56 - 60
Chapter 56: My Demonic Brother-in-law!
On this day, Lu Changsheng received a letter.
It was from Hong Yi, reporting that his sent agents had learned some news in Zhoushan Prefecture.
A strange man had appeared at the Qu Family estate. Based on the investigation, there was a high likelihood that this man was Qu Changge.
Someone had recognized Qu Changge by appearance at the time, and the fact that the man appeared inside the Qu Family estate and asked about what had happened with the Qu Family made it almost certain that this man was indeed Qu Changge.
However, something was off, as Qu Changge had once been known for his refined, scholarly appearance, but now he seemed to have become sinister and demonic. His eyes were a deep red, like those of a monster.
Hong Yi wrote in the letter that Qu Changge vanished after his appearance, leaving no further information.
Hong Yi suspected that Qu Changge might have also started cultivating, but his path was that of the demonic, urging Lu Changsheng to be cautious.
"Demonic path."
After reading the letter, Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
As far as he knew, the Jiang Country's cultivation world was dominated by the Heavenly Sword Sect, with several immortal sects, cultivation families, and immortal cities all aligned with the righteous path.
There were no known demonic forces in the Jiang Country. Occasionally, there might be some rogue cultivators who had obtained demonic inheritances.
Lu Changsheng did not expect his brother-in-law to have gone down the demonic path.
"I wonder if my brother-in-law will come looking for Qingzhu Mountain."
Lu Changsheng pondered this.
He was not particularly concerned about his brother-in-law finding his way to Qingzhu Mountain.
After all, his conscience was clear, so he had nothing to fear.
He had not only saved Qu Zhenzhen, but they also shared mutual affection.
How could his brother-in-law cause him trouble?
Even if Qu Changge did not know the whole truth and came to confront him, he would need the ability to find him first.
In Lu Changsheng's opinion, Qu Zhenzhen had an eighth-grade Spirit Root. Even if her brother also had a Spirit Root, it was unlikely to be particularly exceptional.
Moreover, in Jiang Country, demonic cultivators were treated as outcasts, and no one would risk openly pursuing Lu Changsheng.
"Sigh, it seems my brother-in-law is also a tragic figure," he thought. "He pursued the path of cultivation, but followed the demonic path. He returned home only to find his family wiped out."
Lu Changsheng sighed and shook his head.
He had a somewhat favorable impression of his brother-in-law, even though they had never met.
Qu Zhenzhen had told him many stories about her childhood, and she often mentioned her brother.
According to Qu Zhenzhen, her brother was always studying and had a serious demeanor.
He loved to lecture her and discuss complex principles, but he was not entirely rigid.
He cared deeply for his sister, often helping her out when she made mistakes and covering for her in front of their parents.
"I won't tell Zhenzhen about this for now, so as not to worry her."
"If, in the future, I have the ability and the chance to help my brother-in-law, I will consider doing so, provided he is still alive."
"But as for now, it's not something I can do much about."
Lu Changsheng took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, deciding not to dwell too much on the matter. After all, he was only a low-level cultivator at the third stage of Qi Refining, simply trying to get by on Qingzhu Mountain. He didn't have the capacity to assist his brother-in-law at the moment, so there was no need to worry about it.
Shortly after, he replied to Hong Yi, telling him not to inquire about Qu Changge's news anymore.
Otherwise, getting involved with the demon cultivator will be a problem.
…
Half a month later.
"Husband, I've completed the process of guiding qi into my body and have become a cultivator!"
On this day, Qu Zhenzhen, wearing a golden hairpin and a pink and white dress, approached Lu Changsheng with joy and excitement.
After more than a year at Qingzhu Mountain, the baby fat on her face had disappeared, and her youthful innocence had matured. Her figure had become more voluptuous.
Her pure and lovely face now had a touch of charm and grace of a married woman and mother.
"My dear Zhenzhen has broken through the first stage of Qi Refining!?"
Lu Changsheng was very happy to hear this news.
With Spirit Roots, Lu Changsheng naturally hoped that his wives would also embark on the path of cultivation and accompany him for a longer time.
Even if they didn't become a help in the future, at least cultivation would benefit their bodies in various ways.
The reason why Qu Zhenzhen only broke through the first level of qi refinement now was because she had previously been pregnant, nursing her baby, and recovering her body, which delayed her cultivation.
Otherwise, with the second-level Spirit Vain in Qingzhu Valley, even without cultivation resources, she would have broken through the first stage of Qi Refining long ago.
Looking at his charming young wife, whose every expression was full of allure, Lu Changsheng embraced her and said, "To celebrate my dear Zhenzhen becoming a cultivator, let me reward you properly."
Even though she was already a mother, Qu Zhenzhen's shy nature had not changed.
Upon hearing this, her heart fluttered with embarrassment, her cheeks flushed crimson.
Before she could say anything, she felt warm lips on hers, and then her body softened. Soon, she was almost clinging to Lu Changsheng.
After a while, she reluctantly parted her lips. "Husband, let's… let's go back to the room…"
"It's alright, we're in our own home, and there's no one here." Lu Changsheng chuckled lightly.
Then, amidst Qu Zhenzhen's stuttering and the rustling sound, the courtyard, in the midst of autumn, gained a hint of spring.
In the following days, Lu Changsheng devoted most of his energy to Qu Zhenzhen.
Now that Qu Zhenzhen had broken through the first stage of Qi Refining and had rested for half a year since the last childbirth, he naturally had to take good care of her and prepare for the second child.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month. At the end of each month, it was the day when the fourth elder taught talisman-making.
On this day, after breakfast, Lu Changsheng went to the residence of the fourth elder. Since he had been there before, he didn't need anyone to show him the way.
Walking through the corridor, Lu Changsheng arrived at a quiet courtyard. The walls of the courtyard were surrounded by emerald green bamboo, and in the middle stood a small pavilion with five tables and chairs placed beside it.
At this moment, there was a stunning figure standing tall beside the pavilion.
Her face was beautiful, her eyes clear as water, wearing a simple and elegant white dress. Her long, lustrous black hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her slender waist and round hips, contrasting with her white attire.
Despite her simple white dress and embroidered shoes, her graceful figure and elegant temperament exuded a unique charm, giving off an ethereal and otherworldly aura.
The gentle breeze brushed by, carrying with it strands of sunlight that fell upon the woman's white dress, giving her an aura of sanctity, as if she were adorned with a layer of holy golden radiance, making her appear more sacred and noble.
Seeing her standing there so gracefully, like a character stepped out of a painting, Lu Changsheng couldn't help but show a hint of amazement in his eyes.
He couldn't help but wonder if it was because he had awakened memories, and the first "immortal" he saw in the cultivation world was Lu Miaoge, which led to him harboring a special sentiment towards her.
Before, when he saw Lu Miaoge, due to the gap in their status and identity, Lu Changsheng had thoughts about her but didn't feel much.
Now, with the confidence given by the system and the elevation of the Lu Family's status, Lu Miaoge in front of him was no longer so unattainable.
As a result, when he saw Lu Miaoge, he couldn't help but have some thoughts that he hadn't had before, and he wanted to indulge in the idea of pressing this seemingly ethereal fairy down and enjoying her freely.
"Sigh, it's no wonder many people, once they have wealth and power, become morally corrupt."
Lu Changsheng couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.
He had only recently married his wife, Lu Miaoyun, and now he was having inappropriate thoughts about his wife's cousin.
"Miss Lu," Lu Changsheng greeted Lu Miaoge without much thought.
As the talisman master of the Lu Family, Lu Miaoge would often come to learn talisman making from the fourth elders on this day every month.
Since the other Lu Family juniors who came to learn talisman-making were all apprentices, the fourth elders divided the teaching into two batches.
In the morning, it was Lu Miaoge and Lu Changsheng, and in the afternoon, it was the other Lu Family juniors.
"Lu Changsheng," Lu Miaoge greeted Lu Changsheng with a faint smile when she saw him.
Her smile was shallow, like a snow lotus on the Tianshan Mountains, just blooming and then retracting, returning to its otherworldly and elegant appearance.
This made Lu Changsheng couldn't help but think to himself that the two sisters were quite alike in this aspect. They both didn't like to smile, but when they did, they were very attractive.
He didn't go up to talk to her or anything like that. Even though he had thoughts about Lu Miaoge in his heart, he couldn't just go pursue her.
One reason was that his identity and situation weren't suitable for pursuing her, and another reason was that girls weren't pursued; they were attracted.
Lu Changsheng sat down at the nearby table, waiting for the fourth elder to come over.
Chapter 57: Taking Talisman Making Class with Miss!
Not long after, the fourth elder arrived at the courtyard.
Her black hair with silver threads was elegantly tied up, and she was wearing a green-brown dress. She looked like a dignified and graceful lady.
"Grandmother."
"Aunt."
Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge immediately bowed respectfully to the fourth elder.
"No need for formalities, please have a seat."
The fourth elder waved her hand with a gentle and kind expression
Then she looked at two of them and said, "Changsheng, Miaoge, show me the Talismans you've been practicing recently."
Upon hearing this, both of them took out their Talisman crafting tools and began drawing Talismans.
Lu Changsheng was still drawing the Fire Cloud Talisman he had revealed earlier.
After all, when he first revealed himself as a first-tier medium-grade Talisman Master, his success rate was only one or two out of ten, so he naturally needed more practice.
The fourth elder glanced at the two people drawing the talisman and was a little surprised when she saw Lu Changsheng drawing the Fire Cloud Talisman one stroke at a time and with a steady wrist.
Then, under the gaze of the fourth elder, Lu Changsheng successfully completed the Fire Cloud Talisman.
"Changsheng, you should have a success rate of about sixty to seventy percent when drawing the Fire Cloud Talisman now, right?"
After watching Lu Changsheng draw the Fire Cloud Talisman, the fourth elder showed a hint of surprise on her face and praised him.
Lu Miaoge, who was drawing Talismans next to them, heard this and couldn't help but tremble, causing the Talisman she was drawing to fail. Then, she looked at Lu Changsheng with astonishment.
Her face, as fair as snow, showed a look of surprise.
She knew that Lu Changsheng had become a first-tier medium-grade Talisman master two months ago.
In just two months, he had increased the success rate of a first-tier medium-grade Fire Cloud Talisman to sixty to seventy percent.
His talent in Talisman crafting was simply terrifying.
She couldn't help but think back to three years ago when Lu Changsheng became a Talisman crafting apprentice, and she accompanied Uncle Fu to assess Lu Changsheng.
At that time, she could already tell that Lu Changsheng's talent in Talisman crafting was higher than her own.
But she never imagined that Lu Changsheng's talent in Talisman crafting would be even higher than she had imagined, and by such a large margin.
Without anyone's guidance, in just over three years, he became a medium-grade Talisman master.
