She was a woman dressed in beautiful silk clothes, yet her expression was bitter and sorrowful.
She hoarsely repeated her plea.
"My daughter is for sale for ten taels of silver."
Her young daughter stood by her mother's side, looking no more than two or three years old.
A sign hung around the woman's neck, displaying the daughter up for sale and a mother's love currently on offer.
The mother and daughter stood right at the entrance on the edge of the marketplace. The young daughter looked completely bewildered, foolishly cooperating with her mother as she repeated after her.
"My father is a cultivator. I will have a spirit root."
"My father is a cultivator..."
In Clear Stream Market, which was populated primarily by cultivators, paying ten taels of silver for a young girl who might possess a spirit root was actually a reasonable price.
Usually, situations like this where a child was sold occurred because her man, so unknown rogue cultivator, had been gone for a long ti and had likely died out there.
However, under normal circumstances, cultivators would not buy a young girl like this. After all, one's spirit root type and quality could only be tested at the age of thirteen.
Ten years of rearing was simply too much trouble.
"Stop looking and stay close to !"
Wang Rongyuan tightened the reins of his dapple-gray horse, giving a low warning to the two young lads following behind him.
"Yes, Uncle."
As a transmigrator possessing past-life mories, Wang Yulou was far sharper than his cousin, Wang Yu'an. He imdiately retracted his gaze and shifted his attention to the other sights within Clear Stream Market.
"Uncle Rongyuan, we can buy a child who might have a spirit root for just ten taels of silver. Our Wang Clan doesn't lack the silver commonly used by mortals, so why not buy her?" Wang Yu'an asked, filled with confusion.
"A big burden dragging along a small burden—who knows what happened to that girl's father?
Have you forgotten what the family school taught you young cubs?
Recite it for right now! The family rules that you Qi Induction stage youngsters must observe when traveling outside!" Wang Rongyuan looked sternly at Wang Yu'an.
Within the family, Wang Rongyuan was renowned for his martial prowess and unyielding willpower. His cultivation base was profound, earning him the position of Elder in the Law Transmission Hall.
Precisely because his strength was exceptional, he had taken on the task of escorting these two lads of the Yu generation to Clear Stream Market.
The mont he spoke, his authoritative deanor made even Wang Yulou feel a surge of awe.
Wang Yulou's cousin, Wang Yu'an, turned completely pale with fright. He stamred out his grievance in response.
"When traveling, stick only to the main roads; when interacting, associate only with long-standing allies; when trading, always bargain down by ninety percent.
When trouble arises, retreat behind the crowd; when benefits appear, let fellow Daoists go first; when listening to others, believe only half of what is said.
Always keep a Thousand-Mile Talisman ready on your legs; guard your entire body, guard your entire body..."
Under the imnse pressure from his uncle, Wang Yu'an, who was far away from the clan lands for the first ti, found his mind completely scrambled with fear.
In his panic, he absurdly forgot the final phrase of the clan's external travel rules for the Qi Induction stage that the family had painstakingly drilled into him.
Slap! Slap!
The reason Qi Refining cultivators were called Qi Refining cultivators was because they refined a breath of spiritual energy and stored it within their dantian.
Seeing that this young cub Wang Yu'an actually dared to forget the external travel rules, Wang Rongyuan imdiately channeled a stream of spiritual energy. Transforming it into a pale green, oversized palm, he delivered two resounding slaps right across Wang Yu'an's left and right cheeks.
A high-stage Qi Refining cultivator's control over spiritual energy far exceeded Wang Yulou's imagination. These two heavy slaps from Wang Rongyuan could be described as simultaneously maximizing disciplinary impact while maintaining absolute safety.
The slapping sounds were crisp and loud, delightfully resonant, making Wang Yulou's scalp tingle just listening to them.
At the sa ti, Wang Rongyuan controlled his strength perfectly, ensuring that Wang Yu'an was not hard in the slightest.
"Waaah, Uncle, I was wrong! Please stop hitting ... waaah..."
Having bidden farewell to his parents and left the clan lands where he had grown up, the naturally flighty Wang Yu'an had been bouncing higher than the heavens along the way.
Now, his uncle's two sharp slaps completely shattered his flighty dreams.
"Rongwen and your mother have spoiled you far too much! How dare you forget 'guard your entire body to protect your immortal path'!"
Tapping a finger at Wang Yu'an in frustration over his lack of discipline, Wang Rongyuan then turned his gaze toward Yulou.
"Yulou, make sure to remind him more often in the future. This boy, sigh!"
Wang Yulou had transmigrated from twenty-first-century China, so he naturally understood the expectations his clan uncle held for him and Yu'an.
This family elder didn't have so bizarre hobby of slapping people; he was simply driven to exasperation.
"Yes, Uncle. 'Guard your entire body to protect your immortal path'—Yulou will absolutely never dare to forget!"
As he spoke, Wang Yulou even gave Wang Yu'an a light kick.
Prompted by his older cousin's reminder, Wang Yu'an also snapped out of it and repeatedly promised.
" too! I will absolutely never dare to forget, never dare to forget!"
Seeing the boy mimicking Wang Yulou's stance finally allowed Wang Rongyuan to feel a slight sense of relief.
Although this rascal Wang Yu'an was a bit flighty, Yulou possessed a cautious nature. With these two kids supporting each other within Clear Stream Market, there shouldn't be any major issues.
After all, the Wang family still had elders stationed inside Clear Stream Market; it wasn't as if these two boys were completely on their own.
"Hmph. You two wait for here. I shall go and stable the dapple-gray horse and the carriage."
Wang Rongyuan led the horse and stepped into the stabling yard located on the outer periter of Clear Stream Market.
—
"Yu'an, does it still hurt?"
Looking at his younger brother's swollen cheeks, Wang Yulou asked with concern.
"How could it not hurt? If you got slapped like that, you'd hurt too!"
Clutching his face, Wang Yu'an's eyes welled with tears, looking utterly aggrieved.
The two had grown up together and shared an excellent relationship. He didn't mind Wang Yulou's concern, but he felt he had been treated far too unfairly.
Was it really necessary to reward him with heavy slaps just because he forgot half a sentence of the clan rules?
Father, Mother, I miss you!
"Uh, Uncle was only doing it out of care for you. Every ti Brother Yuming in the family school talks about his younger brother's matter, his eyes fill with tears.
For low-level youngsters like us in the Qi Induction stage, once we leave the protection of the family, we must be absolutely cautious and discreet in everything we do."
Wang Yulou reminded him, hovering between amusent and pity.
This younger brother of his had truly been pampered far too much by his parents.
The Brother Yuming he ntioned was the second oldest of the Yu generation, possessing an early Qi Refining cultivation base. He cultivated within the clan lands and concurrently taught the family's young children who possessed spirit roots.
His younger brother, Yuliu, had let his guard down due to his youthful nature while traveling outside for his studies. Coveting the carnal pleasures of the mortal world, he had been assassinated by rogue cultivators inside a mansion in a mundane town.
As a Foundation Establishnt clan, compared to the Purple Palace aristocratic families and the major Unorthodox Sects, the Wang family was rely an insignificant speck within the Wunan Basin.
But to rogue cultivators who lived hand-to-mouth, the items carried by the disciples of the Wang family were more than enough to tempt them into taking a perilous risk.
"Brother, look over there! There's a female cultivator who isn't wearing many clothes."
However, Yulou's concern turned out to be completely wasted.
The mont that rascal Yu'an spotted a beautiful female cultivator, the pain on his face vanished instantly.
What a miracle cure!
Yulou showed a look of disdain on the surface, though a hint of gratification arose in his heart.
At least this kid Yu'an was decent enough not to forget Yulou when sothing good caught his eye—it wasn't a waste to dote on him.
