Eternal Beast Taming Family

Chu Jingyu told Chu Qinhui about the Huo family's transfer order to the entire Paper Hawk County family.

After listening, Chu Qinhui remained silent for a long time, then asked again, unwilling to give up, "Does the clan leader really have to go?"

Chu Jingyu nodded. "The town mayor specifically emphasized that we probably can't avoid going."

Chu Qinhui's eyes trembled. He slowly stood up from his seat and walked to Chu Jingyu.

With a thud, Chu Qinhui knelt firmly on the ground.

Chu Jingyu's eyes widened, and she reached out her hands to help her son up from the ground, but then she heard Chu Qinhui's resounding voice.

"I implore Father to pass the position of head of the Chu family to me."

A look of realization flashed across Chu Jingyu's eyes, then he bent down and helped Chu Qinhui up.

"Qin Hui, you're being too naive. This so-called clan leader must go. It's not something that can be done by temporarily abdicating and letting you go in my place."

Chu Jingyu bent down and personally patted the barely visible dirt off Chu Qinhui's knees. "Besides, if I go, there might be a chance of survival, but if you go, you'll definitely die."

"Do you really want to see your father, with his white hair, bury his black-haired son?"

"But the Chu family cannot be without a father."

Upon hearing Chu Qinhui's words, Chu Jingyu slowly took a few steps inside the house, gazing at the sunset that resembled blood-stained clouds.

"Qin Hui, remember this: the Chu family can be without anyone, but... it absolutely cannot be without Ancestor Chu."

Therefore, during the days I am away from the family, you must stay by the ancestral hall and guard the family's original artifacts without ever leaving their side.

"If...if I really can't come back, with Ancestor Chu around, I believe it won't be long before you reach my current level. The Chu family will also prosper generation after generation."

Chu Qinhui stepped forward, "Father,..."

Chu Jingyu raised his arm to stop Chu Qinhui from speaking further, "My mind is made up. You go and guard the ancestral hall well. I need to prepare for the hunt. Don't bother me for the next two days."

Before Chu Qinhui could react, he had already stepped into the courtyard.

The red glow of the sunset fell on Chu Jingyu, making his figure even more blurred in Chu Qinhui's eyes.

"Yes, Father," Chu Qinhui uttered slowly, still in a daze.

……

The next day, Xu Yinghui appeared at the Chu family compound with an old man and a young man. Because Chu Jingyu was in seclusion, the servants led the three of them to the gate of the ancestral hall to wait for Chu Qinhui to receive them.

The three waited for about fifteen minutes before the tightly closed doors of the ancestral hall opened a crack. Through the crack, they could only vaguely see a figure dressed in gray.

A calm voice came from the courtyard, "I already know why Elder Xu has come. Since it was Elder Xu who introduced us, we should trust him. Here is a reward of thirty spirit stones. Just come to the manor on time tomorrow."

As soon as she finished speaking, a sickly pale hand holding a brocade bag emerged from the crack in the door.

The kind-looking old man beside Xu Ying seemed surprised that the Chu family would be so quick to pay the payment a day in advance.

The old man first took the brocade bag with both hands, then cupped his hands towards the figure inside the door, saying, "Thank you, host."

A soft "hmm" came from behind the mahogany door, a response to the old man's gratitude.

"Mr. Xu, please let your granddaughter in."

Xu Yinghui looked down at his granddaughter beside him, whose hair was in two little braids and who looked a little nervous. He smiled reassuringly and then patted her hand.

"Go ahead, don't be afraid, Grandpa is waiting for you outside the door."

The little girl in the light pink dress closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and then squeezed through the slightly larger gap in the door.

After she went inside, the doors of the ancestral hall closed with a snap.

A gentle voice sounded above the little girl's head, "Why are you closing your eyes? There are no man-eating monsters here."

Perhaps it was the playful tone in the voice, or perhaps it was simply because the voice possessed a unique magic, but the little girl instantly relaxed.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw a gray dress and a gleaming jade pendant at her waist. Looking up, she saw a frail, scholarly face.

It didn't seem as scary as she had imagined.

Chu Qinhui smiled slightly at the little girl, "Come with me."

