Elder Lu Sees People Clearly (Two-in-One)

Courtyard, main hall.

"Elder Lu."

Lin Chang'an respectfully cupped his hands toward Elder Lu seated at the head of the hall, inwardly groaning in dismay. What was this old man here for? His business hadn't even started yet; logically speaking, such a paltry profit shouldn't catch the man's interest.

Elder Lu revealed a kindly smile.

"Friend Lin, have you been settling in well lately?"

Hearing this inquiry, Lin Chang'an's expression turned serious.

"Elder Lu, you have no idea how bitter life as a Rogue Cultivator is. Every day I feared I wouldn't open my eyes the next morning. Nowhere near like this—with the sect guarded by a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, these past days have been the most at ease of my life. This place is This Humble One's second home. Even if Elder Lu ordered me to leave right now, I'd shamelessly cling on..."

Lin Chang'an first spoke of all his past hardships, then emotionally described the place as home, making Elder Lu's eyelids twitch. The next moment, the old man stroked his short beard and burst into laughter.

"Haha, this old man likes clever fellows like you."

Elder Lu waved his hand with a hearty laugh. "Friend Lin is already a alchemist at such a young age; it's only natural you'd look down on these common beauties. But what about a female cultivator with a High-grade Spirit Root?"

Lin Chang'an was stunned, then quickly waved his hands. "Elder Lu, you know this isn't about me being unwilling. It's the Pure Yang Five Elements Cultivation Method I cultivate—I!"

At this point, Lin Chang'an's face was full of regret. He truly regretted it. If he'd had any other choice, he would never have cultivated this technique.

Weren't older sisters nice? Since he was stuck here anyway, he could finish his sect tasks every day, earn some extra Spirit Stones and resources, then come back at night to hold a young lady, or rest his head on an older sister's chest—wasn't that nice?

Playing it safe? For now, there was no chance to escape anyway. Holding an older sister was still playing it safe.

If he worried about leaving ties behind, that was easy. One pill down the hatch, and he could still use it without leaving any attachments.

"How could this old man not know Friend Lin's concerns?"

Elder Lu's face was full of smiles, and he understood in his heart. This kid's greedy nature had clearly been stifled into this state.

The Cultivation World was no stranger to elders making juniors cultivate such techniques to prevent them from indulging in carnal desires, only allowing it after reaching late Qi Condensation.

"What does Friend Lin think of that girl Murong Yue?"

Elder Lu's single sentence left Lin Chang'an dumbfounded. He stammered, "Elder Lu, didn't Murong Yue find herself an older sister? Ahem! Hasn't she already... you know?"

Lin Chang'an spoke awkwardly, but Elder Lu was all smiles.

"Murong Yue cultivates the same technique as you. She cannot break her cultivation until she reaches great success. But with the talent of you two, this old man believes it won't take many years. And the higher the cultivation, the better the child's aptitude."

Good heavens. Lin Chang'an stared wide-eyed, finally understanding this old man's intent. As always, he wanted them to have children.

The Great Sword Sect really spared no effort in developing and expanding. But he also understood that children with good Spirit Roots raised from a young age were crucial to the sect's future.

"Elder Lu, it's not that I'm unwilling. There are two problems now. One is resources. No matter how good the talent, without resources, I have no confidence even in twenty years. The other is that Murong Yue likes women, as you well know."

Saying this, Lin Chang'an scratched his head in embarrassment, lowering his voice. A High-grade Spirit Root would fall to him? What a pie in the sky, tsk tsk.

"I've studied alchemy since childhood, so I understand a bit. For male and female cultivators to dual cultivate, only when both soul and body reach deep ecstasy simultaneously is there a chance to produce offspring with better aptitude. And since Murong Yue doesn't like men, even with medicine, at most her body will reach deep ecstasy—the effect is at least halved."

Clap, clap, clap~

Elder Lu clapped his hands in satisfaction, smiling approvingly. "Not bad. Friend Lin is indeed not bad."

Under Lin Chang'an's increasingly ominous premonition, Elder Lu slowly produced a jade slip, beaming. "Friend Lin, with this technique, I believe your talent will pose no problem."

Looking down at the jade slip, Lin Chang'an's face instantly changed. Cold sweat poured down, and his eyes bulged as he stammered.

"E-Elder Lu, women and women can't have children!"

The jade slip recorded a common high-grade technique, the "Ice Muscle Jade Bone Art," also popular among female cultivators in the Cultivation World.

It was an auxiliary cultivation method that didn't conflict with most techniques. After cultivation, the skin became smooth and glossy like ice and jade, even extending lifespan, increasing body flexibility, and preserving youth.

But Elder Lu was all smiles, smiling until Lin Chang'an's heart began to crawl. If a man cultivated this technique to great success, it would reverse yin and yang.

In plain terms, it was the Cultivation World's pervert transsexual cultivation method.

