Chapter 57: Wishing Longevity

  Twenty years once three families will martial arts?

  With only a month left, Gu Chen spent his days in Leishui City, waiting for the day to arrive. Although practicing at home was not as comfortable as being in the Eastern Wilderness, he had a large amount of spiritual pills and stones to consume, so Gu Chen's cultivation speed was not much slower than when he was in the Eastern Wilderness.

  After Gu Chen entered the Xiantian realm, those boys of the same age also consciously stopped looking for him to play. Only Gu Heng, Gu Lan and Gu Yan still came to his home from time to time. When they asked him about their cultivation experiences, Gu Chen would teach them one or two things.

  The three of them were originally all talented individuals, and after being reminded by Gu Chen, they all avoided many detours in their cultivation path, increasing their cultivation speed and improving it significantly.

  This month, Gu Cang Yue and Liu Hua Yuan both had the same worry. For the first time, they felt that young Gu Chen was so hard to see through. Liu Tong and Gu Qian Song went after Chen, but now Gu Chen is back, while Liu Tong and Gu Qian Song are nowhere to be found.

  This is exactly the same as the first time, Liu Jie and Liu Qing, and Gu Canghai went after Gu Chen.

  The Three Families' Martial Assembly is about to begin, and Liu Huayuan and Gu Cangyue will temporarily shift their focus away from Gu Chen. This is a matter that affects the future of the families for the next twenty years, and neither the Gu family, the Yun family, nor even the powerful Liu family dare to be negligent.

  Time flies, and in just a month, Gu Chen's congenital true energy has become even more dense than it was at the beginning of the month after a month of cultivation.

  Although the Gu, Yun and Liu families were fiercely competing with each other behind the scenes, on the surface they still maintained a close relationship. The three major immortal practitioner families of Leshui City appeared to be very united in the eyes of outsiders.

  On April 21st, the eldest elder of the Liu family, Liu Xinghen, will be celebrating his 80th birthday. This is a major event in the entire Lesui City. With only three days left until April 21st, the invitation from the Liu family has already been delivered to the Gu and Yun families.

  This Liuxinghen is a big shot, with a cultivation base of seven layers in the Innate Realm. He was the head of the Liu family before Liu Huayuan and had been in that position since he was 39 years old, holding it for 31 years until he retired at the age of 70 to become the Grand Elder of the Liu family.

  Even the patriarch Liu Huayuan had to be polite in front of Liu Xinghen and didn't dare to be presumptuous.

  Ko, Un and Ryu families all have a tradition that when the head of the family reaches 70 years old, he must step down. This year, Ko Son has reached 70, so this New Year's, there will not only be a three-generation descendant competition but also a second-generation head of household competition.

  The three big families have this legacy, which is to avoid the result of one person sitting in the position of family head for life and never stepping down. Over 70 years old, with a large age difference, still in good health, but if the body is sick, dragging on half a life, yet not wanting to give up the power and position of the family head, this is absolutely harmful to the development of the family without any benefit.

  The Gu family received an invitation from the Liu family and soon finalized the list of people to go to the Liu's house for congratulations, including Patriarch Gu Xian, Great Elder Gu Ming, second-generation descendants Gu Cangyue and Gu Cangqiu, third-generation descendants Gu Chen, Gu Tai, Gu Heng, Gu Kun...

  Every twenty years, the three families of Wu would hold a martial arts tournament. The ancestors had established rules to let each family's third-generation descendants compete with each other. This was the result of countless years of bloody lessons. Although the third-generation descendants were the weakest group in the family, they were allowed to decide the family's interests. It seemed absurd at first glance, but in fact, this could avoid endless bloodshed and fighting.

  The three major families of Le Shui City were originally evenly matched in strength, but hundreds of years ago, each family had a cultivator who reached the 9th level of the Innate Realm. Each family's strength was extremely powerful, and they all wanted to become the master of Le Shui City, leading to a century-long struggle.

  As a result, the three big families all suffered heavy losses, and none of them could swallow Leshui City whole. The battles between the first and second generation young masters were something that outsiders couldn't intervene in - as soon as they took action, it was either you die or I die. The side that died would then seek revenge, and so the three big families spent four to five generations passing through intense battles.

