The Path to Immortality: Starting with the Growth of Bubble Fruits from the Ground

Zhou Huaiyi shook off his clansman's arm, glanced at the shopkeeper with apprehension, and knew that if this man hadn't shown mercy, he would be seriously injured by now.

Forcing an awkward smile, Zhou Huaiyi made up an excuse: "So it's Mu'er back. You've changed so much, I didn't even recognize you."

Before Zhou Mu could reply, he turned to Zhou Ze and said, "Eighth Brother, take Mu'er and the other distinguished guests to the west courtyard to rest. Make sure they are well taken care of."

Zhou Ze responded and stepped out from the crowd. He didn't call Zhou Mu by name, but simply stretched out his hand to the west and said, "Gentlemen, this way please."

Zhou Mu glanced at him and walked towards the northwest of the Zhou family's territory, the place where he and his parents had lived, in the most remote corner of the entire territory.

Zhou Zeqian chuckled and looked at the clan leader.

Zhou Huaiyi gave him a wink: "You follow him."

Zhou Ze nodded and quickly caught up with Zhou Mu.

In the northwest corner of the Zhou family estate, Zhou Mu returned to the courtyard where he had lived for more than a decade.

"Bang..."

Zhou Mu looked at the courtyard gate, which had been pushed open halfway but fell to the ground, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes.

Zhou Ze hurriedly stepped forward and moved the courtyard gate open, but he didn't explain anything. He just urged the servants to go in and tidy up quickly.

Looking at the small courtyard, a trace of reminiscence flashed in Zhou Mu's eyes. He had lived in the Zhou family for sixteen years, fourteen of which were spent here.

In this life, Zhou Mu's parents rarely had time to spend with him, as they were mostly busy traveling. However, their love for him was undeniable.

However, when Zhou Mu was ten years old, his parents lost their lives for a mine.

After that, only an old servant stayed with him until he joined the Myriad Paths Sect.

"Where is Uncle Zhang?"

Zhou Mu looked at Zhou Ze expressionlessly.

"I'll call him over right now."

Zhou Ze hurriedly said, and a servant beside him quickly ran out.

A moment later, the courtyard was cleaned up.

Zhou Ze pointed to the servants waiting with their heads bowed and asked in a low voice, "Zhou Mu, look at them..."

Zhou Mu waved and entered the courtyard. After arranging rooms for Lao Wang and the other two, Zhou Mu stood in the courtyard waiting.

The servants had all left, leaving only Zhou Ze standing there. He looked at the courtyard gate, his face showing worry and helplessness.

An hour later, four strong men carried a sedan chair to the area, on which sat a bewildered old man.

Beside the sedan chair, an old woman was holding a little girl of three or four years old in her arms.

The old man looked around with his cloudy eyes, and then he saw Zhou Mu.

"Young...Young Master?"

The old man shakily stepped down from the wooden sedan chair, and Zhou Mu quickly stepped forward to help him. Looking at his brand-new clothes, gray hair, hunched back, and the black ash still not cleaned under his fingernails, Zhou Mu noticed his appearance.

"Uncle Zhang, it's me," Zhou Mu said softly.

Uncle Zhang gripped Zhou Mu's forearm tightly, staring intently at him.

"It's the young master, it really is the young master who's back."

Zhou Mu patted his hand and turned to Zhou Ze: "Old woman, stay and take care of Uncle Zhang and his granddaughter."

"Uncle Zhang, you should go and rest first."

Zhou Mu handed Zhang Bo over to the old woman, while Wang Ping held the little girl in his arms, and Old Wang and the shopkeeper were playing with her.

After the others left, Zhou Mu could no longer hold back and roared at Zhou Ze, "You actually sent Uncle Zhang to mine! The Zhou family is really ruthless!"

Zhang Bo was different from the other servants. Zhou Mu's father saved his life when he was young. To repay the life-saving grace, Zhang Bo was willing to be a slave and spent most of his life taking care of Zhou Mu's family of three.

