Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 123 Moonlight Grass on the Half-Mountain

Six months later.

Halfway up Qinglu Mountain.

A plot of land, about an acre in size, has been carefully cultivated. There are no weeds in it, only a patch of grass about an inch tall, swaying gently in the mountain breeze.

These little grasses are unusual; each one exudes a soft white halo.

As Yue'er walked along the gravel path, she immediately spotted the shimmering grass field.

She unconsciously stopped and admired the scene for a while before turning to the figure bent over and busy at work.

Ning Zhiyuan held a wooden ladle and scooped up water from the wooden bucket at his feet, carefully pouring it onto the soil near the grass roots.

"Is this the Moonlight Grass?"

Yue'er asked softly.

Ning Zhiyuan turned his head and saw that it was Yue'er, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

He put down the wooden ladle, stood up, and said eagerly, "That's right, this is the moonflower!"

"Look at this light, it's not very bright now. When it grows another inch or two taller, it will be really beautiful at night."

"The whole field will be dimly lit, as if a piece of the moon has been torn off and spread on the ground."

As Yue'er listened, her gaze returned to the lush grass field.

She imagined the grass glowing together as night fell, and a hint of anticipation unconsciously rose in her eyes.

After watching for a while, she suddenly remembered something, glanced around the field, and asked, "Didn't you plant Spirit Gathering Flowers? I haven't seen a single one."

"The Spirit Gathering Flower sprouts late; the seeds are still lying in the soil and will only sprout in a few days."

After Ning Zhiyuan finished explaining, he suddenly puffed out his chest and changed the subject: "How about it? My skills aren't bad, are they?"

"I managed to grow such a difficult-to-care-for moonflower."

"Yue'er, would you consider marrying me?"

Yue'er listened without showing any emotion.

Over the past six months, Ning Zhiyuan had come every few days, and she had long since become accustomed to it.

I don't dislike him, but I don't have any particular feelings for him either.

She glanced at him and scoffed, "What's so great about growing a few blades of grass?"

"When you can refine these spiritual herbs into Qi-Nourishing Pills, that will be a true skill."

Although she was just an ordinary person, her father and younger brother were both cultivators.

Listening to their conversations on a daily basis, I learned that the Qi Nourishing Pill is a commonly used elixir for cultivators in the Qi Refining stage.

Provoked by these words, Ning Zhiyuan immediately straightened his back: "What's so difficult about Nourishing Qi Pills! Once this batch of Moonlight Grass and Spirit Gathering Flowers matures, I'll close the door and concentrate on refining pills."

"With my talent in alchemy, I will surely succeed in producing the pill within six months!"

Yue'er pouted, her face full of disbelief.

Her father had told her privately about Ning Zhiyuan's "glorious deeds" in Yueling City long ago.

She turned to continue her patrol, but Ning Zhiyuan hurriedly took two steps forward: "Yue'er! If I really manage to refine the Qi-Nourishing Pill, would you be willing to marry me?"

Yue'er stopped in her tracks.

Being able to independently refine Qi-Nourishing Pills qualifies one as a mid-grade first-level alchemist.

With such a status, one would be treated with respect wherever one went, whether it was a small family or a gathering place for independent cultivators.

Even marrying a female cultivator with spiritual roots wouldn't be difficult, let alone for a mere mortal like myself.

Logically speaking, this marriage is a step up for him.

But then, his father's usual reminder rang in his ears: "This person is not upright, and his character may not be good either."

"You need to be careful in your daily life, and don't be fooled by his sweet talk."

As she was pondering this, Ning Zhiyuan's voice came again: "When the time comes, I'm willing to marry into the Jiang family! From now on, I'll only refine pills for the Jiang family, and all the profits will go to my family!"

Yue'er suddenly turned around, staring directly at him: "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely true!"

Ning Zhiyuan's expression was unusually serious: "As long as you agree, I can swear right now that I will dedicate my life to refining pills for the Jiang family and have no other intentions."

He gazed at Yue'er with fervent eyes.

In his heart, Yue'er was different from ordinary women.

She speaks and acts decisively, and her eyes crinkle when she smiles, like the clear spring water in a stream.

Moreover, after living in Qinglu Mountain for some time, he felt that although the Jiang family was small, it had great potential.

He could sense that the spiritual veins of this mountain were growing faintly, and the spiritual energy was becoming more and more abundant each month.

