Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 110 Reconciliation (5K, please subscribe)

A few breaths later, the person on the bed began to struggle.

Miao Ruolan opened her eyes groggily, saw it was Jiang Fu'an, and mumbled, "What? You just got back, and you're already here to have my baby?"

Ever since Jiang Xiangshen was found to have spiritual roots, Miao Ruolan has been thinking about having another child.

This time, Jiang Fu'an did not refuse, and even specially linked the "bedroom" with her bedroom.

Unfortunately, after two years of hard work, they reaped nothing.

Jiang Fu'an didn't know if it was because he was getting old or because he had become a cultivator.

It is said that both of these factors can affect fertility.

Especially the latter, the higher the cultivation level, the harder it is to conceive.

He had heard a rumor that a Nascent Soul cultivator had been cultivating every day for hundreds of years without interruption, but in the end still gained nothing.

"It's not about giving birth, it's something else."

As Jiang Fu'an spoke, he pushed Miao Ruolan closer to the inside of the bed and sat on the edge of the bed himself: "Have you ever heard of the Fei Yue Mu family?"

"Of course I've heard of it."

As Miao Ruolan spoke, she began to untie the ties of her bodice: "What, did you run into the Mu family at Yueling Market today?"

"Don't take it off yet."

Jiang Fu'an pressed her hand down: "Tell me about this Fei Yue Mu family."

The robbery and murder that afternoon still lingered in his mind, making him pay more attention to the Mu family.

Miao Ruolan gave him a resentful look and complained, "Back then, you were the one most interested in my body."

"Now look what's happened, even a completely unrelated cultivation family is more important than me."

Even the most exquisite delicacies will become tiresome if eaten every day.

Jiang Fu'an patted her buttocks and urged, "Hurry up and tell me!"

Seeing that her husband really wanted to know, Miao Ruolan stopped keeping him in suspense.

"The Fei Yue Mu family is quite well-known in the Song Kingdom. After all, there are only about twenty medium-sized cultivation families in the Song Kingdom."

"The spiritual vein they occupy is quite unique. It's a mid-grade second-tier spiritual vein, not at the foot of the mountain, but at the bottom of a lake."

"The bottom of a lake? That's quite rare."

Jiang Fu'an raised an eyebrow; this was the first time he had ever heard of a spiritual vein at the bottom of a lake.

"Yes. It is said that the Mu family's residence is built on an island in the middle of the lake, and they usually get in and out by boat."

"That spiritual vein emerges from the bottom of the lake, filling the entire lake with spiritual energy."

The size of a cultivation family is usually determined by two factors:

The number of high-level cultivators and the grade of the spiritual veins.

Generally speaking, a small family is one that possesses a first-order spiritual vein and has a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator in charge.

Medium-sized families, on the other hand, need to have a second-tier spiritual vein and at least one Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"How many Foundation Establishment cultivators does the Mu family have?"

Jiang Fu'an pressed for further details.

Miao Ruolan thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "It seems like there's only one, and they're quite old."

Jiang Fu'an felt more confident.

Since the Mu family only has one Foundation Establishment cultivator whose strength is not at its peak, the strength of that group of Tribulation cultivators should not be as strong as he imagined, and they may only have one Foundation Establishment leader.

To be honest, he was a little worried that the busty female cultivator he met that afternoon was the leader of the tribulation cultivators who had clashed with Qinglu Mountain back then.

If she still holds a grudge and one day leads that group of people to sneak up on Qinglu Mountain, then we'll be in big trouble.

However, since the opponent's strength is not overwhelming, Qinglu Mountain's current "Golden Light Formation" should be able to stall for a while.

Once the seedlings return, we can discuss a few more plans to deal with the invasion of Foundation Establishment cultivators. That should be enough to hold out until reinforcements arrive.

As he was thinking, he glanced at Miao Ruolan and discovered that she had undressed herself at some point.

Moonlight streamed in through the window cracks, casting a soft glow on her skin, making it appear exceptionally white.

She lay on her side, propping her chin up with one hand, gazing at him with seductive eyes.

My worries are over, yet here I am again, facing this scene.

A sudden surge of anger welled up inside Jiang Fu'an, and he lunged forward—

Three days after Jiang Fu'an returned home, guests arrived at Qinglu Mountain.

As Jiang Fu'an stepped out of the courtyard, he saw Wang Zhaoyun riding alongside a well-to-do middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man was about fifty years old, with a round face and a natural smile on his lips, exuding the air of a businessman.

Wang Zhaoyun dismounted first and stepped forward quickly: "Father, this is my second uncle, the new head of the Wang family."

