Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 182 Am I a fake Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator?
Shortly after Xu Chongming was born, his information was automatically recorded in the family genealogy.

No qualifications, no bloodline.

This is normal, since there are no special people in Xu Mingyuan's lineage.

However, with the "Innate Five Elements Creation Technique," once Xu Dejing is born with a true spiritual root, the chances of their future children having the aptitude for cultivation will be higher.

Also.

Xu Chongming will also study it in the future.

This pattern continues generation after generation, and geniuses born with innate true spiritual roots will inevitably emerge, and it's not impossible that some may even possess earth or heavenly spiritual roots.

The same applies to the lineages of Xu Mingwei, Xu Mingxuan, and Xu Mingxian.

"Wu Tao".

"Elder," Wu Tao said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Xu Chuan smiled at him, took out a porcelain bottle, handed it to him, and said, "This is a Bone Strengthening Pill, a relatively rare medicine that can strengthen a child's bones."

"Wait a few years before giving it to him in Chongming. This will allow him to make rapid progress in his martial arts training."

"Thank you very much, Elder." Wu Tao accepted the gift and bowed again in gratitude.

Xu Mingxian stepped forward and presented a jade pendant as well. "This jade pendant is a little trinket that I crafted. It contains array restrictions and can withstand an attack from an early-stage Grandmaster."

"Thank you, Fifth Uncle."

Xu Mingxuan immediately put on a bitter face and said, "Father, Mingxian, your actions are so extraordinary. How are the rest of us supposed to give gifts?"

This is forcing me to learn a magical skill too.

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Xu Mingyuan smiled and said, "Why don't you come with me to learn how to make talismans?"

"No, Second Brother, I think I'm fine now," Xu Mingxuan quickly said with a smile, raising his hand.

"I don't have anything worthwhile to offer either, so let Ling'er represent our family in delivering the gift," Xu Mingwei said with a smile.

"Yes, Father." Xu Deling stepped forward and handed Wu Tao a set of clothes and boots, smiling as he said, "These are magic robes and boots. They can be bound to a master by blood. After Xiao Chongming puts them on, they will automatically shrink to fit his size."

It keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. While it cannot block the power of magical artifacts, few ordinary weapons should be able to pierce this robe. The magical boots also allow Chongming to move as lightly as a swallow.

Xu Mingshu's beautiful eyes lit up, "Automatic retractable, that's so convenient. But Ling'er, if you make these magic robes and boots, our Xu family's tailors will probably lose their jobs and cry themselves to death."

"Aunt, please stop joking. Although this is not a magic weapon, it still requires specific materials to make, and it cannot be inexhaustible."

Xu Chuan said, "It seems that you've already planned it out, Ling'er."

"The new armor and weapons of my Xu family's guards are almost complete, and quite a few have been forged, but those for cultivators still need to be considered."

Xu Mingwei said, "Let's get the standard robes and boots for each hall ready first. If anyone has any special needs, they can ask you to make them separately later."

Xu Deling nodded slightly.

Zhou Zongni looked around, secretly surprised.

Xu Chongming was clearly just an ordinary student with mediocre talent, yet the Xu family valued him so much.

Xu Chuan even specially brought out a miraculous pill that could change one's physical constitution.

She had never heard of such a pill before, nor did the Zhou family possess it.

And her husband, Xu Mingxian, actually gave her a jade artifact with a restriction that could withstand a single blow from an early-stage Grandmaster.

At the early stage of the Grandmaster realm, a full-force attack is in no way weaker than that of a Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator without any magical artifacts.

Could it be that my husband is a master of array formations, given his level of expertise?
She previously only knew that Xu Mingxian was comprehension of the Dao of Arrays, but she did not know his specific level of expertise in arrays. Now, having glimpsed the whole picture through a small part, she knew that his attainments in arrays were extraordinary, perhaps even at the level of a master.

"Fortunately, my Zhou family is already an ally of them, otherwise, it would be hard to say what the future would hold."

Zhou Zongni is, after all, from the Zhou family and was carefully nurtured. Even though she has now married into the Xu family, she still cares about her family.

More than half a month has passed in a flash.

