Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 205 Alternative Fetal Breathing
Shen Family Manor.

The backyard, the small courtyard where Hu Meier lives.

In the courtyard, Shen Li was kneeling pitifully on the ground, while Hu Meier, who had fluffy fox ears, lay quietly on a recliner beside her, holding an ancient book and studying it carefully.

Shen Li glanced at her furtively, then bent her kneeling body slightly, trying to sit on her heels to ease the pain in her knees.

Whoosh!
A streak of light flew from Hu Meier's hand and struck her lower back directly. The little girl grimaced in pain, tears welling up in her beautiful eyes.

"If you dare shed a single tear, you'll be punished with an extra hour."

A lazy voice came from behind her, and Shen Li was so frightened that she immediately held back the tears welling up in her eyes.

She couldn't understand why her mother was so opposed to her going to the front lines in the mountains. When she returned from Blackwater Pool, she had only mentioned it briefly, and she was punished by being forced to kneel for half an hour.

On the recliner, Hu Meier gazed at that stubborn figure, slowly closed the book in her hand, and got up to come over.

"mother……"

Shen Li looked up at her pitifully.

Meeting her daughter's gaze, Hu Meier finally softened and said coldly, "Come and sit down."

The mother and daughter sat in the pavilion, Shen Li rubbing her aching knees.

Do you know why your mother is punishing you?

Shen Li's hands froze slightly, and she replied in a low voice, "Mother doesn't want Li'er to take any risks..."

“Wrong,” Hu Meier said in a deep voice. “All living things that want to cultivate must contend with heaven and earth.”

"Of course, your mother won't object to you taking risks."

Upon hearing this, Shen Li was somewhat bewildered.

Since it's about fighting and taking risks, why should I be punished for simply mentioning that I wanted to go to the front lines in the mountains?

Seeing her daughter's puzzled expression, Hu Meier sighed softly.

"Haven't you always wanted to know about your father?"

"Today, your mother will tell you something."

A hint of melancholy flashed in his eyes as he slowly recounted Shen Wenyan's story.

a long time--

Hu Meier quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, composed herself, and said, "Do you know where your father went wrong?"

wrong?
Shen Li recalled everything her mother had told her, then shook her head and said, "I don't think Father is wrong."

Upon hearing this, Hu Meier sighed and shook her head.

"His mistake was being arrogant, overestimating his abilities, and being inflexible..."

Slowly standing up, Hu Meier angrily rebuked Shen Wenyan for his mistake with a complicated expression, leaving Shen Li, who was standing to the side, somewhat astonished.

"Mother, did Father... really make a mistake?"

Based solely on her mother's account, Shen Li felt that her father hadn't made many mistakes in his life.

With unwavering resolve, they seek their true selves, unafraid of worldly judgment.

If there is any fault, it is at most that I feel somewhat guilty towards the old lady and her two children.

But all of this was wrong from the beginning, and if we really want to find out who was wrong, it was the grandparents.

They shouldn't have forced their father to marry their stepmother; otherwise, all of this could have been avoided.

Hu Meier slowly turned around, looked at her daughter's somewhat stubborn expression, and sighed:
"Mother said he was self-righteous because he was born into the family and enjoyed all the benefits it brought him, but he didn't think about contributing to the family. He only cared about himself and did things according to his own ideas."

"If all living things want to live only for themselves, then they should not rely on their tribe or their family."

“To be protected by one’s family and clan, yet unwilling to suffer any injustice for the sake of the clan and family, is selfish.”

Shen Li looked at her mother with some surprise.

In her heart, her mother always deeply loved her father.

She often saw her mother, when no one was around, touching the belongings left by her father, looking heartbroken.

Little did I know that my mother would have such an opinion of my father.

“Mother said he overestimated himself because he shouldn’t have gone to Danzhou with his meager skills back then.”

“But if Father hadn’t gone to Danzhou, how would he have met Mother?” Shen Li immediately retorted.

Hu Meier shook her head with a bitter smile and said, "I wish I had never met him... at least then, he might not have died."

Shen Li stared blankly at her mother.

At only eleven years old, she could not possibly understand her mother's feelings at that moment.

"Li'er." Suppressing her thoughts, Hu Meier sat down in front of her, gently took her hand, and said earnestly, "You have great talent."

“Your father caused a lot of controversy back then. As his daughter, what you need to do is make amends for him and wash away the stains on his record.”

Meeting her mother's gaze, Shen Li nodded emphatically and said, "I understand, that's why I want to improve my cultivation as soon as possible to protect the Shen family for Father..."

Hu Meier chuckled and shook her head upon hearing this: "The Shen family now has enough strength to protect you so you can cultivate in peace."

"The path of witchcraft does not require you to fight to the death with others."

"Remember your mother's words. Just focus on your cultivation and improve your skills. When you become a pillar of the Shen family, you will be able to turn the tide when the Shen family encounters difficulties. That will be enough."

A strange light flashed in Hu Meier's eyes as she murmured, "The Shen family has no shortage of clansmen who can charge into battle, but what it lacks is the foundation to safeguard its foundation."

"You share the same responsibility as your brothers Chongxuan and Chongxu: to clear your father's name."

"Can you understand what your mother means?"

Shen Li did not speak.

After thinking for a long time, she finally nodded slightly and said, "Mother, I know I was wrong."

She vaguely understood that perhaps only by living on and protecting the Shen family could she make up for her father's mistakes and let the descendants of the Shen family know that her father's lineage had also been making sacrifices for the Shen family.

Those who die in battle can only leave a brief chapter in the family history; the legacy of the living can play a greater role.

"Go, cultivate diligently, and don't mention the idea of ​​going to the mountains to your grandfather again."

Seeing that her daughter understood what she was saying, Hu Meier smiled and patted her head.

"mother……"

Gently taking her mother's hand, Shen Li called out in a slightly coquettish tone and then rested her head on Hu Meier's lap.

……

On the west side of the manor, there is a cave on the mountain.

Shen Chongming sat cross-legged on the futon, his hands forming hand seals as he continuously circulated the "Secret Record of the Five Thunder True Method of the Divine Firmament Jade Palace" to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from the surrounding air.

Cultivators practice Qi cultivation by using techniques to guide the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to circulate throughout the body's meridians, transforming and taming this spiritual energy into their own power and storing it in their dantian.

The so-called perfection is actually to make the spiritual energy in the dantian sufficiently abundant, reaching a state of complete unity.

At this moment, Shen Chongming was manipulating the absorbed spiritual energy of heaven and earth to circulate throughout his body.

Several days ago, he had already reached the perfect state of Qi Refining, but he remembered his father's instructions that after reaching the perfect state, he should also try to settle down and reflect for a while.

The more sediment there is, the greater the success rate of forging the immortal embryo.

Having cultivated the true method and possessing a wisp of high-grade innate spiritual energy, Shen Chongming believed that even if he were to immediately forge an immortal embryo and achieve embryonic breathing, he would not fail.

However, after reaching the perfect state, when he tried to operate the "Divine Firmament Jade Palace Five Thunder True Method Secret Record" again, he had a vague intuition.

It seems that after reaching the perfect realm, one can further enhance their cultivation with the help of this true method.

A large amount of spiritual energy from the surrounding heaven and earth was absorbed, refined, and integrated into his dantian. Shen Chongming attempted to compress the spiritual energy within his dantian.

These pure lightning-attribute spiritual energies circulated and churned within the dantian, transforming into various forms.

Looking inward with his divine sense at the scene within his dantian, a strange image suddenly appeared in Shen Chongming's mind!

In the clouds and void, countless bolts of lightning converged on an ancient, rustic pool.

When the terrifying lightning power reached the pool, it slowly transformed into drops of liquid shimmering with electricity...

This image is a strange phenomenon he saw when he was comprehending the "Secret Record of the Five Thunder True Method of the Divine Firmament Jade Palace" in the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm.

The ancient pool appeared and disappeared amidst the sea of ​​clouds, struck by bolts of lightning, its surface shimmering with strange patterns and sparks.

These patterns and electric sparks slowly became clear in his mind, as if they were being imprinted deep in his memory.

"Could I also forge such a Thunder Pool within my own dantian?"

A thought suddenly popped into Shen Chongming's mind, but he immediately rejected it.

The path of immortal cultivation is fixed. I have now reached the perfection of Qi Refining. The next step can only be to use innate spiritual energy to forge an immortal embryo and achieve embryonic breathing.

Creating a Thunder Pool within the dantian would seem somewhat incongruous.

Furthermore, the next stage of embryonic breathing is the Golden Core. If I were to truly forge a Thunder Pool in my dantian, how would I transform that Thunder Pool into a Golden Core?
As his consciousness returned to his body and the cultivation technique completed a full cycle, Shen Chongming slowly opened his eyes, shook his head, and tried to shake off the thoughts he had just had.

However, once that idea popped into his head, it seemed to have taken root and sprouted in his mind.

The intricate patterns on the Thunder Pool flashed before my eyes from time to time, becoming an inescapable nightmare.

Shen Chongming narrowed his eyes slightly, and a struggle suddenly arose in his heart.

"How about... try it?"

People only know that after practicing Qi cultivation, one must form an immortal embryo and achieve embryonic breathing.

But no one says that a celestial embryo must take a certain fixed form. Why can't my celestial embryo be a forbidden zone?

In his mind, another self was constantly debating with his true self, leaving him somewhat confused for a time.

Shen Chongming's expression shifted several times, and then, as if he had made a decision, his consciousness slowly sank into his dantian.

……

Inside the Blackwater Pavilion.

While Shen Yuan was cultivating, he suddenly felt as if a bolt of lightning had suddenly appeared in his sea of ​​consciousness!
That tingling sensation came from the depths of his consciousness, causing his soul to tremble slightly.

What happened?

Startled awake from his cultivation, Shen Yuan's eyes were filled with doubt, and he immediately sank his consciousness into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the white jade tortoise shell floated silently.

The tortoise shells of today are quite different from their original form.

The once smooth and jade-like tortoise shell now bears a small purple sword, a red and white vortex, and a complete life talisman.

Two orbs of light were also suspended above the tortoise shell.

The cyan orb emitted a faint sword aura, constantly undulating and flickering.

Another red orb, radiating a strong aura of blood, also hovered above the tortoise shell, rising and falling erratically.

These two orbs of light are, one being the insights Shen Wen'an gained when he broke through to the embryonic breathing stage on the path of sword cultivation, and the other being the insights Shen Wenxing gained when he broke through to the third realm on the path of body cultivation.

Now, next to these two orbs of light, a flash of lightning suddenly appeared!

The lightning bolt, only an inch long, flickered eerily above the white jade tortoise shell, with tiny streaks of electricity occasionally spilling out.

The tingling sensation he had just felt was the power released by this bolt of lightning.

Staring at the flickering lightning, Shen Yuan was filled with suspicion.

He could vaguely guess that the lightning was most likely related to his grandson, Shen Chongming.

But Shen Chongming should not have broken through to the embryonic breathing stage yet, so how could this white jade tortoise shell exhibit such an unusual phenomenon?
After a moment of silence, he cautiously touched the lightning with his divine sense.

The tingling sensation returned, but I didn't perceive any other information.

This means that the sudden appearance of lightning was not a result of Shen Chongming's breakthrough.

"That's really strange..."

As his consciousness returned to his body, Shen Yuan murmured a deep voice.

Hearing this, Shen Li, who was not far away, glanced at him curiously but did not say anything.

As Shen Yuan was racking his brains trying to figure out what the lightning was, the door on the first floor of the Blackwater Pavilion was opened.

"Father, something has happened."

Shen Wenxing walked in with a solemn expression, turned to look at Shen Li who was diligently cultivating beside him, and said, "Li'er, stop cultivating for now and come with your uncle to see your brother Chongyi."

Upon seeing this, Shen Yuan frowned, and the three of them left the Blackwater Pavilion together.

Inside a side room of the manor, He Chongyi and Mu Changzheng sat with solemn expressions.

Upon seeing Shen Yuan and the other two arrive, the two quickly stood up.

"Grandpa."

"Old Patriarch."

Shen Yuan nodded and gestured for the two to sit down first.

After everyone was seated, Shen Wenxing said, "You two, tell me what happened again."

He Chongyi cupped his hands and briefly recounted what the two had seen and heard in the Western Wilderness, then turned to Shen Li and asked, "Sister Li'er, are there any methods for refining corpses in the art of witchcraft?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Li frowned slightly.

After pondering for a moment, she shook her head and said, "As far as I know, corpse refining and corpse control both belong to the path of corpse cultivation. This path should have belonged to the path of witchcraft before, but it was later separated out."

“The true path of witchcraft disdains the practice of spells related to the path of corpses.”

Upon hearing this, He Chongyi turned to look at Mu Chang.

Mu Chang, with a somber expression, pondered for a long time before bowing and saying, "Patriarch, former Patriarch, we need to deal with that group of corpse cultivators as soon as possible."

"If we allow them to slaughter indiscriminately in the Western Wilderness and create a large number of corpse puppets, my Shen family will be in big trouble."

The two had already seen the corpse puppets created by those black-robed cultivators.

The so-called Iron Corpse alone, with its body seemingly cast from pig iron, could probably easily withstand the bombardment of low-level spells.

Their overall strength should be greater than that of cultivators at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining.

Among them, the iron corpses made from the corpses of soldiers are probably comparable to cultivators at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining.

Such terrifying corpse puppets, once they form a large enough group, would be an absolute nightmare for cultivators.

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing looked at Shen Yuan.

"The matter of the corpse cultivators is not the most troublesome thing."

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Yuan said with a solemn expression, "The current problem is that cultivators from the Southern Frontier have appeared in the Western Wilderness..."

"You two only discovered a few corpse cultivators. Whether there are other cultivators from the Southern Frontier in the areas you haven't discovered is unknown."

The western wilderness was vast, and tribes migrated in search of water and pasture, living without a fixed abode.

This situation makes it difficult for other cultivators from the Southern Frontier to enter the Western Wilderness without being detected.

In Fengxian County, although Qiyun Valley has been seizing territory in the Western Wilderness, their focus is mostly on spirit mines and rare natural treasures.

Shen Yuan's biggest worry right now is that the cultivators from the Southern Frontier will gain a foothold in the Western Wilderness.

The Shen family's sphere of influence has now expanded to the border between the Western Wilderness and Hidden Dragon Mountain. Once a cultivator from the Southern Frontier gains a foothold in the Western Wilderness, they will definitely clash with the Shen family in the future.

This is the situation he least wants to see.

The Shen family is currently unable to deal with the cultivators appearing in the Western Wilderness.

"Boss, send someone to deliver this message to Fengxian County."

After a moment of silence, Shen Yuan spoke in a deep voice.

Although the relationship between the Shen family and Qiyun Valley has become somewhat delicate, the emergence of corpse cultivators in the Western Wilderness, coupled with Qiyun Valley's long-standing deep cultivation of the Western Wilderness, means they are unlikely to remain indifferent upon receiving this news.

It's best for the Shen family to avoid contact with those cultivators from the Southern Frontier for the time being.

After all, the harassment from the demon cave in the Great Wushan Mountains has not stopped yet, and it would be difficult for the Shen family to provoke cultivators from the Southern Frontier.

Shen Wenxing wanted to say something more, but he seemed to have not yet thought it through, so he didn't say anything more.

"Although this time we can use Qiyun Valley to restrain the Southern Frontier cultivators who have entered the Western Wilderness, my Shen family must also be on guard."

"Mu Chang, I'll need you two brothers to keep a close eye on things in the mountains."

Upon hearing this, Mu Chang quickly cupped his hands and said, "Patriarch, rest assured, your subordinate and Brother Yan will definitely guard this territory for the Shen family."

As soon as he finished speaking, He Chongyi hesitated for a moment before saying, "Uncle, there is one more thing to be aware of."

Shen Wenxing turned to look at him.

My nephew is now fourteen years old. He is handsome and has a gentle and approachable personality, just like his father, He Zishi.

If such a personality were present in the prosperous years before the arrival of the Immortal Sect, he would surely have earned the reputation of a gentleman as refined as jade, and become the object of admiration for many young women.

Unfortunately, the Yangnao Land has gradually transformed into a world for cultivators, where the law of the jungle is vividly portrayed.

He Chongyi's personality, however, became some of his flaws.

"Tell me about it."

After Shen Wenxing spoke, He Chongyi immediately handed over the stone wrapped in animal skin and a jade bottle, saying, "Uncle, please take a look at these."

The jade bottle contained the innate spiritual energy that he and Mu Chang had obtained from Frost Moon Mountain.

The two could only vaguely determine that it was a wisp of innate spiritual energy of mid-grade or higher, but they were not sure whether it could reach the high-grade level.

Shen Wenxing took the jade bottle, opened it, glanced at it, looked at him with some surprise, and then handed the jade bottle back to Shen Yuan.

"Father, it's innate spiritual energy."

He was a physical cultivator, and he wasn't sure how to handle such spiritual treasures.

Shen Yuan took the jade bottle and glanced at it.

"This item contains extremely pure Yin energy, and is a wisp of sunflower water essence, making it a fine example of mid-grade innate spiritual energy."

Upon hearing this, He Chongyi looked somewhat disappointed.

Is it only of medium quality?
He thought that this innate spiritual energy could transform into a small snake with intelligence, and should reach the level of high-grade innate spiritual energy.

“Grandpa, this item was obtained by Chongyi and Elder Mu in the Western Wilderness.”

"There must be other rare and precious treasures in the settlement of the Muhe tribe. Even if my Shen family doesn't intend to take action, should we collect these rare and precious materials in advance?"

"Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste to leave them all to those cultivators from the Southern Frontier and Qiyun Valley?"

Mu Chang hurriedly nodded and cupped his hands, saying, "If we hadn't encountered those corpse cultivators, Young Master Chongyi and I would have been able to find other spiritual treasures. I... I still think it's necessary for Third Master to make a trip."

Shen Wenxing was somewhat undecided and looked at Shen Yuan, wanting to see how he would decide.

Shen Yuan examined the essence of the sunflower water in his hand and pondered for a moment before saying, "I will talk to the third brother about this matter in person when he returns."

"You two should rest for a while and return to the mountains tomorrow."

After the two men stood up and bowed to each other, they left the room.

Shen Yuan weighed the jade bottle in his hand, then glanced at the strange stone, and pondered for a moment before saying, "Mu Chang and Mu Yan have both reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage. You should pay more attention to the matter of innate spiritual energy."

"The two of them have worked diligently for the Shen family; do not break their hearts."

After a slight hesitation, Shen Wenxing cupped his hands in a respectful gesture: "Son... I'll do my best."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan smiled faintly and looked at him, saying, "Not just try, definitely."

"I know that you are all secretly trying to find innate spiritual energy for me."

"This matter is not urgent. Let's focus on Mu Chang and Mu Yan first, and help them break through."

After saying this, he took the jade bottle and the stone and left the room, heading towards the Blackwater Pavilion.

……

Danzhou, Luoxia Mountain. After several days of busy work, Luoxia Mountain has finally found a decent place, about 800 miles away from its gate.

After some investigation, the sect leader of Luoxia Mountain, Yue Zhiyi, decided to move Luoxia Mountain to this place temporarily.

As for where the new mountain gate will ultimately be built, we'll have to wait and see.

With the new location of the sect gate confirmed, and no other major matters concerning the sect, Shen Wen'an and Wei Qiuling bid farewell to Le Zhiyi and prepared to return to Yangnao.

The two will return after attending Jiang Xiuqi's Golden Elixir Ceremony.

An ancient bronze ship descended upon Yangnao. Wei Qiuling stood at the bow and looked at Shen Wen'an, saying, "I have been away for so long. There must be many things to take care of in Yunzhong and Hejun."

"My husband, please return to Yunshui City first. I will go back to visit you after I have finished dealing with my business."

Shen Wen'an nodded, and immediately leaped up, flying towards the Blackwater Pool on his sword.

When he flew over Yunshui City, he saw a figure riding the wind staggering from the east side of Yunshui City.

The figure seemed to have noticed Shen Wen'an as well, and shouted loudly from a distance.

"Are you a fellow Daoist from the Shen family?"

Shen Wen'an frowned slightly, but seeing that the person seemed to be wearing the clothing of the Hundred Refinement Valley and was covered in blood, he immediately waved his hand and unleashed a sword beam, stabilizing the person's swaying body.

"Thank you, fellow Taoist."

After regaining his footing, the man quickly cupped his hands and said, "I am Kong Yi from Hundred Refinements Valley. I have come to ask the Shen family for help on the orders of my Uncle-Master Xiao!"

Asking for help?

Shen Wen'an frowned, waved his hand to activate the array of Yunshui City, and brought Kong Yi to the manor.

Shen Wenxing had already received a report from the protective array cultivators, and seeing Shen Wen'an and Kong Yi descend from the sky, he went to greet them at the door.

"Big brother."

Shen Wen'an cupped his hands and called out.

Big brother!?
Kong Yi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He recognized Shen Wenxing, the head of the Shen family.

The young man in front of them addressed the head of the Shen family as "elder brother," so his identity must be...

Guessing Shen Wen'an's identity, Kong Yi bowed somewhat nervously: "So you are a senior, this junior just... just now..."

He had assumed that Shen Wen'an was just a junior cultivator from the Shen family, which was why he dared to address him as a fellow Daoist.

Shen Wen'an waved his hand, not caring about these things at all, and turned to Shen Wenxing to continue, "This person is from Hundred Refinement Valley, and says he has come to ask for help."

Kong Yi then realized what was happening and quickly cupped his hands towards Shen Wenxing, saying, "Greetings, Patriarch Shen."

"This junior is Kong Yi from Hundred Refinement Valley. Xiang County was recently attacked by a large number of demonic beasts. Uncle Xiao and his fellow disciples from various sects could no longer hold out, so they specifically sent me here to ask for help."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing frowned.

In his early years, Shen Chongming plotted to inherit the Hundred Refinement Valley, so he arranged for Chonghong to marry Xiao Hongxiu, the daughter of Xiao Yin, the chief of the Hundred Refinement Valley.

It is said that after the two families become in-laws, they will be allies, and if Hundred Refinement Valley is in trouble, the Shen family will not sit idly by.

For several years, Xiangjun, where Hundred Refinement Valley is located, has been relatively peaceful.

But now that they've really run into trouble and come to us for help, the Shen family can't just sit idly by.

"Tell me what level of cultivation the demonic beasts that attacked Xiang County are, so that my Shen family can send cultivators to reinforce them."

Upon hearing this, Kong Yi was overjoyed and quickly cupped his hands, saying, "Those demonic beasts aren't too strong. There are two at the Nascent Soul stage, which my two elders from Hundred Refinement Valley can handle."

"There are simply too many remaining Qi Refining Realm demonic beasts. Many of my senior brothers have been fighting for several days and have already suffered losses. Uncle Xiao is worried that too many disciples will be killed or injured, which could damage their foundations. He would like to ask for your help."

Some Qi Refining Realm demonic beasts...

