Chapter 24: Huang Xue

“Now, if you may, Huang Xue, please introduce yourself if you would.” Shen Lin respectfully said to Huang Xue.

Stepping forward a bit, Huang Xue smiled as he addressed the Shen Clan: “As I’ve said before, everyone do not have to feel reserved around me! Simply addressing me as ‘Shen’ Huang Xue or just Huang Xue shall do from now on! Haha, as for other things, I truly do not have anything more special to say. Is there any questions you all may want to ask?”

The crowd briefly buzzed with excited whispers and murmurs, before an elder in cyan clothing spoke out:

“Huang Xue, child, forgive this old man for asking, but what are your accomplishments on your cultivation road? With your ability to fly in the air, this old bone shall assume...you’re already in the Tian realm?”

This elder’s eyes twinkled with expectation as he stared at Huang Xue. The surrounding clansmen also quiet down as they watched with anticipation.

Standing beside the white haired youth, no one noticed the face of Shen Yin Tian and his son subtly twitch when the cyan elder called Huang Xue a ‘child’. But they said nothing to the elder. After all, besides his son and himself, Shen Yin Tian did not tell anyone else Huang Xue’s true identity. With the grand sect’s ancestor not seeming to mind either, the father and son duo could comply with the former’s wish and continue their act.

Huang Xue slightly faced the cyan robed elder, as he replied coolly: “You are mistaken, respected elder. This one has not reached the Tian realm yet, and had only used an Aerial Talisman for flying.”

Producing a yellow paper talisman in his hand, Huang Xue waved it in front of the crowd.

“Ah...so that was why he could fly in the air previously…”

“It was an Aerial Talisman huh...I should have expected that.”

“Fool! So what if he used an Aerial Talisman? Do you not know how much Qi Stones those kind of talisman cost?! They could go for up to 6 thousand Qi stones in the normal market! More than a whole month of salary...Him being able to freely use such expensive item already shows he’s not ordinary! I reckon, he probably still have many more in his cosmic bag…”

“Damn, the sect this Huang Xue hails from truly is not simple! He looks much younger than, yet he already possesses such wealth!”

Huang Xue smiled as he continued on: “As for my cultivation…”

While Huang Xue said this, a soft undulation rippled out from his body. Feeling this aura, the cyan robed elder looked at Huang Xue in complete disbelief before he finally managed to find his voice again:

“This is...Jie Hai realm...7th stage?!”

When the surrounding Shen clansmen heard this elder’s assessment, their eyes could not help widen as big as a saucer. Earlier, when the younger generations had Huang Xue’s aura, they only felt a strong oppressive feeling from the white haired youth. They could only tell that the other person was indeed powerful!

However, for elders like the one in cyan robe, who had reached the peak of the Tian realm, they were more keen in understanding the exact level the youth before them had reached! As such, their shocked expression could said to be even more exaggerated than the younger members!

To reach the late stages of the Jie Hai realm before the age of twenty...this kind of person could absolutely be called a genius within the Long Dynasty!

One has to know, given the scarce resources and thin layer of Earthly Qi in the air of the Lower Regions, to even reach the Jie Hai realm before the age of twenty was already exceedingly difficult.

In the Lower Regions, for normal cultivators to able to enter the first stage of the Jie Hai realm before twenty years old, was already classified as extremely good. It was common for cultivators to stop at the peak of the Temporal Di realm, being unable to breakthrough for the rest of their life.

For ones who could reach the Jie Hai stages higher than the fourth level, when one is not even twenty years old? Those practitioners are the ones who can truly be hailed as genuine geniuses!

And now, one of such genius was actually standing in front of them!

“Sigh...not simple, truly not simple! Child, you look to be only around sixteen or seventeen years of age, yet to be able to reach the Jie Hai 7th stage...your talent is on par with those core disciples from elite sects! This old man is truly impressed...” The cyan robed said with a depressed sigh. Why couldn’t their Shen Clan produce a genius like this?

In the Shen Clan, their most talented genius had only reached the 5th stage of Jie Hai realm at the age of eighteen. But compared to this Huang Xue, it was like the difference between Heaven and Earth!

Huang Xue only smiled at the old man and did not further comment. At this time, the Shen Lin stepped forward and announced:

“Now that this matter is settled, everyone may now be dismissed! As for the younger generation members, I hope you set Huang Xue as your role model and work hard in your cultivation! That is all!”

Hearing the end of the gathering, everyone began to slowly disperse as they went back to their own business, tingling with excitement and envy from meeting the new Shen ‘clan member’.

