Longevity starts with dual cultivation

Chapter 33 Poaching

In the corner of the courtyard.

Several elderly members of the Ling family sat together, drinking tea and discussing scriptures and philosophy.

"...There are some new faces at this gathering, which shows that there are more and more young people in the family who are worth cultivating."

An old man in brocade robe with white hair and beard and sharp eyes sighed slightly.

He is the elder who manages the Zhixing Hall of the family: Ling Rensong, who has reached the eighth level of Qi training.

"There are indeed more outstanding young people, but the resources within the family are limited. Their future path... largely depends on themselves."

Another old man with a fair complexion and a slightly plump figure spoke. He was the elder of the family's reward hall: Ling Rende. He was at the ninth level of Qi training.

"Second brother is right."

Ling Rensong smiled and said that compared to the large number of Ling family members, the family’s annual output of resources was simply not enough.

Even for direct descendants and powerful elders, the resource quotas they can get every month and every year are fixed, and they cannot get even a penny more.

However, for cultivators, the amount of cultivation resources almost directly determines the limit of their achievements in this life. Another key factor is their own spiritual root qualifications.

Therefore, any disciple who is determined to make further progress will leave the family to travel around in the later stage of Qi training, looking for his own opportunity to build a foundation.

Sitting above Ling Rende was a skinny and short old man in a silver robe. At this moment, he gently stroked a bronze ruler hanging at his waist and asked in a hoarse voice:

"Among these younger generations, which ones have the potential to reach the late stage of Qi training or even reach the foundation building stage in the future, which ones do you think have the greatest hope?"

This skinny old man is one of the three remaining foundation-building masters in the family: Ling Tianque.

As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the other elders suddenly became respectful. Ling Rensong said softly:

"I think that Ling Ziqi from my eldest brother's lineage and Ling Zihua from my fourth uncle's lineage both have some hope. After all, they are both people of low character, have three spiritual roots, and are working hard enough!"

Ling Rende added: "There is also Ling Xueyu from your lineage, who has average character and four spiritual roots. She is currently at the fifth level of Qi training and can be expected to build a foundation in the future!"

Ling Xueyu is the great-great-granddaughter of Ling Tianque. She is in her early twenties. Because she is valued by the old ancestor and has invested a lot of resources in her cultivation, she has reached the fifth level of Qi training at a young age.

Ling Tianque nodded slightly, then shook his head, his expression slightly disappointed: "This girl has decent talent and works hard, but she lacks luck and destiny. I don't know how far she can go in the future."

Next to Ling Rensong, a graceful and elegant lady in red clothes smiled softly and said:
"Why should Second Uncle worry? This matter is not difficult to handle. As long as we find her an outstanding husband, we can practice together in the future, share the same luck and destiny, and naturally we can expect a great future!"

This beautiful woman in red clothes is the elder of Ling Tianque's lineage: Ling Yuzhu. She is at the eighth level of Qi training and has never had a Taoist partner.

Ling Rensong looked at her, then secretly glanced at Ling Tianque's expression, and suddenly realized that this should be what the old ancestor meant, but he just said it through Ling Yuzhu's mouth.

Ling Rende thought for a moment and whispered, "Xueyu is the hope of the family's future. She can't marry out, so we can only find a son-in-law. Or, we can find a suitable descendant within the family..."

Ling Rensong frowned and thought: "Ling Ziqi is already engaged. Ling Zihua is a little older and not as talented as Xueyu. I don't think he's suitable. And Ling Zhongtao, that boy doesn't seem to have a good character. He's not a good match for Xueyu..."

Soon, the identities and background information of the most outstanding younger generations in the family were discussed, and none of them seemed suitable.

Ling Yuzhu frowned and reminded: "Have you forgotten? There is also a newcomer Ling Changqing, his conditions are not inferior to those younger generations!"

"he……"

Ling Rensong suddenly realized that it turned out that the old ancestor Ling Tianque had set his sights on the family head's lineage and wanted to poach them under the pretext of recruiting a son-in-law.

"This...I'm afraid it's not easy to handle!"

Ling Rende said cautiously that although Ling Qiyue, the female head of the family, was young, she was a powerful character who could not tolerate any sand in her eyes. Since Ling Changqing was on her side, it would be impossible to persuade her to let go.

Moreover, Ling Tianque's real intention is not only to recruit a son-in-law, but also to weaken the strength of the head of the family and prepare for the interests of his own lineage.

After all, he doesn't have much time left, so he needs to arrange his funeral as soon as possible.

Ling Yuzhu said calmly: "As long as the youngsters are in love with each other, even if she is the head of the family, she can't be the evil person who breaks up the couple, right?"

As she spoke, she tilted her head and called softly, "Xueyu."

A graceful, petite girl in a green dress came out from behind the screen. She bowed and greeted the elders present in a dignified and graceful manner.

Ling Yuzhu's eyes showed a little more smile, and he said softly: "You have already understood all the situations of Ling Changqing. This boy has extraordinary luck and is a perfect match for you!"

