After the banquet, the family gathered together again, chatted for a while, and then went back to their rooms.
Zhou Bao had drunk a lot, but now he would not feel anything, even if he was drowned in a wine jar.
He didn't have much communication with Green Spirit when drinking, but, as soon as he returned to his room, he couldn't wait to ask.
"Aren't you doing closed-door training? You've mastered the Great Way of Stars so quickly?"
"How could it be! If it could be mastered so quickly, it would be too worthless!" There was a flurry of irritation in Green Spirit's psywave. "But lately I've comprehended something through the practice, and I refined a star incarnation with the Sky-measuring Star Ruler!"
A star incarnation?
Zhou Bao was a little stunned. At this moment he felt the ring on his finger move and a bit of starlight broke through his Space Division Skill and flew out of the ring.
"This, is your star incarnation!"
"Yeah, this is my star incarnation. What?"
"Nothing, nothing. It's just that it looks a little unexpected."
"Humph, ignorant!" Green Spirit swore rudely, "I'm a Great Ancient Demon, so my incarnation is a demon, too! Do you want me to pretend to be a man?"
"Right, right, you're a Great Ancient Demon. You have the dignity of a Great Ancient Demon!" Zhou Bao blinked and stopped laughing, looking at the spider composed entirely of starlight.
Yes, it was a spider!
Green Spirit's star incarnation was a spider. "Monster's aesthetic is far from human. Wait, the body of this spider..."
Just then Zhou Bao seemed to sense something, and suddenly rounded his eyes. Indeed, the spider in front of him was extremely small, similar to that of the ordinary, bloodsucking, Colorful-legged Spider. However, the immense star force that gathered in the spider was so vast and bright.
This spider had tried to suppress the massive star force within itself, but at any rate, the terrifying star force that emanated from the flowing faint starlight was unstoppable.
Zhou Bao's face went white after he felt it carefully with his spiritual mind. Looking at, and pointing to the bloody spider with trembling fingers, he sprang to his feet. "Damn it, goddamn it, I was just letting you comprehend the Great Way of Stars with the Sky-measuring Star Ruler, not allowing you to suck up all the star force in the Sky-measuring Star Ruler to make a star incarnation! The, the, the star force in your incarnation is about the same as that of the Sky-measuring Star Ruler. You, you, you, did you suck up its star force?"
"How can this happen! The Sky-measuring Star Ruler was purified in the Constellation Sea for thousands of years. Awesome as the star incarnation is, it cannot use so much star force!"
Green Spirit's words reassured Zhou Bao, but his next words made Zhou Bao furious again.
"I just used up 80% of its star force. Hehe, boy, you're lucky! My star incarnation is powerful, with the cultivation of the Mysterious Realm. Boy, you're really lucky!"
"Fu*k!" With a roar, Zhou Bao lifted his foot to kick the bloody spider, but before he could kick it, he was blown away by the surging starlight and bumped into the wall of the room.
"Don't get mad, boy. Just listen to me!" Green Spirit's psywave seemed to be extremely complacent, as if jeering at Zhou Bao's overreach. "The star incarnation's cultivation is Mysterious Realm, but its potential is immeasurable! Most importantly, it's an incarnation which isn't in the Ranking of Demons and Immortals. Haha..."
"What? The incarnation isn't in the Ranking of Demons and Immortals? Then likewise it shouldn't in the Golden Book of Fate?"
"Certainly, hehe. Surprisingly, the world has changed so much in the years since I was banned. The Golden Book of Fate should be split in two. Neither the Ranking of Demons and Immortals, nor the Golden Book of Fate can affect the incarnation. Boy, this is the chance of Great Ways, a loophole in the Way of Heaven, which has been discovered early in the antiquity times. Moreover, since necromancers ran amok in those days, the way to practice incarnations spread throughout the world. Hee hee, even the way to practice the Third Primordial Spirit and the Fourth Primordial Spirit has appeared, not to speak of the Second Primordial Spirit. Well, boy, are you interested in it?"
"Is the Outer-body Incarnation really so magical?"
"Of course! But there's a condition for the Outer-body Incarnation—to practice it, you must condense primordial spirit first. Look, without primordial spirit, how can there be the Second Primordial Spirit, the Third Primordial Spirit? Additionally, to condense primordial spirit, your cultivation must reach the level of Individual Immortal!"
Hearing this, Zhou Bao froze, and his sudden beating heart, as if squeezed by something powerful, became calm. Then he looked at Green Spirit fiercely, "What, the Second Primordial Spirit? Then what's the loophole?"
