Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 132 Wait for me to come back

When Jiang Fu'an brought the medicinal food to Zhao Lintang's temporary residence again, Zhao Lintang greeted him with a smile as always, and his words and actions were even more intimate than before.

To his dismay, the hint of affection he had seen in the other person's eyes earlier was nowhere to be found this time.

Seeing this, he suppressed his inner turmoil and stopped trying to take the initiative.

The difference between the two was simply too great.

He is forty-six years old this year;

Zhao Lintang, however, is a year younger than his eldest daughter.

In terms of cultivation level, he was only at the third level of Qi Refining on the surface;

The opponent, however, had already reached the pinnacle of Qi cultivation and was just one step away from Foundation Establishment.

In terms of family background, he was merely the head of a small clan;

Zhao Lintang, however, is a manager in the "Qiankun Pavilion" that is spread throughout the Qingyun Continent.

If you rashly reveal your feelings, and the other person doesn't reciprocate, such a natural interaction can become awkward.

I fear that this friendship he has painstakingly cultivated will soon vanish without a trace.

Time flowed silently like a stream, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for Zhao Lintang to fully recover from his injuries and leave.

That morning, the mountain mist had not yet dissipated.

Jiang Fu'an, dressed in a blue long gown, came to the house halfway up the mountain to see him off.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, thank you so much for preparing medicinal meals for me every day these past few days to help me heal my injuries."

Zhao Lintang was already waiting in front of the courtyard gate.

Today she wore a moon-white long dress with flowing cloud patterns, her black hair was styled into an exquisite bun, and she wore a light touch of rouge on her lips.

She was clearly dressed up, and standing in the dim morning light, she looked radiant.

Jiang Fu'an remained calm and composed, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect, and said, "You flatter me, Fairy Zhao. Now that I have accepted the consultation fee, I will do my best; it is simply my duty."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lintang's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not say anything more polite.

She patted the storage bag at her waist, and a stream of emerald light shot out from the bag's opening, transforming into a lush green leaf the size of a door panel, which hovered quietly about a foot off the ground.

She bowed respectfully to Jiang Fu'an once more, then lightly touched the ground with her toes and gracefully leaped onto the leaf-shaped magical artifact.

The magical artifact dipped slightly, then steadily rose into the air, accelerating towards the eastern horizon.

Jiang Fu'an stood there, watching the pale figure gradually disappear into the distance.

At this moment, he felt little regret.

In his view, friendship is far more stable and enduring than romantic love, which is fragile and changeable.

In his past life, he had seen too many examples of lovers who broke up and never spoke to each other again.

Although there is a slight regret, the current situation is undoubtedly the most appropriate one at present.

He slowly withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked along the bluestone steps towards his own house on the mountaintop.

Between the bamboo groves on both sides of the mountain path, the figures of low-level spirit beasts would occasionally flash by, startling several roosting birds, which would flutter their wings and fly higher.

Suddenly, a familiar voice, tinged with reproach, came from behind him: "You just watched me leave like that, without feeling even a little bit resentful?"

Jiang Fu'an paused, then turned around in surprise.

Zhao Lintang, riding the emerald leaf magic weapon, had somehow returned and was now quietly hovering in the low air several dozen feet away.

Before he could answer, she suddenly leaped up and gracefully landed on the magical artifact several meters high.

Her moon-white robes bloomed like flowers in the air, as if a celestial maiden had descended to earth and was rushing straight toward him.

Jiang Fu'an was stunned for a moment, watching as the fair figure approached from afar, carrying a delicate fragrance, and landed steadily in his arms.

This breathtaking scene was deeply etched into his mind, becoming one of the images he would often recall throughout his long life.

The surprise came too suddenly. Jiang Fu'an's throat moved, but he didn't know what to say.

In the end, he simply raised his arms and stiffly wrapped them around the back of the person in his arms, slowly tightening his grip.

The bamboo shadows sway, and time seems to stand still at this moment.

After an unknown amount of time, a faint rustling sound came from the depths of the bamboo forest on the right, as if something was rustling the bamboo leaves.

Jiang Fu'an glanced to the side and saw a girl in red riding on the back of a wild boar through a gap in the forest, peeking out with a curious look on her face.

It was the second daughter.

"Wait for me to come back!"

Zhao Lintang had obviously noticed it as well.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly whispered a sentence in Jiang Fu'an's ear.

He loosened his embrace, turned around in a slightly flustered manner, and lightly leaped onto the ever-floating emerald leaf artifact once again.

The magical artifact instantly transformed into a streak of emerald light, hurtling eastward at an even faster speed than before.

"Wait for her to come back?"

Jiang Fu'an stood there, savoring the lingering warmth of her breath and the whispered words, a question rising in his mind:

Since you confessed your feelings, why did you leave in such a hurry?