Following Yu'an's line of sight, Yulou noticed the female cultivator standing beside a street stall in the marketplace.
Even though it was the pleasant season of mid-spring, this female cultivator seed terribly affected by the heat. Her upper body wore only a silken, pale-yellow camisole, while her lower body was clad in a short skirt that barely covered her hip line.
The street stall displayed various stones and tals, all of which were materials used for artifact refining. Heaven knew where that rogue cultivator had managed to scavenge them from. The female cultivator was currently haggling over the price with the stall owner.
"Don't stare blindly. Who knows if she cultivates so Charm Art? If you fall under her spell, when I reach the Qi Refining stage in the future, I'll have to weep for you in the family school too."
Giving Yu'an a firm tug, Wang Yulou twisted his swollen face away from the female cultivator's backside.
"You should be the one to be careful. I also possess dual spirit roots! Even though mine are tal and earth, which makes slightly inferior to your water and fire attributes when it cos to the artificing path, I am much stronger in magical combat!"
The swollen-faced boy stubbornly argued, though he couldn't help but twist his head right back around.
It was practically a case of a passionate female cultivator completely srizing an innocent young boy.
An underdressed female immortal was sothing that could never be seen within the clan lands!
A thirteen-year-old youth had already developed an interest in the matters of n and won. This was precisely the reason why the family imdiately dispatched them to different places to study techniques once their spirit roots were tested.
They were sent out to master arts unavailable within the family, and ideally, find a Dao companion with absolute talent along the way to help the Wang family grow stronger and larger!
Seeing his younger brother acting like such a love-struck fool, Wang Yulou increased his strength. Utilizing his level-two Qi Induction cultivation base, he pressed down with both hands, forcefully suppressing the smitten boy.
"Brother, you're just relying on your higher cultivation base to bully ..."
Wang Yulou shook his head. They had tested their spirit roots together and started drawing Qi at the sa ti. If you're still at level one, who else can you bla but yourself?
"I think you truly need to be careful, Yu'an. The temptations of the outside world far exceed just this.
The dazzling world blinds the eyes; without sufficient ntal fortitude, one will trip up sooner or later. Yu'an, oh Yu'an, what am I going to do with you in the future?"
"Hmph. It must be because she cultivates a Charm Art. Yes, it's definitely because of that."
A man's stubbornness knew no bounds. Yulou couldn't even be bothered to respond to his foolish younger brother anymore.
However, he didn't harbor any actual disgust. Yu'an's temperant was actually quite normal. After all, not everyone was like him, carrying the mories of a past life through transmigration.
—
The Wunan Basin, spanning over twenty thousand li in length and breadth, possessed an area roughly equivalent to the Eurasian continent on the planet of Wang Yulou's previous life.
Within the basin, there were three Major Sects and seven Unorthodox Sects, collectively known as the Ten Sects.
Beneath the Ten Sects lay thousands upon thousands of cultivation families and minor sects of varying sizes.
Clear Stream Market was situated in the northwestern region of the Wunan Basin, operating under the jurisdiction of the unorthodox Red Lantern Illumination Sect. It was a marketplace catering to Qi Refining cultivators.
Due to the long-term presence of a Foundation Establishnt cultivator overseeing the area, it had maintained an excellent reputation over several centuries, and its business thrived.
Inside Clear Stream Market, the stabling yard at the edge of the marketplace was bustling with people today.
Cultivators at the Qi Refining stage were already capable of flying on magical artifacts, but activating an artifact required a continuous expenditure of spiritual energy, and flying through the sky was far too conspicuous.
Therefore, even when Qi Refining cultivators traveled, they would generally rush along the ground at high speeds rather than foolishly flying through midair.
However, the Wang family actually possessed its own shops, inns, and courtyards within Clear Stream Market. Forget stabling a single dapple-gray horse; stabling ten would not be an issue.
Wang Rongyuan's specific visit to the marketplace stabling yard was for a purpose far more complicated than rely stabling a horse.
After securing the horse and carriage, he quietly stepped into a shop that dealt in dicines for spiritual beasts.
The shop owner was also a Qi Refining cultivator, possessing a sly and peculiar appearance that looked distinctly untrustworthy. At this mont, he was lounging on a chair, enjoying a massage from a female Qi Induction cultivator.
"Old Wang?"
Seeing Wang Rongyuan enter, the owner waved his hand to dismiss the female cultivator, propped himself up from the lounging chair, and asked.
"I wondered why I kept hearing crows cawing all day today. Nothing good ever happens when you visit my place. Speak up~"
Wang Rongyuan sat down opposite the owner with a confident air, familiarly pouring himself a cup of tea.
"A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory, Old Ghost. Is there any news regarding the item I asked you to look for?"
Taking a sip of the rank-nine Gu Clan's Spirit Tea, Wang Rongyuan looked toward the information broker known as Old Ghost.
"The Three Friends of Wung claim they know nothing. The bandit leader at Echoing Water Shoals claims to have news, but he wants fifty spirit stones upfront before he'll tell you.
A Patch of Red doesn't want money, but he also minored in the artificing path. If the item is found, he intends to use it himself..."
Wang Rongyuan nodded as he listened, quietly pouring himself another cup of tea and continuing to drink.
After counting off the well-known rogue cultivators in the vicinity on his fingers, the Qi Refining shop owner known as Old Ghost spread his hands and said,
"Old Wang, the situation is exactly as it stands.
The rumor regarding the remains of that Foundation Establishnt cultivator from Hidden Dragon Abbey only appeared once, but the minor clans, independent cultivators, and rogue cultivators around our Clear Stream Market have been searching for five years already.
Not a single shred of additional news has surfaced. It's highly likely that this person never even existed."
Wang Rongyuan poured himself yet another cup of spirit tea and said,
"Keep searching. If it is found, I only want his artificing journal—just a copy will suffice. I don't want anything else."
Old Ghost shook his head in confusion.
"Even the people from Hidden Dragon Abbey themselves can't find it. What chance do we independent cultivators have?
Furthermore, those rogue cultivators are all raised by the major clans. If a major clan obtains the remains, they will certainly not sit by and watch the artificing journal leak outside."
Noticing that the teapot was already empty of spirit tea, Wang Rongyuan rose, preparing to depart.
"Just keep looking. Rogue cultivators are rogue cultivators, and major clans are major clans. Once the remains are found, they must pass through the hands of the rogue cultivators; there will be an opportunity."
Staring at Wang Rongyuan's departing back, Old Ghost clicked his tongue slightly in surprise.
Could it be that the Foundation Establishnt Ancestor of the Wang family inside the Red Lantern Illumination Sect possessed so exclusive piece of information?
As he pondered, he picked up the teapot.
"I'll curse your entire lineage!"
Old Ghost's shout was so loud that Wang Rongyuan, who was already outside the door, managed to hear it clearly. A slight smile played upon his lips as he quickened his pace to leave.
The Gu clan's rank-nine spirit tea?
He was finishing it all!
If he didn't finish it, wouldn't the five spirit stones of information fee he gave him be entirely wasted?
Since there wasn't a single piece of useful information, rely draining his pot of spirit tea was already highly generous!
—
"Co, I shall first take you two to have a al. We possess industries here in Clear Stream Market as well. Since this is your first ti, I'll show you around so you can recognize the path."
Wang Rongyuan patted Yulou's shoulder, then delivered a light kick to Yu'an's backside.
"Move a bit faster. I still need to take you two to perform the apprenticeship rites later."
You're completely biased, aren't you?
Yu'an felt aggrieved in his heart, but he didn't dare to utter a word.
"Uncle, why does Clear Stream Market seem so crowded? I rember Brother Yuming ntioning that there are only a few thousand cultivators here?"
Walking beside his clan uncle, Yulou asked in a low voice.
