Chapter 210: Chapter 144: Plan to Revise the Clan Tree; Results of the Wilderness Rice

The three men arrived at the ancestral hall, bewildered, and saw Cheng Zongyang waiting for them.

"Yang’Er, has something happened?" Cheng Guanghai asked.

Cheng Zongyang nodded slightly. "Father, Second Uncle. I have a new idea regarding the Clan Tree."

"From now on, I’m going to redesign the Cheng Family’s Clan Tree. This book is a treasure I happened to find in the mountains. I won’t go into its specific functions for now. I’m going to use it for our family’s records and rename it the Cheng Family Clan Tree."

With the future restoration of the Flower Roster, the book’s page count would only increase. Therefore, the design of this Clan Tree couldn’t be limited to just family members.

Of course, more importantly, once the Flower Roster was fully restored, it would display detailed information on everyone registered, allowing for greater control over the situation.

As the three men grew more and more confused, Cheng Zongyang continued:

"Father, Second Uncle, in my vision, this Clan Tree will be divided into the Inner Lineage and the Foreign Race. The Inner Lineage, naturally, will consist of the ancestors and descendants of our two branches.

Later, I will establish the Foreign Race branch. The Foreign Race will be composed of people willing to change their surname to ours, the Cheng Family, and they will form a separate line.

They will also be recorded in the Clan Tree under the Foreign Race branch.

Generally, those willing to change their surname and join the Cheng Family will be orphans. Of course, that’s just the current rule. In the future, we can relax the conditions. For example, if some families are willing to forsake their original surnames to become Chengs, we can consider them as well. This is the only way to rapidly expand the Cheng Family’s core Power."

This time, the two brothers, Cheng Guanghai and Cheng Guangshan, finally understood. Cheng Guanghai frowned and said:

"Yang’Er, I can agree to you redesigning the Clan Tree, but bringing in outsiders, having them change their surname to Cheng, and adding them to a Foreign Race branch... that’s unheard of.

They share no blood with us. How could they feel any sense of belonging? And even if they agree, I worry that recording them in the Clan Tree like this will muddle the clan’s relationships."

Cheng Guangshan nodded in agreement. "That’s right. The purpose of a Clan Tree is to let future generations know the roots of the Cheng Family. If we add outsiders, I’m afraid the lineage records will become a mess down the line."

Cheng Zongwen, not understanding the full situation, didn’t say much, simply listening to the other three talk.

Cheng Zongyang, however, said, "Don’t worry. The Inner Lineage and the Foreign Race will be clearly distinguished. I’ll tell you about this book’s miraculous properties later. The establishment of the Foreign Race branch won’t happen right away, anyway; we need to wait for the right time. I’m just telling you two in advance because I’m designing the new Clan Tree now. Besides, even if outsiders want to change their surname to Cheng, they will have to go through a screening process. Only the qualified will be allowed to join the Cheng Family. Rest assured, I don’t take gambles I’m not sure I can win."

Seeing his confidence, Cheng Guanghai and his brother said no more. It wouldn’t be too late to discuss the matter again when concrete developments arose.

And so, Cheng Zongyang began asking for the names of the direct ancestors from his grandfather’s generation upward, having his younger cousin record them.

Asking for names was also tied to the story he was crafting about the Immortal Ancestor’s Oath.

Although they could only remember a few, it was enough for Cheng Zongyang. After getting the information, the two adults left, leaving Cheng Zongwen behind alone.

"Big Brother, why do you want to change the Clan Tree?" Cheng Zongwen asked curiously, now that the elders were gone. He hadn’t quite understood their earlier conversation.

Cheng Zongyang replied, "To better record the Cheng Family’s future, to screen for better people to join the Cheng Family’s Foreign Race, and to expand and strengthen the Cheng Family."

"I’ve heard that for those great families to grow strong, they have to become officials in the Court. Is that true?"

Cheng Zongwen finally asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time, something his father didn’t know how to explain.

Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment before saying, "Perhaps. A family’s growth, expansion, and stability need to be secured with power and social status. Only with power can you acquire more resources. Only with a higher status can you guarantee your family’s advantage."

Cheng Zongwen was silent for a moment. He seemed to understand but then asked, "What about us, then? You said the Cheng Family is going to become a powerful family. Should we do the same?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled faintly, but his expression immediately turned serious. "No!"

Cheng Zongwen was taken aback.

Cheng Zongyang said, "Normally, ninety-nine percent of families would take that path to grow stronger.

But the Cheng Family is different. As long as we follow my plan, the Cheng Family’s future is one where other families will have to depend on us. We’ll even become an existence that the Da Liang Court itself will have to respect!

Zongwen, study hard. Once you finish your Foundation Establishment Medicine Bath, your Martial Arts Training speed will definitely be faster than any of ours. For a family to survive, martial strength is the most fundamental thing. Without the power to protect it, everything else is just a bubble!

The development of the Cheng Family can’t rely on just one person, or a few people! It requires our entire Cheng Family to work together with one heart and one mind."

"Big Brother! I’ll remember that!" After this guidance, Cheng Zongwen’s confusion vanished, and his blood boiled with excitement at the picture his cousin had painted.

Seeing this, Cheng Zongyang was very satisfied with the grand vision he had laid out.

But he knew that with the Wilderness World at his disposal, it was only a matter of time before that vision became a reality.

Next, he had Cheng Zongwen begin drafting the new Clan Tree design on rough-edged paper according to his instructions.

He then left his cousin to refine the design plan they had discussed. As for the actual Cheng Family Clan Tree, it remained in the ancestral hall for safekeeping. He could summon it back at any time should he need it.

After that, he slung a basket onto his back, filled it with supplies, and began to survey the layout of Cheng Family Village—recording, sketching, measuring distances, and so on.

「Seven days passed just like that.」

During this time, Cheng Zongyang spent his days drawing maps, calculating distances, and planning the placement of the Geomagnetic Stones. At night, he focused on his Cultivation and handled matters concerning the newcomers. His life was both full and busy.