The Su Clan Patriarch's Son

As you enter the town, the streets are bustling with people, most of whom are ordinary people without any cultivation.

Like a bustling market, the streets were filled with people, and the sounds of hawking, talking, and bargaining mingled together.

In the streets and alleys, the vendors' stoves roared, and the aroma of all kinds of ordinary food filled the air.

Some were dressed in fine clothes, while others were dressed in rags. Some traveled in sedan chairs with their feet barely touching the ground, while others carried farm tools covered in mud.

If one didn't know beforehand, it would be hard to imagine that this was the residence of a Golden Core cultivator Lineage.

Most of the ordinary people here don't live very well, still struggling to make ends meet. Of course, they are still much better off than ordinary people, at least there is no war here, and no exorbitant taxes.

Song Wen wandered around the town and discovered that not only were there ordinary goods for sale, but there were also many shops selling spiritual items mixed in.

Suddenly, Song Wen saw a familiar figure—it was Su Shan, the guard he had seen at the Su Clan's mountain gate that day.

Song Wen walked up to Su Shan in a few steps and said.

"Brother Su Shan, I never expected we'd meet again."

Upon hearing the voice, Su Shan turned around and saw Song Wen, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"Old sir, it's you. Have you successfully Alchemy Chamber?"

Song Wen nodded in agreement, "I must thank you for guiding me that day, young man."

As he spoke, Song Wen flipped his hand, and a jade bottle appeared in his palm.

"Here are ten Qi-Gathering Pill as a token of my gratitude for guiding me."

Su Shan waved his hand in refusal, saying, "I dare not accept anything from you, sir. Guiding you is merely my duty. You were able to Alchemy Chamber because of your own Alchemy skills."

After several refusals, Song Wen finally stuffed the jade bottle into Su Shan's hands.

Those who take others have short hands, and those who eat others have short mouths.

After accepting the Qi-Gathering Pill, Su Shan became more enthusiastic.

Previously, he had been quite polite to Song Wen, but that was just a habit of his, not because he was truly close to Song Wen.

Ten Qi-Gathering Pill are worth thirty Spirit Stone, which is equivalent to Su Shan's monthly salary.

Su Shan, "By the way, I still don't know how to address the old gentleman."

"Old man, my name is Yuan Cheng."

"Greetings, Alchemist."

"Does Brother Su Shan live in this town?"

"Yes, I grew up here."

"Could you show me around?"

"Alchemist, please follow me."

Under Su Shan's guidance and explanation, Song Wen quickly gained a general understanding of the entire town.

In the town, ordinary people and cultivators lived together, and since everyone was a member of the Su Clan, they were all related to each other to some extent, so they got along quite harmoniously.

As the two walked, they came to a Small Courtyard.

"Master Alchemist, is this my humble abode? Would you like to come in and have a seat?"

"Since Brother Su Shan has extended such a kind invitation, I shall gladly accept."

Pushing open the courtyard gate and stepping inside, I saw a woman with a protruding belly sweeping the yard.

Upon seeing Su Shan and Song Wen enter, the pregnant woman beamed with joy.

"Husband, you're back. And who is this?"

"My lady, let me introduce you. This is Alchemist, the new alchemist in the Alchemy Chamber."

"Master Alchemist, this is my wife, Chen Hong."

Chen Hong was just an ordinary person with no cultivation.

"Greetings, Alchemist," Chen Hong said gracefully.

"Greetings, Madam Su!" Song Wen replied.

Perhaps unwilling to appear in front of outsiders, Chen Hong returned to her room after saying goodbye.

Su Shan brewed some tea and sat down with Song Wen in the courtyard.

"Your wife is clearly a virtuous and capable woman who keeps the courtyard clean and tidy. Young man, you are a blessed man," Song Wen said.

Su Shan sighed and shook his head, saying, "My wife is a decent person, but unfortunately, she's just an ordinary mortal."

"What's wrong with being a mortal? Although you and I are cultivators, the lifespan of Qi Refinement cultivator is only a little over a hundred years, which is not much different from that of a mortal," Song Wen asked in confusion.

Su Shan explained patiently.

"Master Alchemist, you may not know this, but in our Su Clan, to stand out from the crowd, one either needs to have excellent Spirit Root or have descendants with exceptional Spirit Root."

