Family Cultivation: Evergreen of the Song Family

The flying boat landed smoothly on the floating island where Zhulu Academy was located.

Returning to this place again, Song Changsheng was filled with many emotions. His all-out effort in the Five Academies Competition had given him so much.

"Fellow Daoist Zixu, the young friend Huayan's entry into the [Nine Luminaries Yang Pool] was specially approved by the Dean, so let's leave that aside for now."

Although you are an honorary elder of the Five Academies and have the privilege of directly recommending talents to the Zhulu Academy, your junior still needs to pass a trial to be admitted to the academy. If he fails the trial, your privilege will be temporarily frozen.

This has always been the academy's ironclad rule, in order to strictly ensure fairness. We hope fellow Daoists can understand.

"I understand the rules of the academy. If I didn't have enough confidence, I wouldn't have come here. When does the trial assessment begin?"

Shu Qi smiled and said, "It's not time for the unified assessment yet. The academy will open the assessment in ten days. All cultivators who want to enter the academy for secluded cultivation will participate. I can make the decision to let my friend Chi Li participate in the first round."

Based on past experience, a single round of assessments typically lasts at least a year. Missing the first round will still result in significant delays.

"Then thank you very much, Fellow Daoist Shuqi. I wonder if the Imperial Preceptor has any free time lately? I would like to pay him a visit." Song Changsheng has recently encountered many bottlenecks in his cultivation of astrology. Apart from True Monarch Lingji, the only one who can help him is the old Imperial Preceptor. He just doesn't know if the other party is willing to see him.

"The Grand Preceptor has been secluded from visitors ever since his last divination of the heavens, and this has been going on for many years. However, I can inform him on your behalf, but I cannot guarantee the outcome."

Furthermore, from the moment you became an honorary elder of the Five Academies, the academy built a private residence for you. You probably haven't been there yet, have you? If you're not in a hurry to leave, I can take you to see it.”

Song Changsheng shook his head and said, "At least wait until I, this junior, pass the trial before leaving. There's no rush."

"Very well, fellow Daoist, please."

The group had only gone halfway when a young cultivator dressed in a Taoist robe and holding a whisk approached them.

"Elder Shuqi, please stop here. The Imperial Preceptor wishes to see True Master Zixu. Would you be so kind as to grant him this favor?"

"The Imperial Preceptor is truly a master strategist. Fellow Daoist Zixu just mentioned wanting to visit, and now you've come to invite me."

"Fellow Daoist Zixu, this is Fellow Daoist Tongyuan, a disciple of the Imperial Preceptor."

"I, Song, had met Fellow Daoist Tongyuan once before. Now that the Imperial Preceptor has summoned me, I would like to ask Fellow Daoist to show me the way."

"You're too kind, please." Tongyuan gestured for him to enter.

"I will make proper arrangements for the two young friends. Please go ahead."

"Thank you for your trouble." He was very reassured about handing the person over to Shu Qi.

Following Tongyuan to the Grand Preceptor's residence, the gate was already open, and he was allowed to enter on his own.

Following the route he remembered, Song Changsheng arrived at the location of the star map in the rear hall.

Just as he was about to pay his respects, the old and gentle voice of the Imperial Preceptor reached his ears: "No need for formalities, just come in."

He walked straight into the dark doorway, and after a brief period of darkness, his vision suddenly opened up, and a magnificent star chart appeared before him. The old national advisor, dressed in a white robe, had a whisk resting on his right elbow and an astrological compass in his left hand. He stood barefoot in the very center of the star chart, staring intently at a corner of the vast star chart.

Rumors circulated that the Imperial Advisor had closed his doors to visitors because his divination of heavenly secrets had backfired, leaving him severely injured.

However, in Song Changsheng's view, the old national teacher had a long and steady breath, a ruddy complexion, and the Daoist aura emanating from his body was still powerful, not like someone who had suffered a serious injury.

"Song Changsheng pays his respects to the Imperial Preceptor."

"In the future, you need not be bound by these formalities in front of me," the old Grand Preceptor said, his eyes fixed on me.

"May I ask what instructions the Imperial Preceptor has given me in summoning this junior?"

Upon hearing this, the old imperial advisor withdrew his gaze from the star map, smiled at him, and said, "Isn't it you who wanted to see me?"

"Imperial Preceptor, you are truly divine. I do indeed have some questions about astrology that I would like to ask you to answer."

"But what incomprehensible celestial phenomena did you see?" The old imperial advisor revealed the purpose of Song Changsheng's trip.

