Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Ji Xiu’s Handwritten Letter

The tone of Daoist Ji’s letter was as placid as ever.

He first informed Li Ping that his master, Yan Guikai, had passed away shortly after the new year. Before his passing, he had left a final letter for Li Ping, which was enclosed with this one.

Daoist Ji had made a special trip to attend Master Yan Guikai’s funeral. He then stayed at the Sword Casting Manor for a period to oversee things, ensuring a stable transition of power in the post-Yan Guikai era.

Under his watch, Master Yan Guikai’s son, Yan Jingxing, had successfully taken over as Manor Master, with no one in the Manor daring to object.

’That’s Third Brother.’ Upon seeing Yan Jingxing’s name, the image of a heroic and righteous man immediately appeared in Li Ping’s mind.

This Third Brother of his was forthright and magnanimous, and he always took great care of the younger martial brothers at the Manor.

When Li Ping first joined the Sword Casting Manor to practice martial arts, he had received a great deal of care from him.

Even after Li Ping became a Cultivator under Daoist Ji’s guidance, he maintained a close relationship with him. This continued until Li Ping eventually chose to leave the Jiang Kingdom and venture to the Immortal City in search of an opportunity for Foundation Establishment.

Although they hadn’t been able to meet since, Li Ping, his master, and his Third Brother still kept in touch through letters. Li Ping had also sent back many Spirit Pills and wondrous medicines that were useful to mortals.

It could be said that aside from his master, Yan Guikai, Third Brother was the person Li Ping was closest to at the Sword Casting Manor.

Now, a large part of the reason his Third Brother was able to take over as Manor Master was likely because he had a good relationship with Li Ping and could speak with Li Ping, the ’Immortal’.

"Third Brother must be over fifty now," Li Ping sighed softly.

When he left the Jiang Kingdom, his Third Brother, Yan Jingxing, was still in the prime of his life. More than twenty years had passed; Li Ping’s appearance remained youthful, but his Third Brother, now over fifty, had probably begun to show his age.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Li Ping continued reading.

What Daoist Ji wrote next, however, was a source of great comfort to Li Ping.

Daoist Ji told Li Ping that while attending Master Yan Guikai’s funeral, he had also taken the opportunity to test the Spiritual Roots of all the children in the Manor who were twelve years or older.

To his surprise, he discovered that Third Brother Yan Jingxing’s twelve-year-old eldest grandson actually possessed a Spiritual Root. Although it was only the worst kind, a Five Spirit Root, having one meant he could become a Cultivator.

Daoist Ji mentioned that he had already taught Third Brother’s eldest grandson a Basic Skill and was guiding him in Qi Refining.

In fact, back when Li Ping was still in the Jiang Kingdom, he had tested the Spiritual Roots of everyone at the Sword Casting Manor who was over twelve. Afterward, he would test the children who turned twelve each year.

Even after he left the Jiang Kingdom, he had asked Daoist Ji to help by visiting every few years to test for Spiritual Roots.

But not a single person with a Spiritual Root had ever been found. Every time the test results were announced, his master would sigh in regret.

To think that after decades of finding no one with a Spiritual Root, Daoist Ji would discover that his master’s great-grandson possessed one at his funeral, right after his life had come to an end.

Thinking of this, Li Ping couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.

He thought that if his master had known before his death that his own great-grandson had a Spiritual Root, he would have had far fewer regrets.

...

After discussing matters of the Sword Casting Manor, Daoist Ji moved on to his own recent situation.

He said that one of his granddaughters, upon turning twelve, was tested and found to have a Dual Spirit Root aptitude.

Reading this part, Li Ping could almost feel Daoist Ji’s happiness and joy through the exuberant calligraphy.

Daoist Ji told Li Ping that the Jiang Kingdom was ruled by the ’Jiang family’ Cultivation Clan. Outsiders, even if they married into the Jiang family, would find it difficult to gain their trust. They would receive very few cultivation resources and instead have to spend their entire lives toiling for the main Jiang bloodline.

