From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 211 The Xu family’s grandmother
The execution of another person, Xue Yimiao, was actually rewarded by someone who received a Foundation Establishment Pill from the Demon Subduing Division of the Prefectural Government.

Some cultivators who enjoyed gossiping inquired everywhere and eventually learned that the credit was given to Xu Xiaoniu, a celestial official from Tonggu County.

The name "Xu Xiaoniu" became known to many celestial officials.

"Xu Xiaoniu, the Immortal Official of Tonggu County?"

Yan Yijin wanted to know who had stolen his credit, so he inquired and learned that it was Xu Xiaoniu.

He didn't recognize the person and had never heard of him before.

As the deputy commander of the Yuanli County garrison, he had reached the fifth level of the Foundation Establishment stage and had lived for over 150 years, having seen countless people.

He had met Xu Xiaoniu on the battlefield in Yunbian County, but that was thirty or forty years ago.

At that time, Xu Xiaoniu was inconspicuous.

Yan Yijin was riding high on his success, having earned a large amount of spirit stones and resources, so he had no interest in a nobody without spiritual roots.

Hearing the name Xu Xiaoniu did not remind him that the person was someone he had once befriended and who had awarded him a first-class military merit.

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.

After the Xue family's turmoil subsided, Yuanli County was peaceful and tranquil.

Baihe Mountain returned to peace, and the Xu family entered a period of low-key development.

this day.

The courtyard where Xu Fugui and Jiazhen usually live.

In the bedroom.

Jiazhen lay on the bed, her breath growing weak. She was eighty-three years old, which is considered the end of one's lifespan for an ordinary person.

It is rare for a person to live to seventy. For an ordinary person without any spiritual cultivation, living peacefully to seventy is considered a long life.

She had taken a pill that could extend the lifespan of ordinary people by ten years.

Xu Fugui squatted beside the bed, holding her hand tightly.

Although he had long anticipated this day, when it actually came, he was heartbroken beyond words.

He was transported to this completely unfamiliar world. If it weren't for Jiazhen's companionship and help at the beginning, he doesn't know how he would have gotten through those most difficult years.

He has tried many methods over the years to change Jiazhen's fate, but all have been in vain.

Jiazhen is too old to practice martial arts or cultivate immortality.

Not to mention Jiazhen, Xu Fugui's sons Xiaoyun and Xiaoan missed the best age for cultivation, and even with abundant resources later on, they still couldn't cross that threshold.

Outside the bedroom door, a large group of people had gathered; they were the sons and grandsons of the Xu family, belonging to the generations of the Xiao and Zhong families.

Xu Xiaoniu was the first to enter the room, his eyes brimming with tears. He knelt by the bedside and softly called out, "Mother~"

He is sixty-four years old this year, a Qi Refining Perfection cultivator, a Celestial Official of Tonggu County, and a grandfather.

He had experienced so much, yet he had never felt the pain of losing his own parents. At this moment, he did.

“Da Niu, among all our sons, you are the most sensible and obedient. We owe you the most when you were young... You are the eldest son, the pillar of our family, and the face of our family in the outside world…”

"Your mother is so proud of you."

Jiazhen's voice was very weak.

As Xu Xiaoniu listened to his mother's words, his thoughts drifted back to the past. He was the eldest son in the family, and his childhood was the poorest and most difficult time for the family. He knew how much his mother had sacrificed for them.

"Mom, you've worked so hard."

After saying his piece, he kowtowed to say goodbye and left the room.

Next was the fourth brother, Xu Xiaoyun.

"Xiaoyun, you've always been a bit frail, and you were busy making money when you were young. Now that you're older, you must take care of your health..."

Xu Xiaoyun knelt beside the bed, her eyes filled with tears.

He is fifty-six years old this year. He has worked hard for the first half of his life, and his health has suffered from many illnesses due to too much socializing and business dealings in order to earn money for his family.

Next was the fifth brother, Xu Xiaoan.

"Xiao'an, you are the most filial, spending the most time with your parents..."

Xu Xiaoan was not talented enough; he had neither the talent to practice martial arts or cultivate immortality, nor the talent to do business and make money. So he stayed by his parents' side to take care of them and manage the farm work and various chores at home.

After the sixth son, Xu Xiaohou, the second daughter, Xiaoxia, rushed to the scene.

Xu Xiaoxia married into the county town, and over the years, thanks to her family's connections, her husband's family has also prospered.

According to the local custom, once a daughter is married, she is no longer considered part of the family. Xiaoxia had to take care of her own family affairs, so she had relatively little contact with the Xu family.

But she was determined to come to her mother's funeral no matter what.

"Xiaoxia..."

After talking to his children, he also talked to his grandchildren.

Many of the members of the "Zhong" generation grew up with Jiazhen, so their bond is equally strong.

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 the end, only Xu Fugui remained in the room.

"Old man~~"

Jiazhen's voice grew fainter and fainter, and her eyes lost their luster. Although they were open, they stared blankly at the ceiling without any expression.

