Chapter 5

On the ninth day of the second month, outside Dongning City in a desolate wilderness, the sky was overcast.

"Ah." A melodious bird call echoed, and a massive bird enveloped in lightning swooped down from the clouds. Two figures were seated cross-legged on its back.

"Boom!"

As the bird approached the ground, lightning surged from its vast wings in all directions, causing the entire wilderness to tremble. Lightning snakes scattered and then dissipated.

At this moment, the two figures descended from the bird's back.

One was a middle-aged woman, and the other was an old woman leaning on a cane.

"Little Sister Huang, I have arrived, back to my hometown. You can return now," the old woman with the cane said with a smile.

"Sister Meng." The middle-aged woman's eyes were slightly moist. Her 'Sister Meng' had not been so aged before, but the severe injuries had made her look much older. However, from her appearance, one could still faintly see that the old woman had been a beauty in her youth.

"This parting may mean we will never meet again," the old woman sighed and smiled, "But I am fortunate. At least I can return to my hometown and spend the last few years of my life there. Those who died in battle have truly become nothing but a pile of yellow earth."

"Sister Meng, if you need any help, just send a letter. I, Huang Xiangning, will do my utmost," the middle-aged woman said solemnly.

"I will ask if I need anything," the old woman smiled, "Now, go back quickly."

The middle-aged woman carefully looked at the old woman, and finally, she leaped onto the bird's back. Soon, the bird flapped its wings, and lightning spread in all directions.

Whoosh.

Carrying lightning and thunder, the bird quickly soared into the sky and disappeared into the horizon.

The old woman watched her companion leave and then turned to look at Dongning City with a smile, "It's time to go home. To be able to return to my roots, the heavens have been kind to me!"

"Thud."

The old woman's cane lightly tapped the ground, and ripples spread out, enveloping a hundred meters around.

She held her cane and walked toward Dongning City, each step covering dozens of meters. Even as she passed by some travelers and merchant caravans on the road, they seemed not to notice the 'old woman,' continuing to chat and laugh.

After a short while, she arrived at the city gate.

"Dongning City."

The old woman, leaning on her cane, looked at the magnificent city before her.

This was her hometown! The place where she had lived as a young girl.

The old woman smiled and continued walking forward. The many people at the city gate, including the guards, did not see the old woman. She seemed to not exist in this world, and thus entered the city, walking through the streets, and arrived at the ancestral home of the Meng family.

Entering the ancestral home.

Many clan members patrolled the ancestral home, but they could not see the old woman.

"Cluck, cluck, cluck." In one of the courtyards of the ancestral home, a fat old man was drinking alone.

"Pingping, are you drinking secretly?" a voice echoed in the courtyard.

The fat old man was startled and looked around, unable to resist saying, "Third Sister, is that you? Third Sister?"

In the courtyard, an old woman with a cane appeared out of nowhere, smiling at him.

"Third Sister."

The fat old man's eyes turned red. He was the only younger brother of 'Meng Xiangnu.' Although other elders in the clan also called her 'Third Sister,' it was because the clan was so large, with a history of over a thousand years, and many clan members were several generations apart. The fat old man was named 'Meng Yanping,' the current clan leader of the Meng family. He was nearly twenty years younger than Meng Xiangnu, so she had taken care of him as both a sister and a mother when he was young.

In his heart, his third sister had always been so young, so beautiful, and so capable, but now she had aged so much.

"Why are you crying? I'm still alive, aren't I?" the old woman smiled.

"Third Sister, can your injuries really not be treated?" the fat old man asked.

"As long as I don't engage in fierce battles, I can still live for seven or eight years," the old woman said calmly, "People have birth, aging, illness, and death, and so do gods and demons. There's no need to be sad. In the next few years, I will properly arrange for the Meng family. Has there been any reaction from Dongning Prefecture after the news of my severe injuries was spread?"

"The Yun family has dissolved the marriage contract with our Meng family, specifically the marriage contract of Meng Chuan," the fat old man said, "As for the others, the four great demon families have only made small moves and dare not truly anger our Meng family."

"Hmm, when the marriage contract was first established, Yun Wanhai also wanted to rely on the influence of our Meng family. Now that I am severely injured, it is normal for him to dissolve the marriage contract of the younger generation."

