Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

The two embraced, attracting the attention of many people around them.

Especially the male disciples of the outer sect who were on duty outside the mountain gate kept glancing at them.

The seedlings naturally noticed those gazes as well.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly released her arms from Jiang Fu'an, whispering:

"Father, there are too many people here... Let's go for a stroll in Miaoyin City."

"good!"

Jiang Fu'an nodded immediately; he didn't want to be surrounded by so many people with his daughter.

The two then turned around and walked down the mountain path side by side.

Jiang Fu'an asked questions as he walked:

"He Miao, are you participating in the Miaoyin Sect's grand competition this time?"

He Miao shook her head and explained:

"No one is participating; only senior brothers and sisters in the late stage of Qi Refining are qualified to participate."

"For us beginners, our daily task is to practice."

Jiang Fu'an had seen the panel of the seedlings before he came.

They knew that her cultivation level had now reached the second level of Qi Refining.

Jiang Fu'an didn't understand whether the speed was fast or slow, so he followed up by asking:

"Is your cultivation here going smoothly? Have you encountered any difficulties?"

"some."

He Miao's voice suddenly lowered:

"I'm not used to it here... I miss home."

Jiang Fu'an choked up, unsure how to respond.

Suddenly, the seedlings laughed:

"But I only think about it occasionally! Dad, let me tell you, this place is actually quite interesting."

"On the first day of each month, a Foundation Establishment cultivator will give a lecture at the preaching platform, and anyone can go and listen."

"The first time I went, I couldn't even get a prayer mat, so I had to squat on the very back steps..."

She spoke more and more cheerfully, as if she wanted to pour out all the words she had accumulated over the past two years.

Jiang Fu'an then realized that He Miao's life here was actually very simple, and she spent almost every day cultivating.

Rise at dawn to the sound of the bell, meditate and practice breathing exercises, practice basic spells in the afternoon, and continue meditating and practicing breathing exercises in the evening.

After his daughter had finished speaking, he began to talk about what had happened in his family over the past two years.

The newly built house, He Miao has gained another little brother, and Yue'er has been diagnosed with no spiritual roots...

The two walked and talked, passing through bustling streets and quiet alleys.

Jiang Fu'an's mind was entirely focused on his daughter; he didn't notice the surrounding scenery or crowds.

Before we knew it, the sun had already begun to set.

When they reached a fork in the road, He Miao suddenly stopped and turned to look at him:

"Dad, shall we go to your place? I have a gift for you."

Jiang Fu'an was trying to find a quiet place for her to try and open the storage ring.

Upon hearing this, he immediately pointed south of the city:

"Alright, let's leave the city. Our inn is outside the city."

Although Miaoyin City is a place where immortals and mortals live together, most of the inns in the city are prepared for cultivators and are quite expensive.

Sun Xiuyuan couldn't book a room inside the city, but fortunately, many houses had been built around the city walls outside the city, and the "Sihai Inn" where they stayed was not far from the south of the city.

The inn was a two-story wooden building with a few dim lanterns hanging from the eaves, flickering in the darkening sky.

Just as the two reached the door, someone inside lifted the curtain and came out—

It was Sun Xiuyuan.

Jiang Fu'an was somewhat surprised to see him alone:

"Brother Sun, where's your daughter?"

"She went back to her sect. The sect has strict rules; she can't go back too late..."

He paused, then looked surprised, before noticing the woman beside Jiang Fu'an.

"This must be... He Miao?"

He Miao stepped forward half a step, smiled, and gave a bow:

"Hello, Uncle Sun. I often hear Zhiwei mention you."

Sun Xiuyuan nodded repeatedly:

"Alright, alright. He Miao, you and Zhiwei are both in the same sect, so you should look after each other."

As he spoke, he glanced at the sky again and asked curiously:

"But it's getting late, why haven't you returned to the sect yet?"

He Miao was taken aback at first, then said gently:

"Uncle Sun, don't worry, I've already spoken to the elder in charge. I'll spend these next few days with Father."

These words dimmed the smile on Sun Xiuyuan's face.

He suddenly realized that the rules of the Miaoyin Sect were not too strict, and what his daughter said when she said goodbye was probably just an excuse.

But he didn't reveal much, only smiling as he led Jiang Fu'an and his daughter into the inn and to the door of their reserved room on the second floor.

He Miao politely invited, "Uncle Sun, would you like to come in and have a seat?"

"No, no, you two father and daughter should talk things out. I'm just about to go for a walk."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the stairwell, his back view appearing somewhat lonely.

He was initially happy to see his daughter.

Although Zhiwei's attitude was somewhat distant, he could understand it.

After all, it had been more than two years since they last saw each other, and their daughter was now a cultivator, quite different from before.

But when compared to He Miao's attitude towards Jiang Fu'an just now, the difference became immediately apparent.

It left him feeling suddenly empty.

He walked out of the inn with his head down, and in a daze, he saw a figure walking towards him in the distance.

Sun Xiuyuan squinted and saw that it was Ma Ping.

Sun Xiuyuan paused in his steps:

"Brother Ma, what brings you back? Didn't you stay with your daughter for a few more days?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ping shook his head:

"The Consort Zhao has to prepare for the Grand Competition and doesn't have much free time."

"Besides, the Miaoyin Sect has strict rules and doesn't allow guests to stay casually."

As he spoke, he noticed that Sun Xiuyuan was also alone, and asked with concern:

"Brother Sun, have you and Brother Jiang seen your daughter? I delivered the message with you."

"Yes, I saw her. Zhiwei just went back. Brother Fu'an is talking to Hemiao in the room right now."

Upon hearing the phrase "strict rules," Sun Xiuyuan felt a surge of joy, as if he had found someone who shared his plight.

He took two steps forward and patted the other person on the shoulder:

"Come on, Brother Ma, let me treat you to some drinks! I've heard that the Daughter's Red wine from Miaoyin City is exceptional; it would be a wasted trip if we didn't try it!"

The two shadows, stretched long by the lanterns, overlapped and swayed gently, blending into the night.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the second floor of the inn, in the "Tian" room.

He Miao picked up the ceramic teapot on the table and poured a cup of tea for Jiang Fu'an.

"Dad, your arrival was so sudden this time that I didn't have time to prepare anything decent. I only prepared some small gifts for you and your younger siblings."

Jiang Fu'an's heart stirred, and he suddenly remembered that when he was waiting outside the mountain gate that afternoon, He Miao appeared almost half an hour later than Sun Xiuyuan's daughter.

He then realized that his daughter had been busy preparing gifts during that time.

Thinking of this, my heart warmed instantly:

"Silly girl, the thought is what counts. You're just starting out, where would you get much extra money?"

He Miao smiled, took a white cloth bag from her waist, and gently placed it on the table.

"This is... a storage bag?"

Jiang Fu'an leaned closer, looking at him curiously.

"Yes, it was given to me by the sect when I joined."

He Miao nodded, and gently brushed her fingertips across the bag opening.

A faint light flashed from the bag's opening, and two items appeared out of thin air on the table:

A small, milky-white porcelain bottle, and a thin book with a blue cover.