The middle-aged man also greeted him with a smile, cupping his hands and saying, "I have long admired Fellow Daoist Jiang, but it is a pity that we have never had the chance to meet!"

"Back then, my ignorant older sister broke off ties with the Jiang family without my consent, and I was the first to object."

"Now that family affairs have been settled, I was hoping to pay a visit and mend our relationship. It just so happens that Zhaoyun brought up the shop matter." I apologize for my unauthorized visit today, Fellow Daoist Jiang.

Jiang Fu'an smiled and returned the greeting: "What are you saying, Patriarch Wang? I've been looking forward to your arrival!"

"Please come in quickly, let's talk inside."

The three of them entered the living room.

Hearing the commotion, Stone came over from the backyard and silently sat down at the lower end.

A maidservant served tea; the tea leaves unfurled in the white porcelain cup, and wisps of steam rose gently.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the new head of the family changed the subject and got down to business.

"I've come to visit today, firstly to escort Zhaoyun back."

As he spoke, he looked at the stone beside him, his tone becoming more respectful: "Zhiyue forcibly separated the two children back then, which was really—too much."

"Stone, today I'm entrusting Zhaoyun to you again. Don't despise her."

Over the years, news of Shi Tou's repeated killings of attacking rogue cultivators had long reached the ears of the Wang family, who were always keeping a close eye on Qinglu Mountain.

Faced with this junior who had even killed several mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, the new family head had no choice but to lower his stance.

Shi Tou glanced at Jiang Fu'an and said calmly, "If Father doesn't mind her, then naturally I won't either."

"That's good, that's good!"

The Wang family head's smile deepened, and then his gaze turned to Jiang Fu'an: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, I heard from Zhao Yun that the Jiang family plans to set up shops in the Moon Spirit Market to sell talismans?"

"good."

Jiang Fu'an nodded and directly stated his thoughts: "Originally, I was looking for a suitable shop in the market."

"The other day I heard Zhaoyun mention that the Wang family was planning to sell a shop, so I thought I might as well take it over."

"This solves the Wang family's problem and fulfills the Jiang family's wish, which is good for both families."

"Haha, thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Jiang!"

Patriarch Wang chuckled, then changed the subject: "However, I have another idea that I'd like to discuss with Fellow Daoist Jiang."

"Since our two families have a precedent of cooperating in talisman making, why not join forces again this time?"

"Going it alone is never as reliable as working together."

Jiang Fu'an didn't show much surprise on his face, but simply asked with a smile, "I wonder how Fellow Daoist Wang intends to cooperate?"

Seeing that he did not refuse outright, the Wang family head perked up: "Since Fellow Daoist Jiang is not afraid of the pressure from the Qiankun Pavilion, he must have something to rely on in talisman drawing."

"I then thought that the Jiang family should be in charge of the entire painting project."

"Our Wang family also has a few first-tier low-grade talisman masters who can lend a hand."

"As for the business operations, such as opening a shop, selling goods, and serving customers, my Wang family will handle everything. How about that?"

Unexpectedly, Jiang Fu'an refused almost without thinking after hearing this: "I appreciate Fellow Daoist Wang's kindness."

"This time, however, the Jiang family wants to run the shop themselves and does not intend to partner with anyone."

In the past, the Jiang family lacked manpower and materials for making talismans, so they had no choice but to rely on the Wang family's help.

Now that the bamboo forest on the mountain has reached its full potential and the children in the family are gradually getting the hang of it, why add another partner to tie their hands?

Moreover, the conditions for upgrading an "ancestral home" are clearly defined—

You must own a shop that is entirely your own in Moon Spirit Market.

If we partner with the Wang family, how can these conditions be met?

The smile on the Wang family head's face gradually faded, replaced by an awkward expression.

He had thought that the other party would at least give his suggestion some consideration, but he did not expect such a straightforward rejection.

He hesitated before speaking, "Fellow Daoist Jiang—does he still harbor resentment towards Zhiyue for unilaterally severing ties back then?"

Jiang Fu'an waved his hand and laughed, "Fellow Daoist Wang has misunderstood. I only said that I wanted to run it on my own, but I didn't say that I was unwilling to cooperate."

"Actually, I've always been very interested in the talisman masters trained by the Wang family, as well as the spirit wood produced in the Sparrow Forest."

As soon as he finished speaking, the look of disappointment on the face of the Wang family head vanished.

He leaned forward again, saying, "I'd like to hear the details!"

Jiang Fu'an took a sip of tea before speaking in a leisurely tone: "I have previously calculated that the Wang family's cost of making talismans has always been high, and the root cause is mostly due to the success rate."

