Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans...

Chapter 147 The Zhou Family Visits
Erniu's family.

"Greetings, Uncle Lin."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an's expression was strange, while Li Erniu was both angry and relieved, his expression was rather complicated.

At this moment, Zhou Yifan's face was pale, and there was still a faint trace of bloodthirsty aura on his body.

"So, you obtained a demon core during this chaotic time?"

Having listened to Li Erniu's wife's excuses, Lin Chang'an now sat upright in his chair, playing with the demon core in his palm, but a look of doubt appeared on his face.

"You rascal, you're already forty-one, how can you still be so reckless?"

Li Erniu, his eyes red with anger, rebuked them. It sounded simple, but countless cultivators had fallen on the path to Foundation Establishment.

Faced with Lin Chang'an's questioning and his father's reprimand.

Zhou Yifan, who was already forty-one years old, lowered his head and remained silent, which made Lin Chang'an shake his head.

This kid has always been stubborn since he was a child, keeping everything bottled up inside. But his perseverance is stronger than Erniu's.

“Uncle Lin, if someone else asked me, I would naturally say the same thing, but if you and my father ask me, I will tell you the truth.”

Zhou Yifan, with a solemn expression, slowly recounted how he obtained the demon core.

It turned out that a badly injured second-tier demon beast had been discovered on its back, and the two groups of cultivators started fighting each other.

Zhou Yifan couldn't resist the temptation and joined in, risking his life.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, only the person involved truly knew the dangers involved.

After listening to Zhou Yifan's calm account, Li Erniu's eyes reddened, and he glared at him, saying:
"Are you out of your mind, kid? Don't you know that if you're not careful, I'll send you to your doom! You won't even be able to find a corpse."

Faced with the reprimand, Zhou Yifan seemed to have gotten used to it and remained silent.

After listening, Lin Chang'an nodded secretly, after all, he knew Zhou Yifan's strength.

He had been working on the ninth level of Qi Refining for several years, and had been preparing foundation building materials all these years. He just didn't expect this kid to be so bold.

However, if an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator doesn't even dare to take a risk, how can they talk about Foundation Establishment?

"Don't even mention what your father said about you. You should know from your years in the demon-hunting team that if you walk by the river long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet."

"I know, but I also know that if I don't reach the Foundation Establishment stage, I will always be at the mercy of others."

Zhou Yifan raised his head. Although he was much more composed, his stubborn gaze made Li Erniu sigh.

Lin Chang'an shook his head. Although he was an elder, this was clearly Er Niu's family matter.

“Your father just came to us to borrow the materials for your foundation building, but it seems we don’t need to now.”

Every family has its cupboard.

Li Erniu married into the family, and Zhou Yifan was ostracized from a young age. He had seen the stubbornness in the boy's eyes back then.

Later, although Li Erniu had several more children, his status changed as his cultivation improved.

Therefore, these children have not suffered such treatment.

However, Lin Chang'an was an outsider in all of this.

"The only person I can trust to protect this demon core is Uncle Lin."

Although Zhou Fan is a quiet person this week, he knows how to flatter others.

"Alright, you take good care of your injuries. I'll go visit that medicine master. After the pill is finished, leave the Foundation Establishment Pill with me. Come find me when you're ready."

Lin Chang'an stood up. Erniu and the Zhou family were their own family matters, and he didn't want to get too involved.

"Thank you, Uncle Lin."

Erniu gratefully saw Lin Chang'an to the door.

Hearing Erniu's cautious and awkward words, Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded; he could understand.

Everyone has selfish desires.

Erniu claimed that he had contacted several friends and borrowed some funds to prepare a Foundation Building Pill for his eldest son.

This matter was not a secret in the Zhou family to begin with, and Zhou Yifan had been working hard for it all these years.

……

After returning to the cave.

Looking at the crystal core in his palm, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but shake his head.

"Yifan is a brave kid, but he's also lucky. Most people who try to snatch chestnuts from the fire end up with nothing but bones."

