Chapter 177: Thriving and Prosperous, None of Them Look Like Me

Xu Mingyuan glanced over and smiled faintly, "The Ge family is quite generous, but do you only want to do a one-time deal with my Xu family?"

"Not at all. It's just that the situation in Guangling Commandery has been somewhat turbulent recently. The family head discussed with the other branch heads to reduce the frequency of transactions to avoid being targeted.

I imagine your Xu family also doesn't want to attract other Guangling Commandery families because of this, right?"

The Ge family Grand Elder stared into Xu Mingyuan's eyes and continued, "Moreover, for my Ge family to produce so many resources at once also hurts our foundation. If something goes wrong, the losses would be extremely severe."

Xu Mingyuan nodded, his gaze once again falling on that transaction list.

Middle and top-grade Antidote Pills, Healing Pills, top-grade Barrier Breaking Pills, middle and top-grade advancement pills, middle and top-grade essence restoration pills.

As for transaction resources, besides spirit herbs, demon beast materials, and spirit ores, there were also quite a few techniques and secret arts.

"Soul Searching Technique, Soul Confusion Technique. What are these two techniques like?"

"Soul Searching Technique, if the realm difference isn't large, the other party can resist. It can succeed when they're severely injured and weakened, but will cause some impact to their soul. Only when the realm gap is large enough will there not be too much damage.

Soul Confusion Technique is similar in requirements but more stringent. There must be a full major realm difference for a high success rate. Those who fall victim to this technique will answer all questions and won't have these memories even after waking up."

Xu Mingyuan nodded slightly, thinking inwardly: Quite useful indeed.

In addition, there was the fire-attribute Foundation Establishment technique "Heaven Burning Formula," "Blood Burning Technique," and several other extremely valuable secret arts.

"It seems the Ge family truly values this transaction, and after success, they may not trade again for at least several years or even over ten years.

Year after year like this, even Foundation Establishment families can't bear it.

No magical artifacts. Looks like the Ge family should be in constant alert. The Wei and Feng families may not make too much trouble, but their aligned families' conflicts will intensify.

What good calculation, transferring their own conflicts to the aligned Qi Refining families.

The Wei and Feng clans probably also gave out quite a few good things."

Thinking of this, Xu Mingyuan thought inwardly, "It seems the original instigation to sow discord still had its uses after all. If not for the situation, the Ge family probably wouldn't take out such large amounts of resources to quickly enhance their own strength."

He began calculating the prices between these resources and pills.

What remained uncertain were these techniques.

These were all extremely valuable to the Xu family. Xu Mingyuan also didn't want to haggle over this aspect, so he marked these techniques at relatively high prices.

The Ge family Grand Elder nodded in satisfaction, thinking, "As expected, newly promoted immortal cultivation families all value these dao repositories. The Xu family is also quite fair. The prices are over twenty percent higher than market rates."

After pondering for a moment, Xu Mingyuan smiled faintly, "Given the Ge family's generosity this time, my Xu family will trade the Ge family three top-grade Spirit Advancement Pills to demonstrate the friendship between our two families, hoping the Ge family will grow stronger day by day."

"Spirit Advancement Pills?" The Ge family Grand Elder asked doubtfully, "This old man has never heard of them. What effect does this pill have, and what's its value?"

"One hundred spirit stones per pill. One price, no bargaining."

Hearing this, the Ge family Grand Elder nearly spit out the tea in his mouth, his eyes wide as he said, "One hundred spirit stones per pill? Is the Xu family taking my Ge family for fools?"

"Fellow Daoist Ge, please remain calm. After listening, you'll understand why this pill is worth one hundred spirit stones."

"Then please, Fellow Daoist Xu, explain properly!"

"On the previous transaction list, I roughly estimated it exceeded the pill values somewhat, so the Xu family is willing to produce Spirit Advancement Pills. This pill isn't traded with ordinary people.

A person can only consume three in their lifetime. It can greatly enhance an immortal cultivator's divine sense and is effective even for Qi Refining perfection.

Even low-grade pills cost fifty spirit stones each.

Top-grade pills are even more precious.

After all, this is a second-tier pill, with refining difficulty far exceeding True Essence Pills.

Fellow Daoist Ge should know about True Essence Pills, right?"

"Can enhance divine sense? There's actually such a pill?!" The Ge family Grand Elder was still somewhat skeptical.

"Fellow Daoist need not doubt this. My Xu family's transactions are honest, never deceiving young or old. If the effects don't match, we're willing to compensate double in equivalent spirit stones or resources."

Xu Mingyuan smiled, "Of course, if the Ge family is unwilling, my Xu family can add a few more bottles of top-grade Barrier Breaking Pills or Qi Gathering Pills and such.

However, to trade for top-grade Spirit Advancement Pills next time won't be so easy, unless you produce resources that move my Xu family's heart."

The Ge family Grand Elder was at the ninth layer of Qi Refining with naturally extraordinary vision.

If truly as Xu Mingyuan said, this Spirit Advancement Pill's value far exceeded equivalent Qi Gathering Pills and such, enough to mold a genius surpassing their peers and the Ge family indeed lacked a true genius!