"Coincidentally, the Jiang family has several new methods for drawing common talismans. Compared with those circulating on the market, the strokes are simpler, the threshold is lower, they are easier to learn, and the success rate of drawing talismans is much higher."

"Is this really true?!"

The Wang family head's expression changed drastically, and his breathing became rapid.

He knew all too well that the most advanced methods of drawing talismans were almost entirely held by sects and great immortal cultivation families, and would not easily be leaked out.

These low-level cultivators could only buy common, mass-produced goods.

If the Jiang family truly possesses such a technique, its value would be immeasurable.

Jiang Fu'an did not answer directly, but turned to Shi Tou, who was standing by with his hands at his sides, and ordered, "Go and call Er Ya here."

"Yes, Father!"

Shi Tou bowed in agreement, then turned and quickly left the hall.

Wang Zhaoyun, who was standing next to him, shifted her body, seemingly wanting to follow him out.

But after a moment's hesitation, he held back and simply looked outside the door.

Jiang Fu'an looked at the Wang family head: "Whether it's true or false, Fellow Daoist Wang will know once he sees it with his own eyes later."

"Lin Erya was a five-elemental immortal seedling recruited by Jiang at the spiritual root testing meeting two years ago."

"I only broke through to the first level of Qi Refining a few months ago, and I haven't been learning to draw talismans for very long."

"Let her demonstrate it later, and Fellow Daoist Wang will have his own judgment."

Patriarch Wang smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang has made thoughtful arrangements. I look forward to seeing what happens next."

Before long, a series of light footsteps approached from afar.

Lin Erya strode in and bowed respectfully to Jiang Fu'an: "Master, you wanted to see me?"

Jiang Fu'an patted the storage bag at his waist, took out a talisman brush, talisman paper, and spirit sand, and neatly arranged them on the empty tea table next to him.

"Come, draw a talisman to ward off miasma and show it to Patriarch Wang."

Lin Erya then raised her face and found a strange middle-aged man sitting in the hall, staring intently at her.

She stayed in the Jiang family for two years. Although she was no longer as timid as when she first arrived, she still lacked confidence.

She pursed her lips and said softly, "Sir, why don't you find someone else? I'm afraid the drawing will be a failure and I'll embarrass you."

Jiang Fu'an knew this girl's temperament, so he softened his tone even more: "So what if we fail? What's there to be afraid of?"

"When I draw talismans, have I never made a mistake?"

"Just treat it as usual and write steadily."

These words were like a reassuring pill, allowing Lin Erya's tense shoulders to relax.

She moved to the tea table, picked up the talisman brush, took a deep breath, dipped the tip of the brush in spirit sand, and placed it on the talisman paper.

Even though she kept her head down, she could still feel several pairs of eyes fixed on her hands from behind.

She suddenly realized that this demonstration was very important to the master and she couldn't afford to mess it up.

The more he thought this way, the more cautious his subordinates became, fearing that they might make the slightest mistake.

But when you're too tense, you burn out quickly. Halfway through the drawing, your wrist started to tremble slightly.

Finally, at a turning point, the pen tip trembled slightly, and the stroke deviated by a fraction.

"laugh""

The entire talisman spontaneously combusted without wind, rising into a ball of bluish-white flame that instantly illuminated Er Ya's pale face.

Er Ya stood there blankly, the pen in her hand feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

She felt as if a corner of the sky had collapsed, her ears were ringing, and she didn't dare to turn her head to look at the old man's face.

However, the expected reprimand did not come.

Jiang Fu'an's voice remained calm: "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Fellow Daoist Wang. Er Ya wasn't very skilled to begin with, and she was just too nervous."

"In that case, I, Jiang, will draw one myself and ask Fellow Daoist Wang for his critique."

"Not at all, not at all. How can a talisman master not make a mistake when drawing talismans?"

Patriarch Wang quickly waved his hand, forcing an understanding smile on his face: "Then I'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Jiang."

He didn't really care.

He saw the girl's tense demeanor the whole time.

Moreover, he had tried to learn to draw talismans in his early years, and although he hadn't mastered it, he still had a good eye for them.

The hesitation in the girl's writing revealed that her failure was not unexpected.

At this moment, Jiang Fu'an had already taken the talisman brush and laid out a new sheet of talisman paper.

For him, the first-grade low-level miasma-repelling talisman was as familiar as breathing.

Moreover, the fourth son simplified the painting technique, making the brushstrokes extremely smooth.

In just a few dozen breaths, with a flick of the brush, a talisman imbued with spiritual light lay quietly on the table.

The Wang family head involuntarily stood up, leaned over the table, picked up the talisman, and examined it carefully, turning it over and over, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt: "This is indeed a 'miasma-repelling talisman,' but why are the patterns so simplified?"

