CHAPTER 613: CHAPTER 598: FATE!

As parents, we always want to leave the best for our descendants.

Yuan has lived two lifetimes, yet this is the first time he is becoming a father.

Even though his child is not yet born, he already feels this sentiment.

Asking Master Cyan Yang to strengthen the essence of his unborn child comes at a great cost.

Even though he has a good relationship with Master Cyan Yang, something like this cannot be done easily by him.

Therefore, in order to get Master Cyan Yang to agree, both he and his Dao Companion Xiao Ying made great sacrifices.

Xiao Ying needs to provide thirty drops of Rejuvenating Immortal Dew to the Profound Sun Immortal Sect in the future, which is the result of her Rejuvenating Immortal Bottle’s production over three hundred years under normal circumstances.

And Yuan promised that if he successfully forms a Nascent Soul in the future, he will make a move for the Profound Sun Immortal Sect unconditionally.

Making a move unconditionally means that even if he encounters a battle that may threaten his life, he cannot avoid it. This is not just an ordinary favor.

Nevertheless, both Yuan and Xiao Ying agreed to it.

They both understand that, given how difficult it was for them to conceive their first child, it is very uncertain whether they will have a second or third child in the future.

So they did not want to leave a lifelong regret because of momentary selfishness at this time.

Therefore, every month, Master Cyan Yang would expend his Nascent Soul Essence to strengthen the essence of the child in Xiao Ying’s womb, continuing for nine times before it ended.

According to Master Cyan Yang, after nine sessions, the Nascent Soul Essence he expended cannot be replenished without thirty years of arduous cultivation.

If Yuan didn’t have a special relationship with him, no matter how great the cost, he wouldn’t have helped another Golden Core Stage Cultivator with such a matter.

Yuan did not doubt what he said.

Indeed, compared to the thirty years of cultivation loss Master Cyan Yang suffered, the cost they paid wasn’t too astonishing.

After all, for a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, thirty years is enough to refine three Jade Liquid Golden Pills, and anyone in the know understands the value of three Jade Liquid Golden Pills.

After the ninth spell, it was already the tenth month of Xiao Ying’s pregnancy.

The human gestation period is around ten months, and even cultivators are no exception.

On this morning, just as the morning sun was rising, a clear cry of an infant rang out from a certain Spiritual Mountain Cave Mansion within the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.

In the cave mansion where the baby’s cry rang out, Yuan, who personally delivered his Dao Companion’s child, was holding an infant boy radiating a bright red spiritual light in his arms, astounded.

As the saying goes, even if you haven’t eaten pork, you’ve seen pigs walk.

Though Yuan was delivering a baby for the first time, he knew that a newborn infant’s body would not emit spiritual light.

This phenomenon was something he had only read about in ancient texts, which stated that only some Spirit Body Cultivators are born with accompanying spiritual light, indicating the extraordinary nature of the infant.

"My son is a Spirit Body Cultivator! My son is a Spirit Body Cultivator!"

Holding the baby, Yuan’s hands trembled slightly with excitement.

He gazed intently at the little creature in his arms, just born.

Richly nourished in the womb and fortified by a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator expending Nascent Soul Essence to strengthen the essence, this newborn weighed as much as twelve pounds and nine ounces, which meant Yuan had to perform a "caesarean section" on his Dao Companion to bring him into the world successfully.

Moreover, unlike normal infants who take some time to open their eyes after birth, this little one opened his eyes shortly after birth and gazed into Yuan’s eyes, filled with innocent curiosity.

"Husband, allow me to hold the child for a bit, I haven’t held him yet!"

On the bed, Xiao Ying, who had just given birth, waved her jade hand, casting a green spiritual light over herself that instantly healed her caesarean scars and cleaned all the blood and fluid. She then dressed herself and walked over to Yuan, extending her arms to hold the baby, all the while bursting with joy and excitement.

"Hahaha, alright, you may hold him."

Yuan laughed heartily and handed the little one to his Dao Companion while smiling.

Xiao Ying carefully received the baby, caressing his fair, rosy cheeks, and playfully kissed and teased him to hear him cooing "goo-goo, ga-ga," smiling and brimming with joy.

After a while, she looked at Yuan and asked, "Husband, now that the child is born, will you tell me his name?"

Choosing a name for an unborn child is something every father prepares early for.

Yuan had already chosen a name for his son but had been keeping it a secret from Xiao Ying all this time.

Upon hearing her inquiry, he smiled slightly and said, "Ying’Er, what do you think of the name Guangcheng? If you have no objections, he will be called Zhou Guangcheng from now on!"

