Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

"Uncle, the Chen clan is just a small, remote clan. I've examined the blood rice, and although it can temper the body, its effect is minimal for martial artists at the mid-stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm. Such a trivial matter—I could have handled it myself. Why did you have to come in person?"

On the way back, a young man with a puzzled expression posed the question to Zhou Huai'an, who was flying ahead on the back of a great bird.

Despite soaring against the wind, the two figures remained completely at ease, showing no signs of discomfort. A closer look revealed an invisible layer of protective energy enveloping them, shielding them from the elements and allowing them to converse effortlessly.

Hearing the young man's question, Zhou Huai'an shook his head slightly.

"Hong Lang, tell me—what is the current situation within the clan?"

Zhou Hong Lang thought for a moment before answering.

"Uncle, the current patriarch is about to step down, and many clan members are still watching the situation. Within the clan, only Uncle Huaiming and Uncle Huaichang are capable of competing for the position of patriarch."

Despite providing an answer, Zhou Hong Lang remained perplexed. Since the clan was undergoing a leadership transition and the position of patriarch was crucial, shouldn't his uncle be in the clan estate, securing the support of key members?

As he pondered this, Zhou Huai'an spoke calmly.

"That's right. The current situation within the clan is unclear, and the position of patriarch should go to the most capable person. Before we handle external matters, we must first stabilize our internal affairs. But to gain the support of the clan members, words alone are not enough.

"These blood rice grains might be of little use to martial artists in the Blood Coagulation Realm, but many of our younger members are still in the Body Tempering Realm. Besides, this blood rice can be harvested every three months. In time, it will become an important asset for our clan, so it’s worth my personal attention."

Zhou Hong Lang’s expression flickered with surprise. A three-month harvest cycle was remarkably short. Even their clan's Fengxian Valley, blessed by the clan totem, couldn't produce significant amounts of similar resources within that timeframe.

The effects might differ, but with enough quantity, quality concerns could be set aside.

"Uncle, since the blood rice is so abundant, why don't we just take over the Chen clan? That way, all of it would belong to us."

Zhou Huai'an chuckled.

"Sure. Then I'll send you to cultivate the blood rice. Would you be willing?"

Zhou Hong Lang hesitated before quickly understanding the underlying issue.

This place was too far away. Even with the clan's Wind-Chasing Falcon, it took seven days to travel here. Worse still, the area was so isolated that it lacked access to vital cultivation resources. Assigning him here would be no different from exile.

Moreover, cultivating blood rice required a large workforce. Few clan members would be willing to relocate to such a remote place.

Having figured this out, Zhou Hong Lang fell silent.

Seeing this, Zhou Huai'an continued.

"Although the yield of this blood rice is decent, its ceiling is not high. Destroying the Chen clan would be easy, but the Zhou clan has more than just the Chen clan under its wing—we have other small families as well. The strength of a clan lies in its martial artists, but reputation is just as important."

"If we send our own people to cultivate blood rice, it will inevitably disperse our clan's power. One Chen clan is manageable, but if we acquire two, three, or more—what then? What if there are other types of blood rice, each needing labor and oversight? How will our cultivators continue their training?"

Zhou Hong Lang lowered his head slightly.

"Uncle, you're right."

Zhou Huai'an suddenly shifted the topic.

"Are you about to break through to the Innate Realm?"

Zhou Hong Lang looked embarrassed. "Your nephew is dull—it’ll take some time before I can break through."

"If you can't excel in martial arts, you should consider developing yourself in other ways. You’ll handle the next blood rice collection."

Zhou Hong Lang nodded in acknowledgment.

The clan nurtured its members by focusing on their strengths. If someone possessed talent in martial arts, they received specialized training. If not, other paths were made available.

Zhou Hong Lang had always hoped to follow the martial path, but talent was something one was born with—it couldn’t be forced.

His gaze shifted toward Chen Qingyu, who was seated on the Wind-Chasing Falcon behind them.

Chen Qingyu appeared to be around his age. He came from an obscure, small clan, yet he had already reached the Innate Realm.

This realization made Zhou Hong Lang sigh at the unfairness of fate.

But while life was often unfair, he didn't feel resentful. His own clan had talented members who rivaled, if not surpassed, Chen Qingyu.

Still, he couldn't help but ask. "Uncle, why are we bringing this person with us?"

Zhou Huai'an replied calmly. "The Chen clan is in a remote area with little contact with the outside world. This person may be their strongest martial artist, but he is still like a frog in a well—unaware of the vastness beyond his world. That ignorance may give him reckless ideas in the future.

"Bringing him to our clan will show him the strength of the Zhou clan.Ignorance breeds fearlessness. Once he understands our power and status, he won’t entertain any foolish ambitions."

Zhou Hong Lang suddenly understood, a sense of pride surfacing on his face. His cultivation might not match Chen Qingyu’s, but he had the backing of his clan.

The Innate Realm might be Chen Qingyu's limit, but it certainly wasn’t his! In this situation, he had the advantage.

…

Meanwhile, Chen Qingyu sat on the Wind-Chasing Falcon, silently observing the unique scenery below. Though this was his first time experiencing flight, his expression remained calm.

His mind replayed the instructions given by Patriarch Chen Xingzhen before his departure. This trip was no mere excursion—he had clan duties to fulfill.

His first task was to assess the strength of the Zhou clan.@@novelbin@@

His second was to memorize their route, ideally mapping it. This information would help his clan analyze the surrounding region and determine the best path to connect with the world beyond the Chaotic Burial Mountain.

The tasks were challenging, and he had to proceed with caution.

…

After Zhou Huai'an and his group departed, the Chen clan began preparations for the next blood rice planting.

Despite the Natural Blood Spring beneath their fertile fields, the land had to be renewed after each harvest. The old rice stalks needed to be burned to enrich the soil for the next crop. Additionally, their domesticated animals were running low. Clan members would need to venture into the Chaotic Burial Mountain to capture more for breeding.

The clan's Divine Tree also required a ritual sacrifice every seven days—an obligation that could not be delayed. In addition to these tasks, Chen Xingzhen mobilized the clan to clear a new path through the northern forests of Chaotic Burial Mountain.

He didn’t know exactly where the path would lead, but it was being carved in the direction Zhou Huai'an and his party had taken.

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