Chapter 10: Family Hope

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The Meng family disciples who rushed in were all running and shouting loudly, extremely excited. They immediately drew the attention of many clan members in the ancestral home. The clan members listened in a daze. "What? Did we hear that right? Meng Chuan comprehended a secret technique?"

"Stop right there!" A clan member grabbed a rapidly running youth and demanded, "Explain clearly what happened!"

"Uncle, it's Brother Meng Chuan," the thirteen-year-old boy replied, overjoyed. "Today was the day for the Mirror Lake Dao Academy's selection trials. Brother Meng Chuan went up to the arena and performed the Falling Leaf Blade secret technique, 'Three Autumn Leaves.' Even the Dean and the instructors were incredibly excited."

"'Falling Leaf Blade secret technique, Three Autumn Leaves'?" The burly clan member's eyes widened. "Meng Chuan is only fifteen this year, isn't he? He comprehended a secret technique at fifteen?"

Throughout the ancestral home, clan members gathered around the youths, asking questions, all buzzing with excitement.

A bald, scrawny old man stood by, listening with narrowed eyes. As he heard the youths chattering excitedly, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but murmur, "Heaven bless, heaven bless my Meng family."

"Third Elder, it's fantastic news! Meng Chuan has comprehended a secret technique," a clan member rushed over to report.

"I know!" The bald, scrawny old man maintained a stern expression as he turned and walked away.

He was the strictest among the Meng family elders, but as the bald, scrawny old man turned to leave, a slight smile played on his lips.

The Meng family ancestral home was vast, housing over two thousand clan members.

In one of the martial arts training grounds within the ancestral home, a group of youths was practicing with various weapons like sabers, swords, axes, and spears, while the plump Meng Dajiang sat nearby, watching.

"Hmm, why is it so noisy outside?" Meng Dajiang frowned slightly. Soon, a clamor approached, and with his strength as a Seamless Realm expert, he could discern the words 'Meng Chuan' and 'comprehended a secret technique' amidst the din.

Meng Dajiang felt a jolt throughout his body.

It was as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water in the dead of winter; his mind even felt a bit muddled.

"Did I mishear?" Meng Dajiang felt uneasy, yet he couldn't help but stand up and walk towards the entrance of the training ground.

"Dajiang, Dajiang!" A refined old man and a group of clan members approached together. The refined old man's face was flushed with excitement and joy.

"Fifth Uncle," Meng Dajiang quickly went to meet him. "What happened?"

"Great news, great news!" The refined old man was extremely excited.

"Oh?" Meng Dajiang was both excited and anxious. Though he had a guess, he still wanted to hear the full explanation.

The refined old man quickly said, "Some of our younger clan members from the Mirror Lake Dao Academy have returned with news! They say your son, Meng Chuan, performed the 'Three Autumn Leaves' secret technique during the academy's selection trials. The Dean, the instructors, and thousands of disciples witnessed it firsthand. It absolutely cannot be false! Hahaha... Truly, heaven blesses my Meng family, blesses my Meng family!"

"Chuan'er performed the 'Three Autumn Leaves' secret technique?" Meng Dajiang felt his head grow warm, and his heart pounded.

That was his son!

"Dajiang, your son is amazing!"

"My Meng family will prosper even more; it seems we might have two Divine Demon experts from one lineage!" The clan members exclaimed excitedly. Apart from the clan head and elders, the ordinary clan members were unaware of Meng Xianggu's severe injuries.

"Two elders, the Immortal Aunt wants to see you," a clan member came to relay the message.

"We're coming now."

Meng Dajiang and the refined old man both quickly went over, but at this moment, Meng Dajiang felt like he was floating as he walked.

Meng Xianggu and Clan Head Meng Yanping had been playing chess, but now they had stopped. Eight elders had gathered in the courtyard, all of them immensely excited. Some elders were not in the ancestral home and were still unaware of this monumental good news.

"Those youngsters were all running so fast," the bald, scrawny old man said, quite invigorated. "They were all talking about Meng Chuan performing the 'Three Autumn Leaves' secret technique."

"This is excellent! Comprehending a secret technique at fifteen... This talent is no less than that of Mei Yuanzhi."

"Dajiang, you've raised a fine son."

"Dajiang deserves credit for his guidance."

The family elders spoke with excitement. Meng Dajiang grinned foolishly, feeling that this was the happiest day he had experienced in recent years.

"Knowing this news, I could die with my eyes closed."

"Heaven bless my Meng family!"

The elders had always feared the decline of their family. Although many of them were not far from the end of their lives, they still hoped the family would prosper.

