Longevity: Starting From Getting Down The Mountain And Marrying A Wife

The wife's argument, although it appeared exceptionally sincere, still raised doubts in Zhong Yan's mind.

After all, which woman would willingly compete for favor with others?

Moreover, Jiang Ping is an ordinary person. If someone with spiritual roots were to come along, not to mention being suppressed, she would feel inferior herself.

This is the current social reality, an undeniable fact.

If she were insincere and merely trying to please on the surface, Zhong Yan would prefer someone who is honest and straightforward, even if it means pointing out flaws.

However, for the next few days, there were no fluctuations in the system's bonuses, and Zhong Yan confirmed that his wife still wholeheartedly cared for him, and her words were genuine.

This made him value Jiang Ping even more.

In the blink of an eye, it was the Lantern Festival.

Qinghu Villa is located thirty miles outside the west gate of Azure Sun City. It covers thousands of acres and has mountains and water, offering pleasant scenery. It belongs to Yang Yanqing, the highest-cultivated cultivator in Azure Sun City.

Zhong Yan only learned about this place after coming to Azure Sun City, so it was obviously built in recent years.

"Immortal Master, please come inside!"

Zhong Yan followed the maid all the way to the backyard. The open space was adorned with crystal lanterns, shining brightly like daylight.

Pavilions, pavilions, corridors, ponds, rockeries, flower gardens... and even a small bamboo forest, everything was there.

Outdoor banquet tables were casually arranged, and cultivators were chatting and laughing in groups of two or three.

"Immortal Master, please feel free to join. There are no rules for this gathering."

"Thank you."

Zhong Yan took a cup of wine from a tray held by another maid and walked forward.

After taking a sip, he looked down at the wine in the cup and was quite surprised. It turned out to be the same spirit wine he bought in the market, only two small jars for five spirit stones.

The expenses for such a gathering were not small.

And according to Li Henian, the participating cultivators did not need to pay any fees.

"Generous!"

Zhong Yan finished drinking, walked to the table, picked up the wine jug, and poured another cup.

"Zhong Fellow Daoist!"

A call came, and Zhong Yan turned his head and raised his cup in acknowledgment. "Feng Fellow Daoist!"

The person who came was named Feng Hai, at the fourth level of Qi Refining. He also lived in Wutong Lane. He jokingly said, "Zhong Fellow Daoist has married a beautiful wife and is always indulging in pleasure. We live on the same street, but we haven't seen each other for several months. It's naturally enviable. Today, I offer you flowers to the Buddha to congratulate Fellow Daoist on entering the middle stage and advancing further on the Great Dao!"

Zhong Yan smiled and clinked glasses. "Thank you. Let's encourage each other, Fellow Daoist."

Among cultivators, when there is a breakthrough, they often use the empty words "advancing further on the Great Dao" to wish each other well, seeking good luck and anticipation. In reality, everyone knows that among the hundred or so Independent Cultivators in Azure Sun City, not everyone can achieve Foundation Building.

After a few drinks, Zhong Yan asked about the origin of the gathering and learned that the "Lantern Festival Gathering" had been held continuously for many years, bringing together cultivators in the city to exchange cultivation experiences and build relationships.

They could also exchange resources, but there would be a dedicated trading fair in mid-June, where Independent Cultivators from surrounding towns and villages would come, offering more resources for exchange.

The host of the gathering was naturally Yang Yanqing, the owner of Qinghu Villa, and several other cultivators participated. Li Henian, a good friend, was one of them.

Feng Hai didn't know the specific details.

After a conversation, the two went their separate ways to find their own places.

"Zhang Fellow Daoist!"

"Li Fellow Daoist!"

"Zhao Fellow Daoist!"

Zhong Yan greeted and conversed with many cultivators, quickly blending in and realizing that this gathering was indeed quite good.

Even if one did nothing but take a stroll, they could learn a lot of news, big and small.

For example, a Qi Refining fifth-level cultivator in the city was intercepted and killed on his way back to the city a few days ago, dying without a trace.