With that, he turned and walked down the covered walkway into the courtyard.

The little girl followed closely behind, while secretly observing her surroundings.

Contrary to her expectations of solemnity and grandeur, the courtyard, which was larger than any wealthy family she had ever seen, was overgrown with weeds.

It wouldn't be accurate to say that she neglected the grass, because the grass was lush and green, and all of similar height, just above her knees.

Furthermore, it was the dead of winter, and ordinary weeds would not be able to grow. She also seemed to see white figures moving back and forth among the grass.

However, the grass was too tall, and the figures were running too fast, so she couldn't see what they were.

Just as she was happily observing, Chu Qinhui's casual reminder, "Watch out for the steps," pulled her back to reality.

The little girl looked up and saw a very tall roof and a large hall in her field of vision.

Yes, it was this solemn, grand, and majestic atmosphere that matched her initial fantasy.

She followed Chu Qinhui into the ancestral hall, but saw no memorial tablets, only a bare offering table, as if the family had no ancestors worth worshipping.

"What's your name?"

The little girl paused for a moment, then realized that Chu Qinhui was asking her a question, so she answered softly.

"Xu Yinyue, Yin as in attentive, Yue as in pleasant to hear."

Xu Yinyue raised her eyebrows and saw that the man in front of her seemed to nod slightly. Then she saw the man's body suddenly shrug down.

It wasn't until Chu Qinhui's head was also touching the ground that Xu Yinyue realized the man was kneeling in worship.

Without almost any hesitation, Xu Yinyue hurriedly knelt down.

"As a member of the Chu family, Qin Hui respectfully requests that Ancestor Chu perform the ritual for Xu Yinyue after my death."

Xu Yinyue knelt on the ground, her head slightly raised, and what she saw made her realize something astonishing.

Colorful light condensed into threads in the air and then enveloped her head. Her body trembled slightly, but she forcefully controlled herself and did not dodge.

But the image kept replaying in his mind: a somewhat ethereal figure lying lazily on a book, with colorful threads shining from a floating book beside him.

What is that? Could it be an ancestor of the Chu family, or a deity worshipped by the Chu family? Xu Yinyue's little head was filled with many questions.

However, she soon put these thoughts out of her mind, because she suddenly felt her mind become much clearer, and a lot of strength surged through her body.

She could feel that she was very different from before.

The colorful silk threads were withdrawn from her body, and Chu Qinhui bowed again, "Thank you, Chu Zu."

Then he stood up, smiled at the little girl who was still kneeling and worshipping, and said, "The spiritual awakening is successful. You can go back now."

After saying that, he retraced his steps and returned the way he came.

Xu Yinyue quickly stood up and jogged after Chu Qinhui. As they exited the hallway, she unconsciously turned back to look at the altar. This time, it was empty, as if the previous illusory figures were just illusions.

She blinked in confusion, but seeing that Chu Qinhui was far away, she could only suppress her doubts and follow him outside.

The mahogany door of the ancestral hall opened a crack again, and the frail Xu Yinyue walked out from inside. The door of the ancestral hall was then tightly closed again.

Xu Yinghui looked his granddaughter up and down several times, then said excitedly, "Good, good, good! My granddaughter can become a contract master now. Come on, Grandpa will take you to town to buy a source beast."

Xu Yinyue had more questions in her mind and wanted to ask, but seeing how excited her grandfather was, she didn't know where to begin. Perhaps those were just normal procedures that needed to be gone through during the spiritual awakening process.

Thinking this way, she felt relaxed and at ease, and her mind turned to anticipation for the contract with the source beast she was about to form a contract with.

……

Another day passed, at the entrance of the Chu family compound.

Chu Jingyu glanced back at the Chu family compound one last time, then, accompanied by two contract masters who looked even older than him, boarded the carriage heading to town.

No one came to see him off, except for Chu Qinhui. Chu Jingyu had not told the rest of the Chu family about his hunting trip outside the border.

Chu Qinhui sat cross-legged before the offering table in the ancestral hall. He slowly lit three incense sticks, then knelt down, clasped his hands together, and prayed softly:

"I hope that the Ancestor of Chu will bless my father and bring him back safely."