The scent of old wood and forgotten incense hung heavy in the air of Xiao Clan’s Grand Hall. An almost palpable stillness clung to the ornate tapestries and the chipped carvings depicting glorious battles of long forgotten ancestors. Seven Elders of the Xiao clan were seated in a grand semi-circle of high-backed rosewood chairs. Their collective presence made up of a blend of aged Qi and solemnity, pressed down on the young man standing in the center of the hall.

  In the eyes of the Elders he was their wasteful Young Master, a youth whose cultivation talent was as remarkable as a common pebble on the roadside. Only really remarkable thing about him so far was how many courtesan houses and brothels he’d visited and how much wine he’d consumed. It was a truly extraordinary achievement for someone who was only eighteen years old.

  But that was the past, inside he was the earthling trying to revive Xiao Clan so that he’d have a more secure position in such a chaotic world. He especially needed such a powerful backing since his recent encounter with a demonic sect spy. Where there was one of them, there were more and he wasn’t intent on meeting them. His main intention in helping the clan was to put as many powerful cultivators between himself and the dangers of this world as possible.

  He had already briefed the Third, Fifth and Seventh Elders regarding his ‘invention’ and the ‘ancestor’s guidance’. That had been a rehearsal. This was the premiere and the chief critic was a man who could likely turn him to dust with a single glare.

  At the apex of the semi-circle sat the First Elder, Xiao Chong. His face was a mask of stern neutrality, framed by a cascade of snow-white hair and a beard that flowed down to his waist. He looked like the stereotypical ancient sage. His eyes however were anything but old, they looked alert and piercing, it seemed like an invisible sea was swirling inside them. He was an early Golden Core Realm master, a realm so far beyond the Foundation Building stage of the others that it was like comparing a tall mountain to a handful of hills. His silence was like a physical weight.

  To his right sat the Third Elder, his famously long white eyebrows twitching with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. Next to him the Fifth Elder’s wrinkled face had an encouraging expression. On the other side the Seventh Elder’s wiry figure watched his surroundings like an eagle on it’s perch. The other three elders, one portly man and two women whose faces showed varying degrees of impatience and curiosity completed the circle.

  “Xiao Yun.” the First Elder’s voice was like the grinding of ancient stones, his piercing eyes focused on him. “The Third, Fifth and Seventh junior brothers have spoken of a rather miraculous discovery. One you claim will be of great help to our clan’s finances. They also speak of a rather unbelievable source. All the elders have gathered. Do enlighten us.”

  Xiao Yun took a slow, deep breath. A minor trick learned from dozens of stressful presentations in his past life to help someone calm down. He bowed deeply. “First Elder, honored Elders. This unworthy descendant would not dare waste your precious time with falsehoods.”

  He began his tale, keeping his voice steady. He spoke of his mediocrity and his despair at being unable to contribute to the clan. He spoke of praying at the ancestral tablets, begging for guidance. He then reached into his robes and pulled out a simple, chipped pendant on a leather cord. It was the one he’d been wearing when he reincarnated; in truth it was a cheap souvenir.

  “This pendant was a keepsake from my father. It began to glow one night when I was meditating.” Xiao Yun said in a voice laced with feigned reverence. “A faint and weary voice, as if from across the chasm of ages spoke to me. It claimed to be a remnant spirit of our great ancestor Xiao Tianlong, who ascended to a higher realm thousands of years ago.” He kept adding more details to his story.

  A stunned silence descended upon the hall. The concept of ancestral spirits guiding descendants was not completely unheard of in the cultivation world, though it was very rare and often associated with immensely powerful figures or sacred artifacts. To hear it from Xiao Yun, the clan's resident 'wastrel' young master was truly astonishing.

  “And what did the ancestor say exactly?” The Fourth Elder, a portly man with a thin mustache scoffed audibly.

  Xiao Yun reached into his robes and pulled out a small, exquisite box. As he opened it a faint, pleasant fragrance wafted through the air, subtly cutting through the mustiness of the hall. Inside lay a pristine, pearlescent bar shimmering slightly in the dim light. "This elders, is what I have come to present. People have named it 'Mystic Cleansing Jade'."

