Chapter 3: Red Lanterns Illuminate the Clear Creek, The Moon is Brighter in My Hometown

That was a woman dressed in beautiful silk, yet her expression was bitter and sorrowful.

She repeated it hoarsely.

"My daughter sells for ten taels of silver."

Her young daughter stood by her mother's side, looking no more than two or three years old.

A plaque hung around the woman's neck, displaying the daughter for sale and the motherly love being sold.

The mother and daughter stood at the entrance on the edge of the market district; the young daughter looked blankly, foolishly repeating after her mother.

"My father is a cultivator; I will have a spiritual root."

"My father is a cultivator..."

In Qing Xi Fang, where cultivators are the majority, spending ten taels of silver to buy a young girl who might have a spiritual root is actually a reasonable price.

Often, such cases of selling children happen because their man, that unknown rogue cultivator, has not returned for a long time and may have died outside.

However, generally, cultivators do not buy such young girls, after all, one must be thirteen to test the level and type of spiritual root.

Ten years of raising her is too troublesome.

"Stop looking, stay close to me!"

Wang Rongyuan tightened the reins of his green horse and whispered instructions to the two young men following behind him.

"Yes, Uncle."

As a transmigrator with innate wisdom, Wang Yulou was much sharper than his cousin Wang Yuan, immediately withdrawing his gaze and looking at other things inside Qing Xi Fang.

"Uncle Rongyuan, for only ten taels of silver one can buy a child who might have a spiritual root; our Wang Shi family does not lack silver for mortals, so why not buy her?"

Wang Yuan asked, confused.

"A big burden carrying a small burden; who knows what the matter is with that girl's father?"

"Have you forgotten what the family school taught you little brats?"

"Recite for me the family rules you young Qi Refining cultivators must follow when traveling outside!" Wang Rongyuan looked at Wang Yuan sternly.

Within the family, Wang Rongyuan was famous for his martial bravery and firm will, with profound cultivation, holding the position of Family Elder in the Family Transmission Hall.

Precisely because his strength was not ordinary, he took on the task of escorting the two 'Yu' generation boys of the family to Qing Xi Fang.

At this moment, as soon as he spoke, his majestic demeanor made even Wang Yulou feel a chill in his heart.

Wang Yuan, Wang Yulou's cousin, was so frightened his face turned white; he stammered a grievance in reply.

"Travel only on main roads, associate only with established families, cut prices by ninety percent before buying."

"When trouble arises, retreat behind the crowd; if there is profit, let fellow Daoists go first; trust only half of what you hear."

"Always keep a Thousand-Mile Talisman on your legs; guard your whole body... guard your whole body..."

Under his uncle's pressure, Wang Yuan, who was leaving the clan lands for the first time, was so frightened his mind was muddled.

For a moment, he absurdly forgot half a sentence of the clan training for Qi Refining cultivators traveling outside, which the family had painstakingly taught.

"Smack! Smack!"

Qi Refining cultivators are called Qi Refining cultivators because they all practice a mouthful of spiritual energy hidden in their dantian.

Seeing that this little brat Wang Yuan dared to forget the clan training for traveling outside, Wang Rongyuan immediately drew a stream of spiritual energy, transformed it into a large pale-green palm, and aimed two big slaps at Wang Yuan's left and right cheeks.

The control ability of a high-level Qi Refining cultivator over spiritual energy far exceeded Wang Yulou's imagination; Wang Rongyuan's two big slaps could be said to possess both disciplinary force and safety simultaneously.

The sound of the slapping was crisp and loud, very pleasant to hear, making Wang Yulou's scalp tingle.

At the same time, Wang Rongyuan controlled the force perfectly, not injuring Wang Yuan at all.

"Waaah, Uncle, I was wrong, don't hit me anymore... waaah..."

After bidding farewell to his parents and leaving the clan lands where he grew up, Wang Yuan, whose nature was already lively, jumped higher than the sky along the way.

Now, his uncle's two big slaps woke him from his lively dream.

"Rongwen and your mother spoil you too much; you even dare to forget 'guard your whole body to protect the immortal path'!"

Pointing at Wang Yuan in frustration, Wang Rongyuan looked at Yulou again.

"Yulou, you must remind him more often in the future; this boy, ah!"

Wang Yulou, having transmigrated from the Hua Kingdom of the twenty-first century, naturally understood the expectations his clan uncle Wang Rongyuan held for him and for Wang Yuan.

This elder of the family had no special fetish for slapping cheeks; he was simply angered.

"Yes, Uncle; 'guard your whole body to protect the immortal path'; Yulou will surely not forget!"

Speaking thus, Wang Yulou even kicked Wang Yuan.

Prompted by his cousin, Wang Yuan also came to his senses and repeatedly promised.

"I am the same; I surely will not forget, surely will not forget!"

This boy Wang Yuan, imitating Wang Yulou's stance, somewhat reassured Wang Rongyuan.

Although this dog thing Wang Yuan is a bit lively, Yulou is of a cautious nature; these two brats supporting each other inside Qing Xi Fang should not have major problems.

After all, the Wang family has other elders in Qing Xi Fang; it is not just these two brats.

"Hmph, you two, wait here for me; I will go store the green horse and the carriage."

Wang Rongyuan led the green horse and stepped into the horse parking lot on the outer edge of Qing Xi Fang.

"Wang Yuan, does it still hurt?"

Looking at his younger brother's swollen cheeks, Wang Yulou asked with concern.

"How could it not hurt? If you were slapped, you would hurt too!"

Covering his face, Wang Yuan had tears in his eyes, feeling extremely aggrieved.

The two grew up together and had a very good relationship; he had no objection to Wang Yulou's concern, he just felt it was too unjust.

Wasn't it just forgetting half a sentence of clan training; was it worth rewarding me with big slaps?"

"Dad, Mom, I miss you!"

"Er, Uncle is also concerned about you. Every time Elder Brother Yu Ming in the family school mentions his younger brother, his eyes fill with tears.

We juniors at the Qi Refining stage can only proceed with extreme caution once we leave the family's protection."

Wang Yulou reminded him with a mix of helplessness and amusement.

This younger brother of his had truly been spoiled too much by their parents.

The Elder Brother Yu Ming he mentioned was the second of the Yu generation, with a cultivation at the early stage of Qi Refining; he cultivated in the family's ancestral lands and also part-time taught the family's spiritual root disciples.

His younger brother, Yu Liu, had been ambushed and killed by bandit cultivators in a mortal town during his journey to seek education abroad, having succumbed to youthful desires for worldly pleasures.

As a minor family with Foundation Establishment cultivators, compared to the Purple Mansion aristocratic clans and the great orthodox and heterodox sects, the Wang family was merely insignificant within the Wunan Basin.

But... for loose cultivators living from day to day, the items on the Wang family disciples were enough to make them risk their lives.

"Brother, look, there's a female cultivator without clothes over there."

However, Yu Lou's concern was all unnecessary.

This dog thing Yu An, upon seeing a beautiful female cultivator, instantly felt no pain on his face.

Divine Doctor!

Yu Lou feigned disgust on the surface, though he felt a bit gratified in his heart.

