Chapter 120: Loosening

After lunch, the younger generation of the Hua family all went to Hua Changxi's room, either to ask about confusion in their cultivation or to discuss which skills they should learn.

In the main hall, Old Master Hua frowned tightly as he looked at Hua Minghe and Lady Yao: "Ninth Sister holds deep grievances against the Clan Elder's main branch and the He family; you must persuade her more often in daily life."

"I know Ninth Sister is capable now, and our family has benefited from her, but a person's life is very long; who can guarantee they will always remain in favorable circumstances?"

"No matter what we do, we must cultivate human relationships; if one day we stumble, it is by relying on these relationships maintained over time that we can pull ourselves back up."

"Ninth Sister's nature is too proud and too stubborn; you cannot let her follow her whims recklessly, for you must know that excessive rigidity leads to breaking."

This time, Hua Minghe did not obey Old Master Hua; when he first took a wife, he had faced immense pressure from the Marquis's manor and the clan, and although he gritted his teeth and endured it, the price paid was that his branch was marginalized by the clan for over twenty years.

Regarding Fifth Sister's matter, the family failed to withstand the clan's pressure, resulting in Fifth Sister becoming a concubine of the He family, where giving birth nearly cost her life.

As a concubine, she nearly died in childbirth; the pain and suffering Fifth Sister endured were very real, and perhaps they will even extend to the child she bore.

These matters cannot be forgotten.

"Father, Ninth Sister is not ignorant of human affairs; her temperament is merely a bit fierce, yet she handles worldly matters with proper measure. Let Uncle Hua Tai and the He family affairs follow her own wishes; we should not interfere."

Hearing these words, Old Master Hua, Old Lady Hua, Second Uncle Hua, Second Aunt Hua, and Fourth Uncle in the main hall were all stunned.

Even Lady Yao had not expected her husband to refuse his father so bluntly.

Old Master Hua recovered from his shock and flew into a rage, saying coldly, "Good, so now you are capable, and my words no longer hold any weight over you, is that it?"

Hua Minghe looked helplessly at Old Master Hua: "Father, if your words were reasonable, I would certainly support you, but letting Fifth Sister become a concubine for the He family was wrong for the clan to begin with. Not to mention Ninth Sister, even I feel great resentment about it."

Upon hearing this, Old Master Hua was not soothed but grew even angrier: "Then do you still blame me in your heart? Do you blame me for agreeing to the clan back then, for eagerly currying favor with them?"

Hua Minghe felt Old Master Hua was being unreasonable and feared that saying anything more would only make him angrier, so he remained silent.

Unexpectedly, his silence made Old Master Hua believe he had admitted guilt; the old man suddenly stood up: "Who was I doing this for? Wasn't it all for this family?"

"Dalang and the others are growing up; without the clan's promotion and support, how could they establish themselves in the capital?"

"Relying on you, a Constable of the Six Gates? Or on your second brother, a patrol soldier of the Wucheng Military Command? Or on your fourth brother, a jailer in the Ministry of Justice?"

"I racked my brains for this family, shamelessly flattering the Clan Elder's household, and now all I receive in return is your blame; I might as well just die."

Hua Minghe had a splitting headache: "Father, what are you saying? When did I ever say I blamed you?"

Old Master Hua retorted: "You are blaming me; that is exactly what you think in your heart."

Seeing the old man so angry that his chest heaved, Old Lady Hua, Second Uncle Hua, and Fourth Uncle hurried forward to persuade him.

Fourth Uncle even made a statement: "Father, the decision for Fifth Sister to become a concubine for the He family was made jointly by myself and Lady Liu; it has nothing to do with anyone else in the family. This is Fifth Sister's fate, and no one is to blame."

Hua Minghe glanced at his fourth brother but said nothing.

Old Lady Hua waved her hand to dismiss them: "Enough, stop standing here; go do whatever you need to do."

Hua Minghe knew the old man was currently angry with him and did not wish to see him, so he followed Old Lady Hua's words and left the main hall.

As soon as he left, Second Uncle Hua and the others followed suit.

When only Old Master Hua and Old Lady Hua remained in the main hall, Old Lady Hua finally spoke: "Your reaction just now was excessive."

Old Master Hua had already calmed down and said obscurely: "Eldest son... he looks down on me as his father."

Old Lady Hua gave him a sidelong glance: "Enough, don't go on endlessly. Of our three sons, the eldest is the most capable of bearing responsibility; he is simply a bit too stiff-backed."

"But having a stiff back is no bad thing; a man like him is truly one who stands tall between heaven and earth."

Old Master Hua gazed melancholically at Old Lady Hua: "Do you also look down on me, a man who ingratiates himself everywhere?"

Old Lady Hua rolled her eyes speechlessly: "You are really getting more worked up the more you speak; if I looked down on you, could I have lived with you this long? Could I have borne your children?"

Old Master Hua said somewhat aggrievedly: "But my back is not stiff."