Now, under the guidance of the fourth elder, the Fire Cloud Talisman, which originally had a success rate of only twenty percent, had increased to sixty to seventy percent in just one month.
This progress was simply terrifying!
Even though she had always been calm and had already started trying to draw high-level talismans to challenge herself to become a high-level talisman master, at this moment, in front of Lu Changsheng, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and frustration.
She pursed her lips, suppressed the feeling of loss and frustration in her heart, and took out another piece of Talisman paper to draw Talismans.
"Thanks to grandmother's guidance last time, I have been practicing hard at home during this period, which is why I have this success rate now."
Lu Changsheng nodded.
He was unaware that his actions had left Lu Miaoge feeling frustrated.
The display of talent with the Fire Cloud Talisman this time was something he had planned beforehand. It was part of his strategy.
Under the guise of guidance and instruction from the fourth elder, he accelerated the revelation of his talent in Talisman crafting.
"Very good, very good. Grandmother can see that there isn't much of a problem with your Fire Cloud Talisman."
"It's just that during the transition, the delineation of the Talisman lines is not yet smooth enough."
"But in this regard, as long as you practice more in your spare time, you'll become more proficient."
The fourth elder praised Lu Changsheng repeatedly upon hearing his words.
She continued towards Lu Changsheng, "So today, I'll teach you how to draw the Windwalk Talisman."
The Windwalk Talisman, like the Fire Cloud Talisman, is a first-tier medium-grade Talisman.
In terms of difficulty, it might be a bit higher than the Fire Cloud Talisman.
"Thank you, grandmother," Lu Changsheng said respectfully.
He didn't care what Talismans he learned or practiced; he completely followed the arrangements of the fourth elder.
On one hand, it was because he didn't mind, and on the other hand, it was also one of the conditions of the Lu Family's contract.
He had to follow the arrangements of the Lu Family to learn and practice the corresponding Talismans.
"The Windwalk Talisman is different from the Fire Cloud Talisman. It emphasizes the concept of 'softness,' not only in the strokes but also in the output of spiritual power, conveying a sense of roundness."
"And a crucial aspect of the Windwalk Talisman is that, during each appearance of a turn, the strokes should be smooth, and the output of spiritual power should be continuous…"
The fourth elder explained the key points of the Windwalk Talisman to Lu Changsheng.
Then, she drew a Windwalk Talisman on the spot, allowing Lu Changsheng to sense the fluctuations of spiritual power on it and draw the Talisman lines accordingly.
"Yes, grandmother,"
Lu Changsheng nodded, picking up a stack of white paper from the side of the table and familiarizing himself with the drawing of the Talisman lines on it.
Generally, when drawing new Talismans, it's customary to first familiarize oneself with the drawing of the Talisman lines on white paper before attempting to craft the Talismans on Talisman paper.
If one were to start practicing with Talisman paper right away, it would essentially be a waste, as failure would be inevitable at this stage.
Of course, Lu Changsheng was an exception to this rule.
But in front of the fourth elder, he naturally maintained the appearance of a diligent learner.
Later, the fourth elder looked at Lu Miaoge, who was still making talismans, and saw her fail again.
Knowing that Lu Miaoge was still unfamiliar with the Talisman she was trying to draw, she spoke up to explain the key points.
"Miaoge, the Golden Light Shield Talisman emphasizes firmness as the main aspect and softness as the auxiliary. The strokes should be soft yet firm, and the spiritual power output should be strong."
"When you make the first stroke, both the stroke and the spiritual power should be as strong as iron wrapped in cotton. When the Talisman line turns at the first bend, you should focus more on 'restraint,' while the spiritual power should have a 'release' intent… After the ninth bend, the spiritual power needs to be continuously released…"
Talisman crafting becomes more difficult and complex as the grade of the Talisman increases. There are strict rules for every stroke and every movement.
There are many subtleties in the technique of drawing, such as strength and forcefulness, the interplay of firmness and softness, and the balance between them. It's very complicated.
The Golden Light Shield Talisman that Lu Miaoge was trying to draw is a first-tier high-grade Talisman, very complex, and it's a significant step up from medium-grade Talismans.
"Yes, Fourth Aunt,"
Lu Miaoge nodded in response, her delicate face showing a focused expression as she continued to bend over and draw the Talisman.
But halfway through the drawing, smoke emerged from the Talisman paper again, indicating another failure.
"Miaoge, you applied too much force in delineating the Talisman lines, causing a clash with the spiritual power, hence the failure."
"Here, feel the strength of my spiritual power."
The fourth elder pointed out the mistake aloud and then held Lu Miaoge's hand, slowly drawing the Golden Light Shield Talisman.
Lu Changsheng also glanced over in their direction.
He could tell that the fourth elder was indeed skilled in Talisman crafting.
At least, she was very familiar with the Golden Light Shield Talisman.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to guide someone in drawing the Talisman in this manner.
"Miaoge, try again with this feeling."
The fourth elder said after guiding Lu Miaoge to draw the Golden Light Shield Talisman.
"Yes, Auntie,"
Lu Miaoge nodded gently and tried to draw the Talisman again. However, she failed again halfway through the process.
Seeing this scene, the fourth elder didn't say much. She simply encouraged, "It's okay, just practice more and get familiar with it."
For a Talisman master, this was very normal. If success came too easily, then becoming a Talisman master wouldn't be as challenging.
After a while, the fourth elder saw that Lu Changsheng was almost familiar with drawing the Windwalk Talisman. She turned to him and said, "Come, Changsheng, let's see you draw the Windwalk Talisman."