"Excellent. Being able to notice that the number of people here is abnormal—Yu'an, learn a thing or two from Yulou.
An excessive number of people usually indicates that a change has occurred, or so special event is taking place.
When traveling outside, your eyes must observe six—no, ten directions, and your ears must listen to all quarters."
Wang Rongyuan first poked Yu'an before launching into an explanation.
"The Red Lantern Illumination Sect changed its sect master the year before last. The new sect master hails from a prominent rchant family in Wunan and is exceptionally skilled in business operations. He established a new managent plan for all the marketplaces operating under the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
One of the regulations states that a branch of the sect's rit Hall will be deployed to rotate through the various marketplaces under their command, making it convenient for independent cultivators and minor families to trade.
The reason for the recent surge in cultivators within Clear Stream Market is because the rit Hall branch will arrive here in half a month. Many major rchant houses that are usually only found in large marketplaces have also paid a sum of spirit stones to accompany the branch here."
Hailing from a prominent rchant family, a new managent plan...
As a forr 996 corporate drone, Yulou detected sothing amiss.
What was the Red Lantern Illumination Sect up to?
Before he could ponder further, Wang Rongyuan led the two of them into a restaurant nad 'Flavorful Bistro'.
"It's Elder Rongyuan! Elder Rongyuan has arrived!" The leading waiter spotted Wang Rongyuan and imdiately bead with joy, rushing forward while shouting out a loud welco.
"What are you shouting for!"
Wang Rongyuan disliked this kind of superficial, noisy flattery. He reprimanded the waiter before leading Yulou and Yu'an into the rear hall.
A middle-aged man dressed in a purple brocade robe, looking rather portly and affluent, ca forward to greet them, executing a deep bow toward Wang Rongyuan.
"Elder Rongyuan, you didn't even notify of your arrival. I didn't have ti to prepare any fine dishes."
This smiling fat man was precisely the person in charge of Flavorful Bistro for the Wang family, an external-surna Qi Refining cultivator nad Tang Nianqiu.
His strength was at the early Qi Refining stage, and he had relied on a breakthrough pill to achieve it, aning he no longer possessed any possibility of advancing further.
Logically speaking, he was a Qi Refining cultivator nonetheless and should be considered of the sa generation as Wang Rongyuan, so there was no need to be so excessively polite.
However, Wang Rongyuan was only seventy years old yet had already reached the high stage of Qi Refining, making him one of the few precious Foundation Establishnt Seeds within the Wang family.
The difference in status was imnse.
"No need for that. These two are Yulou and Yu'an. They will be studying auxiliary paths within Clear Stream Market in the future, so they will inevitably encounter situations where they need assistance. At that ti..."
Before Wang Rongyuan could finish speaking, Tang Nianqiu assud a look of excitent, staring at Yulou with praise written all over his face as he said,
"Oh? This must be Yu'an, right? As expected of a prodigy of our Wang family! Brother Rongwen has raised a fine son!"
I am Yu'an!
Oh no, I've beco a body double!
Yu'an's swollen cheeks imdiately turned completely red, resembling a glowing red lantern, while Yulou could only chuckle awkwardly by his side.
"Hahaha! You've mistaken them! This one is Yulou, and that one over there is Yu'an!
Yu'an, Yulou, co forward and greet your Uncle Nianqiu."
Wang Rongyuan couldn't hold it in any longer, introducing them while holding back his laughter.
Suppressing himself from staring at Yu'an's swollen face, and pushing down the confusion in his heart, Tang Nianqiu smoothly spoke to cover up his glaring blunder.
"Ah, they are both prodigies of the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan! My eyesight is failing , my eyesight is failing ."
The finest disciples were kept at ho to inherit the family teachings, the slightly lesser ones were sent to the sects to strive for opportunities, and the least capable ones were sent out to guard industries and expand the family's reach.
Yu'an and Yulou both possessed dual spirit root talents. In the Wunan Cultivation World, these were cultivation seeds who stood an excellent chance of reaching the Foundation Establishnt stage!
How could the Wang family ever bear to send them to a sect, only to serve as beasts of burden for the disciples of the sect's core families?
"Alright, let us eat first. Serve half a pot of the Gu clan's spirit tea to start, along with two catties of spirit rice. Right, what spiritual food do you have prepared today?" Wang Rongyuan asked.
"We have fewer heavy at spiritual foods available today. We have three rank-nine Water Essence Frost Ducks, a pair of hind legs from a rank-eight Steel-Backed Spirit Pig, and... oh, we also have a rank-nine Wood Spirit Dumb Donkey that was slaughtered a few days ago. We're only missing three organs and the tail; all the other parts are still available.
We certainly don't lack spiritual vegetables; everything that should be available is present. What do you think?"
Tang Nianqiu was the head manager of Flavorful Bistro, so he was naturally completely aware of what spiritual ingredients were left in stock.
Wang Rongyuan pondered for a brief mont before saying,
"Ducks aren't very satisfying to eat, and these two kids won't be able to gnaw through a rank-eight pig trotter. Let's do this: bring out a dish of braised donkey intestines, another serving of clear-stewed donkey at, and finally see what decent spiritual vegetables you have to whip up a quick stir-fry. How many spirit stones will that be in total?"
"Ah~ Elder Rongyuan, you're treating like an outsider now. How could I possibly accept..."
"The family rules do not permit an elder to eat for free either. If I eat for free today, and Rongwen cos along to eat for free the day after tomorrow, how much inco will Flavorful Bistro have left by the end of the year?
Alright, just tell how many spirit stones it is. No discounts allowed!"
Yu'an thought: Uncle, if you have a grievance against , just say it directly!
"Four and a half. Collecting from you..."
Tang Nianqiu's eyes darted around rapidly, thinking that he should at least waive the change.
"Fine, here are five pieces. Serve the dishes quickly. These two young cubs have been traveling with for over a day to reach Clear Stream Market; they are waiting to eat!"
Drawing five low-grade spirit stones the size of quail eggs from his robe, Wang Rongyuan signaled Tang Nianqiu to stop wasting ti.
Seeing the spirit stones, Tang Nianqiu assud a look of polite reluctance while pocketing them with lightning speed, then said with a smile,
"Elder Rongyuan, please take a seat upstairs. Young prodigies, please take a seat upstairs as well, upstairs, haha."
Wang Rongyuan walked upstairs without looking back, and Yu'an foolishly followed him up with his swollen face tight.
Yulou, however, executed another formal bow toward Tang Nianqiu before heading up to the second floor.
Once the three of them had departed, Tang Nianqiu's smile vanished. He flicked his sleeves and headed off to the rear kitchen to hurry the dishes along.
—
"Old Tang is generally quite reliable. He was a disciple of Uncle Xianhe and has been part of the Wang family for nearly a century.
Right, you two should call him Granduncle Xianhe. Unfortunately, you were both too young to have witnessed Uncle Xianhe's grand prestige in those days."
Wang Rongyuan's gaze carried a touch of nostalgia, as if he could still see the majestic figure of his clan uncle commanding the winds and clouds in the past.
Wang Xianhe, one of the three Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Wang family's Xian generation, had passed away more than twenty years ago, so Yu'an and Yulou had naturally never t him.
The generation hierarchy of a cultivation family was not calculated based on the generation of one's biological parents; rather, it was calculated in intervals of one hundred years, with a new generation character designated every century.
On the surface, Yulou and Yu'an were only a month apart in age, but in terms of bloodline lineage, Yulou actually belonged to a generation equivalent to Yu'an's great-grandfather.
"The family school taught us that Ancestor Xianhe spent his entire life mastering the path of animal husbandry. He successfully upgraded our Wang family's rank-nine wood-attribute Wild Donkey Plain into the rank-eight Dumb Donkey Plain, and arranging for his disciple to serve as the manager of Flavorful Bistro makes perfect sense."
