From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 172 The remnants
early morning.

Li Yuan got up as usual to prepare for practicing stance training.

"Huh? It's not dawn yet?"

He opened his eyes, but all he could see was darkness.

Thinking he had woken up too early, he turned over, wanting to sleep a little longer.

"Something's wrong."

He suddenly sat up, blinked, and waved his hand in front of his eyes.

"Why can't I see it?"

He carefully touched his eye sockets to make sure his eyes were open, but why was it so dark in front of him?

Even at night, you shouldn't be unable to see anything.

"It's so dark, so very dark..."

He looked around, but could see nothing but endless darkness.

"Father~~ Mother~~!"

"Xiao Tao! Ouch~"

He frantically reached for the edge of the bed, preparing to get out, but accidentally fell and rolled several times on the floor.

Xiao Tao, his maid, rushed over upon hearing the commotion: "Young Master, what's wrong?"

Xiao Tao stepped forward to help Li Yuan up.

Li Yuan couldn't see, but he could hear Xiao Tao's familiar voice. However, the sound of her approaching footsteps still filled him with inexplicable fear.

Once he grabbed Xiao Tao's hand, it was as if he had found his backbone, and he held on tightly and wouldn't let go.

"Xiao Tao, what time is it now?"

"1:15 AM".

"Where am I?"

"Young master, you are in the bedroom."

Xiao Tao was puzzled. Why was the young master acting so strangely?

"I... I can't see! Look at my eyes, what's wrong?"

"Young master, can't you see? I'll go and call the master and madam right away."

"Okay. No! Wait."

Li Yuan dared not let go; the little peach he held tightly in his hand was his only support at this moment.

"Then I'll help you..."

Xiao Tao helped Li Yuan out of the bedroom.

Zhong Huai walked towards them. He had already discussed it with his wife beforehand. Although she did not agree, she could not resist his persuasion and finally agreed to let him educate Li Yuan in his own way.

"Liyuan, what's wrong?"

"Dad! I can't see! I can't see!"

Upon hearing his father's voice, Li Yuan released his grip on the maid's hand and walked towards his father in the direction of the sound.

"Young Master, wait!"

"careful!"

Li Yuan's toes hit the threshold, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

Zhonghuai stepped forward and helped him up: "Liyuan, you can't see? How could that be?"

"Dad, I don't know, I don't know!"

Li Yuan panicked and reached out to grab Zhong Huai.

He was like a lone boat adrift on a boundless ocean, needing close people by his side to feel safe.

"Xiao Tao, go quickly and fetch a doctor!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Not long after, the doctor from Baihe Mountain arrived.

After the old doctor who was bribed by Liu Yun and harmed Ma Shujie was killed, the Xu family invited a more skilled doctor to take charge of Baihe Mountain.

Zhonghuai had given him a heads-up beforehand.

After examining Li Yuan, he said with great concern, "Master Zhonghuai, your young master Li Yuan has suddenly developed a malignant eye disease, which I'm afraid will be very difficult to cure. Alas."

"Difficult to cure? How could that be? You must cure it, no matter the cost."

"I'll prescribe some medicine and try my best to cure him."

"..."

Hearing the conversation between the two, Li Yuan was gripped by fear, his body trembling uncontrollably.

In just half a day of being unable to see, he had already deeply experienced what despair and fear meant.

He was unfamiliar with the doctor, and even the doctor's footsteps startled him.

After the doctor's footsteps faded into the distance, he heard his father's voice: "Liyuan, don't worry, I will definitely cure your eyes! I'll go and find a way right away."

"..."

Li Yuan was afraid of being alone with his family, and he also wanted to get his eyes cured, so he could only listen to his father's footsteps fading away.

"Xiao Tao, where is my mother?"

"Madam has gone out on business."

"Peach."

"Yes, young master, I'm here."

"Stay right here beside me and keep talking, don't go anywhere."

"Okay, young master..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The core area of ​​Baihe Mountain.

In the mountains and forests, Xu Xiaohou unleashed bursts of internal energy from his fists and palms, creating fist and palm shadows three zhang away from his body.

Only what is inside the body can be called "internal strength". When one reaches the Grandmaster level, internal strength is released externally, which Xu Xiaohou calls "罡气".

The power of Qi is similar to the sword or blade aura condensed from spiritual energy. Although Qi cannot be too far from the body, its power is very strong against late-stage Qi Refining cultivators at close range.

"The human body has 720 acupoints. I have just entered the Grandmaster realm and can only barely activate my internal energy from a few acupoints at the same time. The combination of various acupoints can form different moves and techniques."

Once I reach the Grandmaster stage, I can freely unleash my inner energy from all 720 acupoints, and my combat power will...

Xu Xiaohou estimated that he was at the peak of the Grandmaster realm, making him virtually invincible below the Foundation Establishment level.

His current strength is not to be underestimated. He is at the seventh level of Qi Refining, the first level of Martial Arts Grandmaster, and has the soul power of the eighth level of Qi Refining, the third level of Flying Sword Technique, and the superior-grade magic weapon Feather Pattern Flying Sword.

All of these combined would put even a weaker Qi Refining Level 9 cultivator at a disadvantage against him.

Just then, Xu Zhongyao arrived.

He watched from a distance for a moment, and when he saw Xu Xiaohou finish his martial arts practice, he stepped forward and called out, "Sixth Uncle."

"Zhongyao, is there a mission?"

"Yes. This time it was a wandering cultivator who was no more than the third level of Qi Refining, and he killed twenty or thirty people. My father gave me the task, saying that I should hone my skills. I'm worried that something might go wrong, so I'd like to ask my sixth uncle for his secret assistance."

