Afterward, Chen Nuo selectively recounted the story of the oyster mushrooms.
He focused on how quickly they grew.
After listening.
THUMP!
His great-uncle slammed his cane heavily on the ground.
A smile he couldn't contain spread across his face.
"Excellent, excellent! Ah Nuo, you've done a wonderful thing."
"Keep at it. See if those second-generation Seeds grow just as fast. Our manor can still hold on."
"This trial… if you hadn't been able to complete it, I actually had a way to solve it. It just would have come at a price."
"But I never expected you to have such good fortune. Excellent! This way, the clan can keep more money for taxes."
The old man seemed to have entered a state of great excitement.
He didn't doubt the truth of Chen Nuo's words for a second.
'Taxes, though?'
'Ah, the Tax Collector…'
Chen Nuo remembered. When the autumn harvest came, the wretched Tax Collector would arrive. Despite two consecutive years of famine, the great lords of the Imperial Court had offered no relief. Instead, the exorbitant taxes and levies only increased…
"Chen Nuo!"
Suddenly, a serious voice jolted Chen Nuo back to the present.
"Great-uncle, I'm here."
"You are the most outstanding person in our Chen Manor. I can rest easy entrusting the manor to you. You will be the Clan Leader."
He said this suddenly.
His words carried an indescribable solemnity.
Chen Nuo's expression also grew solemn.
"There are some things I must entrust to you."
"I can't very well take them to the grave."
The Great-uncle sat back down, his gaze distant.
"Our Chen Manor, we're actually outsiders. About a hundred years ago, during our ancestors' generation, our people fled a famine. They came from the Xia Kingdom to this small country and, step by step, we have grown and multiplied to this day."
"Unfortunately, because we were fleeing a famine, many things were lost. Things like the ancestral tablets, the family's teachings, the generational records… lost, all of it lost."
"We became a small clan in a barbarian land with no roots!"
The Great-uncle recounted the family's history with deep sorrow.
Chen Nuo listened intently.
"In the Xia Kingdom, I believe we were once a respectable family. According to the words passed down by the elders of the previous generation, we were a family of County Heroes. Our population numbered over a thousand. We had countless members in the Nourishing Body Realm, dozens in the Skin and Flesh Realm, and even several in the Tendon and Bone Realm. How glorious it was."
"A pity. A natural disaster struck, and what good was being a family of County Heroes then? We were still destroyed."
"That Qi Blood Technique is the only inheritance we have left. Its full name is the One Element Qi Blood Technique. After you formally take the position of Clan Leader, I will give you the rest of it."
"I'm not telling you this so you'll return to the Xia Kingdom, and certainly not so you can restore our former glory. That's unrealistic, and I don't dare hope for such a day. I only want you to remember this history, to never forget it, and to tell it to your successor. We must know where our roots truly lie."
"Do you understand, Ah Nuo?"
"Great-uncle, I understand."
Chen Nuo said solemnly.
'This is also a kind of inheritance.'
After recounting the family's origins, the Great-uncle relaxed considerably.
"Ah Nuo, when would you like to take over as Clan Leader?"
'?'
Chen Nuo glanced at the old man in surprise.
'Is that something I can choose?'
'Shouldn't we pick an auspicious date?'
'Still, this is exactly what I was hoping for.'
"Great-uncle, I hope to do it as soon as possible. Since you've chosen me, I should shoulder the clan's responsibilities without delay," Chen Nuo said sincerely.
"Good. I knew I wasn't wrong about you. You're much better than that worthless grandson of mine."
"However, you can't."
'?'
Chen Nuo was stunned.
"Haha, the succession of a Clan Leader is no child's play. There must be a process, a ceremony. Your great-uncle will prepare it for you. During this time, you just focus on your Cultivation. I will spread the word that you will be taking over as Clan Leader."
"You should also carefully select and cultivate clan members who are close to you."
"Oh, and for the next few days, remember to come to the ancestral hall every day. The clan's affairs may not be many, but you still need to familiarize yourself with them."
"Don't wait until you've officially taken over to start fumbling about."
"Also, you must handle the relationships within the clan well. Use personal connections to mediate, but your authority must be the backbone. Don't be too biased…"
"You must unite the clan members. They aren't bad people, but they need guidance… You must pay attention to the clan's morale. Don't let unhealthy trends take root… You must be fair, or at least appear fair on the surface…"
"People are selfish. At critical moments, you must make tough choices. If there's only so much grain this year and some people are destined to starve, you must rationally choose who survives… You can feel heartbroken, but you cannot be soft-hearted. If you go soft, the clan is finished…"
"…"
The Great-uncle rambled on, saying a great deal.
But Chen Nuo didn't feel the slightest bit of impatience.
Instead, he listened intently.
Because this was all the experience of the older generation, precious knowledge gleaned from stumbling through countless hardships and setbacks.
It could help the younger generation avoid many detours. It was the old man's concern for his descendants, and his legacy to his successor.
For this, Chen Nuo felt he should accept it all with an open mind.
…...
He walked out of the ancestral hall.
The weather had cleared up slightly.
A ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining down like a holy beacon.
Chen Nuo's feelings at this moment were also complicated.
Amidst the heavy weight of responsibility, there was an unparalleled joy.
'The position of Clan Leader is finally mine.'
'My golden finger is finally active! I can finally relax a little.'
But the fate of all the clan members now rested on his shoulders.
'Responsibility and power.'
Chen Nuo chuckled softly.
He started walking toward his home.
On the way,
he ran into one villager after another.
They were all related to him in some way.
Everyone greeted each other as they began their busy day.
Chen Nuo soon arrived back home.
He told his mother and Sister La the good news.
"That's wonderful!"
"My son is the Clan Leader!"
"Hahaha…"
His mother seemed overjoyed, and even Sister La was beaming with happiness.
Chen Nuo was smiling too.
"La Zi, take some money and go to Widow Wang's place at the edge of the village to trade for a chicken. Cook something nice tonight. My son's become the Clan Leader, he needs a proper nourishing meal."
"Yes, I know, Mother."
'???'
'Why do I need a nourishing meal?'
Chen Nuo was baffled. 'But maybe this is just how parents in every family express their love for their children.'
"Alright, alright, Mother. I haven't officially taken over yet. There's no need."
Thanks to Chen Nuo's persuasion, they didn't end up spending the money.
Once things settled down,
Chen Nuo glanced at the log where the second-generation oyster mushrooms were. Everything was stable. It looked like it would still take some time to verify the results.
Then, he took some of the first-generation oyster mushrooms he had stored and began simmering a medicinal porridge, preparing for another day of Cultivation.
At this very moment,
his Qi Blood Technique was already at [Qi Blood Technique (9/10)].
He expected to complete his Cultivation of the Nourishing Body Realm today.
'I have to say, the medicinal effects of the first-generation oyster mushrooms are truly amazing.'
Chen Nuo clenched his fist, feeling the abundant power welling within him. He figured he probably still couldn't beat Yongzi, but taking on a few Chen Lis shouldn't be a problem.
GLUG GLUG GLUG.
He drank the medicinal porridge.
And began to cultivate.
'Goal: Qi Blood Technique, Perfection!'