Yulou greatly admired this Ancestor Xianhe. Dedicating his entire life to elevating the family's foundation by a whole tier could be said to have benefited countless generations to co.
Within the Wunan Cultivation World, the greatest distinction among families, immortal sects, and independent cultivators lay in whether they controlled spiritual resources and how many they possessed.
Every spiritual resource could continuously yield corresponding spiritual plants, spiritual minerals, and so forth—effectively serving as the cultivation world's version of the ans of production.
Precisely because they held a Dumb Donkey Plain capable of sustainably producing spiritual donkeys, the Wang family managed to maintain a fixed baseline inco, allowing them to weather various rises and falls to pass down their lineage for over a dozen generations within the Wunan Cultivation World.
"Yu'an, learn more from Yulou. The things taught in the family school contain great wisdom; one can discern the whole truth from a single clue. Yulou has successfully mastered this, while you..."
Wang Rongyuan glanced at Yu'an and sighed with a look of disappointnt.
"Uncle, Yulou is just a bit smarter, but I'm not stupid either! I also possess dual spirit roots!"
The mont Yu'an uttered these words, Yulou turned his head away out of sheer pity.
The two had grown up together, attended the family school together, and co to Clear Stream Market together to study auxiliary paths.
They shared a blood-thick familial affection and a sincere, deep friendship.
Yulou simply couldn't bear to look.
Brother, aren't you just begging for a beating?
Wang Rongyuan didn't say a word, summoning his pale green spiritual palm once more.
Beat him first and talk later!
The pale green spiritual palm struck left and right in rapid succession, demonstrating to Yulou a Qi Refining cultivator's exquisite control over spiritual energy.
The force was perfectly calibrated—dazing the target without causing any brain damage.
Slap!
"Ah!"
Slap!
"Ah!"
Slap!
"Uncle, stop hitting ! I know I was wrong!"
Slap!
"Waaah, I want to go ho..."
That year, Yu'an had just turned thirteen and had only recently left the Wang Family Mountain where he had grown up.
The mont he stepped out the door, he was greeted with a ten-hit combo of tough love from his clan uncle.
No matter who it was, anyone would break down under that!
"Splendid! You want to go ho, do you?
Are you submitting a formal request to , the Third Elder of the clan's Law Transmission Hall, to alter the cultivation path assigned to you by the family?"
Looking at the weeping Yu'an, Wang Rongyuan asked in a freezing voice.
"Uncle Rongyuan, Yu'an didn't an it that way. He doesn't understand anything yet; he's still just a child!"
Yulou was startled and hurriedly spoke up to plead on Yu'an's behalf.
"He's still just a child."
The phrase held imnse weight across worlds. It sounded shaless, but it was genuinely effective!
"It is precisely because he doesn't understand anything that I cannot allow him to ruin himself!"
Wang Rongyuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said,
"The two of you possess dual spirit root talents, which are rare among the Yu generation. You have more talent than those with three or four spirit roots, and you can afford to be more composed than those with a single spirit root.
The clan expended a massive amount of resources just to seek out a master capable of teaching auxiliary paths based on your respective spirit roots. The family hopes you can beco successful talents and bring back new auxiliary path inheritances to the clan.
But if you end up losing your lives outside simply because you don't understand anything, you might as well return to the clan to herd donkeys and live as ordinary, carefree kinsn."
Hearing that he might be banished to herd donkeys, Yu'an didn't even dare to cry anymore.
The finest were kept at ho to inherit the family teachings, the slightly lesser ones went to the sects to gamble for opportunities, and the least capable ones were stationed at external industries or road the lands as independent cultivators—which still offered a faint, ethereal chance of altering one's destiny.
The absolute worst option was to remain within the family to herd donkeys, where one might never break through the Qi Induction stage for a lifeti. This was a chore usually assigned only to those with four spirit roots or decent five spirit roots!
"Uncle, I know I was wrong. I don't want to go back, I know I was wrong."
With his cheeks swollen, Yu'an sniffled and submissively admitted his mistake.
"Where exactly did you go wrong?"
Under Yulou's anxious gaze, Uncle Rongyuan ultimately decided to afford Yu'an an opportunity.
Yulou was all too clear that just a mont ago, Uncle Rongyuan had been entirely serious.
The Wang family's training guidelines were absolute: disciples who weren't sharp enough or were overly flighty held no value for cultivation!
"The immortal path is ethereal and hard to find; aptitude and talent are like floating duckweed. A heart seeking the Dao must be firm as stone; even with mottled five elents, immortality can be achieved."
Yu'an recited the family's training maxim in a low voice.
"Our Wang family has passed down its heritage for over one thousand two hundred years. The geniuses we have witnessed and interacted with are as nurous as crucian carps crossing a river.
But the most formidable individual was True Person Shenguang, who was born in the sa era as our founding ancestor, Xuanjing.
When Ancestor Xuanjing had just achieved early Qi Refining, he entered the West Sea to participate in a demon hunting mission, where he chanced to et True Person Shenguang, who was also at the Qi Refining stage at the ti.
At that mont, True Person Shenguang had already been stuck at the early Qi Refining stage for many years due to possessing five spirit roots.
One thousand two hundred years have passed. Most of those so-called single spirit root geniuses known to the Wang family died at the Purple Palace barrier. Even if so managed to cross it, not a single one achieved the Golden Core stage.
Those with dual spirit roots whose cultivation paths were severed and who vanished into the annals of history are even more countless. I myself possess dual spirit roots!
You absolute scoundrel, how dare you grow complacent just because you have dual spirit roots?
Is your determination toward the Dao ant to be slackened just because you possess dual spirit roots?"
The story of True Person Shenguang was the favorite tale that the Wang Immortal Clan loved to recount to the youths of the family.
This was because the Wang family's founding ancestor, Wang Xuanying, had personally witnessed True Person Shenguang when the latter was struggling to even break through the early stage of Qi Refining due to his mottled five elents.
If you possess five spirit roots, do not despair, for True Person Shenguang has already achieved the Golden Core!
If you possess dual spirit roots, do not grow proud, for countless dual spirit root cultivators cannot even break through to Foundation Establishnt!
Just as the family maxim stated, the immortal path was vast and ethereal; immortal encounters could be sought but never demanded, and aptitude and talent were both like floating duckweed.
Within this cultivation world where sects and immortal clans intermingled and cultivators were as common as cattle hair, Only those with a firm Dao heart could walk further.
Even if one's five elents were mottled, it didn't an one couldn't attain the Golden Core!
"I dare not be proud! I dare not slacken!"
Under the imnse pressure of being kicked back to the family to herd donkeys, Yu'an's brain worked at maximum capacity, displaying a sharpness that faintly carried three percent of Yulou's brilliance.
"Hmph! You..."
Tang Nianqiu's sudden appearance interrupted Wang Rongyuan's tirade. This head manager of Flavorful Bistro had actually personally carried the teapot up to the second floor.
"Ah, Elder Rongyuan, here is the pot of Gu clan's spirit tea you requested~ One pot~ It's the finest new tea harvest. Please enjoy, everyone."
Seeing Tang Nianqiu acting with such imnse hospitality, Wang Rongyuan rose and caught his arm, offering an invitation.
"Nianqiu, you're being far too polite, far too polite. Co, sit down and eat with us. These two boys will inevitably trouble you in the future."
As the manager of Flavorful Bistro, Tang Nianqiu naturally had no reason to dine alongside the guests. He politely declined.
"Brother Rongyuan, I am also a mber of the Wang family. Today, I was simply far too delighted to see you all. Please enjoy your al at your leisure. If Yu'an and Yulou ever need anything in the future, I will certainly assist with all my strength!"
Once this sharp manager had departed, Wang Rongyuan glared at Yu'an, who was still wiping his nose, and commanded,
"Drink tea!"