"As long as the name is chosen by you, I like it,"

Xiao Ying said, gently shaking the baby in her arms, and whispered, "Cheng’Er, Cheng’Er, when you grow up, you must be as honest and reliable as your father!"

Goo-goo, ga-ga.

The little one’s arms waved restlessly, uncertain whether he understood his mother’s words.

By this time, the spiritual light on his body had faded, and besides Yuan and Xiao Ying, no one else knew that he was an exceptionally rare Spirit Body Cultivator.

There are many kinds of Spirit Bodies in the world; based on the phenomena when Zhou Guangcheng was born, Yuan could only deduce that he possessed some kind of Fire Spirit Body. To determine exactly what kind of Spirit Body it was, it would have to be verified.

The verification method is simple, merely using the Spirit Testing Technique.

Yuan had his Dao Companion Xiao Ying hold Zhou Guangcheng and, with a casual gesture, cast the Spirit Testing Technique on the child.

As soon as the colorful ball of light formed by the Spirit Testing Technique landed on the child, a dazzling red flame burst forth from his body, shooting straight out of the cave mansion, forming a crimson cloud above the Spiritual Mountain outside.

"Isn’t this reaction a bit too excessive?"

Yuan, dumbfounded, looked at this scene and exchanged glances with his Dao Companion Xiao Ying, seeing the shock in each other’s eyes.

In their centuries of cultivation, it was the first time they tested the Spirit Root Talent of a Spirit Body Cultivator, and they had no preparation for such changes.

Meanwhile, on the Profound Sun Peak, Master Cyan Yang and another Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, Master Lingxiao, who were both meditating in their cave dwellings, abruptly opened their eyes and gazed towards the direction of the cave mansion where Yuan and his family resided.

Moments later, the two Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators appeared outside Yuan’s cave mansion.

Startled by their sudden arrival, Yuan quickly led his Dao Companion Xiao Ying to greet them as soon as he sensed their auras.

"Greetings to the two seniors. I’m sorry for not welcoming you sooner; I hope the seniors will forgive me."

While bowing, Yuan glanced at Master Cyan Yang, his eyes filled with questions.

He remembered that after Master Cyan Yang performed the final spell for the child in Xiao Ying’s womb, he had returned to the Cyan Yang Cave to cultivate and restore his Nascent Soul Essence. So why did he suddenly appear here?

"Haha, young friend, you are too courteous. It is we who have come uninvited and have been rather impolite. Young friend should not take offense."

Master Cyan Yang laughed heartily, his attitude so affable that Yuan felt a little overwhelmed.

Although he and Master Cyan Yang were on good terms, it wasn’t to the extent it seemed now.

Master Cyan Yang’s tone now was not that of an elder addressing a junior but rather as if speaking to a peer cultivator.

As the saying goes, ’If an event is unusual, there must be something unusual going on.’

Yuan considered the timing of these two Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators’ arrival and the commotion caused by testing his son’s Spirit Root Talent and seemed to understand something.

With this in mind, worry flashed in his eyes, but his face broke into a smile, and he said repeatedly, "I dare not, I dare not. It is an honor for my wife and me to have the two seniors visit here. Please, seniors, come inside."

No matter why the two Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators had come, it would be extremely rude to leave them outside.

After leading the two Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators into the cave mansion, and having his Dao Companion Xiao Ying serve the finest Spirit Tea, Yuan finally looked at the two Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and asked, "May I boldly ask if the visit of the two seniors at this time is related to the phenomena just now?"

"Young friend Zhou is an understanding person, so I won’t beat around the bush."

Master Cyan Yang exchanged a look with Master Lingxiao beside him, before his eyes shone brightly, focusing on the baby in Xiao Ying’s arms, saying, "If I’m not mistaken, the phenomenon of the crimson cloud reaching the sky just now was indeed caused by young friend Zhou testing the Spirit Root Talent of your young boy!"

"Senior’s expectation was correct; I indeed just tested Cheng’Er’s spiritual root talent."

Zhouyang nodded, openly admitting this matter without any concealment.

Master Cyan Yang said he was an understanding person. An understanding person certainly wouldn’t do something foolish like thinking they could deceive two Nascent Soul Stage cultivators on such a matter.

"Then, how did Zhou Xiaoyou’s test result turn out?"

The person asking was not Master Cyan Yang but Master Lingxiao, who had been silent up until now.

This late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator is currently the most powerful in the Profound Sun Immortal Sect. It was also Zhouyang’s first time meeting him in person.

