The good news is:
Li Erqing's ninth son, Mu Jiuan, was out collecting herbs when he was noticed by a passing Immortal who took him as a disciple.
The identity of this Immortal is mysterious; Li Erqing and his son had never heard of him in the Liang Kingdom.
Lan Chang'an’s first thought wasn’t that Mu Jiuan had good fortune, but that sothing was fishy about this letter. Perhaps there were so details left out.
Mu Jiuan's qualifications were close to high-grade spiritual roots, which was indeed impressive, but not enough to particularly move a Core Formation cultivator.
Most who could achieve Fake-Dan started out with high-grade spiritual roots.
Those who could achieve True Dan often had earth-grade spiritual roots.
High-grade spiritual roots are not considered scarce resources in the eyes of Immortals.
"Could it be that Mu Jiuan possesses hidden Innate Treasure Body? Or is there so hidden truth in this matter..." Lan Chang'an pondered.
Innate Treasure Bodies were too rare; Lan Chang'an had only seen a few cases in his previous life.
Mu Jiuan was taken away by that Immortal.
Lan Chang'an could easily guess: that Immortal had most likely given Li Erqing, the father, so benefits.
"This guy, he ate another wave of benefits from having children."
...
And as for the bad news, the Huang Family, after years of effort, finally ford a marriage alliance with the Beast Taming Zhou Family, becoming friendly with one or two branches of it.
What’s worse, the Beast Taming Zhou Family and the Ten Thousand Swords Zhuo Family had a conflict, and the affiliated cultivation families of both sides had already gone to war.
The Zhou Family's energy was diverted, making it difficult for them to care for the distant Mu Family at Feiyue Lake which is at the edge of its influence.
This was very disadvantageous for the Mu Family.
"The Maple Leaf Huang Family made steady progress, first giving concessions to the Beast Taming Zhou Family to gain their understanding. Then, through the interests tied to the market, they wooed the Zhou Family, and eventually, after many years, they ford a marriage alliance with one or two branches."
Lan Chang'an, who had run a family in his previous life, had long anticipated the strategies of the Huang Family's leader.
The Huang Family's strategy was not achieved overnight. It was accomplished subtly over twenty or thirty years.
The Bamboo Leaf Mountain Market Town was a crucial link, generating substantial profits for the Huang Family, providing them with enough financial resources to implent their many plans.
Stable operations, dormant for twenty or thirty years.
The Huang Family's power had reached unprecedented heights, and they had even produced a fourth Foundation Establishnt expert.
Now, the opportunity had finally arrived!
Once the conflict between the Zhou Family and the Ten Thousand Swords Zhou family escalated, they would have no ti to spare for Feiyue Lake.
...
When Li Erqing wrote this letter, his cultivation had reached the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, and he had been promoted to an elder of the Mu Family despite being of a different surna.
The letter ntioned at the end:
His second son, Mu Ershun, would bring a gift to Huanglong Immortal City to pay tribute to Lan Chang'an.
After reading the letter, Lan Chang'an realized the potential crisis faced by the Mu Family at Feiyue Lake.
Li Erqing's life changes were quite dramatic.
From a peasant background to joining a cultivation family by marriage, and in a few decades, he had beco a family elder?
His life experience could be written into a book.
"From Farr to Joining a Cultivation Family."
Lan Chang'an even thought of the title for the biography, which would be eye-catching. Adding so titillating details, it would surely be a bestseller.
...
Two months later.
A young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, with an honest face, arrived on a flying boat in the northern mountains of the Liang Kingdom.
"This is Huanglong Immortal City!"
The young man looked shocked, gazing at the towering, crystal-yellow giant city spanning hundreds of miles.
In comparison, Feiyue Villa looked like a tiny grasshopper.
Cultivators flying by lights of the Foundation Establishnt cultivators made his heart race.
"It's much more prosperous than the Bamboo Leaf Mountain Market Town! No wonder Uncle Lan abandoned the family to seek opportunities here." Entering the Immortal City, the young man looked around curiously, his eyes wide open.
The young man, who bore a striking resemblance to Li Erqing, was Mu Ershun.
After asking around, Mu Ershun entered the inner city of Huanglong and found the station of the Jin Yun Valley.
"Excuse , is Lin Lu here?" Mu Ershun inquired of the Jin Yun Valley cultivators guarding the gate.
After a while, a young man walked out from inside the base.
The young man was slender, with short whiskers on his chin. Seeing Mu Ershun, he hesitated for a mont.
"Are you Mu Ershun?"
"Haha! It's been years, and Brother Lin can still recognize at a glance." Mu Ershun laughed heartily.
"Brother Ershun still has the sa elegance. How could I not recognize you? I've been wanting to visit Bamboo Leaf Mountain to see Brother Ershun." Lin Lu seed very hospitable. There was no trace of the arrogance he had possessed in the past.
Twenty years ago, they had first t in a shop on Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
At that ti, Lin Lu, as a disciple of the sect, looked down on Mu Ershun, who was only an entry-level apprentice.
