Chapter 15

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Chapter 15: Soul Lamp

It was another year for the family gathering. Lin Jiang was now forty-seven, marking his thirtieth year since traveling through time, and he had reached the fourth level of Qi Refining.

The Lin family continued to grow, with more than twenty tables filled. The ancestral home’s courtyard was becoming cramped, and in a few years, it might need expansion.

“Father.”

Eldest Brother Lin Shan was already seventy-eight. He refused to take the Appearance Adjustment Pill, so his head was full of white hair, making him look the oldest among everyone present.

“Sit down, Shan’er.”

Lin Batian sighed, gesturing for Lin Shan to sit. As his legal wife’s child and firstborn, Lin Batian had always cherished Lin Shan the most. But despite his love, Lin Shan had failed to break through to the Foundation Building Period. Time was merciless, and Lin Shan was aging before his very eyes.

Seated next to Lin Shan was Lin He. Though also in his seventies, he still appeared middle-aged.

Beside Lin He sat Lin Die. At fifty-five, she looked even younger, as if she were in her twenties, without ever using an Appearance Adjustment Pill.

The fourth eldest, Lin Yuan, had married into another family and rarely attended the year-end gatherings. Thus, the fifth eldest, Lin Hai, took his place beside Lin Die. Now in his fifties, Lin Hai still looked well-preserved.

Lin Jiang’s younger siblings were still relatively young, their concerns about longevity far off. Their attention remained fixed on Lin Batian, seeking his approval and encouragement. Children always longed for their father’s love.

As the Lin family entered its third and even fourth generation, more and more members were embarking on the path of cultivation, stepping into adulthood.

The happiest ones were the children under twelve, who had yet to undergo Spiritual Root testing or face the pressures of cultivation. They retained their carefree innocence, and the year-end gathering felt like a grand New Year celebration, filled with food and joy. Lin Batian had specifically ordered delicious meals with low spiritual energy to be prepared for them.

“This year, the Lin family has flourished. Our income has grown, and thankfully, no one has passed away. We welcomed nine new members and three newborns…”

For several years now, Lin Batian had made it a tradition to summarize the family’s achievements on this day.

This year, the family had gained nine new members through legal marriages. Concubines were not counted. Additionally, three babies were born. These children had already been tested and confirmed to have Spiritual Roots, officially making them part of the Lin family. Those without Spiritual Roots were not acknowledged as members—a harsh but realistic truth.

“This year, the Lin family acquired a significant treasure—the Soul Lamp. After the meal, everyone will head to the ancestral hall to leave a drop of blood and a strand of their soul. Steward Wu, who has a lower cultivation level, will assist you. The Soul Lamp is a necessity for a large family. It can monitor your condition and provide aid in times of danger.”

Lin Batian went on to explain that such an artifact came at a steep cost. He had spent over a hundred thousand spirit stones to have it custom-made.

The Soul Lamp offered numerous benefits. Once a family member placed their blood and soul within it, their lamp would remain lit. If they perished, the flame would extinguish, serving as an indicator of their well-being. It could also activate secret techniques in emergencies and provide guidance, allowing the family to dispatch help when needed. For a powerful clan, it was an indispensable treasure.

After the meal, Lin Jiang followed everyone to the ancestral hall, where Steward Wu was already waiting. Starting from the eldest, each member provided a drop of blood, and Steward Wu extracted a strand of their soul. For cultivators, this was a minor inconvenience—resting for ten days to half a month was sufficient for recovery.

“The soul enters the Soul Lamp, and the blood is stored in the Soul Card. Keep your Soul Card safe, as it is directly tied to your life. If you encounter danger outside, you can activate it, and the Soul Lamp will locate you. The clan will dispatch experts for rescue.”

Steward Wu continued, holding up a Soul Card. “Additionally, if any family members are nearby, their Soul Cards will react as well. You can decide whether to provide assistance. The family encourages mutual support.”

Soon, it was Lin Jiang’s turn. He forced out some blood essence, while Steward Wu carefully extracted a strand of his soul and placed it into the oil lamp. Suddenly, Lin Jiang’s lamp ignited, shining even brighter than Miss Lin Die’s.

“Strange… Why is your aura so much brighter than Miss Third’s?”

Steward Wu was surprised. Typically, the brightness of a Soul Lamp correlated with one’s longevity. Just by comparison, Lin Shan’s lamp barely glowed like a dim yellow bean, while Lin Die’s, given her Foundation Building stage, shone significantly brighter.

“Among mortals, living to seventy is already rare, but some live past a hundred. I prioritize health and longevity. It’s not unusual for me to reach one hundred and fifty.”