  For over a hundred years, the three major families lost countless congenital boundary experts, their strength dwindling day by day, and they almost got wiped out by cultivators from other places. Only then did the three major families realize that if they continued to fight like this, they would all be heading towards extinction.

  Therefore, the ancestors of the three major families set a rule that every twenty years, the third-generation disciples would fight each other to decide the distribution of benefits for their families. The third-generation disciples with the lowest cultivation level would face danger, and the first- and second-generation disciples also had the opportunity to provide assistance.

  After more than a hundred years, the Liu family's strength recovered the fastest, followed by the Gu family, and the Yun family was the last. Until now, there is not even one pre-heavenly seventh-layer cultivator in the Yun family. Faced with the Liu family's power, the Gu and Yun families had no choice but to unite together, forming a balance of power.

  Yun Jinghong wanted to be with Gu Cangyue because he saw that Gu would become the head of the ancient family in the future, and also because Gu had a cultivation base of seven layers of Xiantian. Therefore, Yun wanted to cling to Gu's leg and tie himself to Gu so that he could cope with the powerful forces of the Liu family.

  On April 21st, Gu Chen arrived at the main hall of the Gu's residence early in the morning. Soon after, members who were going to the Liu's house for birthday celebrations started arriving one by one.

  Although this trip is a birthday celebration, in fact, everyone's focus is on the three-family martial arts gathering, with the focus being on the third-generation descendants of each family.

  Gu Tai, Gu Kun, Gu Heng... Not counting Gu Chen, the dark horse, these three people have always taken the top three places in the family competition over the years. Adding Gu Chen to the mix makes them the most elite members of the third generation of the Gu family.

  In the third generation of the Liu family, there was a Liu Baisheng with a congenital boundary of four layers.

  Yun family has three layers of Yunxuan with innate boundary.

  Counting it up, the three generations of Gufu's descendants were actually the weakest among the three families.

  Of course, this doesn't count Gu Chen's sudden emergence as a dark horse. If you include him in the mix, then... everything will change.

  The personnel arrived, and Gu Xian walked to the front of the four third-generation juniors and said: "This time, the three families will meet in martial arts, which is related to the interests of the Gu family for the next 20 years. You must do your best, fight for the future of the Gu family, fight for the future of relatives and family members..."

  "Yes, Chief..." several people shouted in unison.

  Gu Xian nodded in satisfaction, his eyes finally falling on Gu Chen, a smile spreading across his face as he said, "Gu Chen, this time it's all thanks to you..."

  "Rest assured, Grandfather, Gu Chen will definitely exert his greatest strength and fight for the future of the Gu family."

  "Good... good... worthy of being my grandson, with my blood in his veins." Gu Xian's voice was somewhat excited, and finally his gaze swept across the crowd, saying: "Depart..."

  The Liu family is jubilant today, with lanterns and couplets hung everywhere, people wearing new clothes, and red carpets laid on the ground. The entire Liu mansion has been renovated.

  "East City old house to... send congratulatory gifts: one hundred Ling stones, thirty talismans, ten low-grade ritual instruments, ten stalks of low-grade spiritual grass, one jade Ruyi, a nearly ancient painting..."

  Gu Chen and others arrived at the Liu residence, where they were immediately received and led to a high-end guest hall to rest. As the Gu family was also one of the three major Xiu Zhen families in Le Shui City, the patriarch had come in person, so the Liu family could not be slow to respond.

  Shao Qing, the head of the Liu family, Liu Huayuan, brought the two into the living room.

  "Respected elder, your presence brings glory to our humble abode. Today is my father's grand birthday, and I, Hua Yuan, have been busy with various matters, unable to come out to greet you from afar. Please forgive me...". Just as he finished speaking, Liu Hua Yuan quickly entered the living room, made a bow with both hands, and hastily walked towards Gu Xian.

  Gu Xian stood up, and the Gu family members also followed suit. Gu Xian said: "No need to be polite, Elder Liu, today is your 80th birthday, it's truly a joyous occasion."

