From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 198 Hibernation
The Xue family is out gathering information everywhere, and they may have already found out that "Nightmare" is from Tonggu County.

If, at this time, news were to spread that "Xu Zhongxi, who has been missing for twenty years, has returned home," wouldn't that be like walking into a trap?
"Grandpa, how long will Xiaoxi have to hide? She's gone through so many dangers, does she have to live in the shadows forever?"

Zhonghuai felt sorry for Xiaoxi.

"Wait! Wait until our Xu family also reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, wait until the Xue family declines. If you want to rise again, you must first be patient."

Xu Fugui's words silenced everyone.

The Xu family has too many secrets; currently, they don't even have a single Foundation Establishment cultivator in the family. If they don't keep a low profile and be patient, how can they keep so many secrets?

Previously, only Xu Xiaohou possessed the potential to establish a foundation, but now Xu Zhongxi, who has also reached the Qi Refining stage, has joined the ranks.

Even though the Xu family has reached the Foundation Establishment stage, their strength is still far behind that of the Xue family.

The Xue family is a Foundation Establishment alchemy family that has been passed down for countless years, and they have three Foundation Establishment Grandmasters on the surface alone.

Its profound heritage made them feel hopeless.

What if the Xue family declines?

How could such a prosperous family suddenly decline?

When the group remained silent, Xu Xiaohou's actions broke the silence.

He took out the Golden Flame Shield and the Wind and Fire Fan from his storage bag, along with a large number of spirit stones, and then took out many more storage bags from his pocket.

"I collected all the storage pouches of the demonic cultivators I killed on Evil Moon Mountain; they were full of spirit stones. And those three members of the Xue family—they had not only spirit stones and magical artifacts, but also many elixirs..."

The radiant, top-grade magical artifact, the Golden Flame Shield, piled together with over a thousand spirit stones, and a collection of exquisite jade bottles...

Their eyes lit up when they saw so many resources. The Xu family desperately needed all sorts of resources.

With the gradual accumulation of resources, the Xu family will one day be able to develop into a powerful family of cultivators who no longer need to be timid or hesitant.

"Give the spirit stones to Da Niu. Liu Zi has reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage, so the main focus now is on improving Da Niu's cultivation level. Give the spirit pills to Zhong Che. He'll first identify what these pills are, and then distribute them to everyone according to their needs..."

Xu Fugui arranged the allocation of these resources.

As for the magical artifacts, to avoid being recognized by the Xue family, they kept them as their most prized possessions and did not use them in the outside world. Both of those were fire-type magical artifacts, which were not suitable for their use.

Afterwards, they discussed how to deal with the Xue family.

Given the Xu family's strength, it's impossible for them to directly confront the Xue family.

Even if Xu Xiaoniu, in his capacity as the head of the Demon Subduing Division, reported the Xue family's affairs to the county government, it would not be able to bring down the Xue family. On the contrary, it would only backfire and bring great trouble to the Xu family.

How could a mere Qi Refining Immortal Official possibly compete with a Foundation Establishment family with countless years of history in terms of connections and background?

On the surface, they have no chance of winning.

However, they could secretly cause considerable trouble for the Xue family.

Xu Fugui understood one thing well: the Xue family was powerful, but they had equally powerful competitors or enemies.

As long as news unfavorable to the Xue family is spread, other families will naturally take advantage of it and use it to attack 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.

In Xu Zhongche's alchemy room.

He examined the elixirs that Xu Xiaohou had brought back.

The Xue family is a family of alchemists, so Xue Fangyuan and the other two had a lot of spiritual pills in their storage bags.

"A whole bottle of Qi-replenishing pills, plus mind-calming pills, and this is a Soul-replenishing pill..."

The Soul Qi Pill, worth about 70 spirit stones, can help late-stage Qi Refining cultivators break through minor bottlenecks.

He wrote "Soul Qi Pill" on a piece of paper and then stuck the paper on the pill bottle.

"what is this?"

He had not seen many elixirs, so there were some he did not recognize.

He took a gentle sniff, and the delicate fragrance of the elixir wafted into his nostrils.

Having consumed numerous elixirs and encountered a multitude of spiritual plants, he could discern the medicinal components of most elixirs by their scent and thus deduce their efficacy.

"It smells similar to the Soul Qi Pill, so it should be a spiritual pill that can increase the power of the soul. I'll know once I take one."

Zhongche determined that the pills were not poisonous and that there were quite a few of them. He could swallow one to carefully examine it and experience its effects.

He then opened a jade bottle containing elixirs.

Once the stopper was removed, a unique and distinctive fragrance immediately filled the air.

"What pill?"

He was surprised to pour it into his palm and saw that the elixir was a blend of pink, light blue, and pure white, each occupying one-third of the elixir. A faint, flowing light surrounded the surface of the elixir.

"This is... a second-tier spirit pill?"

Although he had never seen a second-tier spirit pill before, he could clearly tell that this spirit pill was different from others.

Its medicinal fragrance is completely different from that of a first-grade elixir.

Its medicinal power is a hundred times stronger than that of a first-grade elixir.

"The value of this elixir probably exceeds that of all other elixirs combined."

However, he had never seen a second-tier elixir before, so he could not deduce its effects.

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.

Outside, the Xue family members were still gathering information.

The Xu family has been developing steadily and discreetly.

Time passed, day after day.

Xu Zhongxi reached the pinnacle of Qi cultivation and practiced the "Meditation Soul Refining Technique," raising his spiritual power to the limit of Qi cultivation.

Xu Xiaohou also taught her the Five Elements Stance Exercise, completing the missing parts of her Five Elements Stance Exercise.

