Chapter 343: May the Qi Family Prosper for Ten Thousand Years!

Chapter 343: May the Qi Family Prosper for Ten Thousand Years!

Chen Qiu had already left Jiang Buying and contacted the Barbarian Tribe Patriarch, preparing to accompany him to a family establishment feast in other states of the Tide Immortal Plane. This would be his first time attending such an event for another family.

Naturally, the Barbarian Tribe Patriarch had no reason to refuse. He excitedly exclaimed that it had been ten years since they last met, and this time, they would definitely stay up all night to chat!

As for what Jiang Buying said...

He had indeed heard something similar from the Enigmatic Buddha. Both parties' accounts didn't differ much—following the rules and attaining the Dao through them was considered a shortcut, but this shortcut would restrict oneself in certain aspects.

In this world, there were never any rules that would forever benefit oneself. Even rules that seemed advantageous at the moment might, one day, bind oneself in some matters.

Having escaped from the Celestial Prison, he didn't need to take this shortcut.

He had his own path to follow.

Since only the Tide Immortal Plane had broken through the True Immortal realm and required the price of a True Immortal corpse, the situation became much simpler. He didn't need to break through to the True Immortal realm in the Tide Immortal Plane; he could do so in a Sixth Rank Immortal World and cross the True Immortal Tribulation there.

Anyway,

His True Immortal Tribulation would most likely be a Fourth Rank Heavenly Tribulation, and it would be quite challenging to manifest it even with the power of a Fifth Rank Immortal World.

After making this inner decision, he contemplated his next steps. After attending this family establishment feast, he would raise his cultivation to the Peak Heaven Immortal and then head to the Sixth Rank Immortal World to prepare for his breakthrough.

However—

Outside Zhongzhou City, Chen Qiu looked up at the tribulation clouds that had gathered overhead without him noticing. He immediately flashed towards the wilderness, for these weren't his tribulation clouds; his tribulation clouds were much more powerful.

It was the Heavenly Tribulation of a Skyward Sect disciple. In the Skyward Palace, the tribulation was blocked, but once they appeared in the Tide Immortal Plane, the tribulation would catch up. With so many people crossing the tribulation simultaneously, the commotion was quite significant. They could only try to spread out to avoid the tribulations mixing and doubling in power.

In the Tide Immortal Plane, Qi Prefecture Ji City, was a place not many people knew about.

A place without much fame in the Tide Immortal Plane.

But today—

Several men with red flowers on their chests were beating drums and gongs on the streets, creating a lively atmosphere. Today, a returning Immortal from Zhongzhou City was establishing a family in Qi Prefecture Ji City, founding the Qi Family! For a moment, many onlookers cast envious glances at the scene.

For ordinary people, establishing a family and becoming a family head was already a significant achievement.

The Qi Family Patriarch, dressed in a black robe with a red flower on his chest, was the same man who had been a squad leader in Zhongzhou City's guard squad. He walked down the street with a beaming smile, constantly bowing and greeting the local elders and townsfolk.

Soon,

Surrounded by the local elders, the Qi Family Patriarch reached the gate of a courtyard amidst the beating of drums and gongs. This was the chosen residence for the Qi Family, and the family plaque had already been hung.

It wasn't rented; it was purchased.

As a family, buying a grand residence was a must, and this alone cost him a considerable amount of spirit stones.

Inside the courtyard, tables were already set for the feast.

Many had already taken their seats, including representatives from other families in the city. Whenever a new family was established, nearby families would send representatives to show support. It was a matter of giving face and assessing the strength of the new family.

"I say, Qi Family Patriarch?"

At that moment—

A middle-aged man approached with a fake smile, saying, "It seems like Qi Family Patriarch hasn't made many friends during his years away. There aren't many people here to support you, and those who did come aren't of much status. They're just locals from the nearby villages."

"After being away for so many years, you should at least have a close friend, right?"

As he finished speaking,

The surrounding family patriarchs couldn't help but smile in agreement. "Look at Pei Family Patriarch; just yesterday, he held a hundred-day feast for his child, and the young master of Chao Zong came to celebrate. Chao Zong is a top-tier power in the entire Tide Immortal Plane, and their sect master is at the late Celestial Immortal stage, just a step away from the Peak Heaven Immortal."

"Exactly. It's an honor for our Ji City to have a Celestial Prodigy like the young master of Chao Zong."

For a moment, the surrounding people couldn't stop praising the young master of Chao Zong, and by extension, Pei Family Patriarch.