"Yes, grandmother," Lu Changsheng responded and began to draw the Windwalk Talisman.
However, he also failed when he was about one-fifth of the way through. He was a genius, but not to the point of being abnormal. If he succeeded after just one or two attempts, it would be too astonishing and could lead to problems.
"Your hand is steady, and your strokes are stable, but your spiritual power was a bit rushed just now."
"At this step, your hand should have some 'looseness,' and the spiritual power should gently 'wrap' around the strokes…"
"Here, feel the strength of my spiritual power."
After watching Lu Changsheng finish drawing, the fourth elder spoke and then also approached him, holding his hand and guiding him slowly through each stroke of the Windwalk Talisman.
Although there's the saying "men and women shouldn't touch each other," Lu Changsheng was seen as a junior in the eyes of the fourth elder, practically their grandson-in-law, so they naturally didn't care about such things.
During this process, Lu Changsheng could clearly feel the strength and flow of spiritual power coming from the touch of the fourth elder' hands.
"At this step, your hand should be 'loose,' and the spiritual power should 'wrap' around the strokes with a bit of 'bounce.' Your wrist should lightly 'tremble,' and then complete it in one go."
"Give it another try."
The fourth elder spoke kindly to Lu Changsheng and then released his hand.
"Okay, grandmother,"
Lu Changsheng nodded, but instead of starting to draw immediately, he took out a gourd from his storage bag and took a sip of the wine inside before continuing to draw.
Inside was the White Jade Hundred Flowers Wine, which could restore spiritual power and calm the mind, which was helpful for his Talisman crafting.
He naturally didn't need the wine to calm his mind, but he did need it to help restore his spiritual power.
The fourth elder didn't say anything about this either.
She knew that Lu Changsheng was only at the third stage of Qi cultivation and couldn't draw many first-tier medium-grade Talismans without relying on spiritual wine to replenish his spiritual power.
Subsequently, under the watchful eyes of the fourth elder, Lu Changsheng failed when he was about one-quarter of the way through.
"Your spiritual power hasn't wrapped around the strokes and gathered at one point. Try again a few more times," the fourth elder commented after watching.
So, under the guidance of the fourth elder, the morning passed.
During this morning, neither Lu Changsheng nor Lu Miaoge succeeded in drawing new Talismans. However, they had grasped the essentials of these Talismans, and the next step was to go back and become more familiar with them and practice more.
Chapter 58: Qu Zhenzhen's Second Pregnancy and the Breakthrough Pill!
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
Qu Zhenzhen, who had been receiving special attention from Lu Changsheng, came to him and said, "Husband, it seems like I'm pregnant!"
"Pregnant? Let me see."
Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng was immediately delighted and leaned his head against Qu Zhenzhen's stomach.
At this moment, there were no fetal movements yet. However, as a cultivator, Lu Changsheng could faintly perceive the new life incubating in her belly.
"Yes, you're indeed pregnant. Come here, Zhenzhen, let your husband give you a kiss."
Seeing Qu Zhenzhen pregnant, Lu Changsheng's mood improved instantly.
He caressed his beautiful wife's cheek and fiercely kissed her tender lips.
There were other sisters in the courtyard who couldn't help but giggle when they saw this scene, making Qu Zhenzhen, who was being kissed, blush deeply.
Feeling a little embarrassed, she gave her husband a playful punch, her delicate face blushing like a ripe peach, full of shyness.
But this touch of girlish shyness combined perfectly with Qu Zhenzhen's identity as a wife and mother, appearing both innocent and tempting.
Seeing his wife like this, Lu Changsheng couldn't help but feel a surge of desire, almost wanting to take care of his little wife on the spot.
However, seeing how happy his husband was, Qu Zhenzhen, with her blushing face, also showed a happy and contented smile.
Now that both Lu Miaoyun and Qu Zhenzhen were pregnant, Lu Changsheng was in a very good mood, feeling that life was becoming more and more hopeful.
He was looking forward to the birth of the children of his two beloved wives.
He also remembered that he still had two concubines who had not yet been pregnant, as well as a maid with Spirit Root.
But now that Lu Miaoyun had only been pregnant for a month, he wasn't in a hurry to deal with the maid.
After all, if the maid and his own mistress became pregnant at about the same time, it wouldn't be good. There would be some competition for favor.
Although Lu Changsheng himself didn't mind, he still had to be careful since he was in the Lu Family.
Therefore, he planned to focus on his two concubines next.
Lu Changsheng was also curious about these two concubines. If they became pregnant, would the hair and eye colors of the children follow him or his two wives?
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month again, time for the fourth elder to guide them in talisman crafting.
When the fourth elder checked the progress of Lu Miaoge and Lu Changsheng's talismans, Lu Changsheng directly took out a Windwalk Talisman and said to the fourth elder, "Grandmother, I successfully drew the Windwalk Talisman yesterday."
"What!?"
"You managed to draw the Windwalk Talisman!"
Upon hearing this, the fourth elder was first stunned. Then, looking at the Windwalk Talisman in Lu Changsheng's hand, her face was filled with delight.
She hadn't expected Lu Changsheng to successfully draw the Windwalk Talisman in just one month.
It's worth noting that the most difficult part of Talisman crafting is the first step, going from zero to one. Once you succeed in the first step, the subsequent steps are relatively much simpler.
Beside him, Lu Miaoge, upon hearing this, also looked at Lu Changsheng with utter amazement.
In the past two months, she hadn't made much progress with the Golden Light Barrier Talisman she was practicing, despite it being a high-grade Talisman.
