After half a day of explanation from Second Uncle, I finally understood the situation of the Xu Family's First Branch and Second Branch.
Xu Guohui had three sons, who in turn had more than twenty grandchildren. However, only ten of them could Cultivate.
Xu Jinghui had two sons and two daughters. His two daughters married Loose Cultivators who joined the family, and together they bore over ninety children for the Xu Family. Approximately thirty of them could Cultivate, making them the main force of the Xu Family.
Xu Yuhui had only one son, Xu Fei, and this sole heir had not yet married or had children.
However, when Xu Yuhui was young, he enjoyed traveling and befriended many Loose Cultivators, accumulating about ten Loose Cultivator Elders under his wing.
Wang Lin was one of these ten Loose Cultivator Elders, responsible for cultivating Spirit Medicine and spirit materials, managing half of the Xu Family's Spirit Garden.
A moment later, Wang Baoling followed Second Uncle to the foot of an unknown small mountain.
Looking at the bare, desolate small mountain, Wang Baoling curiously surveyed it.
"Aren't you disappointed?" Wang Lin asked curiously.
"There must be something special hidden inside the mountain!"
"Hahaha, I didn't expect you to have such insight!"
With that, the token at Wang Lin's waist shot into the sky.
The barren small mountain before them instantly emitted a bright light.
Looking up at the mountain peak again, they saw the mountain shrouded in mist, overflowing with Spiritual Qi, with many exquisite houses built against the mountainside. Upon closer inspection, various strange small beasts could be seen moving about, truly an earthly paradise.
"Elder Wang, you're back!" An old man carrying a hoe greeted him proactively.
"Yes, I just returned!" Wang Lin turned and gestured with a smile, continuing to lead Wang Baoling into the mountain.
"Second Uncle, why are there still Mortals here?" Wang Baoling asked, full of confusion.
As he spoke, they suddenly arrived at a well-arranged village, where many people were farming in the fields and others were studying in a school.
"These are all of the Xu Family's Bloodline; they just don't have Spiritual Roots, so they live at the foot of the mountain!" Wang Lin explained.
"So that's how it is!"
As they spoke, Wang Baoling and Second Uncle arrived at a bustling street.
On both sides of the street were Mortals and Cultivators dressed in daoist robes. There were vendors selling sweet potatoes, and vendors selling spirit talismans. People came and went, making it extremely lively.
"This Xu Family Market is not only for internal Xu Family members to exchange resources, but also for external Loose Cultivators to set up shops here!" Wang Lin explained.
Wang Baoling curiously observed everything around him.
"Let's go. Those of us with cultivation live on the mountainside. As for the mountain peak, that's where the Foundation Establishment Old Ancestor and Third Master reside," Wang Lin explained.
Wang Baoling nodded and followed Second Uncle to a grand staircase leading to the heavens.
Looking up the Heavenly Staircase towards the mountain, they saw a large circle of buildings on the mountainside, with pavilions and palaces interspersed. Outside these palaces were many uniquely shaped buildings.
"Those exquisite houses are where important figures of the Third Branch live, the residences of the Xu Family's second and third generations."
"The peculiar palaces next to them are where we external Enshrined Elders and the younger generation of the Xu Family live," Wang Lin explained.
Unbeknownst to them, Wang Baoling followed Second Uncle to a courtyard built on a tree.
The courtyard had only one floor, with four rooms in total, and a several-meter-tall tree branch in the middle of the courtyard.
Though called a tree branch, it looked as large as an ordinary tree.
Under the small tree branch was a stone table, and on the stone table sat an exquisite jade teapot.
"It's just early spring now, and the buds haven't sprouted yet. Once they do, the courtyard will be filled with red leaves, and our entire house will be enveloped by them. It will be even more beautiful then!" Second Uncle explained with a smile.
Wang Baoling clearly felt the air here was fresher. He greedily took a deep breath, slowly exhaling a turbid one.
"My courtyard has an Elementary Spirit Gathering Formation. This Spirit Formation was specially built for us by Third Master," Wang Lin explained.
"This is the main hall, where I teach the Dao and receive guests. The room next to it is my study, which contains various Qi Refining Cultivation Techniques," Wang Lin said, pointing to the two rooms in front.
"The two rooms next to them, the larger one is for refining medicine, and the smaller one next to it is where I go into Secluded Cultivation," Wang Lin continued to introduce.
"There's also a small plot of land behind, which I use to research and Cultivate Spirit Medicine and spirit materials!"
Wang Lin took Wang Baoling on a tour of the entire courtyard, front and back.
Wang Baoling nodded; this small courtyard was indeed very nice.
"From now on, you'll live in the Alchemy Room. I don't use this room anyway!"
Saying that, Wang Lin handed Wang Baoling a jade pendant.
"With this jade pendant, you can freely enter and exit this courtyard; otherwise, you'll be blocked outside by the Restriction."
"Thank you, Second Uncle!"
"Don't be so polite. Once you're familiar with the family, I'll take you to meet Xu Fei. He is now the head of the Third Branch."
"Okay, Second Uncle!"
Then, Wang Baoling followed Second Uncle to a luxurious manor on the mountain peak.
Before Wang Lin could speak, a voice came from within the manor.
"Elder Wang, you're finally back!"
A handsome man with an ancient demeanor, wearing a blue daoist robe, with his long hair tied in a topknot, walked out.
"Xiao Fei, this is my nephew, Wang Baoling!"
"Your nephew? Your biological nephew?" Xu Fei looked at Wang Baoling with a face full of surprise.
"That's right, my biological nephew!" Wang Lin introduced.
"What Spiritual Root?" Xu Fei asked curiously.
"We publicly announce it as a Five Elements Spiritual Root!" Wang Lin said with a smile.
"Publicly announce? What about in reality?" Xu Fei asked even more curiously.
"He has a Waste Spiritual Root," Wang Lin said.
"Oh, I've always heard of this Waste Spiritual Root; today I finally see a real-life example!" Xu Fei's face was filled with astonishment.
"Young man, don't be discouraged. Most people in our Xu Family have Five Elements Spiritual Roots. If you Cultivate well, you'll have a chance to reach Foundation Establishment!"
A voice of encouragement came from inside the manor.
"Third Master!" Wang Lin quickly bowed respectfully.
A middle-aged man walked over, dressed in a daoist robe, with slightly graying temples and a weathered face.
"Hahaha, my nephew indeed looks like a talented individual. For our first meeting, I don't have much to give you!"
"Take these three qi gathering pills as a welcoming gift!"
Wang Baoling looked at the exquisite porcelain bottle handed to him and, for a moment, looked at Second Uncle, unsure of what to do.
"Why aren't you thanking Third Master quickly?"
"Oh, thank you, Third Master, for the medicine!" Wang Baoling quickly took the porcelain bottle.
"Good, good, good. Old Wang, take him back to Cultivate well and let him enter the Qi Refining Stage as soon as possible!"
"With Third Master's qi gathering pills, Baoling will definitely be able to guide Qi into his body within three months," Wang Lin said, patting his chest.
"Hahaha, good, good, good!"
Then, Wang Baoling followed Second Uncle back to his courtyard.
Wang Lin took out several completely dark Formation Flags from his storage pouch and immediately activated them with spiritual power. The Formation Flags instantly disappeared.
"This is a Formation. I am about to impart the Dao to you, so as to avoid being disturbed by outsiders!" Wang Lin explained.
Wang Lin explained.