Cultivating a family of immortals

Xu Changle frowned and said:

"Since alchemy is so difficult to master, Guan Yi, why did you take out this book...?"

Xu Guan shook his head and said, "Brother, I only said that it's difficult for ordinary people to become alchemists, not that they can't refine pills. Being an alchemist and being able to refine pills are two different things!"

"You mean... that low-grade pills can be refined as long as there is fire spiritual energy?" Xu Changle raised an eyebrow and asked.

Xu Guanyi laughed heartily, "Brother, that's exactly what I mean. Now that you can cultivate, but you don't know what attribute it is, I thought I'd let you try. If you can sense the fire attribute spiritual energy in the world and mobilize it according to the description in this alchemy book, you should have no problem refining the low-grade Qi Condensation Pill."

"Qi Condensation Pill... Guan Yi, what is the value of this pill?" Xu Wanghe asked.

"An ordinary Qi Condensation Pill is worth about 180 mid-grade spirit stones. If you take this Qi Condensation Pill when you are at the peak of the twelfth level of the Fetal Breathing Realm, it can help you successfully condense your Qi vortex and reach the Qi Refining Realm."

Xu Guanyi honestly said, "The Qi Condensation Grass grown by our family and the Spiritual Qi Grass grown by the Immortal Sect are used for this purpose. In addition to being taken by cultivators in the Fetal Breathing Realm, Qi Condensation Pills can also be taken during daily cultivation to help cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm. This is also the most sought-after pill in the Immortal Sect, and it can be said that the supply cannot meet the demand."

"However, the grade of ordinary Qi Condensation Pills is all mid-grade, and they cannot be made without the help of an alchemist. Low-grade Qi Condensation Pills have mediocre effects. As long as a cultivator with fire-attribute spiritual energy can successfully mobilize fire spiritual energy, they can make low-grade Qi Condensation Pills. Their effects and functions are greatly reduced, and their value is around sixty mid-grade spirit stones."

"Even so, low-grade Qi Condensation Pills are extremely sought after."

As Xu Guanyi spoke, a smile appeared on his face, as if he had thought of something.

Xu Changle raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Guanyi, if what you say is true, then this book on alchemy must be an extremely valuable item. Where did you obtain it?"

Xu Guanyi came to his senses, his face flushed, and said, "It was a gift from a junior sister."

"Is she a junior sister or a younger brother's wife?" Xu Changle chuckled.

Xu Guanyi's face immediately turned bright red with embarrassment.

"Brother, please don't tease me. My junior sister gave me alchemy techniques, which violated the sect's rules. This matter must not be revealed."

"That's natural, but... why did your junior sister give you the art of alchemy?"

Xu Changle's tone suddenly became serious.

Xu Wanghe was also taken aback.

"Brother, don't be afraid. Junior sister gave me the art of alchemy to prepare for the future offspring of our Xu family. Junior sister already knows about our family's situation. Besides, alchemy is the most basic Dao technique, and every cultivator in the sect with a fire-attribute spiritual root has it."

Xu Changle and Xu Wanghe immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Guanyi continued, "Brother, you should give it a try. I don't know your spiritual root attribute, but you can give it a shot. If it works, you can refine a low-grade Qi Condensation Pill, which would be of great use to our Xu family!"

Xu Changle nodded, then sighed.

"If only our family had a stone platform for testing spiritual roots."

"There is indeed a magical artifact that can be carried at any time to test the attributes of spiritual roots, which seems to be called a spirit testing plate. However, it is in the hands of several elders. If I have the opportunity in the future and can get my hands on one, I will certainly bring it home," Xu Guanyi said.

"Haha, it's good that you have this intention. This matter still needs to be planned slowly," Xu Changle instructed.

Xu Guan nodded emphatically.

Then, Xu Changle took the book on alchemy, sat cross-legged on the futon, and began to read it.

Xu Wanghe and the others waited quietly.

The first page of the alchemy book reads:

"The spiritual energy of heaven and earth has five elements, each with its own unique uses. Only those with a fire element spiritual root can refine elixirs."

