Legacy of the Spirit Stone

Chapter 4 – Yang Clan

Patriarch Yang and Elder Yu were transported to a location five miles from the entrance of the Secret Realm.

It was already night outside, and they dared not linger for even a moment, quickly making their way towards the Yang Clan's direction.

The Yang Clan was located in Willow Leaf Town.

Though called a town, it had already grown to the size of a small city.

Willow Leaf Town was under the jurisdiction of the Tiger-Chasing Dynasty, situated in the eastern mountainous region.

The head of the Yang Clan was named Yang Guanfeng, currently at the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation Fifth Layer.

Because of his presence, the Yang Clan had become the foremost family in Willow Leaf Town, second only to the power of the town mayor.

The mayor was a cultivator sent by the dynasty, with a cultivation level comparable to Yang Guanfeng, though his actual combat strength was somewhat inferior.

However, he had an army under his command and the "dynasty cultivator" status as a protective charm, so his position was still higher than Yang Guanfeng's.

Taking advantage of the cover of night, and with the detection function of Elder Yu's magic disk, they avoided several groups of rogue cultivators who might have caused conflict along the way.

It wasn't until the second watch of the night that they neared Willow Leaf Town.

Seeing the familiar city walls, the two exchanged smiles, both feeling a sense of relief.

The Secret Realm was filled with countless opportunities, but one needed to survive to enjoy them.

The treasure hunt in the Secret Realm was extremely perilous, and if not for Yang Guanfeng and Elder Yu's thorough preparations, they might not have made it out.

Six fire talismans, three Thunderfire Bombs, and the use of a flying dagger—these had nearly depleted Yang Guanfeng's resources.

Fortunately, the journey ended without mishap, and the outcome was favorable.

Exchanging these items for a spirit herb and a spiritual treasure was an extremely worthwhile trade.

As they approached Willow Leaf Town, the two did not enter through the main gate but instead concealed their presence and quietly climbed over the southern city wall.

Their trip to the Secret Realm was known only to them; even the Yang Clan believed the two elders were in seclusion in the Forbidden Zone.

This was a decision made by the two to avoid attracting unwanted attention and to keep their departure secret.

***

Crossing over the rows of houses, they could see the Yang Clan Compound built against the mountain in the northern part of Willow Leaf Town.

The Yang Clan's courtyard was squarely built and divided into four areas.

From the outside in, there was the outer courtyard for receiving guests and hosting banquets, the inner courtyard for living and daily activities, the family council hall, and finally the Forbidden Zone, accessible only to Yang Guanfeng and Elder Yu.

Their figures finally landed in the Yang Clan's Forbidden Zone.

The first thing they did upon returning was to quickly replant the Four-Leaf Spirit Grass.

Spirit herbs differed from ordinary plants; if planted in regular soil, they would lose their spiritual essence and degrade.

Only in a Spirit Field could they grow normally and yield produce.

Yang Guanfeng's foresight had truly paid off.

Years ago, even when the family had no spirit herbs, he had the foresight to begin cultivating a Spirit Field with Elder Yu.

After years of effort, it was now the perfect environment for the Four-Leaf Spirit Grass to thrive.

Once the Four-Leaf Spirit Grass was replanted, they began nurturing it with their spiritual power.

***

After an hour, when the spirit herb's aura stabilized, they finally stopped.

At this point, both Yang Guanfeng and Elder Yu let out a long breath of relief.

"Elder Yu, thank you for your hard work on this journey."

"It was nothing, Patriarch, you overpraise me."

Elder Yu waved his hand and said, "If not for the Patriarch saving me back then, I would have long become fish food in the river, with no years left to enjoy. It's merely my duty."

"To think, it's been fifteen years since we met..."

Listening to their conversation, Chen Yang understood why this elder was so loyal to the Yang Clan.

In his youth, he had been a sect cultivator, but after his sect was destroyed by enemies, he was gravely injured and fled to the Tiger-Chasing Dynasty, eventually falling into the Fish Ridge River.

On the brink of death, Yang Guanfeng had fished him out and spent a great deal to save his life.

Though his cultivation was far from what it once was, Elder Yu had no other desires, grateful just to have his life back.

Since then, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to following Yang Guanfeng.

Yang Guanfeng's path to becoming the head of the Yang Clan was largely due to Elder Yu's support.

"It's late, Patriarch, you should rest. I'll watch over the Four-Leaf Spirit Grass."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you."

Returning to his room, Yang Guanfeng took out Chen Yang from his sleeve and held him in his hand.

He sat quietly on the meditation mat, gazing at the Spirit-Gathering Stone.

In that moment, he felt a sense of unreality.

His expression seemed to convey disbelief that the Yang Clan had obtained such a great opportunity.

After a moment, Yang Guanfeng came back to his senses, placed Chen Yang on the table, and turned to remove his upper garments.

Seeing Yang Guanfeng's upper body, Chen Yang couldn't help but feel a bit shocked.

Find the original at "pawread.com".

His chest and back were covered with more than a dozen scars from knives, swords, and burns.

It was evident that Yang Guanfeng's efforts for the family over the years had been anything but easy.

"As the head of the family, to do so much for the clan is truly commendable."

Chen Yang felt a sense of admiration for Yang Guanfeng.

At the same time, he felt he had chosen the right person.

Coming to the Yang Clan seemed to be the correct decision.

The night passed without incident.

***

Early the next day, all members of the Yang Clan were summoned to the council hall.

At the head of the hall were three seats, with the center one belonging to Patriarch Yang Guanfeng, and the two on either side occupied by two men in their thirties.

They were Yang Guanfeng's two younger brothers, Yang Feiyun and Yang Xiaolei.

Below, relatives from various branches stood in order according to their lineage, all with hands respectfully lowered, waiting for the Patriarch's arrival.

This scene clearly demonstrated Yang Guanfeng's high prestige within the clan.

He was naturally talented and possessed the qualities of a leader. After training with Elder Yu, he had swept aside other competitors within the clan and assumed the position of Patriarch ahead of time.

Moreover, he understood that for a family to thrive long-term, unity was paramount.

From the moment he took power, he and Elder Yu, one in the open and one in the shadows, worked to establish a solid foundation for the family.

After ten years of effort, the Yang Clan had become a cohesive unit.

There was no discrimination or hierarchy among the bloodlines; everyone was chosen based on merit, regardless of closeness or distance.

This fair and strict approach made Yang Guanfeng the most respected Patriarch in the Yang Clan's history.

Before long, a gentle breeze swept into the Yang Clan's council hall.

Everyone looked up, and in the blink of an eye, Yang Guanfeng was already seated at the head.

No one present had seen his movements clearly, and their respect for him grew even deeper.

Due to Yang Guanfeng's appearance and his decisive methods, the Yang Clan had risen from an ordinary family in Willow Leaf Town to a top-tier power within ten years.

The magnitude of this change was deeply felt by all, and their reverence for the elder was genuine, without a trace of falsehood.

"Yang Feiyun!"

"Yang Xiaolei!"

As Yang Guanfeng took his seat, the two family elders stood and shouted in unison, "Descendants of the Yang Clan, pay respects to the ancestor!"

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan