Chapter 176 : A Family Is Not Built Overnight

Chapter 176: A Family Is Not Built Overnight

“Brother Lin, Erniu really was too careless in this matter.”

Eighty-year-old Shen Lie, his head full of white hair, could only shake his head and sigh helplessly over Erniu’s family affairs.

At the side, Wei Buyi snorted coldly, clearly displeased.

“When Erniu lusted after beauty and took concubines back then, I already said the wife of hardship must not be abandoned. And the result? Ever since Yifan formed his Foundation, he has been living in a dream.

He really thought himself the ancestor of a Foundation Establishment family. Look at how many concubines he has taken these past years. Yifan may indeed be his biological son, but it was that wife of hardship who raised him with her own hands!”

Wei Buyi spoke with hatred for Erniu’s failures, his words unpleasant but truthful.

Lin Chang’an also shook his head and sighed.

“This Erniu, why has he become even more reckless with age, causing such a huge mess?”

It turned out that ever since Li Yifan established his Foundation and branched off into independence, Li Erniu had also risen in status, assuming the airs of the Li Family’s ancestor.

He took several beautiful concubines, but disputes arose over the distribution of clan resources. One of these concubines actually conspired with her brother from her mother’s family. Taking advantage of Li Yifan’s absence, she stole the premium Foundation Establishment Pill that Yifan had left behind after his breakthrough.

Faced with Erniu’s family scandal, they could only shake their heads.

The three of them made their way to the Li Family.

Inside the courtyard lingered an odd atmosphere.

“Uncle Lin, Uncle Shen, Uncle Wei.”

Upon entering, they saw Li Yifan.

As the only Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Li Family, Li Yifan respectfully received them, but merely led them outside his father’s courtyard without going in.

One could imagine the father and son’s relationship over the years.

Inside the house, Li Erniu, at such an old age, had fallen ill after this incident. Only when Lin Chang’an and the others came to visit did he break into loud sobs.

“Big Brother Lin, what is this nonsense, how dare that lowly wench! How dare she!”

After this ordeal, Erniu looked visibly aged, his eyes filled with regret and shame.

“Big Brother Lin, this was what Yifan left behind with such difficulty. I had intended to keep it for the future… It’s all my fault. I drank too much and lost my senses, letting this matter slip out…”

Lin Chang’an could only shake his head. At such an age, how could Erniu still act with such poor judgment?

The sharp-tongued Wei Buyi slammed his iron crutch heavily and said with irritation:

“Erniu, it’s not because you’re old, nor because you were drunk, nor because you lost your senses—it’s because you let success go to your head. Look at the disgraceful things you’ve done these years.

Open your eyes and see the children outside your door. Because of uneven resource distribution, they are already split into factions. Anyone passing by would think this was some mortal royal court’s struggle for the throne!”

Seeing Wei Buyi’s anger, Shen Lie quickly tried to mediate.

“Erniu, don’t be angry first.”

“How can I not be angry! A Foundation Establishment Pill! That wench conspired with her brother and actually stole it…”

Li Erniu roared in fury, while the Li Family members in the courtyard each had different expressions.

Li Yifan’s mother and her children were all filled with anger, but beneath it lay cold indifference.

After this incident, what right did the concubines’ children have to compete with them for resources?

The concubines themselves, meanwhile, were terrified, nearly cursing the thief who had stolen the pill to death.

The Li Family had only been established for a few years, with so few people, and yet Lin Chang’an already felt the scheming and intrigue of a noble household.

“That wench has been caught and is locked in the back room, but her brother has already taken the Foundation Establishment Pill and gone into seclusion.”

Seeing Erniu’s regret, Lin Chang’an understood.

If the man failed in his breakthrough, he was just a Qi Refining cultivator, and Li Yifan would never let him off.

But if he succeeded?

Thus, even Li Yifan only locked up the concubine for now, waiting to see what would happen next.

“Erniu, things have come to this. As Fellow Daoist Wei said, establishing a cultivation family is not something so easy.”

Lin Chang’an shook his head. He had no intention of interfering in Erniu’s family affairs.

Shen Lie also patted Erniu’s shoulder with a helpless sigh.

“Erniu, I was born into a noble house. But why do you think that all these years I never thought of establishing a cultivation family with Qingqing? Even when Shen Fan formed his Foundation, I still never entertained the idea.

A family estate cannot be built in a day, nor can its rules be established overnight. Even mortal noble houses are so, how much harder must it be for cultivation families?”

Everyone tried to console him. Lin Chang’an remained calm, though he could clearly see the pleading look in Li Erniu’s eyes.

But his heart was like still water. He would one day leave here in pursuit of the path to immortality.

He might help once, but could he help forever?

…

Finally, Lin Chang’an walked out of the room and encountered Li Yifan in the courtyard.

“Uncle Lin.”

Lin Chang’an gave a light hum. Looking at the taciturn Yifan, he sighed softly and asked, “What do you think of this matter?”

Yet Li Yifan was not as angry as expected. Instead, he calmly lifted his head, his eyes showing only endless weariness.

“Uncle Lin, now I finally understand why the Zhou Family so readily agreed when I wanted to establish my own branch family.”

His expression was complicated. The Zhou Family’s centuries of heritage was not something that could be matched merely by one Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If it were that easy, there would already be countless cultivation families in the world.

Back then, he had been an unstable element within the Zhou Family. Allowing him to branch off was actually the best choice.

And Lin Chang’an had naturally seen this as well.

“Yes, the Zhou Family truly had foresight. Although you became independent, the Li Family’s enterprises and spirit fields still relied on them.

It’s really no different from being within the Zhou Family. The only change was that you had more freedom, while the Zhou Family became more united, even using you to motivate their clansmen.”

How could these great families ever act out of mere generosity?

Unless it was to their benefit.

“Perhaps the Zhou Family had already foreseen such a situation. Back then, even the young miss came to persuade my mother.”

Thinking of it now, Li Yifan gave a bitter smile. To establish a cultivation family was far more than just his own effort and a bit of resources.

Without rules, there could be no order. From the very beginning, the so-called Li Family had been in disorder.

After only a few years and with so few members, he was already utterly exhausted.

Lin Chang’an could see Yifan’s fatigue and consoled him with a soft sigh:

“Yifan, whether it’s your temperament or the Li Family’s heritage, neither is suited to founding a cultivation family. Look at your Uncle Shen—he knew this truth, and see how relaxed his life has been these years.”

Would Shen Lie not want to establish a cultivation family if given the chance?

Of course he would.

But the requirements were far too great, not something that could be solved by simply having a Foundation Establishment cultivator preside.

“Uncle Lin, I plan to move out with my mother and several younger brothers.”

Li Yifan, having now recognized reality, awakened at last. After this incident, his father Li Erniu no longer had the face to bring up the Li Family again.

Seeing Yifan’s choice, Lin Chang’an smiled with relief and nodded.

“Good. In this, you surpass your father.”

Erniu had entered the cultivation world with the mindset of a farmer—having a wife and children and living steadily was enough.

But as his cultivation grew, and especially after Yifan formed his Foundation, his status as a son-in-law became a shackle he longed to escape.

After breaking free, he then became obsessed with glorifying his ancestors and establishing a cultivation family.

At its root, it was still the farmer’s mindset, only now enlarged.

But he had never considered all that a cultivation family truly required.

“Uncle Lin, to be honest, I also had selfish thoughts regarding that Foundation Establishment Pill. I wanted to keep it for my child. But it is only a second-rank pill—after decades, its medicinal efficacy will wane.”

For this Uncle Lin, Yifan held deep respect. From childhood, when his own father seldom guided him, it was often Uncle Lin who imparted wisdom.

“So you chose to leave it for your younger brother, so that if another Foundation Establishment cultivator emerged, you could support each other in the future, correct?”

Hearing Yifan’s thoughts, Lin Chang’an smiled and nodded.

This was just like his own bond with Yun Yao—mutual trust and support.

Back then, he had aided Yun Yao’s Foundation Establishment, and when he broke through, Yun Yao had aided him in return.

Between brothers bound by blood, such closeness would only grow stronger amid the turbulent world of cultivation.

“Alright.”

Li Yifan smiled openly, without the slightest concealment.

The two of them talked for a long time. Li Yifan’s honesty reminded him of what Erniu had once been.

But Erniu had changed. Or perhaps, it was that people always changed.

Just like himself—back then, he only wished to form his Foundation, but after doing so, he grew greedy and wanted to form a Core.

“Uncle Lin, from now on there is no Li Family. I am simply Li Yifan. My future children will also bear the Li surname. With my cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Realm, I can already protect my family so they may cultivate in peace.”

Li Yifan’s sincere smile made Lin Chang’an nod lightly.

With Li Yifan around, Erniu only needed to live peacefully. Why bother with such unrealistic ambitions?

Hadn’t he himself obtained so many opportunities by being down-to-earth and steady? One could not become fat with a single bite—things were never so easy.

“A cultivation family is not something that can be established overnight.”

Afterward, Lin Chang’an, Shen Lie, and Wei Buyi departed.

Later, they heard that the cultivator who had stolen the Foundation Establishment Pill had failed his breakthrough.

In terror, he tried to flee Tianxuan City, but many were more willing to give face to Li Yifan, the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The man was directly seized and sent to Li Yifan’s residence. In the end, he was forced to sign a slave contract, and together with his family, became slaves of the Li Family, paying the price for stealing the Foundation Establishment Pill.

As for Erniu, he no longer had his past arrogance and vigor. Crestfallen, he never again spoke of establishing a cultivation family.

Even now, the constant scheming among his concubines and numerous children left him utterly exhausted.

He wanted to ask Yifan for resources, but Yifan reminded him that he himself had once been an apprentice in the Zhou Family, tending spirit fields.

Moreover, Yifan had his own children, and several younger siblings of the same mother and father. At critical moments, they too needed his support.

Thus, the children of Erniu’s concubines could only rely on the Zhou Family’s enterprises for survival.

Without these burdens, Li Yifan felt much more at ease. At last, he could breathe a sigh of relief and cultivate in peace.

That concubine, meanwhile, was divorced by Erniu. Together with her brother’s family, she became a slave, laboring in the Zhou Family’s spirit fields, spending her life atoning for the theft of the Foundation Establishment Pill.

…

Cave Abode.

“Big Brother Lin, this is the Meridian-Protection Pill you needed.”

In the pavilion, Yun Yao handed over the materials that Lin Chang’an had previously asked her to procure.

Seeing this, Lin Chang’an smiled and cupped his hands.

“Daoist Yun, I truly must trouble you for this. This Second-rank High-grade Meridian-Protection Pill is quite rare. Even in the Many Treasures Pavilion or the Gathering Treasures Pavilion, it is hard to find.”

Lin Chang’an needed the Meridian-Protection Pill to attempt cultivating the divine ability ‘Sword Shadow at Will’.

Though Yun Yao did not know the exact details, she could guess. For Lin Chang’an, at his current level, to need such a pill—it must be for cultivating a rare divine ability.

“Big Brother Lin, this bottle of Meridian-Protection Pills only has seven. In the Mystic Yin Divine Sect, many secret arts and divine abilities cause severe damage to the meridians, which is why this pill exists.”

Facing Yun Yao’s concern, Lin Chang’an chuckled and nodded.

“Don’t worry. If it doesn’t work, I won’t be foolish enough to force it. After all, I still intend to form a Core.”

‘Sword Shadow at Will’ required extremely strong meridians at the initial stage of cultivation.

Although Lin Chang’an had the Regenerative Body and was unafraid of meridian damage, if his meridians could not bear the strain steadily, he would not be able to master the ability.

Thus, he needed this pill to aid him.

Once he succeeded, it would become another trump card for him.

Afterward, the two talked about Erniu, and Yun Yao shook her head.

“I heard about this as well. Erniu truly grows more muddled with age.”

Their friendship was real, but it did not mean they were his parents.

Even Lin Chang’an, Erniu’s closest friend, was the same.

“Big Brother Lin, do you think people always change?”

Because of Li Erniu’s affairs, Yun Yao, at her age, could not help but grow wistful.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she was still young, but for an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, life was nearly at its end.

“Of course people change. Just like you and I once did—we too kept changing. But we held firm against inner greed.”

“As for Erniu, at his age it is understandable. He only wished to plan for his descendants. But he forgot that the one bearing all the burden was Yifan.”

Lin Chang’an shook his head with a light laugh as he spoke.

“Yes, they are all old now. Among our old companions, only you and I still walk the immortal path.”

Seeing Yun Yao’s wistfulness, Lin Chang’an pushed thoughts of Erniu away, smiling broadly at her.

“Are the two of us still too few?”

Yun Yao was taken aback, then understood, and a smile bloomed on her face.

“No, not too few. In this unpredictable world of cultivation, to have a companion along the way—it is already a blessing.”

Their eyes met, and all else was left unspoken.

…

Inside the cave abode.

Holding the bottle of Meridian-Protection Pills, Lin Chang’an’s gaze flickered.

“Forming a Core may still be far away, but I must begin preparing now.”

Be it Core Formation Spirit Items or cultivating the secret method Three-Turn Core Condensation, these were not resources the Yue Kingdom, nor even the Seven Kingdoms, could provide.

The Seven Kingdoms were simply too barren.

Even Blood Fiend True Lord and Master Lu had to travel far to the Sea Abyss of Beasts to form their Cores. How much more so for him?

“The Sea Abyss of Beasts—once I reach late Foundation Establishment, I must go there. Yet that place is also called the Ten Thousand Demons Sea. One can imagine how perilous it is.”

Thus, Lin Chang’an chose to take the risk of cultivating this divine ability early. One more means of protecting himself could never be wrong.