When she was at a similar stage to Lu Changsheng, learning a talisman of the same level, it took her almost three months to succeed.
But now, Lu Changsheng had successfully drawn the Windwalk Talisman in just one month.
Lu Miaoge bit her lip lightly, feeling a bit struck.
She already had considerable talent in Talisman crafting.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been the only Talismanist among the Lu Family juniors.
Moreover, she was far ahead and was aiming to break through to the first-tier high-grade Talisman Master.
The fourth elder had also told her that she had great talent in Talisman crafting and had the potential to become a second-tier Talisman Master in the future.
But at this moment, her once proud Talisman crafting talent was completely overshadowed by Lu Changsheng.
She could already see the day when she would be surpassed by Lu Changsheng.
The fourth elder took the Windwalk Talisman from Lu Changsheng's hand and carefully examined it, feeling the strokes and the flow of spiritual power on it.
"You have no problem drawing the lines of the talisman. You are very stable in holding the pen and drawing the talisman, showing exceptional talent."
"However, in terms of spiritual power, this Talisman still lacks a lot of refinement and stability. There are obvious issues with the spiritual points in this stroke, which could easily lead to failure if not careful, and…"
The fourth elder critiqued Lu Changsheng's Talisman in detail, pointing out where the problems were.
Then she said, "Come, Changsheng, draw another Windwalk Talisman for me to see."
"Yes, grandmother."
Lu Changsheng heard this and took out another piece of Talisman paper, beginning to draw the Talisman again. However, before he could finish half of it, the Talisman emitted green smoke, indicating failure.
"At this point, you must tightly wrap the spiritual power around the pen stroke, but after the turning point appears, you should immediately release it with a 'bounce'…"
The fourth elder spoke up, signaling Lu Changsheng to continue.
However, Lu Changsheng failed again. He had just started yesterday, so his success rate in Talisman crafting should be at most ten percent, so he couldn't expect too much from himself.
Under the guidance of the fourth elder, Lu Changsheng failed two more times.
Seeing this, the fourth elder didn't say anything. She just comforted him, "It's okay, you're a little nervous, and you've just started. You just need to get more familiar with it."
"Come, let grandmother guide you again."
Then, she held Lu Changsheng's hand and guided him through drawing the Windwalk Talisman once more.
"Thank you, grandmother. Changsheng will work hard and not disappoint you."
Lu Changsheng said to the fourth elder.
"You're a good child. Your performance has already satisfied grandmother. I believe that as long as you work hard, you will definitely become a second-tier Talisman Master in the future."
The fourth elder spoke kindly.
She was very satisfied with Lu Changsheng as her son-in-law. Not only did he have exceptional talent in Talisman crafting, but he was also stable in character and treated her granddaughter well.
The only downside was that he had too many wives and children. He spent too much time on marrying wives and having children.
In her opinion, if Lu Changsheng could focus all his energy on Talisman crafting and concentrate on the path of Talismans, he would be able to go further in the future.
"Oh right, Changsheng, you've been in the Qi Refining third stage for a while now, haven't you?"
Fourth elder suddenly turned to Lu Changsheng and asked.
"Yes, grandmother, I reached the peak of the Qi Refining third stage eight months ago. But you also know about my Spirit Root, it's only a ninth-grade Spirit Root."
Lu Changsheng couldn't help but smile bitterly.
He had reached the peak of the Qi Refining third stage eight months ago.
During this time, he had never slackened in his cultivation, but he had never felt the bottleneck loosen.
With a low-grade Spirit Root, every bottleneck was a hurdle.
"If you need it, grandmother can apply for a breakthrough pill for you within the family," the fourth elder said, contemplating slightly.
The advancement from the Qi Refining third stage to the Qi Refining fourth stage, transitioning from the early to the middle stage of Qi Refining, was a hurdle.
The worse the Spirit Root aptitude, the harder it was to break through.
In such situations, besides relying on time, breakthrough pills could also be used to overcome bottlenecks.
"Thank you, grandmother, but I still want to try to break through on my own," Lu Changsheng politely declined.
Although he was troubled by this bottleneck, he wasn't in a rush to rely on pills for help.
The reason was simple.
If he used a breakthrough pill to break through from the Qi Refining third stage to the Qi Refining fourth stage, the difficulty would increase when he tried to break through from the Qi Refining sixth stage to the Qi Refining seventh stage.
If he used another breakthrough pill to break through from the Qi Refining sixth stage to the Qi Refining seventh stage, the difficulty of reaching Foundation Establishment would increase even more.
Using some auxiliary pills like the Yellow Dragon Pill occasionally would be fine, without much side effects.
However, using a breakthrough pill to stimulate potential for advancement would have some impact.
For most people, if they didn't consider Foundation Establishment, using breakthrough pills wouldn't have much of an impact. But Lu Changsheng was focused on the future, not the present.
Lu Changsheng, not feeling rushed to break through, still preferred to attempt it on his own as much as possible.
He planned to rely on pills for assistance only if he truly couldn't break through.
Hearing Lu Changsheng's refusal, the fourth elder was slightly surprised but quickly smiled and praised him, saying, "Well, that's ambitious of you. If you encounter any problems in your cultivation, feel free to come to me."
Nearby, Lu Miaoge's eyes showed a hint of surprise upon hearing this.
After all, breakthrough pills like the one the fourth elder offered Lu Changsheng were extremely precious.
A breakthrough pill for advancing to the mid-stage of Qi Refining could cost hundreds of spirit stones and was very rare, requiring contributions to the Lu Family to exchange for it.
