Chapter 95: I Won't Marry!

The western mountains held the sun, clouds and mist became ink, the firmament the paper, painting wondrous colors of black and yellow.

Suddenly, returning geese passed through the sunset glow, their wingtips stained with twilight.

Thousands of qing of rice fields instantly became golden waves. Among the surging grain, each husk was like a tiny bronze mirror, refracting halos of varying shades.

The stream's surface floated with golden leaping scales, neither fish nor light.

Village children played and chased, their hair ends and clothes' corners all adorned with fine golden light, as if scattered fragments of golden pills dropped by banished immortals.

…

Jade Cold Pool.

Mountain wind brushed past. The several strings of wind chimes hanging under the bamboo house eaves made pleasant sounds that cleansed the spirit.

A green gleam treading upon golden clouds descended at the head of the Jade Cold Pool.

"There really is a crimson-scaled python. It seems Father indeed has talent in calculation and divination."

Xu Mingxian was no longer a child and had long seen that his family members all seemed to possess talents.

"I have immortal cultivation talent and array Dao talent. Eldest brother has innate divine strength. Fourth sister can communicate with birds and beasts. Third brother has extraordinary fortune, it should be something like seeking fortune and avoiding harm. As for second brother, there shouldn't be something like talent for wealth accumulation in the world, right?"

Since Xu Mingyuan had taken charge of the family's finances, they had never seen any losses.

Xu Mingxian thought carefully, "Perhaps being skilled at commerce is also a kind of talent."

"The Xu family's secrets seem to be more than just the Innate Five Elements Creation Art."

Though he had some guesses, if Xu Chuan didn't speak, he wouldn't ask.

The Innate Five Elements Creation Art was already a tremendous fortune. If even the Great Wei's imperial clan heard of it, they would conceive thoughts of destroying the Xu family and seizing this inheritance.

Not to mention the fortunate opportunity that allowed descendants to possess special talents.

Seeing their distress, Xu Mingxian suddenly said lightly, "Let me handle it."

The voice inexplicably came from above. Everyone was startled, looking up one after another.

Under myriad golden rays, they saw Xu Mingxian slowly descending while treading on a flying sword. Only then did they clearly see it was Xu Mingxian returning.

"Yunnu."

"Fifth uncle."

"Fifth Master."

Xu Mingxian nodded in acknowledgment.

Zhang Wanqing asked in surprise, "Why did you come back?"

"To deliver some things."

Xu Dezhao grinned, "Fifth uncle, with you here it's simple. We were just discussing how to handle this demon beast."

"Everyone move back some." Xu Mingxian didn't say much, only smiled lightly.

Hearing this, everyone retreated.

They saw Xu Mingxian form a sword seal. The azure flying sword made ringing sounds, its blade entwined with pale golden magical power flowing light.

Golden radiance spiraled around the crimson python's vital point at seven inches. Each rotation peeled off three bowl-sized crimson scales.

Under magical power's guidance, the scales arranged themselves neatly like a wild goose formation to the left side of a jade basin.

After a divine sense sweep confirmed the poison sac's location, Xu Mingxian controlled the sword light to make a cut, completely extracting the poison sac and placing it in the jade basin without harming the sac's membrane at all.

When subsequently removing venomous fangs, the sword moved with light elegance, picking at tooth roots as if picking up embroidery needles. When peeling the snake skin, the sword momentum became solid and heavy. The sword's spine tapped the snake's body, causing skin and flesh to naturally separate.

Most marvelous was the instant of extracting the snake eyes, the sword tip trembled nine times lightly, completely severing all adhesive optic nerves.

Finally, that three-cun single horn was lifted by magical power and sent before Xu Mingxian's eyes.

Its surface displayed natural dark red patterns.

Xu Mingxian lightly flicked the horn tip with his fingernail and sighed, "If it had grown several more cun, it could serve as main material for a middle-grade magical artifact. Now it's better than nothing."

After speaking, he also placed it to the side.

Everyone watched dumbfounded.

In just the time to drink a cup of tea, such a large crimson python had been processed completely clean.

"This is truly an immortal master's methods." Wu Tao's eyes were full of amazement and reverence.

Xu Mingxian turned to look at him, "Cultivate well. In the future, you all can have such methods."

Zhang Wanqing smiled lightly, "Originally the family head asked me to help. Now I'm spared from acting myself. Thank you, fifth brother."

"Third sister-in-law is too polite."

"By the way." Xu Mingxian remembered something. His hand brushed over his storage bag, and eighteen rhombic spirit iron pieces flew out, six per group, landing in the hands of Zhang Wanqing, Wu Tao, and Shen Qingyi.

"When cultivating, place the spirit iron around yourselves and activate it with magical power. It can absorb surrounding heaven and earth spiritual qi. Though the effect is limited, it can still speed up your cultivation somewhat."

"Thank you, Fifth Master."

"Thank you, fifth brother."

Wu Tao and Shen Qingyi continued cultivating on the mountain. Xu Mingxian collected all the items and descended the mountain together with the others.