Jiang Fu'an smiled faintly and explained, "Not only are the patterns simplified, but the consumption of spiritual energy and mental energy has also been greatly reduced."

"Even a complete novice who has never touched a talisman pen before can master about 70-80% of it if they study diligently for a few months."

The head of the Wang family heard this and his eyes lit up, his heart even beating faster.

If that's the case, the success rate of the talisman masters in the Wang family will definitely increase significantly, and the cost of making talismans will drop sharply!

He looked up at Jiang Fu'an, his voice filled with anticipation: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, are you truly willing to pass on this precious painting technique to my Wang family? What are your conditions?"

"Since you have invited Fellow Daoist Wang to come, I, Jiang, am naturally sincere in my willingness to cooperate."

Jiang Fu'an spoke calmly, holding up three fingers: "There are three conditions. First, all the talisman-drawing techniques taught to the Wang family must be strictly guarded by the Wang family and must not be passed on to outsiders."

Patriarch Wang nodded emphatically, his expression solemn: "Of course! Even if Fellow Daoist Jiang hadn't mentioned it, I, Wang, would never have allowed it to be leaked."

"After returning, I had all the talisman masters sign another spiritual contract as a binding agreement."

"Wang Daoyou is thorough in his handling of matters."

Jiang Fu'an did not comment further on this.

In fact, he did not intend to pass on the most core talisman drawing methods this time.

Even if someone in the Wang family did leak the secret, it would only affect some low-level, common talismans and wouldn't shake the foundation of the Jiang family.

He continued, "The second thing is that from now on, all talismans drawn by the Wang family according to this method can only be supplied to the Jiang family's shops for sale."

"Of course, I, Jiang, will never let the Wang family suffer a loss; the acquisition price will definitely satisfy you."

This is the fundamental purpose of his cooperation.

The Jiang family currently has limited manpower. If they can get the Wang family's help to mass-produce talismans, the shop can use low prices to increase sales volume and obtain greater profits.

The only requirement for upgrading the "Ancestral Home" is that more than 60% of the items sold in the shop must be produced by the family itself, and the remaining 40% can be purchased using the royal family's talismans.

Upon hearing this condition, the Wang family head fell silent, his brows furrowing slightly.

The fact that all the products were handed over to the Jiang family for sale meant that the Wang family had become the Jiang family's "talisman-making workshop." Although they were still making a profit, their status was no longer what it used to be.

This cooperation is clearly unequal.

But he also knew in his heart that the situation had already changed.

Previously, the Jiang family lacked materials for making talismans and had to rely on the Wang family's spiritual wood.

But when he went up the mountain just now, he saw the dense bamboo forest with his own eyes.

The Jiang family is no longer subject to others.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed and nodded, saying, "Okay, I accept this condition."

Jiang Fu'an smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Patriarch Wang has a magnanimous heart; I admire him."

He knew that if the person sitting here today was the proud and arrogant Wang Zhiyue from back then, even if he knew there was something to gain, he probably wouldn't be able to swallow this insult and would rather part ways.

After a brief pause, he stated his final condition: "This method of drawing was hard-won; the Jiang family paid a great price for it."

"Therefore, if the Wang family wants to learn, they need to pay tuition."

This time, the Wang family head didn't hesitate and nodded: "That's how it should be. How many spirit stones should each person pay?"

Jiang Fu'an smiled, raised one palm, and spread his five fingers: "Five hundred spirit stones."

"five hundred?!"

The head of the Wang family jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide open.

This amount is practically tantamount to outright robbery!

Jiang Fu'an calmly explained, "Fellow Daoist Wang, don't be anxious. It's not five hundred per person, but a total of five hundred."

"No matter how many more people from the Wang family come to learn from me, I, Jiang, will never charge them an extra half a spirit stone again."

The reason he didn't charge per person was because he anticipated that the other party might learn the skill and then pass it on internally.

If the fee is charged per person, the Wang family will likely only send one or two people to learn in order to save spirit stones, and then teach others on their own when they return home.

The Wang family head's expression softened slightly, but he still shook his head: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, five hundred spirit stones are really too much."

"I haven't even made any money yet, and I have to take out such a large sum of money. I won't be able to explain this to my entire clan when I go back."

"Perhaps Fellow Daoist Wang has not yet fully grasped the value of this painting technique."

Jiang Fu'an calmly explained again: "This method covers the five most commonly used low-level talismans: Fireball Talisman, Mighty Strength Talisman, Quicksand Talisman, Lightness Talisman, and Miasma-Expelling Talisman."

"I can guarantee that as long as you master this method, even if your success rate is only 50% or 60%, you can increase it to 80%."