Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improving Spiritual Root Aptitude

After some time, the Bai family finally completely eliminated the Deng family's former subordinate forces and firmly brought all the territories that originally belonged to the Deng family under their control.

The Bai family won a great victory in this battle, and the profits far exceeded their expectations.

All the previously seized territory and businesses were recovered, and Yunxi Market regained its former prosperity. More importantly, they seized the core business upon which the Deng family relied for their survival.

A high-yield iron ore mine.

This mine is the source of the Deng family's confidence to fight the Bai family to the death for so many years.

After all, the Bai family mainly deals in pills and spiritual herbs, so they are easily affected by the war and their logistical supplies are often tight.

As long as the iron ore mine is held, it can continue to be mined, providing a steady stream of spirit stones to support the war effort, making it the "lifeline" of the Deng family.

The old ancestral land of the Deng family was also taken by Bai Chenyao, the second patriarch of the Bai family, and was transformed into his own exclusive training ground. Many Bai family members moved there, gradually assimilating the area completely.

However, the Bai family did not monopolize all of the Deng family's spoils; they deliberately ceded a small portion of the profits to the Zhao and Hu families.

This move was quite clever. The two clans, who were already uneasy because of the Bai family's power, immediately lowered their guard and temporarily put aside their disloyal intentions when they saw that the Bai family not only did not pursue their past ambiguous stances but also took the initiative to share the benefits.

After all, both clans have always been unwilling to fight the Bai family to the death. Now, it is the best solution to stop while they are ahead. As for whether there will be further changes due to the Bai family's dominance in the future, only time will tell.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

Wu Fan slowly walked out of the residence of Bai Chenzhan, the head of the Bai family. The bamboo leaves outside the courtyard swayed gently in the wind, filtering dappled light and shadow, but he could not hide the turmoil in his heart.

He had just confessed his demands to Bai Chenzhan.

They hoped the Bai family could recommend him to go to Falling Star Valley.

Therefore, after much deliberation, he decided to propose this at a time when the Deng family had been destroyed, the Bai family had won a great victory, and everything was in need of rebuilding.

Recalling the conversation that had just taken place in the hall, Wu Fan still felt unsettled.

Upon hearing this, Bai Chenzhan looked up at him, his gaze deep and unwavering. His tone was calm, yet his words were clear: "Do you know that Falling Star Valley has extremely high requirements for accepting disciples? At your age, even with the Bai family's recommendation, you can only start as an outer disciple. Your future path of cultivation may be even more difficult than if you stayed in the Bai family."

Wu Fan had already thought it through, and immediately bowed respectfully, his tone firm and without the slightest hesitation: "Patriarch, I know the difficulties involved. But I wish to give it a try."

Bai Chenzhan remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding: "Alright, I agree. The Bai family will prepare the recommendation documents and jade slips."

His quick agreement surprised Wu Fan.

But upon reflection, Wu Fan gradually understood.

Although the Foundation Establishment families under the jurisdiction of Falling Star Valley have the right to recommend outer disciples of the sect, the families will keep the truly outstanding family members and nurture them with all their might, and will never send them to the sect.

Once you join Falling Star Valley, you become a disciple of the sect and must abide by its rules and regulations, serving the sect with all your might.

Such a choice is tantamount to losing a core force for the family. Only those geniuses whose talents are so outstanding that the family cannot support them deserve such a decision.

Sending those with low aptitude to the sect is pointless; they'll just be low-level disciples, constantly having to be subservient to others, and would be much more comfortable in their own families.

Therefore, these families rarely recommend disciples to join their sects. Even if they do, they only send those with average talent, hoping that they can spend a few decades in the valley and, if they can secure a position as steward and control some low-end businesses, perhaps bring some benefits to the family.

But those positions had already been occupied by the disciples of those Golden Core families, and it was not up to the Foundation Establishment family like the Bai family to get a share.

Moreover, the Bai family's power has doubled, and the clan is currently short of manpower. They may soon need to recruit more cultivators to expand their strength, so they will not easily let go of their own disciples.

He has no blood ties with the Bai family, so sending him to Falling Star Valley would both do him a favor and not deplete the core strength of the family, so why not?

Wu Fan thought things through clearly, but he was unaware of another hidden story.

Bai Chenzhan sat in the hall, gazing at the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind in the courtyard, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

The reason he readily agreed was because of his daughter Bai Ruanyu's feelings for Wu Fan.

This affection was no longer just a rumor among the clan; he, as the father, could see it all clearly.

If Wu Fan also had feelings for Ruan Yu, he would never have let Wu Fan leave so easily.

Wu Fan is young but has already achieved remarkable alchemy skills. Given time, he will surely achieve great things. Moreover, his talent is mediocre, and his cultivation will definitely not be able to suppress Ruan Yu in the future. He is a good match to assist Ruan Yu.

But he could see that Wu Fan was not one to be subservient to others, and more importantly, he had no romantic feelings for Ruan Yu.

A forced marriage is never sweet. Rather than forcing our daughter into an unhappy marriage, it would be better to let Wu Fan leave the Bai family sooner rather than later. Time will gradually fade our daughter's feelings, which would be better for both of us.

That afternoon, just as Wu Fan returned to his residence at Yunxi Manor, Bai Ruanyu came looking for him.

She wore a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with camellias embroidered on the hem. Her eyes sparkled with a touch of coquettish charm as she slowly approached Wu Fan. Her voice was as gentle as a breeze: "Fellow Daoist Wu, there's a camellia field on a branch of Yunxi Mountain. It's currently in full bloom, a vibrant display of flowers covering the entire mountainside. If you have time, would you mind accompanying me to see it?"

"Um, young lady, I have a batch of pills being nurtured inside, so it's not convenient for me to leave for long..."

Wu Fan instinctively wanted to refuse, but Bai Ruanyu interrupted him before he could finish speaking.

"It won't take long."

Bai Ruanyu pouted slightly, her tone tinged with coquettishness, but her eyes held a stubbornness. "Do you really have to refuse my invitation, the eldest daughter of the Bai family, to admire the flowers together?"

Wu Fan sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn't refuse, so he bowed and replied, "Then I dare not disobey. Please, Miss."

"Um!"

Bai Ruanyu's eyebrows curved into a smile, and she turned around to walk towards the mountain path ahead, her steps light and quick, as if she had unloaded some of her worries.

Wu Fan watched her retreating figure, his face full of helplessness.

How could he not know that Bai Ruanyu's visit today was not merely to admire the flowers, but rather that there were certain things he did not wish to hear, much less respond to?

He sighed softly, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and quickly followed.

The mountain path meanders along the way, while the camellias on both sides bloom in vibrant colors, their pink and white petals layered upon each other. A gentle breeze carries a faint fragrance that mingles with the elegant scent emanating from Bai Ruanyu, lingering around the nose and smelling wonderful.

The mountains were extremely quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps and the soft rustling of petals in the wind.

Wu Fan deliberately slowed down, keeping a distance of two or three feet from Bai Ruanyu, his gaze fixed on the dirt steps beneath his feet, unwilling to look at the surrounding scenery or Bai Ruanyu's expression.