Lin Jiang quickly fabricated an excuse. Glancing at his system, he knew his actual lifespan exceeded ten thousand years. Outliving the entire Lin family was inevitable—so it was no surprise that his Soul Lamp burned so brightly.

“Sixth Young Master is right.”

Steward Wu scanned Lin Jiang with his divine sense three times, confirming that his cultivation level was still at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. There was no sign of deception, so he let the matter rest.

Lin Jiang swiftly left and struck up a conversation with Lin Die. He also visited Eldest Brother Lin Shan. If fate ran its course, Lin Shan would be the first of their generation to pass away. Time was relentless, and within a few years, he might no longer be there.

After the New Year, Lin Jiang traveled to Anhua City with Lin Die and Lin Ying. They pretended to go there to buy Appearance Adjustment Pills, but Lin Jiang hesitated to spend the money.

One Appearance Adjustment Pill cost over twenty thousand spirit stones—equivalent to his entire annual income for more than three years. Saving that amount would take him over five years.

After this trip, Lin Jiang’s appearance issue was resolved. At least for the next twenty or thirty years, no one would suspect anything. He could continue staying in the Lin family.

The next step was to care for Zhuang Rong in her old age and prepare to leave the Lin family. Zhuang Rong was currently sixty-eight years old, and Lin Jiang didn’t know how long she would live. He just needed to be filial to her.

On the financial side, Lin Jiang’s wealth had been steadily growing. He accumulated about five hundred spirit stones each year and had been saving for over ten years. Now, he had more than six thousand spirit stones, making him wealthier than many in the Lin family.

Since Lin Jiang had no family to support, he spent less on cultivation compared to others. Most members of the Lin family, including other cultivators, invested all their money into cultivation, but Lin Jiang didn’t. His cultivation time was fixed, so his expenses were also fixed. Now, he had an additional yearly expense for drawing symbols.

However, Lin Jiang’s income was also increasing. The Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa was becoming more mature, with various industries fully developed. With growing experience, his earnings were gradually rising.

“Jiang’er, try on the clothes your mother made for you and see if they fit.”

On this day, Zhuang Rong gestured to a piece of clothing for Lin Jiang. Over the past few years, she had become enthusiastic about making clothes for him.

At first, she used regular fabric. Then she upgraded to purchasing fabric woven with magical materials, and finally, she started raising silkworms to weave the fabric herself.

These silkworms were spiritual silkworms that Lin Jiang had bought from Anhua City. The silk they produced was extremely strong; even mortal warriors couldn’t cut it with swords or knives. If a mortal wore it, it would be a magical item.

“How can Mom’s clothes not fit? I really like it. Thank you, Mom.”

Lin Jiang was deeply moved. It had taken Zhuang Rong two years to make this garment because there weren’t many spiritual silkworms, and it took time to accumulate enough silk.

“It’s good that you like it. I can make you a garment each year from now on, enough for you to wear for decades.”

“This garment can also last for decades.”

Lin Jiang forced a smile. With fabric made from spiritual silkworms, even if he wore it for fifty years, it wouldn’t wear out.

“Oh, Mom’s only wish now is to see you get married and have children. There are so many sisters in the family, and I am the only one who hasn’t become a grandmother.”

Zhuang Rong sighed and said, “Lin Batian has many wives, and except for the ones who just married recently, all the others have become grandmothers or great-grandmothers. I am the only one whose children haven’t married.”

“Mother, I am still focused on building a foundation.”

“Hehe.”

Zhuang Rong rolled her eyes, thinking that was a silly statement. Lin Jiang was nearly fifty and had only reached the fourth level of Qi Refining. How could he build any foundations?

“Really, in at most five years, I will reach the fifth level of Qi Refining.”

“Once you pass sixty, everything stops. Your sister isn’t even thirty yet and is already building a foundation. You, on the other hand, should take advantage of your youth and have a few children. I will take care of them for you.”

“Ahem, I see that Shadiao has brought back some prey. I’ll go check it out.”

Lin Jiang immediately found an excuse to leave. Zhuang Rong had set aside the idea of Lin Jiang getting married a few years ago, but it had resurfaced, and she seemed even more determined now.

Unfortunately, Lin Jiang’s reputation as the shame of the Lin family was too well-known. Even though he owned an estate, he couldn’t find any cultivators as potential marriage partners. This made Zhuang Rong angry. She didn’t want Lin Jiang’s wife to be a mortal, nor did she want their future children to be mortals. Mortals had a miserable life in the world of cultivators.