"But without the Purple Sun Jade, in thirty years, elder brother will have to pass away." Lu Tianyi said.
"Passing away, is just passing away, it's nothing significant." Mentioning death, Lu Tianming was calm, as if he were discussing a trivial matter: "Who in this world can escape death? Even a Nascent Soul ancestor will turn to dust after thousands of years. Cultivators don't fear death; they fear dying without value, dying with grievances. To die for the prosperity of the clan seems quite fitting."
"To me, living two hundred years more or less is the same."
"For two pieces of Purple Sun Jade, to extend my life by two hundred years at the expense of the Lu Family's future, I cannot do it."
"Elder brother, you..."
Lu Tianyi said, sometimes wishing his elder brother were a bit more selfish.
But it was precisely because elder brother was selfless that he became the Clan Leader.
Lu Tianming continued, "Xuanji, what do you think?"
"Clan Leader, Grand Elder, here's what I think," Lu Xuanji said, "Some decisions we can make, but others we cannot. The future of a Celestial Spirit Root is not for us to decide. Perhaps we should wait ten years and let her decide whether to stay with the clan or join the Dan Yang Sect."
"We don't have the right to make decisions for a Celestial Spirit Root cultivator. In ten years, she will have grown up and gained the right to choose."
Clan Leader Lu Tianming nodded and said, "Indeed, I have been selfish. To forcibly keep a Celestial Spirit Root isn't necessarily good. After all, in terms of resources, and other aspects, my Lu Family is inferior to the Dan Yang Sect. Staying with the Lu Family would be a delay for her."
"She is already thirteen years old, and I can wait ten years."
"Thank you, Clan Leader, for understanding."
Lu Xuanji said.
"However, you must also take the opportunity; if Er Ya joins the Lu Family, she might become your Dao Companion." Clan Leader advised: "In these five years, you should develop your relationship well. In this way, whether she joins the Dan Yang Sect or stays with the Lu Family, it would benefit you."
"In the cultivation realm, connections are very important."
The Clan Leader advised, speaking of certain things.
Lu Xuanji listened and nodded frequently.
...
Soon after, Lu Xuanji left, and began to serve as a teacher, instructing thirty-two little ones.
The youngest was just six years old, the oldest was already thirteen.
First, he administered the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill to them, washing their marrow to improve their aptitude; then he passed on a set of Mortal World fist techniques to help them train their bodies; then he taught them some knowledge like meridians and acupoints, along with some cultivation basics, and the fundamentals of alchemy and artifact refining.
Not demanding expertise, but they should at least know the basics.
Once familiar with these, he then taught them meditation, guiding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into their bodies, refining the first strand of Spiritual Qi, to enter acupoints, traverse the meridians, settle in the Dantian, turning into True Qi.
As long as they refine the first strand of Spiritual Qi, they would have stepped into the initial stage of Qi Cultivation.
In the process of refining the first strand of Spiritual Qi, the quality of the spirit root becomes evident.
Without a spirit root, one is doomed not to complete this process.
Only those with a spirit root can complete the first step.
Five Spirit Roots need six months or even longer to refine the first strand of Spiritual Qi; Four Spirit Roots, two months; Three Spirit Roots, only one month.
As for Dual Spirit Root and Celestial Spirit Root, Lu Xuanji also did not know.
But back then, he took ten days to refine the first strand of Spiritual Qi.
But for Er Ya, it took merely one day to refine the first strand of Spiritual Qi.
Then, in just two years, she stepped into the First Layer of Qi Cultivation.
Upon graduating in three years, she was already at the peak of the mid-stage of the First Layer of Qi Cultivation.
Er Ya is not really called Er Ya; she is Ye Feixue.
Over the years, the mother often came to visit Lu Xuanji, also visiting Ye Feixue, speaking endearingly, sending clothes and snacks, already seeing her as a daughter-in-law.
Ye Feixue looked at him, often with a slight blush and tenderness.
In the eyes of the clan's cultivators, they were both Three Spirit Roots, a pair made in heaven.
...
After three years of study, Ye Feixue remained on Purple Sun Mountain.
She possessed the Fire Attribute, suitable for artifact refining, often flipping through books, starting to refine some "little gadgets."
Most of the time, she focused on secluded cultivation on the mountain, and her cave mansion was close to Lu Xuanji's.
She also helped Lu Xuanji take care of the spiritual fields, sharing some endearing words, exchanging cultivation insights.
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, ten years had gone by.
In the cave mansion, Lu Xuanji opened his eyes; his entire being was changing, and after a while, his aura converged, already at the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation.
He was now thirty-six years old.
"At the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation now, according to family rules, I can begin to undertake some tasks outside." Lu Xuanji pondered.
As he stepped out of the cave mansion, he encountered a woman with a delightful face, long black hair, a graceful figure, dressed in a white gown, her every smile exuding indescribable allure, none other than Ye Feixue.
The former Er Ya with a sallow face and skinny frame seemed like a little bean.
But now she was elegant and beautiful beyond words.
"Brother, you've come out of seclusion."
"Yes, I've come out. This time's seclusion was quite fruitful, and I've reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation." Lu Xuanji said, "According to family regulations, upon reaching the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation, one must go out to perform some tasks."
"Brother, I want to go with you."
Ye Feixue said, "I'm already at the Fifth Layer of Qi Cultivation, I won't be a burden to you."
Looking at the spirited woman, Lu Xuanji inwardly smiled.
Among the same batch of students, after ten years, many with Five Spirit Roots were still at the initial stage of the First Layer of Qi Cultivation, a few Four Spirit Roots, Three Spirit Roots had stepped into the Second Layer of Qi Cultivation, but Ye Feixue had reached the Fifth Layer.
Almost two to three years, she advanced one layer.
At this rate, she might soon catch up to him, or even surpass him.
Ancient books once described the terrifying growth speed of a Celestial Spirit Root, but when faced with it, there's only faint amazement and fear.
Being a friend of a Celestial Spirit Root is a blessing;
But being an enemy is simply a nightmare.
"Feixue, you are now twenty-three years old, a grown woman. It's time to talk about things that were unsaid before," Lu Xuanji said. "Ten years ago, the Clan Leader and Grand Elder faced a choice: whether to send you to the Dan Yang Sect or keep you in the Lu Family."
"Now, you are an adult, and it's time for you to make a choice."