Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 27 Three Pints ​​of Millet
Seeing that Qingyang Daoist was happy, Li Xiangming repeatedly offered his congratulations.

"I never imagined that the Taoist priest was also an alchemist. He kept it from me for so long."

"Haha, alchemy is a trivial skill, not worth mentioning at the dinner table."

The Taoist priest waved his hand, pretending not to care.

Li Xiangming was speechless for a moment, the old man clearly had a smug look on his face.

"How skilled are you, Taoist priest?"

Li Xiangming asked curiously.

"What, the Li family wants me to refine their pills?"

The Green Sheep Taoist smiled enigmatically; he knew that borrowing earth fire wasn't so easy.

"No, no, it was just a friendly greeting."

Li Xiangming blinked.

Seeing this, Daoist Qingyang pondered for a moment and said, "I can only say that I am most skilled at refining the Qingling Pill."

The Qingling Pill is a first-tier pill, which means that Qingyang Daoist is only a first-tier alchemist.

Li Xiangming was somewhat disappointed, but then he felt relieved. Second-tier alchemists were honored guests in the White Dew Sect and even the Eternal Moon Sect, so they were obviously not easy to find.

"The Cleansing Spirit Pill is a good thing, but I wonder what the success rate is in growing it into a pill?"

This question was somewhat offensive, but since Qingyang Daoist had already spoken, he didn't take it seriously and simply made a gesture.

"Eighty percent?"

Li Xiangming was quite surprised. Seeing the other party nod, he quickly stepped forward with a sheepish grin and asked in a low voice, "Where is Huang Yadan?"

"Sixty percent."

This time, when Qingyang Daoist spoke frankly, Li Xiangming felt a mix of emotions.

As fellow first-tier alchemists, comparing people is like comparing dead people.

This is assuming that no one else uses Earth Fire, which is said to provide a very high boost to alchemists.

As expected, the Li family lacked the talent for alchemy.

Thinking of this, Li Xiangming wished he could stuff all the alchemy tasks of the Li family into the hands of Qingyang Daoist.

Of course, it was just a thought. Since his family hadn't asked him to find Qingyang Temple to refine pills, he naturally wouldn't overstep his bounds.

This also indirectly shows that Li Qianxiong was unaware of Qingyang Daoren's abilities.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have been someone as junior as me who was sent as an envoy to Qingyang Temple.

Thinking of Li Qianxiong, and then of the purpose of his trip, Li Xiangming felt a headache coming on.

Li Qianxiong probably saw that Qingyang Temple lacked a foundation and wanted to force those children in, hoping to recruit them for his own use later.

However, since Qingyang Daoist was an old friend of his, he couldn't very well rely on the Li family for support.

After thinking it over, Li Xiangming decided to play the emotional card.

"Master, this place is secluded and a good place for cultivation, but it is too deserted. There is not even a disciple to pour tea or water."

Li Xiangming's words were pointed.

"Haha, we are far from being a large, wealthy family in the mountains. I have heard that you, the Danggui Mountain clan, have hundreds of thousands of people and countless servants."

"Where."

Li Xiangming quickly waved his hand. There were only two hundred cultivators in the Li family, and just over one hundred thousand ordinary members of the Li clan. If you include the remote bloodlines left in Hao County and all their relatives, the total number would only reach two or three hundred thousand.

The idea of ​​servants is utter nonsense. The Li family is known for its simple and honest ways and values ​​self-reliance. Even Li Qianxiong didn't have servants specifically to take care of his daily life, let alone anyone else.

What Qingyang Daoist said was nothing more than praising the Li family's strength.

Li Xiangming seized the opportunity and sighed, "Although the Li family is large, it cannot accommodate even three bushels of grain."

Three liters of millet?

Qingyang Daoist frowned. He had never heard of the Li family lacking food. Even if they were, how could they be short of three liters of grain?
"Young Master Li, please don't speak in riddles."

The Taoist Qingyang put on a stern face and pretended to scold him.

Li Xiangming then recounted how the Li brothers had caught the old man with the white face abducting children with spiritual roots.

The Taoist priest Qingyang was widowed and had a great fondness for children. Upon hearing this news, he immediately flew into a rage and cursed.

When they heard that the old man with the white face had died by Li Xiangren's sword, they clapped their hands in delight.