Yulou smartly lifted the teapot, pouring a cup for his clan uncle first.
"Please go ahead, Uncle Rongyuan."
Following that, he poured a cup for Yu'an as well.
"Yu'an, Uncle Rongyuan only wants you to remain alert.
We have arrived in Clear Stream Market now. There are plenty of immortal clan disciples here who are far more formidable than us, and the Town Guardian Cultivator is a Foundation Establishnt senior.
The family expended a fortune to hire a master for us. We must study our auxiliary paths in a low-profile manner; graduating early and returning ho is the correct path."
As he spoke, Yulou shot a aningful look at Yu'an.
Foolish younger brother, hurry up and take this opportunity to back down gracefully!
Fortunately, Yu'an wasn't truly stupid. Reading Yulou's intent, he raised his teacup, stood up, and said,
"Uncle Rongyuan, I was in the wrong for causing you worry.
I will certainly be more cautious, work harder, and absolutely never grow complacent or proud in the future!
I shall use tea to substitute for wine and offer you a toast. Please forgive this once!"
Wang Rongyuan looked at these two rascals, torn between amusent and exasperation, and scolded them with a laugh,
"Where did you two young cubs learn this absolute nonsense of polite small talk? We are all family; I was simply driven by anger.
As soone with earth and wood spirit roots, I studied formation arrays during my youth. That formation master shared a diocre relationship with our Wang family, and he ended up hoodwinking for a full ten years."
Earth and wood?
Yulou instantly picked up on the key elents.
As expected, studying civil engineering led to a dead end, even in another world!
A cultivator's auxiliary path usually served as their core productive capacity when navigating the cultivation world. In situations lacking family resource support, independent cultivators viewed their auxiliary path skills as being as vital as their very lives.
Wang Rongyuan had suffered more than enough setbacks himself, which was why he hoped these two lads of the family wouldn't tread the sa path of regret.
With that, he looked toward Yu'an.
"Sigh, this ti, your father and I contacted an artifact forging master who rents a shop from our Wang family here in Clear Stream Market. His mastery of fire-thod artifact refining has already reached an absolute peak within the Qi Refining stage.
More importantly, his area of specialization lies in the refining of tal and stone tools, which happens to align perfectly with your tal and earth spirit roots.
On the surface, we paid a single fee to secure learning slots for both of you, but that single fee... forget it, let's not ntion it. Let's eat!"
There was a specific reason why the disciples of the Wang family had to undergo 'diversification' once they turned thirteen and had their spirit roots tested.
A low-level Qi Induction cultivator faced an upper limit on the total volu of spiritual energy they could draw into their body each day, which was directly related to their aptitude. For instance, Yulou could only cultivate for three hours a day; any more would exceed the maximum capacity of his dual spirit roots.
Yu'an's aptitude was indeed slightly superior to Yulou's; he could cultivate for three hours and an additional half a quarter of an hour each day.
By sending out the family's decently talented young cultivators early, they could utilize their remaining ti outside of those three hours of cultivation to master different auxiliary paths.
By the ti they had essentially mastered their auxiliary arts, they would be on the verge of reaching the Qi Refining stage or would have already achieved it. At that point, it would be ti to return to the clan to cultivate the truly hardcore, core secret inheritance techniques and advanced auxiliary paths reserved for the Qi Refining stage.
Furthermore, youngsters like Yulou had not yet learned the family's core inherited auxiliary arts or secret techniques, so sending them out to learn from others would not result in the leakage of the family's own inheritances.
Therefore, dispatching family cultivators to study outside to learn everything they could effectively served two purposes at once.
Of course, this was a cultivation path that only the most promising cultivation seeds of the Wang Clan could enjoy. Within a single generation, perhaps only five or six individuals would receive such an opportunity.
After all, the tuition fee for just Yulou and Yu'an alone was high enough to make Wang Rongyuan feel a phantom ache whenever he thought about it.
They simply couldn't afford to squander it!
"This spiritual donkey at prepared by Flavorful Bistro's master chef truly possesses an exquisite flavor!"
Yulou took a bite of the clear-stewed donkey at, and a delightful fragrance instantly filled his mouth. As the donkey at entered his stomach, spiritual energy dissolved and scattered outward, causing him to subconsciously want to channel Qi to refine it.
The spiritual energy yielded by this spiritual donkey at required absolutely no conscious control on his part; it naturally transford into his own spiritual energy.
rely a single bite of donkey at was equivalent to a full quarter of an hour of active cultivation.
Yulou glanced at Yu'an, discovering that this swollen-faced kid had already stopped crying and was furiously wielding his chopsticks.
Delicious, and simply delicious—in short, it was incredibly tasty!
"Haha, the spiritual energy converted from spiritual foods shares the sa upper limit as the spiritual energy your spirit roots can bear.
A dual spirit root cultivator cultivates for three hours to gain three hours of cultivation base. Eating spiritual materials worth at least four or five spirit stones yields that exact sa three hours of cultivation base.
Once you reach the Qi Refining stage, every mber of the family receives a monthly quota of spiritual materials. At that ti, you can eat as much as you like!"
Seeing the two lads eating so joyfully, Wang Rongyuan explained with a smile.
They were both prodigies of the Wang Clan. Through all the many years of wind and rain weathered by the Wang Immortal Clan, it was precisely generation after generation of youths gradually growing up to shoulder the core responsibilities that allowed the family to develop to its present state.
Yulou was inwardly sharp yet outwardly cautious, possessing a mind as deep as a mountain pool while simultaneously placing imnse value on familial bonds; he was a fine child capable of shouldering the family burdens.
Yu'an was barely acceptable, but at least he recognized his mistakes, understood reason, and was willing to improve—mm, he was decent enough.
Beside them, Yulou was rapidly performing calculations in his mind.
A dual spirit root Qi Induction cultivator, assuming no bottlenecks were encountered, required roughly eighteen years to step into the Qi Refining stage, making them roughly thirty years old or so.
Based on the ti required by the twenty-odd Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the family's history to advance from the Qi Refining stage to Foundation Establishnt, it took an average of seventy-seven years. The average age of achieving Foundation Establishnt was one hundred and twelve years—still managing to squeak in before the golden Foundation Establishnt age limit of one hundred and twenty.
From a data perspective, the Wang family's resource distribution model for its disciples was remarkably rational!
Allowing Qi Induction stage disciples to consu spiritual food was sothing the Wang family could not yet afford to do loosely.
Furthermore, if one calculated starting from the founding ancestor Xuanjing, grouping every three Foundation Establishnt ancestors together, the an average age of achieving Foundation Establishnt for each subsequent group was steadily decreasing.
From an initial average of one hundred and twenty-three, down to the most recent group's average of one hundred and eight, the center of gravity for the nurical values was continuously dropping.
This indicated that the Wang Immortal Clan's resource distribution model had been continuously refined and improved over the course of more than one thousand two hundred years, and their total volu of resources was steadily increasing as well!
As expected of an immortal clan capable of passing down its lineage for a millennium, even if they were rely at the lower tier among immortal clans, they still possessed so substantial depth!
"Uncle Rongyuan, please have so tea. The two of us can't drink too much; the spiritual energy I've absorbed is already approaching my daily attraction limit."
Yu'an looked at the sharp Yulou, his back molars nearly grinding to dust. He wished more than anything that he possessed so magical artifact that could instantly take him back to a mont ago, so he could snatch Yulou's sycophantic approach for himself.
We are both juniors to Uncle Rongyuan, why must you be so incredibly competitive?
"Ah, hahaha, you two go ahead and drink, finish up all the at and vegetables.
I don't lack this tiny bit of spiritual energy. Although the Gu family likes to mix in ordinary tea leaves when selling their spirit tea, this particular pot has been brewed using genuine, rank-nine spirit tea."
