An Agreement with the Cui Household
"Insolence!" Cui Lihai's face turned red instantly, wishing he could slap Cui Xueyong to death.
What have I done that's so presumptuous?!
I am the legitimate son of the Cui Household!
My great-grandfather doted on me the most!
But I don't take the spiritual spring in the house, I don't ask for the elixirs or immortal fruits in the house, and I even gave the spiritual rice in the house to my eldest brother, and I have no objection to that.
I don't covet the Cultivation Method at home.
All I want is to find a woman I love to be my wife and live a simple, ordinary life. What have I done wrong?!
Either I can marry whomever I want, or I'll become a monk!
"Even if the Heavenly King himself came, it was my word!" Cui Xueyong raised his head, seemingly more indignant than his own father.
"You... you... you..."
"If it weren't for the sake of our ancestor, I would have killed you with one blow, you unfilial son!" Cui Lihai's beard trembled with rage.
"Sixth brother, quickly apologize to Father," Cui Er, Cui San, Cui Si, and Cui Wu urged together.
"My personal matters are none of your business, you half-brothers!" Cui Xueyong showed no mercy.
That's right, Cui Xueyong is the legitimate son, and he also has an older brother from the same mother: Cui Xuebin.
As for his four half-brothers, they didn't even have formal names; they were simply ranked by age as second, third, fourth, and fifth.
According to Cui Lihai, once the four of them reach the Meridian Opening Sixth Layer, the Lower Yang Stage, they will be recognized and honored.
"Liu Zi, quickly apologize to your older brothers!" Cui Xuebin coughed a few times.
Cui Xueyong glanced at his older brother, who was born with a weak constitution, then bowed slightly to the side, as if apologizing to his four half-brothers.
Cui Er, Cui San, Cui Si, and Cui Wu were burning with anger, but they could only try to smile and show their magnanimity.
Otherwise, if Cui Lihai discovers that they have malicious intentions towards Cui Xueyong, they will really be killed by Cui Lihai with one slap.
Although their cultivation levels were all higher than Cui Xueyong's, Cui Xueyong was the eldest son of the emperor, and the sickly Cui Xuebin had already reached the Meridian Opening Fourth Layer Qi-Bearing Stage, surpassing the four of them.
"Liu Zi, it's not like you can just marry whoever you want."
Since you are Cui Household, our deceased mother instructed us that your wife, regardless of her background or appearance, must at least be an "Aperture Opener." I have heard you say that no one in the Tang Household is an innate "Aperture Opener," and none of them can cultivate immortality.
"Are you going to disobey Mother's words too?" Cui Xuebin looked at Cui Xueyong calmly and steadily.
"Tianzi and the others' father was a Rogue Cultivator, so Tianzi and the others were [Late Aperture Opener]. Some time ago, they happened to eat crayfish tofu made from century-old crayfish, and now all four of them are [Aperture Opener].
"If you don't believe me, you can invite our Lineage elders over and have them do the test." Cui Xueyong curled his lip.
Cui Xuebin looked at Tang Tiansong suspiciously. Tang Tiansong cupped his hands and said, "My father is indeed a Rogue Cultivator. According to him, he is a cultivator at the Middle Stage of Qi Refinement Refining, but he rarely returns home and only comes back occasionally."
A few days ago, all six of us siblings ate crayfish tofu, and the four of us who are the eldest did indeed have our "Innate Aperture" opened.
What?! Tang Tianzi and the others' father is Middle Stage of Qi Refinement cultivator?!
The Cui Household was immediately stunned.
Although in large cultivation sects, Purple Mansion cultivation Lineage, and Foundation Establishment cultivation Lineage, Middle Stage of Qi Refinement Refining cultivator is nothing special, in the hundreds of cultivation Lineage surrounding the Spiritual Qi barren Dragon-Gazing Lake Desert, Middle Stage of Qi Refinement cultivator is definitely a prominent figure.
Apart from Cui Household patriarch, who is at the Qi Refinement Great Perfection, the strongest member of the Cui family, the current patriarch Cui Lihai, is only at the Meridian Opening Fifth Layer stage.
If the Cui Household patriarch doesn't intervene, Tang Yuan alone could wipe out the entire Cui Household if he truly offends the Tang Household.
"Oh, may I ask your father's name? Where does he practice?" Cui Xuebin bowed to Tang Tiansong.
"Oh, my father instructed me that his name cannot be revealed. He only said that he is a Rogue Cultivator, practicing all over the world." Tang Tiansong returned the greeting with a cupped hand.