She felt that her life force was almost gone, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

The Youth-Preserving and Longevity-Promoting Pill has the effect of preserving youth for thirty years, and this year marks exactly thirty years.

At that moment, the anti-aging effect failed, and her appearance changed drastically; her skin quickly became dry, wrinkled, and clung to her body.

"Hey~ I'm here."

Xu Fugui responded, his heart filled with immense reluctance as he looked at the changes in his wife.

Knowing that Jiazhen's time was approaching, he rarely spent long periods of time cultivating in his inner space these past two years, instead spending most of his time at home with her. He painted many pictures, and a "family portrait" he had painted once hung on the wall of his bedroom.

"Old man, I can't stay with you anymore, don't miss me too much..."

If you really miss me, look at those paintings.

"If you still have decades or centuries left to live, and you feel too lonely without anyone to keep you company, then remarry..."

Jiazhen had known about the Xu family's secret of stance training for a long time; Xu Fugui had told her about it a long time ago.

She just didn't expect that in just over thirty years, the Xu family could have developed to its current state.

She is content to have lived to this day and witnessed the Xu family as it is today.

She was born into a well-off merchant family in Tonggu County. Because her father knew Xu Fugui's father, they arranged a marriage between them when they were children.

Later, Xu Fugui's father went astray and gambled away the Xu family's house and most of their land.

Her family did not break the contract and still allowed the two to marry. This was because her family valued Xu Fugui and knew that he was not an idle and good-for-nothing playboy.

As expected, Xu Fugui did not disappoint her.

She recalled that when she first married into the Xu family, many people advised her against it, saying that she would suffer a hard life if she married into the Xu family. Many people felt that it was not worth it for her.

As it turns out, her choice was correct.

"Jiazhen, no matter whether our Xu family line goes on for ten generations or a hundred or a thousand generations, you will always be our Xu family's grandmother!"

Xu Fugui was the ancestor of the Xu family, and Jiazhen was his grandmother. She gave birth to five sons for Xu Fugui and made an invaluable contribution.

After he finished speaking, Jiazhen smiled and then died.

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.

Afterwards, the Xu family held a grand funeral for Jiazhen.

Jiazhen was buried in the cemetery area of ​​Baihe Mountain.

When the construction of Baihe Mountain was completed a few years ago, the grave of the third brother, Xu Xiaogou, was moved to Baihe Mountain.

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.

one year later.

In the spiritual land of Baihe Mountain, Zhongche and Zhongxi are studying cultivation techniques.

"Xiao Xi, look, this is the Moonlit Flame."

A cluster of cold white flames shot out from Zhongche's hand.

During that year, he switched from the original "Nine Flames Spirit Fire Technique" to the Xue family's ancestral "Yin Yang Separation Fire Technique".

Since it was originally a fire-based technique, switching to it was not difficult.

The Xue family's "Yin Yang Fire Technique" includes both Qi Refining and Foundation Building stages, so Zhongche switched to practicing it from the Qi Refining stage, making it easier to break through to the Foundation Building stage.

Besides him, Zhongxi also changed his cultivation method, switching from the Yuan Sha Gong to the Yuehua Li Huo Gong.

The Yin-Yang Fire Technique is difficult to cultivate, while Zhongxi has a higher compatibility with the Moonlit Fire Technique, so he switched to cultivating this technique.

It's worth mentioning that Zhongxi doesn't need to refine pills, but Zhongche does, which is why he cultivates the more difficult "Yin Yang Fire Technique".

It was very difficult for Zhongxi to switch from the elemental Yuan Sha Gong to fire-based techniques.

She first continued practicing the Five Elements Stance Technique. Even after breaking through to the Innate Realm in martial arts stance training, she continued practicing it. According to Xu Xiaohou's experience, the higher one's martial arts realm, the greater the benefits for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

She practiced the Five Elements Stance Technique while simultaneously switching to fire-based techniques, which slowed her progress.

He is not yet ready to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage; it will take at least two more years to completely complete the transformation of his cultivation technique.

the other side.

In the underground chamber, Xu Xiaohou was practicing the "Immortal Farmer's Yuan-Building Technique".

He was still at the first level of Foundation Establishment, and his spiritual power had not increased much in the past year.

Although the Xu family received a large amount of resources from the Xue family, Xu Xiaohou was reluctant to use those spirit stones.

For Foundation Establishment cultivators, using spirit stones to improve their cultivation is too extravagant. Moreover, so many spirit stones are just a drop in the ocean for Foundation Establishment cultivators, unlike Qi Refining cultivators who only need a few hundred or a thousand spirit stones to advance one level.

Once you reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, even tens of thousands of spirit stones are only enough for a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator in the early stages to advance one small level.

By the time one reaches the mid- or late-stage Foundation Establishment stage, even tens of thousands of spirit stones are not enough.

Foundation Establishment cultivators rely on years of accumulated experience.

However, Baihe Mountain is a first-tier spiritual land, and Xu Xiaohou has the worst aptitude among the five-element pseudo-spiritual roots, so his improvement this year was minimal.

He estimated that in another ten years, he could advance to the second level of Foundation Establishment.

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 the forests of Baihe Mountain.

