Chapter 417: A Single Dog Has No Right to Preach

Several months later, Auntie also passed away peacefully at the end of her life.

The huge family instantly became much quieter.

Lin Lin Yuanwang withered and aged at a visible speed, often sitting dazedly at home, staring blankly at the wall.

Jiang Ding silently watched Lin Lin Yuanwang.

'He has become much lonelier and more fragile; more than half of the pillar supporting his spiritual world has collapsed.'

'I don't know when it can be rebuilt, or if it will be as solid as before after reconstruction.

Parents are part of our spiritual world.'

The consecutive deaths of his parents struck him extremely hard; his spirit suffered almost a devastating shock.

As one of the last relatives in this world, he felt it necessary to accompany him until humanity's inherent instinct for mental adjustment took effect, blurring emotions and memories in some aspects, so he could move on.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator is still human.

In fact, because their soul is even stronger, their joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures are expressed more directly and vividly than ordinary people; there is no such thing as a cultivator cultivating themselves into a robot of supreme detachment.

"Have you considered building a family?"

Jiang Ding asked.

If people just sit still without moving, trouble easily arises.

It is best to get busy—work, talk, cultivate, anything will do.

"Getting married, is that it?"

After waiting a while, Lin Lin Yuanwang came to his senses, gave a bitter smile, and said, "Before, there was a girl at the company I somewhat liked, but she is a Qi Refining cultivator. Let's wait; before I fall too deep, I'll look around again. Ideally, someone I can be buried with."

"That's not bad; there would be many common topics."

"However, you should also try to arrange time for cultivation. You are currently at the peak of the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Make an effort; let's strive for a Jin Dan at two hundred years old. Then we can go worship your maternal grandfather and grandmother, making them happy."

Jiang Ding smiled.

"And getting married, having children; I've heard the home becomes much livelier..."

"Children?"

Lin Lin Yuanwang rolled his eyes at him: "You, a lifelong single dog, don't tell me these things you read online. I've had a girlfriend, haven't I? Don't you know better than me?"

"Hahaha..."

Jiang Ding gave an awkward smile.

Evening, after dinner.

A youth in green robes and an old woman with a head full of white hair and deep wrinkles, yet still able to stand upright, walked together by the river.

All around were people taking post-dinner strolls.

There were young couples, families of three holding hands with a small child, families of five or six with grandparents, and the rarer one or two people.

Just like many years ago, nothing had changed.

Only the people walking on the path were no longer the original ones.

For a long time, there was silence.

"Ding Ding, do you know?"

Lin Lin Wanqiu suddenly said, "In these past few years, I have frequently attended funerals: those of my high school and elementary school classmates, former colleagues from the Rongcheng Steel Factory, neighbors, and teachers from Rongcheng No. 1 High School."

"So frequent that I thought an old friend passed away every day."

"Until a month ago,"

"there were none left,"

"I no longer need to attend any funerals. The last old friend passed away. Not counting those classmates from middle and high school who had excellent grades but no connection with me, I am now the only one still alive among my friends."

"Now, my younger brother has also gone."

"It really feels like there is no interest in living."

"This won't do."

Jiang Ding shook his head and said, "Mother is someone who will become a Foundation Establishment cultivator; she won't be so fragile."

After years of cultivation, she is now at the peak of Qi Refining.

"That's true."

Lin Lin Wanqiu sighed: "This must be the severing of worldly ties on the path of immortality. My mindset is very stable now; I can accept whatever the result is.

Success is joyful; failure is also fine. It is simply the birth, aging, sickness, and death of nature. Countless such things happen every day; whether one more or one less makes no difference."

"I plan to break through to Foundation Establishment tomorrow."

Jiang Ding nodded gently.

"As long as Mother feels it is good herself."

Matters of cultivation: others can provide help, but cannot interfere, regardless of the outcome.

"How are the two little ones doing?"

Breaking through to Foundation Establishment emphasizes naturalness; one cannot be too deliberate or nervous. Jiang Ding changed the subject.

"Others are not little ones anymore."

Lin Lin Wanqiu chuckled.

"They are big ones of thirty years old,"

"Your brother lacks some talent and patience. He is still at the great success stage of Inner Qi in the Young Eagle phase, with no sign of breakthrough for a long time. Instead, he has turned towards indulging in pleasures and entertainment. He has a whole set of twisted logic: life is short, enjoy it early, and so on. I say it, but he won't listen."

"Just like his mother."

"Pity he doesn't have another older brother to back him up on everything."

"That's for the best."

"No matter what kind of life you live, it's still a life—just live it well. No one's life is nobler than another's; each has its own brilliance."

Lin Lin Wanqiu sighed.

"As for my younger sister, her talent isn't outstanding, but she does work hard."

"With top-tier martial cultivation potential, a good family background, and relentless effort, she passed the entrance exam for the Qianling University Daoist Department and is now in her first year of college. She's at the Young Eagle Primordial Realm and is working hard to switch her Gong Fa—she should return this year."

"The little one works so hard—could you possibly..."

Lin Lin Wanqiu asked.

"Of course."

Jiang Ding smiled slightly: "One supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, plus half the resources needed to advance from Qi Condensation Early Stage to Qi Condensation Peak—how about that?"

It wasn't that he was unwilling to spend more spirit stones; giving too much would rob her of motivation, which isn't good for cultivation.

Immortal cultivation is a blend of practice and study—leaning too far toward either side is harmful.

Rongcheng Library.

The best cultivation room.

The whole family was there: Jiang Lin Yuanwang, Jiang Yuan, and two young men and women in their twenties.

"The whole family..."

Jiang Ding sighed faintly.

How many years had passed? In his memory, the once-bustling home had dwindled to just three or four people.

As for Jiang Yuan's side—the man, now over ninety years old—was ancient and frail, filled with resentment, and had refused to take part in anything here for decades.

Of course, no one had invited him.

"May heaven protect Grandma—please let her break through Foundation Establishment..."

The burly young man clasped his hands together, a string of Buddhist prayer beads hanging around his neck, pacing back and forth outside the cultivation room, muttering prayers.

"Little Bear, what's that around your neck?"

The woman beside him slapped him hard, angry: "We're cultivators—why are you bothering with those bald monks? This is clearly not the right path."

"This is specialization."

"The Dao Master is strong, sure—but he's a cloud-dwelling hermit who doesn't meddle in affairs."

The burly young man glared at her: "Also, I'm the older brother—you're Xiao Yun—you must call me Xiong Ge, at the very least Da Xiong. Who taught you to call me Little Bear??"

"Little Bear!"

"Xiao Yun!"

"Xiong!"

"..."

The moment they saw each other, they started arguing, chaos erupting.

"Stop it!"

Jiang Yuan, impatient, gave each of them a tap on the head to quiet them: "Your brother's here—nothing will happen. Why are you yelling?"

In this regard, she was extremely confident.

"Is Uncle here too?"

Both perked up, eyes darting around.

They were intensely curious about this uncle—only spoken of in legends, never seen.

They'd heard he was once a tiny thing, incredibly cute.

Nothing.

"Uncle Jiang..."

Just as they were about to speak, the ambient spiritual energy around them shifted noticeably—they instantly fell silent, turning their gazes toward the cultivation room.

(End of Chapter)