Chapter 23: Shen Clan
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Huang Xue lightly landed inside the Shen Clan’s courtyard, as he looked around at the Shen clansmen.
Previously while he was traveling towards White Feather City, Huang Xue became a bit impatient walking. Although he was only three miles away from the Bai Province, he would still have to travel another eleven miles to reach White Feather City. And since Huang Xue already knew that the Shen Clan was situated in White Feather City, which was near the border of the Bai Province, he wanted to arrive there as soon as possible.
Even as a deity, there were times when his patience would run out at the smallest things. Perhaps this inconsistency between his personal peeves was why he had never managed to master the Dao of Eternality, a powerful Sheng Dao that revolved around becoming one with the universe, becoming an tranquillity that can be moved by none.
Thus, without hesitation, Huang Xue had raised his cultivation back to its original state and tore apart a small space to travel across in. Upon landing in the Shen residence, he had immediately suppressed his level once again, as to avoid scaring the younger ones.
While the crowd watched the handsome with looks of both awe and confusion, the red robed elder, who had previously been silent the entire time, suddenly moved forward at an astonishing speed. The Shen clan elders and youths were only able to see a vague red blur before that mysterious elder was already in front of Huang Xue.
Then, under the shocked eyes of everyone...the fiery clothed elder had actually kneeled down in front of the white haired youth!
“This little one, Shen Yin Tian, greets the Suprem-- this honored guest!” The red robed elder named ‘Shen Yin Tian’ respectfully said; correcting the latter part of his words at the last moment.
This was because when the Yue Jing contacted the Shen Clan, she had only told this Shen Yin Tian about her master’s command. And it was told to him that he should not expose Huang Xue’s identity to others, thus Shen Yin Tian did not dare address his sect master so openly.
Even with Huang Xue’s impossibly youthful look, Shen Yin Tian was naturally able to recognize the brief, yet familiar tyrannical aura that had leaked from Huang Xue’s body. This person, was undoubtedly, the one he had been all along for!
However, although Shen Yin Tian made a slight correction to his greeting, no one noticed this vague blunder. Instead, everyone had an incredulous look on their face.
“Shen...Yin Tian?! Is that elder really the legendary Shen Yin Tian?”
“My god...then doesn’t mean he’s the ancestor of our Shen Clan?! Am I still dreaming??”
Murmurs of shock spread through the crowd of Shen clansmen. In the very beginning, when the Shen Clan bursted into existence, it was all through the combined efforts of a few powerful people led a single man --Shen Yin Tian.
And through several historical records that spoke about this person’s fantastic battles and his overcoming of various tribulations to establish the Shen Clan, Shen Yin Tian had become akin to a mythical being in the clan members’ mind!
However, after the Shen Clan stabilized and flourished overtime, becoming one of the major powers in the Long Dynasty, the Shen ancestor disappeared. For nearly several hundreds of years, no one have heard from him. Many have already believed their ancestor to have passed on somewhere far away. Thus, Shen Yin Tian’s appearance today served as a great shock to every member of the Shen Clan. Only the patriarch, Shen Lin, remained calm.
As a son, Shen Lin naturally kept in touch with his father. Shen Yin Tian, throughout the years. And while the latter was indeed away from the Shen Clan, he was not that much farther away either. Over the years, Shen Yin TIan had secluded himself in training beneath the shadows of the vast forest situated directly west of the White Feather City.
Originally, Shen Yin Tian had steeled his heart to cut his connection with the world and immerse himself in meditation. However, when he received the commands from the Supreme Monarch of his Godly Supreme Hall, he became eager to once again interact with world outside!
Although he had been sent by his Hall to this remote region a few thousand years ago, Shen Yin Tian’s love for his Sect had never diminished. Instead it only grew stronger and stronger, until he was determined to increase his strength to such a point that he could one day return back to the Godly Supreme Hall!
But who knew that rather for him to go to the Godly Supreme Hall, the Sect itself would personally come looking for him? This simple move had brought an unprecedented honor and joy to the homesick Shen Yin Tian!
And when he heard that a person from the Godly Supreme Hall would be temporarily integrated with his Shen Clan, Shen Yin Tian became even more elated. To have a being from a grand sect join his family, even if temporarily, was extremely beneficial! After all, not one single person from a Grand-level sect was normal and their achievements were unprecedented. If that person was to astonish to world one day, and if the Shen Clan could serve as a temporary home to such a being, their status and power would naturally rise as well!
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Of course, this was considering the most optimistic of perspectives, but the benefits in Shen Yin Tian’s eyes far outweighed the risk. Though in reality, he knew he did not have a choice when taking orders from the Godly Supreme Hall in the first place, anyways.
But when he was told a single important piece of news on the person who was coming to his clan, Shen Yin Tian had almost fainted from shock. Because the person who was coming to stay at his Shen Clan...was actually the last Ancestor of the Godly Supreme Hall!
A legendary figure that stood at the near peak of the continent...the moment Shen Yin Tian was told of this person’s identity, even if he had the tiniest speck of unwillingness in his heart, it was all washed away at that moment. Although he did not not know why an ancestral figure from a grand sect would want to hide their identity in the Lower Regions, Shen Yin Tian did not bother thinking too deeply about it. It was not his place to interfere with the matters concerning the upper echelon of the Godly Supreme Hall, and his deep passion for his Sect had prevented him from questioning it.
Just knowing that the Hall’s ancestor was even willing to temporarily use his Shen Clan’s surname and lodge in his residence...brought a boiling excitement and jubilation to Shen Yin Tian’s heart! This happiness was akin to the day his wife gave birth to his only son, Shen Lin!
Thus, he had instantly adhered to Yue Jing’s command, and sent news of this to his cherished son, who was the current patriarch of the Shen Clan!
