385: The Four Levels of Pretending

When a Foundation Establishment Cultivator first breaks through, they normally continue in secluded cultivation for a few days to stabilize their cultivation and familiarize themselves with their surging power. Unless there are special circumstances, few Foundation Establishment Cultivators show their faces immediately after breaking through.

With members of the Liu Family successfully breaking through to become Foundation Establishment Cultivators one after another, Liu Xuan had originally been glad that the Yin-Yang Transformation Grand Formation had blocked the commotion caused by the Breakthroughs, allowing them to develop low-key in the future.

But that boy, the Fourth Son, just had to go out and show off right after his Breakthrough. The commotion he caused was even greater than the fluctuations of the spiritual clouds during the Breakthrough, making it so the whole city knew.

“Dad! You’ve misunderstood. I did this precisely to better stabilize my cultivation Realm!”

Seeing that Liu Xuan was truly a bit angry, Daocheng hurried forward to explain, “After my successful Breakthrough, I also wanted to quietly stabilize my Realm, but I just couldn't settle my mind. The thought that no one was witnessing such an important moment made my whole body feel uncomfortable!”

“So after all that talk, you caused such a big scene just to manifest your saintliness before others, just to show off?”

Daocheng didn't argue. Instead, he nodded and asked in return, “Father, what do you think is the meaning of living in this world and Cultivating diligently?”

“What is it?” Liu Xuan asked with interest.

“It’s to show off!” Daocheng said with a serious face. “Raising one's Realm, gaining power, earning money—isn't the ultimate goal of everything just to show off?”

“Hehe!” Liu Xuan laughed out of anger, but he didn't scold the Fourth Son. Instead, he nodded slightly and said, “What you say has some merit, but do you know that showing off also has different Realms?”

“What are the different Realms?” the Fourth Son asked curiously.

“Showing off can be simply divided into four Realms. The first Realm, Elementary: deliberate flaunting,” Liu Xuan pointed a finger at him. “What you just did was Elementary showing off.”

“What about the later Realms?” The Fourth Son was a bit unconvinced, but also felt his father’s words made sense.

“The second Realm, Initiate: indirect suggestion. The key to showing off is to make others believe it. Praising yourself through the words of others is often more effective than appearing in person.”

Daocheng thought about it carefully, and his eyes suddenly lit up. He nodded repeatedly and asked, “Then what about the last two?”

“The third Realm, Advanced: returning to basics. The purpose of showing off is to shock others. Advanced showing off must be unexpected. Don't make a move normally, but at the critical moment, blind everyone's eyes so they remember that moment forever.”

“The fourth Realm, Great Master: invisible showing off. This Realm has already integrated showing off into daily life; there's no need to 'show' at all. As long as he appears, his aura and social circle carry their own persuasiveness. Victory without a move.”

The Fourth Son stood frozen on the spot. The more he thought about it, the more he felt his father's words were the ultimate truth. Compared to his father, his methods of showing off were indeed too low-level.

It was laughable that he used to think his father was low-key and didn't know how to display his strength. It turned out his own Realm was simply not high enough to understand.

Recalling all sorts of things from the past, the Fourth Son suddenly felt that every word and action of his father was profound and contained great wisdom.

“Dad!” Daocheng fell to his knees before Liu Xuan with a thud. “Please teach me!”

“I cannot teach you this; you must realize it for yourself!”

“However, the prerequisite for all showing off is that you must have strength. Otherwise, instead of showing off, you'll become a joke. What you need to do most right now is to go into seclusion and stabilize your cultivation.”

“Fine! I'll go into seclusion right now to stabilize my Realm.”

Daocheng rose and bowed, then immediately headed to the underground Yin Sha Hall to go into seclusion.

‘I finally managed to trick this boy's mind back onto improving his strength!’ Looking at the direction the Fourth Son had left, Liu Xuan slowly shook his head... A few days later.

Liu Xuan thought the Fourth Son would be quiet for a while this time, but he didn't expect him to say his Realm was already stable and come out of seclusion immediately.

