Chapter 396: Power Cannot Be Passed Down Through Bloodlines

"Power,"

"how can it be passed down through bloodlines?"

"If everyone were like this, the immortal sects would turn into various noble families, forming cliques and attacking opponents, leaving public power utterly non-existent."

Jiang Ding looked at the starry sky outside the window and muttered to himself, "How could such a thing happen to me? This cannot be, it should not be."

"Nephew, this is the last gift I give you."

"May you be safe and sound."

The figure vanished.

Beneath the molten gold vines covering the mountains, a youth in green robes sat cross-legged.

"Junior Uncle."

Monk Monk Fa Zheng bowed his head respectfully and said, "Over the past three years, the warfare in the Northern Plains has become even more frequent. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators have sought refuge here through the Spirit Treasure Merchant Guild, and even five Jin Dan cultivators have come to reside here. Security has deteriorated sharply."

"Fortunately, due to the deterrent power of the Ancestor, no members of the Law Enforcement Hall have died so far."

"These are the intelligence reports on those five Jin Dan cultivators. Since we juniors have poor eyesight and dare not make any outrageous moves, we cannot guarantee their authenticity."

He handed over a jade slip, speaking uneasily.

Jiang Ding swept his spiritual sense over the jade slip.

Five Jin Dan cultivators: one at the Jin Dan Zhong Qi realm, and four at the Jin Dan Chu Qi realm.

Cultivators at these two realms seem to be more prone to fleeing.

Jin Dan Hou Qi cultivators are at the top of their respective powers, possessing greater self-defense capabilities and potential for advancement, so they are unwilling to abandon the prosperous Northern Plains Cultivation World to come to this remote backwater.

"Vajra Tuo..."

Jiang Ding looked at a portrait of a person.

This was the name of that Jin Dan Zhong Qi cultivator. The man wore a tattered monk's robe, always holding a wooden fish in his hand, tapping it occasionally now and then, resembling an ascetic monk.

"Junior Uncle,"

Monk Monk Fa Zheng suggested, "How about banning Jin Dan cultivators from entering Master Tushan Xiancheng from now on? Although they spend generously and bring many spirit stones and heavenly treasures to Master Tushan Xiancheng, they are too dangerous. It would be better to safely earn spirit stones from Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"Banning Jin Dan from entering?"

Jiang Ding carefully considered the feasibility of this.

After a long while, he shook his head.

"It was a mistake on my part, Junior Disciple."

Monk Monk Fa Zheng himself felt it was wrong and showed a look of shame: "No matter how many spirit stones are brought by transactions from mere Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators, they are of little use to the Ancestor. Only by attracting more Jin Dan cultivators to come here will it benefit the Ancestor's Dao path."

"So be it."

"Regardless of the guest, treat them with courtesy."

Jiang Ding waved his hand.

"Yes!"

Monk Monk Fa Zheng respectfully withdrew.

There was another consideration he did not voice.

Jin Dan cultivators wield great power. If they cannot find a place to cultivate here, they will wander to various places, posing huge security risks to the Tier Three spirit mines across the Demon Kingdom.

Even if the Tushan Sword Cultivators are extremely powerful, if Jin Dan cultivators simply avoid direct confrontation, snatch what they want, and run away, what can be done?

Therefore, until the very last moment, these Jin Dan cultivators must not be driven to desperation.

"It is better within the formation."

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

Tushan Xiancheng is protected by a Tier Three High-Grade formation; it is his strongest place, so he fears nothing.

Moments later,

Gong Gong Caiyu and twelve maids including Qiu Guo, Chun Shi, and Dong Dong Xue arrived, accompanied by one hundred and twenty reserve maids who flew up and formed two circles around him.

Xia Tu had rotated to guard the Poison Flow Silver Mine.

"Young Master."

Before the lecture began, Chun Shi, the first maid of Spring, stood up, bent her knees in a bow, and said, "We discovered a candidate maid with the Heavenly Wood Spirit Root in the mortal lands of Tu Kingdom. Do you wish to see her?"

Jiang Ding was stunned.

His spiritual sense swept over and quickly found a timid little girl behind the charming Chun Shi.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Chun Chun Jian."

The little girl was somewhat nervous and stammered, "My father is the physician Ju Lu of Tu Kingdom. My father said to send me to Master Tushan Xiancheng to cultivate..."

"Keep going, study hard."

Jiang Ding nodded and said nothing more.

If she truly had talent, she would naturally rise from among the reserve maids; he would not specially favor anyone.

Everything is ranked according to merit and academic performance.

Chun Shi was somewhat disappointed.

She had thought she might be taken as a direct disciple like the Supreme Elder of Xiang Qiyu Sect, in which case she would also benefit a little.

"Today, we discuss the Dao Heart."

Jiang Ding spoke slowly.

"We must not bully the weak."

"When facing calamity cultivators, evil cultivators, demonic cultivators, man-eating demon beasts, and so on, if we can defeat them, we must eliminate them immediately; if we cannot, we must summon companions or flee at once."

"For mortals, we must show them great care..."

This lesson on the Dao Heart was, in his eyes, extremely important.

Once a maid or a candidate maid failed this course, she would be immediately eliminated and transferred to institutions like the Law Enforcement Hall, regardless of her talent.

If our values do not align, we are not of the direct lineage.

Maids like Gong Gong Caiyu and Chun Shi, along with a large group of ignorant candidate maids, listened earnestly, occasionally taking out jade slips to record a few points.

Time flowed like water; before anyone knew it, another five years had passed.

Under the blue-gold tree, Jiang Ding opened his eyes. His magic power completed one full Zhou Tian cycle. He swept with his divine sense, confirmed that his maternal grandparents several kilometers away had no health issues, walked out the door, and began preparing breakfast for the family for the day.

The Great Clarity Flying Swords busily served milk, bread, eggs, and other items to the three of them.

"Brother, why won't you even see Xiao Lin and Xiao Ling once?"

At the dining table, Jiang Yuan complained.

The dragon-phoenix twins from back then were now five years old, able to walk with skips and jumps. They were quite mischievous, often making their maternal grandparents laugh heartily and become much more cheerful.

The only thing that deeply regretted her was that, to this day, this brother and sister pair had not seen their uncle even once.

Every time, they missed each other by sheer coincidence.

"I just happen to have matters to attend to."

Jiang Ding shook his head, unwilling to discuss this topic.

"But they are your nephew and niece."

Jiang Yuan still refused to give up, pleading, "Older brother, at least we should meet once. No matter what, meeting once is better than nothing."

Jiang Ding shook his head silently.

"Just meet them, I beg you..."

Jiang Yuan would not yield, pulling his sleeve and refusing to let go.

Silence for a long while.

"Sister."

Jiang Ding sighed softly.

"How old are you now?"

"Sixty-one. What's wrong?"

Jiang Yuan did not understand.

"Sixty-one, Qi Refining Layer Seven, not even as good as Mother's Qi Refining Layer Eight." Jiang Ding said calmly, "How much time do you have left? How many chances do you have to pass your Foundation Establishment trial?"

"If you continue like this, the time remaining in your life is already not much."

"The path of immortality values privacy; even parents and children cannot interfere, nor should they. If you still harbor any lingering thoughts, you had best return your mind to cultivation as soon as possible."

"Otherwise..."

Jiang Ding closed his mouth and said no more.

He said nothing further, left the room, and walked toward his maternal grandparents' house.

"I..."

Jiang Yuan was stunned, somewhat at a loss.

This was the first time she had seen her older brother so stern.

Even over forty years ago, when she gave up her studies in the Dao Department of Qianling University, she had never seen him like this.

We'll talk tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)