Longevity starts from having a daughter in old age

“Friend Xu, won’t you reconsider?!”

Seeing Xu Mu decisively refuse, Chi Feiyan couldn’t help but furrow her delicate eyebrows.

When the three major families joined forces to harvest several other great families which had lost the Foundation Establishment Stage, they originally planned to reap a windfall before they left.

After all, starting everything from scratch in a new place required additional resources, which would definitely be better for future growth.

As for the affection between sect members?

When the sect itself doesn’t exist anymore, what affection would remain?!

However, what they didn’t expect was their failed attempt to rob ended up costing them instead!

The seemingly modest Song family had an unexpectedly substantial wealth, not only hiding several Spirit Swords but also possessing the long-lost Divine Fire Sky Thunder Child.

Even though they eventually couldn’t escape destruction, the three major families also suffered backlash and enormous damage.

Their weakened strength forced them to abandon some of their people!

Xu Mu was originally one of those to be abandoned, but she pleaded with her father, Chi Yuan, and managed to keep him.

“No need! 1 won’t abandon my friends!”

Xu Mu shook his head.

Of course, this was pure nonsense!

The actual reason was, he had just overheard other people’s conversations while walking through the crowd, realizing that the three departing families, apart from the Chi family and Lv family, included the Luo family, which he least wished to face.

At that moment, Xu Mu had already started to hesitate whether to accompany the Chi family.

Now that Chi Feiyan is putting on this act, he decided to just jump at the chance to decline.

Considering the distance and danger of the journey, they’d probably have to travel for a month or two. In case he exposes his Fire Skill and swordsmanship while defending against hazards, he might draw the Luo family’s attention, and who knows what would happen then.

Living under scrutiny and suspicion, he truly didn’t feel safe!

“Friend Xu, thank you for your care over this period. Ning’er and 1 are not fragile and helpless, you should go with Yingying and the others!”

Lan Shijin struggled internally for a moment before finally speaking.

“My mind is made up! Friend Lan, don’t bother to persuade me!”

Xu Mu shook his head again, his stance firm.

“He can’t appreciate kindness!”

A cold voice retorted from behind Chi Feiyan, but when she gave him a glance, he turned his head away disdainfully.

“Friend Xu, don’t mind his rudeness!”

“Friend Chi, you’re too kind!”

Xu Mu didn’t take it to heart.

“Friend Xu, the journey from here to Liyang Sect is extremely dangerous. Without the protection of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, you won’t likely make it. 1 plead endlessly with my father for this opportunity, it’s a pity if you give up so easily!”

Chi Feiyan desperately tried to persuade him again.

She valued Xu Mu’s alchemy talent quite a bit.

Xu Mu smiled and replied, “Friend Chi, your kindness is appreciated, but I have my own plans and do not wish to bother you!”

“Alright then!”

Seeing she couldn’t convince Xu Mu, she didn’t say anything further.

She believed that she had already done all she could out of kindness.

“Friend Chi, 1 have an unkind request, 1 wonder if you could agree to it?”

“Hmph!”

Chi Feiyan’s guard couldn’t help but snort disdainfully again.

“What is it, Friend Xu?

Chi Feiyan, however, was still courteous.

“I would like to buy a map to Liyang Sect from you!

“Sure, okay!”

Chi Feiyan hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.

Finally, she returned to her family’s camp and fetched a beast skin map from someone.

“Thank you, Friend Chi! How many Spirit Stones do I owe you?”

Xu Mu took the map, his face lighting up with joy.

“No need for Spirit Stones! The map’s not worth much, consider it a gift for your travels!” said Chi Feiyan magnanimously.

“Thank you so much! 1 certainly will return the favor should the opportunity arise!”

Xu Mu took his leave with the three women.

“Return the favor? Hmph! 1 reckon we’d be waiting till our next life!”

The guard couldn’t help but mock again.

This time, Chi Feiyan didn’t say anything.

“Miss, why do you treat him so kindly? He’s just an ordinary tier two alchemist!” questioned another guard.

“There are things you don’t understand!”

Aside from valuing his talent, the other reason for her kind treatment was the toxin afflicting their family’s elder which only the Jade Marrow Pill could temper, although they managed to loot quite a few, having an extra alchemist capable of creating Jade Marrow Pill as a backup wasn’t a bad idea.

If he didn’t want to, she wouldn’t waste her breath.

A worthless map also served to maintain a good relationship!

In truth, she was quite impressed with Xu Mu’s actions at a deep level, despite her rational self thinking it foolish!

“Let’s not talk about this, let’s go back! Let’s see if we can recruit a couple of Loose Cultivators in the late stage of Qi Cultivation to join us!”

Chi Feiyan, not explaining much, took her two companions back to their family’s group.

“Feiyan, where’s the alchemist you recruited?”

Chi Yuan, the head of the Chi family, who had been discussing matters with the other two families with a longsword on his back, asked Chi Feiyan as she approached.

Standing next to Chi Yuan were Luo Hun, the head of the Luo family, and Lv Yi, head of the Lv family.

Both of them looked at Chi Feiyan.

“Uncle Luo, Uncle Lv!”