Who knows, one day I might be able to advance to a mid-grade first-order spiritual vein.

Even if he were to marry into the family, it wouldn't seem like a loss for him.

Yue'er lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment.

If one could exchange their marriage for a mid-level alchemist for their family, it would undoubtedly be an extremely worthwhile deal.

The burden on the father's shoulders can be lighter, and the younger brothers' cultivation resources can be more abundant.

She pursed her lips and raised her eyes: "Alright, I promise you. If you can truly refine the Qi-Nourishing Pill, I will—"

"Yue'er!"

A deep shout came from above the mountain path, interrupting her.

Yue'er and Ning Zhiyuan turned their heads to look at the same time.

Jiang Fu'an was seen walking quickly down the stone steps, his face somewhat somber.

He walked a few steps to Yue'er, his voice low but extremely serious: "Father hopes you will marry someone you truly love, not someone for the sake of your family's gains or losses."

"With so many cultivators in the family, it's not your place to use marriage to gain benefits as a young woman."

Yue'er was taken aback at first, but after understanding the care in her father's words, her heart warmed.

A smile gradually spread across her face, becoming brighter: "Dad, I understand. I won't think like that again."

Ning Zhiyuan, standing to the side, stared at Jiang Fu'an with wide eyes, as if he were looking at something rare.

He has traveled all over the country and has been to many places, and has seen too many families of cultivators.

Which of them didn't try every means to use the method of marrying into the family to "make the most of" the mortal children in the clan in order to win over cultivators with spiritual roots?

What's more, he's also an alchemist!

If this were elsewhere, let alone ordinary women, even women with spiritual roots from small families would probably be willing to be offered up for marriage.

"Fellow Daoist Ning."

Jiang Fu'an shifted his gaze to his face: "If you can truly become a mid-grade first-level alchemist, my Jiang family will definitely offer you a generous reward, and we will not shortchange you."

"As for Yue'er, if you truly love her, you should win her over with your sincerity, not use these conditions to make a deal."

Ning Zhiyuan was initially somewhat dissatisfied, but upon hearing the second half of the sentence, he suddenly understood.

Jiang Fu'an did not forbid him from pursuing Yue'er, but he disapproved of this "transactional" marriage proposal.

He immediately felt relieved and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Fellow Daoist Jiang is right. I was impolite just now. I will not mention such things again in the future."

"But my feelings for Yue'er are real, and I will not give up."

Jiang Fu'an didn't say anything more, turned around and continued walking down the mountain path.

The bluish-gray robe quickly disappeared into the depths of the woods and could no longer be seen.

Ning Zhiyuan stared in the direction where he disappeared, and after a long while, he sighed softly, "Yue'er, your father is so good to you."

"I have never seen a patriarch of a cultivation family who would care so much about his mortal children."

Yue'er's lips curled up high, her eyes sparkling: "Of course. My father has always protected me like this since I was little, and that has never changed."

A white figure drifted down from the treetop and stood in the middle of the mountain path, blocking his way.

The person who arrived was Zhao Lintang.

Today she changed into a moon-white belted long dress, and her face no longer had that stiff, deathly pale look, but instead radiated a healthy rosy glow.

Especially her wrists, which were once covered with dark brown lividity, have now returned to their fair, slender, and smooth state.

After she appeared, she bowed to Jiang Fu'an and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, Lin Tang has come to say goodbye today."

"Thank you for your kind care during this time. I will never forget your kindness and virtue."

"If you need anything in the future, you can find me at the Qiankun Pavilion in Yaoguang Immortal City."

"As long as it is within my power, Lin Tang will not refuse."

"Farewell?"

Jiang Fu'an looked surprised and sized her up: "The cold poison in your body—it shouldn't have been completely removed yet, right?"

Zhao Lintang nodded: "There are indeed some residual poisons, but I can now suppress them with my internal energy, and they no longer endanger my life."

"In the future, I will find other ways to gradually eliminate it."

"I've already been away for quite some time, and I really can't delay any longer."

Jiang Fu'an's mind raced, and he immediately understood—

The people inside Qiankun Pavilion must already know that the assassin who killed Zhao Linlan is seriously injured.

If she doesn't return for a long time, it will inevitably arouse suspicion.

He had always been curious as to why Zhao Lintang would risk so much to personally eliminate Zhao Linlan.

