The person in the ancestral portrait wasn't surnamed "Yue," but "Wei"… If outsiders saw that, they'd probably mock the Yue family and start spreading rumors.
"This martial man surnamed Wei isn't an outsider. He's our uncle-ancestor, the sworn brother of Lady Jing'an."
Yue Changzhong pointed to the woman's portrait on the left and spoke in a heavy tone.
"Sworn brother?" Yue Ziguang was surprised. Just being someone's sworn brother didn't seem enough reason for the Yue family to worship a portrait of a man named Wei for generations.
—Lady Jing'an was the formal title of Yue Jing's original wife. She held the rank of Fourth-Grade Madam.
Yue Changzhong could read his son Yue Ziguang's thoughts and began to recount their ancestor Yue Jing's story.
"The version spread among the people and recorded in the Genealogy of Noble Clans isn't the full truth. Our ancestor… wasn't even a minor clerk. He started as a menial runner for the yamen, not even a registered staff member."
"But after marrying Lady Jing'an and gaining the backing of her sworn brother, he finally got appointed as a squad leader in the military. From there, he climbed the ranks during the chaos and rose step by step."
Yue Changzhong didn't shy away from telling the truth about their family's humble beginnings.
In his view, there was nothing shameful about it. If the Yue family ever forgot their roots or the grace they received, they'd eventually bring disaster upon themselves.
As head of the family, what he feared most was future descendants thinking all their wealth and power were just their birthright, something they naturally deserved.
"This courtyard was once the old home of Lady Jing'an and her sworn brother and sister-in-law. Our ancestor cherished their bond and named it the Yue family's ancestral home. It's been preserved ever since."
"For over two hundred years, it's been maintained without interruption."
Yue Changzhong sighed softly.
Hidden nearby, Wei Tu couldn't help but be stunned when he heard this.
He never imagined that the casual arrangement he made for Caixia back then would become the foundation for Yue Jing's rise. And after achieving success, Yue Jing didn't forget the favor he'd received.
'Clever people aren't always ungrateful,' Wei Tu thought. He had to admit, Caixia had good judgment in choosing her husband.
"But this portrait can't stay."
Just then, Yue Changzhong suddenly said this.
"Father, why?" Yue Ziguang was confused.
Just moments ago, his father had been talking about how Wei Tu—the sworn brother of Lady Jing'an—had helped their family and how they should never forget that kindness. But now he was saying the portrait couldn't remain?
It was too sudden.
"I received news in the capital recently. The Tian Nv Sect has been hunting down a cultivator named Wei Tu for decades."
"Lady Jing'an's sworn brother shares that same name, and he's from the same hometown. If the Tian Nv Sect or the court finds out, the Yue family… might be in grave danger."
Yue Changzhong's expression turned serious.
"Could it be…?" Yue Ziguang raised an eyebrow, starting to wonder if the Wei Tu in the portrait and the one the sect was hunting were actually the same person.
Even though his reason told him it was unlikely—just too much of a coincidence—his instinct said otherwise. Maybe they really were the same man.
After all, how many powerful people named Wei Tu could there be from the same place? Wei wasn't a common surname in Qingmu County.
"Most likely the same person." Yue Changzhong nodded firmly, agreeing with the suspicion.
"If they were different, given our Yue family's standing in court, keeping this portrait would be no big deal. But unfortunately, it is the same man."
Yue Changzhong's face showed deep worry.
If this were decades ago, when Zheng Kingdom was ruled by orthodox cultivators, he might've been thrilled to learn their family was connected to a cultivator so powerful he'd become wanted by the Tian Nv Sect.
But times had changed.
Now that demonic cultivators ruled Zheng, keeping a portrait of Wei Tu could bring disaster instead of blessing.
"A great cultivator… someone like a god among men, nothing like ordinary people…"
That thought shook Yue Ziguang.
He rushed outside, grabbed the gatekeeper, and pulled him into the main hall. Pointing at the portrait of Wei Tu, he asked, "Uncle Wang, was the man you saw at the gate earlier this person?"
The gatekeeper was confused at first, but the moment he looked at the portrait, he froze. He quickly nodded again and again. "Yes, that's him! That's the man!"
He'd seen the portrait before, but hadn't made the connection until now. Once Yue Ziguang pointed it out, it was like being jolted awake from a dream.
"What?! Wei Tu was here?"
Yue Changzhong was stunned. He rushed out the door, scanning the area, trying to spot where Wei Tu had gone.
Whether Wei Tu was wanted or not, meeting someone like him was a once-in-a-century opportunity for the Yue family of Qingmu.
—Being wanted by the Tian Nv Sect was itself proof of Wei Tu's power.
Fortune favors the bold. Cowards starve.
If that uncle-ancestor was willing to spare even a sliver of favor, the Yue family might just leap forward and become a true cultivation clan.
…
Wei Tu, however, had no intention of showing himself.
Though he respected Yue Jing and Caixia for their gratitude and sense of duty, that alone wasn't enough for him to bless their descendants.
Besides, the Yue family wasn't in trouble. They were only looking for him now to latch onto his status as a cultivator. That wasn't enough reason for him to appear.
