Chapter 933: Not Even Worth A Fart

"Could it be that our ancestral precept is related to this lamp?" Qin Zhiyu couldn't help but ask.

"Exactly!" Qin Yi nodded solemnly. "To be more precise, it's related to the person this lamp represents."

Before anyone could ask further, Qin Yi continued, "Speaking of this, I must mention the history of our Qin family's rise to prominence."

"Over a hundred thousand years ago, the island we now call Heaven and Earth Island wasn't known by that name. Our family's founding ancestor, Qin Xian, was just an insignificant figure on this island."

"Due to the volatile environment of the Heavenly Domain, the island frequently changed hands. Our ancestor had to survive in the cracks, but one day, he met a mysterious person."

"This mysterious person casually produced items that were at least at the level of sacred artifacts. Even the smallest things that fell from his fingernails could benefit someone for a lifetime."

"Thanks to the mysterious person's generosity, our ancestor grew from an ordinary man into a powerful figure. In a short time, he pacified the Heavenly Domain and established Heaven and Earth Island, becoming a legendary figure in the history of the Heavenly Domain."

"But our ancestor knew that everything the Qin family had was given by this mysterious person. He never forgot this and wanted to repay the kindness but didn't know how. Just as he was feeling guilty about it, he learned that this mysterious senior had a love for fine food, especially wild game."

"From then on, our ancestor devoted himself to studying culinary arts, preparing dishes for this senior. His sincerity and skill moved the mysterious senior, who grew fond of the dishes our ancestor made."

"However, the mysterious senior was busy with important matters and couldn't stay in the Heavenly Domain for long. Before leaving, he gave our ancestor a soul lamp."

As he spoke, Qin Yi looked reverently at the lamp on the stone table and said solemnly, "This very lamp!"

"Qin Xian was my father," Qin Lan interjected, sighing. "At the time, my father said, 'The senior told me, from now on, you are my personal chef. I give you this soul lamp. When it lights up, it means I have returned to the Heavenly Domain, and you must prepare a feast for me.'"

"My father was thrilled to receive this lamp. To him, it was a form of recognition, a validation of his worth."

"From then on, my father lived for this purpose, dedicating himself to the study of culinary arts. Through his passion for food, he achieved enlightenment and became a sage!"

"One day, my father said he had important matters to attend to. Before leaving, he handed this lamp to me and instructed, 'As long as the lamp exists, the Qin family will thrive. If the lamp is lost, the Qin family will perish.'"

"This lamp is the spiritual core of our Qin family, the very reason for our existence."

"It reminds us never to forget that without the senior from back then, our Qin family would have perished in the chaos of the Heavenly Domain's wars. There would be no Qin family as we know it today."

"Our duty as the Qin family is to serve that senior, to be his personal chefs."

"Therefore, the most important ancestral precept of our Qin family is to master the art of cooking, so that when the senior returns, our family will be ready to fulfill our duty."

At this point, even the sage-like Qin Lan was moved to tears.

Hearing this, Qin Nan and the other younger generations fell silent, their hearts stirred by the revelation.

Only now did they realize that their family had such a history.

Their ancestral precept was rooted in this very purpose.

They never imagined that their founding ancestor was also a sage, and moreover, an innate true sage!

"Today, I gathered you all here to tell you that the soul lamp has lit up."

"Our Qin family can finally fulfill our duty," Qin Lan said excitedly.

"But ancestor, it's been over a hundred thousand years. Do we still need to do this?" A young man in luxurious robes, who had entered with Qin Nan and the others, couldn't help but question. "In terms of repaying kindness, our ancestor already did so a hundred thousand years ago. For over a hundred thousand years, our Qin family has been honoring this lamp. Isn't that enough? Now, as the leading power in the Heavenly Domain, if we continue to serve others and cook for them, wouldn't that tarnish the reputation of Heaven and Earth Island?"

"Hmm?" Qin Lan's expression darkened immediately.

The aura of a sage emanated from him, and with a wave of his hand, the young man in luxurious robes was pulled toward Qin Lan and gripped tightly.

"Say that again?" Qin Lan asked, his voice dripping with killing intent.

The oppressive aura Qin Lan released made everyone hold their breath. Even the other semi-sages present were forced to kneel, unable to move.

The young man in luxurious robes, now terrified, began to plead for mercy.

"Ancestor, I was wrong! I misspoke! Please spare me! I won't dare to say such things again!" The young man clung to Qin Lan's hand, his legs kicking frantically as he spoke in a panicked voice.

He never expected that his words would provoke such a reaction from the ancestor.

"Such arrogance! Give me one reason not to kill you!" Qin Lan's killing intent was palpable as he spoke in a low, menacing tone.

"Ancestor, I... I rank in the top ten among the younger generation in the Heavenly Domain. If you spare me, I will surely be of great use to the Qin family in the future. Killing me would be a loss for the Qin family!" The young man struggled to speak, his face red from being choked.

He believed his value lay in his ranking among the top ten of the younger generation in the Heavenly Domain.

"Hmph."

"Top ten among the younger generation?" Qin Lan sneered. "You think that makes you impressive?"

"Do you think everything you have—your status, your position, your talent, and all the resources you've been given—wasn't bestowed upon you by that senior?"

"Let me tell you, everything our Qin family possesses is a gift from that senior."

"Including my own attainment of sagehood, the fortune that has blessed Heaven and Earth Island, and the so-called talents and physiques of you younger generations—all of it is due to the blessings left behind by that senior."

"Without that senior, all of us, including the entire Qin family, and especially you, would be nothing—not even worth a fart!"

"And you, a mere junior, dare to speak so arrogantly."

"Strip him of his status, destroy his cultivation, and banish him from the Qin family."

With a cold snort, Qin Lan tossed the young man to the ground.

"Ancestor, please have mercy!" The young man's father, who had been kneeling nearby, immediately began kowtowing. "Please, ancestor, show mercy! Fang'er may have spoken out of turn, but he has already realized his mistake. Please don't do this! If you do, his life will be ruined!"

"Hmph, you dare to plead for him?"

"Failed to teach your son properly. You will be banished from the Qin family as well."

Qin Lan waved his hand, his expression stern and unyielding.

The father and son, hearing this, were struck as if by a thunderbolt. They collapsed to the ground, paralyzed, like a pile of mud.

They never imagined that a single sentence could lead to such a catastrophe.

The others knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe too loudly.

They hadn't expected this seemingly kind old man to be so ruthless when angered.

"Do any of the rest of you share the same thoughts?" Qin Lan's sharp gaze swept over the crowd, his voice heavy with authority. His piercing eyes seemed to see through everyone's hearts.

"We wouldn't dare!" The others quickly kowtowed, their heads pressed to the ground.

Under Qin Lan's gaze, it felt as if their innermost thoughts were laid bare.

Fortunately, they truly harbored no such thoughts.

They understood their place well.

Especially after hearing Qin Lan and Qin Yi's account, they deeply realized that without that senior, there would be no Qin family today, and certainly no version of themselves as they were now.