Chapter 249: Double Fourth-Tier Spirit Root, Third Spirit Body Offspring!

A few days later, Lu Changsheng finished consolidating his breakthrough in the Hundred Refined Body Technique. He walked out of Hall of Everlasting Life feeling refreshed.

Standing on Biyun Peak, he gazed out at the vast expanse of blue waters.

Many fishermen were casting their nets in Bishui Lake.

In the Spirit Fields area, the Jade Essence Rice, white as sheep fat jade, glistened in the sunlight with a lustrous and translucent sheen.

The 180 mu of Biwater Rice swayed gently in the Spirit Fields, like emerald lotus buds about to bloom.

In the distance, Ling Zixiao and Master Mo could be seen with several formation masters, still busy with the grand formation.

Lu Changsheng transformed into a streak of light and arrived at his family’s spirit field area to inspect.

“Greetings, Mountain Lord!”

“Greetings, Mountain Lord!”

“Greetings, Mountain Lord!”

From the sheds in the spirit field area, a thin, sallow-faced man in his thirties led several older farmers to pay their respects.

“This Jade Essence Rice looks like it’s about to mature, right?”

Lu Changsheng examined the jade-white Jade Essence Rice in the Spirit Fields and asked the middle-aged man.

“Reporting to the Mountain Lord, the Jade Essence Rice needs faint patterns to appear on its surface to be fully mature.”

“We estimate it will take about another month to reach full maturity.”

The sallow-faced middle-aged man was named Luo Jianghe, a spirit plant cultivator assigned by Lu Miaoyun to manage the Spiri Fields.

“Hmm, not bad.”

Lu Changsheng nodded, observed the Jade Essence Rice for a while, then turned to the Biwater Rice and asked, “How long until this Biwater Rice matures?”

He recalled from the Yu Family’s Biwater Rice cultivation guide that it was considered mature when the grain pods bloomed like lotus flowers.

“Reporting to the Mountain Lord, Biwater Rice takes two and a half years to mature. It still needs about half a year to reach maturity.”

Luo Jianghe replied.

“Take good care of it. When harvest time comes, you’ll receive appropriate rewards.”

After inspecting the Spirit Fields for a while, Lu Changsheng encouraged Luo Jianghe and then headed towards his family’s talisman workshop.

After half a year of education, the Bihu Mountain theory school was gradually transitioning from theory to practice.

Besides the puppet workshop managed by Lu Xian’er, there were also talisman and brewing workshops.

The talisman workshop wasn’t solely for Talisman Masters to draw talismans; it mainly produced talisman paper and spiritual ink.

“Mountain Lord!”

“Mountain Lord!”

Seeing Lu Changsheng arrive, the busy cultivators and workers respectfully greeted him.

“Mm.”

Lu Changsheng nodded in acknowledgment, gesturing for them to continue their work.

“Husband, what brings you here?”

Not far away, Qu Zhenzhen was teaching their daughter Lu Miaozen how to make talisman paper. Seeing Lu Changsheng, she smiled.

She had some experience with talisman paper production from her time at Qingzhu Mountain, so she often came to the talisman workshop to observe and make talisman paper and spiritual ink.

“Hehe, I had some free time and thought I’d come take a look.”

Lu Changsheng said to Qu Zhenzhen, then watched his daughter Lu Miaozen make talisman paper.

The production of ordinary talisman paper was quite simple.

It involved crushing spirit materials, boiling them, using the ‘Purification Technique’ to constantly refine and remove impurities, and finally applying the ‘Spirit Infusion Technique’ to the semi-finished talisman paper to imbue it with spiritual patterns.

The difficulty lay in the ratio of spirit materials, controlling the boiling time, and the proficiency of the Spirit Infusion Technique.

As a Second-Tier Talisman Master, Lu Changsheng was well-versed in these aspects. He had also invited two old masters from Qingzhu Mountain to provide guidance.

“Miaozen, that’s enough.”

Seeing his daughter’s serious face as she performed the Purification Technique on the iron pot, Lu Changsheng spoke gently.

“Father.”

Lu Miaozen finally let out a long breath and wiped her sweat.

She was here at her mother’s insistence and was still unfamiliar with the process, feeling a bit nervous.

“How is it? How do you feel?”

Lu Changsheng asked his daughter.

“It’s a bit boring.”

Lu Miaozen pouted as she spoke.

“Hehe, it’s supposed to be boring. How could this kind of work be fun?”

Lu Changsheng laughed upon hearing this, gently patting his daughter’s hair bun as he spoke softly.

“But Mother insisted on calling me here, saying she wanted to find something for me to do.”

Lu Miaozen said with pursed lips.

“Hehe, your mother just saw that you were bored at home all the time.”

“In a while, when the spirit bees you wanted arrive, you can try raising them for fun.”