This kid Yu An was still something; he hadn't forgotten Yu Lou when good things happened—his affection for him hadn't been in vain.

Following Yu An's gaze, Yu Lou noticed that female cultivator standing by a stall in the market.

It was clearly the season of late spring in the third month, yet this female cultivator seemed terribly hot; she wore only a silk goose-yellow bandeau on her upper body, and on her lower body a short silk skirt whose hem barely covered her buttocks.

The stall sold stones and metals, all items used for artifact crafting; no one knew where that loose cultivator had obtained them, while the female cultivator was haggling with the stall owner.

"Don't look around wildly; she might be practicing the Charm Art. If you fall for her trick, when I become a Qi Refiner in the future, I'll cry for you in the family school too."

Grabbing Yu An, Wang Yulou twisted his pig-headed face away from the female cultivator's buttocks to the side.

"You should be careful; I also have dual spiritual roots. Although they are only Metal and Earth, which are inferior to your Water and Fire in artifact crafting talent, I am stronger in combat!"

The pig-headed kid spoke stubbornly, and as he spoke, he involuntarily twisted back again.

An impassioned female cultivator had hard-controlled the innocent Xiao Chunan, so to speak.

A naked female immortal—you can't see such things within the family!

A thirteen-year-old boy already had thoughts about matters of men and women; this was precisely why the family sent them to different places to cultivate immediately after their spiritual roots were measured.

Go out to learn spells the family doesn't have, and best find a partner of supreme talent along the way to help the Wang family grow stronger and larger!

Seeing his brother so infatuated, Wang Yulou increased his force; using his cultivation at the second layer of Qi Refining, he pressed down with both hands, forcibly suppressing the aroused Xiao Chunan.

"Brother, you are bullying me by relying on your cultivation..."

Wang Yulou shook his head; you both measured your spiritual roots together and started Qi Refining together; you only have the first layer, so how can you blame me?

"I think you really must be careful, Yu An. The temptations outside are not just these.

The flowery world dazzles the eyes; without some character, you will fall sooner or later. Yu An, Yu An, what will you do in the future?"

"Hmph, maybe she cultivated the Charm Art. Yes, it must be because of this."

A man's stubbornness has no limit; Yu Lou didn't even want to bother with this foolish younger brother anymore.

However, he felt no disgust; Yu An's state of mind was actually quite normal. After all, not everyone was like him, a transmigrator carrying past-life wisdom.

The Wunan Basin, spanning over twenty thousand li, had an area roughly equal to the Eurasian continent on Wang Yulou's planet in his past life.

Within the basin, there were three upper sects and seven heterodox sects, collectively known as the Shi Sect.

Below the Shi Sect were thousands upon thousands of cultivation families, large and small, as well as minor and medium-sized sects.

Qing Xi Fang is located in the northwest of the Wunan Basin, affiliated with the heterodox sect Red Lantern Illumination, and is a market facing Qi Refining cultivators.

Because a Foundation Establishment cultivator has long been stationed there, its reputation has been good for hundreds of years, and business is booming.

Inside Qing Xi Fang, the horse parking lot at the edge of the market was also bustling with people today.

Qi Refining cultivators can already fly on magical artifacts, but activating them constantly consumes spiritual power, and flying in the sky is too conspicuous.

Therefore, even when Qi Refining cultivators travel, they often only move quickly on the ground rather than foolishly flying in mid-air.

However, the Wang family actually has its own shops, inns, and courtyards within Qing Xi Fang; let alone parking a single green mottled horse, even parking ten would be no problem.

Wang Rongyuan came specifically to the Qing Xi Fang horse parking lot; what he wanted to do was not as simple as just parking a horse.

After settling the green mottled horse and the carriage, he quietly walked into the beast-supplies shop within the parking lot.

The shop owner was also a Qi Refining cultivator, looking wild and ghostly; in short, he had no human appearance, and was currently lying on a chair enjoying a massage from a Qi Refining female cultivator.

"Old Wang?"

Seeing Wang Rongyuan enter, he waved the female cultivator away, propped himself up from the reclining chair, and asked.

"I was wondering why I heard crows calling all day; you coming here definitely means no good. Speak up~"

Wang Rongyuan sat down boldly opposite the owner and, acting familiar, poured himself some tea.

"A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory. Old Ghost, do you have news on the item I asked you to find?"

After taking a sip of eighth-grade Gu Family Spirit Tea, Wang Rongyuan looked at the information broker named Old Ghost.

"Wu Meng Three Friends say they don't know. The bandit leader at Xiangshui Beach says he has news, but he wants fifty spirit stones first before telling you.

One Piece of Red doesn't ask for money, but he also practices artifact crafting; if he finds the item, he needs to use it himself..."

Wang Rongyuan nodded while silently pouring himself another cup and continuing to drink.

Counting the famous bandit cultivators in the vicinity on his fingers, the Qi Refining owner named Old Ghost spread his hands and said.

"Old Wang, the situation is just like this.

The rumor about the remains of that Foundation Establishment cultivator from Fulong Temple has appeared only once, but the small families, loose cultivators, and bandit cultivators near our Qing Xi Fang have been searching for five years.

There is no other news; perhaps this person simply does not exist."

Wang Rongyuan poured himself another cup of Spirit Tea and said.

"Keep searching. If you find it, I only want his artifact crafting notes; a copy is enough. I don't want anything else."

The old ghost shook his head in confusion.

"Even the people of Crouching Dragon Monastery can't find it themselves — what chance would we loose cultivators have?

And those tribulation cultivators are all raised by the great clans. If a great clan gets the remains, they certainly won't sit by and let the artifact-refining notes leak out."

Discovering that the teapot was already out of spiritual tea, Wang Yuan stood up, preparing to leave.

"Just keep looking. Tribulation cultivators are tribulation cultivators, great clans are great clans. Once the remains are found, they'll definitely pass through the tribulation cultivators' hands — there'll be a chance."

Staring at Wang Yuan's departing back, the old ghost clicked his tongue slightly.

Could it be that the Foundation Establishment ancestor the Wang clan has in Red Lantern Stronghold knows some special information?

As he thought, he picked up the teapot.

"I'll be damned!"

The old ghost's voice was so loud that even Wang Yuan, already outside the door, heard it. He smiled faintly and quickened his departing steps.

Gu family's eighth-grade spiritual tea?

Drank it all up!

If I don't drink it all, wouldn't the five spirit stones I paid you for information be for nothing?

Not getting a single piece of information, only drinking your pot of spiritual tea — that's already very generous of me!

"Let's go, I'll take you to eat first. We have properties here in Qing Xi Fang too. It's your first time here, let me show you around."

Wang Yuan patted Yu Lou's shoulder, then kicked Yu An's bottom.

"Walk faster. Later I still need to take you to pay respects to a master."

You're just playing favorites, aren't you?

Yu An felt wronged inside, but he didn't dare say it.

"Uncle, why does it look like there are so many people in Qing Xi Fang? I remember Brother Yu Ming saying there are only a few thousand cultivators here?"

Following beside his clan uncle, Yu Lou asked in a low voice.

"Not bad — to notice the numbers here aren't right. Yu An, take a page from Yu Lou.