This was how it was.

In these times, families couldn't always resort to fighting to expand. Displaying one's connections was also a way to show strength, and the young master of Chao Zong, sitting among the crowd, remained expressionless as he sipped his tea.

As the young master of Chao Zong, he had his pride. His status was the most prestigious among this group, and he was used to being flattered like this.

Ever since he was humiliated by Chen Qiu in Zhongzhou City and narrowly escaped destruction, thanks to Chen Qiu's mercy in sparing him a considerable amount of spirit stones, he and his father had lived in fear for a long time. They could only be grateful that Chen Qiu had spared them.

After that incident, he secretly decided never to return to Zhongzhou City until Chen Qiu left the continent.

During this time,

He had been hiding in remote corners of the Tide Immortal Plane to avoid Chen Qiu, knowing that Chen Qiu wouldn't visit such places.

"I know all the Celestial Prodigies in the Tide Immortal Plane, and they generally give me some face." The young master of Chao Zong sipped his tea lightly, "If I wish it, with just a word, all the Celestial Prodigies in the Tide Immortal Plane would gather for me."

"Of course, of course." Pei Family Patriarch smiled obsequiously, but soon had a thought and asked tentatively, "Young Master, may I ask about your relationship with Chen Qiu?"

Was there a chance to invite him as well?"

". . ."

The young master of the Chao Zong Sect remained expressionless and silent for a long time before finally speaking in a hoarse voice, "Forget it. I've never seen anyone able to invite him. Even when Badan celebrated his breakthrough to True Immortal, he didn't attend."

The celebration feast and the family establishment feast were just pretexts.

No one was truly there to celebrate; they were there to showcase their connections and make a show of strength. Such occasions were often a mutual exchange of favors, attending each other's events. However, it was customary to schedule these events well in advance.

After all, with their cultivation levels, a single closed-door cultivation session could last a long time. Without prior arrangements, who could know if they would be in seclusion at the appointed time?

Except for Chen Qiu's celebration feast, none of Chen Qiu's feasts ever invited outsiders; they were purely for celebration and dining.

Speaking of which...

The crowd sighed, for although Chen Qiu had been quiet for a decade, his past deeds still caused everyone in the world to sigh when they heard his name. It was both fortunate and unfortunate to live in the same era as such a figure.

It was fortunate to witness a miracle, but unfortunate to have such a person overshadowing them, leaving them forever in his shadow.

"What a pity."

The head of the Pei family sighed, "If not for Chen Qiu's sudden appearance, with your talent, Young Master, you would undoubtedly be famous throughout the world. Chen Qiu has overshadowed too many heroes."

". . ."

The young master of the Chao Zong Sect twitched his lips slightly but remained silent. Why did these people always compare him to Chen Qiu when praising him? Couldn't they consider his feelings? Were he and Chen Qiu on the same level, comparable at all?

And then—

As the guests chatted animatedly, they seemed to have completely forgotten that today's protagonist was the head of the Qi family, who was establishing his family. At this moment, Qi Family Head stood at the entrance, wearing a black robe with a red flower on his chest, his face slightly embarrassed as he greeted the relatives who had come to show their support.

Most of the guests were his relatives and representatives from other factions.

Over the years, he had been struggling in Zhongzhou City, and his only connections were with the Zhongzhou City Guard Squad. However, they had not arrived on time, leaving him without a single guest who could hold the fort. This meant that his newly established family had virtually no connections.

During the family establishment feast, no one paid any attention, and in the future, no one would come to their aid if they encountered any trouble.

In the eyes of the other families, this was almost a tacit acknowledgment that they could be bullied at will.

Although Qi Family Head didn't speak, his eyes held a hint of disappointment as he gazed in the direction of Zhongzhou City. Perhaps they hadn't been able to invite them, but he forced himself to adjust his mood and put on a smile to welcome each guest.

Undoubtedly, today's family establishment feast was a failure, and for a long time to come, he would become a laughingstock among those around him.

But he couldn't just give up and abandon his responsibilities. Establishing a family and being called its head was not just a change in title; it meant that many people relied on him, while he had nowhere to retreat. He would be the one to solve their problems.

Just then—

"Qi Family Head!"

A voice suddenly rang out from a distance. As the words fell, they saw Jiang Buying leading a group of Zhongzhou City Guard Squad members, each carrying gifts, striding towards them with smiles on their faces. Jiang Buying shouted, "The entire Zhongzhou City Guard Squad has come to show our support! We wish the Qi family a long and prosperous heritage!"