Now, the fourth elder proposed to apply for one for Lu Changsheng, and he refused, expressing his intention to rely on himself for the breakthrough.
With a ninth-grade Spirit Root, breaking through bottlenecks was no easy task.
However, Lu Miaoge didn't say anything about it.
She just added a few more impressions of Lu Changsheng in her mind.
She felt that he was quite different from the image she had previously known.
Later, the fourth elder talked to Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge about some knowledge of crafting talismans before letting them leave.
"The way Miss just looked at me seemed a little different from usual," Lu Changsheng commented, watching Lu Miaoge's graceful figure as they left the elder's residence, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Naturally, he didn't believe that the young lady had developed feelings for him. "Could it be that my recent display of talent in crafting talismans has affected her?" he wondered suddenly.
"If that's the case, then this young lady isn't as aloof and indifferent as she appears on the surface. No one is truly immune to worldly desires; everyone has emotions."
"Just like the second Miss back then, she appeared cold and noble on the outside, but her true character was not like that." With a light chuckle, Lu Changsheng didn't think too much about it and headed home.
Chapter 59: Eighth Grade Spirit Root, Sixth Lottery Draw!
In the blink of an eye, another ten days had passed.
On this day, Lu Changsheng's twenty-second child was born.
Like most children, this one didn't possess a Spirit Root.
By now, Lu Changsheng had grown accustomed to the disappointment of his children not having Spirit Roots.
He no longer held any expectations.
If a child did have a Spirit Root, he would consider it a pleasant surprise.
However, surprises have a way of arriving suddenly and unexpectedly.
A month later, when Lu Changsheng's twenty-third child was born, he felt a strange and inexplicable palpitation throughout his entire being.
It was the palpitation of the child possessing a Spirit Root.
This sensation overwhelmed him with an indescribable and mysterious feeling, causing Lu Changsheng to have a premonition.
His own Spirit Root had advanced!
With the enhancement from this child's Spirit Root, his own Spirit Root had ascended from a Ninth Grade Spirit Root to an Eighth Grade Spirit Root!
At that moment, a notification sound from the system chimed in.
[Congratulations to the host for giving birth to three descendants with Spirit Roots, gaining one lottery draw opportunity!]
"Excellent!"
The surge of excitement from the advancement of his Spirit Root and the notification from the system filled Lu Changsheng with immense joy and excitement.
He hadn't expected that this child would possess a Spirit Root, let alone elevate his own Spirit Root to the eighth grade.
Moreover, the system rewarded him with a windfall.
These two unexpected surprises, happening simultaneously, overwhelmed him with uncontrollable excitement and joy.
"Husband, what's wrong with you?"
His wives and concubines beside him couldn't comprehend why Lu Changsheng suddenly showed such joy.
Lu Changsheng also realized he had become somewhat overly excited.
"It's just that I've finally figured out a problem with a talisman that has been bothering me for a while, so I'm feeling happy and excited for a moment."
Lu Changsheng smiled and explained.
"Congratulations, husband."
"Congratulations, husband."
"Congratulations, husband."
When several wives and concubines heard this, they also smiled and congratulated him without suspicion or further thought.
"What's there to congratulate? The Lu Family has added another child, that's the real joy," Lu Changsheng waved his hand dismissively.
Internally, he couldn't help but remind himself that he needed to cultivate a more composed mindset, to remain calm even in the face of great changes.
Otherwise, if situations like this became more frequent, it would be easy for others to detect something amiss.
He walked into the delivery room and immediately saw the midwife holding a swaddled bundle.
"Congratulations, sir, it's a girl," the midwife said to Lu Changsheng.
"A girl? A girl is fine too, after all, the first two were boys," Lu Changsheng replied casually. He didn't have strong feelings about having sons or daughters.
He took the child from the midwife's hands. Perhaps because he was a cultivator, practicing the Immortal Posture Technique, combined with the improved conditions of the child's mother during pregnancy, the child looked much better than a typical newborn, without the usual wrinkles.
Even though Lu Changsheng was pleased to know that this child had a Spirit Root, he didn't show any special excitement or differentiation at this moment.
After looking at the child for a while, Lu Changsheng left and went to his study.
"With this child's birth, the system rewards indicate a different level of achievement for the number of Spirit Root children compared to the total number of my children."
"This is normal; Spirit Root children are obviously on a higher difficulty level. I wonder what the numbers will be like in the future, five? Or maybe ten?" Lu Changsheng thought to himself, but he didn't dwell on it too much.
Thinking too much about these things would only lead to expectations, which could easily result in disappointment. It's better to go with the flow.
After all, even if the system didn't come with a reward, he would still have had this child!
Immediately, Lu Changsheng began the part he had been looking forward to the most.
"System, I want to draw!"
A light red virtual lottery board appeared.
"I wonder what I'll get this time. I hope it's a magic treasure,"
Looking at the lottery board in front of him, Lu Changsheng took a deep breath.
Due to the Hundred Treasure Refinement Body Tempering Technique, he had high expectations for magic treasures.
He wanted to see if the system could directly provide him with one for practicing the technique.
After all, while techniques could produce all sorts of effects, as long as a magic treasure was adequate, it could be used for practicing the Hundred Treasure Refinement Body Tempering Technique.
"Let's begin the draw!"
With a thought, golden light began to spin on the light red roulette wheel.
After five seconds, the roulette wheel came to a stop.
Under Lu Changsheng's nervous and expectant gaze, the golden light stopped at 'Other.'