"Take it easy, take it easy, hear me out! Didn't I just say that? After the discovery of this loophole, necromancers have studied countless ways to practice the primordial spirit. Unfortunately, these ways were only used in practicing the primordial spirit, and there was no way that could make a man succeed in practicing the primordial spirit before he reached the Mysterious Realm. But they found some methods!"
"They found some methods?" Zhou Bao frowned slightly, a little puzzled.
"Yes, they found some methods which allow people to successfully practice their primordial spirit before they reach the Mysterious Realm!"
"What are these methods?"
"Take advantage of the limited treasures of heaven and earth. Even at the very beginning of Primordial Time, these things did not appear several times. To get them now is wishful thinking. Boy, do you think it's easy to utilize the loophole of the Way of Heaven?"
"Then what's the use of refining an incarnation?"
"It's certainly useful. An incarnation is equivalent to one more life. Then, if you break the Law of Heaven, and are struck by lightning, you will not truly die, having your soul dissipate. Even if your body is destroyed, as long as the incarnation exists, you will not die. Although you will be seriously injured, the Original Spirit won't have perished after all. Best of all, your incarnation isn't in the Golden Book of Fate, so you won't be listed as an Immortal. What a wonderful thing it is!"
When it came to this, Green Spirit finally got excited, laughing weirdly around Zhou Bao. "I'm so lucky to run into the Sky-measuring Star Ruler this time. Put a wisp of primordial spirit in it, and refine the Outer-body Incarnation!"
"What? You've refined the Sky-measuring Star Ruler?" Zhou Bao gave a strange cry. The Sky-measuring Star Ruler was an extremely powerful Pure Yang Celestial Device, and he got it from Ye Qingtian through untold hardships. Before he had time to see it, it was refined by the damned Green Spirit. Of course he was angry.
"No, I didn't refine it. Boy, don't panic! My Original Spirit has already merged with the green lamp, so how can I refine a celestial device? I just placed the Second Primordial Spirit on the Pure Yang Celestial Device. Moreover, it's good for you as well. The Sky-measuring Star Ruler is a Pure Yang Celestial Device, but its star force is so vast that you can't use it. After I consumed 80% of the star force, the rest is right for you. Don't be an ingrate!"
Zhou Bao rolled his eyes. "Now that your cultivation has reached the Mysterious Realm and you have the incarnation, you can go everywhere. You're no longer dependent on me, right?"
"No, my primordial spirit is placed on the Sky-measuring Star Ruler, just like my Original Spirit and the green lamp. How can I leave with these two things in your hand?" Here, his tone became strange. "Plus, I told you, you're a man of great luck, so I'm going to stick with you. What, you want to get rid of me?"
"No, I'm not that stupid. I'm very pleased to have an expert at the Mysterious Realm as my thug!" Zhou Bao laughed. Indeed, he was not that stupid. Green Spirit was a Great Ancient Demon, so there were many advantages to keeping him around. Moreover, his strength was formidable!
"Hee hee, thug? Boy, that's easy for you to think about. Well, that's all right. Now I have my incarnation, and it is placed in your Sky-measuring Star Ruler. As long as you refine this celestial device well, why not be your thug?"
"That's what you said!"
"Yeah, no big deal! I've been a thug. But my incarnation isn't complete, and it takes time. I'm not here to tell you this!"
"Oh, you just said it. What's the method of once and for all?" Zhou Bao asked, "You won't let me kill them all, will you?"
"You're cruel, too cruel! They're all your family. It's too cruel of you to want to kill them all!"
A drop of cold sweat dripped from Zhou Bao's forehead. "I, I didn't mean that. I'm just afraid you will give me such a bad idea!"
"No! Do you think I'm that kind of person?" Green Spirit replied disapprovingly, "Only the inhuman Dark Sect can do such a thing. Don't compare me, a Great Ancient Demon, to the bastard of the Dark Sect!"
"Okay, okay, I won't, I won't!" Zhou Bao repeated, "Then tell me, is there any way to help me?"
"Very simple, to seal their bloodline. This is a common technique used in antiquity times. A Bloodline Sealing Technique is enough!"
"Bloodline Sealing Technique?"
"Yeah, Bloodline Sealing Technique, a Spirit Technique to seal bloodline power. With it, the bloodline won't awaken for 10 generations. Thus, you don't have to worry about that!"
"Won't awaken for 10 generations? Really?"
"We Demon tribe have been using it for hundreds of thousands of years, and it has never had a problem. How could it be false?" Green Spirit complained, as if he had been greatly insulted. "This is the masterpiece of the Demon tribe's Great Necromancer. If you and I are not one, I won't send it to you!"
"I see, I see!" Zhou Bao repeatedly said, giving Green Spirit a rare bow.
