*Ding* *ding* *ding*
Atop a mountain, covered perpetually in clouds and mist, sounds of metal ringing could be heard. This is Mount Gaia, one of the tallest mountains in the world, with a height of nearly 10,000m, it could be said that the qi density on the peak of the mountain is the highest.
In the modern world, where the qi in the atmosphere has nearly dried up, the advancement in technology has replaced cultures from the old age, leading to regular people forgetting the existence of cultivators.
*swish* *clank*
"Let's stop here for the day young one, my bad is going to break if I keep going." An old man with a straight, robust back said with a sigh. Define muscles can be seen on his sweat-soaked back, exposing the clear lie he has just spouted.
"Grandpa! We clearly know that you can last for another few days, so stop pretending and face me!" A youth shouted in annoyance. His name was Gran, Gran Blew of the Blew clan.
When one mentions the Blew clan, one would immediately think of their incredibly long history, their cultivation might, and their woman. Being a cultivation clan, and the top one at that, the Blew clan kept many secrets of body and qi refining in their clan library.
With their education curriculum strengthened by their immense experience and knowledge gathered throughout the ages, it is no surprise they can create women with beauty capable of falling a nation; or city, with both their beauty and cunning wits.
In the modern world, the Blew clan is one of the top economic giants, headed not by their male members but by their female members.
But that is only the truth exposed to the world, the tip of the iceberg of what the Blew clan is truly capable of.
Before being an economic giant, they are a cultivation sect first. With their male members born with robust physiques, paired with the same education and training, they create the best cultivators in this world.
Said to have inherited the body from Gaia, goddess of Mount Gaia, their body is as hard as solid earth, their stamina is inexhaustible, and their strength sends tremors throughout the lands.
Although the women in the clan are not fully blessed with this blessing, they got the wisdom root from goddesses Gaia instead. As both the goddess of wisdom and the earth, Gaia was the clan deity of the Blew clan since the founding of their clan.
However, throughout history, wherever there are people, some will inadvertently stand out from the crowd. Gran was such a person.
No, he was more than that, not only did he stand out, he shone the brightest amongst the many stars in the family tree where the roots touched the very core of the earth and the crown covers the starry sky.
Gran was born with both the Gaia physique and the wisdom root in his brain. This alone allows him to topple the other geniuses of the clan and was named number one. What's more, he's a cultivation nerd.
Falling in love with cultivation at a young age, Gran has reached the peak in qi refining realm at the age of 15, with his wisdom and body, his cultivation speed was many times his peers and along with his fanatical hard work, it is no wonder he rose to the top so quickly.
Having the same muscular body as most male members of the clan, he stands at 1.82m tall. Not the tallest, just average by the clan standard. He has short black hair and a face that could be considered handsome by most girls.
His mother would often give him a perfect score of 10 while his father would begrudgingly award a 7. Thus by averaging out he could be said to be an 8.5. Of course, he agrees with his mother fully on this one but that's just his and her opinion.
Currently, this 8.5 face was staring at the old clan elder, one of the 4 elders of the clan, just below the patriarch and matriarch. No fear could be seen on his face as he stared down one of the greatest authorities in the clan.
This was his grandpa, clan elder of the Blew clan, and most of all a bloody slacker. At the age of 96, his grandpa looked like a man in his 60s, with a body of a man in his 40s. No wonder the youth got so annoyed when he mentioned his breaking back.
"Even if mount Gaia were to fall on you, your back will never break!" is a line commonly said to this lazy old man by the younger generation.
"Young one, you have already rivaled me in strength, there is nothing more you can learn from me. If you want insights, only by meditating can you achieve your goals. Now stop disturbing this old man and scram!"
He was annoyed too, and rightfully so. Gran has been pestering him to spar nonstop since the day he had broken through into the peak qi refining state, and that was 3 years ago!
How infuriating!
This old man just wants to lie in the sun and watch the other beautiful old ladies do their work in their cute glasses that follow the trend, but nooo. This little twerp has to disturb him time and again, and he couldn't even beat him up even if he wanted to!
There are no more rights for the elderly in this world anymore! The grandpa lamented as he thought to himself.
"No grandpa, we have to do this. It is the only way to improve the cultivation realms and ascend to a new never before seen realm! For years we have been stuck in the qi refinement realm, never to progress.
I refuse to believe this is the end, this cannot be!" Gran growled with a frustrated voice, determination shone in his eyes. It has always been his dream to find ways to breakthrough from the qi refinement realm, since 3 years ago when he found himself at a bottleneck for the first time in his life. Not because of his inability, but because of a lack of a method to do so.
"Haa.. Gran, many people have tried, none succeed. You must know that even if there is a way to breakthrough, it wouldn't be possible. The golden era of cultivation has passed, the qi in the world is gradually worsening, and technology has triumphed.
That is why we must change with the times, that is why we sent so many people to the outside world to build their own empire. Your mother is an outstanding example of that.
Now that you are almost 18, you will have to go down the mountain to build something for yourself." Grandpa said as he shook his head, slowly walking away with his back turned. No one could see the slight grin on his upturned lips. 'Fooled, hehe'.
Gran stood there, silently mulling over his grandpa's words. In front of him lay a mess that no human should be capable of, holes and cracks all over the training grounds reserved for elders.
Suddenly, a cute voice called out to him loudly, "Brother! There you are! Mother and father have returned from the outside! Come quick!!" A cute little girl around 8 years stood at the entrance of the grounds, shouting excitedly as she bounce around, her pigtails flailing everywhere.
Gran let out a sigh for the last time before showing a smile, "Coming!".
He placed his worry at the back of his mind as he rushed to his sister. With a swoosh, his body flashed past the girl, leaving the spot she once stood on empty.
"HEHEH HYAA!!" With a small girl in his arms, Gran ran towards their home, leaving gusts of wind at his tail.
As he was running, his sister was enjoying the breeze in his embrace, and he was enjoying the scenery he grew up looking at. Tall buildings unbefitting an old clan stood along the mountain paths, like spikes piercing out of the mountain.
The buildings adorned with the latest technology reminded Gran of his grandpa's words about the changing times. He quickly reached a path that leads to the hollow of the mountain, where most of the architecture of the clan lay.
Ever since the founding of the clan, the Blew clan has inhabited the mountain, and with that, they brought changes to it. Although it is called a mountain, it is actually the largest longest mountain range that splits the world in two, with the largest mountain being mount Gaia.
With the peak of mount Gaia as the ancestral land, the middle of the mountain has been largely hollowed out and reinforced using alloy pillars of the latest kind. Clouds occasionally enter through some of the openings made, cloaking the clan inside with a veil of mystery.
Unlike on the outside, the inside of the mountain maintains the clan's traditional buildings, adding a touch of awe and solemnity.
Houses of ancient architecture stood in rows along the flattened ground and even along the inner walls of the mountain, painting a beautiful picture when the sunlight should through the openings, making the clouds that got lost in these lands glitter with brilliant lights.
Gran quickly arrived at the center of the clan, bringing along a playful gust of wind that messed up the plants near the area.
Although the plants are used to decorate the streets of the clan, in the outside world they are considered one of the rarest and most beautiful herbs.
Some are capable of curing diseases and ailments that even technology could not.
'Oops' Gran thought as he apologized in his mind to the caretaker that will have to clean up after him again. "Mum! Dad! I'm home!" He shouted as he carried his sister into the patriarch's home.