Chapter 63: Cao Mang (Asking for Continued Reading)

The days of cultivating immortality remained as dull and tedious as ever.

Li Guanxuan had already reduced the time spent with his loved ones by an hour. After all, if he continued as before, it wouldn’t be a question of whether Wen Rongxin and Qin Jiyue could endure it—his own health would fail first.

In just two months, Li Guanxuan had refined six Foundation Establishment Pills. At the level of second-tier low-grade, his pill refining skills had reached mastery. Of course, Qin Jiyue deserved some credit for this. If she hadn’t managed to withstand three hours each time, his progress would not have been so swift.

Another month passed; November arrived. The chill set in, and heavy snow fell over Silver Maple City. The maples lining streets and alleys were cloaked in white, finally becoming true silver leaves.

In the cultivation chamber at Peaceful Garden, Li Guanxuan gazed at two Foundation Establishment Pills within the cauldron, his eyes brimming with joy. He could now produce two pills from a single batch of ingredients, both of excellent quality, flawless and pure.

He slipped the pills into a small vial, adjusted his internal breath, and after a short while his face glowed with health, the fatigue in his eyes swept away.

He pushed open the door, and Wen Rongxin immediately came over, draping a fox fur cloak around his shoulders, her voice gentle, “My sister has already entered seclusion.”

“You’ve reached the sixth layer of body refinement?” Li Guanxuan asked.

Wen Rongxin nodded slightly, her oval face radiant with smiles. She sighed, “If not for my sister accompanying me to cultivate at Silver Light Waterfall, it would have taken me another two years to break through.”

“These years, Jiyue has indeed given much to this family,” Li Guanxuan said, embracing Wen Rongxin as they walked to the hall. He whispered, “You’ve given her all two hundred mid-grade spirit stones, haven’t you?”

“Yes, but she said a hundred is enough. She wanted the other hundred to go toward buying materials for you, so we could earn more spirit stones.” Wen Rongxin’s voice remained delicately soft.

Li Guanxuan smiled, knowing without asking that Wen Rongxin would surely give all the spirit stones to Qin Jiyue.

“The higher our cultivation, the greater the expense. In the past we spent only low-grade spirit stones, but now it’s thousands at a time, and before we know it, it turns into mid-grade stones,” Li Guanxuan sighed.

“Just as you say, our lives will only get better and better…”

Wen Rongxin wrapped her arms around his waist, her heart and eyes full of gratitude.

Li Guanxuan didn’t speak; he lowered his head and kissed her lips, all his affection hidden in that kiss.

Wen Rongxin thanked him, but how could he not be grateful to her as well?

If Wen Rongxin hadn’t chosen to be with him back then, he might still be lost and adrift today.

...

Emerging from the main chamber after their tender moments, Li Guanxuan felt refreshed and planned to leave the city for a while.

After all, he’d promised Fang Xingzhi to deliver a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Just as he stepped outside, he saw a burly man, massive as a small mountain, carrying a huge blade on his back. The blade was more than a foot wide and about seven feet long, seemingly weighing a thousand pounds, but the man wielded it with ease, as if it were just a kitchen knife.

“Brother Li, heading out?” the man greeted.

His name was Cao Mang, a cultivator of the Demon Clan, at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, and a first-tier top-grade weapon craftsman. He’d lived next door to Li Guanxuan for over a year, and they occasionally exchanged greetings.

“Off to the Crimson Training Mountains again?” Li Guanxuan smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, need some materials for crafting weapons, and hope to earn more spirit stones. Maybe I’ll take a few wives like you and have... Eh, Brother Li, you don’t have children yet, but it’s alright. You’re a righteous man and treat me well. In the future, I’ll have my wives bear more kids and send you one or two,” Cao Mang said, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.

“That’s really unnecessary. I don’t have a penchant for being an instant father, but thank you for your kindness,” Li Guanxuan replied, amused.

“What does ‘instant father’ mean?” Cao Mang asked, puzzled. Then he leaned in, lowering his voice, “Brother Li, you know how to make people, right? How about making a few wives for me? Don’t worry, I’ll pay your introduction fee, whatever you ask.”

Li Guanxuan was stunned. “I really can’t do that!”

Cao Mang looked around, seeing no one nearby, and whispered, “Don’t try to fool me. I saw your wife going out with a man as tall as me. I was angry at first, wanted to beat up the guy for sneaking around with your wife. But then she told me he was a guardian you made, to protect them. That’s when I realized you know how to make people. Since you can make men, surely you can make women. So please, make me a few wives?”

Hearing this, Li Guanxuan finally understood the misunderstanding.

He smiled helplessly. “Brother Cao, that was a puppet crafted from spiritual wood, a dead thing. It can’t bear children for you.”

“A puppet?” Cao Mang was shocked. “A puppet that realistic? I remember touching it—it felt quite soft. Brother Li, you really are incredible, you can do anything!”

“Just a little trick,” Li Guanxuan explained. “I couldn’t have it running around clad in metal.”

“Then, can you make me a female puppet? One that’s tough, at least as tall and strong as me. Not one whose bones snap at the slightest touch.”

Cao Mang sighed, disappointed. “I even asked the matchmaker to find me a wife, but every time she says it’s impossible. No girl is willing to marry me. All I want is a wife—why is it so hard?”

Li Guanxuan was puzzled. “Didn’t I see you bring a girl home recently? Did she not like you, or did you not like her?”

“She said she liked me, but I’m too strong—she couldn’t handle it,” Cao Mang sighed.

Li Guanxuan was speechless.

He suddenly remembered what Cao Mang had said earlier and asked, “Did you break someone’s bones?”

“I just hugged her, didn’t use much force,” Cao Mang replied, a little embarrassed.

Li Guanxuan could only shake his head.

No wonder the girl left. If she hadn’t, she might have died.

Cao Mang muttered, “I don’t look worse than you, even better looking. Why can’t I find a wife? Strange, really strange…”

Looking at Cao Mang’s rugged, dark face and his towering figure of about two and a half meters, Li Guanxuan couldn’t help but comfort him. “Don’t be discouraged. It’s those common women who aren’t worthy of you.”

“So all those common women prefer men like you, fair-skinned and delicate…” Cao Mang suddenly understood, and felt a bit better. Then he fretted, “But Brother Li, I still don’t have a wife. Whether common or not, if you get a chance, introduce me to some girls. Otherwise, I’ll get more calluses on my palms.”

“I will, certainly…”

...

PS: Don’t forget to vote, dear readers~