Chi Feiyan first paid respect to both of them, then said, “1 told him I could only bring two people, but he disagreed so he left!”

“Hmph! How ungrateful!”

Chi Yuan grunted coldly, his face full of disdain.

“Just an ordinary alchemist, niece Feiyan, there’s no need to go to such lengths to recruit him. We have many in the Lv family proficient in the Alchemy Dao. If there is any need, just ask us. After all, we will become one family in the future!”

Lv Yi, dressed in a long-sleeved robe and exuding an elegant demeanor, said with a smile.

Upon hearing Lv Yi’s final sentence, Chi Yuan’s face slightly changed. However, Chi Feiyan remained calm, tenderly expressing her gratitude.

At this point, Luo Hun spoke up, “1 think it’s almost time. Let’s get ready and set off! It would be troublesome if the Soul Forging Sect arrived!”

Thinking about the soul controlling methods of the Soul Forging Sect, they all shivered slightly.

It had indeed cast a shadow over their hearts!

“Alright!”

Chi Yuan and Lv Yi had no objections. They too wanted to leave as soon as possible and thus nodded, each returning to organize their teams.

After separating from Chi Feiyan, the way Leng Yuening looked at Xu Mu was filled with a sparkling light, as if she was seeing him for the first time.

“Friend Xu, you really didn’t have to give up this opportunity for us.” Lan Shijin said regretfully.

Although she was moved by Xu Mu’s actions, feeling touched wasn’t going to fill their stomachs.

“Friend Lan, don’t overthink it or feel uneasy. 1 have my own considerations and it’s not entirely because of the both of you!”

More importantly, he was considering his own safety, while also having confidence in his own strength.

Despite this, Lan Shijin sighed to herself.

She didn’t believe Xu Mu’s words, thinking he was merely comforting her so she wouldn’t feel pressured.

Gratuitous kindness – he wouldn’t be up to something, would he?

Lan Shijin turned to glance at her daughter.

She shook her head slightly.

Although it was common in the Cultivation Realm for one man to have many wives and concubines, she didn’t want her daughter to become someone’s mistress.

Of course, if the person was at the Foundation Establishment Stage, that would be a different story.

From now on, she would ensure her daughter didn’t get too close to prevent any problems.

This was what Lan Shijin thought secretly.

“Husband, where should we go now?” Ye Yingying asked.

There was no look of sadness on her face because they couldn’t join a team at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Instead, her eyes were filled with admiration when she looked at Xu Mu.

This kind of self-sacrificing style was indeed moving!

“We should…”

Just as Xu Mu was about to speak, Zhang Shouren, who was not far away, squeezed through the crowd and waved at him again.

“Friend Xu, would you like to join our team?”

Zhang Shouren extended the invitation again.

“Sure!

This time, Xu Mu didn’t decline and nodded his head.

His strength might be sufficient, but his survival experience in the wilderness might be lesser compared to a cultivator in the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation who regularly enters the wilderness.

So, he planned to stick with a team for the early stages to adjust, and consider traveling alone depending on the situation in the latter part of the journey.

Joining Zhang Shouren’s team, which consisted mostly of acquaintances, was more than appropriate.

Although having more people could attract monster beasts, it shouldn’t be a problem in the early stages, as the monster beasts in the outskirts of Baihe Forest had been hunted to near extinction. The real danger lies beyond five hundred miles out.

“Excellent! Come, let me introduce you to our team leader!”

Zhang Shouren joyfully led Xu Mu back to their group to introduce him to Zhou Chong.

“Old Zhang, when did 1 agree to let him join? We don’t need somebody that others don’t want!” Zhou Chong said, his face full of mockery.

This statement immediately made everyone’s faces darken.

“If that’s the case, I shall take my leave!”

Without taking offence, Xu Mu gave a polite nod, turned around and left with his companions.

“Friend Xu! Ah! Friend Zhou, couldn’t you have been a little more flexible?

Friend Xu and Friend Lan…”

Zhang Shouren wanted to save the situation, but Zhou Chong didn’t give him the chance.

“Old Zhang, who do you think you are? You even have the audacity to plead for others. If it wasn’t for your pathetic state, do you think 1 would let you into the team? And you’re bringing along a tag-along!”

Zhou Chong looked at the young boy beside Zhang Shouren with a disgusted expression.

Zhang Shouren’s face turned from green to red.

Zhou Chong’s words left him feeling extremely embarrassed with no place to hide his blushing face.

“If that’s the case, 1 will no longer be a burden to Friend Zhou!”

Zhang Shouren, feeling both awkward and humiliated, decided to leave with his grandson and catch up with Xu Mu.

Zhou Chong was indifferent to Zhang Shouren’s departure and wore a sneering smile on his face.

The inclusion of Xu Mu and Lan Shijin would indeed increase the strength of the team, but it could also bring about complications should a conflict arise.

Not long after, dozens of small flying boats were released by practitioners from the three major families. Several people boarded each boat, and they ascended into the sky, transforming into streaks of light, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

leaving behind disoriented loose cultivators on the ground.

Those who had hoped to follow behind and leverage the chance…

Heh!

The startled birds flew over the heads of the crowd in waves..