"Teacher, there's no need to worry about that. I've already procured the materials. Let's get straight to it."
"Alright, Ling Tian. Give me some of the materials too. We'll help out, and we'll resolve this matter as quickly as possible."
"Then thank you, Teacher..."
...
Inside Hidden Dragon Valley, today, the high-ranking members of the Long family have gathered. Everyone involved in the Long family's businesses, both domestically and internationally, has been summoned back.
They are all assembled in the center of Hidden Dragon Valley, on a newly constructed small plaza near the Long family's ancestral shrine, which boasts a thousand years of history.
This small plaza is located within the Spirit Gathering Array, serving as its core.
Currently, in the very center of the plaza, there is a pit about one meter in diameter, cordoned off with red silk. The Long family's senior members are positioned around this pit, while the plaza itself is densely packed with people. Apart from those on patrol, all other Long family disciples are present.
Standing in the middle of the plaza is a vigorous old man, appearing to be in his late seventies. This person is none other than the current patriarch of the Long family, Long Yaotian.
Beside him stands an even older elder with white hair and a youthful complexion. His name is Long Yaozu.
Long Yaozu, holding a silver compass in his left hand and a brick made of jade in his right, personally hands the brick to Long Yaotian.
"Patriarch, the auspicious time has arrived. Shall we begin?"
"A'zu, you should do it. After all, this Spirit Gathering Array is your brainchild!"
"Patriarch, without your strong support, without the immense resources invested by our Long family, this Spirit Gathering Array would likely not have been built! Therefore, this honor rightfully belongs to you!" Despite his advanced age, Long Yaozu is adept at handling people.
The others present, witnessing this exchange, chime in with their own praises, all conveying a similar sentiment: the Long family patriarch has made great contributions, and such a public honor should naturally fall to him.
Long Yaotian feigns a moment of polite refusal before stepping forward to accept the jade brick. He then personally places it into the recess within the pit.
The recess is perfectly sized for the brick, fitting snugly. The instant the brick settles into place, everyone feels a shift in the surrounding wind currents.
Following this, a strong gust of wind sweeps through Hidden Dragon Valley. After the wind subsides, everyone can clearly sense that the concentration of spiritual energy in the entire valley is rapidly increasing!
Several Long family disciples, who were on the verge of a breakthrough, rush towards their residences, feeling that this significant increase in spiritual energy concentration has presented them with an opportunity to advance.
The crowd erupts in enthusiastic applause.
At this moment, Long Yaotian raises his hands, and the scene instantly falls silent, not a single sound can be heard. This is the true foundation of a great family.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make! Today, with the completion of this Grand Spirit Gathering Array, our Long family has been given wings to soar. And the person who deserves the most credit for establishing this array is Yaozu!"
As Long Yaotian speaks, he pulls the elder with white hair and a youthful complexion closer.
"I declare that, from this day forward, Long Yaozu is recognized as a member of our ancestral lineage, he will enter the council hall, and enjoy the treatment of a family elder! Everyone must show respect to Long Yaozu first!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd becomes bewildered.
"Long Yaozu? Wasn't his name Chen Yaozu?"
"What's going on? An outsider is being admitted to the council hall? This goes against the traditions of the Long family..."
It's not surprising that these people are murmuring amongst themselves. A prominent family like the Longs places great importance on heritage and the purity of bloodlines.
Within the Long family, individuals without direct blood ties, regardless of their capabilities, are not qualified to enter the Long family's council hall or become a family elder.
Seeing this situation, the man named Long Yaozu shows no signs of nervousness. On the contrary, a smile graces his face.
Long Yaotian once again spreads his hands, and the crowd falls silent again.
"Everyone, A'zu is two years older than I am. I can confidently say that A'zu is indeed one of the Long family. He left the family at a very young age, living under a hidden identity and acquiring his skills, which have led to the creation of this Spirit Gathering Array today! A'zu has sacrificed nearly sixty years for the Long family to achieve this magnificent array for us today. Therefore, even the position of an elder is hardly enough to compensate for his contributions over the years!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd finally understands, and they cannot help but feel a profound respect for Long Yaozu.
In reality, this Long Yaozu is indeed a paternal cousin of Long Yaotian. They played together as children and grew up side by side.
When Long Yaozu was ten years old, he left the Long family, adopted a hidden identity, and called himself Chen Yaozu. Posing as an orphan, he apprenticed himself to Chen Guotong, a renowned Feng Shui master from the Southern School of China.
This Master Chen was an expert in Feng Shui arrays and possessed profound attainments in Feng Shui. He was also one of the few remaining masters of array formations in the country.
Long Yaozu inherited the excellent genes of the Long family. He was very adept at interpersonal relationships and exceptionally intelligent, quickly earning the favor of his master, Chen Guotong.
However, although Chen Guotong had many disciples, people are inherently selfish. He only taught these disciples superficial knowledge, reserving his true skills and ultimate techniques for his direct descendants of the Chen family.
Yet, Long Yaozu was not alone; the entire Long family stood behind him!
A few years after Long Yaozu's apprenticeship, misfortune began to befall the Chen family. Several of his sons died young due to illness or accidents. Even his only grandson was rendered a vegetative state after contracting a certain virus.
These events were all orchestrated by the Long family. Their methods were so mysterious that even the Chen family members did not suspect a conspiracy. Chen Guotong even believed that this was retribution for his actions of manipulating fate and forcefully altering destiny for others through Feng Shui!
In ancient China, there was indeed such a saying in the fields of fortune-telling and Feng Shui: calculating destinies and practicing Feng Shui were considered to be revealing heavenly secrets, which would lead to backlash. Although they might earn substantial wealth and attain high status, the price was for those engaged in this profession to suffer tragic fates such as widowhood, orphanhood, and loneliness.
It took a long time for Chen Guotong to recover from the grief of losing his sons. He accepted it as his fate and, from then on, began to impart all his skills to his disciples, especially his adopted son, Chen Yaozu, who was also known as Long Yaozu. Chen Guotong taught his disciple everything he knew without reservation.
Several years ago, Chen Guotong passed away. Chen Yaozu also disappeared from public view. Some even rumored that Chen Yaozu, heartbroken by his master's death, took his own life to accompany his master in the afterlife!