Chapter 251

Chapter 251: The Sorrow of a Small Family

Zhou Luo hadn’t expected anyone to seek him so soon after his return.

Could the family be urgently needing potions?

"Who is it?" Zhou Luo asked.

"He said his name is Wei Shicheng," the servant replied respectfully.

Zhou Luo frowned slightly, seemingly unable to recall knowing such a person.

At that moment, Lin Xi beside him remembered the man’s background and said through voice transmission, "He is the family head of the Wei Family in Golden Mountain Valley…"

Through her explanation, Zhou Luo learned:

The Wei Family was a minor clan in Golden Mountain Valley. Its highest-ranked cultivator stood at the eighth level of Qi Refinement, and they had always maintained a low profile while keeping normal relations with the Lin Family.

As the two great long-life families—Lin and Lu—went to war, the Wei Family suffered targeted attacks from the local faction Thousand Leaves Sect within Golden Mountain Valley after aligning themselves with the Lin side.

With experts from the Lu Family supporting Thousand Leaves Sect, the Wei Family suffered consecutive defeats, losing vast amounts of assets including a small spiritual mine.

Now, they could only rely on their top-quality formation to tenaciously guard their small territory.

Once the formation was broken, the Wei Family would be permanently erased from Golden Mountain Valley.

Logically, the Lin Family shouldn’t stand idly by while its subordinate perished, but they were currently overwhelmed by their own troubles and had no capacity to assist.

By some unknown channel, the Wei Family learned that Zhou Luo was the only elder not yet involved in the war.

Thus, Wei Shicheng braved pressure from Thousand Leaves Sect and, after losing two family elders, painstakingly reached Maple Leaf City to seek Zhou Luo’s aid.

Back then, Zhou Luo was in the Immortal City, and upon learning of the matter, Lin Xi could only express helplessness.

Hearing the news, Wei Shicheng declared he had gambled their survival on this journey. Since waiting fruitlessly spelled inevitable doom, he chose to remain in the city until Zhou Luo’s return.

So when Zhou Luo returned earlier that day, Wei Shicheng received word and rushed straight to Zhou Garden’s gates.

After listening, Zhou Luo fell into thoughtful silence.

"Escort him to the main hall."

He then took Lin Xi to sit at the head seats in the main hall.

Moments later, an old man with graying hair and a haggard face respectfully entered.

At the sight of Zhou Luo, Wei Shicheng fell to his knees with a thud.

"Elder Zhou! I beg you—save our Wei Family!"

Having waited over two months, Wei Shicheng had finally met his sliver of hope amid despair, refusing to let go.

Zhou Luo observed the man’s pitiful state calmly and said plainly, "You should know that I am merely a Pill Master. I cannot aid you."

He still remained in hide strength status.

Even during his absence, none in the family knew his exact purpose in the Immortal City.

Before achieving Foundation Establishment, there was no reason to expose himself for a minor clan’s sake.

Wei Shicheng trembled, repeatedly kowtowing. "Elder Zhou, I implore you! For over a century, our Wei Family has served the Lin Family with unwavering loyalty. We’ve always been their staunchest ally."

The Wei Family had willingly submitted to the Lin Family over a hundred years ago and ever since, dutifully paid tribute with large quantities of cultivation resources annually.

Under such circumstances, the conflict between the Lin Family and the Lu Family ended up harming an innocent party, pushing the Wei Family to the brink of destruction.

Viewed this way, the Lin Family truly appeared somewhat unjust, especially since they were unwilling to dispatch reinforcements.

Yet the Wei Family dared not voice a word.

They were merely a small clan; their mightiest member only reached the eighth level of Qi Refinement at the mid-stage. Should they incur the Lin Family’s wrath, annihilation would come easily indeed.

As for siding with the Lu Family? They dared not entertain the thought.

Who knew if the Lin Family, in a storm of outrage, might not send their forces to crush them outright.

By then, the Lu Family surely wouldn’t rush to their aid either.

When two long-life families clashed, it was the subordinate minor clans beneath them who suffered.