"Send someone in my name to give him a note and ask him to come over for a chat."

"Yes."

Ling Xueyu's pretty face blushed slightly and she agreed in a low voice.

……

In the pavilion in the center of the lake.

"...Are you sure you won't consider it again?" "No need."

Ling Changqing's expression was calm.

Ling Changqing had no idea about Tang Qiuyao's proposal, whether it was a test or she really had this idea in mind.

"... Junior Brother, you are devoted to the Dao, but some elders in the family don't seem to trust you."

Tang Qiuyao continued to smile and said, "If you don't marry one or two girls from the clan as your Taoist partner, they will think that you are alone and have no feelings of belonging to the clan. This is not a good thing in the long run."

"Is this what the master of the house meant?"

"No, it's just what some elders think."

"Then what should I care about? They can't force me to have a wedding with those girls, right?"

The smile on Ling Changqing's face faded a little, and he picked up the teacup in his hand and took a sip.

Even though my current cultivation level is not high and my say is limited, I will not tolerate others making a fuss about my Taoist partner issue, no matter who that person is.

Tang Qiuyao said with satisfaction: "Your words are enough. The head of the family will punish them and will never make things difficult for you."

Ling Changqing looked at the stunningly beautiful woman in front of him with a little confusion. She was wearing an exquisite and gorgeous bright yellow dress today, which showed off her enchanting and hot curves. The low neckline and her towering snow-white breasts were round and straight, outlining the bottomless snow-white ravines.

He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he always felt that this senior sister's mind was not so simple.

As for the true intentions of the head of the family, Ling Qiyue, it is difficult to judge now because we have few opportunities to meet.

"lets change a topic,"

Ling Changqing gently put down the teacup in his hand, looked at Tang Qiuyao's plump and slender figure, and asked:
"Sister, you have now broken through to the ninth level of Qi training. You should start thinking about building your foundation, right?"

Tang Qiuyao looked around and then communicated quietly with her spiritual consciousness: "It's okay to tell you this. The head of the family has already given you the foundation-building pill, and other resources are not difficult to prepare, so there is nothing to worry about. Just complete the accumulation step by step."

Things like Foundation Establishment Pills are absolutely strategic resources, and therefore all the major sects and families are doing their best to monopolize them.

The main raw materials for refining foundation-building pills, high-grade pill furnaces, and high-level alchemists with qualified cultivation are all firmly controlled by those major forces.

Therefore, the majority of low-level independent cultivators, as well as those sects and families that are not strong enough, have to go through a lot of trouble to get the Foundation Establishment Pill, and they may not get what they want even if they pay a huge price.

However, this generation of the Ling family is different. Because the head of the family, Ling Qiyue, obtained some powerful alchemy inheritance when he traveled abroad in his early years, he now has the ability to refine foundation-building pills.

"It's a pity that the core raw materials for refining the foundation-building pill are so difficult to obtain, otherwise the patriarch wouldn't be in such a dilemma now."

Tang Qiuyao sighed slightly.

Ling Changqing said: "But there is more than one formula for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Could it be that the core raw materials in all the formulas are monopolized by those big forces?"

Given the importance of the Foundation Establishment Pill, over the long years, generation after generation of alchemists have conducted countless experiments and have discovered many new recipes that can be used.

The effects of these pills vary in strength and can increase the success rate of breaking through the levels by 50% to 40%.

Without exception, their core raw materials are carefully controlled by the major forces, and their outflow is strictly controlled.

"Is there an example of someone who can successfully reach the foundation-building stage without relying on the foundation-building pill?"

Ling Changqing asked.

"Of course there is, but the probability of success is really too low! And generally, only cultivators with heavenly spiritual roots dare to try."

Tang Qiuyao said softly.

Ling Changqing gave up the idea as soon as he heard it. Even with the Epoch Star Palace, it would be impossible for him to transform and sublimate into a heavenly spiritual root during the Qi training stage.

As for trying to build a foundation with other means, that was even more unnecessary. It wouldn't bring any extra benefits to me, so why bother to be different?
"If there are enough raw materials, can the Patriarch refine more foundation-building pills?"

Ling Changqing thought about it and asked, he just didn’t know if there were these things in the deep sea. If it were somewhere else, he would be helpless now.

Tang Qiuyao smiled and said, "Indeed there are some, but that place is too dangerous, so even those sects with great Jindan masters are not willing to take the risk to go to the bottom of the sea to collect them."

Ling Changqing breathed a sigh of relief: "If that's the case, maybe I can try to pick up bargains in the future?"

Tang Qiuyao was about to speak when suddenly a maid in colorful clothes came briskly along the path in the middle of the lake, holding a note.
"You are……"

Ling Changqing asked.

The maid bowed slightly and said in a gentle voice, "Our eldest lady has already set up a banquet. Please come over and have a chat, Master Changqing!"

Ling Changqing: “…”

(End of this chapter)