Chapter 266

Chapter 266: The Li Family’s Attempt at Winning Over

After more than twenty years of separation, Li Zehou’s appearance had aged considerably, with a few more wrinkles appearing between his eyebrows.

For Qi Refining cultivators, if they did not achieve successful Foundation Establishment, they only had a lifespan of over two hundred years; only through Foundation Establishment could they possibly break the shackles of life.

This was also why everyone fought fiercely over a single, small Foundation Establishment Dan.

"Father-in-law, it’s been a long time." Zhou Luo amiably welcomed him to the main hall.

Li Zehou looked at Zhou Luo’s youthful appearance and exclaimed with emotion, "You, my worthy son-in-law, haven’t changed at all."

Zhou Luo smiled without speaking.

He was actually only over fifty years old, and with his long lifespan bonus, it was normal for him not to age.

Moreover, being a Pill Master, the other party wouldn’t suspect anything.

After sitting down, Zhou Luo said, "Father-in-law, I’ve troubled you to come all this way."

"We are one family."

Li Zehou took out a storage bag but did not hand it over, merely setting it on a small side table.

"Have you been living in the Immortal City these past few years?"

The fact that Zhou Luo lived in the Immortal City was something he had brought up himself, and the Li Family, through investigation, had discovered that he had gone there to purchase Foundation Establishment materials for his family.

Yet Li Zehou believed this might be an excuse—that Zhou Luo must be trying to avoid the chaos.

"I had no choice—my family arranged it." Zhou Luo said helplessly.

Since the Lin Family was currently preoccupied with its own troubles, he was confident they wouldn’t investigate further.

Li Zehou’s eyes flickered, his words carrying a deeper meaning as he said, "I’ve heard someone from the Lu Family might soon achieve successful Foundation Establishment; I wonder how the Lin Family is progressing?"

The conflict between the Lin and Lu Families had significant repercussions throughout the Qinyuan Domain.

With the Qinyuan Sect turning a blind eye, it had implicated many smaller forces and families.

All were watching to see which side would emerge victorious in this war.

"I am just an outsider; I only need to fulfill my duties properly." Zhou Luo answered without addressing the question directly.

Li Zehou smiled lightly, getting straight to the point: "Worthy son-in-law, you are a clever man. Currently, the Wang Family is tied up with its own problems, and I’m afraid the Lin Family can’t hold out much longer."

"Have you considered a backup plan?"

After saying this, he pretentiously glanced around and remarked, "This small courtyard probably can’t accommodate all your wives and children."

Clearly, the purpose of Li Zehou’s visit was to win Zhou Luo over.

Although in the past twenty-plus years, Zhou Luo remained a top-level Pill Master, the Li Family was still willing to recruit him into their family.

Zhou Luo’s lips curved upward: "Father-in-law, what do you mean by that?"

"You should understand me, worthy son-in-law. Whatever the Lin Family can give you, my Li Family can offer just the same. Moreover, I doubt the Lin Family has Dream Blue Flowers." Li Zehou stated bluntly, without hiding his intent.

Though it was unknown why Zhou Luo was so obsessed with bearing children, since he had this desire, Li Zehou didn’t mind using it as leverage to recruit him.

Zhou Luo raised an eyebrow.

Frankly, the Li Family having Dream Blue Flowers was indeed appealing.

If at the start, marrying into the Li Family might have given Zhou Luo more lottery chances.

But it was already too late.

Once he chose the Li Family, everything he had built in the Lin Family would be ruined.

Marrying and having children were methods, tools to enhance strength.

Though the Li Family could also improve his strength, it was far less than what the Lin Family offered; even if they were generous, they would not exhaust everything.

The Lin Family was different.

For Zhou Luo, the current war was an opportunity.

Although he told his children not to focus on such political struggles, if given the chance, he could fully seize control of the Lin Family like a cuckoo usurping a nest.

But the Li Family would not provide him this opportunity.

Without this chance, even if he reached the Foundation Establishment and wanted to expand his family, he would still face considerable obstacles.

Just like those small families, he might encounter joint opposition.

He did not want to waste time on such internal conflicts, so the Lin Family was the best choice.

"Father-in-law, you overstate things; I am the Sixth Elder of the Lin Family and cannot repay kindness with ingratitude," he tactfully rejected.

Li Zehou was quite surprised.

Based on his understanding, Zhou Luo was clearly a cautious and profit-driven person; why would he still choose the Lin Family at such a crucial moment?

Could his ambitions be significant?

Li Zehou suddenly recalled some news he had received, which mentioned the conflict between two factions in the Lin Family and subtly suggested Zhou Luo had replaced the Great Elder’s position.

This rather piqued Li Zehou’s interest.

He said with a laugh, "In the next month, I will be in the Immortal City; son-in-law, if you reconsider the situation, you can come to Tian Xia Restaurant to find me."

"Definitely," Zhou Luo said with a smile.

Immediately afterward, the two concluded the transaction, and he obtained a batch of Dream Blue Flower once more.

Only this time, there were just four plants.

After all, cultivating Dream Blue Flower was not as easy as imagined, with a long mature stage; the Li Family offered four plants to win him over.

"Son-in-law, remember to think it over clearly."

Before Li Zehou left, he reminded again.

Zhou Luo understood that after this, if he did not agree to the Li Family’s persuasion, he would probably not get Dream Blue Flower again.

His expression was calm, without the slightest sense of loss.

Such support type items could not guarantee one hundred percent effectiveness; moreover, after he controlled the Lin Family, he figured the Li Family would continue to supply them.

On the tenth day after obtaining Dream Blue Flower,

Lin Xi became pregnant again.

【Congratulations to the host; through diligent efforts, you have successfully impregnated your partner, gaining a lottery choice.】

It had to be said that this Dream Blue Flower was indeed quite effective.

It was a pity that he himself couldn’t cultivate them.

The ones sold in the market were all cut off from their vitality.

If only he could find Dream Blue Flowers in the wild.

Zhou Luo involuntarily thought of the Longfeng Mountain Range.

But he probably wouldn’t go there before Foundation Establishment.

Gaining one lottery draw chance, Zhou Luo fixed his eyes on the white lottery wheel.

Start the lottery!

The next second, the golden sphere of light started spinning rapidly.

Finally, it stopped in the Spirit Beast zone.

Staring at that zone, Zhou Luo’s eyes lit up.

It was actually a Spirit Beast.

The last time he drew a Spirit Beast, he got a Third Level Spirit Beast, the Snow Mountain Spirit Cat.

What would he draw this time?

He felt some anticipation about either outcome.

If it was a Spirit Beast above Third Level, he’d raise it carefully; if it was below Third level, he would feed it to Little White.

Spirit Beasts could boost their power by devouring each other.

This was a bit different from the human race.

Last time, the Deep Sea Illusion Turtle’s egg allowed Little White to directly ascend to a Second Level Spirit Beast.

That was due to the power coming from the same origin. With ordinary Spirit Beasts, while the effect wouldn’t be as dramatic, it could still help Little White grow better.

[Congratulations, Host! You obtained a Qing Luan egg!]

[The reward has been automatically sent to the host’s backpack. Please check.]

A Spirit Beast egg?

Zhou Luo hadn’t expected to draw an egg this time instead of a fully formed Spirit Beast.

Was fate really steering Little White towards another evolution?

His excitement mounting, he turned to look at his backpack panel.

There, a pale blue icon depicting a bird had appeared.

The Qing Luan was a powerful avian Spirit Beast, similar to a phoenix, but not as revered.

Would its rank be impressive?

It was still unknown.