Xu Xiaoniu is currently practicing the Five Elements Stance Technique. He has been practicing martial arts for the past year.

With the help of the Qi and Blood Pills provided by Zhong Che, he reached the third level of the Innate Realm in martial arts.

The foundation-building technique he purchased from the imperial court was an advanced version of the "Mysterious Earth Turtle Spirit Technique": the "Mysterious Martial Earth Element Technique".

He has thoroughly studied this foundation-building technique.

In fact, given his situation and the Foundation Establishment Pill, he could have gone into seclusion long ago and attempted to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

However, he was still somewhat worried: if he reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he would have to be promoted to a celestial official in the county, and there was a high probability that he would encounter Yan Yijin at that time.

A year has passed, and Yan Yijin has never come looking for him.

Perhaps Yan Yijin has already forgotten him.

However, he dared not take that risk, so he suppressed his breakthrough time and used the time to improve his martial arts realm.

At this moment, his son Zhongyao arrived.

"Dad~~"

After Zhongyao saw that he had finished practicing the stance training, he went up to deliver a message.

Xu Xiaoniu, the head of the Demon Subduing Division in Tonggu County, and his son Xu Zhongyao, are still the Xu family's public cultivators.

At least one of the two usually handles affairs at the Demon Subduing Division.

With the aid of spirit stones and elixirs, Zhongyao's cultivation level rapidly advanced to the sixth level of Qi Refining. At the sixth level of Qi Refining, he was more than capable of dealing with weaker demonic cultivators in the Demon Subduing Division.

"how?"

"Magistrate Jiang sent someone to tell you that he has successfully established his foundation and invited you, Father, to a banquet."

"He's reached the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Xu Xiaoniu was slightly surprised.

He knew that Jiang Hao had received the Three-in-One Pill as a reward last year, and the probability of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage with the Three-in-One Pill was at most 20% to 30%.

"Yes, the news has spread throughout our county."

When will the banquet be held?

"Tomorrow at noon..."

Xu Xiaoniu noted down the time and place.

Jiang Hao has broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, so he has to attend the banquet no matter what.

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.

noon the next day.

The winery was bustling with activity, brightly decorated, and very lively.

Jiang Hao, beaming with joy, greeted the guests.

He obtained the Three-in-One Pill last year, then purchased a Foundation Establishment cultivation technique, studied it, and adjusted his own condition. Finally, a few days ago, he went into seclusion and successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm!

He was originally ninety years old, with gray hair, and already showed signs of aging.

However, after breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, his lifespan reached 250 years, and he is now in his prime, with his appearance reverting to youthful.

Now, he and his beautiful female cultivator wife, Li Shue, look even more compatible.

He married Li Shue last year, and they recently had a baby boy, who is currently being held in Li Shue's arms.

With his successful foundation building, it can be described as a double celebration!

After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, Jiang Hao's aura was completely different. The guests who used to come to his banquets were now even more distant from him, and they all bowed and scraped and flattered him.

The Pei family also came to offer their congratulations.

In fact, Jiang Hao had no grudges against the Pei family; it was the Lü family and the Pei family who had a deep-seated feud in the past.

Jiang Hao only considered the Pei family as a competitor.

Now, Jiang Hao no longer regards the Pei family; they are unworthy. Pei Wanchang is dead, and the Pei family has lost another member at the late Qi Refining stage. Without a celestial official in the family, the Pei family seems to have lost all respectability.

Jiang Hao's gaze was not on Tonggu County; now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, his sights were on Yuanli County!
Foundation Establishment Realm is a completely different concept from Qi Refining Realm.

Jiang Hao planned to bring his entire family with him when he was promoted to a celestial official in Yuanli City.

He wasn't originally from Tonggu County; he was a celestial official sent from elsewhere and didn't have much affection for Tonggu County.

His family was also just starting out, and they didn't have any ties or deep-rooted relationships in this area.

The whole family would be better off following him to the county town.

Just then, Jiang Hao saw Xu Xiaoniu arrive and went up to greet him: "Director Xu, I've been waiting for you for a long time. You've finally arrived. Please take a seat."

Besides Jiang Hao, there was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator present.

That Foundation Establishment cultivator was a reclusive, independent cultivator from near Tonggu County, without any family.

Previously, he never attended Jiang Hao's banquets, but now that Jiang Hao has broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage and his status is different, he is able to make friends with a Foundation Establishment master.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator looked at Jiang Hao with suspicion, wondering why he was being so polite to a Qi Refining Immortal Official.

After Jiang Hao achieved Foundation Establishment, his status rose accordingly, and he was no longer in the same tier as other Qi Refining Immortals.

Then the others remembered that Xu Xiaoniu had received a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward, and breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was a certainty, placing him at the same level as Jiang Hao.

"Director Xu, you haven't broken through yet?"

Jiang Hao whispered to Xu Xiaoniu, who was puzzled.

Xu Xiaoniu clearly obtained the Foundation Establishment Pill, which should have made his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment more stable than mine. So why has he not broken through yet?
(End of this chapter)