Longevity begins with alchemy master

Morning time.

After practicing some martial arts to strengthen her body, Zhou Fuyou quickly washed up and then headed to the Zhou family's council hall.

That is the most central location, second only to the Coral Palace where the ancestor secluded himself, so it takes a long time to get there.

Zhou Fuyou was in no hurry, following her past memories, walking at a leisurely pace.

Zhou encountered many members of the Zhou family, and people would often look at him with curious eyes.

Clearly, the events at the training ground and last night have already spread.

Zhou Fuyou remained calm, pretending not to see any gazes, and respectfully greeted familiar elders without being impolite.

About half an hour later, the solemn and majestic council hall came into view.

Zhou Fuyou approached, but before she could go in, she was stopped.

He looked up at the slightly aged man and hesitated before saying, "Uncle, it was Second Grandfather who sent me."

The person who stopped him was Zhou Junxiao's eldest son, who was of the same generation as Zhou Fuyou's father and was older, so Zhou Fuyou called him Uncle.

However, if someone puts the eldest uncle and the second grandfather together, it would be easy to mistake their relationship.

That's how it is with cultivators; those at lower levels often have white hair, while some powerful cultivators with advanced cultivation have the skill to maintain their youthful appearance and look very young.

Zhou Fuyou heard that this was related to the age at which a cultivator established their foundation; the earlier one established their foundation, the easier it was for their appearance to remain the same as it was back then.

Although they will gradually age as their health and blood decline, they will still be much better off than others.

The eldest uncle struck a chord and said softly, "They're having a discussion inside, please wait a moment."

Zhou Fuyou nodded and waited quietly outside.

However, the sounds of conversation inside the hall could be heard clearly.

"Patriarch, Yuhao was beaten by Zhou Fuyou, isn't he going to be punished at all?"

"What punishment do you want for a fight between kids? Didn't you get beaten up when you were little, or did you never beat up your peers?"

"But he went too far! Half of my Yuhao's face was smashed, three of his teeth were knocked out, and most of the remaining ones were loose. Is this a game between children? They are from the same clan and are family members who will support each other in the future. This should not be tolerated!"

“They were all born in the same year and started training on the same day. As far as I know, Yuhao had a group of friends helping him. He was beaten like that because he was not as skilled as others. If you have any grievances, you can let your Yuhao train hard and get revenge later. My Zhou family does not encourage internal strife, but we will never prohibit competition.”

"Homeowner..."

"Alright, your father hasn't said anything, so what are you shouting about! Xiao Cheng, what do you think?"

"I'll follow my second brother's arrangements."

"Well, let's leave it at that. But we do need to send a Qi Refining cultivator to keep an eye on the training ground. The instructors are ordinary innate martial artists, and they wouldn't dare to interfere in the conflicts between the family members. To prevent any extreme situations from arising in the future, I will send a Qi Refining cultivator to keep an eye on things nearby."

Upon hearing this discussion, Zhou Fuyou immediately understood that it was because of what happened to her yesterday.

The people being discussed, besides the Second Grandfather, should also include the Thirteenth Grandfather, who is also a Golden Core cultivator, and his son.

The hall fell silent.

Zhou Fuyou looked up at her uncle, only to see him gently smiling and shaking his head.

Is there anything else to discuss?

The next moment, sounds rose again in the hall.

"Master, I heard my Yuqi explain the situation in detail yesterday. Zhou Yuhao started it, but it's true that Fuyou is impulsive and went too far. Actually, Fuyou used to be peaceful and gentle, and he wouldn't have done something like this. In my opinion, his personality change is probably because of the unfortunate death of Bai Han and his wife half a year ago, which caused him to be traumatized. Coupled with the lack of guidance, he has become like this."

Outside the hall, Zhou Fuyou subconsciously pursed her lips.

He recognized the voice.

Seventh Uncle – Zhou Haiye!

Second Grandfather's voice rang out.

"Xiao Qi, what do you want to say?"

"Having a Qi Refining cultivator look after you is ultimately just a temporary solution. I have an idea, Patriarch, what do you think?"

"You said."

“Our family has always had a good relationship with Bai Han’s family, and our sons often visit each other. I’ll just adopt the mayfly siblings and teach them right from wrong from time to time, so as to prevent them from doing something even worse in the future.”

A moment of silence fell over the council chamber.

After a long pause, the second grandfather said in a deep voice, "That won't be necessary."

Zhou Haiye seemed somewhat surprised, not expecting that his application, which he thought was a sure thing, would be rejected.

He couldn't help but ask, "The mayfly siblings are so young, how can they survive without anyone to take care of them?"

“Who says no one will take care of them? Bai Han and his wife died while carrying out a mission for the family, so it is only right that my Zhou family take care of their orphans! I have already decided to adopt Fuyou... and his sister as well. You don’t need to worry about these things.”

The head of the family personally adopted Zhou Fuyou and his sister?
Upon hearing this news, Zhou Haiye was stunned.

Even Zhou Yuhao's father, who had been indignant, suddenly understood why the family head was so determined to protect that kid.

