Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

Inside the talisman-making room, Jiang Fu'an was intently focused on his work at the wooden table.

He gripped a gleaming dagger tightly in his right hand, while his left hand rested steadily on a yellowish-brown talisman the size of a tabletop.

The blade slowly advanced along the paper, making a soft "shh" sound.

His movements were clean and efficient; with a flick of his wrist, the blade lightly lifted the talisman paper, and the paper was neatly separated.

In no time, more than a dozen identical talismans with neat edges were stacked on the corner of the table.

"That's really good."

Miao Ruolan was leaning against the door frame at some point:

"The master craftsman is becoming increasingly skilled at making talisman paper. This batch is practically perfect; there isn't a single flaw to be found."

Jiang Fu'an's face showed no joy, but rather a faint sorrow.

Currently, he has produced nearly a hundred blank talisman sheets;

The cinnabar needed for drawing the talismans was also properly prepared with the help of the Miao people.

Everything is ready except for the final push.

Once your cultivation reaches the first level of Qi Refining, you can try to draw talismans.

Just a few days ago, despite his and Shi Tou's extreme frugality, all the Qi-Nourishing Pills they brought back were still used up.

Without the aid of elixirs, his cultivation speed is now as slow as a snail's crawl.

The first level of Qi Refining seems so close, but in reality, it is far beyond reach.

Jiang Fu'an shook his head, looked up at Miao Ruolan at the door, and suddenly froze.

The morning light slanted in from behind her, making the light blue gauze dress she wore almost transparent.

Her shapely figure was vaguely visible beneath the gauze, and she was not wearing any underwear.

The spring light peeked through the air, rising and falling gently with her breath, making her incredibly alluring.

Jiang Fu'an glanced at him only once before forcing himself to look at the other person's face, his voice tinged with reproach:

"Look at yourself, what a mess you've made of. Aren't you afraid of being seen by others?"

Several months have passed since I last refused her request to help me have a child.

Miao Ruolan did not give up at the time, and in recent days she has been trying to find ways to test him and get him to agree.

I never expected this little girl to get so bold; today she's even resorting to using her beauty to seduce me.

Seeing that Jiang Fu'an deliberately avoided her gaze, Miao Ruolan bit her lower lip, a look of frustration appearing on her face.

She spoke softly, her voice tinged with grievance:

"Does the master intend to give me away to another man?"

Jiang Fu'an was taken aback:

"When did I ever say I was going to give you away?"

He's not a cuckold; why would he even have such a thought?

Miao Ruolan frowned slightly and sighed softly:

"I'm already eighteen this year. If I don't get married soon, I'm afraid I'll never be able to get married."

"These days, my mother and several aunts are arranging marriages for me."

Jiang Fu'an fell silent immediately.

He then realized that Miao Ruolan would get married sooner or later.

To be honest, as a man, it's quite something to be around a beautiful woman who's always by my side.

Even if she wasn't his Daoist partner, he didn't want to watch her marry someone else.

The feeling was like a carefully tended cabbage in your own yard suddenly being eaten by a wild boar.

At this moment, Miao Ruolan walked lightly to him and looked up at him.

The morning light danced on her eyelashes, and her eyes shimmered with moisture.

"Master, I can cultivate spirit fields, tend to the herb garden, and I'm diligent and obedient..."

"Are you really willing to let me leave like this?"

She was very close, and her body emanated a warm, youthful scent.

Jiang Fu'an's Adam's apple bobbed.

In a fleeting moment, a powerful impulse surged within him—

Win her over now!

But he suppressed the thought as soon as it popped into his head.

What she ultimately sought was the opportunity to "have a child".

Now that my cultivation level is low and my strength is weak, I must not expose any secrets that are different from ordinary people.

He had already made up his mind:

For at least ten years, he will not have any more children.

Even Jiang Xiangqian's qualifications were kept secret and not revealed to the outside world.

Faced with Miao Ruolan's captivating gaze, Jiang Fu'an hardened his heart:

"Although I'm reluctant to part with you, there's nothing I can do about it. I'll definitely prepare a generous gift for your wedding day."

After saying that, he hurriedly picked up the stack of cut talisman papers on the table, stepped aside to walk past her, and strode towards the door.

We can't stay in this house any longer.

He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would give in.

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.

into the night.

Only a small oil lamp was lit in the bedroom, its dim yellow light swaying gently on the walls.

As soon as Jiang Fu'an lay down on the bed, his hand instinctively reached towards his wife, Su Wanqing.

At this moment, Su Wanqing spoke softly:

"Mr. Yan came by once during the day."

The large hand that was roaming around her waist suddenly stopped.

Jiang Fu'an's heart tightened—

Su Wanqing and the widows of the Miao family have always had a delicate relationship.

She always suspected that she had some feelings for those women, and kept a close eye on them.

These days, he doesn't even dare to glance in the direction of their courtyard, for fear of arousing suspicion.

He asked casually:

"What does she want from you? You two don't usually see each other much, do you?"

"It's nothing serious."

Su Wanqing's tone was indifferent:

She said her daughter Ruolan was of marriageable age and came to ask us if we would be willing to let Ruolan marry you as a concubine.

"To be my concubine?"

Jiang Fu'an was stunned.

Seeing how reluctant Miao Ruolan looked during the day, he assumed that Madam Yan was going to marry her daughter off to another family.

Su Wanqing's tone remained calm:

"Mrs. Yan said you are of good character and she trusts you. Even if my daughter becomes your concubine, she won't suffer if she follows you."

"After thinking about it, I realized that Ruolan is indeed capable and sensible, so I agreed."

Jiang Fu'an sat up abruptly in bed, staring at his wife:

"How could you agree so easily? Didn't you even discuss it with me first?"

Su Wanqing always consulted with him on everything.

Moreover, what wife would voluntarily allow her husband to take a concubine?

Logically, shouldn't she be jealous and object?

"What's there to discuss?"

Su Wanqing smiled enigmatically.

"Ruolan is young and beautiful, would you disagree?"

Actually, she had her own little scheme in mind.

She had been worried that her husband would be seduced by those widows from the Miao family.

If any rumors were to spread, she would become the laughingstock of the entire village.

Therefore, she was always on guard and vigilant.

But if Miao Ruolan marries into the family, those widows will become Jiang Fu'an's mothers-in-law.

With this relationship in place, both parties actually need to avoid suspicion.

At that time, she will feel much more at ease.

Jiang Fu'an's feelings were complicated at this moment.

He had a vague expectation, but also really didn't want to get married.

He could almost foresee:

Once Miao Ruolan enters the family, she will definitely pester him all day long, trying every possible way to beg for a child.

But since his wife had already agreed, if he were to object again, it would only offend the Miao family.

Jiang Fu'an could only sigh inwardly:

From now on, I'm afraid there won't be any peace and quiet.

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.

next morning

Jiang Fu'an got up, dressed, and walked toward the ancestral hall as usual.

He didn't have high expectations when he pushed open the wooden door.

For the past six months or so, the offering table has been completely empty.

But the moment his gaze swept across the table, his eyes suddenly lit up.

A white sphere of light is quietly suspended in the center of the offering table.

Good fortune has finally returned.