[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Gu insect 'Peach Blossom Gu'!]
[The reward has been deposited in the system space. The host can check it at any time.]
A butterfly pattern resembling two peach blossoms emerged from the roulette wheel, accompanied by a notification sound from the system.
"A Gu insect, Peach Blossom Gu?" Lu Changsheng frowned upon seeing the reward.
Not getting the technique or magic treasure he wanted didn't disappoint Lu Changsheng too much.
After all, he had been disappointed many times before.
He knew that with lottery draws, things wouldn't always go as he wished.
The future was long, and there would be plenty of opportunities for draws.
As long as he worked hard, he would eventually draw the rewards he desired.
He looked at the Peach Blossom Gu in the system space.
[Gu Insect: Peach Blossom Gu]
[Quality: Heavenly Spirit Gu]
[Description: A miraculous Gu insect created by the Gu cultivator 'Peach Blossom Immortal.' It can improve the host's skin, enhance their charm, create an extremely attractive appearance to the opposite sex, and boost the host's romantic luck.]
Lu Changsheng didn't know much about Gu insects.
He was aware that within the various arts of cultivation, there were factions similar to beast taming, such as poison, corpse refining, and ghost cultivation.
He hadn't explored these aspects in detail.
However, due to his trust in the system and the three words 'Heavenly Spirit Gu' and the description of its effects, he felt that this Peach Blossom Gu was extraordinary.
It must be a top-grade Gu insect.
"First, the Immortal Posture Technique, and now the Peach Blossom Gu? Does this mean I'm destined to rely on my appearance in the future?"
Lu Changsheng clicked his tongue.
Having experienced the changes brought about by the Immortal Posture Technique, he was quite looking forward to the effects of the Peach Blossom Gu.
After all, he had become quite handsome after practicing the Immortal Posture Technique for more than three years.
Now, with the Peach Blossom Gu, wouldn't he become the dream of countless immortal maidens in the future?
Especially since the enhancement of the Peach Blossom Gu was aimed at the opposite sex!
Not only did it enhance charm, but it also boosted romantic luck.
Handsome looks and good romantic luck, it was a surefire combination.
It was like a tailor-made assassin for gathering wives and concubines in the future.
"Romantic luck!"
"Romantic luck also falls under the category of luck, although it's a bit mysterious in the cultivation world. Most books only mention that some people are born with great luck, able to turn bad luck into good, and even stumble upon treasures effortlessly, making remarkable progress on the path of cultivation."
"Although this Peach Blossom Gu can't improve a person's luck, it can enhance their romantic luck. I wonder if with this Peach Blossom Gu, I'll have continuous romantic encounters in the future on my path of cultivation?"
"I should look for more information about luck and Gu insects later."
Lu Changsheng thought to himself.
Although he liked to read various books, he only had a superficial understanding of luck and Gu insects.
Now that he had obtained this Peach Blossom Gu, he decided to learn more about these topics in the future.
Without further thought, Lu Changsheng used his mind to extract the Peach Blossom Gu from the system space.
Chapter 60: Peach Blossom Gu!
As Lu Changsheng extracted the Peach Blossom Gu, a butterfly with wings resembling two pink and white peach petals appeared before him out of thin air.
The Peach Blossom Gu was only the size of a thumb, emitting a faint pink light, sparkling and delicate.
Holding it in his hand, it felt soft and smooth, as if he were holding two peach petals, without much weight.
Fragrant peach blossom scent emanated from it, refreshing his senses.
Lu Changsheng looked at the Peach Blossom Gu in his hand and could clearly feel a strange and intimate connection with it, just like when he obtained the Nine Netherworld Hound before.
There was no need to tame or subdue it by any means; the system helped with that directly.
Additionally, through the system, he learned that to control and master this type of Gu insect, he needed to refine it.
The refining process was simple.
First, feed it with a drop of essence and blood, and then gradually refine the Gu insect with the power of spiritual consciousness.
Knowing the basic usage of the Peach Blossom Gu, Lu Changsheng didn't hesitate.
He squeezed out a drop of blood from his fingertip and fed it to the Peach Blossom Gu.
The Gu had a sesame-sized mouthpiece, which slowly licked up the blood.
After a moment, the Peach Blossom Gu finished consuming the blood.
Lu Changsheng then enveloped the Peach Blossom Gu with his spiritual power, invading its body and will to refine it.
For many Gu cultivators, refining Gu insects was a very dangerous task.
Although Gu insects lacked intelligence, they were living beings with instinctive will to survive.
Faced with the refining process of cultivators, they would naturally resist instinctively.
Some fierce and domineering Gu insects might even counterattack the refiner.
However, since Lu Changsheng obtained this Peach Blossom Gu from a lottery draw via the system, there was already a subtle connection between them, so this wasn't an issue.
Under his spiritual power, the Peach Blossom Gu not only didn't resist at all but also actively cooperated, allowing Lu Changsheng's spiritual power to enter its body and refine it.
This saved Lu Changsheng from the need to suppress the Peach Blossom Gu's will with his own mental strength.
An hour later, Lu Changsheng sighed as he looked at the partially translucent Peach Blossom Gu in his hand.
It wasn't because he had finished refining it, but rather because his spiritual power was exhausted, and he needed to rest and recover.
"If it weren't for obtaining this Peach Blossom Gu from the system lottery draw, with my current cultivation level, I wouldn't have been able to refine it, let alone succeed in refining it. I might even have been counterattacked, and my own self would be injured," Lu Changsheng shook his head, unable to hide his admiration.