Too many people usually means something has changed, that something special is happening.

When traveling abroad, the eyes must watch six directions, ten directions; the ears must listen to all around."

Wang Yuan first nodded at Yu An, then began to explain.

"Red Lantern Stronghold changed its Sect Master two years ago. The new Sect Master comes from a great merchant clan in Wunan, is quite good at management, and set a new business plan for all the market towns under Red Lantern Stronghold.

One of the provisions: the Merit Hall within Red Lantern Stronghold will dispatch a branch to take turns stationed at the market towns under its banner, to make trading easier for loose cultivators and small clans.

The reason the number of cultivators in Qing Xi Fang has increased recently is that the Merit Hall branch will arrive at Qing Xi Fang in half a month, and many shops you'd only find in the great market towns will also pay a sum of spirit stones to come along with the branch."

Great merchant clan background, new business plan.

As a former 996 wage slave, Yu Lou tasted something off.

Red Lantern Stronghold is doing what?

Before he could think further, Wang Yuan led the two of them into a wine house called 'Zhiwei House'.

"It's Elder Rongyuan! Elder Rongyuan is here!" The head waiter, seeing Wang Yuan, immediately beamed and ran up, calling out loudly at the same time.

"What are you hollering about!"

Wang Yuan didn't care for this empty, showy coming-and-going. After scolding the head waiter, he led Yu Lou and Yu An into the back hall.

A middle-aged man in a purple brocade robe, looking quite portly, came up to greet them and gave Wang Yuan a deep bow with hands clasped.

"Elder Rongyuan, you didn't even give me a word before coming — I didn't have time to prepare anything good."

This smiling, plump man was precisely the Wang clan's person in charge at Zhiwei House, an outside-surname Qi Refining cultivator named Tang Nianqiu.

His strength was at the early stage of Qi Refining, and he had broken through relying on a Breaking Through great pill — he had already lost any chance of advancing further.

Logically speaking, he was a Qi Refining cultivator after all, and should be of the same generation as Wang Yuan, not needing to be so polite.

However, Wang Yuan had only just turned seventy and had already reached the late stage of Qi Refining — one of the Wang clan's rare Foundation Establishment seeds.

The gap between them was enormous.

"No need. This is Yu Lou, Yu An. From now on they'll be learning auxiliary arts in Qing Xi Fang, and will inevitably run into trouble at times. When that happens..."

Before Wang Yuan could finish, Tang Nianqiu, looking excited, gazed at Yu Lou with an admiring face and said.

"Oh? This must be Yu An, right? Truly worthy of being our Wang clan's Qilin child — Brother Rongwen has a fine son!"

I'm Yu An!

Oh no, I've become a substitute!

Yu An's swollen cheeks instantly flushed bright red, like a glowing red lantern, while Yu Lou could only smile awkwardly on the side.

"Hahahaha, you've got it wrong — this is Yu Lou, that one over there is Yu An!

Yu An, Yu Lou, come, greet your Clan Uncle Nianqiu."

Wang Yuan couldn't hold it in, and introduced them while holding back laughter.

Enduring only a single glance at Yu An's pig-head face, suppressing the doubts in his heart, Tang Nianqiu spoke with practiced ease to cover his own great embarrassment.

"Ah, both are Qilin children of the Wang clan of Anbei — my eyes are poor, my eyes are poor."

The best disciples stay home, the next-best go to the sect, the worst are sent out to guard properties and expand the clan.

Yu An and Yu Lou were both of dual spiritual root aptitude — in the Southern Cultivation World, these were cultivation seeds with a great chance of entering Foundation Establishment!

How could the Wang clan bear to send them to a sect, to be wage slaves for the children of the sect's clans?

"Alright, let's eat first. Bring up half a pot of Gu family spiritual tea to start, then two catties of spiritual rice. By the way, what spiritual food do you have prepared today?" said Wang Yuan.

"Heavy meat spiritual food is a bit scarce. We have three ninth-grade Water-Origin Cold Ducks, a pair of eighth-grade Steel-Back Spiritual Pork hind legs, and the rest... there's also a ninth-grade Wood-Spirit Silly Donkey slaughtered a few days ago — only three pieces and the tail are missing, the rest is all still here.

Spiritual vegetables aren't lacking, everything that should be there is there. What do you think?"

Tang Nianqiu was the great shopkeeper of Zhiwei House, and was perfectly clear on what spiritual materials Zhiwei House still had.

Wang Rongyuan deliberated for a moment, then said.

"Duck's no fun to eat, and those two kids can't gnaw through an eighth-rank pork knuckle either. Fine, bring us a braised donkey intestine, then a stewed donkey meat, and finally see what decent spirit vegetables you have, stir-fry a small dish. How many spirit stones in total?"

"Aiya~ Uncle Rongyuan, you're treating me like an outsider here, how could I possibly accept..."

"House rules don't allow the family elders to eat for free either. If I eat free today, and Rongwen comes and eats free the day after, how much income would Qing Xi Fang have left by year's end?

Enough, just tell me how many spirit stones, and don't you dare give me a discount!"

Wang Yuan: Uncle, if you have complaints about me, just say it straight!

"Four and a half, that'd be..."

Tang Nianqiu's eyeballs rolled about as he schemed to knock off the fraction no matter what.

"Fine, here's five, hurry up and serve the food. Those two little brats have been traveling with me for over a day to reach Qing Xi Fang, they're starving!"

Pulling five Low-Quality Small spirit stones the size of quail eggs from his bosom, Wang Rongyuan gestured for Tang Nianqiu to stop dawdling.

Seeing the spirit stones, Tang Nianqiu put on an embarrassed look, pocketed them at the speed of light, then said with a smile.

"Uncle Rongyuan, please take a seat upstairs, and the two little Qing Qilin too, upstairs, upstairs, haha."

Wang Rongyuan went upstairs without looking back, and Wang Yuan foolishly carried his pig's head up as well.

Wang Yulou, meanwhile, gave Tang Nianqiu another bow, then also went up to the second floor.

After the three left, Tang Nianqiu, standing in place, put away his smile, gave his sleeves a shake, and headed to the back kitchen to urge the dishes along.

"Old Tang, overall, is fairly reliable. He's a disciple of Uncle Xianhe, and has been with the Wang family for almost a hundred years.

Right, you should call him Grandpa Xianhe, but unfortunately, you're both young and never had the chance to see Uncle Xianhe's grand presence back in the day.

Wang Rongyuan's gaze grew somewhat wistful, as if seeing the scene of his clan uncle commanding the winds and waves in his prime.

Wang Xianhe, one of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Xian generation of the Wang family, had already passed away over twenty years ago, so naturally neither Wang Yuan nor Wang Yulou had ever met him.

In cultivation clans, generational seniority isn't calculated by birth parents' generation, but by the century—every hundred years a new generation is activated.

It might seem Wang Yulou and Wang Yuan are only a month apart, but in bloodline terms Wang Yulou is actually Wang Yuan's great-grandfather's generation.

