Chapter 975 - 304: Six Years_3

"Yes!" After Zhou Qing saluted, he hurriedly walked into the village, mounted a fast horse, and rushed away into the distance.

...

Inference Saint Mountain.

The mountain ranges stretch endlessly, with perilous peaks towering high.

Mist lingered between the mountains, Spiritual Qi was ethereal, and each green peak appeared and disappeared in the fog, like illusions and dreams.

In the distance, a figure rode the wind and swiftly landed towards the cluster of buildings at the foot of the mountain.

The figure landed in front of the courtyard, transforming into a young man dressed in luxurious azure robes, with a handsome appearance.

"Greetings, Young Master Shen Xiumu!"

The two sword-wielding cultivators at the courtyard entrance quickly saluted upon seeing the visitor.

Shen Xiumu nodded slightly and strode towards the courtyard.

As he approached the two, he paused and turned to ask, "Is the Patriarch inside?"

One of the clan soldier guards immediately saluted and replied, "The Patriarch just returned."

Shen Xiumu nodded with enthusiasm and walked towards the courtyard.

In the main hall of the clan residence, behind the grand hall, Shen Xiuyan sat in front of the desk, dressed in a moon-white robe, his face slightly scholarly yet exuding an aura of authority, as he flipped through the book in his hand.

As Shen Xiumu approached the front of the hall, he slowed his steps.

"Young Master Xiumu."

The two late-stage Fetal Breathing clan soldier guards at the entrance respectfully saluted.

Hearing the sound, Shen Xiuyan inside the hall slowly raised his head and, seeing Shen Xiumu walking in from outside, a slight smile appeared on his face as he rose to greet him.

"Patriarch."

Shen Xiumu saluted.

Shen Xiuyan cheerfully responded, "There are no outsiders here, Brother Mu, you need not be so formal."

"That won’t do, courtesy must be maintained," Shen Xiumu said with a smile, sitting comfortably on the chair beside him.

Shen Xiuyan sat down beside him, personally poured a cup of tea and handed it over, saying, "Brother Mu, what did you observe during your patrol in Yu Province and Liang Province?"

Shen Xiumu gulped down the tea in his cup and said, "The Jiuzhou World’s origin is fragile, its laws incomplete, and the seasons somewhat unstable."

"During my trip to Yu Province, the Three Dao Lands had already entered spring, just the time for sowing, yet the land was extraordinarily dry."

"Liang Province is bitterly cold, the conditions for the common people’s survival who migrated there are difficult and need improvement."

Shen Xiuyan frowned inwardly, noting down what he said.

"As for Yu Province, I have already ordered cultivators to go to West Capital, Dali, and Old Grain Three Dao to carry out Cloud Movement and Rainfall, instructed the Farm Overseer to monitor the water levels, the rain to stop when water is sufficient, so as not to delay spring farming."

"Liang Province’s matters are not easily dealt with."

"I went to investigate personally, afraid that the conditions will only improve once the Jiuzhou World’s origin grows stronger."

Shen Xiuyan nodded and said in a deep voice, "Xiuyan visited Aunt Shen Li last time, requested her to communicate with Xiubai using the Heavenly Prayer Skill."

"Most of the energy of Jiuzhou World’s origin has been gathered in Central Province where Inference Saint Mountain is situated to meet the daily cultivation needs of our Shen Family’s cultivators."

"In order to prevent the Outer World Cultivators from tracking down our Jiuzhou World, Great-grandfather sealed Jiuzhou World for fifteen years with the ’Mystic Mechanism Escape Armor’."

"Now, only six years have passed, Jiuzhou World cannot connect with the outside world."

"During this time, the consumption for all the common people and cultivators must be sustained by the energy generated from the world origin."

Speaking of this, Shen Xiuyan couldn’t help but shake his head with a bitter smile, "What Uncle often said when he managed the family, Xiuyan now finally understands."

"Father?" Hearing Shen Xiuyan mention his father, Shen Xiumu’s face slightly changed.

The Shen family migrated to Jiuzhou World six years ago.

Ever since the Dao’s collapse in Yangnao Land, Shen Chongming broke through Purple Mansion, went to Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm, and even after the entire Yangnao Land was destroyed, Jiuzhou World temporarily sealed, Shen Chongming never managed to return.

If not for Shen Yuan’s thoughts before falling asleep, conveying that Shen Chongming and Shen Chonghong, who had lost contact, were still alive, Shen Xiuyan wouldn’t dare to mention it so casually in front of Shen Xiumu.

"What did Father tell you?"

Pressing down the worry in his heart, Shen Xiumu asked nonchalantly.

After the Dao’s collapse in Yangnao Land, the Shen Family migrated to Jiuzhou World. To avoid excessive consumption of the fragile world origin, the family members such as Shen Wen’an, Shen Li, and many Sword Immortals from Cyan Ruo Sword House chose to enter seclusion.

After all, a cultivator at Golden Core or Purple Mansion Realm consumes an exceptional amount of Spiritual Qi in daily cultivation.

As for the Nascent Soul Realm black dragon that followed Shen Wenxing and others into hiding in Jiuzhou World, it chose to sleep, waiting for the opening of Jiuzhou World with minimal consumption.

After everyone chose seclusion and sleep, all matters large and small in Jiuzhou World fell upon these fourth-generation juniors.

In a world still needing much rebuilding, the origin fragile, laws flawed, seasons chaotic, all the affiliated families’ common folks and cultivators were like hungry infants awaiting their care.

As the current Patriarch of the Shen Family, Shen Xiuyan was under great pressure.

Shen Xiumu didn’t want his father’s issues to affect him, thus breaking the silence.

"Uncle once said ’One does not know the cost of rice and firewood until managing a household’."

"Now this Jiuzhou World’s origin is so limited, the survival of the common people requires consumption, we certainly can’t watch them starve, can we?"

"The over ten thousand cultivators under our jurisdiction also need resources, or when the seal is lifted, how can they explore the outer world with such low cultivation?"

Hearing this, Shen Xiumu also sighed heavily, then quickly changed the topic, "Mentioning the issue of cultivators under our jurisdiction, I found something good during my patrol in Yu Province this time."

"It seems that all the affiliated families are focusing on cultivating their common people’s practice in the Literary Dao."

"In fields and remote villages, you can see children reciting poetry and books everywhere."