"The primary responsibility of alchemy is to sense fire-attribute spiritual energy."

"Close your eyes and focus your mind into your dantian. Use the Kanli technique to absorb spiritual energy. When you feel a slight heat in your dantian, you will have a fire-attribute spiritual root."

"In addition, one must possess no more than two of the four spiritual roots: metal, wood, earth, or water. Only when the dantian is warm and accompanied by the sensation of the other two can one refine elixirs."

Following the description in the book, Xu Changle focused his mind on his dantian and tried to sense it.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment flashing in them.

"I felt nothing."

Xu Wanghe also sighed.

"Brother, don't be discouraged. Those who can refine pills are all destined to succeed; it's all about luck." As he spoke, Xu Guan looked at Zhou Xingyao. He already knew that his sister-in-law had also consumed the green liquid from the small green bottle and developed a spiritual root, but she didn't know why. So he said, "Sister-in-law, you should try it too."

Xu Changle nodded and handed the alchemy technique to Zhou Xingyao.

Zhou Xingyao, however, had a troubled expression on her face.

"I have only just entered the first level of embryonic breathing, how can I learn such techniques?"

"Sister-in-law, you can try it without worry. Once you enter the Fetal Breathing Realm, you will be qualified to refine pills."

Under the eager gazes of everyone, Zhou Xingyao had no choice but to open the book and, following the descriptions within, close her eyes and begin to experience the sensations.

However, after only ten breaths of closing her eyes, Zhou Xingyao's eyebrows began to tremble slowly.

A red, fire-attribute spiritual energy gradually emanated from her body, making her face flush red.

The Xu family members immediately stood up one by one.

Xu Guanyi's eyes widened in disbelief. He thought to himself, "It's truly a blessing from heaven for our Xu family! My sister-in-law has ingested the green liquid and has actually developed at least three spiritual roots with fire attributes."

Zhou Xingyao suddenly opened her eyes, looked at the crowd standing in front of her, and said uncertainly:

"I feel a burning sensation in my dantian, Second Uncle, could this be it?"

Xu Guanyi cupped his hands in congratulations and said, "Sister-in-law, that's true. Next, you should try refining pills. If you control it properly, you might be able to see Qi Condensation Pills in a few days."

Xu Changle hesitated and said, "Guanyi, your sister-in-law is pregnant again. Won't practicing alchemy affect her health?"

Xu Guanyi, unaware of this, raised an eyebrow and exclaimed with delight, "I'm going to have another nephew?"

"That's right."

"Haha, sister-in-law, feel free to refine them. With proper cultivation and refining pills, your body will be filled with spiritual energy. Perhaps my nephew will be born with spiritual roots!"

Xu Changle was then relieved to let Zhou Xingyao try practicing.

In another dark room, which Zhou Xingyao had never entered before, Xu Changle took out a few of the spirit seedlings that were almost half a person tall and handed them to Zhou Xingyao.

Having spent the past few years in the dark room, Zhou Xingyao had never seen the spiritual seedlings in the spiritual fields outside and did not know how tall these seedlings should grow, so she casually took them.

Xu Guanyi gazed at the spiritual seedling, and his heart was also stirred.

He had never seen a spiritual seedling with such momentum within the sect.

It was naturally learned that they were cultivated by watering with green liquid.

"I just wonder what grade the Qi Condensation Pill made from such spiritual seedlings will be," Xu Guanyi pondered.

Zhou Xingyao began to learn alchemy, while Xu Wanghe and the others, having nothing else to do, went out of the dark room together.

Xu Guan stayed behind, giving instructions on alchemy while chatting with Xu Changle about everyday matters. The two brothers hadn't seen each other for many years and had endless things to talk about.

It was already late, so Xu Wanghe no longer needed to worry about what was happening in the dark room and went to rest with Li Rongping.

The next day, Xu Wanghe had just gotten up when a local militiaman came to report.

"The son of the Ma family is kneeling at the door?"