If the Zhang Family wanted to truly rise, there was only one thing missing.
That was a Prodigy Cultivator.
Although Chen Xia had taken over as the head of the family, he only wanted absolute authority over the words and was not truly taking root in the Zhang Family, nor did he want to use it to control the Zhang Family.
Therefore, if the Zhang Family wanted to become a top sect in the realm, they still lacked a Prodigy Cultivator who could single-handedly support the Zhang Family and take on the responsibility of being a top sect.
But there was no hurry for this. Chen Xia would nurture one, and he could cultivate one. So, slowly working towards it would do.
Today, he called Qin Ji to lead the way to the Slender Cloud Sect to take a look at the background of this sect that had been invading the Zhang Family all this time. He wanted to directly take it over for himself.
Qin Ji was naturally extremely happy. He walked in front making a fawning appearance, nodding and bowing while laughing and saying, "Brother, this way please."
The distance between the Slender Cloud Sect and the Zhang Family was not too far. For them it was only half an hour’s journey.
Qin Ji walked in front first and banged on the door, yelling loudly in the tone of the Zhang Family members, “Chen Zu has arrived in his carriage, why isn’t the Sect Master of Xianyun Mountain kowtowing to welcome him!”
This startled the Xianyun Mountain cultivators badly. They wondered who was so ignorant to dare say such words. A flash of flowing light abruptly shone and stopped in front of Qin Ji. The person asked in surprise, "Sect Master Qin, why have you come to visit so suddenly today?"
"Kneel down and kowtow to Chen Zu!" Qin Ji shouted angrily. He directly reached out and slapped the Xianyun Mountain Sect Master in the face, then angrily shouted,
"Kneel!"
The Xianyun Mountain Sect Master’s head buzzed from the slap. For a moment he was somewhat confused and could only kneel down instinctively. Then he asked aggrievedly again,
"Who is Chen Zu?"
Slap!
Another loud slap came. Qin Ji coldly snorted, scolding,
"Blind fool who can’t assess the situation!"
He was so respectful towards Chen Xia. Yet this Xianyun Mountain Sect Master still hadn’t recognized who Chen Zu was. What a stupid fool! He really deserved a beating!
The Xianyun Mountain Sect Master finally reacted. He stared blankly at Chen Xia, then quickly kowtowed, "Xianyun Mountain Sect Master Mo Lichou, I pay my respects to Chen Zu!"
"Mm. I came here today for just one thing. From now on, your Slender Cloud Sect will become a sub-sect of the Zhang Family. Listen to the Zhang Family and work for the Zhang Family," Chen Xia said plainly.
As for the grievances between the Slender Cloud Sect and the Zhang Family, he would not get involved. Right now, the Zhang Family was most lacking in manpower. Having more sub-sects was a good thing. Later, he could kill those who did not listen. Then the entire Slender Cloud Sect would be controlled by the Zhang Family.
Mo Lichou was dumbstruck. He did not expect to hear such news in his lifetime. He hurriedly argued,
"But the Zhang Family is a family that is about to decline and perish. My Slender Cloud Sect is much more powerful than the Zhang Family..."
"Insolence!" Qin Ji roared furiously. He kicked Mo Lichou’s head and stomped it heavily into the ground. Then he angrily shouted,
"You actually dare to question Chen Zu’s decision! It looks like you’ve lived too comfortably and don’t know how the word ‘death’ is written!"
Mo Lichou’s head hurt tremendously. The aura throughout his body was stomped by Qin Ji’s kick until it surged like ocean waves, making him extremely uncomfortable.
Chen Xia rubbed his nose and tilted his head slightly, glancing sideways at Qin Ji and said gently,
"There are some things you should not have said first...so don't say them."
His eyes seemed to flash with sword light.
Qin Ji's face instantly turned pale. He hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Chen Xia, saying, "Please forgive me, please forgive me! I have overstepped my boundaries!"
As he begged for mercy, the corners of his mouth had already started bleeding, dripping onto his clothes and looking extremely red.
And this was just because the light in Chen Xia's eyes had flashed for a moment with sword light.
This was still the result of Chen Xia holding back. If the sword light had been brighter for a moment, what Qin Ji would be doing right now was not kneeling, but dying on the ground.