After pondering for a moment, Shen Wenxing made up his mind.

"You should go back first. The support from the Shen family will arrive in Xiang County soon."

Upon hearing this, Kong Yi was overjoyed. He repeatedly bowed and thanked the family before hurriedly leaving the Shen family.

"Brother, I can easily resolve this matter by handling it myself. Why bother sending more family members?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing smiled faintly and shook his head: "Such a trivial matter is certainly not worth Third Brother's personal attention."

"I have already found out that the old sect master of Hundred Refinement Valley is about to run out of lifespan. Although the Xiao family is one of the four noble families of Hundred Refinement Valley, Xiao Yin and his family are not good at managing their affairs and do not have an advantage in terms of connections within the sect."

"If the old sect master of Hundred Refinement Valley were to suddenly pass away, it would be difficult for Xiao Yin to succeed him as sect master."

After some thought, he continued in a deep voice, "This is a rare opportunity to let Chonghong and Hongxiu return to Xiang County. If planned properly, it may have a miraculous effect."

Shen Wen'an looked slightly taken aback, then shook his head.

Sword cultivators are straightforward and honest; they are truly not good at such scheming and intrigue.

"In that case, elder brother, it's your decision. I'll go and discuss some things with father."

After leaving the side room, Shen Wen'an arrived at the Blackwater Pavilion.

On the first floor of the Blackwater Pavilion, Shen Yuan slowly opened his eyes upon hearing the noise.

Shen Wen'an stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting: "Father."

Shen Yuan nodded and said, "You're back. Have a seat."

The father and son sat facing each other, and Shen Li, as always, obediently served them tea.

"I had a feeling a while ago that you were in danger. Are you alright?"

A few days ago, the white jade tortoise shell gave a warning to Shen Wen'an, but it was not a particularly ominous sign.

Shen Yuan made a brief deduction and, seeing that it seemed to indicate that he was about to turn misfortune into good fortune, he didn't take it to heart.

Shen Wen'an nodded.

"We did encounter some trouble, but fortunately we escaped unscathed."

He didn't plan to tell his father about the underworld.

After all, apart from themselves, the Shen family is still far from producing a Golden Core cultivator. Knowing about the existence of the Underworld undoubtedly adds another layer of pressure to them.

"Did Senior Jiang successfully break through?"

Shen Yuan asked again.

"Senior Jiang has already achieved the Golden Core Dao, and in a little over a month, he will invite cultivators from Danzhou to hold a Dharma assembly."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Shen Yuan's face.

"That's great."

Currently, the Shen family and Luoxia Mountain have an extremely close relationship. The stronger Luoxia Mountain becomes, the greater the benefits for the Shen family.

With Jiang Xiuqi achieving the Golden Core stage, the Shen family gained another layer of protection.

"Father, there's something I can't decide on."

Shen Wen'an took a sip of tea and spoke.

"Well, tell me."

Shen Wen'an put down his teacup and immediately told him about Jiang Xiuqi breaking through to the Golden Core Realm and the wisp of immortal energy that had appeared in his body.

"As Senior Jiang said, that elixir energy can enable those without spiritual roots to acquire them, and can reshape the quality of spiritual roots in those who already have them."

"His father intends to give this elixir to our Shen family. I don't know what to do."

Hearing this, Shen Yuan was quite surprised.

The spiritual roots of ordinary people are innate, and at least for now, he has not heard of any rare and precious materials that can change one's own spiritual roots.

Unexpectedly, this cultivator obtained such a heaven-defying treasure when breaking through to the Golden Core Realm.

Change the quality of spiritual roots so that people without spiritual roots can possess them.

This elixir energy is truly a marvel of creation.

"What's so difficult about making a decision?"

Suppressing his joy, Shen Yuan smiled faintly and said, "This elixir is naturally best suited for your mother to use."

Since the family members gradually embarked on their spiritual practice, his children, grandchildren, and he have been most worried about his wife Hu Yufen's health.

A few years ago, Shen Chongming brought back a rare fruit from the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm, which successfully extended his lifespan by a hundred years.

However, life extension is only life extension; without cultivation, this hundred-year lifespan will eventually be exhausted.

Ordinary people die at the age of one hundred. Even if they live another hundred years, they will only live for two hundred years, which is equivalent to a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm.

If Hu Yufen could obtain spiritual roots and embark on cultivation, it would be a great relief for him and his children and grandchildren.

As for myself...

Shen Yuan, however, never worried.

As he refined more and more of the white jade tortoise shell, he could vaguely sense that his cultivation had become somewhat different from the conventional immortal cultivation system in the current cultivation world.

The saying that "those without spiritual roots need the innate spiritual energy of the five elements to break through to the embryonic breathing stage" is probably just a way of restricting oneself.

