Different Choices

"How is the situation?"

Lan Chang'an skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"Ren Longbo has been buried for a month."

Li Erqing's tone was dejected.

Lan Chang'an roughly estimated that Mu Renlong died around the time Mu Yunfei arrived at Wuqi Mountain.

This was consistent with his judgment; there was no time to go back and save Mu Renlong from his injuries.

If Lan Chang'an were a hothead, rushing back with Mu Yunfei would not only be useless, but would also lead to an ambush.

Upon entering Jade Moon Lake, Lan Chang'an sensed the unease and anxiety within the Mu Family.

Those members of the Mu clan had lifeless eyes, expressionless faces, or looked bewildered and helpless.

They seemed to have lost their energy and spirit.

Admittedly, there is currently another Foundation Establishment cultivator at Jade Moon Lake, but he is not surnamed Mu, which makes the cultivators in the clan uneasy.

Lan Chang'an first went to Moon Heart Island to pay tribute to the deceased Mu Renlong.

I silently apologized in my heart.

Objectively speaking, although he didn't have time to save Mu Renlong, he certainly didn't do his best.

Saving Mu Xiuyun's life back then was also an accident, which led to the discovery of the secret of the Evergreen Art's depletion of lifespan.

Leaving the cemetery area.

While flying in the sky, Lan Chang'an saw two young men and women in the Qi Refining Mid-Stage on the ground. They looked relaxed, and one of them had a smile on his lips.

Who are those two young men?

Lan Chang'an asked casually.

"They are my grandson and granddaughter."

Li Erqing's face flushed red, and his gaze swept fiercely over them. The pressure from the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator terrified the two young men, who knelt and prostrated themselves on the ground.

In the Mu Family today, only Li Erqing's descendants are in a good mood.

"Moon Heart Island, isn't it only open to those in the late Qi Refining Realm?"

Lan Chang'an continued.

Li Erqing's expression turned unnatural as he explained:

"According to the Lineage's rules, Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators are entitled to ten family members who can accompany them to cultivate on Moon Heart Island."

"Furthermore, temporary family visits are permitted, as long as one does not engage in cultivation on the island."

When Lan Chang'an was cultivating at the Mu Family, he had hardly ever been to Moon Heart Island, so he didn't know much about its specific rules.

At that moment, he realized that there might be a loss of control over the power involved.

This is not determined by Li Erqing's personal will.

Driven by the instinct for self-interest, the numerous wives, concubines, and children behind him will propel Li Erqing forward involuntarily.

Lan Chang'an arrived at Li Erqing's cave.

The two discussed strategies for dealing with the Mu Family's future.

To be precise, Li Erqing suddenly became the highest-ranking cultivator in the Mu Family, and he couldn't adapt for a while, so he sought advice from Lan Chang'an.

"Brother, the clan elders have also figured out Huang Tankong's malicious intentions."

"I, Li Erqing, will forever remember the kindness of the Mu Family and will never harbor any disloyal thoughts, betray them, or attempt to take over Mu Family territory."

Li Erqing's expression was solemn, and he made a firm vow.

Lan Chang'an believed that Li Erqing was telling the truth.

But Huang Tankong's scheme was an open conspiracy.

This involves the distribution of interests between the Mu Family family and Li Erqing's lineage. As long as people are driven by self-interest, conflicts and disagreements will inevitably arise sooner or later.

"Erqing, if you truly want the Mu Family to live in peace, I have three suggestions."

Lan Chang'an pondered for a moment.

"Please speak, brother." Li Erqing listened attentively.

"First, as the only remaining Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Mu Family, you will not interfere in Lineage management; all authority will be handed over to elders such as Mu Chengji and Mu Xiuyun."

"Secondly, we must cultivate new Foundation Establishment cultivators within the Mu Family family as soon as possible to stabilize morale."

After hearing the first two points, Li Erqing nodded, indicating that there was no problem.

"Third, if one day the situation at Jade Moon Lake stabilizes and can no longer meet the cultivation needs of your lineage, you can take your direct descendants and establish your own Lineage outside."

Upon hearing this, Li Erqing's expression changed, and he shook his head.

"Brother! I married into the Mu Family when I was a teenager. My wives, concubines, and children are all of the Mu Family blood. I would never make such a choice."

Of the three suggestions, the second one is the most crucial.

As long as a Foundation Establishment Realm is born within the Mu Family family, the situation at Jade Moon Lake will naturally stabilize.

"Which promising talents from the Mu Family do you plan to cultivate?"