They had no recourse but to exhaust every means to preserve their lineage.

Such was the sorrow of a small clan.

Thud! Thud! Thud!—

The sharp, crisp sound of kowtows betrayed Wei Shicheng’s bitter resentment. For the sake of his family, all notions of pride had long since left him.

The sight even struck Lin Xi as somewhat unbearable.

In contrast, Zhou Luo remained utterly composed. He spoke, "Family Head Wei, what did the family head say?"

Wei Shicheng raised his head. Beads of blood had begun to seep from his forehead. He had refrained from using spiritual energy for protection, deliberately flaunting his abject humility.

"The family head said all major combat forces are at the front. He has no one to spare. He only mentioned that the Sixth Elder… might have some resources left." Wei Shicheng’s voice was thick with resignation.

He had originally sought to appeal directly to Lin Tian Xiong this time, yet hadn’t even managed to glimpse the man.

Only through the messenger sent by him did he learn this: if he wished to save the Wei Family, he was to seek out the Sixth Elder, Zhou Luo.

And so, this scene had unfolded.

Zhou Luo understood perfectly.

This Lin Tian Xiong was clever indeed. Knowing that Second Elder Lin Guang Xuan’s forces were positioned not far from Gold Mountain Valley, he was forcing Zhou Luo to act.

Succeed in saving the Wei Family, and the credit would still go to the Lin Family. Fail, and Zhou Luo’s own resources could easily be depleted.

Zhou Luo remained silent. This only deepened Wei Shicheng’s unease.

Dared not plead further, he could only strain to project reverence and humility.

Time dragged on. Wei Shicheng felt as frantic as an ant on a hot pan inside, yet outwardly he fought to maintain composure. Mentally and physically worn, it was a testament to his constitution that he hadn’t collapsed.

"I can help you."

It was just then that Zhou Luo’s voice abruptly sounded out.

Wei Shicheng’s heart jolted fiercely upon hearing it, followed swiftly by overwhelming relief. He hastened to kowtow again. "Thank you, Elder Zhou! Thank you, Elder Zhou!"

"Do not thank me yet," Zhou Luo interjected suddenly. "I hear you oversee a small spiritual mine?"

He wouldn’t help another without cause, even for something seemingly effortless. That small spiritual mine held his interest.

Hearing this, Wei Shicheng hurriedly responded, "As long as Elder Zhou is willing to save the Wei Family, we are ready to dedicate the mine with both hands!"

"I do not want the entire mine," Zhou Luo stated plainly, not masking his intent. "I want half of its annual yield. Also, I will dispatch personnel to reside within the Wei Family."

The mine’s output wasn’t immense, but its value lay in its permanence. It would serve as fitting recompense.

Securing control over it would also strengthen his grip on these minor subordinate families once he eventually took command of the Lin Family.

"No problem, Elder Zhou!" Wei Shicheng answered with resolute determination.

Over the past days, he had reached a clear conclusion: to preserve the Wei Family, he would surrender anything.

"Hmm. Go now," Zhou Luo said, offering nothing further.

Wei Shicheng scrambled away.

Watching the man’s somewhat desolate, defeated form recede, a shadow passed through Zhou Luo’s eyes.

Perhaps, had he never come to the Lin Family, his own Fate might well have mirrored that plight.

Though he possessed the More Children, More Blessings system, building a long-life family demanded eons of slow accumulation. Especially in the early stages, he likely wouldn’t even have been able to wed women possessing spiritual roots.

He would have had to rely solely on marrying ordinary women to expand his lineage.

Perhaps, after several centuries, his family might have reached the scope of the Wei Family.

Yet before the might of the established long-life families, such a minor clan would be mere fodder, snuffed out with ease.

By borrowing the hen to lay the eggs – leveraging the Lin Family as a vessel to start – he could leapfrog past that entire arduous stage much faster. Moreover, he’d have a deep reservoir of resources to foster his family’s development.

Pulling his thoughts back, Zhou Luo began writing a letter to Lin Guang Xuan.