Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Brothers Reunited

When brothers meet for the first time, there are endless things to say.

“Third Brother is still young, but I’ve already grown old.”

Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin’s eyes flashed with a faint sense of loss, speaking sadly.

Back then, when the spirit root awakened, he had none, and could only become a mortal, living in the mortal world. Over the years, their parents would occasionally visit him, but this was the first time this Third Brother came to see him.

Towards this brother, there was a sense of closeness, yet also an extreme unfamiliarity.

“Brother, our Lu Family is in a bad situation. Not long ago, the clan’s Purple Mansion Ancestor passed away, and the situation became critical; another Purple Mansion Ancestor came and attacked. The Lu family suffered heavy losses, with most of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators and late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators all slaughtered, the remaining cultivators are less than one-tenth.”

Lu Xuanji spoke about the past events of the clan, saying: “The clan’s situation is bad. If Eldest Brother has any difficulties, I can solve one or two.”

“The Lu family is facing a major crisis.”

Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin was slightly tense, worried for the Lu family, but thinking about how he was merely a mortal, how could he help the family, he smiled and said: “I have been living in the mortal world since I was six. Living with a mortal family, my mother frequently comes to see me, giving me some gold and silver, some elixirs, and some martial arts secret manuals. These years, I’ve not lacked in food or clothing, with children and grandchildren all around me, I’ve lived well these years.”

“As long as Brother is happy.”

Lu Xuanji comforted, and then took out some pill bottles and some miscellaneous items from his storage bag, beginning to introduce these items: “These are prepared for you by Mom. Here are three Innate Pills, taking them can help a mortal become an Innate Martial Artist; this is the White Sun Pill, which should be taken no more than once a month, as taking too many may cause indigestion; and this is the Meridian Opening Pill, which can unblock human meridians; this is the Tiger Power Pill, used to temper the physique and strengthen qi and blood…”

He took out some pill bottles and began to count and introduce them.

If one does not have a spirit root, they can only become a mortal.

For a mortal to become stronger, they must cultivate martial arts.

These elixirs are all needed for martial arts cultivation, of relatively low grade, which Mom could also make herself.

The upper limit of martial arts is low; even becoming an Innate Martial Artist is only comparable to the third layer of Qi Cultivation.

But a third layer Qi Cultivation cultivator has talismans, flying swords, and such, with combat power far superior to that of an Innate Martial Artist. In a confrontation, the Innate Martial Artist only has less than a thirty percent chance of winning.

Taking these Dan Yang bottles, Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin kept the pills, placing them in his storage bag, his expression somewhat downcast.

“Eldest Brother, here’s five hundred taels of silver, which Mom sent for you.”

Lu Xuanji handed over five hundred taels of silver and placed them on the table.

Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin sighed, unwillingly asking: “Third Brother, is it really impossible to cultivate immortality without a spirit root?”

“It is possible.”

Lu Xuanji spoke, seeing Eldest Brother’s melancholy, remembering Golden Dawn Ancestor’s words, and couldn’t help but say: “An elder once said there are two ways for mortals to develop a spirit root. One is for a Nascent Soul Cultivator to deplete some of their essence, thus allowing a mortal to develop a spirit root; the other is by consuming a fifth-grade Creation Fruit, which also can let a mortal develop a spirit root.”

“I’m not the son of a Nascent Soul Cultivator, how could a Nascent Soul Cultivator deplete their essence to give me a spirit root. Letting a mortal develop a spirit root is a defiant act, and even a Nascent Soul Cultivator would have to pay a huge price for it. As for a fifth-grade spirit fruit, it costs at least tens of millions of spirit stones, virtually unobtainable.”

Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin said bitterly, speaking almost without saying anything.

Lu Xuanji said: “Eldest Brother has no spirit root and is a mere mortal, indeed a tragedy. But even those cultivators with spirit roots don’t live well, as the cultivation realm is fiercely competitive. Just recently, more than a dozen Lu family Foundation Establishment Cultivators were killed. That I could escape wasn’t because of my great strength or cleverness, but because I was too weak.”

“You must be careful.”

Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin said.

“Eldest Brother, how have you been these years?”

Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin said, “Alright, after coming to Beihai Town for over thirty years, I’ve established a business with five thousand acres of land, have a few shops in the county, married a girl from the Ye family, and now have eight concubines, with twenty-six children, and more than a hundred grandchildren across different generations.”

“As I’ve gotten older, my health isn’t what it was, and I can only spend time with two concubines a day. I still don’t have much ability, as the business I’ve built is somewhat small.”

“I’ve taken over more than half of the fields in Beihai Village, with sixty percent of the population working as my family’s tenants, and expanding land in Beihai Town has already reached its limit, so I can only go to some other towns.”

Upon the call, a servant brought a jar of fine wine and a plate of peanuts.

With wine poured into cups, the two brothers clinked glasses and began drinking.

Eldest Brother spoke of his experiences in the mortal world and various stories.

Lu Xuanji listened with great interest.

This is a story of a cunning scoundrel rising to success.

There is a warm side here, building water facilities, developing business, and providing disaster relief; but also a ruthless side, using insidious means to eliminate some competitors.

In this process, there was a battle of wits and courage, and numerous interests to balance and negotiate.

Eldest Brother did many good things, and many bad things, making it impossible to simply evaluate with good and evil.

Just like that, temporarily residing in Eldest Brother’s home, Eldest Brother narrated stories, speaking of matters over these years, and the two brothers shared their emotions.

Three days later, Eldest Brother Lu Xuanxin’s sons, daughters, grandchildren, and others, about a hundred people, all gathered at the old house.

“Wan’er passed away five years ago, and I haven’t remarried. These are my concubines.”

Eldest Brother introduced.

One by one, each woman as lovely as a jade flower, came forward to greet and call him Third Uncle.

Lu Xuanji returned the greeting, giving each a White Sun Pill.

“Greetings, Third Uncle.”

Then, with a swish, a group knelt on the ground.

Lu Xuanji again offered gifts.

“Greetings, Third Great-Uncle.”

Then another group of the grandchild generation knelt to the ground, kneeling in a sweeping manner, the youngest just barely able to walk, the oldest already married with children.

Lu Xuanji again offered gifts.

Tables topped with wine and accompanied by songs and dances, began celebrating the arrival of the Third Uncle, Third Great-Uncle.

“Brother, I envy your numerous offspring, marrying eight concubines. While I am still single and spend my days just cultivating, cultivating, and more cultivating.”

Lu Xuanji said, with genuine envy.

“A cultivator does not waste Primordial Yang, which would be beneficial upon breaking through a great realm. Father, too, only married after Foundation Establishment and then had us three; Ancestor also only indulged in pleasures after breaking through to the Purple Mansion. As for you, you’d better continue to endure,” Eldest Brother laughed, continuing to tease: “Third Brother, you’d better continue enduring; this is the price of pursuing longevity.”

“Longevity, always comes at a price.”

Lu Xuanji said with a bitter smile: “Resisting the temptation of beauty, resisting the temptation of power, resisting the temptation of power; not being tempted is not because of strong will, but for the sake of longevity. Enough talk, let’s drink.”

Cultivation is for longevity, but what is longevity for? Is it not for realizing one’s desires?

Supreme Forget Emotions, doesn’t mean having no desires, in fact, there is a greater desire.

Forsake small desires to pursue greater desires; this is Supreme Forget Emotions!