Longevity starts with dual cultivation

Chapter 16: Long-term meal ticket?

Work at sea during the day and practice at night.

Ling Changqing's life is so monotonous and boring.

The spirit stones he exchanged for every day were basically exchanged for medicinal materials right away, and then consumed in his cultivation.

Among the pearl divers, Ling Changqing's income could be said to be the highest. However, after more than a month, he had not saved any money at all.

Even Deacon Ling Zifeng admired his behavior. It would be unfair if such a self-disciplined cultivator did not improve his cultivation quickly.

After dinner that day, the steward Tian Wenhu finally sent someone to tell Ling Changqing that he could move, which was what Ling Zifeng had promised him in the beginning.

Ling Changqing naturally had no objection. From that day on, his status and position was equivalent to that of an official member of the Ling family.

After a simple tidying up, Ling Changqing followed the maid in white dress who led the way out of the room and walked along the long corridor towards the upper cabin area of ​​the ship.

Naturally, they attracted the attention of other pearl divers along the way, and many of their eyes were filled with undisguised envy, indifference, jealousy, contempt... and so on.

Of course, if the same opportunity falls upon them, it would be basically impossible for any sane monk to refuse it.

After turning a few corners and passing a gate guarded by Taoist soldier puppets, the view in front of us suddenly opened up.

"Sir, we are just ahead!"

The maid in white dress reminded softly.

Ling Changqing nodded. The corridor here was spacious and clean, with thick carpets on the floor. The space was filled with the scent of fine spices, making it feel cozy and comfortable.

On both sides of the corridor are tightly closed doors made of sandalwood and decorated with gold threads, and behind each door is a suite.

The maid in white dress led him for nearly a hundred steps and came to a door without a nameplate. She activated the formation restriction with the jade token in her hand, and the door opened silently.

The room is spacious and bright, with snow-white carpets, antique tables and chairs, coffee tables, a copper incense burner with the shape of a golden toad swallowing the moon, a pure gold hollow crane-shaped lamp stand, a glazed crystal screen... and many other luxurious and exquisite furnishings.

Moreover, the suite is divided into a bedroom, study, practice room, reception room, etc. The area of ​​the reception room alone is several times larger than the cabin where Ling Changqing lived before.

The maid in white dress asked with a smile: "Sir, this will be your residence from now on. Are you satisfied with it?"

Ling Changqing smiled and said, "Very good, thank you for your help!"

He took out ten spirit sands from his storage bag and stuffed them into her pockets as a reward.

The maid happily took it, put it away, gave some more instructions, and then said goodbye and left.

Ling Changqing walked around the room and was about to continue practicing behind closed doors when a familiar voice came from the sound transmission array at the door.

"Mr. Steward?"

Ling Changqing was a little surprised and wondered why Ling Zifeng's confidant suddenly came to visit him.

"Yes, I have something to discuss with you, little brother."

Tian Wenhu said in a steady voice.

Ling Changqing had no reason to refuse, and immediately invited the other party into the reception room.

After a brief greeting, Tian Wenhu didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose: "Young man, since you are already a formal member of the Ling family, have you ever thought about which branch you want to join in the future?"

"Which one..."

Ling Changqing was slightly stunned and hesitated without answering immediately.

As a family of cultivators that has been passed down for hundreds of years, the Ling family is already a fairly large family. Of course, there are many clans and factions within it. There are several direct bloodlines alone, and the number of direct descendants of the younger generation is as many as thousands.

As for the side branches, close branches and collateral branches, there are even more of them, and the descendants of later generations are too numerous to be counted.

This is not an exaggeration. In the secular dynasties of the mortal world, from the time of the founding of the country to the end of the dynasty three hundred years later, it is common for the number of royal family members to reach hundreds of thousands.

Monks have longer lifespans and stronger physical fitness. Even though the chance of giving birth to offspring is lower, after hundreds of years, the number of children in the family is quite considerable.

Of course, among so many Ling family members, not all of them have spiritual roots, and most of them are ordinary people. Including the direct descendants, only a small number of them have the potential for cultivation.