Therefore, he had decided to send his granddaughter to join the Crimson Flame Sect, a Core Formation Sect in the neighboring Yun Kingdom.

However, the path between the Jiang and Yun Kingdoms was frequented by rogue cultivators. Fearing danger, Daoist Ji had not yet made the trip.

The matter he had wanted to discuss in his previous letter was a request for Li Ping’s help in escorting his granddaughter to the gates of the Crimson Flame Sect to become a disciple.

In the end, although Li Ping was unable to get away, he had sent several Tier One Upper Grade Spirit Talismans in his reply to Daoist Ji.

With several Tier One Upper Grade Spirit Talismans as their trump card, Daoist Ji and his two Middle-stage Qi Refining sons set out and managed to escort his granddaughter to the gates of the Crimson Flame Sect without any real danger, where she successfully joined the Sect.

On their way back, relying on the Tier One Upper Grade Spirit Talismans, the three of them even managed to turn the tables and kill a gang of three Middle-stage Qi Refining rogue cultivators who tried to rob them, resulting in a small windfall.

He was preparing to use this windfall to rent a Tier One Spiritual Land and manage his family’s affairs.

Finally, Daoist Ji expressed his gratitude for Li Ping’s gift of the Spirit Talismans.

Daoist Ji possessed a Five Spirit Root. He had stepped onto the Immortal Dao by a stroke of luck, but limited by his own aptitude, he had only reached the Qi Refining Third Level by the age of forty.

Thus, he decisively chose to abandon the Immortal Dao, marry, have children, and propagate his family line.

In the second generation of the Ji family, two members had Spiritual Roots, but their aptitude was poor; both were Five Spirit Roots.

Li Ping had met both of them. They both worked in a nearby market town, and their Cultivation was merely average.

Now, a Cultivator with a Dual Spirit Root had appeared in the third generation of the Ji family, and she had successfully joined the Core Formation Sect, the Crimson Flame Sect. She had a chance to reach Foundation Establishment in the future.

Moreover, although the Ji family was a Cultivation Clan, they didn’t even have a tiered Spiritual Land. Their members could only scatter and work in market towns to earn cultivation resources.

Daoist Ji said in his letter that he was preparing to rent a Tier One Spiritual Land. Once they had it, his clansmen would no longer need to work in the market towns. They could stay within the family to manage the Spiritual Land and strengthen the clan.

They were upgrading from hired hands to business owners.

After finishing the letter, Li Ping felt a genuine, heartfelt happiness for Daoist Ji.

Daoist Ji had struggled for half his life, and now he finally had the means to rent a Tier One Spiritual Land to serve as his family’s foundation.

Furthermore, his granddaughter had a Dual Spirit Root aptitude and had a chance to become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the future.

Although she was now a Sect Cultivator after joining the sect in the neighboring kingdom and would no longer be able to serve her family with all her heart and soul, she was, in the end, a source of underlying strength for the Ji family.

If the Ji family continued to manage their affairs steadily for another generation or two, they might be able to purchase a tiered Spiritual Land of their own and become a true Cultivation Clan with its own territory.

...

Li Ping then thought that if it weren’t for his own ’cheat’, he might have ended up on a similar path to Daoist Ji, focused on managing a family.

Of course, as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his starting point would be much higher than Daoist Ji’s.

’Master’s final letter said he hoped I would look after his descendants. This is his dying wish.’

Li Ping thought to himself, ’Third Brother’s eldest grandson only has a Five Spirit Root. If he stays in the Jiang Kingdom, he’ll likely languish in the early to middle stages of Qi Refining for his entire life. But if he comes to the Immortal City to cultivate, with my personal guidance and a generous supply of resources like Pills, it shouldn’t be difficult for him to reach Late-stage Qi Refining.’

’Master and Third Brother were both mentors to me. It’s only right that I look after their descendants.’

’I’ll ask Daoist Ji for help. He can send Third Brother’s grandson to the Immortal City!’

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