Chapter 378: Chapter 216: Arrangements; Returning to the Village
No one else was there today. Only Li Lu and Zhou Zhendong had come to see him off, and only a few people knew Cheng Zongyang was returning home. The official story was that he was in seclusion.
Cheng Zongyang said to Zhou Zhendong, "I’m leaving everything here in your hands. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask Gang Leader Li and the other two. I’m also leaving the Elf Bird with you. If a real emergency comes up, you can use it to send a message back."
Zhou Zhendong nodded solemnly. "Don’t worry. I won’t let you down."
Cheng Zongyang chuckled. "It’s not about disappointing me, but about not disappointing my younger uncle. You’re also the eldest son of the Zhou Family’s second branch; one day, you’ll have to shoulder the responsibilities of the Zhou Family. This is all valuable experience for you."
With that said, he turned to Li Lu. "Brother Li, I’ll have to count on you to look out for him."
Li Lu nodded with a smile. "Don’t worry, I get it."
He was a Seventh Grade Martial Artist now. Though his cultivation was built up with medicinal aid, it would have no lasting negative effects as long as he properly digested it all and solidified his foundation of qi and blood.
As for Zhou Zhendong, he was also close to reaching the Seventh Grade. After all, he was using Body Refining Drugs and Elixirs, so his progress was naturally swift.
After a few brief words, Cheng Zongyang waved to the two of them and entered the underground passage.
A heavy wooden door would eventually be installed to cover the entrance to the underground passage, to be opened when needed and kept shut otherwise.
Cheng Zongyang descended into the passage. Oil lamps lined the way, so it wasn’t too dark.
He made his way to the transit area, where he saw people still clearing away dirt. The Mole Beasts had already excavated the required space; all that remained was the cleanup.
The twenty or so people there all clasped their hands in greeting when they saw Cheng Zongyang.
Cheng Zongyang had already placed ten Geomagnetic Stones here. Without a Stone Skin Purse, it was impossible for anyone to enter, as they couldn’t withstand the cumulative effect of the ten stones.
Naturally, the villagers clearing the dirt all carried these purses.
He left the transit area and entered the passage leading toward Cheng Family Village. This route was far faster than his previous treks through the mountains.
As he walked, he observed the oil lamps and knew that things like Tung Oil would be consumed quickly. But with no other method of lighting available, they had no choice.
Unless they could find some kind of longer-burning oil, the lamps would have to be refilled frequently.
’I wonder if there’s any long-burning oil like this in the Wilderness World?’
The journey to Cheng Family Village was quiet and direct, taking only about half an hour.
This was much faster than the more than two hours it used to take.
He emerged into a passage connected to the Cheng Family Village Storehouse. The two guards on duty were overjoyed to see it was Cheng Zongyang, who had been away for a long time. They quickly clasped their hands in greeting. "Young Clan Leader! You’re back!"
They were thrilled to see him after a month or two.
Likewise, some villagers who were carrying rice into the Storehouse saw his return and began shouting, "The Young Clan Leader is back!"
In no time, more and more villagers rushed in from outside, surrounding Cheng Zongyang.
They all felt a heartfelt gratitude and respect for Cheng Zongyang. Eventually, at his urging, the crowd began to disperse.
Outside the Storehouse, Cheng Zongyang discovered that construction was happening all over Cheng Family Village. A complete rebuilding effort was clearly underway, and he realized the villagers he’d just seen were laborers working on the nearby roads.
"Dad, Second Uncle, Eldest Uncle, Younger Uncle!"
Cheng Zongyang saw the four elders just as they were coming out of the Storehouse.
"Is everything settled over there?" Cheng Guanghai asked with a smile.
"All settled." Cheng Zongyang nodded, then looked toward his younger uncle. "Brother Zhendong is progressing quickly. With the men he has to help, there shouldn’t be any major issues."
Zhou Hanchang smiled upon hearing this. "As long as he’s not causing trouble, that’s good enough."
"Let’s have Zongyang wash up first. We can talk at home. No need to stand around here," Zhou Hansong said, also smiling.
Cheng Zongyang followed the elders away from the Storehouse.
The area just outside the Storehouse was a grid of newly laid foundations for what would become the villagers’ new centralized housing. The surrounding hills had been leveled and widened, creating a sizable plot of land.
This wasn’t Cheng Zongyang’s design. The others had refined and modified the initial draft he had left behind, with the main developments centered around the river.
As his father described the new construction plans, a picture of the redesigned Cheng Family Village quickly formed in Cheng Zongyang’s mind.
After they crossed the bridge, he saw even more people at work. Villagers greeted him as he passed, and Cheng Zongyang returned their greetings one by one.
In the area planned for the new Cheng Family home, he saw his mother, along with his aunts.
Mrs. Zhou of the Cheng Family was thrilled to see her son. Everyone fussed over him, commenting that he’d gotten thinner, or taller, or stronger.
Cheng Zongyang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’I was only gone for a month or two,’ he thought. ’Have I really changed that much?’
But there’s a certain kind of love that comes from a mother thinking you’ve gotten too thin, and her immediate response was to start preparing a grand feast for dinner.
Father Cheng and the other men just smiled, not trying to stop her.
Just then, Cheng Zongliang, Cheng Zongyun, Cheng Zongwen, Zhou Zhenyuan, and the rest of his younger siblings and cousins all came running back from the schoolhouse and other places.
In an instant, the courtyard of the old house became incredibly lively.
The elders temporarily set aside their work and gathered in the small courtyard to chat.
His two grandparents looked to be in high spirits, their bodies still hale and hearty.
His siblings and cousins hadn’t changed much physically, but their Essence, Qi, and Spirit were clearly much stronger. This showed that their Foundation Establishment Medicine Baths and basic training were starting to yield results.