Green Spirit didn't seem to want to tease Zhou Bao, directly passing the Bloodline Sealing Technique on to Zhou Bao, and quickly got back into the ring.
"Great!" Getting the Bloodline Sealing Technique, Zhou Bao was secretly relieved, and the big stone that pressed in his heart, finally let up some of the pressure.
After the seal of all the bloodline of the consanguineous relatives of the Zhou Family, the next thing would be easy.
"Hmph, the next is the Air-frozen Bead. At the worst, I suppress my cultivation and enter the Mysterious Realm hundreds of years later. Hmph, I'm not yet 20 years old, but I've reached Level Eight. To live for hundreds of years is no problem. Moreover, because of the limitations of the bullshit Law of Heaven, the people who have reached the Mysterious Realm can never interfere in the world at all. With such strength, I'd not be afraid of anyone. Therefore, I can be in the world leisurely until I find a solution. Heehee, Divine Wind Palace, Divine Wind Palace, I don't believe you can really keep on being decent!" Zhou Bao thought bitterly.
The clear blue sky was cloudless.
15 kilometers outside the Qingyang Market was a graveyard.
Not a mass grave, but a graveyard, where those with names were buried.
There were a lot of people coming to offer sacrifices at anniversaries or festivals such as Tomb Sweeping Day and Cold Food Festival.
Today was neither Tomb Sweeping Day nor Cold Food Festival, but the graveyard was full of people. It was very lively.
These were people of the Zhou Family. Today Zhou Bao came to offer sacrifices to his first teacher, Old Xing.
Old Xing was a disciple of the Wu Family in Yunzhou, and Zhou Bao's mentor when he first entered the Wu Family. It was he who taught Zhou Bao his initial forging skills and martial arts. Moreover, with his help, Zhou Bao experienced an insight, which gave him a taste of the essence of hammering skills.
Old Xing, so to speak, was Zhou Bao's real reference in martial arts. Unfortunately, their fate didn't last long. It was not long before Zhou Bao entered the Wu Family, and Old Xing died. In Zhou Bao's view now, the cause of his death was shameful; the two Madams of the Wu Family fought for favor and competed with each other for their sons. Old Xing, whose status was not very high in the family, was dragged into the fray. Finally, he lost his life for the sake of a Dragon Grass.
It was impossible to investigate who was wrong, because the First Madam and the Second Madam, who were concerned in the affair, were all dead the day after he first came to worship Old Xing. The First Young Master, who had the best hope of inheriting the Wu Family, was evicted from the sect. As for the Second Young Master, he was not greatly involved, since he was a disciple of Wang She. However, he also lost the right to inherit the Wu Family and could only be a disciple of the Tian Long Taoism. Now, his future was totally in Wang She's hands.
Having abandoned two sons, Wu Yansheng was not distressed much. After all, he had several other successors. Moreover, he was in the prime of his life, so he didn't think much of it now.
It was cost-efficient for the Wu Family to get Zhou Bao's amity at the expense of two women's lives and the prospect of two sons.
To all of this, Zhou Bao did not even say a word, he just showed his attitude in front of Old Xing's grave, and everything was resolved. This also gave Zhou Bao a thorough understanding of the benefits of power.
His present strength and status had reached the point where the Wu Family had to look up. But what about himself? What did he need to look up to?
Zhou Bao gave a gentle sigh, pouring wine from the bowl on the grave of Old Xing, he silently said in his heart, "Old Xing, teacher, I'm here to redeem my vow today. Someone has avenged you. Your name is in the Valhalla of the Wu Family. I'm worthy of your teaching. You can rest in peace now!"
Indeed, he could rest in peace now. Old Xing had fought for the Wu Family for a lifetime, but he was finally killed by a killer hired by a person of the Wu Family. Only in order for a woman to relieve her anger. This kind of death had some cowardice.
"Little Fourth, it's getting late. It's time to go back. If Uncle Xing knows this, he would be discontent!" Boxer came up to Zhou Bao and said. He looked at the tall tombstone and gave Zhou Bao a complicated glance. "I just got the news, His Excellency Wu Yansheng and your teacher Elder Xu of the Wu Family will come here tomorrow!"
"Really?" Zhou Bao nodded with a smile. "I haven't seen my teacher for a long time. Make good preparations!"
"Okay!"
His other teacher, Xu Yong, was the Highest Elder of the Wu Family now. Though he had not broken through to the Expert Realm, his position was much higher in the Wu Family than that of the First Elder Lyu Yiyue.
In fact, the other Elders of the Wu Family now regretted their choice, "Why didn't I choose Zhou Bao as my disciple? Otherwise, I'd the Highest Elder of the Wu Family now!"