Old Lady Hua replied: "...You had no parents, yet you supported yourself and raised a whole family; that alone is strong enough. The fact that the eldest son developed such a strong character is precisely because you stood before him and withstood all kinds of pressure."

Hearing these words, Old Master Hua lowered his head.

Old Lady Hua sighed: "In the future, let us not grip the family affairs so tightly; we cannot hold on even if we try. Have you forgotten that Eldest Son, Eldest Daughter-in-law, Third Son, and Sixth Son became cultivators long ago without revealing a word to us?"

Old Master Hua did not respond, merely letting out a long sigh.

Meanwhile, in Hua Changxi's room.

Now at the Infant Transformation Realm, Hua Changxi's five senses had improved by several levels, allowing her to hear every word spoken in the main hall with perfect clarity.

She could understand Old Master Hua's current sense of loss and pain; a large family like theirs could be viewed as a small company.

The old master was the company's CEO, and everyone had to act according to his commands.

Now, this CEO could no longer command his subordinates, and might even have to step down from the CEO position, handing over the company he had built with his own hands and which was on the verge of development to others; it would be strange if he did not feel pain.

"Ninth Sister, what are you thinking about? I called you several times."

Sixth Brother Hua waved his hand in front of Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi smiled: "Nothing; what did you call me for?"

Sixth Brother Hua lowered his voice: "Didn't you say earlier that you had something to tell me? What is it?"

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Didn't Fourth Brother say that the Marquis's manor asked you to go cultivate together with the clan members? Why haven't you and Third Brother gone?"

Sixth Brother Hua replied: "We are not fools; if we go to the Marquis's manor, we will be controlled there. Of course, cultivating at home is much freer." Then he lowered his voice again.

"The Marquis's manor provides cultivation resources to the clan members, but they will definitely want to recoup their costs later; Third Brother and I do not want to become hired hands for the Marquis's manor."

Hua Changxi laughed: "As expected of my brother; you are indeed clever."

Sixth Brother Hua smiled proudly: "Of course."

Hua Changxi added: "However, working behind closed doors will not suffice. Third Brother has worked in the family's medicine shop since childhood and still often goes there to help, so I am not worried about him; but you, staying at home all day burying your head in bitter cultivation, is absolutely unacceptable."

Sixth Brother Hua did not understand: "Why is it unacceptable? Precisely because I have cultivated for longer, my cultivation base is higher than Third Brother's; I think cultivating at home is quite good."

Hua Changxi shook her head: "Cultivators cultivating does not merely mean raising their realm; they must also temper their mindset. If you do not work, do not interact with people, and do not go out to undergo trials, how can you temper your mindset?"

She had not known this point before; it was only when she advanced to the Infant Transformation Realm and was struck by heavenly lightning that she suddenly understood.

Every bolt of heavenly lightning struck her with an intent to erase; while the first few bolts could be endured through sheer resistance, the later ones truly required immense mental strength to persist.

During the tribulation, even the slightest retreat would result in death beneath the lightning tribulation.

At the same time, she seemed to understand why, during the Golden Core Realm, her internal elixir would sometimes disappear, yet after the journey to Mount Wuzhi, the internal elixir had never disappeared again.

Since returning from Mount Wuzhi, she had gone back to the Medical Bureau, spending every day dealing with people and matters.

Only through doing things, interacting with people, and undergoing trials could one temper their mind, gradually coming to understand what they truly wanted.

Only when one was clear about what they were doing would the Golden Core stand firmly above the Qi Sea.

If the mind was restless or indecisive, the Golden Core would become unstable.

"Sixth Brother, the higher your cultivation ascends, the more important your mental state becomes. If you do not value this, your cultivation will either stagnate in the future, or you will suffer a severe setback."

Seeing how seriously Hua Changxi spoke, Hua Liulang asked, "Is it really that serious?"

Hua Changxi nodded affirmatively: "When a Core Formation cultivator advances to Nascent Soul, they must undergo a tribulation. Think about it: when all external things can no longer aid you, what will you rely on to withstand the heavenly thunder?"

Hua Liulang swallowed hard: "Advancing cultivation requires undergoing a tribulation? Is the power of the heavenly thunder great?"

Hua Changxi replied, "Every bolt of heavenly thunder comes with the intent to erase you. Do you think its power is great or not?"

Hua Liulang grew anxious: "Then what should I do? Go cultivate at the Count's residence, or go help at the medicine shop?"

Hua Changxi rolled her eyes at him: "I am telling you this not so you will blindly seek help in desperation. Do you still remember San Cha Medicine Valley?"

Hua Liulang nodded: "Of course I remember."

Hua Changxi said, "You will go there to cultivate in the future. I have a Fire Spirit Mine there, guarded by the four elders of the You family."

Hua Liulang gasped, his eyes widening like bronze bells: "Ninth Sister, you have... a Fire Spirit Mine? Is it real or fake? You aren't tricking me, are you?"