Another example is an Independent Cultivator in the early stage of Qi Refining who had a great opportunity and obtained a purple jade black lotus. He sold it to the Fire Cloud Sect for 80,000 middle-grade spirit stones and became a disciple of the inner sect.

Furthermore, in the neighboring Wei Kingdom, there is a Qi Refining cultivator who is nearing the end of his lifespan. With the help of the sect where his son is, he successfully built the foundation and extended his life.

...

After strolling for more than two hours, Zhong Yan gained a lot.

He had a conversation with a Rank One High Grade talisman master, resolving many doubts about talisman making in his heart, causing his talisman-making experience in the system panel to increase by seven points.

"It was not in vain!"

Zhong Yan sighed in his heart, pondered for a moment, and then walked again. He found several cultivators in the early stage of Qi Refining and exchanged thirty talismans with them, using the reason that he urgently needed cultivation resources to break through to the middle stage.

The cultivators were surprised by his identity as a talisman master, as they had just found out.

Obviously, Li Henian did not reveal this matter, but he spread the news of Zhong Yan's breakthrough to the fourth level of Qi Refining, enhancing his status among the cultivators in the city.

Li Henian was tight-lipped and acted smoothly and cunningly, which was one of the reasons why Zhong Yan was willing to have a long-lasting friendship with him.

When he arrived at a pavilion, there were more than ten cultivators discussing the immortal cultivation families in Wangyi City.

Zhong Yan approached, thinking they were talking about the Liu family, but after listening carefully, he realized it was a newly rising immortal cultivation family, the Fang family, which was publicly announced today, the Lantern Festival.

"I didn't expect them to rise so quietly!"

"With the support of the Fire Cloud Sect, the Fang family is going to soar."

"That's right, with a Rank Two spiritual vein, it's enough for a foundation-building family."

"Back in the day, Fang Huai used to drink with me. Now he has become an ancestor. With the support of the Fire Cloud Sect, it's a sure thing that he will build the foundation. Sigh~"

"Who said we don't have the fate? We just can't find a spiritual root partner."

"Even if we find one, it's difficult to give birth to a child with a spiritual root."

"..."

Zhong Yan listened quietly, couldn't help but summon the system panel and took a look. He was slightly moved. According to the current trend, even with the system, it was quite unlikely for him to build the foundation.

As the midnight hour passed.

Yang Yanqing and his Dao companion appeared, chatting and laughing with the cultivators as the hosts.

Even in the face of cultivators in the early stage of Qi Refining, they did not show any signs of being strong, and were very friendly and enthusiastic.

Zhong Yan had a chance encounter with the couple through Li Henian's introduction. He originally thought it was because of Li Henian's relationship that they were polite.

Seeing this scene, he couldn't help but look around the venue and have some thoughts in his mind.

The gathering didn't disperse until the morning.

Zhong Yan waited for Li Henian to leave together.

They didn't talk much on the way.

When they returned to their home in the city and sat down in the study, they exchanged the information they had obtained.

"Yang Fellow Daoist is quite generous. Brother, do you know how many spirit stones were spent during this gathering?"

"At least this much!"

Li Henian gestured with his hand and explained, "The Lantern Festival gathering is a tradition in Azure Sun City. It was already there before I came. It used to be held in the city, and cultivators who participated had to pay three Low Grade spirit stones as an entrance fee.

Three years ago, Yang Yanqing built the Qinghu Villa, and the gathering was moved there, eliminating the entrance fee. He paid the majority, and I and Fellow Daoist Bai contributed a small part. Including the transaction fees from the mid-year trading fair, we made a small profit. But this year, he covered everything."

As he spoke, Li Henian revealed a meaningful smile and raised his eyebrows, asking, "Brother, did you discover anything interesting on this trip?"

Zhong Yan's eyes flickered, confirming his suspicions, and he asked with doubt, "Creating a family? Found a spiritual vein? Or relying on another family? It seems that the Yang family doesn't have this foundation, right?"

...