Lu Changsheng said with a smile.

This daughter had a 29% talent in Beast Taming.

But she wasn’t interested in raising fish and expressed a desire to raise bees instead.

Among the Beast Taming inheritances he had obtained from Meng Xiaochan, there were several methods for raising spirit bees.

Lu Changsheng indulged her in this and had asked the Ji Family to purchase several types of spirit bees for his daughter to raise.

“Thank you, Father!”

Lu Miaozen’s face lit up with a smile upon hearing this.

“Hmph, you just keep spoiling her!”

Qu Zhenzhen snorted coquettishly upon seeing this.

“Our Miaozen is so well-behaved, how can I not spoil her?”

“The same goes for my dear Zhenzhen. Whatever you want, I’ll do my best to fulfill.”

Lu Changsheng gently embraced Qu Zhenzhen as he spoke.

“Eww~”

Lu Miaozen watched her parents’ display of affection with a helpless, disgusted expression and turned her attention back to her pot.

“There are so many people around.”

Even though they were an old married couple, Qu Zhenzhen still felt a bit embarrassed in public and shyly punched Lu Changsheng lightly.

“Hehe.”

Lu Changsheng chuckled softly and took Qu Zhenzhen on a brief tour of the talisman, brewing, and puppet workshops.

Currently, all three workshops were in the adjustment and training phase, not making any profit and even running at a loss.

Only when these processes became smooth and production followed his given plans could they start to turn a profit.

“Husband, in a few days, it will be time for the Spirit Testing Ceremony.”

When Lu Changsheng and Qu Zhenzhen returned to the Lu Family Mansion, Lu Miaoyun approached Lu Changheng and said.

Logically, with only three children from the Lu Family testing their Spirit Roots this year, there was no need to hold a grand Spirit Testing Ceremony.

But Bihu Mountain still had commoners left behind by the Yu Family.

Although many had moved away, over a hundred households remained.

Most of these commoners had special skills, excelling in fishing and Spirit Rice cultivation.

So Lu Changsheng allowed them to continue living on Bihu Mountain.

He had also settled the children who chose to stay on Bihu Mountain in this small town, letting them manage the town.

Therefore, this Spirit Testing Ceremony wasn’t just for their own family’s children, but also for the people of Lake Mountain Town.

If any of these children possessed Spirit Roots, they could be nurtured in the future and become part of the Lu Family.

“Just hold it as usual.”

Lu Changsheng nodded and said.

Then he chatted with Lu Miaoyun about the family’s ffairs for a while.

Currently, all family matters – Spirit Fields, spiritual herbs, fish production, and the three workshops – had assigned managers.

But these affairs still needed to be reported to Lu Miaoyun.

“Husband, the talisman and brewing workshops should break even and start making a profit in about a year.”

“But as for the puppet workshop…”

Lu Miaoyun said to Lu Changsheg.

She could understand the situation with the talisman and brewing workshops.

After all, these two workshops had invited people from Qingzhu Mountain to help, and the investment wasn’t too large, giving her confidence.

But the puppet workshop only had the puppet inheritance and Lu Xian’er as a puppet master, with a relatively large investment.

In this situation, she wasn’t very optimistic about quickly turning a profit.

“Hehe, don’t worry about the puppet workshop. It should start making a profit by next year.”

Lu Changsheng, hearing the implication in Lu Miaoyun’s words, said.

Among the hundred arts of cultivation, regardless of which one, the simplest way to improve was through practice.

So to help the puppet workshop quickly adjust and improve proficiency, he had already invested several thousand Spirit Stones.

However, puppet making did have one advantage.

If there were problems with the manufactured parts and components, they could at most be melted down and remade, losing only some materials, rather than being a total loss.

“Mm-hmm.”

Lu Miaoyun nodded in response.

She had complete faith in Lu Changsheng’s words, without any doubt.

After all, after years of marriage, Lu Changsheng’s position in her heart was unquestionable.

Four days later.

In Lake Mountain Town.

As this was the Lu Family of Bihu Mountain’s first Spirit Testing Ceremony, Lu Changsheng, the mountain lord, along with Lu Miaoyun, Lu Miaoge, and othrs came to observe.

Lu Changsheng entrusted the task of presiding over the ceremony to his son, Lu Ping’an.

“Lu Qingqing.”

Lu Ping’an called out, looking at the list in his hand, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

He vividly remembered participating in Qingzhu Mountain’s Spirit Testing Ceremony years ago, led by his father Lu Changsheng and mother Lu Lanshu.

Now he had become the one presiding over the Spirit Testing Ceremony.

The little girl whose name was called immediately came to the spirit testing pillar, led by her mother Yuyao. She dropped a drop of blood and then gripped the pillar.

“No Spirit Root,” Lu Ping’an sighed slightly and said after seeing no reaction from the pillar.