However, Li Xiangming looked worried.

"What? Could there be some hidden story, and you killed the wrong person?" Qingyang Daoist appeared magnanimous, but he was actually very perceptive and quickly noticed Li Xiangming's expression.

"No, the white-faced thief is dead, and the children naturally fell into the hands of the Li family, which is a difficult situation."

"What's so difficult about that? You..."

Qingyang Daoist was speechless. He was about to say that the Li family was so wealthy and powerful, what was so difficult about taking care of a few children?

But at the same time, I remembered what Li Xiangming had just said: the Li family cannot afford even three bushels of grain. Wasn't that referring to these children?

Qingyang Daoist was initially angry, but then shook his head with a wry smile. He was well-informed and knew that some families were indeed xenophobic.

"What does the Li family plan to do with these children?"

The Taoist Qingyang asked slowly, even straightening his posture.

"The family discussed it and decided to send them to Pushui Market to try their luck with finding a partner."

Li Xiangming told a small lie.

In fact, the Li family's original strongest demand was to send him to Bailumen, followed by fostering him in Changtai Township, and almost no one suggested sending him to Pushuifang Market.

The reason is that Pushui Market is a mixed bag, and sending a child here is like entrusting their future to the kindness of others.

In the cultivation world, there have been many cases of people using the guise of taking on disciples or adopting godchildren to send children with spiritual roots to dark and gloomy mines, where they toil day and night.

Qingyang Daoist, a seasoned veteran of the martial world, had mingled in various markets for many years and had naturally heard of or even witnessed such things. His brows were furrowed in worry.

“This is not a good idea. Human trafficking has been rampant in Puxian County recently, and Pushui Market, which has a large flow of people, is also under their surveillance. Sending children to Pushui Market is like sending sheep into the tiger’s den.”

Does this situation also occur in Pushui Market?

“This is very serious. I saw the presence of Mang Sect disciples.”

To teach disciples?

Li Xiangming seemed to be deep in thought. He had studied in Zhangning Prefecture and had naturally heard of the Manchu religion.

The Mangjiao is an old sect that is said to have been active for hundreds of years.

However, unlike ordinary sects and cults, the Mang Cult has an exceptionally loose organizational structure. Even the cult leader is merely a figurehead and cannot issue orders to his followers.

We don't know how they were originally formed or how they continued to exist.

The Mang Cult is now incredibly complex; anyone with spiritual roots, regardless of their cultivation level, can join it.

Such sects do all sorts of things, and it's difficult to define them as good or evil, as they do whatever their disciples want.

However, in recent years, the Mang Cult has become more evil. It is said that they have changed their leader and seem to have gained some organizational ability among their followers. They have successively plundered several small cultivation forces in Hao County.

As a result, they were targeted by the Hengyue Sect, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

Unexpectedly, the Mang Sect ran into a wall in Zhangning Prefecture and immediately fled to Shun'an Prefecture.

"So, Pushui Market isn't the best choice, but alas, I've taken on a task from home, and it's not easy to handle."

Li Xiangming looked troubled. "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

“Unless there is a better place, I can decide to move the children to another place.”

The implication is that the Li family would never adopt these children.

Upon hearing this, the Taoist Qingyang stood up and paced back and forth.

After a while, he sat back down and stroked his beard.

"Young Master Li, what do you think of my Qingyang Temple?"

The Taoist Qingyang's voice was not loud, but it was very steady.

Li Xiangming's spirits lifted; he had finally heard these words. However, he did not rush to reply but instead pondered for a while before speaking: "Qingyang Temple is good, and I know the Daoist's character, but the Li family is sending away not just one child, but four!"

"Can you handle it?"

Li Xiangming's words made Qingyang Daoist's face turn solemn. Three- or four-year-old children are not easy to take care of, let alone four.
Even if it were possible, could Qingyang Temple simultaneously shoulder the cultivation resources for four people?

“You’re right, Qingyang Temple really can’t handle it.”

Qingyang Daoist gave a wry smile. All four children possessed spiritual roots. He couldn't just teach one and leave the other three to do chores, could he?

Perhaps that's a solution, but he can't do it.

"Well, let's not talk about this for now. Let me think of another way."

Li Xiangming sighed with regret, appearing to be concerned for the Qingyang Taoist.

(End of this chapter)