35: Second Life: First Steps on the Immortal Path (The End)

In the final moments of Xu Yuan's life, Family affairs had long been handed over to the Juniors.

Most of the time, he simply leaned on the soft couch by the window, watching the flowers bloom and fall in the courtyard, the clouds roll and unfurl, quietly awaiting the arrival of his final day.

However, the gears of destiny did not stop turning.

Within the Family, a youth named Xu Xingchen had a naturally pure Spiritual Root, was extremely sensitive to Spiritual Qi, and possessed a Comprehension Ability and a calm Heart-Nature that far exceeded his peers, making even many elders feel inferior.

When the elderly Xu Yuan first saw Xu Xingchen demonstrate techniques and explain his insights on how to Cultivate, a startling light suddenly burst forth from his once turbid and dim eyes, as if a dried-up riverbed had been replenished with clear spring water.

He saw the hope for the true rise of the Xu Family.

Regardless of his old age and declining health, he utilized the last bit of connections he had accumulated in the desolate regions of the past and exhausted a huge price from the Family to finally secure an Opportunity for Xu Xingchen to go to the Upper Sects, the "Burning Sun Upper Sect," to participate in the assessment for an Outer Sect Disciple.

In the quiet room, the fragrance of medicine curled in the air.

Xu Yuan dismissed everyone, leaving only the youth with clear eyes who was slightly nervous yet exceptionally firm—Xu Xingchen.

The old man's withered hands trembled as he gently placed the heavy token into the youth's hand.

"Xingchen, the future of the Xu Family... is entrusted to you."

Xu Yuan carefully instructed him, imparting all the experience and lessons of his life without reservation.

Xu Xingchen knelt before the couch, listening attentively, and kowtowed three times heavily: "Old Ancestor, rest assured, Xingchen will not let you down! I will definitely bring glory to the Xu Family name!"

The youth left Thousand Cloud City with the expectations of the entire Family, heading towards the core of that vast and boundless world of cultivation.

The days of waiting were long and agonizing.

Months later, a Spirit Crane flew through the clouds, bringing heart-stirring news:

Xu Xingchen had successfully passed the assessment and was officially accepted into the Burning Sun Upper Sect as an Outer Sect Disciple!

The news spread through the entire Xu Family like a spring breeze, and the whole Family rejoiced!

In the quiet room, Xu Yuan sat upright on the meditation cushion, listening to the cheers outside, a gratified smile appearing in his turbid eyes.

He believed that this child would surely lead the Xu Family to an unprecedented height in the future and see even broader scenery.

It was a pity, however, that his Lifespan was exhausted, his oil was spent, and his consciousness was gradually blurring.

The cheers in the distance also seemed to be separated by a thick veil, gradually fading away.

The sound of breathing in the quiet room gradually settled into silence.

...

In the endless Void Realm.

Xu Yuan was somewhat dazed.

In this life, he had experienced two hundred years, living the complete life of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Settle the experiences of the previous life."

As Xu Yuan's thoughts moved, he summoned the illusory panel.

[You were born into a cultivation Family, born as the son of the Family head. From the moment you were born, you carried the hopes of the entire Family. Benefiting from the skewed resources of the Family, you reached the 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation at a young age.]

[However, the Family Old Ancestor's Lifespan was nearly exhausted and he was close to passing away. A Family about to lose its Foundation Establishment Cultivator was like a lonely boat in a storm, enduring the prying eyes of countless scoundrels hiding in the shadows.]

[Facing the schemes of the Wu Family, which was also a Foundation Establishment Family, you played along. While utilizing the resources of the Wu Family to Cultivate, you quietly contacted the Sun Family.]

[After successfully breaking through to the Late Qi Condensation Stage, you no longer hid yourself. You contacted the Sun Family to attack the Wu Family together. After the battle, the Family Old Ancestor perished along with the Wu Family Ancestor. Fortunately, the Sun Family Ancestor was also severely injured.]

[The combat strength you displayed drew the wariness of the Sun Family, so after annihilating the Wu Family, the Sun Family did not turn against you and instead shared the Wu Family's assets with you.]

[After dividing the resources of the Wu Family, the Sun Family became restless. Your father risked everything to forcefully attempt a Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. Although he failed, he coincidentally condensed a pseudo-Foundation, which deterred the Sun Family Ancestor and bought you thirty years.]