"Indeed, about two years ago, on a starry night, I observed the celestial phenomena and discovered a huge, red star that I had never seen before shining in the southwest. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared completely and never appeared again. I searched through the 'Records of the Primordial Stars' but found no related records."

Shortly after that, another group of meteors suddenly streaked across the sky and disappeared just as abruptly.

"May I ask the Imperial Advisor, is this a normal celestial phenomenon, or is it foreshadowing something?"

Song Changsheng had only just begun his study of astrology, and these unusual celestial phenomena were beyond his comprehension, making him uneasy about the unknown.

"A crimson star twinkles, a meteor disappears. These are extremely rare celestial phenomena, and the fact that you were able to observe them shows that you are quite lucky and very talented."

The red star you see, I don't actually know its past. I can only roughly deduce that it has a close connection with the calamity star that governs all disasters in the world.

As for the meteor disappearing from sight…” the old imperial advisor smiled and said, “It’s just a spectacle, nothing to worry about.”

Song Changsheng was startled and quickly asked, "Since the Crimson Star is related to the Calamity Star, does that mean the Calamity Star might be about to appear in the world?"

"There is only a connection. This connection is not necessarily negative. The calamity has not yet arrived, and the source of disaster will not appear in the world so soon."

The secrets of heaven are now in chaos, and even I, an old man, cannot see them clearly.

However, one thing is certain: the catastrophe is not far away, and we must begin preparations now.” The old Grand Preceptor spoke calmly, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

Catastrophe represents change, and change represents opportunity; it all depends on who can seize it!
Song Changsheng had mixed feelings. This was the first time someone had told him so bluntly that a catastrophe was about to befall him. All his hopes had been shattered, and everyone had to face this bloody reality.

In this situation, what should he and the Song family do?

Seeing his inner worry, the old national advisor raised his head and looked at the starry river above, saying, "Don't be too anxious. In the world of astrologers, the time span is very long, and we have enough time to prepare."

Since you're here, I'll give you a detailed explanation of the book "The Records of the Primordial Stars."

Song Changsheng took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and said, "Please enlighten me, Imperial Preceptor."

……

In the following days, under the old national advisor's detailed explanation, Song Changsheng gained a completely new understanding of astrology, which was a world full of unknowns and wonders for him.

The unchanging starry sky has foreshadowed so many changes. Each shining star may represent birth and death, or the end of a certain power.

The idea that one can know everything happening in the world without leaving home is not an exaggeration.

Unfortunately, astrology requires the use of divination techniques to achieve such a level of precision, and Song Changsheng's current cultivation level is insufficient to support such a massive divination.

On the seventh day of their conversation, Tongyuan's voice came from outside the door: "Reporting to the Imperial Preceptor, an attendant from His Majesty the Human King has delivered a decree, summoning True Man Zixu to an audience."

The Imperial Advisor slowly opened his eyes, looked at Song Changsheng who was still deep in thought, and replied in a deep voice, "Understood. Go to see him after the court session." At this moment, Song Changsheng was unaware of what had happened outside. He had already simulated a vast galaxy in his mind, surrounded by hundreds of millions of brilliant stars. His divine sense seemed to have established an invisible connection with these stars.

"Boom..."

"Dong dong..."

These stars seemed to have come to life; he could almost hear the pulse of their cores.

Just then, a dazzling crimson light suddenly bloomed before his eyes. It was an extremely large crimson star, lying across the center of the stars, releasing its brilliance at will.

“It’s that red star.” Song Changsheng was shocked. He had simulated the star map in his mind exactly according to the old national teacher’s star map. This star did not exist in the star map at all. Logically speaking, it should not be here.

Moreover, facing this crimson star, he felt a strong sense of familiarity.

"Buzzing..."

The sound waves swirled around his ears, and suddenly, without warning, the Crimson Star began to expand violently, instantly swallowing up all the surrounding stars and hurtling towards him at an alarming speed.

Song Changsheng realized something was wrong and was about to break free when he discovered he was completely out of control.

The old national teacher who was protecting him was the first to notice the abnormality. He gently swept his whisk across the forehead, and the man's mind instantly became clear again.

"What do you see?"

"I saw that crimson star." A layer of cold sweat broke out on Song Changsheng's forehead. That crimson star was actually trying to devour his consciousness. If the Imperial Advisor hadn't awakened him, who knows what terrible consequences would have occurred.