Zhou Mu was also raised by him, and in Zhou Mu's eyes, Uncle Zhang was equivalent to a father.

"Zhou Mu..."

Faced with Zhou Mu's fury, Zhou Ze actually laughed.

"Don't you know why this is happening? It's all because of you!"

Zhou Ze's voice grew louder and louder: "Because you broke the rules, not only was the Zhou family punished by the alliance, but the Li family, the Wang family, and the Wu family were also implicated. As a result, the Zhou family had to pay a large sum of spirit stones to the three families."

Zhou Ze became more and more agitated as he spoke, clenching his fists, his eyes bloodshot, and roaring, "This is the rule of the family alliance: if one family makes a mistake, all families share the responsibility."

"How could you be so selfish?"

After Zhou Ze finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving Zhou Mu alone in the courtyard.

"Selfish? What a masterful attempt to shift the blame."

Zhou Mu sneered. If the Zhou family had been even a little fairer to his family of three back then, things wouldn't be like this now. It was all the Zhou family's own doing.

"Xiao Zhou, don't let his words affect your mind," Old Wang appeared beside Zhou Mu at some point.

He patted Zhou Mu on the shoulder: "In my whole life, I've only understood one thing: if a man doesn't look out for himself, he'll be doomed."

"No matter what you do, even if it's wrong, it's still right."

Zhou Mu looked at Lao Wang with surprise and said, "Lao Wang, the way you're talking doesn't sound like someone from the righteous path, it sounds more like someone from the demonic path."

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. My third brother has discovered that girl is not simple. Come and take a look."

Zhou Mu and Lao Wang returned to the house, where they found that the little girl in Wang Ping's arms had already woken up.

Upon seeing Zhou Mu, the little girl stretched out her two thin, bony hands and mumbled "Brother Mu" incoherently.

Zhou Mu held her in his arms, barely feeling her weight. Her face, which had been chubby a year ago, was now much thinner.

"Uncle Wang, what's wrong with Xiaoxi?" Zhou Mu asked.

The shopkeeper waved his hand, and a powerful magical force sealed the entire room. He then said, "I suspect this little girl has a Heavenly Spiritual Root, but she is still young, and I don't have any testing talismans with me, so I'm not entirely sure."

Zhou Mu looked at the little girl in his arms in shock, his heart churning with turmoil.

What is the concept of a Heavenly Spiritual Root? It is a standard Golden Core seed.

The Myriad Paths Sect's influence encompasses a significant portion of the Qin Kingdom, with a population exceeding hundreds of millions. In a century, no more than ten individuals with Heavenly Spiritual Roots have emerged from its territory.

Zhou Mu hurriedly asked, "Uncle Wang, how confident are you? Xiaoxi's ancestors for three generations have never had any spiritual roots."

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment and said, "Only 50%."

Zhou Mu felt tense all over and his mouth was dry. The Heavenly Spirit Root was good, but for Xiao Xi, it might not be a blessing, but a curse.

"What do you plan to do? You can't protect her, and neither can the Zhou family."

"I have my own way," Zhou Mu handed Xiaoxi to the shopkeeper, "Uncle Wang, Xiaoxi is yours for now. Don't let anyone get close to her these next two days."

Zhou Mu went outside, took out a talisman from his storage bag, and gently crushed it between his fingertips.

The talisman transformed into an arrow, flashed through the air, and disappeared from Fengmu City in the blink of an eye.

This is one of the three talismans that Steward Liu gave Zhou Mu before he left. It is a second-tier talisman, which would be difficult for even a peak Foundation Establishment expert to intercept.

What Zhou Mu didn't know was that the message talisman in the air landed in a palm as soon as it left Fengmu City.

That man was Manager Liu, and standing next to him was Senior Brother Zhao from Wanhua Mountain.

The two were stunned after hearing Zhou Mu's message, and then looked at each other.

"I will inform my master."

Senior Brother Zhao also took out a communication talisman, and its spiritual light shot through the air, heading straight towards Wanhua Mountain.