"I wouldn’t dare deceive the two seniors, since this is the first time I’ve encountered such a scenario myself. I was about to seek your counsel."

Zhouyang glanced up at Master Lingxiao and then recounted the visions at Zhou Guangcheng’s birth and the anomalies during the spiritual root talent testing without holding anything back.

He wasn’t completely lying. He hadn’t yet figured out what kind of spirit body Zhou Guangcheng possessed. Due to time constraints, he hadn’t had a chance to verify through other means before Master Cyan Yang and the others arrived.

After hearing Zhouyang’s description, Master Lingxiao couldn’t help but exchange glances with Master Cyan Yang, and they both saw an uncontrollable joy in each other’s eyes.

He then resisted the urge to take immediate action, smiled, and nodded towards Zhouyang, saying, "From Zhou Xiaoyou’s description, we can basically determine what kind of spirit body your son has, but whether this is the case still requires verification. Could Zhou Xiaoyou accommodate us?"

"Please go ahead, Senior," Zhouyang readily agreed.

With his permission, Master Lingxiao immediately flicked his finger, sending out a crimson spiritual light that landed on the infant in Xiao Ying’s arms.

Zhouyang noticed that the crimson light was merely a manifestation of Master Lingxiao’s magical power, rather than any magical technique.

However, when the crimson light fell onto Xiaozhou Guangcheng, it was absorbed by his body in an instant, just like a water drop falling on cotton cloth.

"This is..."

Zhouyang’s pupils contracted sharply as he watched, his eyes full of astonishment.

In disbelief, he turned his gaze towards Master Lingxiao.

"It seems Zhou Xiaoyou might have guessed already. Indeed, the spirit body your son possesses is the [Profound Sun Spirit Body], the most compatible with our Profound Sun Immortal Sect’s sect’s technique, the ’Profound Sun Treasure Manual’!"

Master Lingxiao confirmed Zhouyang’s suspicion with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang’s expression became peculiar.

He had deep ties with the Profound Sun Immortal Sect. His son was born within the sect, and his son possessed the spirit body most suitable for the sect’s technique, the "Profound Sun Treasure Manual".

As expected, just as he thought of this point, Master Cyan Yang began to speak of it with a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha, it seems all of this is predestined by the heavens!"

"Back then, I wanted to take Zhou Xiaoyou as a disciple, but Xiaoyou declined because of his commitment to his clan."

"Now, Xiaoyou’s child is born in this sect, possessing the spirit body most compatible with our sect’s technique. It’s truly a fated opportunity from the heavens, bridging the master-disciple bond through your son as heaven’s will demands!"

Zhouyang naturally didn’t believe in this so-called predestined fate.

The reason his son possessed the [Profound Sun Spirit Body] was most likely related to him, who bore the [Qianyang Treasure Body].

Alright, it might also have something to do with Master Cyan Yang.

After all, the cultivation technique practiced by Master Cyan Yang was indeed the ’Profound Sun Treasure Manual’, and he had expended his Nascent Soul essence to strengthen Zhou Guangcheng’s essence while still in the womb.

Currently, in the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, only Master Yunxiao and Master Cyan Yang have cultivated the ’Profound Sun Treasure Manual’ to the Nascent Soul Stage. This is why they both suddenly sensed something and rushed to Zhouyang’s place together earlier.

Now that Master Cyan Yang openly expressed the desire to take Zhou Guangcheng as a disciple, Zhouyang truly didn’t know how to respond appropriately.

After all, he still hoped for his son to inherit the Zhou family’s legacy and join him in prospering the Zhou family!

Yet, directly refusing was obviously not an option either.

Even if Master Cyan Yang and Master Lingxiao, two Nascent Soul Stage cultivators, personally visited for this matter, just considering the future of his son’s path, this matter cannot be simply rejected.

The sect’s technique "Profound Sun Treasure Manual" of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, in terms of its profoundness, is certainly not much inferior to Zhouyang’s "Qianyang Immortal Scripture", and it perfectly complements Zhou Guangcheng’s "Profound Sun Spirit Body".

If Zhou Guangcheng cultivates using the "Profound Sun Treasure Manual" with his "Profound Sun Spirit Body", in several hundred to a thousand years, he might become another Lu Xuanji.

As Zhouyang, his father, he certainly cannot cut off his son’s future path just like that.

"Since Elder Qingyang mentioned past events, I dare to say something; Guangcheng is my only child, and I wish for him to eventually take over the management of the Zhou Family. If he acknowledges you as his master, then..."