After coming out, he didn't continue to flaunt his Foundation Establishment cultivation everywhere. Instead, he led several brothers to follow Yun Xian and handle business for the Beast Taming Sect.

The Sixth Son Dao Ming, the Seventh Son Dao Shun, the Ninth Son Ninth Son, and the Tenth Son Dao Ping—these four were all the Fourth Son's die-hard followers. The four brothers obtained Beast Taming Sect Disciples magic robes from the Sect, and whenever they met someone, they would say their fourth brother was the Personal Disciple of the Great Immortal Master Yun Xian, and that anyone with trouble could find their fourth brother to solve it.

Yun Xian was at the Late Golden Core Stage. In many people's eyes, she was the true master of Great Sun City. No one dared to pretend to be her Personal Disciple to her face.

Daocheng had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm a few days ago, and now he was the Personal Disciple of the Great Immortal Master Yun Xian. Through this series of operations, he not only gained the admiration of his siblings in the Liu Residence, but even many Beast Taming Sect Disciples in the city knew of such a character.

Liu Xuan didn't pay much attention after finding out. There was nothing wrong with liking to show off; if guided correctly, it could even become a driving force for diligent cultivation.

In terms of educating his offspring, Liu Xuan practiced teaching according to their natural talents, without discrimination. He didn't force them to do things exactly according to his standards. As long as they didn't cross the bottom line and cultivated hard, Liu Xuan would give them his full support.

With Yun Xian guarding Great Sun City and now the eldest and Fourth Sons having broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, Liu Xuan took the opportunity to return to the Red Pine Sect to take a look.

Red Pine Sect.

The iconic red pine tree on the mountain peak had now become a five-colored spirit tree. However, Xiao Changfeng was still the Sect Master of the Red Pine Sect in name, and Liu Xuan had not changed the Sect's name for the time being.

Under the jade phoenix tree in the South Courtyard, Lin Xue'er and Liu Miao sat side by side, both holding a booklet and writing or drawing. A large pile of booklets was also stacked on the jade table, with several maidservants responsible for organizing them.

Several four or five-year-old children lay on the table watching curiously. One small boy suddenly asked, “Aunt Miao, where did big brothers and sisters go? I haven't seen them for a long time.”

Liu Miao stopped her pen, reached out to stroke the little boy's head, and smiled. “Big brothers and sisters have all gone to your father's place to Cultivate. Little De Ming must also study hard to become a powerful Cultivator in the future!”

“Mhm!” Little De Ming nodded vigorously. “I will definitely surpass my big brothers and sisters and be stronger than all of them!”

Liu Miao smiled knowingly. She didn't think the child's goal was too big, because De Ming was the son of Immortal Master Yue Li, a super Genius with a First-grade Spiritual Root, and currently the child with the highest Spiritual Root talent in the Liu Family.

De Ming's Spiritual Root talent was also strictly confidential information in the Liu Family. Except for a few people like Yue Li, Lin Xue'er, and Liu Miao who knew, the other Concubines all thought he only had a Third-grade Spirit Root.

“Buzz~”

A golden great sun flying boat pierced through the air. While the Flying Boat was still outside the Sect Grand Formation, Liu Xuan had already appeared under the jade phoenix tree via air-evasion.

“Daddy!”

“Daddy!”

...Several children pounced on Liu Xuan. Their voices caught the attention of more children nearby, and soon more children, large and small, gathered around.

The order in the Red Pine Sect was stable, and it was protected by the Star Array, making it safer than Great Sun City. Thus, most children under the age of sixteen remained in the Red Pine Sect.

Among them, children aged thirteen to sixteen gained experience in the Sect and the Red Pine Sect's territory. The area near the jade phoenix tree in the South Courtyard was now full of children under thirteen, equivalent to a Liu Clan Primary School.

“De Ming, Xinrou, did you miss Daddy?”

Liu Xuan held a child in each arm and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek.