124: Cousin, Rat and Donkey

"Ever since this Grandson achieved Foundation Establishment, he suddenly realized some truths. Theoretically, everyone has the Five Elements within them.

If many common families live well and have no health issues, their children might also possess a Spiritual Root.

Given such a large population base, there's no shortage of children born with innate Spiritual Roots.

So, once these people are assimilated, they can quickly become an advantage for our Xiao Clan Immortal Family."

This wasn't something Xiao Qingyuan was spouting nonsense about. As a Five Elements Spiritual Root himself, he had a certain sensitivity to the innate talents of others.

He had also just finished overseeing the Spiritual Root detection process.

He had observed a great deal using his spiritual eyes.

He easily came to this conclusion:

Ordinary people don't have Spiritual Roots, but they do have the Five Elements.

They have the chance to develop a Spiritual Root.

It's just that very weak ones easily wither and disappear.

Some people even possess a tiny bit of Five Elements Spiritual Root that doesn't meet detection standards.

These individuals can easily become Martial Forest masters.

He could even detect these people using his spiritual eyes.

This was also the conclusion he reached whenever he went out to look for spirit bones in his free time.

As a result, he didn't find suitable women, but he saw a large number of people suitable for military service.

Xiao Qingyuan explained all this, disregarding their skeptical expressions.

He patted his chest and guaranteed it.

Believe him!

In the future, he would absolutely not let the Xiao Clan Immortal Family suffer any losses!

Although the two were skeptical, Xiao Qingyuan's words were simply too outlandish.

But they still nodded and casually brushed the matter aside.

After all, Xiao Qingyuan was now a Foundation Establishment Immortal. Those commoners, growing like weeds, it was fine if he treated them as a game; if he didn't like them tomorrow, he could just discard them.

If it weren't for fear of attracting the attention of the imperial court, Xiao Qingyuan could even raise a million clan-protecting troops.

After all, Xiao Qingyuan used resources from his own merchant association for these endeavors.

He hadn't used a single Spirit Stone from the Xiao Clan Immortal Family.

Moreover, with a larger population base under their rule, the Xiao Clan Immortal Family's annual Spiritual Root detection would indeed bring in many people in the future.

They could be cultivated from a young age to become Cultivators loyal to the Xiao Clan Immortal Family.

This would also prevent consecutive years of failing to detect any Spiritual Roots.

As for the large amount of manpower required for Spiritual Root detection?

Worst case, after the Xiao Clan Immortal Family crisis passed, they could spend a bit more to find someone outside to refine a second-tier Spirit Measuring Stele.

Thinking this, the two no longer dwelled on the issue.

Instead, they started discussing other matters.

"Alas..." Xiao Tianheng sighed and recounted what had happened at Spoon Mountain today to the two of them.

Then he spoke helplessly, "The matter of the ore vein has finally been temporarily brushed aside. Lu Chen, the one nicknamed Little Pill King, launched a sneak attack and has now fled. When he left, he only took it as an ordinary Spirit Stone mine.

And that Old Eunuch named Li Wencai is now imprisoned in my Cultivation Immortal Cave.

It's a troubled time..."

Xiao Tianheng just couldn't understand.

Why had everything been fine for so many years before?

Back then, this area of Yanggu County had been peaceful for years, with no major incidents.

But ever since that child Qingfeng entered the Immortal Sect,

things had been happening one after another, leaving people overwhelmed.

He was physically and mentally exhausted.

Xiao Qingyuan's mouth twitched.

【Old Eunuch?】

【Could it be him again?】

Wasn't the Old Eunuch Wei Tao mentioned today the one who delivered the imperial decree?

...On the other side.

The dignified Immortal Master, completely forgotten by everyone, was currently very undignifiedly carrying a donkey, preparing to find a place to stay.

So he searched around.

He killed a black bear nearby and then occupied its Immortal Cave.

He planned to spend the night there.

And he left Yi Mao Er there to recuperate.

Although Yi Mao Er was a demon, it was a demon with little intelligence.

At night, it was in so much pain that it kept making loud, cawing noises.

It kept Xiao Qingduo from sleeping.

With great difficulty, he fed it a few more Medicinal Pills to make it fall asleep.

Unexpectedly, the mouse in his arms started to stir again.

Xiao Qingduo felt the movement in his arms, and his expression grew even more astonished.

He quickly pulled Duobao Rat out of his embrace.

Upon seeing it, he was immediately greatly alarmed.

"No way, what kind of mouse is this? I've applied three Spirit Sealing Talismans, front and back, haven't I? Did Seventeenth Brother's Spirit Sealing Talismans fail? Impossible!

If one was wrong, surely all three couldn't be wrong, could they?"

Saying this, he tentatively applied another new Spirit Sealing Talisman into Duobao Rat's body.

A golden light flashed, and Duobao Rat's body immediately stiffened.

So he held the mouse in his hand, turning it over and over, carefully examining it.

He couldn't make heads or tails of it, but then he suddenly noticed something, and his expression became astonished again.

He almost threw it away.

"Hiss..."

"Didn't you, little fellow, just now look half-dead at the first level of Qi Condensation? How did you suddenly become at the fifth level of Qi Condensation now?"

Xiao Qingduo was shocked and terrified.

He had originally thought this mouse was coincidentally dug out from underground when he was fighting the mysterious Cultivator.

Because it looked cute and was full of Spiritual Qi, he had intended to take it back to give to his younger brother as a pet.

Or just give it to any of his younger siblings' wives.

To somewhat repay Xiao Qingyuan for giving him the Dao of Pills Legacy Jade Slip.

He had planned it all so well.

But unexpectedly, every time he applied a Spirit Sealing Talisman,

not long after, this fellow would automatically break free and become more and more energetic.

Now, for some unknown reason, its cultivation had reached the fifth level of Qi Condensation!

Xiao Qingduo's heart skipped a beat.

"Good heavens, I didn't just coincidentally pick up some heavily injured great demon, did I?"

Thinking of this, Xiao Qingduo's body trembled.

He quickly took two steps.

He raised his hand, about to throw it far away.

However, at this very moment, Duobao Rat seemed to suddenly come alive.

It instantly woke up.

Its small, mung bean-like eyes flashed with cunning, and in a blink, it burrowed back into his embrace.

It didn't bite him.

It just refused to come out, no matter what Xiao Qingduo did.

He could only keep pulling out Spirit Sealing Talismans and playing a childish game with it: you stick me, I stiffen; you throw me, I chase.

Xiao Qingduo screamed "Mama!" in terror, not even caring about Yi Mao Er, and bolted towards the direction of the clan.

The next day, when the donkey in the cave woke up.

It suddenly stared blankly at its surroundings.

It didn't find Xiao Qingduo's figure.

The donkey's eyes were momentarily dull.

Realizing what had happened,

it instantly let out a terrified bray that carried far, echoing and spreading through the forest, unable to subside for a long time...