Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 209 - 195: Grudges (Two in One)

Shanyue Region. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Shanyue sprawled across the land of Yue and Wu, with its own customs. The population scattered sparsely across the land and numbered more than ten million. The branch of the northern ridge of Li Mountain alone housed over a million people, protected by Duanmu Kui. Now that Duanmu Kui had died, the disciples of Witch Mountain either fled or joined various sects. The territory once under the care of Duanmu Kui was now divided among his four disciples, who oppressed the people and built palaces, creating a scene of turmoil.

Traveling deeper into the northern ridge, one would come upon a cave in the forest where a gigantic beast lay with fierce teeth and a body covered in pale yellow scales. The brown eyes, each the size of a human head, stared blankly into the sky, devoid of life.

"Finally slain this beast."

Xiao Chuchou let out a breath of relief and took an elixir from Xiao Yuansi's hand. After circulating his qi and swallowing it, he immediately felt his body loosen up, greatly easing his discomfort. With a low sigh, he smiled and said,

"My lifespan isn't long, and my qi is weak. Not only is my cultivation slow, but I've also become clumsy in fighting. I remember the days when I leaped over the Great River and traversed the lands of Jin and Zhao with such high spirits. In the blink of an eye, I turned into an old man."

Xiao Yuansi looked at him with concern. After hesitating for a moment, he finally gritted his teeth and said in a low voice,

"Ancestor... There's the Blood Sacrifice technique passed down within our sect to extend lifespan. You... Would you like to try it and prolong your life for a few more years, to make yourself feel better?"

Xiao Chuchou let out a cold laugh and replied,

"There's no need. My father once battled with Chi Wei, who blood sacrificed him. I vowed in my youth that I would never follow the path of sacrifice."

"Chi Wei... truly is a demon disciple."

Xiao Yuansi uttered hatefully, his ordinarily gentle demeanor changing abruptly, causing Xiao Chuchou to pause in surprise. After some hesitation, he began,

"I know you hate him, but it's no longer a time for a war between immortals and demons. Good and evil are in chaos... Chi Wei is a villain, but he doesn't qualify as a demon disciple."

"What good has he ever done!"

Xiao Yuansi exclaimed angrily, not expecting Xiao Chuchou to have a complicated expression as he replied softly,

"More than 150 years ago, when I was still a mere novice in Fetal Breathing, the Demon King of the Southern Border invaded, threatening to turn millions into food. The Three Sects and Seven Doors profited from it and stood by watching. Only Chi Wei and a few others, who were newly advanced to Zifu, stepped forward. They used their lives to force the ancestors of the Green Pond Sect and others to act, finally averting a disaster... In that battle, he shortened his lifespan and damaged his foundation; otherwise, he wouldn't have had to attempt breaking through to the Golden Core at such a late time."

"In the end, he holds the debt of saving lives for my Xiao Family, and perhaps half the people of Yue Country."

"What!"

Xiao Yuansi only knew there had been a great monster chaos over a century ago but was not clear on the details. Hearing this was like being struck by lightning, leaving his mind blank with shock and anger as he cried,

"How is that possible?!"

As Xiao Chuchou spoke, he led the way deeper into the cave, sighing as he said gravely,

"Everyone has the impulses of youth at some point, dreams of lifting up the heavens and saving the world. But when you're stuck at a cultivation threshold for decades, practicing night and day with no progress, turning into a lunatic from cultivation, and your lifespan and years of practice are about to vanish like smoke... Yet, enemies are watching you like tigers, waiting to slaughter your descendants once you die. And if killing a few could break through, would you kill or not kill?"

With a complex look in his eyes and a pained expression on his aged face, Xiao Chuchou watched Xiao Yuansi, who seemed to have lost his soul, and said softly,

"To kill would protect your own family and ensure their safety. To withhold would put yourself and your kin at risk of being slaughtered. How many could bear such a choice? Killing one is murder, killing ten thousand is equally murder. Once dark thoughts arise, they cannot be contained. Chi Wei consumed your junior disciple, but it's not a matter of good versus evil. If we're to speak plainly, he consumed a few talented disciples, yet he saved millions in Yue Country."

"Moreover, with Chi Wei's death, the Green Pond Sect is on the verge of collapse. Your junior disciple can just dust off and return home to his born family. Who rules doesn't change the fact of rule for them, but for the Chi Family, disaster looms..."

As Xiao Chuchou continued to speak, Xiao Yuansi could no longer contain himself. Looking up despondently, he said in a deep voice,

"Ancestor, how can the world be like this? If everyone is morally ambiguous, half-human, half-ghost, where in the world can one stand with conviction?"

Xiao Chuchou nodded approvingly and said softly,

"Beneath the light of the golden sun, immortals are inherently half-human, half-ghost. Where is there room for purity? After the immortal-demon conflict, the world has ceased to judge by good or evil but by personal grudges..."

Xiao Yuansi was silent for a few moments, taking a deep breath which he struggled to calm. As a youth, he had joined Qing Sui Peak, where Si Yuanbai taught him the distinction between good and evil, only to have it upended by Chi Wei. Now, Xiao Chuchou's words shattered those teachings, leaving him emotionally turbulent. Within him, his Immortal Foundation "Red Ginseng" glowed faintly, hinting at some subtle progress.

"By personal grudges alone..."

As the two conversed, they finally reached the vast cavern, pitch-black without a hint of light. Cultivators of the Foundation Establishment level naturally were untroubled by this darkness. Xiao Yuansi glanced into the depths and saw a large, luminous yellow flower with curled petals, a droplet of dew dangling from its center, emitting a fragrant aroma.

"A Precious Medicine, Nine Stamen Spirit Xiao."

Xiao Chuchou identified it aloud as Xiao Yuansi, with his years steeped in Alchemy Dao, recognized the flower instantly. Realizing the truth, Xiao Chuchou nodded with a sudden enlightenment and smiled,

"The several ruins were empty-handed, but gaining this Precious Medicine is not a wasted journey."

For a cultivator reaching the realms of Foundation Establishment and Zifu, ordinary Spiritual Objects had little effect, and only these heaven-and-earth essence imbued Precious Medicines could be miraculous. Thus, they were satisfied. Xiao Yuansi flicked his sleeves, and mana surged in his hands, albeit lacking the expected splendor of a spell.