But the words stuck in his throat.

Over the past six months, the two have gotten along well, almost like old friends who have known each other for many years, but there are some secrets that are ultimately not convenient to ask.

"Since that's the case, I, Jiang, will not insist on keeping you here."

As Jiang Fu'an spoke, he took out a ceramic medicine pot from his storage bag: "I just brewed today's medicine. Drink it before you go."

Upon seeing that familiar medicine jar, a flicker of panic crossed Zhao Lintang's eyes.

Actually, besides being afraid of arousing suspicion by staying too long, she was in a hurry to leave for another reason: she was really tired of drinking this herbal soup.

This herbal soup has a pungent smell and tastes bitter, astringent, and salty; it's simply indescribable.

Looking back, even the pain of a sudden attack of the cold poison couldn't compare to the torment that shot from the tip of my tongue straight to the top of my head when I drank this medicinal soup.

She quickly waved her hand, "No need, I'm in a hurry, I have to go now."

Jiang Fu'an kindly advised, "Then take it with you on the road. This medicinal herb is rare, and it takes a lot of time to brew. Don't waste it."

As he spoke, he handed the medicine jar to her.

Looking into his sincere eyes, Zhao Lintang was momentarily at a loss for how to refuse.

After a brief standoff, she finally reached out and took it.

He quickly stuffed it into his storage bag, as if holding it for even a moment longer would be torture.

Then, her expression turned serious, and her tone became exceptionally solemn: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, I hope you will not mention to outsiders that Lin Tang is recuperating and detoxifying here."

"Don't worry, Fairy Zhao, I am not a gossip. This matter will not be leaked to me in the slightest."

Jiang Fu'an assumed she was worried that the assassination attempt on Zhao Linlan would be exposed, so he immediately agreed without hesitation.

Zhao Lintang felt a little relieved, but what she was more afraid of was that Jiang Fu'an would tell others about her miserable state these past few days.

When the cold poison was at its worst, her whole body was stiff and she moved as slowly as a zombie. She even needed help with simple things like holding a bowl to drink water.

And all of this was taken care of by the man in front of him.

For her, it was not only an illness, but also a memory she couldn't bear to look back on.

She absolutely did not want anyone to know.

Setting aside his distracting thoughts, Zhao Lintang took a step back and cupped his hands in farewell again: "Then Lintang will take his leave. Fellow Daoist Jiang, until we meet again!"

Jiang Fu'an returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Farewell."

Zhao Lintang said no more. With a light wave of her hand, a beam of emerald light flew out of her storage bag, unfolded in the air, and transformed into a jade lotus leaf.

With a light touch of her toes, she gracefully leaped onto the leaf.

The lotus leaf-shaped magical artifact sank slightly, then hovered steadily in the air and began to rise slowly.

Just as the magical artifact was about to accelerate, she suddenly turned around, her tone filled with envy: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, it must be so wonderful to be your daughter."

These words came so suddenly that Jiang Fu'an was stunned for a moment before he realized what they meant.

Perhaps Yue'er overheard his conversation with him earlier.

By the time he understood, the jade lotus leaf had already transformed into a streak of light and sped off toward the eastern horizon.

"Yaoguang Immortal City —"

He gazed at the eastern horizon and couldn't help but recall this large city.

From scattered bits of information he had gathered, he knew it was a celestial city located in the east, inhabited by hundreds of thousands of cultivators and mortals.

If you take Qinglu Mountain as the starting point and head straight east, even if you ride a half-spirit horse day and night without stopping, it will take you three days and three nights to reach the destination.

It's estimated that he won't set foot in this distant city until he reaches the late stage of Qi Refining.

Zhao Lintang flew eastward for about half an hour. Looking back, Qinglu Mountain had long since disappeared behind the continuous green mountains, its outline nowhere to be seen.

She then gently patted the storage bag and took out the ceramic medicine jar.

Without even glancing at it, she simply tossed the medicine jar down into the valley below.

The earthenware pot traced an arc in the air before plummeting straight down.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud came from the valley, mixed with the faint sound of pottery shards shattering.

Zhao Lintang breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had shaken off a heavy burden.

She clapped her hands lightly, then activated her magical artifact without turning her head, transforming into a streak of light and continuing to fly eastward.

At that moment, she had no idea that in the near future, she would deeply regret her actions.

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