Chapter 35: Murong Family, The Competition Begins

After all, Xiao Fan had married into the Long Family, so in terms of status, the Long Family Ancestor was indeed Xiao Fan's grandfather!

However, when he heard this introduction, Xiao Fan still felt a bit strange… and uncomfortable.

After all, if someone suddenly came up and said, "This is your grandfather, hurry up and call him Grandfather!", no one would feel good about it.

Despite these thoughts, Xiao Fan still respectfully bowed to the Long Family Ancestor: "Xiao Fan greets… Grandfather."

The Long Family Ancestor smiled, nodded, and said, "Good, you are very good." Then he glanced around and said, "Since Xiao Fan is here, let us set off. This Spirit Stone mine, my Long Family is determined to win!"

…

The Long Family Ancestor's cultivation had already reached the Tongtian Realm, allowing him to fly through the air, but he could not carry everyone with him for long periods of flight.

Three days later… in a place five hundred miles east of Jingchuan, people from the surrounding major families had gathered.

The Long Family, led by the Long Family Ancestor, stood in one area. Xiao Fan was also in the crowd, along with Long Anhai, Long Xiaotian, and a group of Long Family Elders.

Long Xiaotian did not come here to compete; rather, it was at Long Anhai's request to bring him here to gain some experience…

Xiao Fan scanned his surroundings. These were the most powerful families from various cities, and he could feel a strong sense of oppression from many of them.

In the crowd, he also saw people from the Wang Family, and Wang Xuan was among them… Upon seeing Xiao Fan, the other party's gaze became very complicated.

There were also people from the Su Family, but Su Ming was nowhere to be seen…

Xiao Fan counted, and there were currently nine families present, but on the way here, he had asked, and there were ten major families in total…

"Is there still one Family missing?" Xiao Fan muttered to himself.

Just at this moment, a massive Yao Beast appeared in mid-air, roaring as it approached. The Yao Beast was hundreds of meters long, blocking out the sky.

The eyes of everyone around were fixed on it, and even Xiao Fan took a deep breath…

The giant Yao Beast landed, and dozens of figures descended from its back…

Upon seeing the new arrivals, Xiao Fan clearly noticed that the expressions of the Long Family Ancestor and the surrounding Elders became even more solemn than before.

It was not just him; the people from the other major families also looked very grave.

"Hahaha, Fellow Daoists, I have kept you all waiting…"

Among the dozen or so people who descended, a White-haired Elder in the lead stood out, laughing loudly and cupping his hands toward everyone around.

"Haha, Brother Murong, you are late."

Xiao Fan looked over; the person who spoke was likely also an Old Ancestor of a major Family, as the aura emanating from him was no weaker than that of the Long Family Ancestor.

"Murong, in previous years, your Murong Family has always secured the most mining rights, but perhaps it is time for a change this year."

"And that mount of yours, tsk tsk tsk… A Lei Lie Red Spirit Sparrow, quite a lavish display."

Those who spoke were all figures at the Old Ancestor level of their respective major families. Even the Long Family Ancestor in front of Xiao Fan chimed in: "Old Thief Murong, it has been many years, and you are still the same."

Ancestor Murong looked around, cupping his hands and smiling at everyone one by one. Finally, when his gaze landed on the Long Family Ancestor, he looked surprised: "Ancestor Long Zizai, you are actually still alive, hahaha…"

The Long Family Ancestor snorted coldly: "If an old scoundrel like you hasn't died yet, why should I die!"

Seeing all this, Xiao Fan looked puzzled. What was the relationship between this Ancestor Murong and the Long Family Ancestor?

Long Anhai glanced at Xiao Fan and Long Xiaotian beside him. Seeing that they both looked puzzled, he whispered an explanation: "Father and Ancestor Murong were close friends in their younger years and had an inseparable relationship… But later, I don't know what happened, they had a falling out…"

Xiao Fan suddenly realized and understood the relationship between the two. No wonder their tone always sounded so strange…

"But Father, why is everyone so polite to that Ancestor Murong?" Long Xiaotian asked from the side, confused. In fact, this was also something Xiao Fan wanted to know.

Long Anhai nodded slowly and then whispered: "The Murong Family is very powerful; they are the strongest among the ten major families. In the past, the Murong Family has occupied half of the Spirit Stone mining rights."

"The Murong Family's strength is immense… Having occupied the Spirit Stone mines for many years, they have already pulled ahead of the other families." Long Anhai sighed with emotion. After all, the Long Family was considered the strongest in Jingchuan, but compared to the Murong Family, the gap was no longer small…

The Long Family Ancestor frowned. Being close by, he naturally heard Long Anhai's words, and his expression darkened, but he did not lash out. Instead, he mocked Ancestor Murong: "Old Thief Murong, this mount of yours, the Lei Lie Red Spirit Sparrow, has a cultivation comparable to the Late Stage of the Tongtian Realm. It is certainly not something your Murong Family could subdue. Where did you get it?"

This was actually a question that all the Old Ancestors wanted to know, so they all turned their gazes toward Ancestor Murong.

A Yao Beast at the Late Stage of the Tongtian Realm possessed immense power, and human Cultivators of the same rank were simply no match for it, let alone subduing it as a mount!

Ancestor Murong wore a smile on his face: "Heh heh… This Lei Lie Red Spirit Sparrow was indeed not subdued by me, but by an Elder from Ziyun Cave Heaven, who then bestowed it upon our Murong Family."

Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at each other… with shock and confusion. Ziyun Cave Heaven was a renowned major Sect in Wuhuang Province, with strength only slightly inferior to the Piaomiao Immortal Palace. Would they really bestow this mount upon the Murong Family??

Ancestor Murong was very satisfied with these people's expressions, then said indifferently: "That's right, it was a gift from an Elder of Ziyun Cave Heaven. If you want to know why, I don't mind telling you… It is because my Murong Family has produced a peerless Prodigy who has been accepted as a closed-door Disciple by this Elder. The Elder cherishes talent, and out of love for the Disciple, he bestowed this mount upon our Murong Family."

The members of the Murong Family all looked arrogant; the fact that the Murong Family had produced a Disciple valued by an Elder of Ziyun Cave Heaven was the pride of their entire Family.

The people from the other families all looked very grim… The Murong Family was already powerful and held them down, and now with the support of Ziyun Cave Heaven, the gap between these families had widened completely.

"Sigh…" The Long Family Ancestor let out a long sigh, turned his head to glance at the members of the Long Family, and felt a bit melancholy in his heart…

The other Old Ancestors basically felt the same. If the Murong Family became even more powerful in the future, they would certainly expand their territory and encroach upon their interests…

"Alright, enough unnecessary talk. The competition should begin." Ancestor Murong smiled faintly. The rule for the mine dispute was that whichever Family occupied the mine last time would be the one to designate someone to host the competition this time.

"The rules are the same as before. Each Family sends one person. First, there will be one-on-one sparring. The five winners will then compete one-on-one, with one person getting a bye. Finally, the remaining three will spar with each other, and the winner will gain the mining rights to the Spirit Stone mine for the next three years."