Just as Lin Chang'an was miserably preparing to grit his teeth and refuse, Elder Lu spoke.

"Friend Lin, you're overthinking. Cultivating this technique to minor success is enough. It even helps male cultivators."

Damn, easy for you to say! Lin Chang'an stared wide-eyed, looking troubled. "Elder Lu, isn't there Su Ding?"

Su Ding and the batch of cultivators with mid-to-high-grade Spirit Roots were only seventeen now. As the saying went, better the dead friend than the living one. Lin Chang'an lowered his head, groaning inwardly, feeling no shame in selling out others.

But Elder Lu sighed faintly and shook his head. "Friend Lin, your talent is beyond doubt. Su Ding is merely average in cultivation talent. You are different."

Good heavens. What did he mean by "merely average in cultivation talent"? Shouldn't cultivators focus on Spirit Roots? Since when did they look at—

Lin Chang'an looked down at himself, his gaze wandering. He cultivated the Pure Yang technique and was naturally gifted with the Revolving Wheel Art, but after all these years, he could only look and not use it. Alas, what a tragedy!

But seeing Lin Chang'an's gaze, Elder Lu's eyelid twitched. He coughed twice, shook his head in exasperation, and said, "This old man is talking about your face!"

Face?

Hearing this, Lin Chang'an's face turned green. He stared wide-eyed. "Elder Lu, I am a proud man of seven feet—how could I—"

"Half of your sect duties are waived, and you get an extra five Spirit Stones per month for cultivation resources." Elder Lu took a deep breath and said calmly.

Hearing this, the difficulty on Lin Chang'an's face vanished without a trace, replaced by a look of unwavering righteousness and fervent dedication. He solemnly cupped his hands and shouted, "For the sect, for Elder Lu's kindness in recognizing my talent, this junior will not shirk his duty!"

Good heavens. One moment he was firmly declaring himself a proud man of seven feet, the next he looked like he was marching to his death. Even Elder Lu, who had seen much of the world, couldn't help his mouth twitching.

If he hadn't checked the intelligence and known this kid was greedy to the bone and loved Spirit Stones like his life, this old man would have believed him!

"Elder Lu, you really know how to judge a person."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an couldn't help stroking his own face with a smug grin, finally glad that this face hadn't gone to waste.

The Heavenly Sword Sect—everyone in white robes and long swords—when taking disciples, besides assessing aptitude, they most favored selecting cultivators with outstanding appearances.

He never expected that the careful grooming he'd done for the assessment back then would actually pay off today. It seemed the heavens had finally opened their eyes; he hadn't wasted that talent after all.

"Friend Lin, as long as you and Murong Yue break through to the seventh layer of Qi Condensation and achieve great success in your cultivation, then status and a beauty will both be in your hands. I can promise that at that time, the two of you, husband and wife, will be appointed as offering elders of the sect."

Elder Lu couldn't help tempting him with these words. After all this talk, the real point was that if the two of them lost their cultivation, it would cause irreparable losses—even Qi deviation, death, and annihilation were possible. That was the most important thing.

Otherwise, did he really think this place was some kind of benevolent land? Su Ding, a man of firm will, just suddenly thought things through? And then went and married five female cultivators to make babies all at once? He didn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on.

Elder Lu gave a faint smile. "Friend Lin, you're a man who understands. These five Spirit Stones aren't just for you alone."

Lin Chang'an cursed the old miser in his heart, but on his face, he wore an ingratiating smile and respectfully cupped his hands. "Thank you for your generosity, Elder. I'll take good care of Yue'er in the future."

How shameless! Calling her that so intimately already.

Elder Lu took a deep breath. He was afraid that if he stayed here any longer, he'd start cursing.

Damn it. The real business was still far off. For now, not taking the Spirit Stones would make him a fool. Lin Chang'an was all smiles too.

And this greedy, shameless expression of Lin Chang'an's—even Elder Lu, an old fox, couldn't help his eye twitching. Enough shamelessness, enough greed!

He even suspected that if he added a few more Spirit Stones, this brat would dare to cultivate the technique all the way to completion just to finish the mission.

However, when Elder Lu took out a black Pellet, the smile on Lin Chang'an's face instantly froze.

"A Gu worm!"

"Friend Lin, you're a clever man. There must be loss for gain." Under Elder Lu's kindly smile, Lin Chang'an felt nothing but a chill in his heart. This old bastard was a smiling tiger!

"It's only right, it's only right!" Lin Chang'an immediately let out a magnanimous laugh, and without a moment's hesitation, he swallowed it right in front of the other man—though his face had turned a bit pale.

Lin Chang'an's face was pale, a trace of pain showing between his brows, yet he forced a strained smile and cupped his hands. "Elder Lu, please don't forget what you promised me for the future."

Elder Lu shook his head with a sigh. "You're a clever man, you should understand my good intentions. I've fought for so much for you—do you think the sect would easily distribute resources to an outsider? But rest assured."

