19: Family feud

Xu Changsheng's appearance was somewhat unexpected, but Zhou Luo still received him in the main hall.

"Brother Zhou, you have truly soared to great heights now," Xu Changsheng said, sitting on a chair with a chuckle.

"These are merely external things; I actually envy your Qi Cultivation Stage 2 cultivation, Brother Xu," Zhou Luo replied, waving his hand.

"Please, do not flatter me." Xu Changsheng said, suddenly changing the subject with a somewhat desolate expression: "After parting today, I fear we may never see each other again."

"What do you mean by that, Brother Xu?" Zhou Luo could not help but be puzzled.

"Has Brother Zhou not heard about the Family's recent conscription of Cultivators to go to the front lines?" Xu Changsheng asked, surprised.

Zhou Luo shook his head.

During this time, he had been busy with Alchemy and had no time to pay attention to outside matters.

Xu Changsheng sighed: "That is true, Brother Zhou's status is different now, but it is pitiful for us Matrilocal Son-in-laws, who are to be sent by this Lin Family to the front lines to die in vain."

By the end of his sentence, a trace of obvious reluctance flashed across his face.

Unlike most Matrilocal Son-in-laws, Xu Changsheng had a very clear understanding of his situation.

When he was rejected by the Azure Origin Sect, he had chosen to join the Lin Family almost without hesitation.

Even after learning he would become a Matrilocal Son-in-law, he had no regrets.

Because he knew very well that this was the price he had to pay to continue his cultivation; for the sake of being able to cultivate immortality, he felt all these sacrifices were worth it.

Therefore, after arriving at the Family, he had always been diligent, even making many friends—all to strengthen himself and improve his cultivation.

But in the eyes of the Lin Family, he was just a Matrilocal Son-in-law after all.

Now that the Family needed him, they naturally discarded him without hesitation.

Even though he had fathered offspring with Spiritual Roots for the Family.

"Is Brother Xu not only at Qi Cultivation Stage 2?" Zhou Luo asked, surprised.

Ordinary Cultivators usually only possess combat capability at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

For a Cultivator like Xu Changsheng at Qi Cultivation Stage 2, that little bit of Spiritual Qi was completely negligible.

Sending him to fight was no different from sending him to die.

"Sigh! Although I cannot fight, I can always do other things. Besides, the Family has recently recruited another batch of Matrilocal Son-in-laws…" Xu Changsheng said with a deep gaze.

This made Zhou Luo frown.

Was the Lin Family's current situation really this dangerous?

Just as Zhou Luo was pondering, Xu Changsheng suddenly stood up and knelt before him with a thud: "I implore Brother Zhou to save me."

"What are you doing?" Zhou Luo was startled and hurriedly tried to help him up.

Xu Changsheng stubbornly knelt on the ground: "Brother Zhou is still a son-in-law of the Lin Family, and your status is worlds apart from us Matrilocal Son-in-laws. Please, I beg you to put in a good word for me within the Family; I will definitely be eternally grateful."

As he spoke, he made a move to kowtow.

Zhou Luo hurriedly stopped him: "Brother Xu, what are you saying?"

When Xu Changsheng looked up, his expression was bitter: "Actually, I am no different from you; both of us are insignificant, so how would I have the ability to intercede?"

"Brother Zhou."

Xu Changsheng's eyes were red, as if he regarded the other party as his last straw.

But Zhou Luo knew well that this matter was not something he could decide.

Such a major Family affair—let alone a small Matrilocal Son-in-law like Xu Changsheng—even Family disciples would be sent to the front lines.

If he hadn't revealed his talent for Alchemy and gained the Family's favor, he would probably have been arranged to be sent to the front lines to die as well.

At such a critical juncture, being able to protect oneself was already a great stroke of luck.

So, no matter what Xu Changsheng said, Zhou Luo indicated that he was helpless.

In the end, Xu Changsheng left in low spirits.

Looking at the only Matrilocal Son-in-law he had any contact with, Zhou Luo shook his head slightly.

He planned to go to the Spirit Vein Blessed Land tomorrow to go into seclusion, to avoid being caught up in this war.

But before he could head to the Spirit Vein Blessed Land, the steward Lin Fu came looking for him.