Unable to fathom the other's thoughts, he shook his head, temporarily suppressing his own thoughts, and looked towards the bamboo grove with annoyance: "Yue'er, why do you always pick such a good time?"

Jiang Yue'er rode her boar out of the bamboo forest and came straight to her.

Completely ignoring her father's questioning, her little face was full of curiosity as she asked in rapid succession, "Dad! How did you manage to win over such a beautiful fairy?"

"Will you marry her? If so, will I have another mother?"

"Children shouldn't ask about these things!"

Jiang Fu'an put on a stern face and solemnly instructed, "From now on, if you see your father and Fairy Zhao together again, you must immediately stay far away and are not allowed to peek again."

That night, the moonlight, like water, poured down on the top of Qinglu Mountain.

Jiang Fu'an slowly finished his practice in the quiet room. His bones emitted a series of soft popping sounds, and a faint golden light flowed across his skin before receding.

The second level of the "Dragon and Tiger Body Forging Technique" is now complete.

This means that his physical strength is comparable to that of a late-stage first-tier demon beast.

From then on, cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage, unless they were second-generation immortals with many secret treasures and extraordinary inheritances, were exempt from the restrictions.

Or he is a peerless genius with extraordinary talent, capable of fighting beyond his level; ordinary Qi Refining cultivators are basically no match for him.

Three days later, Shi Tou rushed back from Yue Ling Market. As soon as he entered the house, he went straight to his father's study, his face showing some urgency: "Father! The price of talismans in the market has risen sharply recently! The Spirit Talisman Pavilion has raised prices twice in a row."

"We still have a batch of talismans stored in our warehouse. Should we sell them all now at a high price?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fu'an frowned slightly.

The market price of talismans has historically been relatively stable, so such a continuous rise is quite unusual.

He looked at his travel-worn eldest son and asked in a deep voice, "Have you found out why the price has increased?"

Shi Tou shook his head: "The specific reason is still unclear. However, Zhao Yun analyzed that it may be related to the newly appeared Hundred Herbs Secret Realm."

"I've heard that many people are buying large quantities of talismans for self-defense, so they can go exploring and collecting herbs."

Jiang Fu'an, however, felt that this reason was not sufficient.

According to information obtained from He Miao, the Hundred Herbs Secret Realm is now jointly controlled by several major forces, and those qualified to enter are mostly disciples or related personnel of these forces.

Compared to the vast number of independent cultivators and small and medium-sized forces, the number of people qualified to enter is pitifully small.

Even if everyone hoards goods, the impact on the overall market should be limited, and it certainly wouldn't cause such drastic price fluctuations.

He pondered for a moment, then made a decision: "The talismans stored in the warehouse are the foundation for the Jiang family's future emergency survival, and should not be sold off easily."

"Furthermore, this price increase is probably not limited to the secret realm."

"When you go to the market on weekdays, you should pay more attention to finding out relevant information."

"Until things become completely clear, the talisman shop doesn't need to sell more or deliberately less; just maintain the usual volume."

In the months that followed, every time Stone returned from the market, he would bring news of the continuously rising price of talismans.

Six months have passed, and the prices of some popular talismans have doubled.

Even so, buyers continued to flock to the store, and for the first time, Lingfu Pavilion even experienced a shortage of some popular talismans.

Moreover, the prices of other supplies such as elixirs, magical artifacts, array plates, and array flags have also increased to varying degrees.

The reasons circulating among the people are varied, but none of them are entirely convincing.

Seeing this, Jiang Fu'an instructed Shi Tou to control the number of talismans sold in the shop and temporarily store the newly drawn talismans in the warehouse to observe the situation.

This wait lasted for several more months.

The truth only came to light when a familiar customer came to visit.

At noon that day, Sun Zhiwei, dressed in a pink palace-style dress, arrived at Qinglu Mountain.

Her face was slightly paler than usual, and her breathing was a little labored, as if she was injured.

However, the joy in his eyes and brows could not be hidden.

Upon seeing Jiang Fu'an come out to greet her, she instinctively sensed his presence and immediately looked surprised: "Uncle Jiang, you've already broken through to the fourth level of Qi Refining?"

"Not bad, we've made some progress in the first two months thanks to luck."

Jiang Fu'an nodded slightly, his expression calm.

The spiritual veins of Qinglu Mountain have been present in the world for seven years.

The timing of "raising" the feigned cultivation level to the mid-stage of Qi Refining at this moment is not abrupt.

After her initial surprise, Sun Zhiwei thought about it for a moment and found it reasonable.

The Jiang family has developed smoothly in recent years and possesses a spiritual vein. It is not difficult to understand why Jiang Fu'an, as the head of the family, was able to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining.