"Finally, I want to say one more thing. Watch your children, especially their mouths! If they grow up and are able to cultivate, they will eventually be walking the path of immortal cultivation. Strength is not the only thing. Many times, trouble comes from what you say. Do I have to teach them this?"

"Okay, let's break up the meeting!"

A few voices came from inside the hall, followed by the sound of chairs being moved.

The group walked out of the council hall, but stopped at the door.

A boy with a delicate face and a thin build stood there, looking at them calmly.

He remained composed and unperturbed, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger, despite the stares of the crowd.

Zhou Xiaocheng, one of the only five Golden Core cultivators in the Zhou family, raised an eyebrow, glanced into the hall, and then smiled at Zhou Fuyou.

"You must be a mayfly?"

Zhou Fuyou bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, Grandpa Cheng."

"Good!" Zhou Xiaocheng stroked his beard. "He has an extraordinary temperament and is very handsome. He will definitely be a prominent figure in the Zhou family in the future. My little grandson Yuhao used to be a bit outspoken, and you've already disciplined him. You two will still be friends and brothers. If he doesn't change his bad habits, you can continue to discipline him for your grandfather, okay?"

Zhou Fuyou looked slightly surprised and hesitated before saying, "Fuyou will remember Grandpa Cheng's words. We are still friends, still brothers."

Zhou Xiaocheng laughed heartily, put his hands behind his back, and left.

Behind him, Zhou Yuhao's father seemed a little confused. He looked at Zhou Fuyou and followed him blankly.

Seventh Uncle Zhou Haiye approached Zhou Fuyou in a slightly ingratiating manner.

"Mayfly, it's been a long time since you came to our house to play."

Zhou Fuyou's expression was indifferent. "I've been too busy with my studies and taking care of my younger sister, so I haven't been going out much lately. Seventh Uncle, Second Grandfather wants to see me about something. Let's talk another time."

After saying that, he went into the hall alone.

Uncle Qi stood at the door in astonishment.

His uncle patted him on the shoulder and said, "Haiye, don't worry about Xiaofuyou. He should have felt your kindness."

After he finished speaking, the uncle also went into the hall.

Did you really feel it?
Zhou Haiye forced a smile, but a dangerous glint flashed in his narrowed eyes.

inside the hall.

Upon seeing his second grandfather's strong and muscular back again, Zhou Fuyou bowed respectfully.

"You heard everything just now, right?"

"Ah."

"Any ideas?"

"I'll leave it to my second grandfather to decide, but that house still bears traces of my father and mother, so my sister and I don't want to move away for the time being."

“Alright, I’ll send someone to check on things regularly. If you need any help, you can ask your uncle or come directly to me. Here’s the token; if you’re in danger, just crush it.”

Zhou Fuyou respectfully accepted the token, and he could vaguely sense that it contained a tremendous power.

After thanking her second grandfather, Zhou Fuyou prepared to leave.

But before he left, his second grandfather suddenly called him back.

“This is at home, you don’t have to pretend to be mature and keep a straight face all day. You can smile more, just like other people your age.”

The boy froze, not turning around, but a strange emotion welled up in his heart.

After their parents passed away, she cared for her younger sister alone for a long time, without any care or concern from any blood relatives. Even within the vast Zhou family compound, there was no warmth whatsoever. Until this moment.

He choked up as he said, "The mayfly will remember what Second Grandfather said."

"Go!"

Zhou Junxiao waved his hand, watching the boy leave with slightly light steps, and couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

Although precocious and learned a lot from books, knowing how to hide his emotions and disguise himself, he was still ultimately a child.

He looked at his son.

"From now on, please take better care of the brother and sister, and distribute relevant resources regularly. Also, make an extra copy..."

Zhou Junxiao seemed to have thought of something and quickly changed his words.

"Order two more doses of nourishing herbs and send them over privately!"

……

Drinking in the Green Water Pavilion.

Zhou Fuyou silently recalled what she had seen and heard that day.

There was a sense of relief from Zhou Yuhao's family's overtures, but also a slight sense of disgust from Uncle Qi's application to adopt his siblings.

He didn't believe that the tonic his seventh uncle's family had sent back then was unintentional, nor did he believe that today's adoption was heartfelt.

It's a very simple principle: if you really had this idea, why didn't you bring it up six months ago?
The reason why Zhou Fuyou was unwilling to live at her second grandfather's house was quite simple.

There are many people in the Second Grandfather's family, and it's hard to guarantee that no conflicts will arise in their daily interactions. He wasn't sure if he or his sister would still receive the Second Grandfather's protection after offending someone from the head of the family.

It's better to live alone in a secluded pavilion by the green water.

And he wants to cultivate!

From his perspective, starting cultivation at a young age could easily attract interference from elders, which would hinder him from quickly acquiring powerful abilities.

As for how powerful he is now?

Zhou Fuyou pointed his fingers like a sword at the pool in front of the waterside pavilion.

call out!
A faint blue light flashed and disappeared, and a century-old blue stone in the pool shattered into dust without a sound.

Level 1 spell: Water Arrow!