"Good, let's trade for top-grade Spirit Advancement Pills." The Ge family Grand Elder decisively made his choice.

Xu Mingyuan's move was also to deepen their mutual relationship. He was optimistic about the Ge family's future, believing they would at minimum be a Foundation Establishment family.

"The required pills are numerous. My Xu family also needs time to prepare. I'll escort Fellow Daoist Ge to stay at the mountain base. When the pills are ready, we'll naturally deliver them to you, Fellow Daoist."

"Good, please hurry. At latest half a month, this old man must return to Guangling Commandery."

After deliberation, the Ge family Grand Elder gave a deadline.

"My Xu family will try our best." Xu Mingyuan bowed with cupped hands and smiled calmly.

After settling the Ge family Grand Elder, Xu Mingyuan went to find Xu Chuan. After all, of these pills, currently only Xu Chuan in the Xu family could refine them.

"Half a month? Then deliver them at the deadline." Xu Chuan said flatly, "Take half from the clan's inventory, and I'll refine half for them."

"Yes, Father."

"However, you deciding to gift three top-grade Spirit Advancement Pills on your own authority, that's really generous."

"I think the Ge family has potential to become a Foundation Establishment family, and they're not the domineering type that forgets their roots. Otherwise, this child definitely wouldn't dare do so."

"Forget it, if they're gone we'll refine more. With the spirit herbs the Ge family gave this time, plus my Xu family's reserves, we can just about gather two sets of Spirit Advancement Pill formulas."

"Then this child will take his leave."

Xu Mingyuan departed and returned to continue handling affairs, cultivating diligently when free.

When the half-month deadline arrived, he delivered the pills to the Ge family Grand Elder.

The Ge family Grand Elder also had the Xu family inspect the transaction resources the Ge family had prepared.

Afterward, both sides nodded in satisfaction.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, this old man won't stay longer at your Xu family. Farewell."

"I'll see you out, Fellow Daoist."

With Xu Mingyuan leading the way, the two flew directly outside the mist array.

"Farewell!"

After speaking, the Ge family Grand Elder transformed into a stream of light, instantly rushing to the distant horizon.

The Xu family obtained the Soul Searching Technique and Soul Confusion Technique. Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei began practicing these types of secret arts again.

Top-grade techniques only required sufficient combat experience, but these types of secret arts, the more the better.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

The Xu Trading Company was thriving and prosperous. Even quite a few rogue cultivators heard about it and came to Yuehu Commandery.

To see if they could trade for middle and top-grade pills or magical artifacts.

Some individual rogue cultivators even felt the Xu family's potential was great and wanted to pledge allegiance.

The Xu family naturally carefully selected them, inviting two mid-stage Qi Refining and one late-stage Qi Refining rogue cultivators.

One mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator named Lu Feng knew some talisman arts and could stably draw low-grade talismans, sufficient to teach Xu clan descendants.

The other was named Luo Qianshan, mid-stage Qi Refining, knew some array formation arts and could help Xu Mingxian.

The last one was eighth layer of Qi Refining, Wu Zhen.

He wanted to settle down and felt the Xu family potentially had greater prospects than the Zhou family, which was why he joined.

Of course, all three had their character tested.

Those unsuitable were directly eliminated.

The eighth layer Qi Refining one joined the Battle Hall, while the other two naturally entered the Immortal Arts Hall.

Besides getting one free bottle of cultivation resources upon joining, everything else required their own contributions to obtain additionally.

Of course, resources within the Xu family were basically all top-grade pills.

Enough to make their eyes burn with desire.

Therefore, each one genuinely worked for the Xu family with sincerity.

The Xu family's reputation gradually spread to nearby connected commandery cities and became known to many immortal cultivation families.

In their eyes, Yuehu Commandery only had the Zhou family worth a second glance. Now another quite promising immortal cultivation family had appeared and a newly promoted immortal cultivation family at that.

Of course, quite a few families also disdained the Xu family's commercial path.

The Yunshan Commandery family that had previously reached a deal with the Xu family, the Yun family, after hearing about the Xu family's reputation in Yuehu Commandery, finally sent someone to trade with the Xu family.

However, unlike the Ge family, their first transaction didn't even reach a tenth of the Ge family's.

Of course, the Xu family wouldn't turn them away at the door.

All visitors are guests.

Business is inherently a matter of steady flow.

After the Yun family saw the Xu family could truly produce these top-grade pills, their doubts were completely dispelled, and they also calculated conducting several more trades with the Xu family in the future.

Xu Mingyuan could also guess several points but didn't mind.

As long as the Yun family needed these pill resources, they would definitely trade with the Xu family time and again.

No matter what, the Xu family profited greatly in all cases.

Xu Mingshu also used these resources to cultivate a new batch of Red-Spotted Insects, though not many, only over a thousand. The focus was still on cultivating individual Red-Spotted Insect strength.

Only by producing some powerful individual Red-Spotted Insects could the insect swarm avoid being easily defeated.