Xu Mingyuan has been studying the basics of talisman making for nearly a month.

He finally began to formally create talismans.

"Elder Mingyuan, the most important thing in making talismans is to have a calm mind. You must remain calm at all times, even if you make a mistake in the drawing process. Secondly, your hand must be steady, as firm as Mount Tai, without any ripples."

"."

Lu Feng kept repeating this.

Xu Mingyuan had cleared his mind of all distractions, as if he hadn't heard Lu Feng's words. He picked up the talisman brush and began to draw a fireball talisman on the talisman paper.

He had privately written it many times with an ordinary brush, and each time he was able to perfectly replicate it.

However, when he actually made the talisman, he found that it was not so simple. With each stroke, it seemed that there was an invisible resistance blocking him.

Strands of divine power also continuously flowed through the talisman brush, gathering at the tip of the brush and infusing into each stroke of the talisman.

"Elder Mingyuan, I haven't finished speaking yet, what are you doing?"

Seeing that Xu Mingyuan was completely focused on drawing the talisman, Lu Feng immediately shut up, observed carefully, and was secretly alarmed.

More than half of the drawings were completed without a single mistake.

There is no distinction between low, medium, and high grade for the same type of talisman; a low-grade talisman is a low-grade talisman, and a high-grade talisman is a high-grade talisman.

Therefore, a talisman drawn out must be perfect, without the slightest error or omission.

The grade of a talisman, like that of a magical artifact, only represents the power it represents.

The same applies to battle formations.

Only in the Dao of Alchemy can the same type of elixir be differentiated by quality.

Different levels have different effects.

"I never expected Elder Mingyuan to be a talisman-making genius!"

"The Xu family has so many talented people. The eldest elder is a master of alchemy, and Xu Deling is said to have extraordinary talent in weapon crafting. He will become a master weapon crafter sooner or later. Elder Xu Mingxian is in charge of the array hall and is responsible for the arrays of the entire Xu family."

It seems his skill in array formations is also quite good.

And now another Xu Mingyuan has emerged.

"Alchemy, artifacts, array symbols... Could it be that the Xu family has a collecting obsession?"

Lu Feng smiled and said, "But that's normal. No matter which family it is, they will vigorously develop the various arts of cultivation. It's just a pity that geniuses are hard to come by and masters are hard to cultivate."

If his family knew, they'd be incredibly envious.

"What the Xu family currently lacks is a Foundation Establishment cultivator. If they can produce a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they could quickly become a third-grade or even second-grade cultivator in the future."

As for the first rank, Lu Feng dared not even dream of it.

After all, in the thousand years of the Great Wei Dynasty, the number of first-rank aristocratic families has never increased or decreased.

"Yes, there are errors and omissions, what a pity."

"Wrong again."

"Wait, what's the pity? Elder Mingyuan is only drawing talismans for the first time, and it's already close to perfect."

Lu Feng recalled that when he first tried making talismans, he made a mistake with just a few strokes.

After a while.

Xu Mingyuan stopped writing, looked at the talisman that showed no spiritual energy fluctuations, and frowned slightly.

Lu Feng immediately smiled and pointed out, "Elder Mingyuan, there are six minor errors here, here, and there."

However, I believe that with Elder Mingyuan's talent, with more practice, you will surely be able to successfully draw a low-grade talisman in just two or three days.

However, drawing talismans consumes a lot of spiritual energy. Your cultivation level is low, so you should rest first and practice again later.

"Thank you for pointing out my mistake, Fellow Daoist Lu," Xu Mingyuan said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

Then, we moved on to the next one.

Lu Feng shook his head slightly and sighed inwardly, "Those who do not heed the advice of their predecessors will suffer the consequences. My spiritual sense at the fourth level of Qi Refining is still too weak."

If one's spiritual energy is severely depleted, even a cultivator may faint.

"Never mind, let's stop him when he starts to feel the strain."

One, two, three.
As Xu Mingyuan drew talismans one by one, he gradually became familiar with that resistance and pressure.

With each and every sheet, the number of errors and omissions is decreasing.

the sixth time.

Xu Mingyuan actually managed to draw a low-grade fireball talisman.

