Longevity starts from having a daughter in old age

“What’s happening in the Marketplace recently, that it’s become so disorderly?”

Xu Mu called over the guard-in-charge of maintaining order in the Marketplace, asking with a calm expression.

This leading guard was named Lv Lang, a robust middle-aged man with an indomitable aura, his cultivation was at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation.

However, the formidable presence dare not act boldly in front of Xu Mu, Xu Mu’s act of disabling Chief Shouyuan with a single slap had truly frightened many.

“Ancestor! For some unknown reason, there has been a significant increase in offenders in the Market recently. I am incapable of handling it!”

Lv Lang lowered his head, not daring to look at Xu Mu.

While he professed incompetence, there was a slight note of complaint within his words.

This was because it was Xu Mu who had caused Chi Feiyan to initiate a brutal purge of the family.

The two families were not large to begin with. After the purge, there were even fewer people left who could manage the enormous Marketplace.

Xu Mu took a sip of tea before speaking again: “Summon all our family members here!”

Lv Lang wondered within himself, not understanding what Xu Mu planned to do. Did he want to pull people from elsewhere?

Currently, all the positions in the family were understaffed. Pulling people from elsewhere would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul. What good would that do?

However, he dared not question or offer suggestions. He simply nodded in agreement and went to summon everyone.

About an hour later, all the important family members were gathered, a total of 121 people, standing neatly in the training ground.

This training ground was for cultivators to practice skills and occasionally it would be used for family gatherings. It was spacious enough to accommodate four to five hundred people.

Xu Mu’s aura was too imposing, there was no one audacious enough to be absent.

“You all know my name by now, so I’ll spare the unnecessary talk. Starting today, my word is law!” Xu Mu scanned the area with his Divine Intent before opening his mouth to speak.

His voice was soft but it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

There was a slight disturbance at the scene, but it quickly subsided. Xu Mu was too intimidating; he dared to disable Chi Shouyuan, none of them wanted to provoke him.

That’s why those in power like to make an example out of someone, it is indeed effective.

If not for the previous incident of him disabling Chi Shouyuan that served as a primer, people with guts would have stood up to contradict him at this point.

There were many people in this world who were audacious, but not many of them were fearless of death.

No fool would oppose under the circumstances that they were certain of death.

However, Xu Mu’s next words were quite provocative. Knowing they shouldn’t provoke him, people were still enraged and stood up.

Xu Mu declared the change of surname!

Starting today, everyone in the Xu Family will change their surname to Xu!

Changing names was easy, but changing surnames was a big deal, even in their previous life, and even more so in this world. Xu Mu was trying to completely put out the lineage of the two families. This was indeed worse than killing them.

“Ancestor, you can kill me! But it is impossible for me to change my surname!”

“And me!”

“If the Family Head of the Chi family knew about this, he would not agree either!”

Suddenly, seven or eight people stood up. All of them were at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, including Lv Lang, the captain of the guard. They were all f illed with righteous indignation.

Though these individuals temporarily yielded to Xu Mu’s strength, they regarded this submission as vassalage. If they ever had a chance, they could re­establish their families and become independent.

However, if they were to change their surnames as well, after two generations they would be completely assimilated.

Besides their insistence on their own bloodline, they held a little bit of hope that Xu Mu would change his mind.

The family originally had few people, and there were very few at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation. If they were to lose these few, the family would be completely paralyzed.

“Is there anyone else who opposes?”

Xu Mu’s voice remained calm.

No one spoke.

“Rest assured, I will not kill any of you!”

After he finished saying this, about forty or fifty people suddenly stood up. This made the first few people who had stood up feel even bolder as they all dared to look directly at Xu Mu.

That the law does not punish numerous offenders, unless Xu Mu wanted to start from scratch, he would have to give up on the idea of changing their surnames.

If he forcefully expels them, not only will the newly established Xu family be finished, but the entire Marketplace will also descend into chaos.

A sense of victory inexplicably rose in some people’s hearts.

They thought, ‘You think you’re so powerful?’

So they still have to bow down to us!

“Anyone else? For the last time.” Xu Mu calmly asked.

Another dozen people stood up.

Only a few dozen people left standing in their original spots, hesitance still lingering in their expressions.

Xu Mu stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone before he said: “All of you who have stood up, take your families and leave the Xu Family. From now on, you are no longer a part of the Xu Family, and you will never have the chance to be a part of it again.”

Xu Mu’s demeanour remained calm throughout, as if he was discussing a trifling matter.

However, his words fell like a storm into the ears of the crowd.

“Ancestor, you’re not joking, are you?” Lv Lang asked rigidly.

If they all left, how would the Xu Family continue to operate? Who would manage the Marketplace?

“I think I’ve made myself very clear. I’ll give you a quarter of an hour. If you are still here after that, I’ll consider you intruders and kill you all.”

Although Xu Mu’s voice was placid, it sent chills down everyone’s spine.

Several leading figures hesitated for a moment before gritting their teeth and leaving.

They never imagined that Xu Mu would genuinely risk it all in this confrontation.

He would rather start from scratch than give up the idea of them changing their surname.

As this group of people left, Xu Mu opened his system to check, and found that his Luck Value had only decreased by a little more than thirty points, not as extreme as he had imagined.

On second thought, it makes sense. After all, the number of people is only one of many factors, and these people are not his direct descendants. Their positions are likely why the decrease wasn’t even smaller.

Xu Mu glanced at the only late-stage Qi Cultivator left in the crowd.

A middle-aged man with slightly dark skin, who looked like an old farmer.

“What’s your name?” Xu Mu asked.

“Chi Mu!”

Chi Mu answered, taken aback.

“Why didn’t you leave with the rest?” Xu Mu asked curiously.

In such large families, those who can advance to the late stages of Qi Cultivation are usually direct relatives. Even if they originally were not, they would become direct relatives through marriage or other means. Otherwise, resources would not be wasted on their cultivation.

It is natural for such people to hold the family in high regard, so it’s normal for them to oppose changing their surnames. It would be strange if they didn’t.

“Miss Chi asked me to listen to the Ancestor! Whatever the Ancestor says!” replied Chi Mu.

“Oh? I see!”

It seemed that Chi Feiyan still had a few loyal servants.

Besides Chi Mu, the other remaining people were likely in the same situation.

Chi Feiyan’s loyal followers were so few, not because of her incompetence, but because most of the loyal people had been scattered by her to sell pills, leaving only this small number behind.

“Since that is the case, Chi Mu, from today onwards, I appoint you as the captain of the guards, responsible for managing all the guard members, and maintaining the safety and order of the Marketplace!”

“I am dull! I fear I may not be up to the task!” Chi Mu responded honestly.

“Hmm?”

He was surprised to see anyone refuse such an opportunity. From his spiritual observation of others’ emotions which had strengthened over time, Xu Mu discerned that Chi Mu wasn’t being manipulative. He genuinely thought he was not smart enough to perform the job.

Looks like he is a good, honest man inside and out.

But Xu Mu didn’t seem to have any other choice but to accept, unless he wanted to do it himself.

“That’s fine! All you need to do is to follow the rules. If you still can’t do it, I’ll replace you!”

“I will obey!”

Chi Mu nodded in agreement.

Xu Mu looked at another person, a young woman in the group. In his emotional perception, the minds of the remaining people were restless, except for her and Chi Mu.

He felt like he recognized this woman.

Frowning in thought, he soon remembered her.

She was a maid serving Chi Feiyan, Xu Mu had seen her a few times when he met Chi Feiyan in private.

She seemed to be called Qingmei!