  “The ancestor’s spirit imparted the formula to me in a dream. A simple process involving rendered beast fats, specific ashes and a blend of floral essences. He called it a foundational art of purification, lost to time.” He gave a short explanation of how the soap was made.

  The Third Elder, whose belief was fueled by desperate hope spoke up. “I have tried it. The cleansing effect is profound. It leaves the skin feeling supple and removes grime that even Qi-infused cleansing arts struggle with. It leaves one feeling refreshed.”

  “We have done sort of a trial run of sorts and the people loved it. Since the supply is currently limited, each piece goes for a hefty price. It can solve the clan’s financial problems in the short term. I have already made a deal with Uncle Wang, my friend Wang Jun’s father. We’ve agreed to split the profits 50/50 once a steady supply is established and he will fund the operations. As you know he’s a successful merchant with multiple shops and vast connections.” Xiao Yun piped up.

  The elders began to pass the bar around. They sniffed it, felt its waxy texture. Their initial skepticism contended with the tangible evidence and the promise of much needed income. A clan on the brink of collapse couldn't afford to dismiss a golden goose, no matter how strangely it honked.

  “A remnant spirit…” the Second Elder, a prim and proper woman who looked to be in her late forties, mused. “Our Xiao Clan was once a mighty force. It is not completely impossible that our ancestors left behind a contingency.”

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  “Or it is a deception!” countered the Fourth Elder. “Perhaps the boy stumbled upon some ancient ruins and he’s hiding things from us or worse, he’s in league with an outside entity! To pin it on an ancestor is a convenient, unverifiable tale.”

  “However little Yun came to be in possession of such knowledge, it’s effects and it’s possible benefits to the clan’s treasury are undeniable. Yet, I cannot discount what the Fourth Elder said regarding outsiders and hidden secrets.” Uttered the Sixth Elder, a woman in her mid-forties who looked to be someone trying to hide her age, judging by the amount of makeup covering her face.

  The hall descended into argument, a microcosm of the clan’s desperation. Some saw a blessing from their lineage and a sign they had not been abandoned. Others saw a dangerous lie, a potential trick that could lead them into greater peril.

  Throughout it all the First Elder remained silent with his eyes shut. The pressure in the room mounted with every passing second of his stillness. Xiao Yun felt a trickle of cold sweat run down his spine. He had convinced the hopeful and the pragmatic. But the true power, the mountain, the CEO had not yet moved.

  Finally the First Elder’s eyes snapped open.

  They were not the eyes of a doddering old man at all. They were as sharp and clear as polished diamonds, crackling with an inner light that spoke of immense power. His Golden Core cultivation flared and an overwhelming wave of spiritual pressure washed over the hall. The other elders immediately fell silent.

  The pressure suddenly focused entirely on Xiao Yun. It felt like a physical weight, like the whole sky was falling on his shoulders. It probed and pushed, seeking the truth not in his words, but in the very fabric of his being, in the flow of his Qi but in the rhythm of his very soul.

  It was in this moment that Xiao Yun’s past life became his greatest asset. He wasn't a proud young master caught in a lie. He was a terrified office worker faking it until he made it. The fear the First Elder sensed was real. The frantic pulse was genuine. There was no cultivator's arrogance, no hidden malice, just the overwhelming panic of a small man standing before a god. His spiritual state perfectly matched the story he was telling: that of a humble, terrified boy chosen by a power far beyond his understanding.

  After what felt like an eternity the pressure receded. Xiao Chong leaned back in his chair, his gaze unreadable. He outstretched his hand and the broken jade pendant flew towards him. Under the curious gazes of everyone, he probed the pendant with his spiritual sense. It seemed like an ordinary trinket, with the tiniest bit of spiritual fluctuation. It was so tiny that the First Elder had to focus really hard to be able to sense it. Yet, he couldn’t be sure if the boy was making things up or not. If the source was truly from the upper realm, the realm of immortals, then it would make sense that a Golden Core cultivator like him might be unable to sense anything.

