Inside the great hall, everyone was bathed in abundant Spiritual Qi, spreading their hands to enjoy the spiritual baptism.
It was an utterly wondrous sensation.
Just then, a guard reported, "Young Master, two hundred Spiritual Cranes have suddenly arrived at our estate."
"Spiritual Cranes?"
Su Mo asked in surprise.
The guard nodded. "Yes, we can’t drive these Spiritual Cranes away. They’ve even started building nests in our backyard, acting like they plan to live here permanently. They’ve taken over many of our buildings and driven our servants out."
Upon hearing this, Su Mo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
’Are these Spiritual Cranes a bunch of bandits?’
’Daring to just take over someone else’s nest!’
Just as Su Mo was about to order them driven out, Qingyunzi quickly stopped him. "Elder, please wait. These Spiritual Cranes are a type of Spiritual Bird. They came here seeking the Earth Vein. Letting them stay can transform the Xiao Family estate into a Holy Land Immortal Realm."
Su Mo hesitated.
’So these Spiritual Cranes are useful, capable of turning the Xiao Family estate into a Sacred Land. But they’re too damn tyrannical, brazenly bullying the Xiao Family.’
In Su Mo’s eyes, from the elite disciples to the servants, even down to every blade of grass and every tree of the Xiao Family—all of it was sacred and inviolable.
’Anyone who dares to cause them trouble is showing disrespect to the Xiao Family.’
While Su Mo was still hesitating, another disciple ran in to report, "Reporting to the Young Master! A flock of egrets has appeared north of the city and is heading toward the Xiao Family estate!"
"Reporting, Young Master! Two huge green fish fell from the sky into our courtyard pond! They’ve already eaten many of our spirit fish!"
"Reporting, Young Master! A golden python has taken over our back mountain, claiming it as its own territory and scaring the children to tears!"
"Reporting, Young Master! Two white cranes have arrived outside the courtyard. They’ve settled in and won’t leave, and now they’re driving our family members away!"
"Reporting, Young Master..."
Listening to the endless stream of reports, Su Mo felt his head was about to split.
’Damn it, is this some kind of great animal migration?’
’And they’re all flocking to the Xiao Family!’
Su Mo roared in anger, "Xiao Lang, take some men and drive every last one of these critters out! Slaughter any that refuse to leave! We’ll cook them in a stew!"
’It’s one thing for them to show up, but they have the fucking nerve to scare my family.’
’And those spirit fish in the pond! I haven’t even had a few bites myself, and now they’ve all been devoured by two green fish that came from who-knows-where.’
’I was saving those as a special tonic for when I have children with Qingxue!’
’Fuck!’
’This is the last straw!’
"Yes!"
Just as Xiao Lang was about to lead the men out, Qingyunzi immediately stopped him. "Wait, Elder! We really can’t drive these Spiritual Birds away. If they are allowed to stay, it won’t be long before the Xiao Family estate is filled with Immortal Qi, which will be of immense benefit to the Cultivation of the Xiao Family Members."
The major Sacred Lands exhaust all sorts of methods, spending endless effort and resources, just to attract Spiritual Birds to nest, and even then, success is not guaranteed.
These were Spiritual Birds that one couldn’t hope to attract even by begging, and now they had come of their own accord, yet Su Mo actually wanted to drive them away. It was truly baffling.
Su Mo said, "Even if they can help create a Holy Land Immortal Realm, they can’t just bully my people."
"Elder, please give me a chance. Let me go and communicate with them."
Qingyunzi volunteered, "If they are willing to stay, we can designate an area for them on the back mountain to live. If they aren’t willing, then you can drive them away, or stew them."
"Fine. For your sake, I won’t drive them out just yet. But I’ll have to trouble you to make a trip."
Su Mo relented. "Xiao Lang, you go with him. Take the Striped Demon Tiger and the Black Demon Wolf. If any of them are disobedient, kill them directly. Don’t waste time arguing with them."
"Yes!"
Qingyunzi and Xiao Lang went off to persuade them.
