Nurturing the Huo Clan

"My clan members, today I have something to announce to you all." Huo Ming started off.

"However, what I'm announcing today will be shocking. So I'm warning you all now that I demand silence. Anyone who makes enough noise loud enough to cover me will be punished according to clan rules."

Seeing the clan members around him gain solemn faces, Huo Ming knew he could finally talk about the main subject of the clan gathering.

"As all of you might know, last generation, my father, the founder of our clan, was a rising genius in our Great Xuan Empire. His rise rivaled the Duke of Snow in your generation. And because of his Low Black Tier Martial Veins, the Emperor bestowed him the title of Marquis along with a fief. Since it was only a matter of time until he would enter the Domain Lord Realm and become strong enough to earn the Duke title, the Emperor gave him the fief as an early gift to promote a relationship between the two." Huo Ming spoke.

Huo Ming could see the confusion on his clan members' faces as he was just reciting common knowledge, but he thought he should start the story from the beginning.

"However one day after a breakthrough to the Xiantian Great Realm, our founder disappeared, and without his protection, our fief was turned into a bandit home." At this point, Huo Ming was trembling with anger. However, he continued, "However, what you all don't know is that our fief being overrun was the plot of two of my father's rivals. During his rise, my father constantly trampled on the then heirs to the Huang and Xia Marquis families."

"And after he disappeared, they wanted to enact some type of revenge, but with their target missing, they went after us. Even after we were evicted to the Imperial City, they were the largest voice behind our banishment."

At this point, a large number of murmurs and voices came from the crowd. Finally, however, Huo Chen silenced them all with a loud" Humph," filled with coercion.historical

"I know we of the older generation have kept the lie that we were banished because of lack of strength, but that isn't true. We thought that this lie would protect you all, but thanks to a rational outside voice, we know that this isn't helping you but only lulling you into a false sense of security. Our clan isn't safe. If anything, we are in the most danger we have been in since our founding."

After this sentence, the crowd erupted, and even some shouted. However, Huo Chen once again unleashed his aura, silencing them.

"This is my last warning. You will wait until my cousin is finished speaking to speak." Huo Chen threatened.

And after the crowd quietened down, Huo Ming finished, "Our Clan is in danger and you all of the younger generation wasting your time not even bothering to cultivate some days is a disappointment. You are our next hope but now not only are you throwing away your best time for growth but are digging a deeper hole for our clan."

After speaking that, Huo Ming walked off the stage, ignoring the crowd.

However, Huo Chen didn't leave. Instead, he continued with what his cousin was talking about.

"The Young Duke saw your practice this morning. And he was royally disappointed. So for the rest of the week, I am here. You all will practice alongside Xiao Long. It will be at sunrise, and any person who is late will be punished accordingly. If you don't bother to show up, you better be dead or bedridden. If not, then don't bother showing your face in this clan again. And this practice is for everyone, elders including. Just because you old fogies have a foot in the grave doesn't mean that the Huang and Xia Clan will spare you."

After speaking, he started to walk away but stopped after hearing Xue Bai's voice.

"Commander, wait, I have something to say." After speaking, he went to sit on the main seat where Huo Ming was earlier, "Big Wang, amplify my voice so they can hear me better."

"You all now know that you are in grave danger, and while intense training for a week won't do anything to help your situation, so I have brought something to help you all." It was then Xue Bai brought out the things he had prepared from home.

Two of them were blueprints of arrays that his father created. While the others were various natural treasures that could help people cultivators. And though they were merely Low Yellow Natural Treasures, they were something that the poor Huo Clan couldn't afford.

"The first blueprint is a Spiritual Gathering Array. I noticed that you all don't have a great public cultivation ground, so this should help you all build some. And the second is a simple Protection Array. If built correctly, it can block any attack below the Law Gathering Realm."

"There are three different Natural Treasures here that I am giving you all today. One that can help raise your absorption of Spiritual Qi, another to help you increase your cultivation, and the last that can help temper the physical body. Also, they all can be replanted, giving you all access to an endless supply of them should you raise them correctly."

"And finally, I will be staying at the Huo Clan mansion for a week, and at the end, I will be taking Huo Long back to the Dukedom for extra training. But should anyone else catch my attention, I will bring them as well as long as they have at least a High Yellow Grade Martial Vein."

Finishing his thoughts, Xue Bai went to leave as well, but the crowd seemed to want to ask more questions, so he stayed and decided to answer some.

"Young Duke, but no one in our clan has that good of a Martial Vein. Does that mean no one can follow you to the Dukedom?" A slightly taller young adult spoke first.

His question was followed by a lot of yeses, so it seemed to be one of their biggest concerns.

Not expecting their talent to be so low, Xue Bai looked at Huo Chen for confirmation and saw him nod.

"Well, then I'll lower the requirement to Middle Yellow Grade. However, my expectations will go up accordingly." Xue Bai answered.

Though it wasn't the answer they hoped for, Xue Bai's response was reasonable. The Dukedom they all looked up to wouldn't take in any trash and wanted only the best of the best. The only reason Xue Bai had lowered his standard was because of Huo Long. The other people he might bring didn't matter much to him.

The next question came from a lanky elder who asked, "Young Duke, this extra training, is this chance only for the younger generation, or do we old men have a chance too?"

"Yes, only people 20 and under can come. Elders like yourself are at least in the Qi Sea Realm, and intense physical training won't do much for you as you focus on cultivating your spiritual Qi and not the physical body." Xue Bai calmly answered.

The elders were saddened but didn't dare to try and make Xue Bai change his answer.

The Huo Clan members kept firing out questions for the next 5 minutes, and after answering them, Xue Bai was finally tired of them and yelled out, "There is only one last question. Discuss amongst yourselves what it will be."

The Huo Clan then immediately started to discuss who would ask the last question and what it would be. And after almost 10 minutes of waiting, the lanky elder from before was asked to ask the final question.

"Young Duke, if you are going to such lengths to nurture our clan now, why don't you move us into Snowy Wind City?"

Expecting such an answer Xue Bai was calm facing it. But hearing it, a disdainful face appeared on his face.

"You all are weak and pathetic, that's why. Snowy Wind City is the crown achievement of my father's fief. And you all want to enter for free? The only reason we had accepted your clan as a subordinate was for Huo Chen. My decision to nurture you was on a whim of mine. Whether you take your chances or not is your choice. If you want to enter Snowy Wind City, you must earn it yourself." After insulting them, Xue Bai stood up and left the Main Hall.