A certain clan uncle who had already secretly drunk his fill of rank-eight spirit tea replied in such a manner.
Hearing this caused Yu'an to instantly feel a wave of sha arise in his heart.
What a wonderful elder Uncle Rongyuan is!
As expected, it was simply because I was far too untoward.
—
After enjoying their food and drink to their hearts' content, Wang Rongyuan walked with a confident, asured stride, leading the two so-called prodigies of the Wang family toward their genuine destination—Forge Peak Residence.
Forge Peak Residence was operated by the Qi Refining stage fire-thod artifact refining master, Householder Redbrow, Zhong Tianshuo.
This Householder Redbrow possessed a level-ten Qi Refining cultivation base and had mastered a fire-thod artifact refining technique obtained from so unknown source, excelling most at refining tal and stone tools.
In terms of his craftsmanship in refining tal and stone tools, Zhong Tianshuo enjoyed quite a reputation among the surrounding marketplaces, making him a top-tier artificer among Qi Refining cultivators.
"Brother, looking at the way Uncle is walking, isn't he violating our clan rules? Isn't that gait far too arrogant?"
Shrinking beside Yulou, the swollen-faced boy asked in a low voice.
Yulou's brow furrowed, realizing that Yu'an's symptoms were quite severe.
Child, there are certain words that simply cannot be uttered, understand?
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Wang Rongyuan coughed twice, shifting his arrogant stride back to a normal walking pace while adjusting his expression, naturally putting on the guise of a stingy rogue cultivator.
Wasn't it simply because the Wang family has successors to carry on the lineage, filling my heart with imnse joy, that I accidentally got a bit carried away?
"Yu'an, you absolute rascal, when it cos to policing , you certainly rember the clan rules clearly. Good, very good!
I hope you can observe the clan rules just as clearly yourself in the future. Yulou, keep a close eye on him! If you discover him violating the clan rules in any way, record it down for !
The next ti I see you, submit a private report to , and I shall handle him myself!"
Yulou replied respectfully,
"I shall reverently obey Uncle's decree!"
Walking behind the two, the swollen-faced boy's reddened face instantly turned green, and he even wished he could slap himself across the mouth.
He looked pitifully toward Yulou, pulling a crying face.
Gently patting his shoulder, Yulou spread his hands to indicate—crying? Crying won't help either!
Brother, there's nothing that can be done. You're far too flighty; one cannot achieve immortality by being too foolish.
"We've arrived. Right here. How about it? The master that the Patriarch and I selected for you—his shop is quite beautiful, isn't it?"
Forge Peak Residence was situated on the outer edge of Clear Stream Market, but it was actually located in the absolute pri sector because it sat directly adjacent to the rank-seven Clear Stream of Qin Rhy—a rank-seven spiritual resource!
Let's put it this way: this shop bordering the Clear Stream of Qin Rhy could bring in a baseline rental inco of two hundred and forty low-grade spirit stones for the Wang Clan every single year!
Wang Rongyuan's annual family salary was only one hundred spirit stones!
Furthermore, those two hundred and forty spirit stones rely covered the basic fees for utilizing a set quota of rank-nine Clear Stream water and borrowing the ambient spiritual energy to cultivate—akin to a basic subscription package.
If the tenant wished to utilize more of the Clear Stream's spiritual materials or spiritual essence, they had to continue paying extra money, a lot of money—add-on services, with the collecting party being the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, one of the Ten Sects of Wunan!
This was also the reason why a Foundation Establishnt cultivator was permanently stationed within Clear Stream Market!
Yulou stood before the entrance of Forge Peak Residence. He couldn't see the rank-seven Clear Stream of Qin Rhy situated behind the shop, but he noticed a red lantern hanging above the door of Forge Peak Residence.
"This red lantern... could it be?" He looked toward his clan uncle.
"Correct. That is precisely the command token of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, representing their vassal protection. It serves as both a form of protection and deterrence, as well as a symbol of trust."
Wang Rongyuan stroked his beard, nodding with a smile.
In this day and age, if one wished to serve as a vassal to the Ten Sects, they couldn't do so without so genuine capability!
Any vassal of the Ten Sects, when sent outside, was bound to be a highly formidable character!
"Keep close to , let's head inside."
Drawing a magical artifact token crafted from polished mirror-silver from his robe, Wang Rongyuan directly led the two youngsters through the shop's defensive restriction and stepped into Forge Peak Residence.
"Old Zhong, I've brought your apprentices to you." He shouted out in a loud voice.
Beside him, Yulou's gaze had already been completely captured by the dazzling array of various tals, agate jade stones, and magical artifact blanks displayed within Forge Peak Residence.
Just as ordinary mortal n in his previous life harbored a fascination for guns and artillery, after being reborn into this immortal cultivation world, the things Yulou loved most included magical artifacts.
Magical artifacts were the treasures used to protect one's path.
It could be said that no cultivator alive disliked fine, boutique magical artifacts.
"You surnad Wang, what about the rank-eight Water Jade fragnts you promised to compensate with last ti? When exactly do you plan to hand them over?"
A heavy male voice carrying a slight accent rang out, sounding to be roughly thirty years old or so.
Following that, a large fat man dressed in embroidered red robes and possessing distinctive red eyebrows erged from the rear hall of Forge Peak Residence.
He was precisely Householder Redbrow, Zhong Tianshuo.
Spiritual light shimred across those red embroidered robes, and as Yulou stared, he actually discerned surging flas dancing within the fabric.
The flas flickered and leaped, appearing to possess a form of magical allure that left both Yulou and Yu'an entirely spellbound.
"Retract!"
With a single command, the flas upon the red embroidered robes vanished instantly. Zhong Tianshuo waved his hand with dissatisfaction and continued,
"There are no chairs here. If you have business, speak while standing."
"Brother Tianshuo, regarding that horse racing matter last ti, I truly didn't expect Old Ghost from the beast dicine shop to be such an absolute scoundrel, pitching his garbage family-secret beast-nurturing treasure pills to every single horse owner.
So that's why, right?" Wang Rongyuan explained with an awkward chuckle.
The Wang family currently possessed two Foundation Establishnt cultivators; one was a core disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, while the other had served as an outer court deacon within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect after achieving Foundation Establishnt.
Logically speaking, either of these two Foundation Establishnt ancestors could easily crush Zhong Tianshuo with a single hand.
There was absolutely no need for Wang Rongyuan to be so polite.
But the Wang family genuinely required Zhong Tianshuo's secret inheritance of the fire-thod tal-stone artificing way—very desperately so.
The secret inheritances within the clan weren't complete enough, and Redbrow's heritage possessed the exact value needed to supplent the Wang Clan's gaps in their artifact refining records, while also being relatively easy to obtain, making it practically indispensable.
Many other individuals also held similar inheritances, but they refused to sell them, let alone impart them to outsiders. Even if the Wang family wished to purchase them, they had no ans to do so.
Having a favor to ask, combined with the fact that Wang Rongyuan had indeed caused Zhong Tianshuo to suffer heavy losses during the horse race last ti, left him with no choice but to suppress his annoyance and attempt to smooth things over.
"What do you an 'right' or 'not right'!
Surnad Wang, those rank-eight Water Jade fragnts were sothing you personally promised to compensate with!
Hand them over, and I shall take these two young cubs in as apprentices. Teaching them for ten or eight years won't be an issue at all!
If you don't hand them over, then take the two of them and look elsewhere!"
Hearing Zhong Tianshuo speak in this manner caused Yulou's heart to sink instinctively.
This Redbrow was by no ans a simple character. Despite being rely a Qi Refining cultivator, he could still maintain such a firm attitude in front of a Foundation Establishnt immortal clan.