"Good, good, good!"

Qi Family Head, who had been greeting guests at the entrance, felt his eyes well up at this sight. His voice cracked with emotion as he said, "It's good that you've come. It's good that you've come. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Come in, and later we'll have a good feast!"

He had already given up hope.

But at this critical moment, his brothers had arrived, and that was all that mattered. Their presence meant that his family establishment feast was a success.

The other family heads from the surrounding factions, who had already taken their seats, narrowed their eyes at this scene. The Zhongzhou City Guard Squad had come in full force, and Zhongzhou City was one of the most prosperous cities in the world. The guards there earned significantly higher salaries and were much stronger than those in other places.

For the entire squad to come and show their support was no small favor.

This squad was not weak, either.

It seemed that this newly established Qi family could not be underestimated and needed to be taken seriously.

But just then—

"The Chao Zong Sect Master has come with his wife to show their support! We wish the Qi family a long and prosperous heritage!"

A middle-aged man, supported by a beautiful woman, approached the Qi family's entrance, followed by four trusted aides. The aides respectfully placed their gifts on the "gift table" beside the door.

"Welcome, Chao Zong Sect Master. I'll personally escort you inside."

A trace of bewilderment flashed in Qi Family Head's eyes, and he spoke with a hint of caution and respect as he stepped forward. He hadn't expected such a prominent figure to come and show support personally. He had heard of the Chao Zong Sect, which was well-known throughout the Tide Immortal Plane. Moreover, the sect master himself had come, and he wondered if they had just happened to pass by.

He had assumed the sect master would be arrogant, but to his surprise, he was extremely amiable, his face filled with kindness. "It's no trouble. Today is a big day for Qi Family Head. There are many more distinguished guests to come, and I don't want to hold them up."

After saying this, he led the woman and his aides into the courtyard.

"This..."

The young master of the Chao Zong Sect, who had been watching the commotion, was surprised to see his father suddenly appear. His father, usually so arrogant, was uncharacteristically amiable today, and he had an inexplicable feeling that something wasn't quite right.

A person who was once arrogant and overbearing suddenly becomes amiable and approachable. It's highly unlikely that they underwent a sudden sex change.

Most likely, they were beaten into submission.

"This..." Pei Family Patriarch also looked at everything in a daze, turning to the young master of Chao Zong beside him, "Young Master, is this your esteemed father and mother?"

"Yes."

The young master of Chao Zong nodded hurriedly, his mind already elsewhere. His experience told him that something might have happened, as his father hadn't even taken a seat after entering the courtyard. Instead, he stood quietly in a corner.

Many tables in the courtyard were still empty, and naturally, his father wouldn't take a seat in such a situation. It was obvious what this meant.

He hurried over, running a short distance, and whispered to his father, "Father, has something happened?"

"I'm fine."

The Chao Zong Patriarch glanced at his son and sighed softly, "I always seem to see you in these crappy situations. Perhaps this is your talent. Did you say anything rude to the Qi Family Patriarch just now?"

"No."

"Good, just stay quiet behind me."

"Oh, I mean, Father, why are you here? Weren't you in seclusion?"

". "

The Chao Zong Patriarch's mouth twitched slightly, and he took a deep breath, slowly closing his eyes without saying another word. He was in seclusion, the kind where if he continued, he would die.

Then—

One voice after another began to resonate in the street outside the Qi Family courtyard, rising and falling in succession.

"Qi Prefecture, Wei Prince's Mansion, Wei Wang, has come to celebrate. May the Qi Family's lineage thrive for ten thousand years and prosper!"

"Zhongzhou City, Zhongzhou City Lord, has come to celebrate. May the Qi Family's lineage thrive for ten thousand years and prosper!"

"Zhongzhou, Hundred Spirit Bird Chamber of Commerce, President, has come to celebrate. May the Qi Family's lineage thrive for ten thousand years and prosper!"

"Zhongzhou..."

In an instant!

A large number of guests suddenly flooded into the Qi Family courtyard, all of them smiling and carrying various gifts. Qi Family Patriarch was already standing there stiffly, not knowing what had happened, and his face was filled with bewilderment.

As for the family heads of the surrounding powers who were originally in the Qi Family courtyard, they all politely stood up and moved aside, making way for these later arrivals.