Such power is definitely beyond the capabilities of a cultivator in the early stages of Qi Refining.

Moreover, it's instantaneous!
Zhou Fuyou could not achieve this level of proficiency with any of the other five elements' spells. Only with water-based spells did Zhou Fuyou feel a sense of complete control and effortless mastery from the very beginning.

It was as if he could do it if he wanted to!
Unfortunately, there were very few spellbooks left in his father's study, and only a handful of water-based spells.

However, Zhou Fuyou is no longer in a hurry.

With his second grandfather's protection, he didn't need to take any risks or rush.

He's still young, not old enough yet.

Once the spiritual root is truly detected, the family will issue cultivation techniques of the corresponding attribute, and you can also enter the family's library to choose your favorite spells.

That will be the time when his true talent is revealed.

The ripples in the pool gradually subsided, and the boy looked at his reflection in the water.

Recalling what his second grandfather had said to him when he left the council hall, the boy subconsciously grinned, trying to force a smile.

But the smiling face reflected in the pool looked like a cry.

The boy opened his mouth, but in the end, he pursed his lips.

……

Six years later.

Bailuze Zhou family.

On this day, crowds thronged and banners fluttered in the breeze.

After another six years of recuperation, the Zhou family's fortunes have grown even more magnificent.

Over the course of six years, more and more members of the clan have reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and even one more Golden Core cultivator has emerged.

This development is a remarkable phenomenon, not only in the vicinity of Bailuze, but also on the entire Tiannan Continent.

It should be noted that not long ago, the Zhou family had two new Golden Core cultivators, thanks to the personal guidance of their ancestor.

This time, Zhou Haiye advanced to the Golden Core stage through his own independent cultivation.

Moreover, he is a third-generation member of the clan, not one of those second-generation members who already have a deep-rooted lineage.

Many people say that Bailuze is a blessed land and will be the place where the Zhou family will rise to power in the future, comparable to the Coral Sea, the clan's former territory in Beihai.

However, the excitement today is not because of Zhou Haiye's achievements, but because it is the day to test the spiritual roots of the clan members once again.

Testing one's spiritual roots originally did not require a specially arranged day.

Once the children reach a certain age, the clan elders can conduct tests at any time.

But this time, the situation is somewhat different.

Thirteen years ago, our ancestor issued an order to encourage all members of the clan to have children, from Foundation Establishment cultivators to ordinary people without spiritual roots.

As a result, the Zhou family had a large number of children twelve years ago.

The thirty-odd children who usually train in the clan's training grounds are only a part of the group; there are also dozens more in Coral Town, where ordinary people are settled.

Today, we simply arranged them all together for easier testing.

Moreover, it is said that even the Qing Tong Lin family and the Han Jiang Gu Yin family, who are on good terms with the Zhou family, will send powerful figures to observe the ceremony and assess the aptitude of the next generation of the Zhou family.

That's why the Zhou family went to great lengths to organize the Spirit Testing Ceremony.

They chose an auspicious day, selected a spacious area, set up appropriate formations and treasures, and even made special arrangements for the seats of the spectators.

Drinking in the Green Water Pavilion.

Two figures emerged, followed by an elderly woman with white hair who waved her hand shakily.

"Young master and young lady, come back later!"

The graceful and slender Zhou Qingyu smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, everyone else is looking forward to their children coming home early, why are you making us come back late?"

The boy beside him calmly said, "Only those who have been tested and found to have spiritual roots will be kept by the family. Those without spiritual roots will be sent home early. Grandma hopes we will come back later, which naturally means she hopes that we all have spiritual roots."

"Hmph, I actually know, brother!" Zhou Qingyu said, wrinkling her little nose.

The person she called "brother" was Zhou Fuyou.

Zhou Fuyou, now twelve years old, is still slender but already about 1.7 meters tall, looking almost like an adult. Her younger sister, Zhou Qingyu, stands beside her, a full head shorter.

His fair face, in particular, was exceptionally handsome, giving the impression of being "beautiful".

Her feminine temperament further enhances her beauty.

He looked calmly at the girl in front of him. Although he didn't smile, there was a slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth.

Over the past six years, thanks to the nourishment of various medicinal herbs, my younger sister is finally no longer so delicate.

Combined with daily practice, it has further improved the predicament of qi deficiency and physical weakness.

Compared to ordinary people, there is no trace of the "sickly child" my younger sister was in her childhood.

"Mao Mao, let's go! We need to arrive at the Spirit Testing Ceremony before the important people arrive, so as not to be impolite."

"Okay, I understand. And, brother, you're not allowed to call me Mao Mao anymore."

"Okay, Mao Mao."

"Ugh, you mean little brother, that nickname is awful! Some people even call us the caterpillar siblings, you're not allowed to call us that anymore."

"Who said that?" The boy's voice was somewhat cold.

"Don't be angry, it was all a joke. Besides, Zhou Yuhao taught her a lesson for me, so don't get involved."

Bathed in the morning light, two figures moved unhurriedly toward the venue of the Spirit Testing Ceremony.

Along the way, bursts of silvery laughter occasionally rang out. (End of Chapter)