—With the Yue family's current influence, finding cultivation methods in Zheng Kingdom wasn't hard. What they really sought wasn't methods, but cultivation resources, and access to greater immortal opportunities.
He didn't want to get too involved with the Yue family.
Besides, now that they had guessed his identity, showing himself might expose him and bring danger.
But just as Wei Tu was about to leave, Yue Changzhong seemed to sense that the cultivator was nearby. He returned to the main hall and bowed three times to the portrait of Wei Tu.
"Uncle-ancestor, I'm willing to exchange a treasure for a chance at cultivation. I hope you will grant this favor."
Yue Changzhong wasn't stupid. He knew that by his generation, the Yue family's connection with Wei Tu was practically nonexistent. The only way to move Wei Tu was through real benefit.
Hearing this, Wei Tu became curious, but he still didn't reveal himself. He waited for Yue Changzhong's next words.
"The imperial family of the Feng Dynasty was first supported by the Chisong Jia Clan, a cultivation clan. Back then, the Jia Clan gave the founding emperor a Dao scroll."
"This Dao scroll not only extends life but also strengthens the body to be as hard as metal, giving great physical strength. I was lucky enough to acquire this scroll, and I'm willing to offer it to you, uncle-ancestor..."
Yue Changzhong spoke quickly.
Wei Tu's eyes dimmed with disappointment. A Dao scroll the Chisong Jia Clan casually gave to mortals wouldn't mean much to him, a Golden Core cultivator.
This Yue Changzhong knew more about cultivation than the average commoner, but still only had a surface-level understanding.
'Forget it, it's still a connection,' Wei Tu thought, shaking his head. With a flick of his sleeve, he canceled the concealment spell and appeared.
Yue Ziguan and the gatekeeper were both startled when they suddenly saw someone standing in the hall. They jumped in shock.
Only Yue Changzhong, who had expected this, remained calm. In fact, he even looked delighted.
"Uncle-ancestor? He really does look like the portrait!" Yue Ziguan recovered and was overjoyed.
With the support of a powerful uncle-ancestor like Wei Tu, the Yue family of Qingshan might actually become a cultivation clan.
But Wei Tu's expression wasn't one of joy at meeting family. His face remained calm as he glanced at Yue Changzhong.
"If I hadn't heard you mention a secret treasure, I would've already left. Bring out the scroll. I'll offer a reward based on its value."
Wei Tu's tone was all business.
The excitement on Yue Ziguan's face quickly faded. He smiled bitterly and gave up on his unrealistic hopes.
In the end, it was their ancestor Yue Jing who owed the uncle-ancestor a favor. After becoming successful, he had simply repaired the old residence where the uncle-ancestor had once lived.
That was all the Yue family had done in return. Honestly, it didn't even count as a favor.
To someone like Wei Tu, an old house meant nothing. And to a prosperous family like the Yue clan, fixing up one house barely cost anything.
From start to finish, Wei Tu never owed them anything. Even this so-called family connection had been forced by the Yue family.
And the so-called "ancestral residence"… in truth, it was mainly to honor Lady Jing'an. The uncle-ancestor was just worshipped alongside her.
Only a few people in the Yue family even knew the uncle-ancestor's name or that he had once helped their ancestor.
So if Wei Tu was cold to them now, it was totally understandable.
"This is the Dao scroll." Yue Changzhong took out an old book from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Wei Tu.
"Chisong Heart Technique?" Wei Tu raised an eyebrow as he read the title on the cover.
He flipped through it and quickly figured out where this technique came from.
The Chisong Heart Technique was actually a modified version of the Stone Demon Sect's foundational technique, adapted by the Chisong Jia Clan. They had simply given it a new name.
—The Chisong Jia Clan was one of the main bloodlines of the Stone Demon Sect.
'Still, this basic technique might help me study the Golden Toad Qi,' Wei Tu thought.
In the Nascent Soul cave on the fifth level of the Stone Demon Tower, he had picked up five items from the two cultivation chambers, aside from the treasure rooms. They were a jade slip, a scroll, a golden skeleton, and a black iron sheet carved with strange symbols.
The jade slip and the scroll had been stored together.
After studying them over the past few days, he had learned that the jade slip recorded an advanced secret art called Golden Toad Qi, and the scroll contained key cultivation insights about it.
Unlike loose cultivators who learn techniques in random pieces, major sects have systematic inheritances. Their high-level arts are usually developed from foundational methods.
So to train in Golden Toad Qi, it was almost essential to study the Stone Demon Sect's basic techniques.
This Chisong Heart Technique wasn't exactly the missing piece he needed, but it would save him time searching.
After all, the Stone Demon Sect had been destroyed for over ten thousand years. Many small sects hadn't even heard of it, let alone preserved its techniques.
"This technique is somewhat useful to me. What do you want in return?"
Wei Tu paused before asking.
As long as Yue Changzhong didn't ask for anything outrageous, he was willing to grant a favor for the sake of old ties.
"I want a Foundation Establishment Pill," Yue Changzhong said, gritting his teeth.
He knew that this pill was the key to breaking into the Foundation Establishment Realm. With it, the Yue family could finally evolve into a true cultivation clan.