Among these powers were many of the top forces in the Tide Immortal Plane! Even the Zhongzhou City Lord had come in person. Wow, not many family establishment feasts could invite the Zhongzhou City Lord. This was a huge favor, and everyone exchanged glances, seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.

What kind of background did the Qi Family have?

To invite so many powerful individuals, and for these powers to send their family heads personally, it wasn't just a matter of giving face. It meant they highly valued the Qi Family. But why would the Qi Family, with such strength, choose to establish their family in Ji City, a place where even birds wouldn't relieve themselves?

What were they after?

However—

Until two voices with robust qi echoed through the Qi Family courtyard, all the guests inside felt a shock, and they all stood up, their faces solemn as they looked towards the entrance.

"Barbarian Tribe, Chief Badan, has come to celebrate. May the Qi Family's lineage thrive for ten thousand years and prosper!"

"Mock Heaven Sect, Sect Master Chen Qiu, along with all members of the Mock Heaven Sect, has come to celebrate. May the Qi Family's lineage thrive for ten thousand years and prosper!"

The appearance of these two figures elevated the status of the family establishment feast to an even higher level! One was the only True Immortal in the Tide Immortal Plane and the strongest in the entire plane!

The other was Chen Qiu, who had created countless miracles and was referred to as 'Senior' by Badan. He was also a well-known figure throughout the Tide Immortal Plane.

These two had come together just for the Qi Family's family establishment feast!

Without a doubt, this family establishment feast would be the highest-ranking one in the entire Tide Immortal Plane, with no other coming close, not even in the future.

Not only were the initial guests in the courtyard surprised, but so were the later arrivals. They had thought they were the grand finale, but now it seemed like they were just making up the numbers.

Before coming, they didn't know which power the Qi Family belonged to. They had only been defeated by someone, and that person's request was for them to attend this celebration.

Upon arriving, they found a large number of guests.

Even Chen Qiu, who hadn't made any moves for ten years, was present.

What kind of old man was this Qi Family?

In an instant, all the guests had the same thought in their minds.

"It's true that people can be more intimidating than any weapon."

The Zhongzhou City Lord looked at this scene, his face complex as he spoke in a low, hoarse voice. In the past ten years, he had almost exhausted his brain cells, trying everything and offering countless rewards, just to have many top powers send representatives to his Ascension Assembly.

But these powers only sent representatives; their sect masters would never come in person.

And as for True Immortals like Badan, they had never attended at all.

Yet, a single family establishment feast had gathered all the top powers in the Tide Immortal Plane, while his painstakingly planned Ascension Assembly couldn't even compare in terms of turnout. This sense of defeat made him feel powerless for a moment.

But there was one thing to be happy about—Chen Qiu had actually come!

After ten years of silence, Chen Qiu had finally reappeared. If he could establish a connection with Chen Qiu this time, his plan would accelerate significantly!

"Huh."

Chen Qiu leaned on his cane, surrounded by Fat Dragon and the others, as he strode into the Qi Family courtyard. With a glance, he saw many familiar faces, "It's quite lively here."

He had met all these people once ten years ago at the Ascension Assembly, and he never expected to see them again here.

After a while, he turned to Badan, who had arrived with him, and patted him on his shoulder with a smile, "Long time no see."

"Indeed, it's been a long time."

Badan slightly bowed, and a hint of horror flashed in his eyes. He could clearly sense that Chen Qiu's cultivation had reached the ninth level of Celestial Immortal, just one step away from the pinnacle of the Celestial Immortal Realm. The speed of his cultivation was always terrifying.

Badan showed great respect, and it was not only due to gratitude and potential, but also out of pure awe.

Although his cultivation was slightly higher than Chen Qiu's.

But ten years ago, Chen Qiu, with his eighth-level Earth Immortal cultivation, had thoroughly defeated a powerful opponent from the Sixth Rank Immortal World who was at the peak of True Immortal. That scene was still widely talked about, and he was only at the initial stage of True Immortal cultivation.

In terms of combat power, Chen Qiu could easily surpass him by a large margin.

At that time, Chen Qiu was only at the eighth level of Earth Immortal cultivation, and his strongest technique was merely the 'Fusion Kill Move'. But now, having broken through to the ninth level of Celestial Immortal, he already possessed a powerful technique like 'Heaven Realm', which was even more formidable than before. Badan had no chance against him.

"What's the occasion?" Chen Qiu asked, scanning the surroundings before his gaze settled on the Qi Family Patriarch, raising his eyebrows. "Shall we eat first?"

