From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 250 The Unfilial Son?

Four years later, the people haven't changed much.

Xu Yiqing is still at the first level of Foundation Establishment.

Yang Zhen has built the foundation on the second floor.

Fan Tianlin is still at the third level of Foundation Establishment, and has not broken through to the fourth level. Even with his Earth Spirit Root talent and the secret resource support from the Wuma family, improvement is not so easy.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, several years is but a fleeting moment.

Cultivation knows no time; only through years of continuous practice can one gradually improve their cultivation level.

Among those Qi Refining stage immortal officials in Yuanli County, one of them recently advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage.

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.

Another year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Ru'an Mountain.

Deep within the sacred land, Xu Yiqing was cultivating in seclusion.

Not long after he advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm, he was transferred from Changyue County to the Forest Supervisory Office of Yuanli County, where he was responsible for supervising several spiritual sites and registering their records.

The job was very easy; he would take a stroll around the sacred site he was in charge of every ten days or so.

Although it's a leisurely job, you can earn very few spirit stones, and there's no other income besides the fixed salary from the celestial official.

Unlike the Demon Subduing Division, which offers rewards for capturing and killing demonic cultivators, it also provides spoils of war. Of course, being a celestial official in the Demon Subduing Division is the most dangerous job.

The higher-ups in the Forestry Bureau reap huge benefits. They control high-grade spiritual lands that pay two to three thousand spirit stones in mountain occupation tax each year, and they reach certain unspoken "cooperation" agreements with the families that occupy these lands.

This has nothing to do with Xu Yiqing, who is at the first level of Foundation Establishment.

Xu Yiqing secluded himself in meditation for two days before emerging from his meditation chamber.

Someone was waiting for him outside the door.

"Brother Yiqing, someone is looking for you. They've been waiting for you in the mountains for almost a day."

Xu Yisi, of the same generation as Xu Yiqing, is the great-grandson of Xu Xiaoan.

His talent for cultivation was average; he was a year younger than Xu Yiqing and only at the second level of Qi Refining.

In Ru'an Mountain, outsiders such as servants and maids are not allowed to enter the core area. Therefore, only members of the Xu family can run errands and deliver messages.

As the number of members of the Xu family increased, differences in spiritual roots, talents, comprehension, and personalities led to a widening gap among the clan members.

There are immortal officials with true spiritual roots like Xu Yiqing, and ordinary Qi cultivators like Xu Yisi.

The differences in cultivation levels and social status among clan members are inevitable as the clan grows and prospers.

Xu Fugui taught his children and grandchildren that no matter how strong they became, they should treat every member of the Xu family as their own closest relatives.

The first rule of the Xu clan: [All members of the Xu clan must be filial to their elders, respect the elderly and care for the young, and must not disobey their elders or bully the weak!]

Who is looking for me?

"He was an old man in his fifties who claimed to be the father of Lord Yang Zhen, a celestial official in the government office. He didn't seem to be lying, so I arranged for him to wait at the guest reception area outside the mountain."

Xu Yisi knew Yang Zhen's name. Eight years ago, during the selection of immortal officials, Yang Zhen was a genius with earth spiritual roots who participated in the selection in the same batch as Xu Yiqing, and was selected to serve as an immortal official in the government office.

"Yang Zhen's father? I'll go see him."

Xu Yiqing was puzzled. Why was this person looking for him?
After saying that, he flew to the main hall for receiving guests on the outer mountain.

Inside the hall, Yang Ertian was pacing anxiously back and forth. He had arrived early in the morning, and it was now dusk.

The maid beside him reassured him, "Master, please don't worry. Lord Yiqing is currently in seclusion. He will notify you as soon as he comes out of seclusion. Please sit down and have some tea."

Yang Ertian couldn't sit still at all.

Just then, he saw someone gracefully walk in from outside the door, whose extraordinary temperament was very similar to that of his son, Yang Zhen.