But after his father’s death, Lin Lu’s life had fallen into disarray. Lin Lu decided to learn from his mistakes, and decided to reconnect with his father's old friends.
More than ten years ago, at his lowest point, he went to Bamboo Leaf Mountain to borrow spirit stones from Mu Ershun. After coming to Huanglong Immortal City, they occasionally kept in touch by letters.
"Brother Ershun is here to visit Uncle Lan, right? I'll lead you there. Why don’t you stop by my house for so tea while you’re at it?"
After reporting to the station, Lin Lu took Mu Ershun to Jinxiu Lane.
Lin Lu's residence was conveniently located between the Jin Yun Valley base and Lan Chang'an's residence.
Facing the cheerful and friendly Mu Ershun, Lin Lu felt a bit guilty.
"Ershun ca to Huanglong Immortal City to find first; he can't be here to collect the debt, right?" He still hadn't repaid the spirit stones he borrowed from Mu Ershun.
It wasn't that Lin Lu was deliberately dragging it out.
In recent years, after marrying and starting a family in Huanglong Immortal City, his expenses had increased sharply.
His wife said that renting a house was unstable, so the couple bought the rented house and incurred a twenty-year mortgage debt.
Huanglong Immortal City had legitimate moneylenders, but the interest rates weren't low.
Nowadays, Lin Lu was living frugally, and his finances were tight.
Lin Lu actually didn't want to buy a house, but his wife, who ca from a cultivation family in the city, had a generous dowry and was more assertive than he was.
...
Passing by Lin Lu's house.
"Brother Ershun, this is my wife, Li Qiuyue." Lin Lu introduced them.
"Sister Qiu, this is my close friend, Mu Ershun, a senior middle-grade talisman master."
"Hello, sister-in-law! I’ve brought a small gift on behalf of my father." Mu Ershun sized up Lin Lu's wife, her looks were diocre, not as pretty as his own wife.
He took out fifty spirit stones and a talisman box.
"Brother Ershun! This is too much—" Lin Lu felt ashad and quickly refused. He thought Ershun was here to collect a debt, but instead, he brought a generous gift.
"Brother Ershun! This is too much for a present!"
Li Qiuyue's eyes lit up as she quickly accepted the spirit stones and talisman box, giving Lin Lu a surprised glance.
Her eyes seed to say: You, a poor man, have such a generous friend?
When they got married, Lan Chang'an only gave thirty spirit stones and a few middle-grade talismans.
Li Qiuyue, rarely showing any signs of being virtuous, served tea and poured water.
After drinking the tea, Mu Ershun was about to visit Uncle Lan.
Lin Lu accompanied him and sighed, "It took over thirty years of life to understand my father's last wishes. If I had been half as diligent as Uncle Lan back then, cultivating hard and avoiding won, I wouldn't still be at the bottom of the sect."
Lin Yi had advised him on his deathbed to learn from Uncle Lan's steady deanor and humility.
Over the years, Lin Lu had regretted not taking his father's dying words to heart.
Mu Ershun praised, "Uncle Lan is indeed admirable, not marrying or having children for decades, being outstanding in talisman making, yet staying humble and practical. My father once said Uncle Lan is a benefactor to our family."
"Uncle Lan can interact with Senior Aunt Zhao and Senior Uncle Zhang, two Foundation Establishnt cultivators, as equals. Such capability is beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators." Lin Lu, working in the Jin Yun Valley base, knew more about Lan Chang'an.
...
A quarter of an hour later.
Mu Ershun and Lin Lu arrived at Water Moon Residence.
An innocent and playful blue-skirted maid greeted the two of them.
Mu Ershun was secretly surprised: Uncle Lan's maid had a far better appearance and temperant than his own wife, comparable to his second mother, Mu Caiwei, in her younger days.
In the courtyard, a spirit turtle the size of a fan was resting by the pond.
Seeing strangers, the turtle's round eyes curiously observed them, looking cute and silly.
"Earth-grade spirit beast, Profound Water Turtle." Mu Ershun's heart stirred, recalling so rumors from Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
Entering the house.
A gentle and serene man in white stood tall, appearing before them.
"Young nephew, pays respects to Uncle Lu!" Mu Ershun respectfully bowed.
After more than ten years, seeing the familiar figure unaffected by ti again, he felt emotional, and his eyes were moist.
...
Author Notes
Li Erqing's cultivation speed is quite normal, reaching the ninth layer of Qi-Refining at over fifty years old. Although he possesses a low-grade spiritual root, the protagonist's wood spiritual root is also low-grade and is subject to ti constraints.
Moreover, Li Erqing relies on having children to continually obtain resources and can use pills to enhance his progress.
Referencing "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality," Han Li relied on taking pills to reach Foundation Establishnt at the age of 25, although the longevity and spiritual root settings in this book are slightly different.
Li Erqing doesn't have such great opportunities, only benefiting slightly from the protagonist's luck. Reaching the ninth layer of Qi-Refining at this age is perfectly reasonable.
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