Of course, Wu Yansheng felt very lucky that Xu Yong was indifferent. Although Zhou Bao was like the sun at high noon now, Xu Yong still enjoyed being alone in his own small courtyard in the Wu Family, without making many demands. When it came to Zhou Bao, he was a bit proud, but more modest. He put all the credit on Zhou Bao's aptitude, as if Zhou Bao was his nominal disciple, and he did nothing. At first, there were many people who wanted to be his disciples, with a view being Zhou Bao's junior brother at least in nominal terms, but he refused all of them. Later, as Zhou Bao's reputation became more and more prominent, and the things Zhou Bao did become more and more frightening, these people all gradually dismissed the idea. After all, it was not so simple to be Zhou Bao's junior brother.
Every time Zhou Bao returned to Yunzhou, he would visit Xu Yong. At the beginning, he visited Xu Yong officially; afterwards, he felt that this was too much trouble, so most of the time he went to Xu Yong's courtyard himself, drinking wine and telling jokes, and occasionally exchanging knowledge of martial arts skills with Xu Yong. It made them feel at home.
Similarly, due to the change of Zhou Bao's identity, every time he went back to Yunzhou, and stayed a little longer, Wu Yansheng would come to visit Zhou Bao once he found out. In any case, Zhou Bao was still an Elder of the Wu Family in name. But he could not take his own identity as the Family Head of the Wu Family to press this outer core elder. Because the business cooperation between Zhou Bao's Anyuan Store and the Wu Family was increasingly close, not to mention Zhou Bao's current strength and identity. Thanks to the sales network of Anyuan Store, among the four major smelting families in the Jin, the dominance of the Wu Family had begun to emerge.
Although the three other backers were very strong as well, just for a smelting family, they would not offend Zhou Bao, an unrivaled expert who broke into the Mingyi School alone, and made them awkward and helpless. Besides, didn't you see that Zhou Bao has married into the royal family? Now he was the emperor's son-in-law, the emperor's relative. Additionally, he had a large territory in the northwest. Thus, he was not a person that anybody could offend!
At this time, the Wu Family and Anyuan Store were fully formed into a business alliance, and its development speed was directly proportional to Zhou Bao's strength. Although Zhou Bao was not concerned about these mundane affairs now, he must give his teacher face.
If Wu Yansheng hadn't been afraid that he could not see him, he wouldn't have taken Xu Yong with him. Xu Yong was Zhou Bao's teacher, so as the disciple, Zhou Bao should visit Xu Yong. How could the teacher come to visit the disciple?
With this alone, Zhou Bao's impression of Wu Yansheng had become worse.
Five days later, Zhou Bao left Qingyang Market for Wuyang Region.
Everything at home had been dealt with. In the name of Muscle-renewing and Marrow-cleansing, he used the Bloodline Sealing Technique to seal the bloodline of all the people who practiced martial arts and newborn babies in his family. Of course, all the family members whose bloodline was sealed had benefited. Muscle-renewing and Marrow-cleansing was true. Over the course of five days, he used more than 30 Bone-Forging Pills. They did not increase these people's feats greatly, but broadened the path for their future growth. Of course, he did not forget his brother-in-law, which was to confuse other people's attention and help Wang Tianlei. At the same time, he also stipulated that all the new members of the family, both male and female, should be sent to Wuyang Region before they reach one year old, and he would personally do Muscle-renewing and Marrow-cleansing for them, laying the foundation for their future.
This was good. It was common to help his family after one had made a rise in his life. Zhou Bao had the strength and elixirs, so it was human nature to help his family members enhance strength, which was not suspicious.
In the process, no trace of bloodline was found to be stimulated, which gave him a slight sigh of relief.
Having temporarily solved the problems of the bloodline, he began to focus his attention on the Taiyuan gathering.
The Taiyuan Heaven was one of the 33 Heavens. Owning the essence of the world and the treasure of heaven and earth that were beyond people's imagination. Although Zhou Bao, who had the right to access the Azure Heaven, did not care too much about the Taiyuan Heaven. Green Spirit said that each Heaven of the 33 Heavens had its own characteristics and unique specialties. For example, the Innate Green Lotus discovered in the Azure Secret Area was a special product of the Azure Heaven.
There were many treasures in the 33 Heavens, but there were also many dangers. Just like the Azure Secret Area, he entered only a small island, and no one knew what was in the Azure Spirit Sea. The Taiyuan Heaven was much bigger than the Azure Heaven, so only God knew what would happen in it.
"There are more than two months left. I have to get ready!" Zhou Bao thought to himself, and began to make plans.