Upon hearing Zhong Tianshuo's words, the smile on Wang Rongyuan's face froze slightly.
He could easily employ nurous underhanded thods to resolve this matter, but his family craved the fire-thod tal-stone artificing way inheritance held in Zhong Tianshuo's hands, so many thods could not be used, and even threatening words were difficult to utter.
Troubleso.
Troubleso.
Incredibly troubleso!
"I will absolutely never back out on the matter of the rank-eight Water Jade fragnts. The reputation of the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan is still highly resonant; Friend Redbrow can rest assured."
His words were neither soft nor hard, balancing the boundary perfectly, though Zhong Tianshuo didn't buy into it.
"So, where exactly are the rank-eight Water Jade fragnts?"
Wang Rongyuan truly had no other options left, so he said,
"Isn't it because that piece of Water Jade held by our family hasn't found a suitable artificer to refine it yet? Once it is refined over there, I shall hand the fragnts over to you.
Rest assured, Friend Zhong. When have I, Wang Rongyuan, ever given you cause to think I would deceive you?"
In truth, since a bet was a bet, Zhong Tianshuo simply wanted to test his luck and see if he could press for it.
After all, those were rank-eight Water Jade fragnts!
Seeing Wang Rongyuan offer such a guarantee, he chose to believe him, except...
Hearing that the Wang family genuinely possessed a piece of rank-eight Water Jade made his heart stir even more intensely!
"Let refine it! What exactly do you want it refined into? Just say the word, Brother Wang! We are old acquaintances after all; I shall refine it for you completely free of charge!"
What a complete shift in attitude.
A mont ago, he was calling him 'surnad Wang', and now he had directly upgraded to 'Brother Wang'. Householder Redbrow certainly understood how to change faces rapidly.
"I shall discuss this with the Patriarch upon my return and will certainly recomnd you to him. After all, you are Yulou and Yu'an's master; we are all on the sa side."
Seeing that Wang Rongyuan refused to relent, Householder Redbrow stopped pressing the issue. He shifted his gaze toward Yulou and Yu'an and said,
"Fine, let them draw a talisman to test their skills. If their aptitude is too poor, don't waste my ti.
If one wishes to refine artifacts, they must first master talismans. If their talisman path is deficient, they won't be able to inscribe restrictions onto the artifact blanks.
Co, draw right here on these two pieces of yellow hemp cloth; let see your talisman path talents."
The Wang family had paid the price of a single inheritance yet sent over two apprentices, which left Householder Redbrow highly dissatisfied.
Trying to get a freebie out of , are you?
I must chase one away today—only then can I facilitate subsequent negotiations and securely obtain those Water Jade fragnts!
Activating his spiritual energy, several red threads extended from Householder Redbrow's position, drawing tables, chairs, yellow hemp cloth, and white-haired brushes from different corners of Forge Peak Residence, setting them down right before the two brothers.
Witnessing this scene caused Wang Rongyuan to suck in a breath of cold air inwardly.
This person's spiritual control capacity?
Quite impressive.
"Start together. You should both know the Spiritual Attraction Talisman, right? I'm in a hurry!"
Householder Redbrow uttered a sentence before turning back to continue chatting with Wang Rongyuan.
"You shouldn't have associated with that Old Ghost. He is incredibly wicked. Last ti, he sold my daughter a young purple marten, but as it grew, that purple marten ended up turning into a purple-furred rat!"
When it ca to the two lads drawing talismans, Wang Rongyuan naturally harbored complete confidence. They had been practicing for a full half-year already.
It was rely a basic Spiritual Attraction Talisman—an effortless task~
"Rest assured, Brother Zhong, I just taught him a firm lesson today.
His screams at the ti—hey, they were remarkably resonant. It's a pity you didn't hear them."
Wang Rongyuan crossed his arms before his chest, speaking with no small amount of self-satisfaction.
"Oh? Screams? You must have given him quite a rough ti."
Hearing that Wang Rongyuan had helped vent a grievance on his behalf caused Zhong Tianshuo to instantly feel a surge of respect.
As expected of a prominent talent of the Wang family, he was genuinely fierce enough.
Within Clear Stream Market, only the vassal families of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect dared to act so boldly; even he, Zhong Tianshuo, didn't dare to be so ostentatious.
"Indeed. It's a pity you weren't present; his wails could be heard from dozens of zhang away."
Wang Rongyuan held back his laughter, pretending to look proud while boasting to Zhong Tianshuo.
Old Ghost: I'll curse your entire lineage! You drank half an ounce of my rank-eight Gu Clan's Spirit Tea! Half an ounce! The kind that's completely rank-eight!
"Eh... this child of yours?"
"Yu'an? What's wrong, his drawing is decent enough, isn't it?"
"Is there so severe affliction with his head?"
"Oh, I disciplined him a couple of tis along the way. It's nothing. If he proves disobedient while staying with you in the future, feel free to hit him whenever necessary."
Yu'an's facial muscles twitched violently, nearly causing his stroke to slip while drawing the talisman.
However, he had been practicing the drawing of Spiritual Attraction Talismans with absolute intensity recently, even to the point where drawing talismans had delayed his cultivation, which was why he was a tier lower than Yulou.
Therefore, even though the external distractions were completely hellish, it still failed to impact him.
Yulou, who stood beside him, was entirely different.
From start to finish, he had been drawing the Spiritual Attraction Talisman with absolute, concentrated focus.
Just at the exact mont the Spiritual Attraction Talisman was about to be completed.
The image of an illusory white Ruyi scepter surfaced within Yulou's mind, with one end of the Ruyi filled to the brim with golden light, resembling a progress bar.
With a slight stir of his intent, the golden light accumulated within the Ruyi transford into scattered, sparkling points, dispersing and vanishing.
His movents in drawing the Spiritual Attraction Talisman instantly beca far more exquisite, appearing entirely ordinary on the surface yet executed with a flawless, natural smoothness.
The third to last stroke.
The second to last stroke.
The last...
The Spiritual Attraction Talisman was complete!
How could a transmigrator proceed without a golden finger cheat?
The Jade Ruyi inside his mind had only appeared after Yulou's spirit roots were tested.
Its function wasn't complex; it accumulated experience points during the process of drawing talismans. After drawing roughly fifty talismans or so, it could accumulate a small bar of golden light.
These bars of golden light could be viewed as a form of minor guaranteed success chanism.
Upon consuming it, a drawing that would have resulted in a major failure could be upgraded to a minor failure, a minor failure could be upgraded to a success, and a successful drawing could be elevated to absolute perfection.
As for what would happen if a full bar of golden light was used to trigger a major guaranteed success chanism when the drawing was already destined for success, Yulou had not yet found an opportunity to test it.
During his nearly half-year of practice, the first two months had been entirely filled with failures, preventing any effective accumulation of golden light.
Later on, he needed to focus on cultivation, and with the golden finger cheat backing him up, Yulou had grown slightly lax, shifting his core energy toward his Qi Induction cultivation.
After all, this was a world where one could achieve immortality; shouldn't cultivation be a matter of fighting for every fleeting mont?
As for whether this guaranteed success chanism could be applied to artifact refining, Wang Yulou felt highly expectant yet didn't dare to harbor too much hope, fearing the pain of disappointnt.
Artifact refining carried imnse costs and involved a highly complex process, and the ultimate quality of the finished product would create a heaven-and-earth difference in value.
If only this guaranteed success chanism could be utilized in artifact refining...
If that were true, his future, and the future of the entire Wang Immortal Clan, might undergo an absolute, earth-shattering transformation!
"Uncle Rongyuan, Senior Redbrow, my Spiritual Attraction Talisman is complete!"
Finishing his final stroke, Yu'an proudly raised his yellow hemp cloth, looking toward Wang Rongyuan and Householder Redbrow, except...