As he looked at Master Cyan Yang, there was no need to say more, for he believed the other would understand his meaning.

Indeed, upon hearing this, Master Cyan Yang’s face immediately changed, angrily glaring at him and rebuked, "Xiaoyou is smart, how can you be so muddled this time?"

"If your son acknowledges me as his master, he will certainly become a core true disciple of my Profound Sun Immortal Sect, and in the future, there is at least a fifty percent chance he will become a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, maybe even another Senior Brother Lu!"

"As for your Zhou Family, with your current lifespan, you can at least shelter the Zhou Family for more than five hundred years. With these five hundred years, can’t you cultivate another Golden Core Stage cultivator for the Zhou Family?"

"By then, with your son cultivating in my Profound Sun Immortal Sect on the inside, and you and your successors guarding the Zhou Family on the outside, the Zhou Family will be hard-pressed to decline!"

"I know Xiaoyou always puts the family first, but do you really want to waste your son’s talent for the sake of the family? In the future, if your son’s cultivation stagnates at the Golden Core Stage, won’t you fear he resents you for this?"

Master Cyan Yang was truly anxious.

Back then, Zhouyang used the family as an excuse to reject his offer to take him as a disciple, leaving him with a regret in his heart.

The greater Zhouyang’s achievements now, the deeper this regret grew.

And now Zhouyang used this excuse again to prevent him from taking Zhou Guangcheng as a disciple, which made him incredibly angry.

But Zhouyang seemed as if he heard none of the anger in his words, simply cupping his fist and saying, "Forgive me, Elder Qingyang, I am not unaware of these matters. It’s just that the sect and the family have their rules. If Cheng’Er acknowledges you as master and enters the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, even if he achieves something, will your sect’s rules allow him to look after the Zhou Family?"

"As a father, of course, I wish for his future path to be smooth sailing, and from the bottom of my heart, I hope he can join your sect and cultivate the sect’s divine techniques."

"But I am also the Guardian of the Zhou Family, and Cheng’Er is now part of the Zhou Family. Since he is exceptionally talented, he should assume the family’s responsibilities and bring it to greater heights!"

Master Cyan Yang realized Zhouyang was negotiating with him!

Understanding this, he became less anxious, giving Zhouyang a glare and slowly saying, "Let’s do it this way. As long as your son acknowledges me as his master, all the conditions you requested previously for strengthening his source will be wiped clean and considered a gift for acknowledging a master!"

Zhouyang, however, didn’t hesitate and shook his head, saying, "Elder, there’s no need for this. The conditions I agreed to will naturally be fulfilled."

"Boy, don’t get ahead of yourself!"

Master Cyan Yang’s eyes widened in anger, glaring at Zhouyang, his anger almost impossible to suppress.

Perhaps his voice was a little loud, for Zhou Guangcheng, in Xiao Ying’s arms, was suddenly startled and began wailing.

That cry instantly dissipated the tense atmosphere in the room.

In his dao companion’s arms, as Zhouyang looked at his crying son, his heart was both pained and he couldn’t help but silently praise.

Then he turned his gaze to Master Cyan Yang, and saw indeed the other’s face full of embarrassment, no longer bearing the previous overbearing demeanor.

"Alright, Senior Brother, calm down for a moment. No need for Xiaoyou to act like this; let’s hear what I have to say?"

The always-watching Master Lingxiao finally spoke up to relieve his senior brother, Master Cyan Yang.

He raised his eyes to look at Zhouyang, and with a deep gaze said, "Xiaoyou is merely worried about the security of the Zhou Family in the future. Allow me to give you a promise: as long as your son joins our Profound Sun Immortal Sect, the Zhou Family can become a direct affiliate of our sect and gain a place in Daoxuan Country. In the future, if your son achieves Nascent Soul, for him to pursue the Dao without worry, naturally, our sect will ensure nothing happens to the Zhou Family!"

Daoxuan Country is the heartland of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect. Except for the previous disaster triggered by the "Heaven-Sundering True Demon", there hasn’t been war for over ten thousand years. If the Zhou Family has a secure place within Daoxuan Country, then as long as the Profound Sun Immortal Sect stands and Zhou Guangcheng lives, they need no longer fear annihilation.

Master Lingxiao’s promise carries significant weight.

Zhouyang’s expression immediately turned solemn, earnestly replying, "Besides the conditions the two elders mentioned previously, I wish to add one more: if Guangcheng later has descendants who wish to return to the Zhou Family, your sect shall not obstruct them in any way!"

"Agreed." Master Lingxiao nodded slightly and consented directly.