Seeing this steward again, he no longer had his previous indifference; instead, there was a faint sorrow between his brows, clearly also affected by this incident.

Lin Fu's appearance made Zhou Luo's heart skip a beat.

But fortunately, the Family had not arranged for him to go to the front lines, only asking him to help the Family refine Medicinal Pills.

Hearing the Family's arrangement, Zhou Luo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed that appropriately demonstrating one's value was indeed necessary.

Following Lin Fu to Shouchun Garden.

Zhou Luo was surprised to find that there were some extra guards here.

Upon arriving at the Pill Refining Room, he discovered that there were also some unfamiliar faces here.

After Lin Fu's introduction, he learned that these people were all Alchemists trained by the Family.

Most were at the Entry-Level, and a small portion were First-Order Medium Grade.

Zhou Luo glanced around casually, estimating there were about eight or nine people in the room.

It seemed the Lin Family's foundation was not low either.

Because Lin Zhishou was in seclusion, he did not come out, and Zhou Luo was assigned to the same area as Lin Nian.

This nominal Senior Brother saw Zhou Luo, but his attitude remained cold, and he didn't even acknowledge his greeting.

Zhou Luo didn't care.

Refining Medicinal Pills here was better than going to the front lines to die.

Thus, in the following days, Zhou Luo basically ate, drank, and lived in Shouchun Garden.

Staying in the Pill Refining Room all day, Zhou Luo did not know how the war was going outside.

But seeing the daily requirements constantly increasing, he vaguely guessed that the situation was not optimistic.

According to past precedents, if there were no variables, this battle would last at least one or two months.

During this time, it was actually quite easy for Zhou Luo.

Because he only needed to refine Entry-Level Medicinal Pills.

Plus, since everyone was busy and no one was paying attention to him, he didn't need to be as restrained as before.

Half a month later.

The war situation finally saw a turning point.

Lin Zhishou had a Breakthrough.

He had been stuck at First-Order High Grade for many years; this time, because of the Family's pressure, he finally took that step and entered the First-Order Top-Grade.

Thus, the Lin Family had its first First-Order Top-Grade Alchemist.

Among the hundred arts of cultivating immortality, only the four major arts were most popular among Cultivators.

Because these four major arts often had the ability to change the situation of a battle, and could even turn defeat into victory single-handedly.

Although Lin Zhishou, who became a First-Order Top-Grade Alchemist, was not that terrifying, because of his joining, the Lin Family's combat power was clearly improved.

The most significant thing was that the healing Medicinal Pills Zhou Luo refined each day became much fewer.

This meant that the losses of the Lin Family members on the front lines had also decreased.

On the twenty-eighth day of the war, both sides finally chose to cease fighting.

Zhou Luo and the others also felt relieved and left Shouchun Garden one after another.

Returning home, Zhou Luo dove onto Lin Qinghan's bed and fell fast asleep.

Nearly a month of high-intensity Alchemy had left him exhausted, and he could finally rest.

When Zhou Luo woke up again, it was already the next morning.

Lin Qinghan was sitting at the head of the bed, holding the sleeping little Chang'an, looking at him quietly, her expression gentle.

"You are awake?"

Zhou Luo rubbed his temples and sat up: "How long did I sleep?"

"A day and a night," Lin Qinghan replied.

Zhou Luo nodded, then clutched his stomach and said: "I'm hungry."

Lin Qinghan smiled faintly: "Feiying has already prepared the food."

Hearing this, he immediately jumped out of bed and rushed towards the dining room.

At the dining table, Zhou Luo ate the spiritual food prepared by Lin Feiying while listening to Lin Yiyi talk about the situation at the front lines.

This conflict with the Lu Family had caused the Lin Family heavy losses.

Just the Family disciples alone lost over fifty, and two-thirds of the Matrilocal Son-in-laws sent to the front lines died.

The latter didn't affect the Family, but the former was a major blow.

It is estimated that the Lin Family will have to deceive many more Matrilocal Son-in-laws to join the Family again.

Fortunately, Xu Changsheng returned alive, though he lost an arm.

But because it did not affect his ability to have children, the Family kept him.

Zhou Luo had intended to go see him after eating, but was called to Shouchun Garden by Lin Zhishou.