As for Xu Xiaohou, his Qi cultivation had reached its peak, leaving him with no room for further progress. So he immersed himself in martial arts and worked to improve his martial arts realm.

With the help of spirit stone resources, Xu Xiaoniu's cultivation level improved rapidly.

Xu Fugui also used some spirit stones to improve his cultivation.

Zhongche spent a lot of effort to find out that the second-tier spirit pill was: the Three-in-One Pill!
Its distinctive appearance, with three colors, makes it a legendary Three-in-One Pill that is said to increase the probability of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage. It is said that a single Three-in-One Pill is worth about three thousand spirit stones, which many Qi Refining families cannot afford even if they go bankrupt.

With the Three-in-One Pill, Xu Xiaohou only needed the Foundation Establishment Technique to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

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.

Xu Jia is a member of the "Li" generation. Zhong Si's second son, Li Gong, is three years old.

Xu Fugui has gained another offspring with the bloodline of blood.

The family's treasure tree's initiation and longevity fruits have been nourished, and the initiation fruit only needs the bloodline aura of a descendant to be upgraded to the [Foundation Establishment] level.

Currently, Zhong San's third son, Li Shi, is a little over two years old. When he turns three next year, his bloodline energy will nourish the family's treasure tree, allowing the [Foundation Establishment] level empowerment spiritual fruit to mature.

a few days later.

Xu Zhongyao's wife, Miao Yingying, is about to give birth, and the Xu family's "Li" generation will soon have another member.

Outside the bedroom door.

Zhongyao paced anxiously back and forth as he listened to the continuous cries of pain coming from the room.

His wife, Miao Yingying, was frail, which worried him greatly.

The midwife who came to deliver the baby was "Grandma Liu," the most famous woman in the city, who had delivered Ma Shujie's baby last time.

As the sounds in the room gradually subsided, Zhongyao's heart calmed down.

A moment later, he heard the clear and loud cry of a baby.

However, he waited and waited, but the midwife did not open the door to announce the good news.

"There was an accident?"

A bad feeling rose in his heart.

Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Granny Liu said with a helpless and regretful expression, "Master Zhongyao, Madam wants to speak with you."

"how?!"

Zhongyao was extremely anxious and rushed into the room.

Miao Yingying was lying on the bed, her face pale and her expression extremely weak.

"Yingying, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

He stepped forward, grabbed Miao Yingying's hand, and turned to ask the midwife, "What happened? Tell me, tell me..."

Granny Liu shook her head helplessly: "The baby is very healthy and lively. Madam's health is a bit weak; she had a difficult labor at the beginning and bled a little, but I took care of it all. I thought everything would be fine, but I didn't expect..."

She has delivered countless babies, but such a strange case is rare.

The child was born healthy, but her mother had a poor constitution, such as malnutrition and underdevelopment in childhood.

Granny Liu's helper brought over the baby, who had been washed clean and was wrapped in swaddling clothes.

The child had big, dark eyes, unlike the wrinkled skin and closed eyes of a typical newborn.

"I have a miracle pill; the miracle pill can save him!"

Zhongyao was worried that Miao Yingying would have a difficult childbirth, so he prepared a Qi and Blood Pill in advance. It was not an ordinary Qi and Blood Pill, but a Qi and Blood Pill with spiritual plant ingredients refined by Zhongche, a "semi-spiritual pill".

Ignoring the presence of the midwife, he hurriedly pulled out a jade bottle of pills from his bosom, poured out the Qi and Blood Pills, and stuffed them into Miao Yingying's mouth.

"Yingying, eat it quickly, and you'll feel better after you eat it."

He fed his wife a blood-nourishing pill.

However, as soon as the Qi and Blood Pill entered her stomach, Miao Yingying felt nauseous and vomited it out.

"Brother Yao, no need, no need..."

Miao Yingying weakly waved her hand; she could feel her life slipping away, and she knew she couldn't be brought back.

"Why not? I'll go call Brother Zhongche and ask for a miracle doctor. He'll definitely save you."

"It's too late."

Miao Yingying was so weak that she looked like she might leave at any moment. She desperately grabbed Zhongyao's hand, wanting her husband by her side in her final moments.

"Let me see the baby."

As she spoke, Granny Liu quickly brought the child over and placed him next to Miao Yingying and Zhong Yao.

Afterwards, Granny Liu, with great shrewdness, left with her helpers and closed the door behind her.

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.

"Our son is so cute."

Miao Yingying smiled, and she regained some of her former vitality—a final burst of energy before death.

"..."

Zhongyao remained silent, only holding his wife's hand tightly, tears streaming down his face.

“Brother Yao, I’ve endured more than a decade of hardship. I was always hungry as a child, and later I worked as a maid for others. But these past few years I’ve become a lady, and I’m content. I’m very happy to be with you…”

She suffered from severe malnutrition as a child, and even with the large amount of nutrition she has received over the years, it has been impossible to make up for the developmental deficiencies she experienced in her childhood.

"I have no regrets if I can give you a son before I leave this world."

Miao Yingying was clearly smiling, but tears were streaming down her face.

"If there is an afterlife, I will still marry you..."

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and she couldn't open them no matter how hard she tried.

Zhongyao was already sobbing uncontrollably.

The newborn baby next to him was unaware of his fate of being born without a mother.

That pill, which barely reached the level of a miraculous elixir for preventing miscarriage, could save the child, but not the child's mother.

After Zhongyao finished arranging Miao Yingying's funeral, he named the child "Likun".

He hopes his child will have a broad and open mind in the future.

(End of this chapter)