  Liu Huayuan burst out laughing and said: "The elder of the Gu tribe has praised you, come quickly to pay your respects to the elder of the Gu tribe."

  The two young men following behind Liu Huayuan were his two sons, Liu Baisheng and Liu Qiansheng, who were 26 or 27 years old and 17 or 18 years old respectively.

  Gu Chen glanced at Liu Baisheng, whose cultivation was unrestrained and had reached the peak of the fourth layer of the Pre-Heavenly Realm. Gu Chen made a comparison in his mind, and found that Liu Baisheng's cultivation, although also at the fourth layer of the Pre-Heavenly Realm, was much thicker and more robust than that of Wan Renci and the three house slaves of the Wan family.

  "We have seen the elder of the Gu clan." Liu Baisheng and Liu Qiansheng said in unison, clasping their fists.

  "Good, indeed a true saying that 'a good father will not have a bad son'." Gu Xian smiled and nodded, glancing at Gu Chen and the others, saying: "Gu Chen, Gu Tai, Gu Kun, Gu Heng..."

  Gu Chen and three others nodded in agreement, took a step forward, and bowed their fists to Liu Huayuan, saying: "We have met the head of the Liu family, wishing you longevity comparable to a thousand mountains and good fortune like the Yangtze River."

  Liu Huayuan nodded at everyone: "No need for formalities, haha..."

  With a smile, Liu Huayuan's gaze swept over the four of them and finally landed on Gu Chen. Gu Chen felt that Liu Huayuan's eyes were like knives, cutting across his body.

  "Is this Gu Chen? In just one year, he has stepped into the Pre-Heaven Realm from the Post-Heaven Realm's second layer. And with only a first-layer cultivation in the Pre-Heaven Realm, he defeated a second-layer cultivator of the same realm?" Liu Huayuan asked, his eyes fixed tightly on Gu Chen.

  "It's Xiao Sun for sure." Gu Xian said, his voice full of pride.

  Gu Chen looked straight into Liu Huayuan's eyes, sizing up the head of the Liu family before him. "I'm just diligent in my practice," he said, "spending every waking moment cultivating. I don't dare to be called a genius."

  "Hmph... pretending to be something you're not." Gu Tai muttered coldly beside him.

  Liu Huayuan burst out laughing and said, "If you can't even be considered a genius, then this Music Water City will never have a genius again. Haha... As the saying goes, heroes emerge in their youth, and it's indeed true. The world of tomorrow belongs to you young people."

  Liu Huayuan finished speaking and pointed at Liu Baisheng, saying: "This is my eldest son Baisheng. At the Three Families' Martial Gathering, you will meet again, so exchange more...".

  Gu Tai took a few steps forward, walked to the front of Liu Baisheng and said: "Brother Liu, I heard that you are the first person among the three generations of the Liu family. At that time, I will ask for your advice and see if your cultivation is in vain or true."

  Liu Baisheng gave Gu Tai a glance, his eyes full of disdain, without saying a word. He turned around and came to Gu Chen's face, saying: "You... are the only one worthy of being my opponent."

  Gu Tai's face turned iron-green, his breathing rapid, and he said in a cold voice: "What do you mean? Am I no longer worthy of being your opponent?"

  Liu Baisheng didn't even glance at him and said, "You're not worthy."

  "You..." Gu Tai suddenly became furious, his innate true energy surging wildly, on the verge of erupting.

  "Tai Er... don't be rude." Gu Cang Yue's loud shout made Gu Tai pause, and his innate true energy dissipated instantly. He grunted and retreated to the side.

  "Young people are just hot-headed, haha... Elder Gu, you all take a rest slowly, the Cloud family's people have also arrived, I still need to go and welcome them." Liu Huayuan laughed loudly and said.

  Gu Xian said: "Let the head of the Liu family go and attend to his business."

  "Even if I were to be reborn a hundred times, a thousand times..." Liu Huayuan shouted, turning around and walking out of the living room.

  Liu Qiansheng followed behind him, and Liu Baisheng gave Gu Chen a heavy look again, his eyes full of provocation, before leaving the living room.