The two took their seats in the main hall, as host and guest, and a maid served them fine tea.

Jiang Fu'an asked with concern, "Zhiwei, did the trip to the Hundred Herbs Secret Realm go smoothly?"

"Thanks to my uncle, everything went smoothly. I have completed the sect's mission and successfully obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"If you hadn't lent me so many talismans in time, I probably would have perished in that secret realm long ago."

She paused, still shaken, and said, "Uncle, you may not know this, but in the second month after I left the secret realm, a great change occurred within it."

"The cultivators of the Xia Kingdom have actually planned a large-scale hunt targeting the cultivators of my Song Kingdom!"

"Of the more than one hundred Qi Refining stage cultivators who were in the secret realm at the time, only a handful survived by sheer luck."

She knew in her heart that if Jiang Fu'an hadn't readily lent out those talismans back then...

She will inevitably be delayed for a long time in order to raise resources. When she enters the secret realm again, she will most likely run into that conspiracy, and her life or death will be uncertain.

However, Jiang Fu'an's focus was not on this.

His expression hardened slightly, and he immediately pressed, "Why would the Xia Kingdom resort to such a vicious attack? I recall that the cultivation communities of our two countries used to have a fairly harmonious relationship."

Mentioning this matter, Sun Zhiwei sighed softly, a look of worry on her face: "Alas, in the end, it was this sudden appearance of the secret realm that caused the trouble."

"It is said that Jade Cauldron True Monarch once fought with a Nascent Soul True Monarch from the Xia Kingdom in the secret realm and injured him."

"I'm afraid that by then, the other party was already harboring resentment."

"In addition, over the past six months, cultivators from both countries have been vying for spiritual herbs in the secret realm, leading to repeated conflicts. The accumulation of old and new grudges has resulted in this disaster."

Hearing this, and considering the continuously rising prices over the past six months, the fog in Jiang Fu'an's mind suddenly dissipated.

Many cultivators have already sensed the impending battle and have begun stockpiling supplies and preparing for any eventuality!

He looked at Sun Zhiwei, his expression becoming even more serious: "In your opinion, will the major sects of our Song Kingdom let this matter rest?"

What are the chances of war breaking out between the two countries?

Having personally experienced the secret realm and being a disciple of a sect, Sun Zhiwei's knowledge of the inside story was undoubtedly far more accurate and comprehensive than the rumors circulating in the marketplace.

She carefully chose her words and replied, "All the disciples of the same generation in the sect are filled with righteous indignation, and the calls for battle are rising."

"Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that the sect's higher-ups will easily back down."

"As for whether it will escalate into a full-scale war between the two countries—I have no idea."

Seeing that the other party was also uncertain, Jiang Fu'an changed his question: "Then in your opinion, between my Song Kingdom and the Xia Kingdom, which has a stronger overall strength in the cultivation world?"

"Naturally, my Song Kingdom is stronger!"

This time, Sun Zhiwei answered without hesitation: "Although the Xia Kingdom also has Nascent Soul sects, its Golden Core level forces are not as strong as those of my Song Kingdom."

"Our Song Kingdom has four major sects and seven major families, while the Xia Kingdom only has three sects and five families. We have the advantage in the middle ranks."

Knowing that the Song state held the advantage in terms of apparent strength, Jiang Fu made a confident judgment that the probability of war breaking out was probably over 80%.

Afterwards, he asked some questions about the friction between the two countries, and Sun Zhiwei answered them one by one.

Finally, Sun Zhiwei took out a stack of talismans and a small pile of spirit stones from her storage bag and gently placed them on the table: "Uncle Jiang, these are the remaining thirty-odd talismans and these two hundred-odd spirit stones from this trip. I'm returning them to you in advance."

"The remaining amount will probably have to wait until I reach the Foundation Establishment stage before I can repay it."

Jiang Fu'an knew that she had always been focused on cultivation and did not have much wealth, so it was normal that she was unable to pay off her debts in the short term.

With a flick of his sleeve, he first collected the pile of spirit stones.

He then looked at the stack of talismans and said gently, "You should keep these talismans for your own self-defense."

"No need, Uncle."

Sun Zhiwei quickly waved his hand and explained, "After returning this time, I plan to immediately go into seclusion and focus all my efforts on breaking through to the late-stage perfection of Qi Refining, in preparation for Foundation Establishment."

"I probably won't be going out for a while, so I won't need these."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Jiang Fu'an stopped refusing and reached out to take the stack of talismans.

Just as his fingertips touched the talisman, he suddenly remembered something, and his expression instantly turned serious: "Zhiwei, you just said that the sect has already bestowed a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Excuse me for asking, Uncle, but is that Foundation Establishment Pill on your person or stored within the sect?"