During this hour, he had fully exerted his spiritual power to refine the Peach Blossom Gu.
As a result, his spiritual power was depleted, and he hadn't even refined one-tenth of the Peach Blossom Gu.
It was worth noting that this was with the Peach Blossom Gu fully cooperating the entire time.
If the Peach Blossom Gu had resisted even slightly, he would have faced difficulties in refining it.
"However, this also indicates that this Peach Blossom Gu is even more extraordinary, far beyond what an ordinary Qi Refining stage cultivator can handle," Lu Changsheng mused. "Only someone like me, who relies on the system, can obtain things far beyond their own stage."
"Now that I've recovered my spiritual power, I'll see what changes have occurred since my Spirit Root advanced to the eighth grade."
Lu Changsheng began to meditate and cultivate, regaining his spiritual strength and observing the changes that had occurred since his Spirit Root had advanced from the ninth to the eighth level.
An hour passed, and Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
After the meditation and cultivation just now, he realized that there hadn't been a significant increase in his cultivation speed since his Spirit Root had advanced from the ninth grade to the eighth grade.
It had only increased by about ten percent.
"The cultivation speed with an eighth-grade Spirit Root is roughly thirty percent faster than with a ninth-grade Spirit Root," Lu Changsheng concluded.
"Considering the boosts from Little Seven and Little Seventeen earlier, my Spirit Root was already close to the eighth grade," Lu Changsheng murmured to himself. "So, with the addition of this daughter's boost, even though my Spirit Root advanced from the ninth grade to the eighth grade, the actual improvement isn't significant."
"The increase in cultivation speed of about ten percent also indicates that this child's Spirit Root is probably a low-grade Spirit Root, similar to Little Seventeen's Spirit Root, which is probably a seventh- or eighth-grade Spirit Root," Lu Changsheng continued his thoughts.
He didn't feel any sense of loss.
After all, whether it was a ninth-grade Spirit Root or an eighth-grade Spirit Root, they were both low-grade Spirit Roots, and the difference between them wasn't too great.
Therefore, advancing from a ninth-grade Spirit Root to an eighth-grade Spirit Root wouldn't lead to any significant qualitative changes.
However, for Lu Changsheng, the advancement from a ninth-grade Spirit Root to an eighth-grade Spirit Root was still a milestone.
At least he had taken the first step in advancing his Spirit Root!
In the future, as more and more children with Spirit Roots came along, his Spirit Root would eventually advance step by step, from a low-grade Spirit Root to a medium-grade or high-grade one.
Perhaps even to the legendary Earth Spirit Root or Heaven Spirit Root!
"Spirit Root not only affects cultivation speed but also affects cultivation bottlenecks," Lu Changsheng pondered. "I wonder how much help advancing from a ninth-grade Spirit Root to an eighth-grade Spirit Root will be in breaking through the bottleneck of advancing from the third stage of Qi Refining to the fourth stage."
Besides influencing cultivation speed, the grade of Spirit Root also affects the bottlenecks in cultivation.
The better the Spirit Root, the weaker the bottlenecks.
Lu Changsheng had read in books before that for Spirit Roots of the caliber of Earth Spirit Root or Heaven Spirit Root, there was no concept of bottlenecks from Qi Refining all the way to the Foundation Establishment stage.
Under the prospect of smooth cultivation all the way to the future, Lu Changsheng could potentially break through to the Core Formation Stage and condense a high-grade Golden Core.
Without dwelling further on these distant prospects, Lu Changsheng rose from his study and made his way to the training room to continue his cultivation and restore his spiritual power.
The next day, Lu Changsheng visited the library at the Qingzhu Mountain Estate, searching for books on Luck and Gu cultivation.
However, he found that there were no books on Luck within the Lu Family, and the information on Gu cultivation was also scarce.
He only came across a few brief introductions to Gu Insects in an ancient text.
For instance, Gu Insects were classified into six levels: Ordinary Gu, Spirit Gu, Mystic Spirit Gu, Earth Spirit Gu, Heavenly Spirit Gu, and Immortal Gu.
The higher-level Gu Insects, like Immortal Gu, were legendary entities akin to true spirit bloodlines among demonic beasts and were exceedingly rare.
Even Earth Spirit Gu and Heavenly Spirit Gu belonged to the realm of legend, being extremely rare.
This insight gave Lu Changsheng a rough understanding of the preciousness of the Peach Blossom Gu, which was likely comparable to the Nine Netherworld Hound with its celestial bloodline.
Gu Insects would undergo continuous transformations as they matured, progressing from low to high levels such as First Transformation, Second Transformation, Third Transformation, Fourth Transformation, Fifth Transformation, and so forth, corresponding to stages in a cultivator's Qi Refining stage, Foundation Establishment stage, Core Formation Stage, Nascent Soul Stage, and Divine Transformation Stage.
The Peach Blossom Gu that Lu Changsheng had obtained naturally belonged to the First Transformation.
In the following days, in addition to his daily meditation and cultivation, as well as crafting talismans, Lu Changsheng made time to refine the Peach Blossom Gu.
He hoped to complete its refinement as soon as possible to see its specific effects.
After all, he was quite eager for any improvements it might bring to his own condition and his fortune in love.
Half a month later, Lu Changsheng finally completed the refinement of the Peach Blossom Gu.
At that moment, he felt a strange connection to the Peach Blossom Gu, as if it had become a part of his own body.
Simultaneously, he gained a detailed understanding of the Peach Blossom Gu.