He had never met Xu Yiqing before, and the person who came was most likely the one he was looking for.

Facing the Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was about to kneel without saying a word, but Xu Yiqing, quick-witted and agile, helped him up with a burst of spiritual energy: "No need for formalities, no need for formalities, Uncle Yang, you mustn't." Yang Ertian was unable to kneel, and could only cup his hands and say: "This humble subject, Yang Ertian, greets Lord Xu."

“Uncle Yang, you are Yang Zhen’s father. Fellow Daoist Yang Zhen and I are old friends. There’s no need to be so formal.”

Xu Yiqing and Yang Zhen were not very close, but they had to maintain a superficial friendship.

"I came here to request an audience because I heard that Lord Xu and my son are on good terms and that you would invite them to get together every time my son came back."

Yang Ertian knew that every time Yang Zhen returned, he would gather with some celestial officials in Yuanli City for a banquet.

He made inquiries from various sources and learned of Xu Yiqing's name. He heard that Xu Yiqing had a good relationship with the two celestial officials in the government office.

"Just tell me what's on your mind."

Xu Yiqing was curious.

"Has Lord Xu heard about my son's condition recently?"

"No, I only met him in Yuanli City last year. I haven't heard from him since. What happened to him?"

Xu Yiqing occasionally corresponded with Fan Tianlin, but never contacted Yang Zhen.

"Ah~~"

Yang Ertian sighed: "He was at home last year, and we had a fight about something. As a result, he didn't reply to any letters or send any news for a whole year, and I don't know how he is doing."

I don't know if they're just sulking or something else happened. Isn't it normal for families to argue? Which family doesn't bicker and argue at times?

Because he wasn't familiar with Xu Yiqing, he didn't explain the reason for the argument.

It's not a good thing to talk about "marrying into another family".

"so?"

Xu Yiqing was surprised; he hadn't expected Yang Zhen to argue with her family at home. He couldn't imagine what there was to argue about given Yang Zhen's status at home.

"Every family has its own troubles, too many to explain in a few words..."

Yang Ertian remained silent for a moment, but did not get any information about Yang Zhen's current situation from Xu Yiqing.

He then said, "Lord Xu, you and my son went to Gunan City together back then. I want to ask, do you know where he lives in Gunan City? I want to go find him."

Go to the ancient southern city?

Xu Yiqing shook his head and said, "I don't know where he is now, but the government office in Gu Nan City is easy to find. As a celestial official of the government office, everyone there must recognize him. You just need to tell them your identity and you'll definitely be able to find him."

"But..."

As soon as Xu Yiqing finished speaking, thinking of the situation in Gu Nan City, he added, "Uncle Yang, the journey to Gu Nan City is long and arduous. If you, a mere mortal, want to go, the long journey and the hardships will be too much for your body."

In that vast ancient city of Gu Nan, it wouldn't be easy for an ordinary person to get by.

“I’ve done farm work for decades, I can handle this little bit of hardship. Otherwise, I don’t know when my son would reply.”

Yang Ertian made up his mind to go.

"Since you insist on going, Uncle Yang, I'll give you some travel expenses for your journey."

After saying this, Xu Yiqing sent people to prepare gold, silver and valuables.

"No need, no need, my family is wealthy, my son has given the family a lot."

Yang Ertian waved his hands and shook his head repeatedly.

Xu Yiqing, however, said in an unyielding tone, "You've come all this way, this is my token of appreciation. By the way, on your way to Gu Nan City, please don't flaunt your wealth. Just bring some silver, don't bring spirit stones."

For an ordinary person to carry a spirit stone is no different from a child carrying a treasure through a bustling market.

"Okay, I remember."

Yang Ertian eventually accepted Xu Yiqing's kindness and kept some silver.

As he left, he sighed, "Alas, my son wasn't like this before. He was very filial. Ever since he became a celestial official, he's become nothing like him."

(End of this chapter)