For a cultivator of the Fetal Breathing Realm, being forty years old isn’t even considered middle-aged.
"Mother knows that cultivators have long lifespans and there’s no need to rush, but you also have to consider your aunt."
"As of now, she only has cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer. In years past, when your uncle and Zhongyi’s great-grandfather were attacked and killed by the Suihuo Sect, your aunt suffered a blow to her heart and spirit."
"Her lifespan isn’t much longer than that of ordinary mortals."
"Zhongyi is her only son; how could she not want to see Zhongyi start a family during her lifeti?"
Hearing this, Shen Chongming slowly clenched his fist.
This was sothing he had truly overlooked.
Over the years, his mind had been preoccupied with how to develop and strengthen the Shen Family; he had never thought about these matters in detail.
"Chongming, it’s not that your mother wants to interfere in the major affairs of the Shen Family, but what your grandmother said is correct."
"Cultivators spend a lifeti cultivating, but for what in the end?"
With a slight pause, Huang Lingxiu hesitated before continuing, "Mother rembers when Elder Jiang from the Luoxia Mountain broke through to the Golden Core Realm and gave your grandmother so Pill Qi, which gave her a Spirit Root."
"Now that your third uncle has also reached the Golden Core, that Pill Qi..."
At the ntion of Pill Qi, Shen Chongming’s expression changed slightly.
Shen Wen’an’s Pill Qi had more important plans.
"Mother..."
Seeing his father in a difficult position, Shen Xiuzhuo tily clasped his hands and said, "Grandmother, Father has already planned to give Third Uncle’s Golden Core Pill Qi to Xiubai."
"Xiubai has excellent talent in Array Dao, but his Spirit Root is of low quality. This strand of Pill Qi can transform him and beco a significant support for the rise of the Shen Family."
"You... please don’t make it hard for him."
Upon hearing this, Huang Lingxiu was sowhat stunned, looking at the conflicted expression on her son’s face, feeling a deep discomfort in her heart.
She understood that bringing this up indeed put her son in a difficult position.
On one side was his aunt, and on the other was the future of the Shen Family.
A single strand of Pill Qi was far from enough to share.
When she married into the Shen Family back then, both Shen Wenping and Shen Wen’an were just children, and they weren’t much older than Shen Chongming.
After decades of coexistence, the bond between sisters-in-law was thicker than blood, and with He Zishi, Zhongyi’s father, dying young, Shen Wenping had been widowed for most of her life.
The thought of having to watch her lifespan run out and die brought a pang of pain to Huang Lingxiu’s heart.
"Alright, you have your own plans for the Pill Qi, and Mother won’t trouble you."
"But you should keep Zhongyi’s marriage in mind."
"Moreover, if things aren’t urgent in Fla Lake City, let Zhongyi co back more often to accompany his mother."
Having finished speaking, Huang Lingxiu hurriedly left the small courtyard.
As he watched his mother’s departing figure, Shen Chongming struggled internally, but in the end, he could only sigh helplessly.
If not for bearing the heavy responsibility of the Shen Family’s future, he would undoubtedly have given that strand of Pill Qi to his aunt without hesitation.
But now, if he used the Pill Qi on his aunt, it would inevitably delay Shen Xiubai’s cultivation significantly.
As the current Patriarch of the Shen Family, he couldn’t afford to act emotionally.
"Father..."
Beside him, Shen Xiuzhuo also noticed his father’s difficulty, understanding his father’s dilemma.
When he wanted to speak words of comfort, he found himself at a loss for what to say.
"I’m fine. You go handle the tasks I just asked you to do."
Shen Chongming slowly stood up, sent his son away, and stood alone in the pavilion.
"What do cultivators pursue after a lifeti of cultivation?"
Murmuring his mother’s words, Shen Chongming looked sowhat lost at the sky.
His cultivation had been infinitely close to the Fetal Breathing Perfection Realm, yet now he suddenly felt a bit confused.
He rembered that in his childhood, at the beginning of his cultivation path, he had also questioned why he was cultivating.
To protect his parents, protect his family, and strengthen the Shen Family.
But now...
"Perhaps it’s because I haven’t tried hard enough..."
Shen Chongming suddenly sighed and murmured.
If he had been diligent enough to break through to the Golden Core Realm, there would have been two strands of Pill Qi.
If so, he wouldn’t face such difficulties.
"What’s wrong, dear?"
As Shen Chongming lanted in the pavilion, a figure walked towards him.
Chen Youran ca forward, noticing his unusual expression, and asked with concern.
Suppressing the worries in his heart, Shen Chongming slowly turned, smiled faintly, and shook his head, "It’s nothing."
Chen Youran glanced at him, then looked in the direction of the courtyard gate, "I seem to have heard Mother’s voice just now. Did she co to see you for sothing?"
It was written into the family rules that the won of the Shen Family should not interfere in family matters.
Hence, usually, it was the juniors who would visit Mother and Grandmother in their free ti.
Without significant matters, Mother Huang Lingxiu wouldn’t visit specifically.
After a mont of hesitation, Shen Chongming spoke of the issue concerning the Pill Qi.
After hearing this, Chen Youran remained silent.
As a cultivator, she felt her husband’s choice was right.
But as a junior, she couldn’t bear to see Aunt Shen Wenping slowly exhaust her lifespan.
For the leader of a family, the decision was indeed difficult to make.
"Life and death separation, for us cultivators, is indeed a high hurdle to cross."
"In the future, as the Shen Family grows stronger, these difficult choices will likely beco less frequent."
Chen Youran sighed and said.
The Shen Family today was different from the past when it had only a handful of mbers, and resources could be used freely.
As the family continued to grow, the number of clansn increased.
Cultivation resources had to be allocated rationally, prioritizing those with great talent and great contribution to the family.
Only in this way could the family grow stronger continuously.
Under such circumstances, so clansn without talent or significant contributions would ultimately exhaust their lifespan and fade away quietly.
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