From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 197 Cheng Dan
Yunze Mountain.

Xue Fanyu successfully refined a Foundation Establishment Pill and emerged from seclusion, only to learn a piece of news that enraged him: the main ingredient, "Nightmare," had escaped from Yunze Mountain and its whereabouts were unknown.

"Go ahead and search! Send people out to search for me! Are they all useless? They can't even keep an eye on a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator?!"

Xue Fanyu angrily rebuked Xue Yimiao in front of him.

Beside the two lay a corpse, Meng Jiaojiao, who had committed suicide.

Besides the loss of the "main medicine," three other members of the Xue family who were in the late stage of Qi Refining also died, including the talented Xue Fangyuan.

This made Xue Fanyu lose his temper even more, and he couldn't help but start cursing.

The significance of the "main medicine" is extraordinary.

The main ingredient is gone, which means we've lost one Foundation Building Pill.

The Xue family went to such lengths and incurred such high costs, all for the main ingredient of the Foundation Establishment Pill. And yet, the main ingredient escaped?

Xue Yimiao couldn't lift her head: "We've searched the entire area within eight hundred miles of Yunze Mountain, but we haven't found any clues."

"Where is her family? Her sudden defection must be related to them. Find out where she came from!"

Xue Fanyu's intuition was very accurate.

However, Xue Yimiao lowered her head even further: "The subordinate who brought her and Yinling here is already dead."

What Xue Fanyu thought of, Xue Yimiao also thought of.

Finding the nightmare's hometown greatly increases the chances of finding her.

Although the Xue family's secret might be exposed, we can't worry about that now; finding the "main ingredient" is more important.

Xue Yimiao had investigated carefully, but in order to facilitate brainwashing, they never asked about the family background or past of the girls they captured, and even forbade them to talk about their past experiences.

She finally found out that the group of girls who brought back Silver Bell and Nightmare were led by Granny Jin, but Granny Jin had been dead for several years.

"Narrow down the search area as much as possible! Hurry up, find it even if you have to dig three feet into the ground!"

"Yes."

Helpless, Xue Yimiao turned and left to arrange for her subordinates to investigate.

If we can find out where Nightmare and Silver Bell and their group of girls were captured, we can find out the approximate area of ​​their hometown.

After Xue Yimiao left, Xue Fanyu stared at Meng Jiaojiao's corpse, his anger blazing: "An insignificant little person ruined my big plans!"

With a wave of his hand, two balls of flame flew out. One was bright golden yellow, and the other was cold white; they were the Yang Fire and Yin Fire of the Yin-Yang Fire Technique.

Only with both yin and yang can one refine elixirs.

The flames engulfed Meng Jiaojiao's body, but under Xue Fanyu's masterful control, the flames did not burn her to ashes. Instead, they melted her into a liquid substance.

The toxins in Meng Jiaojiao's body were burned away, leaving only the energy condensed from pure Yuan Sha spiritual energy.

"Hmph, I'll use it as an auxiliary ingredient in my refining of the Three-in-One Pill!"

Xue Fanyu did this purely out of spite.

Yunze Mountain has abundant spiritual plant resources, and there is no shortage of auxiliary medicines for refining the Three-in-One Pill.

Using a person as an auxiliary ingredient in the Three-in-One Pill would require a more complex and difficult alchemy process, making it a completely unprofitable endeavor.

But Xue Fanyu was willing to do this to satisfy his twisted psychology.

It was precisely because of his "abnormality" that he was able to become the head of the Xue family.

The alchemists who founded the Xue family of alchemists held this belief: everything can be used to make elixirs.

The ancestor who discovered that human beings were the "main ingredient" in the Foundation Building Pill was also like that.

This is a philosophy that has been passed down through the Xue family.

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.

It is a desolate mountain that is sparsely populated and located two thousand miles away from Yunze Mountain.

Xu Xiaohou led Xu Zhongxi on a aimless escape until they were far away from Yunze Mountain.

This is the edge of Yuanli County; any further and you'll be outside the county's boundaries.

The two hid here for several days.

Severely injured, Xu Xiaohou recovered from his injuries with the help of spirit stones. The charred burn marks on his body solidified into thick scars, which cracked and fell off, revealing his robust, bronze-colored body.

This is the recovery ability of someone who has reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage and is also at the Grandmaster level.

"Xiao Xi, I will teach you a technique called 'Meditation Soul Refining Technique,' which can enhance your soul power. Perhaps it can help you regain your memories."

Xu Xiaohou decided to hide for a few more days to avoid the limelight.

The Xue family must be searching the world for him during this time, and he didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

It's a pity about Meng Jiaojiao... Thinking of her, Xu Xiaohou felt heartbroken.

"Okay, Sixth Uncle."

Over the few days Xiaoxi spent with Xu Xiaohou, she gradually came to understand. His risking his life to rescue her from Yunze Mountain showed how important she was.

Coupled with the behavior of the three members of the Xue family, all of these factors led her to believe Xu Xiaohou's statement and accept her identity as a "member of the Xu family."

