The rise of a family, the Heavenly Evolution Divine Tree

Not long after, my grandmother Zhang Yunyu, my fourth aunt Yu Qingyue, He Beixi, He Beiyu, He Beixu, He Yuanteng, He Beizhi, He Beihang, He Yuanzhen, and He Xuanya and I returned to our family home, weary from our journey.

As we stepped through the heavy, ancient gate of the family residence, we saw He Beixu, the eldest of the eight people including He Beixi, and the leader of the expedition team. Upon returning to the family, he naturally went first to report to the clan chief about the various events of their expedition. He turned to us and said, "Brothers and sisters, I'll go to the clan chief first to report on our expedition. As for other details, we can discuss them at tomorrow's clan meeting." Everyone nodded in agreement. After all, after such a long and arduous journey, many of them were eager to return home and rest.

Just then, Grandma Zhang Yunyu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up, "Little Beixu, then I'll trouble you to make the trip! When you see the clan leader, remember to tell him for me that Little Beichen, Qingyue, and I have returned safely, so he won't worry too much." He Beixu quickly and respectfully replied, "Yes, Sixth Elder, don't worry! I will definitely pass on the message." After saying that, he turned and walked quickly towards the courtyard where the clan leader lived. Grandma Zhang Yunyu smiled and nodded, saying softly, "Little Beixu, then go quickly."

My mind raced like lightning as I instantly realized that tomorrow would once again be the day of the grand and solemn annual clan gathering! Every year, on this special day, the entire clan would gather together to hold this extraordinary clan gathering, comprehensively and deeply summarizing the various developments and changes the clan had experienced over the past year.

The annual clan gathering is undoubtedly a major event for the clan. However, not all clan members are able to attend in person. Those clan members shouldering heavy responsibilities guarding the frontiers are unable to leave due to their duties; warriors serving in the Black Armor Legion are also unable to return because of their mission; in addition, some clan members who have chosen to cultivate in seclusion to seek breakthroughs, as well as relatives who are unable to return in time for various reasons, can only regretfully miss this grand event. But even so, as long as conditions permit, every remaining clan member arrives at the clan gathering on time with a sense of awe and anticipation.

Before we knew it, the moment of parting arrived. He Beiyu, He Beixu, He Yuanteng, He Beizhi, He Beihang, He Yuanzhen, He Xuanya, and others embarked on their journeys home. Some returned to their residences for a short rest, while others eagerly searched for their long-lost relatives. As for me, I walked slowly towards the courtyard belonging to our branch of the clan with my grandmother Zhang Yunyu, my fourth aunt Yu Qingyue, and my cousin He Beixi. Along the way, everyone had different feelings, but all were filled with anticipation and curiosity for the upcoming clan gathering.

As we stepped into the house, we saw He Yuanqing and He Yuanhuan, the two little ones, running excitedly towards us from afar. He Yuanqing, like a joyful little deer, rushed straight towards me and crashed into my arms. He raised his innocent little face, blinked his bright eyes, and shouted, "Uncle, you're finally back!" Seeing his overjoyed expression, I couldn't help but feel a little helpless, and replied with a wry smile, "Little Yuanqing, Uncle was only gone for a little over a month, look how worried you were."

Meanwhile, He Yuanhuan rushed towards her grandmother, Zhang Yunyu, like a gust of wind. Before she even got close, her clear and melodious voice rang out: "Great-Grandma, you're back too!" Grandma Zhang Yunyu looked at her adorable great-granddaughter with loving eyes and asked gently, "Oh, has our little Yuanhuan been cultivating diligently lately?" Hearing her great-grandmother's question, He Yuanhuan immediately puffed out her chest and answered confidently, "Great-Grandma, of course I've been cultivating diligently!" As soon as she finished speaking, she revealed an innocent and radiant smile, a smile as bright and dazzling as a flower blooming in spring.

Just then, a slight noise came from inside the house. A moment later, Second Aunt Han Susu, Second Brother He Beifeng, Third Brother He Beicang, and Fourth Brother He Beifang all came out, their faces beaming with warm smiles as they greeted us enthusiastically. After exchanging greetings, everyone sat around the stone table in the courtyard and began sharing the various interesting and wonderful stories they had experienced on their trip. Laughter filled the courtyard, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere that made everyone feel truly comforted.

As soon as I finished speaking, the second brother He Beifeng, the third brother He Beicang, the fourth brother He Beifang, and the youngest brother He Beixi all looked astonished. They clearly hadn't expected that the real purpose of this trip was the legendary wood-attribute Dao foundation treasure. When everyone's eyes turned to their second aunt Han Susu, they saw that she was calm and showed no surprise whatsoever.

At this moment, the impatient He Beifeng couldn't help but speak up, "Brother, how could you keep such an important matter from us?" I smiled slightly and patiently explained, "We've been busy searching for the wood-attribute Dao Foundation treasure lately, and we really haven't had the time to tell you all. Besides, at first, there was no progress on this matter, and even we ourselves weren't sure if we could retrieve it successfully. If we told you too early, what if we ultimately failed? Wouldn't that just leave everyone disappointed?"

He Beicang nodded in understanding, "Brother is absolutely right." I then added, "We should not announce this wood-attribute Dao foundation treasure to the outside world for now. It will be better to announce it when Grandma successfully cultivates to the peak of the Martial Realm and breaks through to the True Person Realm. Right now, the people in the family are complicated and each has their own ulterior motives, so it is best for us to be careful and avoid causing unnecessary disputes and troubles."

Upon hearing this, the others all agreed wholeheartedly and pledged to keep their mouths shut and not divulge a single word. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became heavy and solemn, each person fully aware of what keeping this secret meant for the entire lineage.

After He Beixi recounted his harrowing experience, everyone present was deeply moved and filled with sighs of admiration. Hearing that they had endured countless hardships and narrowly escaped death several times, it was truly astonishing that they ultimately turned misfortune into good fortune.

Grandma, tears welling in her eyes, nodded repeatedly, saying, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back! As long as you're back safe and sound, that's more important than anything else." At that moment, He Beixi carefully took out a jade slip containing the inheritance of a Celestial Realm expert, radiating a mysterious light, and respectfully handed it to Grandma with both hands, asking her to keep it safe. Then, as if by magic, he produced two incomparably precious Martial Extreme Pills, gently placing them in my hand, his eyes filled with pride, as if to say that he had grown up and could now share my burdens.

Seeing this, everyone exchanged smiles, deeply moved by the profound family affection. Grandma smiled and said to us, "Children, you must all be tired from your journey. Go back to your rooms and rest early tonight. Remember to conserve your energy, because our family will be holding an important clan meeting tomorrow."

After listening to Grandma's words, we all nodded in agreement and then turned to walk towards our own rooms. Along the way, I clutched the two Martial Peak Pills tightly, secretly resolving to cultivate diligently and not let everyone down. The others, each with their own thoughts, slowly entered their rooms, preparing to rest well in preparation for tomorrow's clan gathering.