"Dad, Tiansong is an honest man. He said his dad is at the Middle Stage of Qi Refinement Refining. His dad must be at the Middle Stage of Qi Refinement Refining."
Hehe, there might be more...
"Well, isn't Tianzi perfectly qualified to marry into the Cui Household?" Cui Xueyong said with an arrogant expression, as if Tang Yuan was already his father-in-law.
"Hmph, you want to marry Miss Tang Household, but the Tang Household family might not even agree."
"Are you going to force me?" Cui Xuebin asked with a playful expression.
"No, no, I wouldn't dare to force you."
"If Tianzi really doesn't want to marry me, or if the Tang Household doesn't agree, then I'll have no choice but to go to Ji Household Stockade." Cui Xueyong looked at Cui Lihai expectantly, cupped his hands in a respectful greeting,
"Father, I know I am usually uneducated and incompetent, but I have not asked you for anything."
I hope you can help the Tang Household through this difficult time.
"Let Qi Refining First Layer retainers kill that Meridian Opening Sixth Layer demon rat."
Cui Lihai glanced up at the roof beams of the main hall and sighed inwardly, "It's all fate."
Back then, Cui Lihai was determined to marry Cui Xueyong's mother, even after being hung from the roof beam of the main hall by his own father for five days and five nights.
Cui Lihai thought to himself, "Regardless of whether the Tang Household can rise to prominence or become a force to be reckoned with, if Xueyong really marries someone from the Tang Household, ten years later, I can rightfully annex the Tang Household and seize the massive resources that are about to appear in Dangwu Yuan."
There was nothing they could do about it. Not to mention the Yang and Rong families to the east of Dragon Creek Mountain, where the Cui Household lived, were eyeing Cui Household covetously.
Leaving aside Yang Rong's background, the Hua, Yun, and Fang families of Crouching Dragon Valley coveted the Cui Household immensely.
Even the Liu Household of Dragon Creek Mountain, south of Golden Scale Mountain, is causing him sleepless nights.
He could have easily wiped out the Liu Household back then, but his father let Liu Household go for the sake of a false reputation.
Although I have tried my best to exploit and suppress the Liu Household in the south, I cannot stop Liu Household rise: the Yang and Rong families, as well as the Hua, Yun, and Fang families in Crouching Dragon Valley, are definitely supporting the Liu Household openly or secretly.
As for Tang Tiansong's supposedly Middle Stage of Qi Refinement father, even if it were true, there's nothing he could do if the Tang Household was wiped out before Tang Tiansong returned.
"Every man for himself, or the world will punish him. At worst, I'll just compensate him with some Spirit Stone and pills. If he dares to cause trouble, I'll have the ancestor wipe him out..."
After a few moments of contemplation, Cui Lihai spoke with a concerned expression, "Tang Tiansong, since my son Xueyong has been pleading for leniency..."
I cannot be too heartless, after all, the hundreds of clans and thousands of families Gazing Dragon Lake were all one family a thousand years ago.
Free is impossible.
After all, my Cui Household keeps this guest retainer, providing him with not only rare medicinal materials but also ten Spirit Stone every year.
I was thinking about the cost of hiring Qi Refining First Layer cultivator; you've already inquired about that in Huai'an City.
"In that case, the demon rat's beast core will belong to our guest elder, and you can just contribute ten Spirit Stone." Cui Lihai looked at Tang Tiansong without any doubt.
"Cui Household. Ten Spirit Stone are indeed very little."
"But right now, my Tang Household really can't come up with ten Spirit Stone." Tang Tiansong smiled neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Look, my Tang Household will pay five Spirit Stone first."
Within five years, my Tang Household will pay another ten Spirit Stone. What do you think?
Cui Lihai chuckled lightly, "What if your Tang Household can't come up with ten Spirit Stone within five years?"
"If I can't come up with ten Spirit Stone within five years, I, Tang Tianzi, will marry Cui Xueyong," Tang Tianzi said resolutely.
Seeing Cui Lihai glance at him, Cui Xuebin understood and smiled, "You also need to agree that Cui Xueyong can take concubines, at least five."
"I... I won't accept..." Cui Xueyong hadn't finished speaking when he saw Tang Tianzi glaring at him, so he had no choice but to shut up.
"Okay, I agree." Tang Tianzi raised her hand to swear...
Both sides agreed on a time to kill the demon rat, signed a spirit incantation contract, Tang Household siblings took out five Spirit Stone and rushed back to Dangwu Yuan...