  ‘It’s unfortunate that our clan doesn’t have anyone in the Nascent Soul realm. They could use soul searching to see if that brat was lying. Then again, if we had someone that powerful in the clan, we wouldn’t have fallen so low.’ Thought the first elder. After short couple of minutes of probing that yielded no information, he sent the pendant back.

  “The source is… questionable.” he stated, his voice calm and decisive. “The story is convenient. However…” He paused, letting the words hang in the air. “The results are not. The contract with merchant Wang is real. The promise of gold taels in our treasury are real. The Mystic Cleansing Jade itself is real.”

  He looked directly at Xiao Yun, his eyes boring into him. “We will proceed. The clan needs this. You will oversee the production, with the Seventh Elder supervising all financial matters. The Fourth Elder will assist you with logistics if need be.”

  A collective sigh of relief went through half the council. The Fourth Elder looked like he’d swallowed an entire lemon, his doubts still not completely gone. But one couldn’t blame him too much, as Xiao Yun’s past track record wasn’t something inspiring to say the least. He felt like the other elders were being naively hopeful but he kept those thoughts to himself. However, he didn’t need to say anything as the First Elder spoke up, voicing his thoughts.

  “But know this Little Yun.” his voice dropped, becoming as cold as the winds of winter. “You will be watched. The pendant will be studied. Though you might be a descendant of the main bloodline of Xiao clan, if we find even a hint of deception, if this venture brings harm to the Clan, it will not be your mediocrity and debauchery that you are remembered for. It will be your screams. Have I made myself clear?”

  Xiao Yun’s throat was dry. He could only manage a weak, "Crystal clear First Elder."

  "You are dismissed."

  With a shaky bow Xiao Yun turned and walked out of the Grand Meeting Hall, his legs feeling like jelly. The heavy doors closed behind him, shutting him out from the elders who now began a heated, hushed debate. He had stepped onto the stage and survived the first act. He had sold them a miracle wrapped in a lie.

  The first Elder had his own reasons for being so harsh on Xiao Yun. He had internal injuries that just wouldn’t heal. His Golden Core cultivation was comparatively unstable due to the mentioned injuries. Breaking through to the next stage seemed like an impossible feat for him in this lifetime. The clan had many old rivalries, enemies and those that wanted to peck at their remains to see if they were harboring any secrets worth plundering. They were once a great clan after all. Xiao Chong couldn’t protect the clan from all the circling vultures.

  To top it all off, their clan leader and his wife, Xiao Yun’s parents, had disappeared and presumed dead. Their only son and the clan’s young master was trash that showed no talent in either cultivation or anything else. He spent his time being a wastrel. All the remaining elders were only at the foundation building stage, while other clans who were once beneath them now had more than one golden core realm elder holding down the fort. They had no one in the younger generation who had broken into the Foundation Establishment realm. Their one hope, Xiao Lian who had shown immense talent, had also stalled in the peak of Qi gathering stage for many years due to an unfortunate incident.

  Saying that the First Elder was under a lot of pressure was an understatement. Now with their wastrel young master coming to them with fantastical tales and a new and unknown creation gave them some hope, along with suspicion. Xiao Chong didn’t want to hope too much and be disappointed in the same way he had with Xiao Lian. As things stood, the clan had no future and no capable figure to lead them.

  The elders kept debating and screaming at each other until the next morning. They eventually reached an agreement. They would build a small workshop to produce the Mystic Cleansing Jade, financed entirely by Wang Shu. As for the workers, since they didn’t want to allow an information leak to take away their monopoly on the recipe and the method, they would only allow the most loyal servants and guards to work there. All of whom would be sworn to secrecy. As they produced the batches, Wang Shu would send his own men to discreetly pick them up and he would handle the rest of it from there and the profits would be split by 60/40 for the first couple months, then 50/50 from then on. It was also agreed that they would keep the whole ‘Ancestor giving Xiao Yun the recipe’ matter a secret. Same thing with the fact that it was the Xiao clan who was producing the Cleansing Jade.

  The Elders having finished their intense debate eventually dispersed, each having their own thoughts on the matter. This matter was settled for now, but what they didn’t know was that the “Ancestor’s gifts” weren’t limited to just teaching Xiao Yun how to make soap.