Shen Lin, who was born in the Lower Regions, had no concept whatsoever on the strength of the grand sect. He had merely heard his father mention it a few times in the past, but had never paid much attention to it. However, when his father abruptly contacted him about the matter regarding the Godly Supreme Hall, Shen Lin had likewise became extremely agitated. Simply from his father’s nervous expression and tense manner, Shen Lin would also of course feel the pressure in regards this subject!
In the Shen clan’s courtyard, the scene of an elderly man kneeling in front of a white haired youth would have brought immense shock to any outsiders, had they knew the elder’s identity.
Shen Lin, who was briefly shocked by the other person’s youthful appearance, was the first to regain his wits. Leaping up and landing in front of Huang Xue, he too, immediately kneeled and called out in respect:
“This oblivious one named Shen Lin greets you, grand guest!”
Even though Huang Xue looked much younger than what Shen Lin had expected, the latter knew that appearance was not the determinant of everything. Like his father, Shen Lin was more than aware of this person’s true identity, and thus understood that the youth’s age was much, much older than himself...
The patriarch's booming voice had caused the other clansmen to awaken from their daze. While they were still confused as to why their patriarch and ancestor were kneeling in front of a youth, they did not dare question out loud as they too, hurriedly kneeled and greeted in unison:
“We greet the venerated guest of our Shen Clan!”
Huang Xue nodded at the mass of kneeling bodies, as he waved his sleeves. “Mmn. Everyone may rise. There is no need to be so polite, as I’ll be living with you for a while henceforth. Everyone may simply call me Huang Xue.”
The clansmen all slowly got up as they stared at the white haired youth in awe and curiosity. Even when everyone had kneeled in front of him, the latter treated it as if it was normal and was still able to remain calm. This at least testified that this black robed youth was truly not simple…
“Grand guest, please, this way.” Shen Yin Tian hurried said as he led a path towards the stone steps. The other members formed a single, open path for them to pass through.
Huang Xue frowned as he looked at red robed elder. “Yin Tian, did I not say to just call me Huang Xue? Why are you still calling me guest this and guest that? Are you that unwilling to accept me into your clan?”
Shen Yin Tian’s face turned a bit pale as he hurried replied: “N-no! Most certainly not! Our Shen Clan is blessed to have you join us. But, but, to say your honored name is a bit…”
Near the end of his sentence, Yin Tian’s voice became a bit softer so that only Huang Xue could hear it.
Even as a low elder in the Godly Supreme Hall, Shen Yin Tian had naturally heard of the ancestor’s name at least once before. He knew that Huang Xue had said his actual name when the latter had introduced himself.
Although Shen Yin Tian knew that given the large population of this land, there was bound to be a few people with similar names. It was not at all strange for another ‘Huang Xue’ to appear. However, since he had prior knowledge that the real Huang Xue was in front of him, as a low elder, it was truly difficult for him to casually call out the ancestor’s great name…
“Haha, do not be so stiff! Names are merely a form of addressment in the end. You can relax and call me ‘Huang Xue’, or even junior, as you would to others.” Huang Xue smiled and said.
“J-junor?! Th-this one dares not call you such...then, Huang...Xue, please, come this way.” Shen Yin Tian finally steeled his heart and mustered out Huang Xue’s name. There was a vague sense of accomplishment twinkling excitedly within his heart..
Huang Xue gave a nod as he walked in front of Shen Yin Tian towards the stone steps. The youths within the Shen clan were all looking at Huang Xue in reverence when they saw the luxurious treatment of this white haired youth. All this time, even their patriarch had only been standing behind the youth and their ancestor, patiently waiting upon the two!
Some of the girls within the clan already had dreamy eyes when they looked at the black robed youth, who was now standing on the high stone steps and overlooking the entire clan. Huang Xue’s particularly attractive appearance, coupled with his obviously superior status, had made him the perfect prince charming in eyes of these young flowers. After all, many girls would love to marry a dependable person in the future, especially in a world that was filled with unpredictable turmoil.
Standing right beside Huang Xue, Shen Yin Tian gave a look at Shen Lin who had returned to stand at the center of the stone step. Noticing this look, Shen Lin gave a nod to his father as he turned to face the crowd.
In a deep voice, he announced to his clan members: “Everyone, listen carefully! This youth standing next to me, is actually a disciple of a tremendous Sect from a faraway region! He is the student of one of our ancestor's close friends, and is here to continue his training.
Being the student of his close friend, our ancestor has decided to take him in and have him temporarily become a part of our Shen Clan! You must not tell others that he is from the outside! From this day onward, he will be named the third young master of our Clan, and you must all make sure to treat him as you would to your closest kin! Those who do not listen, or dares to cause trouble for him in my Shen Clan, will face the heaviest punishment available, regardless if you’re an elder or a talented clansman!”
The Shen clan members all held their breath as they listened to their patriarch. To think the youth in front of them had such a history, it was no wonder the patriarch and ancestor would treat him with such respect. However, they felt a sense of dread when they thought back to how their leaders had kneeled down in front of this youth.
If a mere disciple from this ‘tremendous sect’ could already extract such rich reactions from their patriarch and ancestor, then just how powerful would this person’s master and sect be?! If not even their patriarchs could dare offend this white haired youth, how would they dare to even do so?
And to spread rumors that this black robed youth was not from their clan? Since the other party was clearly someone of higher status and influence, just why would they even want to dissociate themselves with someone like that...not to mention, this person is now their family’s ‘third young master’ too...
Of course, little did they know this “history” was merely a pseudo cover to hide Huang Xue’s identity. The patriarch had already thought out of a story to tell his clan, so that Huang Xue would be able to easily integrate into his clan, while ensuring the latter would not be carelessly offended by his people!