Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improving Spiritual Root Aptitude

Comfortable and carefree days always slip through your fingers like sand, and five days pass in the blink of an eye.

Wu Fan stood at the entrance of his hall, his eyes scanning the simple furniture and furnishings inside. His so-called packing was nothing more than putting away his personal storage bag and alchemy furnace.

For cultivators, worldly possessions are few and far between, and these two are their constant companions.

Wu Fan gently pushed open the creaking wooden door, lingered his gaze on the room for one last moment, and then strode out of the courtyard toward the main gate of Yunxi Manor.

As soon as he arrived at the manor gate, a burly figure came into his sight.

Niu Dazhuang was dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe embroidered with flowing cloud patterns. The fabric was very fine, which was incongruous with his honest and rough temperament.

His age of over thirty made his already robust physique even more solid. He wore a somewhat awkward yet honest smile, carrying a jar of well-sealed spirit wine in each hand, and a carved wooden food box slung at his waist, from which a faint aroma wafted.

"Big brother! We've been waiting for you!"

Niu Dazhuang strode forward, placed the spirit wine and food box on the nearby bluestone slab, and said in a loud voice, but with a familiar and intimate tone, "If you hadn't shown up, I would have thought you had sneaked away under the cover of night, so I specially waited here before dawn. This wine was ordered by my brothers in the clan from Zuixianlou in Yunxi Market. You tasted it last time and said it was delicious. Tao'er and Shao'er also got up early to make some of your favorite dishes, which are all kept warm in the food box."

As he spoke, he deftly lifted the lid of the food box, and steam carrying the aroma wafted out.

The glistening, braised spirit beast meat, the stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and two plates of soft, sticky osmanthus cakes were all Wu Fan's favorite foods.

Looking at the box full of heartfelt gifts, Wu Fan felt a warmth in his heart and whispered:

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Dazhuang."

Niu Dazhuang's smile faded slightly. He scratched his head, his tone full of reluctance:

"Brother, you're being too polite. I don't have any other skills, so this is all I can do. Your trip to Falling Star Valley is even farther than going to Falling Star Valley Market. If we want to meet again, it will probably be like with Li Buhui and the others, only once every few years."

As he spoke, he lowered his eyes, his fingers beginning to trace the hem of his brocade robe, unable to conceal his desolation.

All good things must come to an end.

Wu Fan patted his shoulder, his tone calm yet resolute, "Besides, it's not like we'll never see each other again, just that we'll be further apart. As long as we're alive and still cultivating on this path of life, we'll always meet. I'm going to attend the Falling Star Valley's disciple recruitment ceremony this time, and I'll come back for a short get-together afterward. We'll meet again soon."

Upon hearing this, Niu Dazhuang's worries lessened somewhat, and he nodded emphatically.

With a wave of his hand, Wu Fan instantly vanished from the spot with the two jars of spirit wine and the food box, which were then stored in his storage bag.

He was about to take out the pills to give as a gift, but Niu Dazhuang beat him to it, taking out a bulging coarse cloth bag from his storage pouch at his waist and handing it over with both hands, his tone earnest:

"Brother, this is just a small token of my appreciation. It's nothing, please don't mind."

Judging from the size of the bag, Wu Fan knew without using his spiritual sense that it contained at least one or two hundred low-grade spirit stones.

This amount was nothing to him now, equivalent to three months' income for the Bai family, but he was aware of Niu Dazhuang's situation.

With six children to support, and his eldest son Niu Ben at a critical stage of his cultivation, he has to support his own cultivation while also preparing resources for his children. These two hundred spirit stones will likely take him one or two years, or even longer, to save up through frugal living.

This profound sincerity is more precious than any treasure.

He immediately reached out and pushed the cloth bag back:

"Dazhuang, I can't accept these spirit stones. You're not cultivating alone, and Ben'er needs resources even more..."

"Big brother!"

Niu Dazhuang hurriedly interrupted him, his tone unusually firm, "I've discussed this with Tao'er and Shao'er, and they both agree. Ever since we were alchemy apprentices, you've always taken care of me. When I couldn't understand pharmacology, you stayed up all night, sacrificing your rest time to explain it to me; when I lacked elixirs for cultivation, you always provided them. You've treated me with such sincerity, so let me repay you this once. You absolutely cannot refuse these spirit stones!"

Having said that, he looked straight at Wu Fan, his eyes filled with stubbornness and sincerity. Wu Fan looked at his earnest expression and understood.

Being too polite between brothers will only create distance, and insisting on refusing will only hurt his feelings.

He took the cloth bag and put it into his storage bag, then took out three lustrous porcelain bottles and handed them over: "Then I'll accept them. These three bottles contain three kinds of pills: one is a high-quality Spirit Gathering Pill, one is a high-quality Spirit Cleansing Pill, and the other is a Barrier Breakthrough Pill, which can help you break through to the late stage of Qi Refining. They were all made by my own hands."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of mischief in his eyes, "I refined this Breakthrough Pill in secret. The Bai family doesn't know about it yet. It's good that you know."

Niu Dazhuang's pupils contracted, both surprised and delighted.

He naturally knew the value of the Breakthrough Pill, and he understood Wu Fan's considerations in privately refining the pill.

After a moment of stunned silence, a strange thought suddenly occurred to him.

It was as if he had exchanged spirit stones for pills with his elder brother.

The moment this thought crossed her mind, she met Wu Fan's ambiguous smile. The two of them, as if on cue, burst into laughter at the same time, all their politeness and reluctance melting into that laughter.

"Don't worry, brother!"

Niu Dazhuang quickly stuffed the pill into his storage bag, a sly glint in his eyes on his simple face. "What's a Breakthrough Pill? I don't understand it, and I've never seen one before."

Wu Fan smiled and shook his head, his expression gradually becoming serious:

"Although your spiritual root aptitude is only of the lower grade, you possess a considerable amount of spiritual energy. You've only just reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, and your cultivation speed is already quite fast. Don't slack off in the future, and strive to reach the perfection of the sixth level of Qi Refining within six or seven years. Although Foundation Establishment is difficult, as long as there is an opportunity, there is still hope. Even if you ultimately fail to establish your foundation, your cultivation at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining will still make you a master in this region, more than enough to protect yourself and your family."

Niu Dazhuang's eyes welled up with tears as he listened, and he nodded vigorously, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Big brother, I've got it! I'll never slack off; I'll definitely cultivate diligently and strive to keep up with you!"

As the sun slowly climbed over the mountain, the morning breeze swept through the mountains, carrying the fragrance of grass, trees, and spiritual plants, and fluttering the robes of the two people.

They chatted on and on about everyday things, from Niu Ben's recent cultivation progress to the latest happenings in Yunxi Market, as if they wanted to say everything they had to say over the past few years before they parted.

Wu Fan glanced at the sky, knowing it was time to set off, and patted Niu Dazhuang on the shoulder:

"I have to go now. You should go back and take care of your family and yourself."

Niu Dazhuang pursed his lips, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat, and in the end only came out as:

"Brother, take care on your journey. I'll be waiting for you to come back for a drink!"

Wu Fan nodded, turned around, and was about to ride his weapon when a clear, melodious shout suddenly came from afar:

"Wu Fan!"