With a flick of his wrist, Lin Chang'an tossed the second-tier demon core into the alchemy furnace.

Although he used his identity as a medicine master to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, the person was still his nephew, so he wouldn't embezzle the resources.

"With my current strength and wealth, what difference would it make if I took out three Foundation Establishment Pills?"

Thinking of this, Lin Chang'an smiled calmly.

Currently, he is openly a mid-grade second-tier talisman master, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, one of the six major Foundation Establishment cultivators in the black market, and has a past relationship with the disciple of Master Lu of Tianxuan City.

Any one of the above identities would suffice.

"What happened yesterday is what happened today. When Erniu married into the family, his strength was weak in the early stages, and Zhou Yifan suffered a lot of disdain from childhood, so he has always harbored resentment."

As for whether Zhou Yifan can establish his foundation, given his mid-grade spiritual root aptitude, unwavering will, and the three Foundation Establishment Pills he possesses, if he still cannot establish his foundation, then he might as well settle down and start a family sooner.

"However, this kid's affair with the Zhou family is a bit difficult."

Once the pent-up anger in their hearts gains power, their first thought will probably be to establish their own independent business.

Thinking of this, Lin Chang'an shook his head. There was no right or wrong in this matter; it was just a matter of different perspectives.

"The news that Yifan obtained the demon core may not have spread, but the news that Erniu is raising funds and materials to prepare for foundation building has probably already spread. I suppose someone from the Zhou family will come to visit soon."

The world of cultivation is not about fighting and killing, but about human relationships and worldly wisdom.

The Zhou family, in particular, has always kept a low profile and quietly developed its business.

"However, these are their family matters."

Lin Chang'an shook his head and then threw the spiritual herbs and fruits into the alchemy furnace according to his experience.

As the Foundation Establishment cultivator's true fire burned, drops of spiritual liquid began to be extracted.

Alchemy requires a cultivator to have a high degree of control over true fire.

Different spiritual herbs and fruits have different standards for the intensity of the true fire during calcination.

The order and timing of the fusion of the spiritual liquids must also be correct.

As the second-tier demon core inside the alchemy furnace slowly melts and forms a liquid, the bloodthirsty energy within the demon core is gradually extracted, which is crucial to the quality of the resulting pill.

Then the various demonic liquids began to merge, eventually forming three pills, which continuously expelled impurities under the true fire.

Two days later.

"The pill is complete."

As the alchemy furnace was opened and the fire went out, three Foundation Establishment Pills, shimmering with purple spiritual light, slowly floated out.

"Three high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills. If word gets out, people will probably guess that this medicine master is a mid-grade second-level alchemist. But given Zhou Yifan's caution, he wouldn't be so unwise."

If this gets out, it won't just offend a second-tier alchemist, but also his Uncle Lin.

Let alone Zhou Yifan, even other cultivators wouldn't be so unwise; making a fortune in silence is the best choice.

He put the three scalding hot Foundation Establishment Pills into a jade bottle.

Lin Chang'an nodded in satisfaction. Even if he could no longer stay in Tianxuan City, he could simply change his appearance wherever he went.

He started over under the guise of the herbalist, and was able to make a comfortable living with this skill.

With the Foundation Establishment Pill successfully refined, Lin Chang'an cleansed his aura. The people outside the cave had been waiting for a long time, and it was time to go and see them.

……

"Miss Zhou, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

As the formation was activated, Lin Chang'an smiled and invited Zhou Bingyun in.

This person had been waiting outside the cave for a day, which was nothing unusual for a cultivator.

"Brother Lin, Bingyun is here on behalf of the Zhou family this time. I hope you won't take offense."

When Zhou Bingyun was led to the pavilion, she stood up and respectfully cupped her hands in greeting, expressing her hope that Brother Lin would forgive any shortcomings in her conduct.

Lin Chang'an smiled as he poured the brewed spiritual tea into a teacup.

"It seems they've come for Yifan. I had a feeling it was coming when Erniu was preparing materials for his son."