For a period of time afterward, Xu Xiaohou taught Xiaoxi to practice the "Meditation and Soul Refining Technique".

In his spare time, he would tell Xiaoxi about his childhood.

Although Xiaoxi couldn't recall them, those warm memories and the delicate emotions they contained felt incredibly real to her, far more real than the "memories" instilled in her by the Xue family.

More than a month has passed.

In the dead of night, Xu Xiaohou set off with Xiaoxi: "We should go home."

Xiaoxi was curious—curious about those "family members," and about Baihe Village and Tonggu County where she had lived as a child. She was also a little scared, afraid that what Xu Xiaohou had said wasn't true.

Will the Xu family like her as much as Xu Xiaohou claims?
— Tonggu County, Baihe Mountain.

Underground cave.

Xu Fugui and Xu Xiaoniu gathered together, both with furrowed brows.

"Da Niu, any news?"

Xu Fugui had not seen Xu Xiaohou for almost two months.

If it weren't for the fact that the family's precious tree showed no abnormalities, he would have thought that Xu Xiaohou had met with misfortune.

Even so, he was still worried that Xu Xiaohou might have been captured by the demonic forces like Xiao Xi.

"Father, I secretly sent people to inquire in Shitan County. I heard that demonic cultivators did indeed abduct many girls, but they were released. The corpses of demonic cultivators were also found on nearby Xieyue Mountain..."

But that happened more than a month ago; I don't know where he is now.

Xu Xiaoniu shook his head helplessly.

Two months ago, he told Xu Xiaohou that there were traces of demonic cultivators near Shitan County, and asked Xu Xiaohou to go and investigate.

After making this inquiry, Xu Xiaohou disappeared for two months, his whereabouts unknown, and he did not send anyone back with a message.

"Father, there's something else. Recently, there have been some Qi Refining cultivators of unknown origin near Tonggu County, and they seem to be inquiring about something. These cultivators don't seem to be rogue cultivators; each of them is quite powerful."

I wonder what connection she has with Liu Zi?

As the head of the Demon Subduing Division, Xu Xiaoniu knew more information, but that was all he knew.

"Let's wait a little longer. Liu Zi and Xiao Xi are both alive, they will definitely find a way to come back."

Xu Fugui knew no more information, only that the two were alive, thanks to the family's precious tree.

Just then, several calls came from outside.

“Dad~~!”

"Big brother~~!"

It was Xu Xiaohou's voice.

Xu Fugui and Xu Xiaoniu rushed outside and saw Xu Xiaohou and the female nun beside him.

Both of them were stunned, staring wide-eyed at Xu Zhongxi in disbelief.

"Yes Yes……"

"Xiao Xi?!"

Xiaoxi has changed a lot, but she still retains some features from her childhood, especially her appearance, which is somewhat similar to her mother's.

"Father, elder brother, I've brought Xiaoxi back!"

After saying this, Xu Xiaohou felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his heart, and he felt relieved.

He then introduced Xiaoxi: "This is your grandfather, and this is your uncle."

"Xiaoxi, don't you recognize your grandfather?"

Xu Fugui was puzzled. He had hardly changed over the years. Did Xiaoxi not recognize him?
"Father, Xiaoxi has lost her memory. It's a long story, let's go to the secret room and talk about it slowly."

Have you lost your memory?
What happened to Xiaoxi after she left home for twenty years?
"Da Niu, go and call Zhong Che and Zhong Huai here."

These two are Xiaoxi's older brothers.

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.

Inside the secret cave.

Xu Fugui, Xu Xiaoniu, Xu Xiaohou, Xu Zhongche and Xu Zhonghuai, and Xiao Xi who has returned.

Chungcheol and Chunghuai were overjoyed to see Xiaoxi.

His precious daughter is back!
"younger sister!"

"Am I seeing things? Am I dreaming?"

Zhonghuai rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.

"Xiaoxi, I regretted not going to the market with you that day for twenty years. I thought I would never have the chance to see you again in this lifetime..."

As Zhonghuai spoke, his eyes welled up with tears.

"Xiaoxi, don't you recognize your older brother?"

"..."

Xu Xiaohou then began to recount his experiences during this period.

When talking about Meng Jiaojiao, he deliberately ignored the budding feelings, only saying that he met someone related to Xiaoxi by chance.

Only then did the rest of the Xu family realize that the Xue family, a Foundation Establishment alchemy family, was the one behind the cultivation of the demonic cultivator gang!

"The main ingredient?! They actually use such methods to refine pills, how are they any different from demonic cultivators?"

Chungche said angrily.

"Could it be that the Qi Refining cultivators who have been loitering around Tonggu County recently, inquiring about information, are members of the Xue family?"

Xu Xiaoniu was startled.

Their crisis is not over yet!
The enemy we faced was too powerful.

"Keep Xiaoxi's return a secret for now. Xiaoxi will have to stay in the underground chamber of our Baihe Mountain spiritual land for now. This matter must not be made public."

Xu Fugui originally wanted to celebrate Xiaoxi's return with a banquet, but now it seems that won't work.

(End of this chapter)