If there's any danger, we'll have to rely on Sixth Uncle.

Xu Zhongyao is now the second cultivator in the Xu family on the surface.

His father, Xu Xiaoniu, is the director of the Demon Subduing Division. He, the son, is currently at the third level of Qi Refining and works under his father.

"Okay, you guys go first, I'll change my clothes."

For years, Xu Xiaohou had been Xu Xiaoniu's clandestine "knife," helping him eliminate many demonic cultivators and those who had attempted to plunder. Many of the Demon Subduing Division's subordinates knew that Xu Xiaoniu possessed a "mysterious power," but they were unaware of the specific identity of this mysterious figure.

He changed into a set of night clothes, took a storage bag, and set off.

The storage pouch contained spirit stones, elixirs, and talismans, as well as a feather-patterned flying sword.

With his current strength, he could kill a Qi Refining Stage 3 cultivator with a flick of his wrist.

Xu Zhongyao led several Demon-Subduing Guards to the hiding place of the Jiexiu.

Xu Xiaohou followed him in secret.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In a desolate mountain area on the outskirts of Tonggu County.

It's quiet at night.

A rogue cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining lay in the cave, his body emaciated, like a dried-up corpse whose blood had been drained.

The cave was filled with a strong smell of blood.

In the pitch-black darkness, a pair of bright eyes gleamed.

"Pah, only five elemental roots, what a waste."

Next to the mummy corpse of the rogue cultivator was a demonic cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

He rummaged through the rogue cultivator's body, pulled out a few spirit stones, spat out a curse "poor bastard," put the spirit stones into his storage bag, and quietly left.

"Forty years have passed. I wonder how my brothers are doing?"

He counted on his fingers and realized that it had been forty years since he left Tonggu County. His eldest brother must be in his sixties, and his third brother was also approaching his sixties.

"My father must have passed away some years ago."

His surname is Liu, and his given name is Liu Hongzhan.

The eldest brother is Liu Hongwei, and the third brother is Liu Hongtu.

Forty years ago, Yuanli County conducted a large-scale conscription, and he was drafted to the battlefield.

When Liu Hongzhan arrived, he was strong and ruthless. He was like a fish in water on the battlefield and within a few years he got the opportunity to break through to the Innate Martial Artist realm.

Relying on his innate martial arts realm, he made contributions and earned a third-class military merit for his family.

The only third-class military merit in Baihe Village was awarded to the Liu family.

He should have returned home in glory after the war, but an unexpected incident occurred, and he encountered demonic cultivators from the enemy Baiyue Immortal Dynasty.

That demonic cultivator wasn't very strong, only at the third level of Qi Refining. He took advantage of the chaos caused by the war to fish in troubled waters.

After a near-death experience, Liu Hongzhan joined forces with others to kill the demonic cultivator, then ambushed and killed his companion, obtaining the demonic cultivator's resources.

The demonic cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining had few spirit stones, no spirit talismans or magic weapons, only the demonic cultivation secret technique "Blood Exchange and Marrow Transformation Secret Technique" and a cultivation manual "Crimson Gold Sword Qi Technique".

This secret method allows one to acquire the spiritual root and a portion of the cultivation of a cultivator by exchanging blood and marrow with them.

In other words, by using this secret method, even without spiritual roots, one can embark on the path of cultivation!

Liu Hongzhan has no spiritual roots, but the path of cultivation is right in front of him, how could he possibly refuse?

Even though this is the path of demonic cultivation.

Taking advantage of the chaos of war, he killed a Qi Refining Level 2 cultivator from the enemy Baiyue Immortal Dynasty and used the "Blood Exchange and Marrow Transformation Secret Method" to exchange his blood and bone marrow, thus obtaining his four mixed spiritual roots.

With the help of his four spiritual roots and the Crimson Gold Sword Qi Technique, he easily drew qi into his body and opened up his dantian.

His blood and marrow naturally contain a thin layer of spiritual energy, making his cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.

However, this secret method is not a permanent solution; it has serious flaws: since one does not truly possess spiritual roots, relying solely on exchanging blood and marrow with a cultivator, one can only maintain the presence of spiritual roots for a limited time.

The effects of spiritual roots will gradually weaken over time until they disappear completely.

If Liu Hongzhan wants to maintain his spiritual root and improve his strength, he needs to hunt down a cultivator every now and then and undergo a blood transfusion.

When the war ended, he was at the third level of Qi Refining.

To avoid being discovered as a Qi Refining cultivator and to conceal his identity as a "demonic cultivator," he did not return to Yuanli County but instead infiltrated the Baiyue Immortal Dynasty.

Over several decades, he proceeded cautiously and meticulously in the Baiyue Immortal Dynasty, killing dozens of cultivators, including many with three types of true spiritual roots.

By exchanging blood and marrow with a cultivator who possesses three types of true spiritual roots, he can acquire three types of true spiritual roots!
In addition, he could absorb part of the cultivation of the killed cultivators, and he cultivated to the ninth level of Qi Refining.

He wanted to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, but it was extremely difficult and he couldn't see any hope for the time being.

Because he missed his hometown and his family, he returned to Yuanli County from Baiyue Xianchao.

"I wonder if the celestial official who killed my second uncle is still alive?"

Liu Hongzhan thought of Jiang Hao.

"If he were still alive, I wonder what his cultivation level would be."

He hated Jiang Hao because Jiang Hao killed his second uncle Liu Yaozu, causing the Liu family's status to plummet, forcing him to enlist in the army.

"On the other hand, I have to thank him. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have had this opportunity."

"If my eldest brother and third brother knew I was still alive and had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, they'd probably be utterly astonished, hahaha..."

(End of this chapter)