"The clan school taught us that Old Ancestor Xianhe spent his life mastering the Dao of animal husbandry, cultivating our Wang family's ninth-rank wood-element spirit beast, the wild donkey plains, into eighth-rank foolish donkey plains. Arranging his disciple to be the Shopkeeper at Qing Xi Fang is only fitting."

Wang Yulou greatly admired this Old Ancestor Xianhe, who had spent his whole life elevating the family's foundation by an entire tier—saying he brought blessings to a thousand generations would not be an exaggeration.

In the Wunan Cultivation World, the biggest difference between clans, immortal sects, and loose cultivators lies in whether one holds spirit beasts, and how many.

Every spirit beast can continuously produce corresponding spirit plants, spirit ores, and so on—basically the xianxia version of means of production.

It is precisely because they hold a foolish donkey plains that can sustainably produce spirit donkeys that the Wang family has been able to maintain a steady basic income, rising and falling several times, and has been passed down for over a dozen generations in the Wunan Cultivation World.

"Wang Yuan, learn more from Wang Yulou. What the clan school teaches you all has great principles behind it—'from a single clue, discern the whole.' Wang Yulou has learned it, but you..."

Wang Rongyuan glanced at Wang Yuan and sighed, frustrated that his protégé wasn't living up to expectations.

"Uncle, Wang Yulou is just a bit smarter, but I'm not dumb either—I'm also a dual spirit root!"

The moment those words left Wang Yuan's mouth, Wang Yulou couldn't bear it and turned his head away.

The two had grown up together since childhood, attended the clan school together, and come to Qing Xi Fang together to learn the Dao of Auxiliary Arts.

Blood thicker than water kinship, sincere and deep friendship.

Wang Yulou couldn't bear it.

Brother, aren't you just asking for a beating?

Wang Rongyuan said nothing, and the pale-green great palm was summoned once again.

Beat first, talk later!

The pale-green great palm struck left and right, demonstrating to Wang Yulou the exquisite control of spiritual energy by a Qi Refining cultivator.

Force just right—stunned but not brain-damaged.

"Slap!"

"Ah!"

"Slap!"

"Ah!"

"Slap!"

"Uncle, stop hitting, I know I was wrong."

"Slap!"

"Wuwuwu, I wanna go home..."

That year, Wang Yuan had just turned thirteen, leaving the Wang family mountain where he'd grown up.

The moment he stepped out, his clan uncle gave him a loving ten-hit combo.

No one could keep a straight face!

"Oh? Want to go home, do you?

Are you applying to me, the Third Elder of the family's Law Transmission Hall, to change the Dao path assigned to you within the clan?"

Looking at Wang Yuan crying his eyes out, Wang Rongyuan asked coldly.

"Uncle Rongyuan, Wang Yuan didn't mean that, he doesn't understand anything, he's still a child!"

Wang Yulou was startled and hurriedly spoke up to plead for Wang Yuan.

《Still a Child》

The weight of this phrase—those who know, know. Sounds scummy, but it really works!

"It's precisely because he doesn't understand anything that we can't let him be harmed!"

Wang Rongyuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said.

"You two are among the rare dual spirit root talents of the Yu generation. More gifted than triple or quadruple spirit roots, and more at ease than single spirit roots.

The clan spent a great deal of money to find, based on your spirit roots, a teacher who could impart the Dao of Auxiliary Arts—all in hopes you would become talented and bring new Auxiliary Arts inheritances to the clan.

"But if, because you understand nothing, you lose your life out here, you might as well return to the clan to raise donkeys and be an idle ordinary clansman."

Hearing he would be exiled to raise donkeys, Wang Yuan didn't dare to cry anymore.

The best stay at home to continue the family teachings; the slightly less talented go to a sect to fight for opportunities; the worst are stationed at external enterprises or patrol the four directions as loose cultivators—still with some vague chance to change their fate.

The absolute worst is staying at home to raise donkeys; perhaps one will never break through to the Qi Refining stage. This is the task assigned to ordinary Four Spirit Root cultivators or, at best, decent Five Spirit Root cultivators!

"Uncle, I know I was wrong. I don't want to go back. I know I was wrong."

With swollen cheeks, Wang Yuan sniffled and meekly admitted his fault.

"Where did you go wrong?"

Under Wang Yulou's worried gaze, Uncle Rong Yuan finally gave Wang Yuan a chance.

Wang Yulou knew too well that just now, Uncle Rong Yuan had been serious.

The Wang Family's family rules are right there: members who are not smart enough or are too unruly have no value in being cultivated!

"The path of the Immortal Dao is vast and hard to find; talent and aptitude are like duckweed. If the heart toward the Dao is as firm as stone, even with five chaotic spirits, one can still become an Immortal."

Wang Yuan recited the family admonition in a low voice.

"Our Wang family has inherited for over twelve hundred years; we have seen and dealt with geniuses as numerous as fish crossing a river.

But the most powerful was the True Person Divine Light, who was born in the same era as the Ancestor Yuan, Xuan Ying.

When the Ancestor Yuan, Xuan Ying, first succeeded in Qi Refining and entered the Western Sea to hunt demonic beasts, he had a brief encounter with True Person Divine Light, who was also in the Qi Refining stage.

At that time, True Person Divine Light had been trapped in the early stage of Qi Refining for many years due to his Five Spirit Root.

Twelve hundred years have passed. Most of the so-called Single Spirit Root geniuses known to the Wang family died at the Purple Mansion Pass; even after all this time, not a single one has achieved a Jin Dan.

Those with Double Spirit Roots whose paths were cut off and who vanished into the ages are countless; I myself have a Double Spirit Root!

You rascal, how dare you be proud because of your Double Spirit Root?

Is your heart toward the Dao just relying on your Double Spirit Root to become negligent?"

The story of True Person Divine Light is the story the Wang Shi Immortal Clan loves most to tell the young people of the clan.

This is because the Wang family's Ancestor Yuan, Wang Xuan Ying, personally witnessed True Person Divine Light, who found it difficult to break through even the early stage of Qi Refining due to his five chaotic spirits.

If you have a Five Spirit Root, do not despair; True Person Divine Light has already attained a Jin Dan!

If you have a Double Spirit Root, do not be proud; how many with Double Spirit Roots cannot even break through to Foundation Establishment!

Just as the family rules say, the Immortal Dao is vast; immortal fate can be met but not sought; aptitude and talent are like duckweed.

In this Cultivation World, where sects and Immortal Clans are mixed and cultivators are as numerous as ox hairs.

Only with a firm Dao heart can one go further.

Even with five chaotic spirits, one might still attain a Jin Dan!

"I dare not be proud! I dare not be negligent!"

Under the pressure of being kicked back to the family to raise donkeys, Wang Yuan's brain spun wildly, becoming so sharp that he had a third of Wang Yulou's flair.

"Hmph! You..."

Tang Nianqiu's arrival interrupted Wang Rongyuan's speech; this Shopkeeper of Zhi Wei Fang actually personally carried a teapot up to the second floor.

"Ah, Elder Rong Yuan of the Wang family, the Gu Family Spirit Tea you requested~ one pot~. It is still high-quality new tea. Please enjoy, please enjoy."

Seeing Tang Nianqiu's such enthusiasm, Wang Rongyuan stood up, grabbed his arm, and invited him.