Therefore, in order to ensure sufficient fresh blood replenishment and continue to strengthen the family's strength, the top management of the Ling family implemented a series of measures.

For example, an outstanding descendant of a distant branch may be noticed by an elder of a direct lineage and be taken in to train. His name will also be recorded in the family tree of his branch to enrich the strength of the lineage.

This approach is undoubtedly a win-win situation, as the person concerned obtains the status of a direct descendant and more resources for cultivation.

Now Ling Changqing has performed well, so he is naturally worthy of being recruited by a certain elder of the Ling family. "In that case, I wonder which family elder you are representing this time?"

Ling Changqing asked thoughtfully, the other party is Ling Zifeng's man, it is unlikely that he would help other factions to pass messages, right?

Tian Wenhu smiled and said, "I am the steward's staff, so I am here on his behalf. The steward's grandfather is an elder of the family head's lineage..."

He explained Ling Zifeng's factional background to Ling Changqing in simple and clear terms. As a direct descendant of the patriarch, he was naturally of good origin, and his status in the clan was higher than that of the direct descendants of other lineages.

"If that's the case, I have no objection."

Ling Changqing said sternly: "The steward has treated me well, I can't possibly choose another bloodline to join."

Tian Wenhu nodded with satisfaction: "That's great, I really didn't make a mistake in choosing you, then it's settled!"

"From now on, for any gains you bring back from the sea, the steward can give you 50% more for the price. This is the treatment that a direct descendant deserves!"

"Besides, when Deacon Tang Qiuyao comes over next month, this matter can be officially settled."

The membership of the direct lineage is not easy to obtain. Many descendants of the side branches work hard all their lives but never get what they want.

Ling Changqing is still far from qualified now. But Ling Zifeng knows that the longer the night, the more dreams there are, so he should act early.

If Ling Changqing is noticed by elders from other factions in the future and they want to poach him, things will be difficult to handle.

That's why Ling Zifeng decided to finalize the matter in advance, even if it was a little against the rules, he didn't care.

After talking for a while, Tian Wenhu said goodbye with satisfaction.

After Ling Changqing sent him out, before he had time to rest, a sound was heard at the door again.

"???"

He was a little confused, but he still went to open the door.

This time, three female monks with red lips, white teeth and waist-length hair stood at the door. They all had fair skin and graceful figures, and were obviously dressed up carefully.

Their cultivation base is all at the second level of Qi training, but their aptitude and talent do not seem to be that good.

"You are……"

Ling Changqing asked doubtfully. He vaguely remembered seeing them on the ship. They were also members of the pearl divers group, but they had little interaction.

"I'm Su Yu, Fellow Daoist Ling, why don't you invite us in to have some fun?"

The leading woman chuckled and said, her fair face slightly flushed.

Ling Changqing frowned slightly, but still let them in: "I am busy practicing, so I don't have time to chat. If you have anything to say, please speak up."

The two girls from Su Yu walked in. After seeing the luxurious furnishings in the room, and especially sensing the abundant spiritual energy in the space, a fiery look appeared in their eyes.

As low-level independent cultivators, the attraction of such an environment to them is naturally self-evident.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, you don't have a Daoist partner yet, right?"

Su Yu hesitated for a moment and spoke in a low voice.

"Taoist companion?"

Ling Changqing's eyes narrowed slightly, and he already understood the thoughts of these three female cultivators.

To put it nicely, it is looking for a Taoist partner. To put it bluntly, it is just looking for a long-term meal ticket, and you also have to use your own cultivation resources.

Unless he was out of his mind, Ling Changqing would not consider taking on these three burdens.

Although the female cultivators were not bad in appearance and figure, they were not one in a million beauties, so naturally they were not worthy of Ling Changqing's attention.

"I'm not interested. Please go back!"

Ling Changqing refused bluntly.

The three girls' faces froze slightly. Su Yu still wanted to argue: "But Brother Ling, we are not bad looking, are we? And we are still pure. As long as you agree, the three of us can follow you in the future..."

"Ha ha……"

Ling Changqing sneered: "I can barely protect myself now, and I can't afford to support the three of you. You should go find someone else!"

(End of this chapter)