Chapter 228: Minor Cold

At this time, it was already the Minor Cold season.

Every household in Xiushui Village was busy cooking five-grain porridge, a tradition to honor the Heaven and Earth, and to worship their ancestors, expressing gratitude for the gifts of nature and the protection of their forefathers.

The village was filled with the rich aroma of various grains.

This year's Minor Cold was particularly chilly, and the villagers had all donned their cotton-padded jackets. The flowers and trees along the roadside and on the mountains had started to enter their dormant phase.

This year had been an unusually good one for the people of Xiushui Village. Although there had been floods and labor conscriptions, almost every family could now cook a pot of thick five-grain porridge and afford two feet of new cloth to make a new piece of clothing for the elderly.

As soon as Liu Yunan returned, Jiang Youfu handed him a steaming bowl of fragrant five-grain porridge. This porridge even contained a bit of spiritual grain from their spiritual fields. It was so delicious that Liu Yunan, without even taking a break or sharing his experiences from the delivery trip, loudly exclaimed while holding the bowl, "Another bowl!"

That day happened to be the scheduled day for Lingxian Dining Hall to serve food. At the dining hall, now covered only with bare grapevines, today's dish was also five-grain porridge.

Yet no one found this simple dish lacking in elegance or immortal charm. On the contrary, some people were so moved by its natural simplicity that they composed poems and paintings to capture the sentiment.

As soon as the five-grain porridge appeared, people who had been waiting outside the dining hall eagerly threw their hundred-tael notes into the small bamboo basket, stepping inside amidst the envious gazes of others.

At the same time, the name of Lingxian Sect finally spread throughout the imperial court in the capital. Almost immediately after the morning court session, the heads of the Yunyin Sect and Qinghe Sect stationed in the capital received this news and swiftly sent messages back to their respective sects.

The reactions of these two sects to the news can be left for later. However, the only sect not yet informed was the distant Shangyang Sect in the east of Pusi Country. After all, everyone at the Shangyang Sect's capital residence was busy planning the reconstruction of their sect, holding several meetings just to decide on a new name. How could they possibly send messages to the Shangyang Sect that had been taken over?

The imperial court didn't intend to sever ties with the newly controlled Shangyang Sect either. Although the sect hadn't responded to the court's letters, they hadn't explicitly declared that they would no longer support the royal family. As long as there was even a slight chance of alliance, the court didn't want to let it slip away.

Since the Shangyang Sect's capital residence was no longer considered part of the original sect, the court politely sent them information about the new sect, Lingxian Sect, although it was delivered at the slowest possible speed.

Within the palace, more than a month had passed since Li Zhouxuan last consulted with the royal family's ancestor. While in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he received word that the ancestor had summoned him.

He quickly made his way to Yuhua Palace, where the ancestor resided. On his way, Li Zhouxuan couldn't help but be a little surprised. Why had the ancestor ended his seclusion so soon this time?

Although the emergence of a new sect was a significant event, it wasn't exactly an urgent matter. In the past, if it wasn't urgent, the ancestor would either ignore it or wait six months to a year before ending his seclusion. But this time, it had only been a little over a month.

With these thoughts in mind, he entered Yuhua Palace after being announced.

"Zhouxuan greets the ancestor."

In the resplendent palace, a Daoist with long white hair and a flowing beard that reached the ground was seated in meditation at the center of the room. Upon seeing Li Zhouxuan enter, he nodded slightly and asked directly:

"Where is the location of this new sect?"

Knowing the ancestor liked to get straight to the point, Li Zhouxuan respectfully replied:

"Ancestor, the new sect is located in a small village called Xiushui, under the jurisdiction of Hufang Province."

The Li family ancestor pondered for a moment and then said:

"Is it near Cuifeng Town?"

Li Zhouxuan lowered his head and replied, "Yes, that's correct."

The Li family ancestor would periodically request detailed maps to meticulously study the landscape of the kingdom they ruled. He would also send people to travel across the land and report back on the customs and cultures of different regions. Although he had not left the capital for many years to focus on cultivation, his love for the land remained unchanged.

After all, this was the kingdom founded by his mother.

Despite not having set foot on this land for a century, he knew every location by heart. He nodded at Li Zhouxuan and said:

"Recently, I've been considering ending my seclusion to travel. I'll take the opportunity to visit Xiushui Village."

"Does this mean you've had a breakthrough?" Li Zhouxuan asked with some excitement. The ancestor had previously mentioned that he wouldn't end his seclusion until he broke through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

However, the Li family ancestor calmly shook his head.

"No, I haven't. But after years of seclusion with little progress, I believe it's time for a change of scenery."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhouxuan immediately bowed and said:

"I will make arrangements for your journey."

But the Li family ancestor waved him off.

"There's no need. I will travel alone."

Seeing the ancestor's decision, Li Zhouxuan didn't insist. After all, the ancestor was a Nascent Soul cultivator, far from a frail old man who needed protection.

After taking his leave, Li Zhouxuan left to make preparations.

Meanwhile, in the capital's General's Manor, Mo Yuanjiao was also packing for his journey. Not just him, but even General Mo was preparing, as he had agreed to accompany his son to visit Lingxian Sect after much persuasion.

As for the elderly Mrs. Mo, due to her health, Mo Yuanjiao was worried that traveling in the cold weather would be too taxing for her. Although he had given her a foundation-strengthening pill from his senior brother before leaving the sect, the pill could only improve general health and couldn't counteract the effects of aging.

So Mo Yuanjiao decided to wait until spring to bring his grandmother to the sect. Whether or not she chose to cultivate, the spiritual veins near the sect made it a good place for the elderly to live out their years in comfort.

Since Mrs. Mo wasn't going, Mrs. Mo also decided to stay behind to take care of her mother. Mo Yuanjiao wasn't in a rush. His mother was still young, and there was no need to hurry. This time, he would let his father visit first and then recommend the place to the rest of the family.

Yes, he had that much confidence in his sect.

Due to the approaching new year, the court was in recess, which gave General Mo the time to travel. Under normal circumstances, he would never have had the opportunity to leave. So to accommodate General Mo's leave, Mo Yuanjiao had no choice but to forgo spending the new year at home.

Luckily, he wasn't the only son. With his brothers and sisters around, his grandmother and mother still had family to keep them company.

Thus, three days after the Minor Cold, father and son, along with Mo Que, bid farewell to Mrs. Mo and Mrs. Mo, setting off on their journey from the capital amidst the frosty morning dew.