「An hour later.」
Xiao Lang returned to the great hall and reported, "Young Master, it’s all been taken care of. A few of the Spiritual Cranes were disobedient, so I struck them dead on the spot. They’ve already been sent to the kitchen to be stewed."
"Good."
Su Mo said, satisfied.
Qingyunzi said respectfully, "A Supreme Sacred Land’s Earth Vein, Spiritual Birds everywhere... Congratulations, Elder Su. The Xiao Family has truly become a Cultivation Sacred Land."
"We’re a Sacred Land already?"
Su Mo asked, surprised.
Qingyunzi stated with certainty, "The embryonic form of a Sacred Land is here. All that’s left is to build up its foundation and strength. However, these things cannot be rushed. It will take several hundred, or even a thousand years of development to achieve."
Su Mo nodded. He knew that all he could do for now was provide the best possible Cultivation environment for the Xiao Family and pass down some Cultivation Techniques. The rest would depend on the efforts of the family members themselves.
Chu Tianxiong proposed, "Since the foundations of a Sacred Land have been laid, why don’t we take this opportunity to form a Holy Land Alliance?"
"An excellent idea."
"And for the first Saint Master of the Holy Land Alliance, let’s nominate Elder Su."
"Yes, only Elder Su is qualified to be the Holy Land Saint Master."
Everyone voiced their agreement in unison, their gazes turning to Su Mo simultaneously.
Su Mo refused. "Forget the alliance. I’m focused on my Cultivation and have no desire to be some Holy Land Saint Master. I especially can’t be bothered to manage a Holy Land Alliance. You should find someone else."
He didn’t even want to be the Patriarch of the Xiao Family, let alone a Holy Land Saint Master.
’All just useless, empty titles.’
’All for show.’
"This..."
Seeing Su Mo refuse, everyone couldn’t help but feel disappointed, their faces filled with dejection.
Chu Tianxiong suggested again, "It’s fine if Elder Su doesn’t want to manage the Sacred Land. We can nominate Patriarch Xiao Zhan as the Acting Saint Master to manage it on Elder Su’s behalf. We old timers can just assist Patriarch Xiao Zhan from the side."
"Ah... What virtue or ability do I possess to become the Acting Saint Master? No, no, absolutely not."
Xiao Zhan’s face was filled with panic.
This celebration was being held for Su Mo. As his father-in-law, he had been watching with joy in his heart, sitting quietly in a corner and not daring to speak much, afraid he might steal Su Mo’s thunder.
But now, the unexpected had happened.
Chu Tianxiong pleaded, "Patriarch Xiao, please agree. If you don’t agree, I... I’ll kneel before you."
"We’ll kneel before you, too!"
THUD!
Everyone knelt before Xiao Zhan.
Terrified, Xiao Zhan shot up from his seat and rushed to help Chu Tianxiong up. "Sect Leader Chu, what are you doing? Please, get up quickly."
Chu Tianxiong, Daoist Xuanqing, and the others were all major figures renowned throughout the Eighteen Kingdoms, yet they were all kneeling to him.
And he was just the patriarch of a small family. This was too much for him to bear.
However, Chu Tianxiong insisted, "Patriarch Xiao, there’s no need to help me up. If you don’t agree, I won’t get up."
"That’s right! Only if you agree first will Elder Su agree."
"Patriarch Xiao, please hurry up and agree!"
"If you don’t agree, we’ll kneel here until we die! We won’t get up!"
Xiao Zhan’s face was filled with panic and unease. In the end, he could only turn his gaze helplessly toward Su Mo, pleading for help.
Su Mo was speechless. ’This is emotional blackmail.’
These were all top experts in the Eighteen Kingdoms, total badasses, and yet they were willingly kneeling to someone.
’Have they never heard that a man’s knees are precious as gold?’
’How utterly improper.’
Helpless, Su Mo could only nod at Xiao Zhan, giving his consent.
Xiao Zhan quickly said, "Everyone, please rise. Xiaomo has already agreed."