74: Ten years of hard work, and distinguished guests flock to our door.

Zhou Qianer's heart pounded.

Her husband's meaning was crystal clear; he was encouraging her to facilitate this matter and even promised great rewards.

But... persuade Xuan Tian?

She recalled her son's calm eyes, and her confidence wavered.

Since he was a child, Xuan Tian had never asked her for anything.

She had originally calculated that Xuan Lin had high talent and high standards, and likely wouldn't be interested in a daughter of the Tao Family.

Xuan Qing was obsessed with practicing spear techniques, wishing he could sleep on the martial arts field.

Xuan Jin had married Zhao Qingwan, and his focus was entirely on cultivation and Family affairs.

After considering all options, the one with the steadiest temperament and the most likely to form a bond with the Tao Family seemed to be only Xuan Tian.

She even privately felt that Tao Zhiwei was a calm and intelligent girl who would be a good match for Xuan Tian's temperament... but her husband's concerns were valid; the friendship between the two families was still shallow, and a direct proposal would indeed be abrupt.

"Sigh..."

She couldn't help but sigh softly, burying her face back into Qi Yuan's neck, her voice muffled.

"Husband, Tian'er's temperament... I cannot guarantee that I can persuade him.

He has had his own ideas since he was young. He looks gentle, but he is actually very stubborn deep down."

Qi Yuan stroked her back and also let out a silent sigh.

The Primordial Yang body must not be easily broken; this was common knowledge in cultivation.

The three sons born to Su Wantang—Xuan Lin, Xuan Qing, and Xuan Tong—possessed extraordinary talent, and he strictly required them to preserve their Primordial Yang to advance their cultivation.

As the eldest son, Xuan Jin was mature and steady, having his own considerations.

Xuan Tian... was indeed the most suitable candidate as things stood.

How could he not understand Qianer's worries, and how could he not be aware of the unspeakable selfishness and coercion within his arrangement?

Nowadays, the Qi Family seemed to have established a firm foothold in Cloud Dream County, with preliminary cooperation with the Wu Family and Tao Family, appearing stable on the surface.

But the Wu Family's excessive "enthusiasm" always left a trace of unease in his heart, coupled with the Lin Family's ambiguous attitude.

But... offspring were not Puppets after all.

A hint of self-mockery flashed through Qi Yuan's heart.

In the eyes of others, Qi Yuan was in his prime, his cultivation was not weak for the Qi Refinement Stage, and he had three Dao Companions by his side.

If he truly wanted more children, why was there a need to rush and pressure his sons? He could just work hard himself.

But how could they know the secret of the "Child Seal"?

The five Child Seals were the escape route he had paved for himself... In the blink of an eye, several more years passed.

The younger generation of the Qi Family gradually grew up, and many were already able to handle things on their own.

Qi Yuan gradually delegated the clan's mundane affairs to his wives and capable children, significantly lightening the burden on his shoulders.

Finally, he had more time to focus on his own cultivation and core Family affairs.

The Talisman trade with the Wu Family was on track, requiring no personal intervention from him.

Su Wantang possessed both talent and perseverance in the Dao of Talismans; after eighteen years of dedicated immersion, she could now stably draw several types of first-tier mid-grade talismans, enough to manage this important Family source of wealth.

However, the spirit plant business with the Tao Family, especially that one first-tier High Grade spirit plant, still required his personal care and regulation of Spiritual Qi.

No one in the Family had yet broken through to Late Stage Qi Refining, and their grasp of the subtle Spiritual Qi required for the growth of High Grade spirit plants was still somewhat lacking.

On this early morning, the mist atop Green Cloud Mountain had not yet dispersed.

Qi Yuan stood on a blue stone at the edge of a cliff, his figure seemingly merging into the swirling mist.

Without any visible movement of his feet, he glided silently over ten zhang, like an inconspicuous gray shadow in the forest.

Suddenly in front, suddenly behind, his trajectory unpredictable—it was precisely the "Forest Darting Steps" he had obtained from Old Man Hu Cha.

After years of bitter cultivation, this footwork technique had long been practiced to the state of Perfection, and his movements within a small space were as ghostly as could be.

When executed with full effort, crossing a distance of twenty zhang in an instant was not difficult; in a fight between Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators, it was truly a Sharp Weapon for saving one's life and defeating enemies.

