Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 74 Old Friends Grow Old (Fourteenth Update)

In the days that followed, Jiang Fu'an guarded that spiritual spring and devoted himself to cultivation.

He collaborated with the Wang family to make talismans, and the spirit stones he earned from selling them were enough to buy Qi-Nourishing Pills to sustain his cultivation.

Life flows quietly like a mountain stream.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The time frame wasn't long, but a lot happened around me during those three years.

First, Xu Bo fell asleep peacefully on a cool autumn night and never woke up again.

The following spring, Aunt Xu also went there.

Jiang Fu'an remembered his promise to take care of the elderly couple until their death.

He then had Yue'er dress in hemp clothing and wear a mourning cap, and, as her granddaughter, take care of the funeral arrangements for the two elderly people.

Yue'er cried very sadly, and Aunt Xu treated her like her own granddaughter.

Her birth mother died early, and at that time Jiang Fu'an was busy working in the fields and hunting in the mountains all day long.

Aunt Xu often helped take care of the three siblings.

After the two elderly people left, Yue'er began to understand things.

The playful little girl who loved to eat and drink in her childhood has gradually lost her childishness.

She is now the one who takes care of most of the semi-spirit beasts that she keeps at home.

That morning, a powerful aura suddenly erupted from the talisman room on the east side of the house, as if a sleeping ferocious beast had awakened inside.

A moment later, the aura suddenly receded and vanished without a trace.

"Squeak"

The door was pushed open, and a burly man strode out.

The man had a full beard, and his arms, beneath his short jacket, were bulging with muscles.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Jiang Fu'an.

This beard certainly wasn't something he neglected to groom during his three years of seclusion.

He left it on purpose, to cover his still-young face.

Even after all these years, he still looks like a young man in his late twenties, showing no signs of aging.

At that moment, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and his eyes were filled with a smile.

"The Devouring Body—truly a special physique born for body refinement."

He clenched his fist, and his knuckles cracked softly.

Just now, the first level of the "Dragon and Tiger Body Forging Technique" was finally completed.

Compared to demonic beasts, this body is comparable in strength to a low-grade first-tier demonic beast.

It's no problem for them to withstand several spells from ordinary early-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Even if a mid-stage Qi Refining technique were to strike, it would at most injure him; there would be no chance of killing him instantly.

As for his cultivation level, it has steadily improved over the past three years.

A year ago, he had already broken through to the third level of Qi Refining.

However, excessive consumption of the Qi-Nourishing Pill gradually led to the accumulation of erysipelas in the body, which became a hidden danger.

Name: Jiang Fu'an

Age: 37

Lifespan: 65 + 21 + 100

[Realm Level: Qi Refining Level 3]

Hidden injuries: 1 (reducing lifespan by 3 years)

【丹毒：6%（减损5年寿命注：5%以下无影响；超过5%后，每增1%减寿5年；

If it reaches 100%, death will occur immediately due to poisoning.

Jiang Fu'an estimated:

If one continues to cultivate using Qi-Nourishing Pills, by the time one reaches the third level of Qi Refining, the toxicity from the pills will likely accumulate to 9%.

That would mean losing twenty years of one's lifespan.

Even so, the medicine still had to be taken.

The spiritual vein will appear in the world in three years. If he cannot reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining, he will not even have the right to guard this house and protect his family.

Moreover, erysipelas is not incurable.

For now, I can exchange my lifespan for cultivation level. Once I'm stronger in the future, I can find a way to eliminate it.

"That's enough."

Jiang Fu'an shook his head, trying to shake off these troubling thoughts.

Today is the auspicious day for Shi Tou's wedding, so he needs to go down the mountain early to greet the guests.

Before leaving, he slightly moved his lips and silently recited a mantra.

His aura gradually subsided, eventually stabilizing at the first level of Qi Refining.

It was the "Qi Gathering Technique" that I obtained a year ago through the white "fortune".

No one can see through his true cultivation level unless they are a cultivator at or above the Foundation Establishment stage.

Of course, there are no such people among the guests who have come today.

The spiritual spring in the courtyard has been emitting increasingly rich spiritual energy over the years, with white mist lingering around it all day long.

Fortunately, a "golden light array" was set up outside the courtyard, so from the outside it looked like an ordinary mountain villa.

But if someone steps inside, they will immediately sense that something is wrong.

Therefore, Jiang Fu'an had already arranged the wedding ceremony at the residence at the foot of the mountain.

As soon as we reached the halfway point of the mountain, a cacophony of noise surged up on the wind.

Looking down, a large crowd had already gathered outside the courtyard gate.

Because he wanted to make the wedding more lively, Jiang Fu'an invited all the villagers from the surrounding area.

The villagers brought their families, gathered in small groups, and children darted in and out of the crowd, their laughter echoing from afar.

Although the auspicious time was in the evening, they arrived before noon to grab a good spot and wait for the first round of the banquet to begin.

This scene suddenly reminded him of ten years ago.

It was also in this mansion that the Wang family held a grand banquet to celebrate the successful foundation laying of their daughter, Consort Wang.

At that time, he had three children with him, and it would normally take a long time to get a meal.

However, because He Miao was found to have spiritual roots, the Wang family politely invited him to the front and let him take his seat ahead of time.

How could he have imagined that one day this courtyard would belong to the Jiang family?

"Dad! Why did it take you so long to come down? Uncle Ma is already here!"

Yue'er's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting his recollection.

She was wearing a new light red dress and was directing several servants to move tables and chairs.

Jiang Fu'an was taken aback: "Fellow Daoist Ma is here? Where are you now?"

He couldn't understand why Yima Ping, who didn't need to fight for a seat, came so early.

Yue'er gestured towards the main hall with her chin: "I invited him inside for tea."

Jiang Fu'an didn't linger any longer and strode towards the main hall.

Three people were sitting in the hall:

An elderly man with gray hair and two teenagers.

Hearing footsteps, the old man turned around—it was Ma Ping.

Their eyes met, and both were taken aback.

Jiang Fu'an never expected that Ma Ping would age so much in just a few years.

Not only has his hair turned mostly white, but wrinkles have also appeared on his face.

He remembered that Ma Ping was only in his forties this year, and his cultivation at the third level of Qi Refining should have added twenty years to his lifespan.

Jiang Fu'an stepped into the hall, his tone filled with concern: "Fellow Daoist Ma, it's been years, what has happened to you—"

Ma Ping gave a bitter smile: "It's all from the injuries I sustained when we attacked the Rong family back then."

"I'm afraid he has some hidden illness; his health has been deteriorating day by day over the years."

As he spoke, he carefully examined Jiang Fu'an, a hint of doubt gradually appearing in his eyes: "But you, Fellow Daoist Jiang—how come you look almost exactly the same as you did ten years ago, except for this beard?"

Jiang Fu'an's heart stirred slightly; he was surprised that his beard had been noticed.

He remained expressionless, feigning doubt: "Is that so? Perhaps it's because I cultivate a wood-elemental technique."

"I've heard that it not only promotes longevity but also helps one stay young."

Upon hearing this, Ma Ping's eyes revealed envy: "Wood-based cultivation techniques have such advantages? If I had known back then, I would have chosen this path too."

He sighed softly, his gaze drifting into the distance.

As his health deteriorated over the years, he found himself reminiscing more and more about his younger days.

He was somewhat dazed when he saw Jiang Fu'an come in.

It was as if time had turned back, returning to the afternoon ten years ago when the two first met.