Upon hearing this, the old national advisor's eyes flashed with a strange light. His hands, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, quickly made calculations. He shook his head and said, "What you saw was not that nameless red star, but the source of calamity. Although this situation is not common, it does happen. There is no need to panic. It is just a trace of its aura that has escaped."

It's probably related to that nameless red star you saw. Don't contemplate star charts for a while; things will get better in time.

Song Changsheng frowned slightly. He had a feeling that things were not so simple, but since the Imperial Advisor had said so, he couldn't get any information out of him even if he asked. He cupped his hands and said, "This junior will remember this. Thank you for your help, Imperial Advisor."

"His Majesty's attendant just delivered a decree summoning you to an audience. It's almost time; you should rest and prepare to depart."

"His Majesty the King wants to see me?" Song Changsheng couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

Why would a ruler of a dynasty specifically set aside time to see him?
"Your Majesty's time is precious, do not delay, hurry up and go, Tongyuan will guide you." The Grand Preceptor said calmly with his eyes closed.

"This junior takes his leave." Song Changsheng stood up, bowed, and then left. Tongyuan was already waiting at the door.

"Please come with me, sir."

"Thank you for your help, Fellow Daoist Tongyuan."

With a sense of doubt, Song Changsheng entered the palace under Tongyuan's guidance. After a brief instruction in etiquette from the master of ceremonies, he was taken directly to the Great Zhen King. The process was not as complicated as he had imagined.

Inside the magnificent and ancient palace, the human king sat high on a suspended platform, enveloped in a hazy golden light, his outline barely visible.

"Song Changsheng of the Song family, Wangyue, pays respects to His Majesty the King."

He always maintained a deep sense of awe towards the human king of this ancient immortal dynasty.

However, as soon as one gets close to this human king, that strange feeling from the past will resurface.

This wasn't the first time; he'd had this feeling ever since he first met His Majesty the King, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

"No need for formalities." The king's voice was majestic and solemn.

"I wonder what your majesty's orders are."

"The Imperial Advisor thinks highly of you," the King said calmly.

Song Changsheng was unsure of the man's meaning, so he could only respond cautiously: "Imperial Preceptor, you are too kind to me and have given me much guidance."

"Are you willing to serve as an official in the court? With your qualifications, I can grant you a third-rank official position. As long as you make certain contributions in this court, I will not hesitate to grant you a duke or marquis. Once you have your own fief, you can move your entire family to the interior of the pass."

The Great Qi cultivation world is located on a barren border, constantly threatened by demons. Our Great Zhen, on the other hand, is covered in fertile land; it should not be an insult to you.”

Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng was stunned. This was a result he had not expected at all, because it was too sudden.

If the King of Men intended to recruit him because he valued his talent, then he should have extended an olive branch after the results of the Five Academies Competition were announced, instead of waiting for him to come to him decades later, which is illogical.

Moreover, the conditions offered were far too generous, not only giving him high-ranking official positions and generous salaries, but also allowing the entire Song family to relocate, something that had never been heard of before.

The Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty has been passed down for so many years. Although its territory is vast, its population is also dense. It began to control births long ago, so it is no exaggeration to say that every inch of land is precious.

Only a very small percentage of nobles possess fiefdoms; these are mostly established nobles. Among the new nobility, there might not be one in a thousand years.

"Could it be that the Imperial Advisor said something?" Song Changsheng frowned slightly. Before he could think about it, he cupped his hands and said, "Although the Great Qi is barren, it is still my hometown. As the saying goes, it is hard to leave one's homeland. I can only fail to live up to Your Majesty's good intentions. Please forgive me."

"Do you think my offer isn't generous enough?"

"Of course not, it's just that there are too many ties that I can't let go of."

This was not an excuse. Song Changsheng had never had the idea of ​​leaving the cultivation world of Daqi, and had even written this into the clan rules.

"In that case, then step down," the King said slowly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

A king has the pride of a king, and no one is worth repeatedly trying to win over.

"Junior, please take your leave."

Song Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief and followed the attendant out of the palace.

After he left, a middle-aged monk wearing a metal mask emerged from a corner of the main hall.

"Is he truly the outsider that the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is looking for?" the Human King asked in a deep voice.

"Judging from the attitudes of Lingji and the Imperial Preceptor towards him, it is highly likely."

Your Majesty, since he cannot be of use to you, then he should not be allowed to benefit others. For the sake of your grand plan, perhaps you should…” The middle-aged cultivator made a throat-slitting gesture.

The king glanced at him indifferently, his eyes filled with warning. The middle-aged man's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly lowered his head, saying, "This humble subject knows his crime..."

...(End of chapter)