Next, Lan Chang'an and Li Erqing discussed the young cultivators they could train.

Currently, the Mu Family has three cultivators under the age of forty with Mid-Grade Spiritual Root.

They are: Mu Congren, Mu Bingyun, and Mu Juncai.

These three are all genuine Mid-Grade Spiritual Root, not the kind that are close to the threshold.

Among them, Mu Congren is Li Ergou's grandson and the youngest, not yet twenty years old.

Mu Bingyun, besides having good aptitude, is also a Talisman Master.

"Mu Bingyun is worth nurturing. We can lend her a hand when the time comes."

Lan Chang'an stated frankly.

He wanted to mentor Mu Bingyun, mainly because of their past relationship.

Back then, when Mu Xiuyun was at the age suitable for Foundation Establishment, he himself was only at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining, and his abilities were limited.

When Mu Xiuyun returned after completing her Foundation Establishment, she was over seventy years old, leaving behind many regrets.

"Mu Bingyun possesses Spirit Root and skills, so she certainly meets the requirements. However, she currently..."

Li Erqing looked troubled.

What happened to Mu Bingyun?

Lan Chang'an frowned, realizing he had missed some information.

Two months ago, Mu Bingyun was attacked by two unidentified Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivators near Jade Moon Lake. If she hadn't had a high-quality Talisman protecting her, she would probably have died.

"After she fled back to her Lineage, her dantian was damaged. Even with top-grade healing medicine, some of the damage was irreversible, affecting her foundation. I fear that her future Foundation Establishment will be difficult..."

After Li Erqing explained the reason, he couldn't help but smile wryly.

The reason this matter went unnoticed by the Mu Family was that Mu Renlong had also returned from serious injuries during that period, his life hanging by a thread.

The ancestor is about to die.

An injured Qi Refining cultivator is naturally not taken seriously.

"Mu Xiuyun did not mention this matter in her letter."

Lan Chang'an's expression was grim as he pondered.

Looking back now, Mu Xiuyun's unprecedented letter was meant to encourage Lan Chang'an to "casually" check on his apprentice Mu Bingyun's injuries during his visit to Jade Moon Lake.

If this matter is mentioned.

Out of consideration for their past relationship, Lan Chang'an would prioritize going to Jade Moon Lake rather than choosing to kill Huang Changling.

Perhaps Mu Xiuyun didn't want her personal feelings to sway Lan Chang'an's decision.

"That old Huang Tankong used such methods to get me to come to Jade Moon Lake?"

Lan Chang'an's first suspect was the Huang Family.

Among the Jade Moon Lake Mu Family, there were only a handful of cultivators who had any connection with Lan Chang'an.

However, it cannot be confirmed that the surrounding cultivation Lineage would be more than happy for the Mu Family and the Huang Family to fight to the death.

A moment later.

Accompanied by Li Erqing, Lan Chang'an arrived at an elegant cave dwelling on Moon Heart Island.

"Uncle Lu."

A young girl in a green dress with bright eyes and white teeth came out to greet them, her face as pale as snow.

Mu Bingyun's clear eyes held a hint of surprise as she looked at the white-clad man whose appearance remained unchanged even after more than a decade of separation.

Mu Bingyun hasn't changed much since then; she must have taken Youth Preserving Pill, and her cultivation has reached the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

However, her face was almost bloodless, and her delicate beauty was tinged with a sickly pallor.

"Uncle Lu, please take a look at your injuries," Lan Chang'an said.

Regarding the injuries...

A faint melancholy hung between Mu Bingyun's solitary, elegant eyebrows, like dark clouds obscuring the moon.

She extended her pale, white wrist, allowing Lan Chang'an to take her pulse.

"Uncle Lu, do you know anything about medicine?"

Mu Bingyun seemed to be thinking of something, her eyes revealing a searching look.

She was injured, and it was confirmed that her foundation was damaged.

Her master had said that once the situation stabilized, she should visit Uncle Lu at Wuqi Mountain.

Uncle Lu knows many people outside; perhaps he has connections.

I have some knowledge of it, but I'm not an expert.

Lan Chang'an remained calm and released Mu Bingyun's wrist.

He could see Mu Bingyun's injuries clearly; her dantian had suffered irreversible damage.

The difficulty of saving Mu Xiuyun back then can be used as a reference.

Lan Chang'an was confident he could heal her hidden injuries and restore her health.

The prerequisite is that one must consume their lifespan to perform the Evergreen Secret Technique.