Even if one's current cultivation has not completely broken free from the immortal cultivation system, it is not necessarily true that one needs five innate spiritual energies of the same grade.

After all, he still has cheat codes.

Over the years, with the birth of each new generation of his family, the bloodline has grown larger and larger. He estimated that the next bloodline advancement was not far off.

Once one's cultivation reaches the perfect state of Qi Refining, the enhancement brought by the advancement of bloodline will not be a problem in helping one break through the fetal breathing barrier.

"But Father, you..."

Shen Wen'an frowned and spoke.

Parents are equally important to him.

Seeing that his father was willing to give the immortal pill to his mother without the slightest hesitation, he couldn't help but worry about what his father would do in the future.
"Don't worry, your old man is already at the late stage of the ninth level of Qi Refining, and he still has many years to live."

"A living person can die from holding their pee; there's always a way."

Shen Yuan chuckled, simply to dispel his son's worries.

Shen Wen'an didn't say anything more.

"How should we tell Mother about this?"

Meeting his gaze, Shen Yuan smiled slightly and asked, "What did you say?"

"Just tell her then, take her to Danzhou to broaden her horizons, and you don't need to say anything else."

"By the way," he changed the subject, "for Senior Jiang's Golden Core Ceremony, my Shen family should prepare some decent gifts."

“There should still be some rare and precious herbs on the third floor that your second brother and Mei’er brought from the depths of Qishan back then. Go pick one out and take it with you, so as not to look too shabby.”

Shen Yuan has always adhered to one principle.

Relationships need to be maintained.

Even the best friendships require reciprocal gift-giving; otherwise, the friendship will fade over time.

Moreover, Luoxia Mountain has always taken good care of the Shen family, and this is a good opportunity to show their appreciation at Jiang Xiuqi's Golden Core Ceremony.

"That's what I think too."

Shen Wen'an cupped his hands in greeting and headed towards the third floor of the Blackwater Pavilion.

……

Mountain-side Academy.

After Shen Chongming and Shen Chongxuan persuaded Lu Zhiyuan to allow the scholars of the academy to supplement their studies with swordsmanship, a large number of students in the academy began to practice swordsmanship.

Although the Shen family has a sword genius, they are quite lacking in swordsmanship.

After all, Shen Wen'an has only ever practiced the "Tai Xuan Sword Scripture" and the sword techniques within it.

He hadn't practiced the other sword techniques much himself, let alone passed them down to his family.

Therefore, the scholars and cultivators in the academy can only practice the most basic sword techniques at present.

Shen Chongxuan was also very anxious, wanting to obtain some similar sword techniques so that the students would at least have something to practice.

The day after Shen Wen'an returned.

Upon receiving the news, Shen Chongxuan hurriedly arrived at the Blackwater Pavilion.

"Uncle Three."

On the second floor of the Blackwater Pavilion, Shen Chongxuan respectfully cupped his hands.

"I have something I'd like to ask my third uncle for help with."

Shen Wen'an opened his eyes and nodded slightly.

Shen Chongxuan continued, "My nephew intends to have the scholars at the academy practice swordsmanship, but unfortunately, the clan lacks a proper sword manual, so..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an's expression became somewhat strange.

As for sword techniques, he has only comprehended one technique, "Tide Sword Technique," and another, "Earth Guardian Sword Skill," from Chu Yuanfeng and Wu Yang of the Qingluo Sword Pavilion.

However, these two sword techniques are related to the sect secrets of Qingluo Sword Pavilion. It's fine if I comprehend them myself; given my connections, Qingluo Sword Pavilion shouldn't say anything.

However, if it were to be taken out and passed on to outsiders, it might displease the Qingluo Sword Pavilion.

The fact that the scholar-cultivator was practicing swordsmanship reminded him of his childhood when he pestered his second brother, Shen Wenyan, to teach him swordsmanship.

The so-called gentlemanly swordsmanship of Confucian scholars is mostly just fancy moves that are not suitable for formal occasions.

"Even Uncle San himself hasn't practiced much of the Sword Technique."

"but……"

After some thought, Shen Wen'an said, "You can send people to collect sword techniques and manuals from the secular world in Yangnao Land. Once you have enough, your third uncle will create suitable ones for literary cultivators based on these secular sword techniques and manuals."

As a sword cultivator in the mid-stage of the Fetal Breathing realm, he is a future near-sword immortal.

It is not difficult to modify some secular sword techniques and sword manuals into sword manuals suitable for cultivators.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxuan immediately bowed respectfully and left the Blackwater Pavilion.

After he left, Shen Wen'an also fell into deep thought.

The Shen family's resources seem to have increased somewhat, but they are still far from sufficient.