The two Qi Refining seniors had already abandoned all attention toward him, turning instead to stare fixedly at the yellow hemp cloth resting before Yulou.
"This?"
Those who understood the trade required no dramatic shocks. Wang Rongyuan smiled as he waited for Householder Redbrow to speak.
Householder Redbrow patted his stomach, shook his head, and said,
"I've truly grown old. To think I've been outperford by a re young child. Even I might not necessarily be able to draw a Spiritual Attraction Talisman of this exact caliber. Yulou, was it?"
Yulou looked at the Spiritual Attraction Talisman in his hand, and spoke with a touch of pleasant surprise,
"Yes, I am Wang Yulou, Senior Redbrow. This talisman simply happened to be the absolute finest I have ever drawn since I began practicing; usually, I still end up ruining them quite frequently."
Yulou smiled innocently, offering an explanation for the perfect ordinary-grade Spiritual Attraction Talisman he had produced.
"Yu'an's piece isn't bad either; he has clearly practiced no small amount. Brother Zhong, take a look."
Yu'an looked toward Uncle Rongyuan with a hint of confusion, nearly shedding tears of profound gratitude.
Uncle, you genuinely still care for !
Wang Rongyuan: The Wang family expended so many spirit stones! You absolutely must succeed in entering his tutelage!
Picking up Wang Yu'an's Spiritual Attraction Talisman, it sat above ordinary but below excellent, showing clear dedication.
Householder Redbrow inspected it repeatedly before finally sighing,
"Brother Wang, I shall accept both of them. It's just that regarding the matter of those Water Jade fragnts, I must trouble you to expend more effort."
With two fine talents standing before him, Householder Redbrow refused to utter any falsehoods.
"Naturally, naturally!"
Wang Rongyuan's face bead with pride. He hadn't expected Yu'an to be so competitive either.
Though he appeared unreliable on the surface, he was actually quite diligent when it ca to performing tasks.
"Today, I shall first take them back to bathe and burn incense. Tomorrow morning, I shall invite three or five fellow Daoists, and we shall hold a grand and spectacular apprenticeship ceremony!"
Householder Redbrow glanced at Yulou, then looked back at the swollen-faced Yu'an. He wanted to say that the apprenticeship ceremony could be skipped, but then felt that it should still be held properly.
These two would be considered the only two disciples he had taken since embarking on his pursuit of the Dao; it was only right to hold a ceremony to serve as a witness.
"Very well. I don't understand much about apprenticeship ceremonies, so I shall trouble Brother Wang to handle it."
"As it should be, as it should be!"
—
"I am highly gratified that you two managed to enter Zhong Tianshuo's tutelage; the Patriarch will likely be highly gratified as well."
On the way back to the inn with the two youngsters, Wang Rongyuan spoke with a face full of smiles.
"Uncle Rongyuan, is Senior Redbrow truly that formidable?"
Yulou expressed his confusion, and Yu'an also carried a face full of curiosity.
"What do you two know? He likely obtained a Foundation Establishnt inheritance for the fire-thod tal-stone artificing way. Do you still rember his spiritual control capacity from today?
His cultivation base is roughly equal to mine, yet his spiritual control capacity is superior to mine. Co to think of it, I should be roughly the sa age as him."
Beneath the moonlight, Uncle Rongyuan sighed with a hint of lancholy.
Cultivation, cultivation—every cultivator earnestly yearned to advance a step further.
As contemporaries, Wang Rongyuan had already fallen behind Redbrow; how could he not feel lancholy?
What if my opportunities had been slightly better?
What if I hadn't been hoodwinked like a fool by that cheap master of mine back then?
What if my comprehension had been slightly sharper?
"His eyebrows might be caused by spiritual energy manifesting externally, Uncle Rongyuan. From that perspective, your potential is greater than his."
Yulou offered a word of comfort to his clan uncle.
"Heh, you brat, you're actually lecturing now."
Rubbing Yulou's head, the major task successfully accomplished and his heart feeling light, Wang Rongyuan teased with a smile,
"I wonder which of you two will manage to reach Foundation Establishnt first. Co to think of it, you were born in the sa year and month, grew up together since childhood, and now you're entering the tutelage of the exact sa master.
The two of you must work hard~"
Yu'an wanted to say that it would definitely be him, but his face was already swollen enough, so he chose to hold it in for now.
Yulou, just you wait. When the ti cos, I'll force you to address as senior no matter what!
"Eh?"
A cultivator's vision was exceptionally sharp. As they arrived outside the Wang family's inn within Clear Stream Market, across the street, Wang Rongyuan and Yulou simultaneously noticed the mother and daughter they had seen upon their arrival at noon.
The mother still stood there, the sign still hanging around her neck. She leaned against the Clear Stream Market periter railing in absolute despair, and at her feet lay her daughter, who had already drifted off to sleep from sheer exhaustion.
Ten taels of silver was nothing more than a single hair to a cultivator.
Yet the vast majority of people chose to remain absolutely tight-fisted.
Within the Wunan Cultivation World, not many individuals possessed the luxury to retain warmth and compassion.
As long as one had not yet achieved immortality, they remained re humans—humans who couldn't necessarily even protect themselves!
Yulou glanced at his clan uncle, and Wang Rongyuan fell silent for a brief mont before nodding his head.
"Go ahead. I shall watch over you from here."
Receiving the silver handed to him by his clan uncle, Yulou walked toward the mother and daughter.
The evening crowd within Clear Stream Market remained substantial, though it had thinned out considerably compared to when they arrived.
If he didn't offer salvation, this mother and daughter would not survive for very long within this marketplace of cultivators.
"Here, ten taels of silver."
Wang Yulou pressed a small gold nugget into the woman's hand, and the exhausted woman opened her eyes.
"Thank you, Immortal Master! Thank you, Immortal Master!"
"I am no Immortal Master."
Wang Yulou shook his head with a touch of lancholy.
A family that accumulates goodness will surely have abundant blessings.
Nothing more than that.
He was rely a cultivator bitterly pursuing the Dao himself; how could he possibly count as an Immortal Master?
"Please wait a mont, I have sothing to give her."
Under Yulou's puzzled gaze, the woman drew a small pouch of silver from her robe.
She placed the gold nugget Yulou had given her into it, then tied the entire pouch securely onto the hand of her still-sleeping daughter.
"Please forgive , please forgive . This young Immortal Master is a good person."
The mother wept bitterly, offering a final embrace to the daughter who was about to depart.
Lowering her head, she lifted the young girl up, holding her out right before Yulou.
She couldn't bear to and didn't want to send her daughter away, but she was even less willing to watch her daughter suffer alongside her.
"My family requires many people. I am a disciple of the Gu Clan. You could co along as well."
"No, it is better for her not to have a mother like . She will have a spirit root; her father was a cultivator, she will definitely possess a spirit root, won't she?"
Yulou replied with an aching heart,
"Yes, she will definitely have a spirit root."
He couldn't bear to, couldn't bear to shatter a mother's ultimate blessing for her child.
Child, your mother doesn't possess a spirit root, but you will have one, you definitely will!
"Let her cultivate well. Immortal Master, you are a good person; you will surely achieve immortality."
This mortal-fleshed mother stole a final glance at the daughter who was about to leave, wiping away her unceasing tears.
She turned around with absolute resolution, her steps faltering, and practically fled, vanishing into the night of Clear Stream Market.
Clutching that silk-sewn small money pouch stuffed with silver, Yulou held the child in his arms, standing in place for a long, long ti without moving.
There were no lamps along the streets of Clear Stream Market, but a pristine, brilliant crescent moon hung high in the sky tonight.
Wang Yulou lifted his head, his eyes already entirely filled with tears.
The moon is brightest in one's hotown, the moon is brightest in one's hotown.
He missed his mother.
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