“Mother,” the little girl, realizing the situation, showed a hint of sadness on her face.

“It’s okay, Xiao Qing,” Yuyao forced a smile.

She had given birth to six children and had experienced this several times before.

Yet, seeing her daughter without a Spirit Root still dimmed her spirits.

“Ah,” Lu Changsheng sighed softly at this scene.

He stepped forward and picked up his daughter to comfort her.

“Lu Qingxian,” Lu Ping’an called out the second name.

Shao Yuyao immediately urged her son forward.

The little boy walked to the spirit testing pillar, dropped a drop of blood, and gripped it.

“Hum—” The pillar immediately lit up with a faint red glow.

Six out of the ten sections of the pillar lit up.

This represented a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root!

“It’s a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root!” Lu Miaoyun, Qu Zhenzhen, Lu Miohuan, and others exclaimed, their eyes filled with surprise, joy, and envy.

It’s worth noting that among the nine grades of Spirit Roots, a Fourth-Tier was considered above average.

In a cultivation family, this talent would be considered a Foundation Establishment seed!

With proper cultivation in the future, there would be hope for Foundation Establishment!

Currently in the Lu Family of Bihu Mountain, none of Lu Changsheng’s offspring had such a good Spirit Root talent.

The highest was Lu Qingshan, Lu Miaohuan’s son, with a Sixth-Tier Spirit Root.

However, Lu Qingshan not only had a Sixth-Tier Spirit Root but also possessed the legendary Spirit Body, making his talent higher than Lu Qingxian’s.

“Fourth-Tier Spirit Root!” Shao Yuyao stared at her son’s Fourth-Tier Spirit Root, her eyes wide and hands covering her mouth, weeping with joy.

She had given birth to seven children, with only two of the previous six having Spirit Roots, and those were lower-Tier.

Now, this child actually possessed a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root, making her overwhelmingly happy as a mother.

“Fourth-Tier Spirit Root, leaning towards fire in the five elements!” Lu Ping’an took a deep breath, also somewhat envious, and announced.

“Very good! Our Bihu Mountain Lu Family’s first spirit testing ceremony has detected a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root. This is a good omen!” Lu Changsheng stepped forward, patted his son’s head, and said with a smile.

Even though he already knew about this son’s Spirit Root, he still showed some happiness in this situation.

“Congratulations, husband! Congratulations, sister Yuyao.”

“Congratulations, Mountain Lord! May the young master’s path of immortality be long!”

“Congratulations, Mountain Lord! May the young master’s path of immortality be long!”

The wives, concubines, and villagers from Lake Mountain Town all offered their congratulations.

“Mother,” Lu Qingxian felt a bit lost facing such a scene.

“Hehe,” Lu Changsheng held the child’s hand and said to Shao Yuyao, “Yuyao, you’ve worked hard.”

According to the family rules he had established earlier, there would be rewards for giving birth to a child with a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root.

Not only could she be promoted from a ninth-rank concubine, but if Lu Qingxian proved capable in the future, she could rise in status through her son!

“My lord, it wasn’t hard for me,” Shao Yuyao said with a slightly trembling voice.

She came from a small Qi Refining family.

When her family was destroyed, she was sold to the White Jade Tower.

Thinking her future would be dark and miserable, she ended up becoming Lu Changsheng’s maid.

Over these years, apart from giving birth to several children, her life had been quite luxurious.

Now her youngest son actually possessed a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root, becoming Lu Changsheng’s child with the best Spirit Root, which delighted her beyond measure.

“Let’s continue the ceremony. Wangshu,” Lu Changsheng looked at Lu Wangshu with an encouraging expression.

“Big brother, be gentle,” Lu Wangshu, dressed in a pink and white gown, looking adorable like a porcelain doll, bounced forward and extended her delicate little hand towards Lu Ping’an, saying in a crisp voice.

Raised by Lu Miaoyun, Lu Miaoge, Qu Zhenhen, and others since childhood, and favored by Lu Changsheng, she had developed a lively and cheerful personality.

“Alright,” Lu Ping’an grinned at his sister.

Then he lightly cut her hand with a small knife, drew a drop of blood, and let her grip the spirit testing pillar.

“Hum—” The pillar radiated a faint cyan and deep blue light.

Six out of the ten sections of the pillar lit up.

“This… another Fourth-Tier Spirit Root!”

“Hiss… two consecutive Fourth-Tier Spirit Roots!”

“This, this, this…”

Lu Miaoyun and others were dumfounded at this sight, filled with surprise.

It’s worth noting that in Qingzhu Mountain’s spirit testing ceremony, they might not encounter a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root in ten years.

Now, among Lu Changsheng’s three children tested for Spirit Roots, there were two consecutive Fourth-Tier Spirit Roots. It was simply astonishing!