Lu Feng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

This was not only because Xu Mingyuan successfully drew a low-grade talisman in just six attempts, but also because a Qi Refining Level 4 cultivator was able to draw it six times in a row. And each time, he almost completed the drawing completely.

The mental energy consumed in this process is far greater than if one were to abandon the drawing process upon discovering errors halfway through.

Is this really the fourth level of Qi Refining?
Or am I a fake Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator?
Seeing the spiritual energy flowing across the surface of the talisman, Xu Mingyuan knew he had succeeded.

Although his forehead was beaded with sweat, his hand holding the pen remained as steady as an old pine tree, and his face did not appear pale; in fact, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

As expected, the father's plans were flawless.

With six successes, I guess I'd say I have a bit of talent in talisman making.

I still have nearly half of my divine sense left. Let me draw a few more. I should practice making talismans more; practice makes perfect.

If Lu Feng knew what Xu Mingyuan was thinking, he would probably vomit blood on the spot.

Xu Mingyuan wanted to continue.

Lu Feng immediately stopped him, saying, "Elder Mingyuan, if you continue, you might run out of spiritual energy and faint on the spot, which would be detrimental to your health."

A dryness of spiritual energy?

how can that be possible!
Xu Mingyuan then remembered that he was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, and said with a smile, "Thank you for reminding me, Fellow Daoist Lu. I just successfully made the talisman and I am feeling a little invigorated."

Now that things have slowed down a bit, I do feel slightly tired.

He plans to go back and practice some more.

Lu Feng gave him a look that said, "That's more like it."

Xu Mingyuan said, "Actually, Fellow Daoist Lu must be wondering why I can make so many talismans in a row. In fact, my Xu family has a miraculous pill that can enhance spiritual power."

Fellow Daoist Lu should know how precious this pill is to us cultivators who practice immortal arts.

I assure you, Fellow Daoist Lu, that as long as you continue to dedicate yourself to the Xu family, you will also have a chance to obtain this kind of elixir.

"A pill to enhance spiritual power?!"

"Could Lu also obtain it?"

"My Xu family never mistreats those who dedicate themselves to our family. Although this pill is precious, as long as one makes enough contributions, there will naturally be a chance to be bestowed upon them."

"Furthermore, Fellow Daoist Lu is currently at the late stage of the sixth level of Qi Refining. If you can advance to the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining, you can directly obtain a high-grade Breakthrough Pill to help you break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining."

Of course, this elixir was given in advance, and Fellow Daoist Lu will need to accumulate family contribution points to make up for it after his breakthrough.

I believe that once Fellow Daoist Lu breaks through to the late stage of Qi Refining, his talisman-making skills will definitely reach a new level.

"Of course!" Lu Feng immediately replied, "In the late stage of Qi Refining, one's spiritual power can grow far beyond that of the fifth or sixth level. With a strong spiritual power, not only can the number of talismans one can create increase, but the success rate will also increase."

"Then Fellow Daoist Lu should hone his talisman-making skills. I have other matters to attend to today, so I'll be leaving now."

"Elder Mingyuan, please take care!"

Lu Feng smiled and saw him off, clearly having accepted the promise Xu Mingyuan had made for him, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Xu Mingyuan returned to the Discipline Hall.

I drew five or six more in a row, and two of them were successful.

Only after feeling that his spiritual energy was indeed greatly depleted did he sit down to rest.

They continued after more than an hour.

Over time, Xu Mingyuan's success rate in making talismans stabilized at 20-30%, making him a formal talisman maker.

In just a few days, his success rate in drawing fireball talismans will surely surpass that of Lu Feng.

Of course, it's just a fireball talisman.

He also has many talismans that he wants to learn from Lu Feng.

His corrections can greatly accelerate the speed at which he learns the art of talisman making.

Xu Mingyuan did not hide it and told Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei about it.

Both of them were happy for him.

Even Xu Mingwei was quite surprised, after all, Xu Mingyuan had only been learning talisman making for a short time.

"This is talent. If everyone had to spend three to five years learning to make talismans before they could draw their first one, wouldn't there be almost no talisman masters in the world?"
The same applies to the other celestial arts.