[However, you knew deeply that with your Aptitude, relying solely on the Foundation Establishment method of the Xu Family in Thousand Cloud City was not enough to allow you to successfully Breakthrough. Therefore, you chose to leave Thousand Cloud City and began to wander the cultivation world, looking for an Opportunity that could assist you in breaking through to Foundation Establishment.]

[After years of traveling, you heard that an Upper Sect was opening up a desolate region and recruiting Loose Cultivators with a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward. You resolutely went there and began to work for the Burning Sun Upper Sect, fighting against Yao Beasts in the desolate region.]

[Over twenty years, you killed countless Yao Beasts and finally, with the help of your Dao Companion, accumulated enough merit to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.]

[At your current age, you have passed the optimal time for Foundation Establishment, your blood and Qi have declined, and you sustained hidden injuries in your early years that affected your Foundation. You know that even if you obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill now, the probability of your successful Foundation Establishment is not high.]

[However, you are unwilling to stop here. Without the slightest hesitation, you swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill and began to circulate the Family's Foundation Establishment method to start condensing your Dao Foundation, attempting a Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.]

[After a life-or-death Breakthrough, you successfully reached Foundation Establishment, but it is a pity that the hidden injuries still affected you. The Dao Foundation you condensed can only be considered an incomplete Dao Foundation, basically only capable of stopping at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.]

[You took your Dao Companion and left the desolate region, returning to Thousand Cloud City. Just as you encountered the Sun Family making trouble, you struck out ruthlessly and powerfully killed the Sun Family Ancestor.]

[Your return caused the originally somewhat declining Xu Family to leap into becoming the most powerful Family in Thousand Cloud City.]

[In the days that followed, you did not continue to travel, nor did you continue to Cultivate. Instead, you focused on nurturing the Juniors. Under your personal guidance, your own son, Xu An, successfully broke through to Foundation Establishment, so even after you die, the Xu Family will not fall into decline.]

[In the twilight of your life, a true Genius appeared in your Family. Through the connections you made in the desolate region in the past, you exchanged for an Opportunity for him to go to the Upper Sect for an assessment. He lived up to expectations and successfully stayed in the Upper Sect.]

[You believe that he will lead the Xu Family to an unprecedented height.]

[It is a pity, however, that your Lifespan is exhausted, and you cannot see all of this.]

[You died.]

[Evaluation: The setting sun like blood is the inescapable destiny branded upon you for carrying the rise and fall of the Family; although the Dao Foundation is incomplete, it is the Heaven-Defying glimmer you fought for in a desperate situation. Half a life of borrowing power while walking on thin ice, breaking the situation with wisdom; twenty years of drinking blood in the desolate region, exchanging life for a pill. Even though the Immortal path is rugged and stopped here, you still used your crippled body as a cornerstone, burning the remaining light to nurture new seedlings. You are not a child favored by Heaven, yet with an unyielding will, you paved a path through the thorns and sowed seeds before annihilation; on the day your body perished and your Dao dissipated, the sparks had already started a prairie fire!]

[Evaluation Rank: Mid-Tier B]

[attribute points obtained: 60 points (Realm * Evaluation Rank)]

"Is the evaluation Rank only Mid-Tier B? It seems that only condensing an incomplete Dao Foundation still affected the evaluation. After all, if it weren't for the hidden injuries affecting the Foundation, I could have condensed a flawed Dao Foundation, rather than just an incomplete Dao Foundation that stopped at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage."

Looking at the handwriting appearing on the panel, Xu Yuan pondered, guessing that the reason his evaluation for this life was lower than the previous one might lie in the Dao Foundation.

"Looking at it this way, as the invested attribute points increase, the difficulty of obtaining a higher evaluation has actually increased."

Xu Yuan couldn't help but think.

"But, so what?"

"I can't just stop eating for fear of choking, right?"

"Add points!"

As Xu Yuan thought, the attribute panel changed accordingly.

[Aptitude: 30]

[Comprehension Ability: 30]

[Luck: 20]

[Family Background: 20]

"The attributes of this life are much more luxurious than the last. I wonder how far I can go in this life?"

Xu Yuan no longer hesitated, and with a thought, he was reincarnated, wrapped in a pale blue light.