He didn't know who this Qi Family Patriarch was, and he didn't sense anything special about him. He was only invited by Jiang Buying, and since Jiang Buying had taken the initiative to invite him, he didn't mind giving him some face.

It had been ten years since he entered closed-door cultivation, and he hadn't had a decent meal during that time.

The disciples of Mock Heaven Sect hadn't had a proper meal in ten years either. After all, it didn't matter where they ate.

As his words fell, Qi Family Patriarch, who had been standing stiffly in the same spot with a dazed expression, finally snapped out of his trance. His voice trembled as he ordered his servant, "Hurry up and serve the food!"

At this moment, his entire thought process had come to a halt.

He had no idea why these prominent figures had come to attend his 'Family Establishment Feast', even though they were giving him face. But he didn't recognize any of them.

The banquet officially began.

As for Pei Family Patriarch and the other surrounding powers, they stood respectfully in the corner of the courtyard, holding their bowls and shoveling food into their mouths.

To be honest, when had they ever endured such humiliation?

But at this moment, no one felt aggrieved, and no one thought of seeking revenge in the future. When both sides were on completely different levels, it was difficult to even consider the idea of revenge.

As for the smaller powers like Chao Zong and Wei Prince's Mansion, they sat on small stools and ate on the side.

Only the top-tier powers had the qualification to sit at the table.

Naturally, the seats of honor were occupied by Chen Qiu and Badan, and Jiang Buying had somehow managed to join them with a sycophantic smile.

"Is this your friend?" Chen Qiu asked, taking a bite of food and glancing at Jiang Buying. "Why such a grand display? Is it necessary?"

"Hey," Jiang Buying poured a full cup of wine for Chen Qiu. "We've worked together for ten years. He's a good man, and he's been kind to me. His only wish is to have his own family, and he wants the family establishment feast to be lively. I'm a soft-hearted person, so I have to fulfill his wish."

"Did you invite all these people?" Badan, who was also eating heartily, looked around at the group. "You sure have some strong connections."

Ever since Badan had broken through to the True Immortal stage, he had been able to use the 'Little Fulfillment' technique, allowing him to shrink his body to a normal state and blend into the human lifestyle at times.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to sit quietly and eat.

"Not really," Jiang Buying shrugged. "It's mainly because my fists are strong enough. After all, I have nine Rainbow Entries, and there aren't many in the entire Tide Immortal Plane who can beat me."

Chen Qiu didn't say anything more and just lowered his head to eat seriously.

There happened to be a 'Green Imperial Banner' nearby. After the meal, he planned to go and get it. It was worth mentioning that the 'White Imperial Banner' had recovered to its peak state and was the only one of its kind. Such a significant event, and yet there was no Heavenly Dao Proclamation.

He had originally thought that the Mock Heaven Palace would be beyond the reach of the Heavenly Dao's sensation.

But even after coming to the Tide Immortal Plane, there was still no response, which was rather unusual.

At this moment, Qi Family Patriarch, dressed in a black robe with a red flower embroidered on his chest, looked at Jiang Yiping, who was sitting and chatting with Badan and Chen Qiu. After being in a daze for half a day, he finally snapped out of it.

When Jiang Yiping joined the guard squad, he had felt that this man looked so familiar, like the man who had ascended after passing the third-rank heavenly tribulation, and their names were so similar. He had asked if he was Jiang Buying.

At that time, Jiang Yiping had given him a cold look and asked if he would be in the guard squad if he were Jiang Buying.

It made sense.

Even if he were infiltrating, he should have at least disguised himself. Why would he be so blatant and choose a name that was so suggestive?

Especially since he had been there for ten years, he hadn't thought about it in that direction again.

But he never expected that Jiang Yiping was indeed Jiang Buying!

These people were obviously called by Jiang Buying, and they came to show their support for him. Otherwise, why would they come to this insignificant place? Compared to the entire Tide Immortal Plane, Ji City was indeed an unremarkable place.

His eyes turned slightly red, filled with both emotion and trepidation. He had worked with such a powerful cultivator for ten years, and during that time, he hadn't treated him particularly well.

However, why would a Celestial Immortal Peak cultivator work as a guard for ten years? Was he idle?

He took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions, then strode towards Chen Qiu's table to offer a toast. After that, he would go around and offer toasts to the other tables. After all, he was the host of the feast, and he couldn't neglect the basic etiquette.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end