If the family prospered, their brothers, clan members, children, and grandchildren would live well. Over the long years, they had long since become one with the family.

"Look at all of you," Meng Xianggu said with a faint smile from where she sat. "It is indeed joyful that Meng Chuan has comprehended a secret technique, but you are celebrating too soon."

The elders were stunned.

Meng Xianggu continued, "Meng Chuan has only taken the first step. Becoming a Divine Demon is still a very long way off. He still needs to comprehend 'Saber Intent,' form a 'Core,' and pass the final 'Life-and-Death Tribulation'! These are three major hurdles... Don't praise him too much now and let him become complacent. What he needs to do is cultivate even more diligently. Ideally, he should comprehend Saber Intent before the age of twenty. That would give him a thirty percent chance of entering Mount Yuanchu. If he can enter Mount Yuanchu, he will certainly become a Divine Demon."

"Mount Yuanchu!" Clan Head Meng Yanping and the elders' eyes lit up.

That was the oldest cultivation ground in the entire world.

Mysterious and powerful.

In the past century or so, only one elder from the Zhang family in Dongning Prefecture had successfully entered Mount Yuanchu, and the Zhang family had thus become the foremost of Dongning Prefecture's five Divine Demon families.

"If he cannot enter Mount Yuanchu, then Meng Chuan's path of cultivation will be difficult," Meng Xianggu stated. "When I was sixteen, I comprehended a secret technique, but I didn't comprehend 'Intent' until I was twenty-two. Since I couldn't enter Mount Yuanchu, I was only considered an outer disciple of Mount Yuanchu. I barely managed to become a Divine Demon after numerous life-or-death struggles. My teammates at the time had talents comparable to mine, yet only I became a Divine Demon; all the others perished."

"For Meng Chuan, there are not only the three major hurdles of Saber Intent, Core Formation, and the Life-and-Death Tribulation, but also the additional cultivation speed requirement of comprehending Saber Intent before the age of twenty," Meng Xianggu said solemnly.

The elders present also calmed down.

Becoming a Divine Demon was truly difficult.

Currently, Meng Chuan was merely a promising talent with the potential to become a Divine Demon, giving the family a glimpse of hope.

"Dajiang," Meng Xianggu instructed, "Go to Mirror Lake Dao Academy to pick up Meng Chuan. Prepare well for the Jade Sun Palace Demon Slaying Grand Event. After the event, Meng Chuan should be calmer, then bring him to see me."

"Yes," Meng Dajiang replied respectfully.

"You may all withdraw now," Meng Xianggu ordered. "Remember, don't praise Meng Chuan excessively and make him arrogant; that would ruin him."

"Yes," the elders responded in unison, solemnly.

Anyone who dared to ruin Meng Chuan would be an irreconcilable enemy of the entire Meng family!

Soon, all the elders departed, leaving only Meng Xianggu and the Clan Head siblings in the courtyard.

"Third Sister, you nearly scared them all," Clan Head Meng Yanping chuckled. "I know you're very happy."

"Of course I'm happy," Meng Xianggu sighed. "I've been a Divine Demon for nearly eighty years, accumulating vast merits and making many friends on Mount Yuanchu! If the family didn't have a good prospect, all my efforts would be wasted. Now that Meng Chuan has high talent, with my full support, his path will certainly be much smoother than mine was."

"Yes, he will surely become a Divine Demon," Meng Yanping said.

"He will!" Meng Xianggu's eyes were filled with anticipation.

At Mirror Lake Dao Academy, Meng Chuan was walking out. Along the way, the surrounding academy disciples continuously called out, "Senior Brother Meng," all of them incredibly enthusiastic.

Meng Chuan nodded slightly in response and continued walking out.

"Hmm?"

Just as he reached the main entrance, he saw a group of people standing outside the academy gate. Leading them was the plump Meng Dajiang, accompanied by the bald, scrawny old man, the refined old man, and several other family elders.

"Father, Elders," Meng Chuan greeted as he approached.

"You rascal," Meng Dajiang said, reaching out to ruffle Meng Chuan's hair. "You truly gave your old man quite a fright."

With his father ruffling his hair, Meng Chuan could only obediently endure it. He looked a bit pitiful, but in reality, he felt exceptionally good.

"Haha, even we were startled!"

"Meng Chuan, well done," several family elders said with smiles, clearly delighted.

"Come on, let's go home," Meng Dajiang said happily. With a son like this, what more could he ask for?

"Okay."

Meng Chuan replied and returned with his father and the others.