Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Inner and Outer Divide
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to Chen Jianghe's group of three, there were nineteen junior Fishery Farmers who had embarked on the path of cultivation due to the Yun Clan's favor.
Yun Bufan looked at these remaining nineteen people, his expression flickering with reluctance, yet also a sense of helplessness.
He turned and retreated behind Yun Zhonghou.
"You are either orphans or the children of farmers. It is only by the Yun Clan's grace, by the immortal fate we have bestowed, that you have been fortunate enough to step onto the path of cultivation."
Yun Zhonghou stepped down from the platform and walked among the Fishery Farmers, his voice softening.
"In my eyes, you are no different from the children of the Yun Clan. You are all the future of our family, our pillars of strength."
"Perhaps you think these are merely polite words. Very well. Today, I will give you a chance to truly become a disciple of the Yun Clan."
Huh?!
All the junior Fishery Farmers, including Chen Jianghe, were startled. They stared at Yun Zhonghou in astonishment, eager to learn what this opportunity was.
"If you are willing, the Yun Clan will arrange a marriage for you, to a woman of the Yun Clan who also possesses spirit roots.
After you marry, you will be considered a disciple of the Yun Clan. Based on your contributions, you will enjoy the same treatment as direct descendants."
Having said this, Yun Zhonghou returned to the platform and looked down at the junior Fishery Farmers, who were all lost in shock.
Yun Zhonghou said no more, giving them time to process the offer.
"Marrying into the clan!"
A storm raged in the hearts of the Fishery Farmers. They couldn't help but think of the legend from a hundred years ago, the one with the greatest talent for raising fish.
But they quickly shook their heads.
They were different from that legend. The Yun Clan women they were being offered had spirit roots; they were not ordinary mortal women.
Moreover, Yun Zhonghou had promised them the same treatment as direct descendants, based on their contributions.
The terms of this marriage were far superior to those offered to that legendary fish farmer.
It wasn't as if marrying into the clan meant becoming an unpaid breeder.
Chen Jianghe lowered his head and glanced around at the others. Some were excited, some were worried, but most were watching and waiting to see what others would choose.
"Excuse me, Elder. Will the children born of this union take the father's surname or the mother's?" a Fishery Farmer asked respectfully.
This was the Fishery Farmer to Chen Jianghe's left. He had met the requirements to go to the inner waters and was one of those who had begun cultivating through the Yun Clan's grace.
"They will take the Yun surname," Yun Zhonghou stated bluntly.
As soon as he said this, many of the watching Fishery Farmers lost interest. It was clearly a taboo for them.
Among these junior Fishery Farmers indebted to the Yun Clan, most were from farming families; orphans like Chen Jianghe were few.
One could see the resistance in the eyes of those from farming families.
In contrast, the orphans looked indifferent, filled with longing for the treatment afforded to direct descendants.
"Those willing to marry into the Yun Clan, take one step forward." Yun Zhonghou did not give the Fishery Farmers much time to consider.
In the eyes of the Yun Clan, if it weren't for the heavy casualties among the younger generation of direct descendants, these low-level Fishery Farmers would never have had the chance to marry into the family, let alone be paired with a Yun woman who had spirit roots.
In the blink of an eye, seven junior Fishery Farmers stepped forward, indicating their willingness to marry into the Yun Clan.
The other twelve junior Fishery Farmers remained where they were.
Chen Jianghe saw Yu Daniu step out. He didn't try to stop him; in this situation, he couldn't have stopped him anyway.
Incurring the displeasure of a Yun Clan elder could mean death.
Becoming a live-in son-in-law for the Yun Clan, paired with a Yun woman with spirit roots—the clan's intentions were obvious.
They wanted to use the Fishery Farmers who married in as studs to quickly expand the clan's lineage.
In the past two years, the Yun Clan had lost too many of its younger generation's direct descendants, shaking the very foundation of the clan.
If they didn't replenish their numbers quickly, they would face a future where the new generation couldn't replace the old.
As for enjoying the treatment of direct descendants based on contribution, it surely meant that the more children one fathered, the higher the contribution.
Of course, there was one condition: the children born had to possess spirit roots.
On the path of cultivation, expending one's primordial yang too early, or depleting it without restraint, would lead to a weakened body, which was extremely detrimental to one's practice.
Therefore, while gaining exceptional treatment, one would also lose a part of their own potential.
Yu Daniu's spirit root talent was poor, his aquaculture talent wasn't high, and he had no aptitude for talisman arts. Perhaps marrying into the Yun Clan was a good choice for him.
"Alright, the seven of you will stay. The rest may leave," Yun Zhonghou's authoritative voice announced.
Immediately, the junior Fishery Farmers who had not chosen to marry into the clan quickly left the venue.
Chen Jianghe said a quick goodbye to Yu Daniu and left with the crowd.
He just felt it was a bit of a pity.
Not because of the marriage offer.
Although his spirit root talent was poor, he had a long lifespan. With steady effort and systematic cultivation, he could reach the late stage of Qi Refining sooner or later. There was no need to marry into a clan and deplete his primordial yang.
What he found regrettable was not being promoted to senior Fishery Farmer ahead of schedule.
It was a chance to advance without drawing attention.
Becoming a senior Fishery Farmer a year earlier meant receiving a senior's salary a year earlier, which was likely several times that of a junior.
He could also enjoy the dense spiritual energy of the inner waters sooner.
"Well, what's missed is missed."
Chen Jianghe didn't pilot his boat away. Instead, he headed for the Yuelai Inn, where Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun were still waiting.
They were surely curious about what the opportunity for the junior Fishery Farmers was.
After arriving at the Yuelai Inn, Chen Jianghe went straight to the private room on the second floor.
"Brother Jianghe."
Gao Peiyao stood to greet him, her phoenix eyes shimmering as she asked with confusion, "Where is Brother Daniu?"
Chen Jianghe said with a smile, "Daniu is still at the venue."
"Hm?"
Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun both showed surprise, staring intently at Chen Jianghe, wanting to know the answer.
Chen Jianghe didn't hide anything and recounted what had happened after the two women had left.
Hearing what the so-called opportunity was, Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun both breathed a sigh of relief.
They had thought it was some incredible opportunity, but it turned out to be about marrying into the Yun Clan and allowing some talented junior Fishery Farmers to enter the inner waters early to fill the vacancies for seniors.
This didn't affect them much, so it was easy to accept.
"Fellow Daoist Yu is going to marry into the Yun Clan?"
Zhou Miaoyun mused aloud, "That's fine. It might be a good choice for him."
"Since Brother Daniu chose to marry into the Yun Clan, we should respect his decision.
We can only wish him many children and much fortune in the Yun Clan," Gao Peiyao said.
When a cultivator married into a clan, nine out of ten ended tragically.
They either depleted their primordial yang too early, becoming cripples unable to advance their cultivation due to a weakened body.
Or they fathered a few children with spirit roots and, with the clan's rewards, quickly cultivated to the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
As for the late stage of Qi Refining?
It was basically impossible. A five-element miscellaneous spirit root required a Calamity Dispelling Pill to break through to the late stage, and why would a clan provide such a valuable pill to a live-in son-in-law?
Therefore, for a live-in son-in-law, one's future was visible at a glance.
Just as the two women were sighing over the matter, a waiter from the Yuelai Inn came in and spoke respectfully to Chen Jianghe.
"Someone from the Yun Clan came with a message. They ask Immortal Master Chen to head to the inner waters with the others in three days."