"Nianqiu, you are too polite, too polite. Come, sit and eat with us. These two boys will inevitably trouble you in the future."

As the Shopkeeper of Zhi Wei Fang, Tang Nianqiu naturally had no reason to dine with guests, so he politely declined.

"Brother Rong Yuan, I am also a member of the Wang family. Today, I am just too happy to see you all. Please enjoy your meal. If Wang Yuan and Wang Yulou have any requests in the future, I will certainly help with all my might!"

Seeing this sharp Shopkeeper leave, Wang Rongyuan glared at Wang Yuan, who was still wiping his nose, and said.

"Drink tea!"

Wang Yulou sharply picked up the teapot and first poured a cup for his clan uncle.

"Please go first, Uncle Rong Yuan."

Then, he poured a cup for Wang Yuan.

"Wang Yuan, Uncle Rong Yuan just hopes you will be more alert.

We have now come to Qing Xi Fang. Here, there are many more Immortal Clan members more powerful than us, and the guarding cultivators are even Foundation Establishment seniors.

The family has spent a huge sum to hire teachers for us. We must learn the auxiliary arts of the Dao quietly, and returning home as soon as we have mastered them is the right path."

As he spoke, Wang Yulou also gave Wang Yuan a wink.

Stupid brother, why don't you quickly take the opportunity to step down from the donkey?

Fortunately, Wang Yuan was not truly stupid; he read Wang Yulou's meaning, held his tea, stood up, and said.

"Uncle Rong Yuan, I was wrong; I made you worry.

In the future, I will definitely be more careful and work harder, and I will never be complacent or proud!

I offer this tea in place of wine to toast you a cup; please forgive me!"

Wang Rongyuan, unable to tell whether to laugh or cry, glanced at these two troublemakers and scolded with a smile.

"You two little brats, where did you learn such nonsense about politeness? We are all family; I was just angry.

As a person with Earth and Wood Spirit Roots, I studied array formations when I was young. That array teacher had only an average relationship with our Wang family and fooled me for a full ten years."

Earth and Wood?

Wang Yulou instantly sensed the element.

Indeed, studying Earth and Wood is a dead end; it is the same even if you change worlds!

A cultivator's auxiliary arts of the Dao are often their core productivity for walking the Cultivation World. Without family resource support, loose cultivators value their auxiliary arts of the Dao as much as their lives.

Wang Rongyuan had suffered enough losses, so he hoped these two boys in the clan would not repeat his mistakes.

As he spoke, he looked at Wang Yuan.

"Alas, this time your father and I have contacted a master of the Art of Refining who rents a shop in our Wang Family's Qing Xi Fang. His mastery of fire-based refining has reached the pinnacle of the Qi Condensation realm.

More importantly, his focus is on refining metal and stone artifacts, which aligns perfectly with your Metal and Earth spiritual roots.

It seems we paid for one qualification but bought learning opportunities for both of you, but that sum of money... never mind, let's not dwell on it, let's eat!"

There is a reason why Wang Family disciples, once they pass thirteen and have their spiritual roots detected, must undergo 'diversion'.

A small cultivator in the Qi Drawing stage has a daily limit on the total amount of Qi they can draw into their body, which relates to their aptitude; for instance, Wang Yulou can only cultivate for three double-hours each day, as any more would exceed the limit for a dual spiritual root.

Wang Yuan's aptitude is indeed better than Wang Yulou's; he can cultivate for three double-hours plus a quarter and a half of a quarter-hour each day.

By sending out young cultivators from the family with decent aptitude early, aside from their three double-hours of cultivation, the rest of their time can be used to learn various auxiliary arts.

Once they have learned enough of the auxiliary arts, they will be nearing or already in the Qi Condensation stage, at which point they should return to the clan to practice the true, hardcore secret transmission Dao methods and inherited auxiliary arts reserved for the Qi Condensation stage.

Moreover, small cultivators like Wang Yulou, who have not learned the family's inherited auxiliary arts or secret transmission Dao methods, will not cause the family's heritage to leak out when they go abroad to learn skills.

Therefore, sending family cultivators out of the clan to learn skills and learning everything possible is actually a strategy that achieves two goals with one move.

Of course, this cultivation path is enjoyed only by the most promising immortal seeds of the Wang Immortal Clan; in a single generation, perhaps only five or six can have this opportunity.

After all, the tuition fees for just Wang Yulou and Wang Yuan are so high that Wang Rongyuan feels heartache just thinking about them.

We simply cannot afford it!

"This is the first time I've eaten the spirit donkey meat produced by our family; indeed, the taste is excellent!"

Wang Yulou took a bite of the clear-stewed donkey meat, and fragrance immediately filled his mouth and teeth; as the donkey meat entered his stomach, spiritual energy scattered and spread, and he subconsciously wanted to draw in Qi to refine it.

But very quickly, he discovered that he didn't need to control it; this donkey meat naturally transformed into his spiritual energy.

A single bite of donkey meat was equivalent to him cultivating for half a quarter-hour.

Wang Yulou subconsciously looked at Wang Yuan and found that this pig-faced brat had stopped crying and had also fallen into reverie over the spirit food alongside him.

Delicious, and delicious, in short, it is simply delicious!

"Haha, it's not that the family doesn't want you to eat it; the spiritual energy transformed from spirit food is the same as the upper limit of spiritual energy your spiritual roots can carry.

Cultivating for three double-hours with dual spiritual roots yields three double-hours of cultivation; consuming spirit materials worth at least four or five spirit stones also yields three double-hours of cultivation.

Once you enter the Qi Condensation stage, every member of the family will have a monthly quota of spirit materials; by then, you can eat as much as you want!"

Seeing the two boys eating happily, Wang Rongyuan smiled and began to explain.

They are all the Qing Qilin of the Wang Family; through the storms and stresses of the Wang Immortal Clan over so many years, it is precisely generation after generation of young people gradually growing up, shouldering the main beams, that have developed the family to where it is today.

Wang Yulou is wise within and cautious without; with a heart as deep as a pool, he also places great importance on family bonds, making him a good child capable of shouldering the family's heavy burden.

Wang Yuan... well, he's passable, but at least he knows his mistakes, is sensible, and willing to improve; hmm, he'll do.

Wang Yulou, sitting nearby, was rapidly calculating in his mind.

A dual-spirit-root Qi Drawing cultivator, without bottlenecks, needs to spend eighteen years to enter the Qi Condensation stage, which is roughly in their early thirties.

Calculating based on the time the twenty-plus Foundation Establishment cultivators in the family's history spent from the Qi Condensation stage to the Foundation Establishment stage, the average time spent was seventy-seven years, with an average Foundation Establishment age of one hundred and twelve years—still stuck before the golden Foundation Establishment age of one hundred and twenty.

From the data, the Wang Family's resource allocation model for family disciples is quite reasonable!

The Wang Family still cannot afford for Qi Drawing stage disciples to eat spirit food.

Moreover, if we start counting from the Ancestral Progenitor Xuan Ying, grouping every three Foundation Establishment Ancestors together, the average mean age of Foundation Establishment for each group continues to decrease.

