Above the Great Dao
Chapter 551 - 257: Designated Top Scorer

Chapter 551: Chapter 257: Designated Top Scorer

As soon as these words were spoken, silence suddenly descended all around, broken only by the clopping of horse hooves and the rumbling of cartwheels.

Nobody spoke, and the atmosphere became somewhat oppressive.

Zhou Qianying laughed and said, "Mr. Chen is a third-rank official. His generation’s foundation is still somewhat shallow, but by the next generation, they may justly be called a noble family. If they have more children and branch out, they will become a great clan."

Princes establish the country, and their descendants inherit it—is how noble families are defined.

But that was in the Huaxia Divine Continent.

The Thirteen Families may not be founding princes of the Great Ming, but they assisted the True King in establishing the West Bull New Continent during the True King Era. As the West Bull New Continent is independent and overseas, the True King is akin to the son of heaven, and Western Capital akin to the court, the Thirteen Families also carry the significance of founding princes, thus enabling them to stand unshakeable.

The criteria for other noble families outside the Thirteen Families are not so stringent.

Nowadays, if three generations of ancestors and descendants serve in the court, and official positions are handed down through generations, they cast the shadow of a noble family.

If they spread their branches and leaves wide and their bloodline and descendants become numerous, forming an influence, they become a great clan.

If they possess great wealth, acquire vast tracts of good land, and attract retainers, expanding their influence, they become a powerful house.

The titles of influential noble families and great clans originate from this.

However, most influential noble families and great clans are smaller in scale, nowhere near as vast as the Thirteen Families. Once they fall from grace, they quickly decline, and their foundation is not as robust as that of the Thirteen Families.

From the True King Era to the present, noble families have changed; many have emerged that rival the scale of the Thirteen Families, but only the Thirteen Families have managed to stand until now.

To say that the Chen family, from grandparent to grandchild, are a noble family, would be like gilding the lily for the Chen family.

Chen Yindou started from scratch, with the worst of aptitudes, accumulated richly and accumulated thinly, and made significant progress in his cultivation in his middle age, eventually being appointed Assistant Minister of Rites. He compiled the "Heavenly Heart Righteous Qi Technique" as a textbook for scholars all around, originally having the potential to become a noble family, but unfortunately, he later chose to abandon his official position and become an Independent, wandering the Jianghu.

Chen Yindou returned to his ancestral home on Qianyang Mountain once or twice a year, and Chen Tang, who was raised freely at home, lived almost as if he had no father.

Even Chen Yindou felt that his son was not smart enough and was kinder to Xiao Wu and the Bee Man, Ah Zhuo, than to Chen Tang. He taught Xiao Wu and Ah Zhuo more than he taught Chen Tang.

Chen Tang grew up in poverty, was self-taught, and became a Scholar and then an Advanced Scholar. After Chen Shi’s death, Chen Tang made a strong effort and now, in his forties, had risen to the rank of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Eight years after Chen Shi’s death, Chen Yindou brought him back to life. Chen Tang regarded Chen Shi as a monster and didn’t care for him at all, not even returning home for the new year, just like Chen Yindou in the past.

Chen Yindou did not teach Chen Shi any cultivation techniques. Chen Shi never went to school, and could only follow the hanged ghost, Zhu Xiucai, to learn to read and write. He ventured alone into the True King’s Tomb and obtained the Three Light Righteous Qi Technique, which set him on the path of cultivation. The cultivation techniques he acquired later were mostly from his explorations in the True King’s Tomb.

None of the three generations, originating from humble backgrounds, had the legacy of a noble family to inherit, not even qualifying as a scholarly family.

"The Chen family might become a noble family someday, but becoming the top scorer is still a long way off."

At that moment a voice came through, breaking the silence.

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice and saw a charming young man approaching, dressed in a splendid Daoist robe with a long flowing jacket, wearing a black gauze cap, and riding a donkey that held itself as if it were walking on clouds.

The handsome young man was in his twenties, not yet thirty, and was very good-looking. The donkey carrying him didn’t touch the ground; every time its hooves fell, it would produce a mist, lifting the donkey off the ground.

Leading the donkey was a strong man akin to an iron tower, towering over twelve feet tall, with muscles as rugged as rocks, baring his chest with dense black hair like that of a black bear transformed into human form, strong and powerful.

He led the donkey at a rapid pace, catching up with the group!

"A Powerful Warrior Method practiced to such an extent!" The onlookers were astonished.

The handsome young man’s cultivation strength was not apparent, but the strong man had cultivated some method similar to the Yellow Turban Warrior, bringing his body to the level of such a warrior!

Ordinary cultivators could at most purchase a few Yellow Turban Warrior Talismans to use in emergencies, and it was rare for someone to find the actual cultivation method of the Yellow Turban Warrior.

However, in a Great Family, there are usually people who exclusively practice the Yellow Turban Warrior Method, cultivating their bodies to have copper tendons, iron bones, and a Vajra Body, immensely powerful.

Having a cultivated Yellow Turban Warrior to accompany one on travels, and considering that the Yellow Turban Warrior had achieved a True Body of twelve feet, it was clear that the young man had an extraordinary background.

Zhou Qianying quickly greeted him and said, "I am Zhou Qianying from the Zhou Family in Wind City. May I ask for your respected name, good sir?"

The charming young man returned the greeting with a smile, "I dare not presume. I am Ma Zongzhou from the Ma Family of Meizhou."

"Meizhou Ma Family?"

Excitement stirred among the crowd, and Zhou Qianying exclaimed in surprise, "Are you perhaps from the Ma Family of the Thirteen Families in Meizhou?"

Ma Zongzhou smiled and said, "Is there a second Ma Family in Meizhou?"

The people hastily dismounted and paid their respects, saying, "Wang Ping from the Wang family in Wind City greets Young Master Ma!" "Fang Hu from the Fang Family in Licheng, greets Young Master Ma!" "Wei Liuchuan from the Wei Family in Naocounty, greets Young Master Ma!"

Ma Zongzhou leaped down from the donkey’s back and returned the courtesy to everyone, laughing and saying, "You flatter me! Gentlemen, please rise! If I have to return every greeting, it will exhaust me too!"

But, even if it was someone from a lesser-known small family of a local area, he also returned their greeting respectfully, highlighting exceptional upbringing.

His amiable demeanor made everyone feel as if basked in the warmth of spring. Previously having been angered by Chen Shi, now they felt as though their ruffled hearts were smoothed over by an iron.

Ma Zongzhou exchanged pleasantries with everyone, then finally turned his attention to Chen Shi.

Chen Shi still sat in the wooden cart, warming himself with the Sheep Horn Heavenly Spirit Lamp.