“This Lu Changsheng truly has extraordinary luck!” Master Mo, who had come to observe the ceremony after setting up the grand formation for Bihu Mountain, exclaimed.

He had previously learned some general information about Lu Changsheng and thought this person had considerable luck and opportunities, managing to break through to Foundation Establishment with a lower-Tier Spirit Root and even establish a family.

Seeing two consecutive Fourth-Tier Spirit Roots in the family now, he couldn’t help but marvel.

After all, when it came to having children, apart from factors like the parents, luck played a significant role.

“Another Fourth-Tier Spirit Root?” Lu Ping’an looked at the spirit testing pillar before him with a puzzled expression, examining it several times.

Then he transmitted a message to Lu Changsheng, “Father, is this spirit testing pillar broken?”

“Can’t you hope for something good?” Lu Changsheng replied to his son irritably upon hearing this.

His family had produced two Fourth-Tier Spirit Roots, yet this foolish son suspected there was a problem with the pillar.

He stepped forward, holding Lu Wangshu’s hand, and announced with a broad smile, “Excellent! Our Lu Family has produced two Fourth-Tier Spirit Roots in one year. This is truly heaven blessing our Lu Family and Bihu Mountain!”

“Congratulations, husband! Congratulations, sister Miaoge.”

“Congratulations, Mountain Lord. May the young miss’s path of immortality be long!”

Everyone immediately offered loud congratulations.

As Xiao Xiyue’s current stay at Bihu Mountain was a mission requiring her to keep a low profile, she rarely appeared in public.

For this spirit testing ceremony, Lu Miaoge accompanied Lu Wangghu.

Moreover, over the years, everyone had come to regard Lu Wangshu as Lu Miaoge’s daughter..

“Hehe, Father, I’m so awesome. Do I get a reward?” Lu Wangshu looked up at Lu Changsheng, asking.

“Yes, you all do!” Lu Changsheng said with a smile, also patting the somewhat bewildered Lu Qingxian’s head, “Qingxuan, what reward would you like?”

“I… I want a puppet bird,” Lu Qingxian said after some thought.

He really liked the puppet birds in Bihu Mountain’s amusement park, so he wanted one of his own.

“Alright, I’ll give you one later,” Lu Changsheng nodded with a smile.

Then he led the three children to sit aside, signaling for the spirit testing ceremony to continue.

At this moment, the villagers of Lake Mountain Town also became more nervous, looking at their own children with more expectation.

They hoped to benefit from the luck of this new Mountain Bihu Mountain Lord and have their children’s Spirit Roots detected.

There were a total of twenty-three children of suitable age in Lake Mountain Town.

As the testing continued one by one, there were no more surprises.

Only two children possessed Spirit Roots, and both were lower-Tier.

However, relatively speaking, having two cultivation seedlings out of twenty-three people was already quite good.

Sometimes, among dozens of children, not a single Spirit Root would be found.

Lu Changsheng rewarded the parents of these two children, bestowing pills.

He also stated that these two children could go to the Lu Family school for enlightenment studies.

“Thank you, Mountain Lord! Thank you, Mountain Lord!” Hearing this, the parents of the two children immediately knelt to thank Lu Changsheng.

At this time, Lu Changsheng also announced beneficial policies to the residents of Lake Mountain Town, encouraging childbirth.

He stated that as long as a child in the family was detected with a Spirit Root, not only would there be rewards, but the future cultivation expenses of the child would be covered by the Lu Family.

“Thank you, Mountain Lord!”

“Thank you, Mountain Lord!”

These villagers expressed their gratitude upon hearing this.

They naturally knew that even if their children had Spirit Roots and were sent to Bihu Mountain, they would certainly not be treated the same as the Lu Family’s young ladies and young masters.

But it was enough that their children could step onto the path of immortality, and they themselves could receive tangible rewards.

In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed.

With Lu Changsheng’s diligent efforts, Xia Zhiyue finally successfully conceived.

Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but hold some expectations for this child.

If this child could also have a Fourth-Tier Spirit Root, his own Spirit Root could be upgraded to a High-Tier one.

In the talisman-making room of Hall of Everlasting Life.

Lu Changsheng was drawing talismans.

Currently, Bihu Mountain was still operating at a loss, so naturally, he had to rely on his talismans to supplement the family’s expenses.

Moreover, after his reputation as a Second-Tier high-quality Talisman Master spread, family clans often came to purchase his Second-Tier talismans.

In response, Lu Changsheng made them queue up. He sold about one or two Second-Tier high-quality talismans each month.

Currently, the queue for talisman sales was booked until next year.

Just as Lu Changsheng was concentrating on drawing a talisman, a strong, mysterious tremor suddenly surged.

It was accompanied by a system notification sound.

[Congratulations to the host for giving birth to the third offspring with a Spirit Body. You have gained one chance to draw a lottery!]