From the initial one hundred and twenty-three to the most recent group's one hundred and eight, the numerical center of gravity is constantly lowering.

This indicates that the Wang Immortal Clan's resource allocation model has been continuously improving over the course of more than twelve hundred years, and the total amount of resources is also constantly increasing!

Truly an immortal clan capable of inheriting for a thousand years; even if it is merely a low-tier immortal clan, it still has something to offer!

"Uncle Rongyuan, please drink your tea; the two of us cannot drink too much, and the spiritual energy I have absorbed has nearly reached today's limit for drawing in spirit."

Wang Yuan looked at the clever Wang Yulou, grinding his back teeth; he now wished for some magical treasure that could instantly return him to just now so he could snatch Wang Yulou's sycophantic train of thought.

We are both juniors of Uncle Rongyuan; why are you so competitive?

"Ah, hahaha, you drink, and finish all the meat and vegetables.

I don't lack this bit of spiritual energy; although the Gu Family's spirit tea likes to be mixed with mortal tea for sale, this pot is brewed entirely with genuine Grade Nine spirit tea."

That clan uncle, who had already secretly drunk his fill of Grade Eight spirit tea, answered thus.

Hearing this, Wang Yuan immediately felt ashamed.

What a wonderful Uncle Rongyuan!

Indeed, I was too immature.

After the tea was sufficient and the meal was full, Wang Rongyuan walked with the Eight Directions Step in a dashing manner, leading the two so-called Wang Family Qing Qilin towards their true destination—Hua Feng Ju.

Hua Feng Ju was opened by Zhong Tianshuo, the Red Eyebrow Hermit, a master of fire-based refining in the Qi Condensation stage.

This Red Eyebrow Hermit possesses a cultivation level of ten layers in the Qi Condensation stage and has mastered a fire-based artifact refining technique obtained from who knows where, being most skilled at refining metal and stone artifacts.

In terms of mastery in refining metal and stone artifacts, Zhong Tianshuo is quite famous in several nearby markets and can be called a top-tier artifact refining master among Qi Condensation stage cultivators.

"Brother, look at how Uncle walks; does this not violate our family rules? Isn't it too arrogant?"

The pig-faced brat, huddled beside Wang Yulou, asked in a low voice.

Wang Yulou frowned, discovering that Wang Yuan's condition was not light.

Child, there are some things that cannot be said, understand?

"Ahem! Ahem!"

Wang Rongyuan coughed twice, changing his arrogant Eight Directions Step into a normal walking posture, adjusted his expression, and naturally pretended to be a stingy independent cultivator.

Wasn't it just because I was too overjoyed that the Wang Family has successors that I accidentally got a bit carried away?

"Wang Yuan, you dog, when it comes to managing me, you remember the family rules clearly; good, very good!

I hope you can also abide by the family rules well in the future; Wang Yulou, keep an eye on him; if you find any place where he violates the family rules, record it for me!

When I see you next time, you will report to me separately, and I will handle it myself!"

Wang Yulou replied respectfully.

"I strictly obey Uncle's decree!"

Walking behind the two, Zhu Touzi's swollen red face instantly turned green; he even wished he could slap himself.

He looked pitifully at Yulou and made a crying face.

Gently patting his shoulder, Yulou spread his hands to say—Cry? Crying won't help!

Brother, there's nothing to be done—you're too reckless. Too stupid to become an immortal.

"Here we are, right here. What do you think? The master my clan chief and I picked for you— isn't his shop beautiful?"

Hua Feng Ju sits at the edge of Qing Xi Fang, but it's actually the best location, because it adjoins the Grade-Seven Qin Yun Qing Xi—a Grade-Seven spiritual object!

Put it this way: this shop next to Qin Yun Qing Xi brings Wang Shi two hundred and forty low-grade spirit stones in annual rent income!

Wang Rongyuan's annual clan stipend is only one hundred spirit stones!

Moreover, these two hundred and forty spirit stones are merely the base fee for quota-based use of Grade-Nine Qing Xi water and borrowing scattered spiritual energy for cultivation—like a basic package.

If tenants want more Qing Xi spiritual objects or spiritual resonance, they must pay extra—lots more—premium services, collected by Hong Deng Zhao, one of the Wunanshi Sect.

This is also why Qing Xi Fang has long had Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed here!

Yulou stood before Hua Feng Ju's door, unable to see the Grade-Seven Qin Yun Qing Xi behind the shop, but he noticed a red lantern hanging on its entrance.

"This red lantern... could it be?" He looked at his clan uncle.

"Yes, it's Hong Deng Zhao's token, signifying their subordinate protection—both a shield and a deterrent, and also a symbol of trust."

Wang Rongyuan stroked his beard and nodded with a smile.

These days, if you want to be a dog of the Shi Sect, you'd better have some ability!

Even the lowliest dog of the Shi Sect, if let loose, is formidable!

"Stick close to me—we're going in."

Pulling out a flower-patterned mirror-silver artifact token from his sleeve, Wang Rongyuan led the two boys straight through the shop's prohibition barrier and into Hua Feng Ju.

"Old Zhong, I've brought you your new apprentices." He called out loudly.

Beside him, Yulou's gaze was already captivated by the dazzling array of metals, agates, jades, and artifact blanks inside Hua Feng Ju.

Just as mortal men in his past life loved guns and cannons, in this immortal world, Yulou's favorite things included artifacts.

Artifacts—treasures that protect the Dao.

You could say no cultivator dislikes fine, high-quality artifacts.

"Wang, when are you going to give me the Grade-Eight Water Jade Shattered Pearls you promised to compensate me for?"

A deep, slightly accented male voice rang out, sounding about thirty years old.

Then, from the back chamber of Hua Feng Ju, emerged a fat man wearing embroidered red robes and red eyebrows—Hong Mei Jushi Zhong Tianshuo.

The red embroidered robe shimmered with spiritual light; Yulou looked closer and saw swirling flames.

The flames danced, as if enchanted, leaving both Yulou and Yuan utterly spellbound.

"Recollect!"

With a word, the law followed—the flames on the red robe vanished instantly. Zhong Tianshuo waved his hand irritably and continued.

"No chairs. Stand and speak if you have something to say."

"Brother Tianshuo, about that horse-racing bet last time—I never expected the old ghost at the beast medicine shop to be so despicable, pushing his damn family-secret beast tonic on every horse owner. 【394】 So... uh, right?" Wang Rongyuan chuckled awkwardly, trying to explain.

"So that's....... ah, right?" Wang Rongyuan laughed awkwardly and began to explain.

Wang Clan now has two Foundation Establishment cultivators: one is a true disciple of Hong Deng Zhao, the other joined Hong Deng Zhao as an outer court official after reaching Foundation Establishment.

Logically, either of these two Foundation Establishment ancestors could crush Zhong Tianshuo with a single hand.

Wang Rongyuan had no need to be so courteous.

But... Wang Clan truly needed Zhong Tianshuo's Fire Method Jin Shi Refining Art transmission—desperately needed it.

The clan's own secret transmission was incomplete; Hong Mei's lineage could fill the gaps in Wang Shi's refining arts, and it was easy to obtain—indispensable.