When Xu Mingwei and the others learned of Xu Mingxian's return, they were all overjoyed.

After a round of warm greetings, they hastily went to invite Bai Jing.

"This time I came back specifically to deliver a cultivation technique for Ling'er."

Xu Mingxian didn't mention the crimson-scaled python. He felt it was better that few people knew of Xu Chuan's calculation and divination talent.

He took out the items and handed them to Xu Mingwei, "Eldest brother, this is the 'Heavenly Flame Art,' incomparable to the previously collected 'Fire Element Formula.' Ling'er's natural talent is good and suitable for cultivating fire-element techniques. Father decided to have her cultivate this technique."

"Mm. I'll have Ling'er follow Wanqing in diligent cultivation." Xu Mingwei nodded.

"There's also this Spirit Gathering Array for Ling'er. Third sister-in-law knows how to activate it."

"Additionally, there's that crimson-scaled python..."

Xu Mingxian chatted idly with everyone, greeted Bai Jing, then took the crimson-scaled python's materials and returned to the Yuehu Market.

He kept the scales, hide armor, single horn, venomous fangs and such materials, handing over the remaining flesh, blood, poison sac and such to Xu Chuan.

Going forward, Xu Chuan would complete the Zhou Clan's Pill Shop's daily pill refinement tasks, then refine Innate Blood Pills.

Some needed medicinal materials were all purchased from outside.

Fortunately, they were all common items, not even qualifying as spiritual herbs.

Xu Chuan used flesh and blood, snake blood as main ingredients, supplemented with several medicinal materials, removing baleful qi and harmonizing vital energy to refine Innate Blood Pills.

Refining this pill was much easier in difficulty than detoxification pills and such. The difficulty lay in researching out this pill formula.

In half a month, Xu Chuan refined quite a few pills.

One pill was sufficient for an innate martial artist to cultivate for half a month, and could even be used by Postnatal martial artists for opening apertures. However, an innate martial artist must assist in refinement with true qi.

For Postnatal martial artists, one pill could equal two or three months' bitter tempering of bones and tendons.

This pill also had low-grade, middle-grade, and high-grade distinctions.

Unfortunately, it had little effect on those cultivating the Innate Five Elements Creation Art, at most enhancing qi and blood power, strengthening tendons, bones and physical strength.

This cultivation method primarily gathered the qi of five elements, reversed creation, and completed spiritual roots. Its profundity couldn't be compared to qi and blood power but it could also cultivate innate martial artists loyal to the Xu family.

And for grandmaster-level experts like Xu Mingwei, only high-grade pills would be effective for him.

During this period, Xu Mingxian researched large-scale Spirit Gathering Arrays that could encompass the Jade Cold Pool and its surrounding medicinal fields.

When Xu Mingxian brought back these Innate Blood Pills, he also set up array formations at the Jade Cold Pool.

He also clearly explained to Xu Mingwei the precautions regarding Innate Blood Pills from Xu Chuan, then returned again to the Yuehu Market.

In the study, Xu Mingwei explained the matter of blood pills to Xu Mingyuan, Xu Mingxuan, and Xu Mingshu.

They were slightly disappointed.

"I thought we could quickly reach peak innate realm. It seems I was thinking too simply." Xu Mingxuan sighed, "But fortunately it's still useful for eldest brother. Eldest brother, take all those high-grade pills."

"You hurry to reach peak grandmaster realm and convert to cultivating the immortal Dao, so you can also help Father and Yunnu."

"Alright." Xu Mingwei accepted without hesitation.

"Eldest brother, give me a few. I'll take them for Little White to try. It didn't get to eat the crimson-scaled python's flesh and blood, and has been rather moody recently."

Several people smiled.

Xu Mingwei said, "Fine. You take ten middle-grade pills. Everyone else also take ten first to try. After all, martial artists still need to improve tendons, bones, and flesh."

"As for low-grade ones, each innate martial artist who entered the mountains this time gets one. Late peak Postnatal experts are rewarded with two Qi-Drawing Pills. First-rate martial artists are bestowed five Aperture Opening Pills."

Xu Mingxuan cupped his fists, "Then I'll thank eldest brother on their behalf first."

After all, following him into the mountains risking life and death, Xu Mingxuan naturally would consider them.

"By the way, Tantou, you said there might be opportunities on the azure eagle's side. Next time I'll make a trip with you. Xueji, you don't need to go. Mother plans to have you marry Li Zhi."

"Ah?"

"Marry Li Zhi?"

Both Xu Mingyuan and Xu Mingxuan showed surprised expressions.

When their eyes met, the folding fan in Xu Mingyuan's sleeve nearly slipped from his hand.

"Mother's intention, I only learned of it today as well..." Xu Mingwei sighed deeply while stroking the jade belt at his waist.

Xu Mingshu first froze in place, her fingertips twisting her skirt ties for a long while. Suddenly she stamped her foot angrily, "I won't marry!"

Before her words ended, the silver hairpin by her temple trembled slightly with anger.