Some people can successfully condense pills after just a few batches when they first try alchemy, but others spend several years before they can barely become an alchemist, and their alchemical skills improve very slowly.

Even after twenty or thirty years, one cannot consistently refine mid-grade pills, let alone attain the alchemical skill to reach the level of refining high-grade pills.

Xu Mingyuan nodded slightly, "Father is right. I will not be arrogant. I will continue to study and add a talisman-making master to my Xu family."

"I really look forward to the day when, in ten or twenty years, my Xu family will have master-level figures in alchemy, artifacts, arrays, and talismans. Every member of the family will be equipped with pills, talismans, array plates, and magic tools when they go out. We will definitely be able to suppress other families."

Xu Mingwei's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

In families that cultivate Qi, the differences in their inherited magical techniques are not significant. If one does not have special talent, then one can only rely on external means to crush others.

Of course, combat experience should also be a key focus.

This applies to both martial artists and cultivators.

I recuperated for more than half a month.

Xu Dejing continued to practice the "Innate Five Elements Creation Technique" and also went to the Discipline Hall to be on duty every day.

The child is cared for by a wet nurse.

The same applies to Zhang Wanqing.

Of course, they would spend the evenings with their children.

Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Soon it will be time for the annual tax payment again.

Prior to this, the Xu family had released a considerable amount of millet and blood rice at the market, and several prominent families had purchased them.

Its price is twice that of the past.

But it's still better than having to pay ten times the amount of resources or spirit stones when the imperial envoy arrives.

The Yuan, Huang, and Lu families, among other prominent clans, were all somewhat incredulous.

Logically, after the pest infestation, all the families' spiritual rice should have suffered serious losses. Apart from the Zhou family's vast spiritual fields, there should still be a considerable amount of spiritual rice available for sale.

But what gives the Xu family the right to do so?
Could it be that his family also owns thousands of acres of sacred land?

Taking advantage of the situation, the Yuan family stirred up trouble, suggesting that the Xu family might have been responsible for the pest infestation.

Several families of fifth and sixth rank Qi Refining cultivators went to the Zhou family, hoping that the Zhou family would uphold justice.

“If any of you family heads have evidence, please present it. If not, your baseless accusations are surely an attempt to reignite the great war among the Yuehu County families.”

"Didn't everyone suffer enough damage a few years ago?"

The Lu family head said, "Brother Zhou, you misunderstand. We only want to verify if it was the Xu family's doing. How can we accept being humiliated like this? Your Zhou family also purchased their so-called insect repellent, didn't they?"

Zhou Shaoyuan frowned slightly and said calmly, "The Xu family wouldn't stoop to such a despicable act."

“But this is just talk and no proof,” said the Yuan family head. “I’ll trouble the Zhou family head to find the Xu family members and ask them for clarification.”

Zhou Shaoyuan shook his head. "My Zhou family will not participate in this matter. However, the tax payment day is in seven days. Fellow Daoist Xu should be there. You can ask him any questions you may have then."

However, each of you must bear the consequences yourself.

That's all I have to say.

The Xu family has seen increasingly rapid growth in recent years.

Zhou Shaoyuan received a lot of news: in addition to the prefectural city and the market towns, the Xu family's trading company had also appeared in various county towns.

The scale of their investment shocked even the Zhou family.

If it were any other family, the Zhou family would not have let it go unpunished.

However, the Xu family has already signed an alliance with the Zhou family, so unless the Xu family abandons Xu Chuan's path, it will not pose a threat to the Zhou family.

Xu Chuan is to the Xu family what Zhou Qingfang is to the Zhou family.

The Zhou family patriarch had already made it clear that the Xu family was no ordinary family, and the Zhou family should simply refrain from interfering.

Zhou Shaoyuan took a small sip of tea, glancing around out of the corner of his eye as he thought to himself: Why are there always powerful families trying to find fault with the Xu family?

Because of jealousy?

Haha, that's about all the vision I have.

Indeed, if everyone were like Xu Chuan, there would probably be no place for the Zhou family in Yuehu County.

(End of this chapter)