"I only have a third-grade Spirit Root. The highest I can cultivate to in this lifetime Late Qi Refinement Foundation Establishment."

"Naturally, we can only place our hopes on our offspring, but unfortunately, my wife is just a mortal, and the probability of her giving birth to a child with a mid-grade Spirit Root is extremely low."

The Su Clan does not determine status based on blood relations, but rather on Spirit Root talent and aptitude. This is a common practice among cultivation Lineage, and it can, to a certain extent, ensure the continuation and prosperity of the Lineage.

The quality of a descendant's Spirit Root aptitude is related to the Spirit Root aptitude of their parents to a certain extent, and may even be related to their ancestors for several generations.

Simply put, the better the Spirit Root of both husband and wife, the greater the likelihood of having offspring with superior Spirit Root.

If a mortal couple has never had a cultivator in their family history, the chances of having a child with Spirit Root are almost one in a thousand, let alone a child with exceptional talent.

This has led to young men and women with Spirit Root being more sought after when looking for partners in towns like the Su Clan's, where ordinary people live together.

This is why Su Shan could only marry a mortal woman; his Spirit Root aptitude was too poor, and his strength too weak, so he couldn't find a suitable female cultivator as a partner.

"By the way, I haven't seen your parents. Where do they live?" Song Wen changed the subject.

Su Shan gave a wry smile. "My father is Su Anping, the patriarch of the Su Lineage. How could he possibly live with me?"

"Your father is the head of the Su Clan! How is that possible?" Song Wen looked incredulous.

Su Shan remained calm, showing no surprise whatsoever at Song Wen's astonishment.

"Su Anping had over a hundred wives and concubines, and hundreds of children. My mother was just a beautiful mortal. After taking her as a concubine, he only favored her once."

"After that, my mother never saw him again until her death. After I was born, apart from a few glimpses of him from afar when he flew past the mountain gate, I never had any close contact with him. He probably didn't even know that he had a son like me."

"In the Su Clan, without powerful cultivation, outstanding Spirit Root, and special talents such as Alchemy and talisman drawing, how could one possibly meet a peak Foundation Establishment Realm expert who is the patriarch of the family?"

As he spoke these words, Su Shan's face showed unspeakable disappointment and resentment, clearly indicating that he was extremely dissatisfied with his current strength and cultivation level.

The atmosphere became somewhat oppressive for a moment, and after a brief silence, Song Wen spoke.

"Our Spirit Root are of poor quality, so it's really not easy for us to improve our strength. Take me, for example, I'm over fifty years old, and I'm only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer of Qi Refining."

After expressing his feelings, Song Wen suddenly lowered his voice and changed the subject.

"When I was young, I heard in East Birch Market that some cultivators, in order to improve their cultivation level as quickly as possible, took risks and fell into the demonic path, cultivating demonic Secret Method. Their strength advanced by leaps and bounds in a short period of time."

"The righteous path is one foot high, but the demonic path is ten feet high. It is said that demonic Cultivation Method are unpredictable and mysterious, and some demonic cultivators can even fight beyond their level and defeat righteous cultivators whose cultivation is far superior to their own."

Su Shan raised an eyebrow, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Devil Cultivation Method really that powerful?"

Song Wen shook his head, "I haven't seen it with my own eyes either, it's just hearsay. But if one can control a few powerful Corpse Puppet in the demonic path of refining corpses and controlling ghosts, one's strength should increase rapidly."

"But practicing Devil Cultivation Method is intolerable to the righteous path."

"That shows your limited understanding. Not far from the Beast Taming Sect East Birch Market, there is a Mountain Ravine Ghost Market where all sorts of demonic Cultivation Method and demonic Spirit Treasure are openly sold. If it weren't for the permission of righteous forces like the Beast Taming Sect and the Lei Clan, this little Ghost Market would have been eradicated long ago."

"East Birch Market is thousands of miles away from here, it's far too far," Su Shan muttered to himself.

Then, he leaned close to Song Wen and asked in a low voice.

"Alchemist, you are very knowledgeable. Do you know where nearby you can buy demonic Cultivation Method?"

Song Wen shook his head repeatedly, "I don't know anything about that. I'm almost sixty years old, why would I want to know about that stuff?"

The two chatted until almost noon before Song Wen got up, said goodbye, and left.

After Song Wen left, Su Shan sat alone in the courtyard for a long time, not even hearing his wife call him for lunch.