s not surprising. Inheritances often contain secrets that aren’t known to the outside world
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← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Crossing OverChapter 2 · Lu XioaWuChapter 3 · UncleChapter 4 · Substitute MarriageChapter 5 · Travelling Through BookChapter 6 · SpaceChapter 7 · InheritanceChapter 8 · ExplanationChapter 9 · He familyChapter 10 · CompensateChapter 11 · WeddingChapter 12 · LeavingChapter 13 · SuspicionChapter 14 · Change SurnameChapter 14 · Change SurnameChapter 15 · SummaryChapter 16 · Family BusinessChapter 17 · ResettlementChapter 18 · DeterminationChapter 19 · TreatChapter 20 · Enter the TaoChapter 21 · Private TrainingChapter 22 · BreakthroughChapter 23 · ExperienceChapter 24 Part 1 · Questions and AnswersChapter 24 Part 2 · Questions and answersChapter 25 · GiftChapter 25 Part 1 · GiftChapter 26 Part 1 · Sword IntentChapter 26 Part 2 · Sword IntentChapter 27 Part 1 · SelectChapter 27 Part 2 · SelectChapter 28 Part 1 · PastChapter 28 Part 2 · PastChapter 29 Part 1 · ConfessionChapter 29 Part 2 · ConfessionChapter 30 Part 1 · TradeChapter 30 Part 2 · TradeChapter 31 Part 1 · Male LeadChapter 31 Part 2 · Male LeadChapter 32 Part 1 · LuckChapter 32 Part 2 · LuckChapter 33 Part 1 · GuessingChapter 33 Part 2 · GuessingChapter 34 Part 1 · SystemChapter 34 Part 2 · SystemChapter 35 · OpportunityChapter 36 Part 1 · LingquanChapter 36 Part 2 · LingquanChapter 37 Part 1 · Hundred Flowers PartChapter 37 Part 2 · Hundred Flowers PartChapter 38 · Worth itChapter 39 · SaintessChapter 40 · ExperimentChapter 41 · Vampire SystemChapter 42 · NotesChapter 43 · WarningChapter 44 · PlanChapter 45 · Fellow VillagersChapter 46 · AssimilationChapter 47 · IlliterateChapter 48 · Pak WahChapter 49 · Sudden EnlightenmentChapter 50 · Wen ZhiChapter 51 · CarrierChapter 52 · LeavingChapter 53 · Follow UpChapter 54 · OutrageousChapter 55 · OnceChapter 56 · TeasingChapter 57 · Playing aroundChapter 58 · Beast fireChapter 59 · Watching a PlayChapter 60 · Extermination of the entire clanChapter 61 · ChoiceChapter 62 · PossessionChapter 63 · CalculationChapter 64 · GuaranteedChapter 65 · Grand OpeningChapter 66 · Grand OpeningChapter 67 · Protecting one’s ownChapter 68 · Secret RealmChapter 69 · BetrayalChapter 70 · DetailsChapter 71 · FramedChapter 72 · MeetingChapter 73 · KillChapter 74 · MapChapter 75 · FoundationChapter 76 · Strange Phenomenon!Chapter 77 · ExchangeChapter 78 · LetterChapter 79 · ShortcutChapter 80 · God of Slaughter!Chapter 81 · Poison PillChapter 82 · Lou ShuChapter 83 · ProgressChapter 84 · An attemptChapter 85 · Movement and StillnessChapter 86 · Good intentionsChapter 87 · ChangeChapter 88 · Childhood friendChapter 89 · ThoughtsChapter 90 · Old storiesChapter 91 · HeritageChapter 92 · TestChapter 93 · LoverChapter 94 · Heartfelt wishesChapter 95 · MasterChapter 96 · TeachingChapter 97 · IllusionChapter 98 · Mutual RestraintChapter 99 · ObstructionChapter 100 · PalaceChapter 101 · Core TechniqueChapter 102 · OathChapter 103 · Dual cultivationChapter 104 · AccessChapter 105 · VulnerabilityChapter 106 · DensityChapter 107 · WantedChapter 108 · EntrustChapter 109 · RevisitChapter 110 · MonitoringChapter 111 · Secret RealmChapter 112 · NourishChapter 113 · InventoryChapter 114 · Get Rich QuicklyChapter 115 · ElderChapter 116 · Grand FormationChapter 117 · Heaven’s WillChapter 118 · BountyChapter 119 · GainChapter 120 · BlameChapter 121 · ChattingChapter 122 · GuessChapter 123 · Zheng TianChapter 124 · SparringChapter 125 · Sword intentChapter 126 · KenshinChapter 127 · Auditing a classChapter 128 · CoincidenceChapter 129 · ContradictionChapter 130 · RouteChapter 131 · CostChapter 132 · ConfiscatedChapter 133 · Holding a grudgeChapter 134 · SupportChapter 135 · DeteriorationChapter 136 · Unable toChapter 137 · PriceChapter 138 · VariantChapter 139 · Start AnewChapter 140 · ShamelessChapter 141 · Black PotChapter 142 · Benefiting fromChapter 143 · PieChapter 144 · DifferencesChapter 145 · DetoxificationChapter 146 · Current situationChapter 147 · TeasingChapter 148 · IntelligenceChapter 149 · Returned GiftChapter 150 · Old debtChapter 151 · FleshChapter 152 · OpeningChapter 153 · GrudgesChapter 154 · RegretChapter 155 · Gang fightChapter 156 · GentleChapter 157 · ComplaintChapter 158 · ScreamsChapter 159 · GeniusChapter 160 · ConcernChapter 161 · Hidden StoryChapter 162 · StingyChapter 163 · Guilty conscienceChapter 164 Part 1 · StruggleChapter 164 Part 2 · StruggleChapter 165 · Win or LoseChapter 166 · TasteChapter 167 · Shifting The BlameChapter 168 · MoonlightChapter 169 · Past EventChapter 170 · RegretChapter 171 · RetributionChapter 172 · Cause and EffectChapter 173 · BackgroundChapter 174 · FlatteryChapter 175 · HonestChapter 176 · BookkeepingChapter 177 · FarewellChapter 178 · GuidelineChapter 179 · BottleneckChapter 180 · HabitChapter 181 · Casual ChatChapter 182 · Flowing WaterChapter 183 · RumoursChapter 184 · Seeking AdviceChapter 185 · PityChapter 186 · FormationChapter 187 · BasicChapter 188 · Fake TombChapter 189 · BewareChapter 190 · TraceChapter 191 · DiscussChapter 192 · Ancestral preceptsChapter 193 · Loose CultivatorChapter 194 · AllocationChapter 195 · Thank you for your kindnessChapter 196 · ExplanationChapter 197 · ErrorChapter 198 · Culinary skillsChapter 199 · Starry SeaChapter 200 · ComparisonChapter 201 · FrustratedChapter 202 · Don’t watchChapter 203 · LonelinessChapter 204 · NoChapter 205 · Exposing ShortcutsChapter 206 · CraftsmanshipChapter 207 · Bottom LineChapter 208 · StrikeChapter 209 · Ten GoldChapter 210 · Pretentious