For someone who lives for over four hundred years, this is just a tiny fraction of his lifespan.

Lifespan is not an issue.

The key issue is that Lan Chang'an doesn't want to reveal this ability.

We can't expect this woman to make a vow against her Inner Demon, can we?

Vows made against Inner Demon are not a panacea.

If the oath-taker does not care about the Great Way, then there is little binding force.

"To heal her injuries so easily would be an exaggeration, unless it's done by a third-tier physician using rare and precious spirit medicine."

"What if I divide the treatment into dozens of sessions, taking several years, or even more than a decade, to slowly 'heal' her injury?"

Lan Chang'an came up with a solution.

By gradually increasing the time frame, like boiling a frog in warm water, this goal can be achieved without exceeding the limit.

For example, it would be surprising if a low-level cultivator earned 10,000 Spirit Stone in a year.

It wouldn't be surprising if one earned 10,000 Spirit Stone over several decades.

Moreover, Mu Bingyun's damaged foundation is not a terminal illness in the Cultivation World.

Healing Sacred Medicine of the third rank or higher, including certain heavenly materials and earthly treasures, can potentially repair her foundation.

Years later, with the passage of time, by the time she successfully Foundation Establishment, the injury she suffered back then had long since faded from memory.

"Bingyun, I have a health-preserving and conditioning technique that, when combined with some medicinal herbs, might be able to gradually nourish and strengthen your foundation."

Lan Chang'an phrased his words.

"Health preservation and conditioning?" Mu Bingyun's eyes brightened slightly.

Li Erqing's heart also stirred.

Those who know Lan Chang'an admire his health and beauty secrets.

Healing injuries through gentle, nourishing methods is quite common in the Cultivation World, and occasionally it can even create miracles.

"However, I'm only 20% sure this method will work, and it will require you to leave the Mu Family and follow me in cultivation for some years."

Lan Chang'an then changed the subject.

"A 20% chance?" Mu Bingyun's expression shifted slightly.

"Uncle Lu, approximately how many years will it take?"

"It will take anywhere from seven or eight years to ten or twenty years."

Lan Chang'an gave a slightly longer timeframe.

Mu Bingyun pursed her lips, looking slightly hesitant as she fell into thought.

For a girl who grew up in her Lineage, suddenly having to leave home for more than a decade to gamble on a 20% chance of success requires courage and decisiveness.

I'll give you some time to think about it.

Lan Chang'an did not linger and left with Li Erqing.

We had just reached the entrance of the cave.

"Uncle Lu."

A girl's voice, as melodious as a nightingale's song, came from behind.

"I've made up my mind! I'll leave my Lineage, follow you in your cultivation, and receive gentle nourishment and treatment."

As she uttered these words, Mu Bingyun's eyes shone brightly, and her pale face revealed a resolute expression.

"Um."

Lan Chang'an paused, the woman's decisiveness taking him by surprise.

Li Erqing cast an approving glance at him.

Lan Chang'an took Mu Bingyun away, probably with the intention of grooming her.

Li Erqing was unaware of Lan Chang'an's secrets.

Having known each other for over sixty years, he had developed a certain intuition that his elder brother was no ordinary person.

Putting everything else aside, back then, when my eldest brother resolutely left the Lineage to attempt to Foundation Establishment, who believed he could succeed?

Inside the cave.

Leaving behind Mu Bingyun's solitary, snow-white figure, she murmured:

"Master, Bingyun has made a choice different from yours today. Will the future outcome be different?"

Lan Chang'an did not stay on Moon Heart Island, but returned to the Lakeside Courtyard he used to live in.

This villa was deliberately protected by the Mu Family, treated like a historical relic, and regularly maintained.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator who rose to prominence in the Mu Family, Lan Chang'an's Foundation Establishment at the age of seventy is worthy of being recorded in the history of the Liang Kingdom and deserves this honor.

"Huang Tankong..."

Lan Chang'an sat cross-legged inside the room, his eyes darting around.

When he arrived at Jade Moon Lake, he couldn't find Huang Tankong's location. Considering that the other party didn't have much life left and was barely clinging to life, he didn't pursue him relentlessly.

Mu Bingyun's experience made her realize that her hometown was still a venomous snake lurking and capable of biting, and she had to find its location.

I originally planned to finish writing two chapters and upload them Tianyi. But seeing how well everyone is reading, with an average subscription exceeding 20,000, I'll upload one chapter first at midnight.

This is for night owls.

(End of this chapter)