Zhou Bingyun nodded slightly, a hint of apology in her eyes, but Lin Chang'an smiled and shook his head, indicating that this was their family matter and he wouldn't interfere. However, Lin Chang'an was still somewhat curious about how the Zhou family would handle this matter.

"Regardless of whether Zhou Yifan can successfully establish his foundation, the clan has given him two choices: one is to marry my clanswoman, and from then on, everyone will work together for the clan."

As Zhou Bingyun introduced her, her cousin was twenty years old, with excellent looks and a mid-grade spiritual root aptitude.

Whether in terms of identity or spiritual talent, he is worthy of Zhou Yifan.

"The second option is that the Zhou family allows Zhou Yifan to return to his clan, but regardless of whether he can achieve Foundation Establishment, he must repay double the resources he has enjoyed from the Zhou family over the years!"

When this was mentioned, Zhou Bingyun showed a rare resolute expression.

There's no room for negotiation on this matter. The Zhou family doesn't want to cause trouble, but they're definitely not afraid of it.

Let alone a potential Qi Refining cultivator, even if Zhou Yifan actually succeeds in Foundation Establishment, it wouldn't be difficult for the Zhou family to destroy him.

Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an secretly sighed, "Although this Zhou family head doesn't have a strong desire to expand, his methods for steadily developing the family are extremely clever."

Returning double the resources is already quite generous.

"This is a matter within the Zhou family. Although I do not wish to interfere, I owe my current status to the assistance of several friends when I was building my foundation."

Lin Chang'an also expressed his attitude, saying that it was no secret that several of his friends who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage had lent him spirit stones.

His assistance to his friend's son in preparing the Foundation Establishment Pill was perfectly legitimate, and the Zhou family's attitude towards Zhou Yifan was also extremely kind and righteous.

"I thought Brother Lin would be angry."

Suddenly, Zhou Bingyun chuckled and covered her mouth, letting bygones be bygones.

Isn't this also because of Lin Chang'an's influence?

He was a second-tier talisman master, on good terms with two disciples of Master Lu, and together with six Foundation Establishment cultivators, he opened a black market.

Over the years, the Zhou family has made considerable profits from the black market.

It's not worth it for a mere Zhou Yifan.

Instead, we should take this opportunity to further bridge the gap between us.

Moreover, the Zhou family's methods are not as simple as they seem.

“Miss Zhou, your father’s methods are quite ingenious.”

Beneath Lin Chang'an's meaningful smile, Zhou Bingyun casually shrugged, making no attempt to conceal her family's schemes.

"That's natural. The Zhou family isn't a charity. Even if Zhou Yifan could build a foundation, so what? Starting from scratch without any foundation is incredibly difficult, as our ancestors have recorded in history."

If Zhou Yifan looks down on my sister, then he's blind. Even if he sets up his own business, he'll still have to lease our Zhou family's spiritual fields to develop..."

Zhou Bingyun spoke calmly, and Lin Chang'an nodded secretly.

Once Zhou Yifan completes his foundation, problems will inevitably arise within the Zhou family.

If there's an extra Foundation Establishment cultivator, should we provide resources?
The Zhou family's internal tradition of beast taming is something that can be fostered by being wary of others, which only creates greater estrangement. However, the Zhou family is clearly unwilling to give up this foundational tradition so easily.

It would be better to be magnanimous and let Zhou Yifan start his own business.

Whether it's about future generations or other things, the Zhou family has already seized control of the family's destiny.

If the Zhou family encounters difficulties or needs assistance, Zhou Yifan will still have to help them.

It must be said that Zhou Renmao is a cunning and shrewd man who never suffers a loss, whether inside or outside the company.

Even if one has not reached the Foundation Establishment stage, allowing the other party to establish their own sect demonstrates magnanimity and wins over everyone, while Zhou Yifan would not even catch their eye.

……

Half a month later.

When Lin Chang'an heard that Zhou Yifan had rejected the Zhou family's daughter, Li Erniu was unusually furious and cursed Zhou Yifan for being ungrateful.