Too lazy to waste words on him, Hua Changxi said, "Just say whether you are going or not."

Hua Liulang nodded vigorously: "I will go."

Hua Changxi said, "The four elders of the You family guarding the Fire Spirit Mine were once Grandmasters; their life experience is extremely rich. After you arrive, humbly seek their advice. How much you learn depends entirely on your own ability."

Pausing briefly, she added, "Once you reach San Cha Medicine Valley, have Guo Yu come to the Medical Bureau to find me."

Hua Liulang listened intently as Hua Changxi introduced the four You elders to him, only stopping when Hua Shi'er Niang pulled him away to ask about cultivation issues.

After dinner, Hua Changxi stayed the night; early the next morning, she returned to the Medical Bureau. Hua Liulang left the Hua household with her.

Originally, he need not have been in such a rush, but knowing that his younger sister's spirit mine was guarded by outsiders, he felt deeply uneasy and needed to go personally to watch over it before he could feel at ease.

The other members of the Hua family did not know the internal reasons, but they knew Hua Changxi had instructed Hua Liulang regarding some matter.

Old Lady Hua, who had only just advised Old Master Hua yesterday, looked at Hua Minghe and Lady Yao and could not help but speak sarcastically: "If there is something to discuss, why can't it be said openly? Is Ninth Sister guarding against her own family?"

Hua Minghe replied, "Mother, you are overthinking it. If she truly meant to guard against the family, she would not have told Sixth Brother."

Hearing this, Second Uncle Hua chimed in, "Ninth Sister is guarding against the second and fourth branches. Whenever there is something good, she only thinks of the eldest branch."

As soon as these words were spoken, before Hua Minghe and Lady Yao could react, Old Lady Hua flew into a rage, throwing the rag in her hand at Second Uncle Hua.

"Second Son, are you already drunk so early in the morning? What nonsense are you spouting?" she said, glaring fiercely at Second Uncle Hua.

Although Hua Minghe and Lady Yao were somewhat displeased, seeing Old Lady Hua scold Second Uncle Hua, they did not dare to say more.

Old Lady Hua said, "The sky is fully bright; why are you not off to your duties? Standing around at home, are you waiting for this old mother to serve you?"

Only after Hua Minghe and his two brothers had left did Old Lady Hua enter the main hall and say to Old Master Hua, "Over these years, Second Son has grown only in age, not in brains; he is simply a blockhead who understands nothing."

There were some things she could say to her old husband that the people of the second and fourth branches could not say; if they said them, the eldest branch would truly drift away from them.

Looking at his old wife, Old Master Hua said, "Do you still think I manage things too tightly? If I did not keep control, what would become of Second Son and Fourth Son's families?"

"Second Son appears clever, but it is all petty cunning; such petty cunning might even cause him to miss out on truly good opportunities."

"As for Fourth Son, he is too honest, swallowing everything into his stomach without complaint."

"As his parents, can we really just ignore them?"

How could Old Lady Hua not know these things? Sighing, she said, "Eldest Son will certainly take care of his two younger brothers, but what about the children of the eldest branch..."

Old Master Hua quickly interjected, "Dalang is a good man; he is the future helmsman of our Hua family. He knows that the family must work together to grow and prosper; he will not neglect the second and fourth branches."

"Sanlang is also quite obedient; he manages our medicine shop in an orderly fashion."

"As for Liulang... once the reasoning is explained to him, he will listen."

"It is only Ninth Sister who is full of rebellious bones; in her conduct and actions, she cares only for herself. Regarding the family, she only thinks of the eldest branch, lacking any sense of the bigger picture."

"As for Tenth Sister... having been away from home for so many years, she still made time amidst her busy schedule to specifically return home and deliver pills to her family, proving that this family has always been in her heart."

"Our family's direction of thinking as one and striving as one, where glory and ruin are shared, has not changed; it is just that Ninth Sister has become a variable."

Old Lady Hua spoke a fair word: "You are too harsh on Ninth Sister. Without her, could those in our family without spiritual veins have begun body refinement?"

"No matter how formidable Tenth Sister is, she cannot enable everyone in our family to cultivate."

Old Master Hua said, "I have not denied Ninth Sister's contributions to the family; I simply feel her temperament is too unlikable. I wonder how she manages to get by at the Medical Bureau?"

Old Lady Hua remarked softly, "Ninth Sister was simply born the wrong gender. If she were a man, with her temperament, she would definitely be material for accomplishing great deeds."

Old Master Hua replied, "But she is a young lady, and young ladies are destined to marry eventually. With her temperament, what family do you think would dare to take her?"

Pausing, Old Master Hua looked at Old Lady Hua in confusion: "You used to also look down upon Ninth Sister's temperament; why are you now speaking up for her?"

A look of bewilderment appeared on Old Lady Hua's face: "I cannot quite explain it myself. I still do not like Ninth Sister's temperament, but seeing her act as freely as you men do, I feel a certain envy."