The old woman instructed, "By the way, Pingping..."

"Third Sister, I'm ninety years old and the clan leader. Can you call me by my name?" the fat old man couldn't help but say.

"Oh, okay, okay, I'll give you some face," the old woman smiled, "Meng Pingping, go and gather all the elders in the Fire Hall. I want to see them."

"What's with the 'Meng Pingping'? My name is Meng Yanping," the fat old man muttered but quickly went to gather the clan elders.

His sister had been both a mother and a sister, raising him.

Protecting him, helping him reach where he was today.

Hearing his sister call him 'Pingping,' Clan Leader Meng Yanping felt more energized as he walked.

******

In the Meng family's ancestral home, the Fire Hall.

Only the most important matters were discussed here. Today, the area around the Fire Hall was heavily guarded.

Inside the hall.

Meng Xiangnu, leaning on her cane, stood there, looking up at the plaque inside the hall that read 'Fire.'

The clan leader and the elders all stood respectfully, not daring to make a sound.

In terms of age...

Meng Xiangnu was 112 years old, the oldest in the clan. In terms of strength, she had become a demon at the age of 35, protecting the Meng family for nearly eighty years, during which the Meng family had flourished. Her authority within the clan was unquestionable. A single command from her would likely have many clan members willing to die for her.

After looking at the plaque 'Fire' for a long time, Meng Xiangnu turned around, her gaze sweeping over the elders present, who all bowed slightly, looking somewhat nervous.

"Are there any talented young members in our Meng family who have the potential to become demons?" Meng Xiangnu asked. Although the Meng family had been rooted in Dongning Prefecture for over a thousand years, it had only produced two demons: one was the old ancestor Yu Shan from five hundred years ago, and the other was Meng Xiangnu herself. During their times, the Meng family had reached its peak. What Meng Xiangnu most hoped for was...

To cultivate a third demon in the clan's history.

Originally, she could have patiently and slowly searched for suitable young members to cultivate, but now time was too short, and she had to choose from the limited options.

"Da Jiang has great talent. He comprehended a secret technique at the age of nineteen and a sword momentum at the age of thirty. He is now forty-seven... there is still a glimmer of hope for him to become a demon," a bald, thin old man said.

"Da Jiang?"

Meng Xiangnu looked at Meng Da Jiang, who was standing nearby.

"Aunt." The fat Meng Da Jiang bowed.

"Have you condensed a core yet?" Meng Xiangnu asked.

Meng Da Jiang shook his head.

Meng Xiangnu frowned. At forty-seven, not even having condensed a core, the hope of becoming a demon was very slim.

"What about the younger generation?" Meng Xiangnu pressed.

"The younger generation, there are three who are somewhat promising," Clan Leader Meng Yanping said, "Meng Zhu is twenty-three, at the Wu Lou realm, currently serving in the Qinyang Pass. He comprehended a secret technique at the age of nineteen. There's also 'Meng Wenying,' a girl, who is sixteen and mastered a top-tier sword technique at the age of twelve. And there's Da Jiang's son, 'Meng Chuan,' who is fifteen and mastered a top-tier sword technique at the age of thirteen. Both Meng Wenying and Meng Chuan are young, but neither has comprehended a secret technique."

Meng Xiangnu fell silent.

Meng Zhu, comprehending a secret technique at nineteen, was already too late for becoming a demon. It was uncertain when he would comprehend 'momentum,' and becoming a demon would be even more distant.

Meng Wenying and Meng Chuan, at sixteen and fifteen, respectively, had very limited time, and they had not even mastered a secret technique.

She wanted to choose from the limited options, but there was truly no one suitable.

"You all go back," Meng Xiangnu said coldly, "In the next few years, the entire clan must intensify the cultivation of the younger generation. This is the top priority for the clan, and all other matters are secondary. Before I die, I want to see a promising candidate who has the potential to become a demon."

Clearly, there were no outstanding candidates, so she had to cast a wide net and hope that some talented individuals would emerge among the eight- to twelve-year-olds.

"Yes." The clan leader and the elders all responded in unison.

"This matter concerns the rise and fall of the clan. There must be no slack. If anyone embezzles for personal gain, they will be punished according to clan law." Meng Xiangnu finished speaking and walked out, leaning on her cane.