This was a warning to Qin Ji to rein in his petty schemes and not think of tying Chen Xia to Triumphant Mountain, then acting based on Chen Xia's influence in the future.
Qin Ji knelt on the ground, his body shivering.
Mo Lichou simply did not raise his head anymore and just lay buried in the ground, starting to pretend to be an ostrich.
Chen Xia put his hands behind his back and said, "Your Slender Cloud Sect attacked and killed members of the Zhang Family. Now that I have become the head of the Zhang Family, letting you become a sub-sect serving the Zhang Family can be considered avenging the damages."
"You do not have the right to refuse. I want all of the Slender Cloud Sect’s spirit stones, treasures, land, and cultivators."
What could Mo Lichou say? He continued to lie there pretending to be dead.
"Get up. Go and take stock of all the Slender Cloud Sect’s assets and cultivators and submit a report to me. Later I still have to go to the other two sects," Chen Xia casually said.
Mo Lichou could only reluctantly agree.
Powerless to resist, although he did not know why the Zhang Family was able to gain the support of such a powerful backer, the Slender Cloud Sect did not have the right to refuse.
The whole process was quick. Then it was the same process for Armor Wood Mountain and the Purple Dragon Clan.
It was easier to talk to Armor Wood Mountain. After Qin Ji fawned over them and talked for a while, they knew Chen Xia was someone they could not afford to offend, so they immediately surrendered.
The Purple Dragon Clan was more difficult to deal with. Relying on their ancient aquatic dragon bloodline, they insisted on quibbling with Chen Xia, claiming that the dragon races were of noble bloodlines and there had never been talk of becoming sub-sects of the human tribes before. By making them a sub-sect of the Zhang Family, he was insulting the dragon race! They would rather die than become a sub-sect of the Zhang Family!
Then boundless, towering pressure descended. The might of the heavenly dragon quaked the few small dragons so that they trembled and groveled, calling Chen Xia "Lord".
The three major sects then all became sub-sects of the Zhang Family. Chen Xia ordered the Second Elder of the Zhang Family to be in charge of the handover, and in order to embolden the Second Elder of the Zhang Family, he deliberately left over a thousand flying swords to act as the Second Elder’s personal guards. He casually reassured,
“There’s no need to panic during the handover. These thousand flying swords can massacre the three sects in half an hour if needed. Feel free to act tough.”
The Second Elder of the Zhang Family must certainly still harbor anger and resentment towards the three sects, but the current Zhang Family should be more concerned with how to rise up. Therefore, it was even more important to make good use of these three sects, and not just let hatred drive them.
The entire process of taking over and receiving them went very smoothly. Perhaps it was because the flying swords floating around the Second Elder were too frightening—in any case, no cultivator dared to speak loudly to him.
The Zhang Family was also divided into two levels.
One was the thousands of main family members whose status was the highest. They could order the sub-sects’ cultivators around.
The sub-sect cultivators had equal status. Their main job was to concoct pills, gather spiritual energy, excavate mountain ranges and so on for the Zhang Family.
At the same time, Chen Xia forcefully pulled over the energy and luck so that prodigies would be born in the Zhang Family. Then by using medicinal pills to nurture them, he hoped to cultivate a Heaven Mending Realm master who could hold his own on the battlefield as soon as possible.
Everything was steadily progressing as Chen Xia calmly made plans. The most important thing was that the Zhang Family needed to have a cultivator at the Heaven Mending Realm. Even just one would be able to gather energy and luck.
By then, Chen Xia could forcibly help the entire Zhang Family ascend, and head to the upper realm.
The upper realm had richer spiritual energy, more opportunities and energy and luck.
He would make the Zhang Family the top family in the realm.
This was the last thing he would do for Old Zhang.
After completing this matter, he would first go to Blue Sky Sword Sea to meet the Old Fisherman one last time, obtain the other half of the immortal sword from the sword hilt, and accomplish the true orthodox lineage of Blue Sky Sword Sea. He would also take the chance to see some old acquaintances on the way.
He might not get a chance to meet them again for no one knows when.
People’s time together in this world would always have one meeting less.
Chen Xia shook his head and muttered to himself,
“I really am not one who dies easily, am I?”
Who else could outlive him?