Cultivating a family of immortals

"You... are you the Taoist priest who bought my spiritual seedling today?"

Xu Guanyi recognized it and immediately rebuked, "You actually followed me... No, wait," Xu Guanyi looked at the pile of spirit stones on the ground, made a hand seal, but could not detect the spiritual energy imprint attached to the spirit stones.

The middle-aged Taoist raised an eyebrow, stroked his beard, and made a hand seal. He used his spiritual energy to lift the spirit stones on the ground, distributing them around the area to form an array, while smilingly saying:

"Well done, young man. You managed to guess the mark I left on the spirit stone. But with your level of cultivation, how could you possibly see it?"

Xu Wanghe and Xu Changle now understood that Xu Guanyi had been targeted by this person when he sold the pills today.

It was too late to regret it then.

"Senior, what has caught your eye? My family will present it to you."

Xu Wanghe bowed and said, but in his hand he held a communication jade talisman, his mind racing:

"The communication jade talisman can notify Master Fang, but once Master Fang arrives, the secret of the secret room that my Xu family built here will be lost."

"Although Chang Le and Xing Yao have also developed cultivation, they can't tell that they have developed cultivation because they have learned the [Breath Condensation Technique] brought by Guan Yi."

"But... there are still more than a dozen seedlings left here after being watered with the little green bottle. If this gets out, how will my family explain it?"

"But if we don't notify him, what if this Taoist priest..."

Just as he was pondering, the middle-aged Taoist pointed at Xu Wanghe's hand with a smile and said, "Don't waste your time. I have already set up the [Spirit Sealing Array] for these two secret rooms. Even a cultivator at the tenth level of Qi Refining outside your residence will not be able to detect anything that happens in the secret rooms, including the communication jade talisman in your hand, which will not be able to transmit any information."

Seeing the ashen faces of the group, the Taoist stroked his beard smugly and said:

"Indeed, I came to the market on a whim today and have made such a good haul."

"You'd better tell me honestly, how did this Qi-Gathering Grass manage to grow to such a height?"

As he spoke, the Taoist stretched out a hand, and the spiritual seedling placed in the corner floated into his hand.

Sensing the spiritual energy contained within the seedling, the Taoist's brow furrowed with even greater joy.

"Such abundant spiritual energy... it is beyond the reach of ordinary plants and should belong to our sect."

He sighed in admiration, then looked at Zhou Xingyao, "This woman is also quite good. She actually has a fire-attribute spiritual root and excellent aptitude. She should also belong to our sect."

Zhou Xingyao moved behind Xu Changle to avoid his gaze.

The middle-aged Taoist priest, however, did not care at all.

His tone suddenly lost its gentleness and became extremely cold as he said:

"Hurry up and tell me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body, enveloping the group and pinning them to the spot.

Xu Wanghe was so unsteady that he was forced to kneel down by the spiritual energy.

"Immortal Master, we confess, you..." Xu Changle hurriedly said upon seeing this, "The reason these spiritual seedlings are growing so vigorously is all because..."

Before he finished speaking, Xu Changle suddenly unleashed all his spiritual power, revealing his sixth-level Nascent Soul cultivation without any concealment. He condensed his spiritual energy in his hand, transforming it into a palm blade, and attacked the old Taoist priest.

The old Taoist raised an eyebrow. Although he was surprised that this person actually had cultivation, he still sneered and waved his hand, condensing a stream of spiritual energy to send it flying.

Just then, Xu Guanyi beside him also moved. He was now a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, and had learned many spells at the Haoran Immortal Sect. His spiritual power surged forth, and holding a long sword, he shouted in a deep voice:

"The Myriad Blades Sword Technique!"

In an instant, a fleeting glimpse of light and shadow, the long sword in his hand, driven by spiritual energy, transformed into dozens of sword lights that attacked the old Taoist.

The old Taoist priest, however, was prepared. He snorted coldly and took out a whisk to block the sword lights.

"You, with only a mere Qi Refining Level 3 cultivation, dare to attack me?"

With a snap, Xu Guanyi and Xu Changle were knocked to the ground one after the other.

Xu Changle even had a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, indicating that his injuries were quite severe.

Almost instantly, the two were defeated, and Xu Wanghe's face turned ashen upon seeing this.

After dealing with the two men, the old Taoist priest calmly said:

"Let me let you know that I am Xuan Hezi, a steward of the Xuan Yuan Immortal Sect in Qingxi County. I am now a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining. With my cultivation level, I am only a low-level cultivator in the sect. The Hao Ran Sect that your Xu family relies on is nothing more than that in the eyes of my sect."

"Therefore, don't think I wouldn't dare kill you. To tell you the truth, after I obtain the treasure, your entire Xu family will die today, except for this girl. If you cooperate, I might treat her better in the future. If you don't cooperate, after you die, I will lock her in my bedchamber, bind her limbs with spirit-locking chains, and feed her seductive pills every day, so that she can neither live nor die, and be a vessel for life!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Changle's breathing became heavier, but he was helpless.

He turned to look at Zhou Xingyao, whose eyes were filled with tears and who shook her head repeatedly.

For a moment, Xu Changle felt that life was worse than death.

However, Xu Guanyi, who was knocked to the ground on the other side, had bloodshot eyes. Taking advantage of the old Taoist's pause in speaking, he reached into his clothes and took out a talisman.

This talisman is called the "Lightning-Attracting Talisman." It was given to Xu Guanyi by Lin Feizi as a means of self-preservation, and there is only one of its kind.

According to Lin Feizi, this talisman is extremely powerful and can kill cultivators at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Even a cultivator at the tenth level of Qi Refining could be trapped for the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn.

If this talisman is nourished with blood essence, its power will be even greater, but it will damage its root. It should only be used as a last resort.

Xu Guan's eyes gradually turned red. If he didn't use them today, when would he?

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he pricked his finger, drawing out the essence and blood from his body to merge with the talisman.

Suddenly, the talisman burst forth with a golden light.

Xuanhezi suddenly turned around and raised his whisk to strike.

However, Xu Guanyi was faster, forcefully pushing the talisman towards Xuan Hezi.

"You...you actually possess such a treasure!"

Xuan Hezi was furious and gathered all his spiritual power into his whisk, fighting desperately against the talisman.

Just then, Xu Wanghe, who had been lying on the ground, raised an eyebrow and took out a sharp blade from his chest with a sinister look in his eyes. Then, he suddenly shouted and his body burst out with spiritual energy.

Xuanhezi was startled.

This……

Xu Wanghe also developed a spiritual root through the little green bottle two years ago, and now he has reached the second level of the embryonic breathing stage.

He held a sharp blade and plunged it into Xuan Hezi's waist as he fought against the talisman.

Xu Changle and Zhou Xingyao, each wielding a sharp blade, though ignorant of Taoist arts, simply filled their blades with spiritual energy and pierced Xuan Hezi's back.

Xu Guanyi cast a talisman, using his life essence, and his aura weakened, but he forced himself to stand up and plunged his longsword into Xuan Hezi's abdomen.

"You...the Xu family...the whole family actually possesses spiritual roots..."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"No, it must be the power of that treasure!" Xuan Hezi spat out blood as the [Lightning-Attracting Talisman] fully erupted, enveloping his entire body. He roared, "Such a treasure is rare in this world! How can your Xu family withstand it? Wait until I return to the sect and summon reinforcements, and that will be the day your entire Xu family is slaughtered!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the heavily injured Xuan Hezi used some kind of magic to escape from the lightning array and headed towards the entrance of the dark room.

Xu Wanghe and the others were shocked. If this guy got away, then what he said would really come true.

The group immediately suppressed their anger and gave chase.