With the Insect Control Scripture, she finally knew how to cultivate spirit insects and even spirit beasts. It even recorded quite a few profound restriction techniques, far incomparable to the half-volume Insect Control Manual.

However, regarding ancient rare insect cultivation records, there were very few. It didn't contain Iron-Devouring Flying Ant cultivation methods, which left her quite helpless.

Therefore, she could only honestly feed them spirit iron and spirit ores, first cultivating them to adulthood before considering expanding their numbers.

Xu Mingshu also informed Xu Chuan of this matter.

"This Insect Control Scripture should be an important inheritance of some Great Liang beast control family." After deliberating, Xu Chuan looked at Xu Mingshu and said, "The secret arts on it can be cultivated, but don't show off."

"A family with this inheritance, their strength among Foundation Establishment families is definitely top-tier, if not a second-rank family then a first-rank family."

"Your daughter understands." Xu Mingshu nodded.

"By the way, has the female tiger given birth yet?"

"Seems like soon, should be these next few days."

"It's been quite a while, far exceeding a normal tiger's gestation period. Looks like she can directly give birth to one or two demon beasts. Cultivate them well. Also, the Azure Fire Eagles can also consider expanding their clan.

My Xu family's current foundation has no problem cultivating them."

"Yes, Father."

Three days later, the female tiger gave birth, producing quadruplets, two males and two females. Among them, one male and one female were demon beasts, though their fur was quite peculiar.

One had black and white stripes all over, a female tiger.

The other was simply a black tiger, with only the character for "King" in pale gold.

The rest all took after their mother the female tiger, with yellow-black stripes, though they weren't ordinary wild beasts either and could be considered a variant species.

The mother female tiger, nourished by spirit medicines and spirit pills, also greatly increased in intelligence and became a variant species.

"Little White, why are you standing there dazed?" Xu Mingshu patted Little White's body.

Roar~ (None of them look like me.)

Xu Mingshu was stunned, "That's true. White fur is so cute, but unfortunately none of your offspring inherited it. However, black looks even more mysterious and noble."

The white tiger tilted its head, golden pupils observing the four little ones wrinkled into balls.

Did I really give birth to these?

In just two or three days, the two little ones born as demon beasts opened their eyes.

Both inherited the white tiger's golden pupils.

As for the other two little ones, they still needed seven or eight days by the looks of it.

Quite a few people in the Xu family came to view them, exclaiming in wonder.

"Auntie, look at these two little ones wobbling when they walk, falling over constantly. So cute! Do they have names?"

"Not yet. I just call them Eldest, Second, Third, and Fourth like that." Xu Mingshu said, "The black tiger is Eldest, the black-and-white striped tiger is Second, this is Third, and that's Fourth."

"Eldest, come here."

Hearing Xu Mingshu's voice, the black tiger turned to look, then really did wobble over.

It even fell twice during the process.

Xu Mingxuan teased, "Second Brother, doesn't this look like a scene of a mother teaching a child to walk?"

Xu Mingyuan also said with amusement, "It does. After all, our Mingshu can only use her maternal love on them."

Xu Mingshu directly ignored them. After the black tiger came close, she directly held it in her arms.

The black tiger didn't resist either, letting her gently pet it. A pair of golden pupils examined the surrounding people, as if recognizing faces.

Xu Deling walked over and picked up the black-and-white striped tiger, but it kept struggling, though unable to break free.

Xu Mingshu heard it calling out, smiled slightly, walked over to soothe it, "Second, everyone here is family. Don't make noise. Be like your brother."

"It really quieted down. Auntie, you're amazing." Seeing the black-and-white striped tiger calm down, Xu Deling also began learning from Xu Mingshu, gently stroking along its fur.

"By the way, Ling'er, I heard your elder aunt finally settled your second brother's marriage? Which family's young lady is it?"

"From the Chang family head's lineage, the second branch." Xu Deling replied, "Second Brother even dragged me to see her. She's an outstanding young lady from a distinguished family who also knows some martial arts, approximately at the third-rate martial artist level."

"Why not from the direct lineage?"

"Those of suitable age are already married. One married my cousin Yang Ruifeng. There is a younger one, but only five or six years old."

Xu Mingyuan knew the situations of vassal families like the Chang and Yang families like the back of his hand.

"Just as Second Uncle said, Mother doesn't care about legitimate or concubine-born status, as long as suitable. Father also agrees, and Second Brother himself thinks it's fine."

Xu Mingshu nodded and said no more, then looked at Xu Mingxuan and Xu Mingyuan, "Why do you two have free time today?"

Xu Mingxuan said, "Little White is also a family member. His offspring, I naturally need to come see."

Xu Mingyuan also nodded in agreement.

His gaze circled around the two little ones.

"Hmph, don't think I can't see you want to set your sights on Eldest and Second. Dream on!"

Xu Mingshu immediately protected her cubs.

At this time, Xu Mingwei also descended from the sky and immediately said, "Mingshu, are any of Little White's offspring suitable for your eldest brother here?"

Hearing this, everyone immediately burst into laughter.