Regarding cultivation and inheritance, although the Shen family currently possesses several orthodox methods, the Azure Dragon Force is exclusively for body cultivation.

The Tai Xuan Sword Scripture can only be cultivated by sword cultivators.

Apart from the "Mist Dragon Nourishing Meridian Technique" and the "Moonlit Pine Mountain Technique," the other two techniques simply could not satisfy the cultivators in the clan.

At least these two cultivation techniques are practiced by the direct descendants of the Shen family, and cannot be easily passed on to cultivators of other surnames.

How can the direct descendants and non-direct descendants maintain their dominant and leading position in the future if they practice the same cultivation methods?

Aside from cultivation methods such as sword techniques, spear techniques, fist and palm techniques, and the Five Elements techniques, the Shen family is currently in dire need of such methods.

These things may not be fully useful now, but they will all be needed in the future.

After some thought, he got up and went to the third floor of the Blackwater Pavilion.

This place holds the most precious possessions of the Shen family.

After careful consideration, Shen Wen'an made up his mind and immediately returned to the first floor of the Blackwater Pavilion.

The father and son stood by the window. Shen Yuan, with his hands behind his back, gazed into the distance, pondered for a long time, and said in a deep voice:
"You mean you plan to take advantage of Senior Jiang's Golden Core Cultivation Conference to make contact with the major immortal sects and families in Danzhou and exchange some useful things from them?"

Shen Yuan frowned and spoke, lightly tapping the documents in front of him.

Shen Wen'an nodded and sighed, "We lack too many of these things. Chongxuan just came to ask me for some sword techniques suitable for cultivators of the literary path, but I couldn't produce any."

"If a cultivator does not have a suitable cultivation method, their cultivation level will be somewhat reduced."

Shen Yuan sighed inwardly.

He was aware of all these things, but the Shen family had many things to do right now, so he didn't have the extra energy to think about them.

At least there are no specific cultivation methods or techniques involved, so it won't affect a cultivator's practice.

Regarding the Five Elements techniques, Wei Qiuling had given the Shen family some low-level ones, which were barely enough for their current needs.

"Alright, you handle this matter."

Over the years, through cooperation with the Tianfu Sect, the Shen family has controlled 80% of the talisman market in Jinghe.

The spirit crystals earned from Jinghe Market each year are enough to support the clan's cultivation needs, and the surplus resources can indeed be used to exchange for some foundational resources.

The righteous law and some profound techniques are the foundation of a power, and the Shen family certainly doesn't need to think about it.

This time, we can exchange for some ordinary techniques and common methods to use for now.

……

Yunzhong County, the county seat.

Wei Qiuling was dealing with her work when she suddenly felt something was wrong with her body.

His body instinctively gagged.

Seeing this, Yu Jin looked at her with some curiosity.

"Sister, what's wrong with you?"

As a cultivator at the Fetal Breathing Realm, one already possesses an immaculate body, and ordinary cold, heat, illness, and pain simply do not exist for them.

Wei Qiuling's reaction puzzled him.

Wei Qiuling's expression changed slightly, and she felt a mixture of surprise and panic.

"No...it's okay."

She quickly waved her hand.

Yu Jin, however, said with a strange expression, "Senior sister, I'm not a child anymore."

"Shouldn't you..."

Meeting his strange smile, Wei Qiuling turned her head away shyly.

Seeing this, Yu Jin became even more certain of her guess, and with a gossipy look on her face, she leaned closer and said with a mischievous grin:

"Is it true that Senior Sister and Junior Brother Wen'an have consummated their marriage?"

Wei Qiuling ignored her and continued reading the book in her hands.

"Senior sister, senior sister, please tell me quickly. I've heard that the feeling of love between men and women is quite wonderful. Is it true?"

Wei Qiuling nearly choked on her words, and turned to scold her, "Who told you all this?"

"I saw it in a book..."

"During the time my senior sister was away, I saw a few books in some bookstores in the county town and bought them."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qiuling felt helpless.

"Alright, the matters in Yunzhong and Hejun have been mostly resolved."

"I haven't been back to the Shen family yet, so I'll leave everything here to you for now."

Closing the book in front of her, Wei Qiuling stood up and said, "Read less of those kinds of books. Aren't you ashamed, being a girl?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Jin replied nonchalantly, "What's there to be ashamed of?"

"The love between men and women is the way of yin and yang harmony, and it does not violate the natural order..."

Wei Qiuling stared at her blankly, but ultimately couldn't refute her. She could only shake her head helplessly and say, "I'm leaving. You need to keep a close eye on things here."

"Especially in the Western Wilderness, we must be wary of cultivators from the Southern Frontier."

After saying this, he waved his hand and summoned a gentle breeze, then rode the wind towards Yunshui City.

(End of this chapter)