Others had similar transmissions too, but they wouldn't sell them, nor teach them to outsiders—Wang Shi couldn't buy them even if they wanted to.

Being dependent on someone, and having seriously damaged Zhong Tianshuo's finances during the horse-racing bet, Wang Rongyuan could only grit his teeth and try to smooth things over.

"What 'right' or 'not right'?!"

"Wang, the Grade-Eight Water Jade Shattered Pearls were your promise to compensate me!"

Give them to me, and I'll take these two brats—teach them for ten or eight years without issue!"

"Don't give them, then take them and go find another place!"

Hearing Zhong Tianshuo say this, Yulou's heart sank instinctively.

This Hong Mei wasn't an ordinary man—he was merely Qi Condensation, yet still dared to stand firm before a Foundation Establishment clan.

Hearing Zhong Tianshuo's words, Wang Rongyuan's smile froze slightly.

He could have resolved this matter with many methods—but his family craved Zhong Tianshuo's Fire Method Jin Shi Refining Art transmission, so many methods were off-limits, even threats were hard to voice.

Trouble.

Trouble.

Major trouble!

I won't go back on the Grade-Eight Water Jade Shattered Pearls—the Wang Clan's name still holds weight in Anbei; Hong Mei Daofriend, rest assured.

Neither soft nor hard, perfectly measured—but Zhong Tianshuo wasn't buying it.

"So, where are the Grade-Eight Water Jade Shattered Pearls?"

Wang Rongyuan had no choice.

"We haven't found a suitable alchemist yet to refine our piece of Water Jade. Once they finish refining it, I'll give you the shattered pearls.

Don't worry, Master Zhong—I, Wang Rongyuan, would ever lie to you?"

In truth, willing to lose, Zhong Tianshuo was just testing the waters.

After all, those were Grade-Eight Water Jade Shattered Pearls!

Seeing Wang Rongyuan make such a guarantee, he actually believed him—though still…

Hearing the Wang family truly possessed an eighth-rank water jade, he grew even more eager!

"Come to me to forge it! Tell me what you want to make, Brother Wang—we've been old friends, I'll forge it for you free of charge!"

"The Face"

Just a moment ago he was calling him "Wang," now he'd upgraded to "Brother Wang"—Hongmei the Hermit understood how to change faces.

"This… I'll speak with the clan chief later, and I'll give you a strong recommendation. After all, you're the master of Yulou and Yuan—an insider, one of us."

Seeing Wang Rongyuan wouldn't budge, Hongmei the Hermit stopped pressing. He turned to Yulou and Yuan and said.

"Fine. Have them draw a talisman. If their talent's too poor, don't waste my time."

To forge artifacts, first master talismans. If your talisman arts are weak, you can't engrave restrictions onto the artifact's core.

Here—draw on these two sheets of hemp cloth. Let's see your talisman talent."

The Wang family paid for a legacy and sent two apprentices—Hongmei the Hermit was deeply dissatisfied.

You're trying to freeload me, huh?

Today, I must drive one away—only then can I negotiate terms and securely get my hands on the water jade fragments!

Channeling his spiritual energy, several red threads spread from Hongmei the Hermit, pulling chairs, tables, hemp cloth, and Cui Baihao brushes from different corners of the hall and placing them before the two brothers.

Seeing this, Wang Rongyuan sucked in a breath.

What level of spiritual control does this man have?

Interesting.

"Both of you—draw the Spirit-Guiding Talisman. You know it, right? I'm pressed for time!"

Hongmei the Hermit said this, then resumed chatting with Wang Rongyuan.

"You shouldn't have been cozying up to that old ghost—he's rotten. Last time he sold me a daughter a purple marten, and before long, it turned into a purple-furred rat!"

As for having the two boys draw talismans, Wang Rongyuan was naturally confident—they'd been practicing since half a year ago.

The Spirit-Guiding Talisman? Child's play.

"Don't worry, Brother Zhong—I just gave him a good beating today."

"His screams—man, they were loud! Too bad you didn't hear them."

Wang Rongyuan crossed his arms over his chest, speaking with no small pride.

"Oh? Screams? You really gave him a rough time."

Hearing Wang Rongyuan had avenged him, Zhong Tianchuo instantly felt deep respect.

No wonder he's a jewel of the Wang family—truly formidable.

In Qing Xi Fang, only the vassal families of Hongdengzhao dare be this bold—Zhong Tianchuo himself wouldn't dare be so brazen.

"Yes, too bad you weren't there—he screamed so loud, people dozens of zhang away heard him."

Wang Rongyuan held back his laughter, feigning pride as he bragged to Zhong Tianchuo.

Old ghost: I'll f*** your grandma—you drank half a liang of eighth-rank Gu family spiritual tea! Half a liang! All eighth-rank!

"Huh… this one of yours?"

"Yuan, what's wrong? Isn't your drawing going well?"

"Is there some illness on his head?"

"Oh, I gave him a couple of whacks on the road—no problem. If he misbehaves here, just beat him."

Yuan's face twitched, nearly ruining his talisman.

But he'd been relentlessly practicing Spirit-Guiding Talismans lately—even neglecting his cultivation because of it, which was why he was one level below Yulou.

So even with the hellish distractions outside, they didn't affect him at all.

Yulou, by contrast, had been utterly focused on drawing the Spirit-Guiding Talisman from start to finish.

Just as the Spirit-Guiding Talisman was about to be completed.

In Yulou's mind appeared a phantom white Jade Ruyi, one end brimming with gold, like a progress bar.

He subtly shifted his spirit, and the accumulated gold in the Ruyi scattered into tiny specks, drifting and vanishing.

His motion in drawing the talisman instantly became far more exquisite—seemingly ordinary, yet effortlessly smooth, as if naturally perfected.

Third-to-last stroke.

Second-to-last stroke.

Last…

Spirit-Guiding Talisman—complete!

Which transmigrator doesn't have a cheat system?

The Jade Ruyi in his mind appeared only after Yulou's spiritual root was detected.

Its function isn't complex: it accumulates experience while drawing talismans; after roughly fifty drawings, it fills a small vial of Jin Guang.

Think of this Jin Guang as a kind of mini-guarantee.

When consumed, a major failure becomes a minor failure, a minor failure becomes a success, and a success becomes perfect.

He hadn't yet tested what would happen if he triggered the big guarantee with a fully filled Jin Guang bar on a talisman that was already successful.

In his half-year of practice, the first two months were all failures—he couldn't accumulate Jin Guang effectively.

Later, with cultivation to attend to and the cheat system as backup, Yulou grew a little lax, shifting his focus to Qi absorption and cultivation.

After all, this was a world where one could cultivate to immortality—wasn't cultivation all about seizing the moment?

He was eager to know if this guarantee mechanism could work for forging—but dared not hope too much, fearing disappointment.

Forging is costly, complex, and the final product's quality determines a vast difference in value.

If only this guarantee mechanism could work for forging.

In that case, his future, and the future of the Wang Shixian Clan, might undergo earth-shattering changes!

"Uncle Rongyuan, Senior Hongmei, my Spirit-Attracting Talisman is finished!"