His steps stopped abruptly, a green light flashed in his hand, and the azure profound sword he had nurtured for many years was already in his grasp.

The dharmic power within his body flowed abundantly, the sword blade hummed, and a layer of misty green Qi quickly condensed.

Qi Yuan's gaze sharpened, his wrist flicked slightly, and a streak of green Sword Qi, condensed as if solid, shot out from the sword.

Seemingly slow but actually fast, carrying vibrant vitality and restrained sharpness, it silently slashed toward the light barrier of the Mountain Protection Array covering the summit.

"Buzz—!"

The moment the Sword Qi touched the light barrier, the calm barrier suddenly rippled violently.

Like a lake surface with a huge stone thrown in, ripples spread outward layer by layer, emitting a low boom, and the Spiritual Qi of the entire summit was thrown into chaos.

Qi Yuan stood with his sword sheathed, looking at the slowly calming Formation barrier, but there was little joy on his face.

Although the Yimu Longevity Sword Art was not known for its offensive power, the might of this single strike had already far exceeded the limit of an ordinary Eighth Layer of Qi Refining Cultivator, which was enough to satisfy him.

However... he looked inward at himself; the dharmic power in his Meridians flowed like a stream, carrying the unique warm and nourishing intent of the Yimu Longevity Sword Art.

After cultivating this technique, the slight hidden injuries he had sustained in his early years due to his Foundation and battles had long since healed. His blood and Qi were abundant, his Lifespan was nearly ten years longer than that of Cultivators of the same rank, and his state was maintained at its Peak.

But with his Low Grade Five Spiritual Roots Aptitude, once he reached Late Stage Qi Refining, every bottleneck was like a boulder blocking the way. Without external help, relying on himself alone would be difficult.

"It is time to take Medicinal Pills."

Qi Yuan muttered to himself.

Since breaking through to Late Stage Qi Refining, he had rarely taken Medicinal Pills to assist his cultivation, mostly relying on his Cultivation Technique and the accumulation of the Spiritual Vein.

But now it seemed that if he wanted to touch the threshold of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining as soon as possible, the power of Medicinal Pills was indispensable.

He put aside his thoughts, and with a few flickers of his figure, he arrived at a small medicinal field specifically cleared next to his Immortal Cave.

The field was shrouded in a faint white cold mist, within which a dozen or so strangely shaped spirit plants were neatly arranged.

Their stems were nearly transparent, with faint pulses of flowing light.

Their leaves were long and narrow like swords, with sharp silver serrations on the edges and pale gold veins.

At the top of each plant was a cluster of milky white mist that constantly changed shape, condensed and not dispersing.

It was exactly the "condensing jade sword fungus".

Years ago, Tao Mingqian had personally delivered seedlings and cultivation methods, requesting Qi Yuan to attempt planting them.

This item had extremely harsh environmental requirements, needing year-round nourishment from pure and gentle water and wood dual-attribute Spiritual Qi. The spiritual rain used for irrigation could not have any Impurities, and the "Condensing Jade Mist" at the top required a delicate balance.

Relying on his understanding of spirit plants and the careful regulation of the Green Cloud Mountain Spiritual Vein, Qi Yuan spent nearly ten years of effort to finally Cultivate them to maturity.

Looking at these lustrous, full, and spiritually vibrant sword fungi, Qi Yuan felt much more cheerful.

When Tao Mingqian spent ten Spirit Stones at the Hundred Flavors Studio to ask him to take on this commission, he probably hadn't expected it to actually succeed.

"Father."

A steady voice sounded from behind him.

Qi Yuan turned his head and saw it was Qi Xuantian.

The young man in his early twenties had shed his youthful greenness; his face appeared more resolute, and his temperament was calm.

Over these years, his cultivation progress had been somewhat faster than in his early years, and he was now at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

Perhaps as he grew older and his Heart-Nature broadened, his current cultivation was showing considerable results.

"Young Miss Tao has arrived."

Qi Xuantian reported.

Qi Yuan nodded and went out with him to greet them.

Before long, two figures were seen descending on flying Magical Artifacts.

The one in the lead was Tao Zhiwei; she had grown increasingly elegant and her posture was upright. Her cultivation was impressively at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, a rapid advancement.

Half a step behind her followed an unfamiliar Middle-aged Cultivator with a thick aura, possessing a cultivation of the Qi Refining Seventh Layer. He was an Elder of the Tao Family named Tao Mingyu.