After everyone has left, Shen QIn and Shen Yin Tian promptly took Huang Xue inside a luxurious room reserved for important guests. Although the room was several times smaller than the room that he was used to, Huang Xue did not mind as he sat down on a wooden chair, reserved for the patriarch. The two elders sat in the elders’ seat front of Huang Xue, having Shen Yin Tian seated on the left and Shen Lin being on the right side.

While Huang Xue was taking a sip from a cup of tea that Shen Yin Tian had personally served him, the latter anxiously spoke up:

“Honored ancestor, it is a blessing to see that you are still in this world! It is this little one’s greatest fortune to meet you like this, and I hope you would not mind this shabby mansion of mine…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You do not have to be so courteous, as I’m now a part of your Shen Clan’s younger generation. Speak freely; I promise you will not be blamed.” Huang Xue said as he took another sip from his tea.

“Y-yes…” Shen Yin Tian said awkwardly. With the ancestor of one of the four grand sects in front of him, how could he not be courteous? But deep inside, he felt a surging happiness for the Hall’s ancestor to be so polite and amicable. It was contrary to his expectations of those lofty and serious executives…

“For you to personally come down to the Lower Regions, this little one wonders what would be your honor’s next step?” While Shen Yin Tian was told about the ancestor’s arrival, he was not told of the latter’s plan or purpose.

“To join the Six Ocean Sect.”

“Eh? But with your status...no, no, supreme master must have his reasons for this, so this one shall not ask any further. But since the supreme master wishes to a Sect, why not join…”

“Because my destiny lies there.” Huang Xue nonchalantly interrupted Shen Yin Tian, as he placed his cup down.

“Ah…” Shen Yin Tian did not say anymore as he respectfully lowered his head. Although Shen Yin Tian still did not fully understand what Huang Xue meant, given the latter’s calibre, perhaps it was not something a person like himself could comprehend all along.

“Then, supreme master, shall I send a word to the Six Ocean Sect and have them directly accept you?” Shen Lin, who had been sitting idly by, suddenly spoke up. He wanted to showcase his service to this high being whom even his father revered.

“No need. I shall participate in the disciple selection myself. It all apart of what I should do.” Huang Xue replied. “And you both should stop calling me ‘supreme master’ this and ‘supreme master’ that. Here, you can just call me Huang Xue. How many times do I have to tell you guys this…”

“That is…” Both of the elders were tongue tied as they tried to think of a response.

“*sigh*...Don’t think too hard about it. In time, you’ll get used to it. So just address me as ‘Huang Xue’ from now on. And to alleviate you both from your needless guilt, this wish of mine shall be an order.” Huang Xue said.

Shen Yin Tian and Shen Lin looked at each other before they turned and bowed towards Huang Xue.

“Yes, suprem--, eh, H-huang Xue! We shall obey your commands!” The elders immediately saluted in response. Now that the ancestor had issued an order, they would strive to accomplish it to the best of their ability. And just as Huang Xue predicted, his command had actually made the two elders feel less ashamed in calling their ancestor by his true name. A small sense of pride may be faintly discovered...

“Mmn. Since I will be apart of your Shen Clan for a while, I should familiarize myself with your clan’s affairs and skills. Tell me a bit about how’s the Shen Clan faring. Also, please do show me all of your family techniques. I shall take a look to learn them, so that should I need to display some abilities, I will use your Shen clan’s family martial arts techniques as a coverup.”

Shen Yin Tian’s face lit up with visible joy when he heard Huang Xue’s words. To think there would be a day when someone like Huang Xue would want to learn his family’s techniques...perhaps, if given time, maybe the ancestor would even impart some insights that could help improve their family's skills! The older one was, the longer time one would have to understand the essence of techniques and the paths of Dao.

The Shen Clan’s ancestor immediately told Shen Lin to go retrieve the entire sets of their family techniques from the Family Ancestral Hall, a special vault where it stored various artifacts and techniques passed down from a few generations.

Shen Lin, who was feeling a bit stifled in the presence of two old practitioners, was more than happy to hurry out of the guest room to carry out his father’s order. While his son went to fetch their family’s martial arts, Shen Yin Tian began to narrate about the recent conditions of his clan. Even though he was away from his clan, Shen Yin Tian was not completely oblivious in his clan’s condition that was often transmitted to him by his son.

In the end, even though Shen Yin Tian had wanted to cut off his ties with the mortal plane, his desires and connection to his living family made it impossible.

To give up one’s desires and family in pursue of the ultimate cultivation path...who knows exactly how many people could actually achieve such a feat?