"This Gu worm will lie dormant in your body for now. Once you break through to late Qi Condensation, I will personally plead with the Ancestor on your behalf."

Watching Elder Lu's resolute expression, Lin Chang'an endured the pain from swallowing the Gu worm just now and nodded with a forced smile.

"Elder Lu's good intentions—how could this junior not understand? Time reveals a person's heart. Elder, just watch and see."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an put on a look of utter devotion to the sect, which made Elder Lu sigh with melancholy.

"Nephew, don't blame me. This is all to secure the resources you deserve. But I can promise you this."

Saying this, Elder Lu's voice grew grave. "As long as you break through to late Qi Condensation, I will adopt you as my sworn son."

"Thank you." Lin Chang'an's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. The pain of swallowing that Gu worm just now was truly unbearable for an ordinary person.

Elder Lu looked at the pained, weakened Lin Chang'an and couldn't help showing a concerned expression. "Nephew Lin, you should rest well first."

"Yes!"

The moment Elder Lu stepped out of the hall, Lin Chang'an could no longer hold back the pain. With a thud, he collapsed limply to the floor, cold sweat the size of beans pouring from his forehead.

"Sworn son? Hah!" Lin Chang'an weakly stared at the door, muttering to himself, "Elder Lu, how could I defy your good intentions? One day, I'll find myself a Fang Tian Hua Ji halberd as a magic tool, and I'll take good care of you in your old age! And send you off with a proper funeral!"

"Father."

Just as he stepped out the door, a yin-roughened young man approached. Seeing this, Elder Lu couldn't help breaking into a smile.

"An'er, you've come out of seclusion."

"Father, I've broken through to late Qi Condensation this time."

"Good, good. My son has the foundation for Foundation Establishment." Elder Lu laughed heartily, a rare sight. The yin-roughened cultivator who had arrived was his own son, Lu Chang'an.

He did indeed have a son named Chang'an—he hadn't been lying about that.

"Father, why go through so much trouble for these pigs?"

The newly emerged yin-roughened cultivator, Lu Chang'an, sneered disdainfully. But upon hearing this, Elder Lu's expression changed, and he sternly scolded him.

"What do you know? The Sect Master Ancestor is preparing to step down and focus on cultivation. But you're not the only one with Foundation Establishment potential. Our Great Sword Sect's accumulation is sufficient—now we're just missing this final step."

"As long as we take this step and establish a century-long foundation for the sect, do you still fear you won't be able to compete with others for the position of Sect Master in the future? With the authority of the sect in your hands, you can fight for a share of Foundation Establishment resources. Isn't that enough?"

At the beginning of Elder Lu's speech, he was dismissive, but when it came to contending for the next generation's Sect Master, his expression suddenly changed, and a fiery ambition appeared in his eyes.

"Father, I understand."

Seeing his calm and sensible son, Elder Lu couldn't help showing a gratified smile and nodded approvingly.

"An'er, there's still much you need to learn. Which of those great sects hasn't faced crises? Yet how have they all survived safely? And many sects have fallen, only to rise again a hundred years later. It all comes down to foundation—and that foundation isn't Spirit Stones, nor Pellets, nor even techniques. It's people!"

"These children were raised by us from a young age. They grew up here. The sect is their root. These children will take root and sprout here, generation after generation, and that is what strengthens the sect's foundation. This is the most precious wealth."

"When the sect faces a crisis, these people will all step forward to protect it, and they may even become the spark that revives the sect."

Saying this, looking at his silent son, Elder Lu shook his head with a chuckle. "An'er, you don't have to learn this, but you must understand it. Just let those who understand handle these matters."

"The sect has already passed the stage of accumulating Spirit Stones and wealth. What we need to do now is to lay the Eternal Foundation for the sect. You've seen the cultivators who were captured before—numb and controlled as they were, most had low cultivation, and many couldn't bear it and took their own lives."

"Those people had too little value. But this time is different. Your father has invested heavily. This batch is almost entirely of Mid-grade Spirit Root aptitude, and there are even three with High-grade Spirit Root."

When he heard "High-grade Spirit Root," the effeminate Lu Chang'an couldn't help licking his lips, revealing a greedy smile. "Father, I heard there's a good girl in this batch."

The father and son exchanged a glance, then their eyes turned in unison toward the mansion behind them, and they couldn't help showing eerie smiles.

"An'er, once the sect is completely overhauled, these stains won't be needed. Only these children are the sect's foundation, and your right hand. In the future, we will stand upright and proper, not as the Tooth-trading Sect that everyone mocks now!"

Tooth-trading Sect! Those four words were full of mockery and contempt, and they were also the hatred in Elder Lu's heart.

Thank you for the support, fellow daoists. If you see this, please remember to follow along on Tuesday. I bow in thanks.