But later, Shen Lie told me that Erniu got completely drunk at Juxianlou, and the nearly eighty-year-old man was wailing and crying, saying that he had made his child suffer.

He was too young back then, and only knew how to suppress the child instead of comforting him, which led to the situation he is in today.

But the Zhou family didn't object at all; it was perfectly normal.

Zhou Yifan changed his surname back to Li, which left Li Erniu speechless for a moment.

Three months later.

Li Yifan had recovered from his injuries and was in peak condition, so he came to visit Lin Chang'an.

"Li Yifan pays his respects to Uncle Lin."

Inside the cave, Lin Chang'an nodded secretly as he looked at Li Yifan, who had changed his surname back to Li.

He did not make a judgment on right or wrong in this matter.

But for Li Yifan, who was preparing to establish his foundation, his obsession with foundation building was a pent-up desire.

At this critical moment, choosing to back down will either strengthen one's resolve or cause one to lose all courage and be defeated.

Everything is moving in a positive direction now.

Although he started his own business and changed his surname to Li, he faced even greater pressure.

"Hmm, it seems you've reached your peak condition."

Lin Chang'an nodded slightly, then put the Green Horned Ox into his spirit beast bag and led Zhou Yifan toward the secluded cave at the foot of Tianxuan City.

Zhou Yifan remained silent the entire way, lost in thought.

When they arrived outside the secluded cave, Li Erniu still had a dark expression on his face, but he still came, though he looked at them from afar with an ugly expression.

Meanwhile, Shen Lie, Wei Buyi, Shen Fan, and the others watched from afar from the restaurant across the street.

"These are the insights from the Foundation Establishment stage. Once you enter, don't rush. Adjust your state to its best. Also, here are Foundation Establishment Pills."

As Lin Chang'an handed Zhou Yifan the jade slip containing his insights on Foundation Establishment, along with a jade bottle.

Li Yifan nodded solemnly and said, "Thank you very much, Uncle Lin. I will remember this great kindness! I will definitely make up for the cost of refining the pills in the future."

Lin Chang'an smiled and shook his head. One reason was the friendship he had with Erniu back then, and the other was that Erniu had found the main materials for his Foundation Establishment this time.

He didn't put in much effort.

That's all we can do to protect them.

Whether or not Li Yifan can establish a foundation depends entirely on himself.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Li Yifan never looked at how many Foundation Establishment Pills were in the jade bottle; instead, he obediently followed behind Lin Chang'an.

"Senior Lin, are you bringing a junior here to establish your foundation?"

In front of the cave, the steward in charge of the place showed great respect when he saw Lin Chang'an.

This person is on good terms with their young lady and Senior Song.

"Ah."

"Don't worry, Senior Lin, we've still preserved our best cave dwellings..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but sigh. The last time he came here was more than 20 years ago, but the result was completely different.

All the caves that represent good fortune and auspiciousness are present this time.

"Let's choose the Lu-character cave. The moon wanes after it is full. Back then, Huang Shaohai acted domineeringly because of the Li Huo Palace. He occupied four caves, but he still failed."

Since everyone's cultivating immortality, they naturally need to delve into metaphysics as well.

Moreover, he has the ability to choose his current status, so why shouldn't he choose it?

With Lin Chang'an's nod, the steward respectfully handed the jade token to Li Yifan.

Lin Chang'an watched the other person go inside, having essentially escorted them along the way.

After all, the world is in such a chaotic state these days, who knows what might happen?

After entering the secluded cave, Li Yifan, who had been tense the whole time, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Father, I will not let you down this time. I will be myself again.”

Under Li Yifan's unwavering gaze, his expression suddenly changed when he saw that there were three Foundation Establishment Pills emitting a purple spiritual light inside the jade bottle.

"Three premium Foundation Building Pills!"

At this moment, Li Yifan fell silent. He had also hoped that he could produce three pills.

But I never imagined it would be three high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills.

At this moment, he had a vague guess in his heart that it was probably Uncle Lin who helped him.

"Foundation building! I will definitely succeed."

(End of this chapter)