After drawing the final stroke, Wang Yuan happily raised his hemp cloth, looking toward Wang Rongyuan and Senior Hongmei, but...

The two Foundation Establishment seniors had already ceased paying attention to him, turning instead to the hemp cloth before Wang Yulou.

"This?"

Those who know the trade need no stage of shock; Wang Rongyuan smiled, waiting for Senior Hongmei to speak.

Senior Hongmei patted his belly and shook his head, saying,

"I'm old. A little child has surpassed me. I might not even be able to draw a Spirit-Attracting Talisman of such quality. Wang Yulou, is it?"

Wang Yulou looked at the Spirit-Attracting Talisman in his hand and said, somewhat overwhelmed by the praise,

"Yes, I am Wang Yulou, Senior Hongmei. This talisman happens to be the best I have drawn since I began drawing talismans; I often ruin them in practice."

Wang Yulou smiled simply, offering an explanation for the perfect Mortal-grade Spirit-Attracting Talisman he had produced.

"Wang Yuan's is not bad either; he has practiced a great deal. Brother Zhong, come take a look."

Wang Yuan looked at Uncle Rongyuan with some confusion, nearly shedding tears of emotion.

Uncle, you still do love me after all!

Wang Rongyuan: The Wang Family spent so many Spirit Stones! You must succeed in becoming a disciple!

Picking up Wang Yuan's Spirit-Attracting Talisman, it was above ordinary but below excellent; one could see the effort put into it.

Senior Hongmei looked at it again and again, finally sighing,

"Brother Wang, I will accept both of them. However, regarding the matter of the Water-Jade Fragmented Pearl, I hope you will give it much attention."

With two fine talents before him, Senior Hongmei was unwilling to speak falsely.

"Of course, of course!"

Wang Rongyuan's face glowed with joy; he had not expected Wang Yuan to be so promising.

He may look unreliable, but he is quite serious when it comes to doing things.

"Today, I will first take them back to bathe and burn incense. Tomorrow morning, I will invite three or five like-minded friends, and we will hold a grand disciple-acceptance ceremony!"

Senior Hongmei glanced at Wang Yulou, then at the pig-headed Wang Yuan; he wanted to say the ceremony could be skipped, yet felt it should still be held.

These two should count as the only two disciples he has taken since he began seeking the Dao; a ceremony ought to be held as witness.

"But, I do not know much about the disciple-acceptance ceremony; I will trouble you, Brother Wang."

"It is only right, only right!"

"That you two can become disciples under Zhong Tianshao brings me great joy; the Clan Head will likely be joyful as well."

On the way back to the inn with the little brats, Wang Rongyuan said with a beaming smile,

"Uncle Rongyuan, is Senior Hongmei really that powerful?"

Wang Yulou did not understand, and Wang Yuan wore an expression of curiosity.

"What do you know? He may have obtained the inheritance of the Foundation Establishment Fire Art, Jin Shi Refining Dao. Do you remember his Spirit-control level today?

His cultivation is about the same as mine, but his Spirit-control level is higher than mine. Come to think of it, we should be about the same age."

Under the moonlight, Uncle Rongyuan sighed with some melancholy,

Cultivation, cultivation; every cultivator strives eagerly to advance further.

As a peer, Wang Rongyuan has already fallen behind Hongmei; how could he not feel melancholy?

If my opportunities had been better?

If I had not been deceived like a foolish boy by that so-called master of mine back then?

If my comprehension had been higher?

"His eyebrows may be caused by Qi manifesting outwardly. Uncle Rongyuan, judging from this point, your potential is greater than his."

Wang Yulou comforted his own clan uncle with these words.

"Hey, you little rascal, now you're lecturing me."

Rubbing Wang Yulou's head, with the major matter accomplished and his heart relieved, Wang Rongyuan joked with a smile,

"I wonder which of you two will reach Foundation Establishment first. Come to think of it, you were born in the same year and month, grew up together since childhood, and now you are about to become disciples under the same master.

You two, you must work hard~"

Wang Yuan wanted to say it would definitely be him, but his face was already swollen enough, so he chose to hold back.

Wang Yulou, just you wait; by then, I will absolutely make you call me Senior!

"Eh?"

Cultivators have excellent vision; when they reached the inn of the Wang Family in Qing Xi Fang, across the road, Wang Rongyuan and Wang Yulou simultaneously noticed the mother and daughter they had seen at noon.

That mother was still standing there, the plaque around her neck still in place; she leaned despairingly against the fence of Qing Xi Fang, and at her feet lay her daughter, exhausted and asleep.

Ten taels of silver; to a cultivator, it is but a trifle.

But the vast majority of people choose to give nothing at all.

In the Southern Cultivation World, few have the spare capacity to retain warmth and compassion.

As long as one has not become an immortal, one is still human; a person who cannot even protect oneself!

Wang Yulou glanced at his clan uncle; Wang Rongyuan fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Go; I will watch over things here."

Taking the silver his clan uncle handed him, Wang Yulou walked toward the mother and daughter.

In the evening at Qing Xi Fang, there were still many people, though far fewer than when they had arrived.

If he did not save them, in this cultivator's market, the mother and daughter would not live long.

"Here, ten taels of silver."

Wang Yulou pressed a small golden bean into the woman's hand, and the exhausted woman opened her eyes.

"Thank you, Immortal Master. Thank you, Immortal Master."

"I am not an Immortal Master."

Wang Yulou shook his head in melancholy.

A family that accumulates goodness will surely have surplus blessings.

That is all.

He is merely a cultivator striving desperately for the Dao; how could he be called an Immortal Master?

"Wait a moment; I have something to give her."

Under Yulou's puzzled gaze, the woman took a bag of silver from her bosom.

She placed the golden bean Yulou had given her inside, then tied the entire bag onto the hand of her daughter, who was still unconscious.

"Forgive me, forgive me; this little Immortal Master is a good person."

The mother wept bitterly and embraced the daughter who was about to leave.

Lowering her head, she lifted the little girl up and held her before Yulou.

She was reluctant and unwilling to send her daughter away, but she was even more unwilling to let her daughter suffer alongside her.

"My family needs many people; I am a descendant of the Tea King Gu clan, and you may come as well."

"No, it is better for her without me as a mother. She will have a spiritual root; her father is a cultivator, so she will surely have a spiritual root, won't she?"

Yulou replied, unable to bear it.

"Yes, she will have a spiritual root."

He could not bear to shatter a mother's greatest blessing for her child.

Child, Mama has no spiritual root, but you will have a spiritual root; you surely will!

"Let her cultivate the Dao well. Immortal Master, you are a good person; you will become an immortal."

This mother of a mortal body and impure womb took one last look at her departing daughter and wiped away her unceasing tears.

She turned resolutely, stumbled with her steps, and vanished into the night of Qing Xi Fang as if fleeing.

Touching the silk-sewn little money bag stuffed with silver, Yulou held the child and stood motionless in place for a long time.

There were no lamps on the roadside of Qing Xi Fang, but tonight a bright white full moon hung in the sky.

Wang Yulou raised his head, his eyes already filled with tears.

The moon is brightest in one's homeland; the moon is brightest in one's homeland.

He missed his mother.