Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Fertility Issues (Third Release, Please Subscribe)
"Having discussed the family’s finances, let’s move on to the family’s talent issues!" the Grand Elder said, "In the past decade, the Lu Family has faced a shortage of talents. Currently, the family has five hundred and thirty-two cultivators, with three hundred and fifty-two being Five Spirit Roots, seventy being Four Spirit Roots, and ten being Three Spirit Roots."
"Among these ten Three Spirit Root cultivators, three are Qi Cultivation Cultivators, six are Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and the remaining one is a Purple Mansion Cultivator."
"Overall, the number of cultivators is decreasing, Five Spirit Roots are increasing, Four Spirit Roots are decreasing, and the Three Spirit Root cultivators are decreasing, posing a talent gap for the family."
"Here is a table of family members, a list, and the resources spent; take a careful look!"
It seemed that just saying it lacked some persuasiveness, so the Grand Elder directly took out a booklet and handed it over.
It contained detailed information on family members, along with the resources consumed and various comparisons.
Lu Xuanji took the booklet and started reading it carefully, initially indifferent but gradually showing a grave expression as the issues were significant.
Compared with large financial expenditures and fiscal deficits, population insufficiency is a major issue.
In the Cultivation Realm, why does the Human Race lose to the Demon Race? Because they don’t have the high fertility rate of the Demon Race, at the starting line, humans have already lost to the Demon Race.
In the Cultivation Realm, many cultivators are busy with cultivation, pursuing immortality, and view romantic love with indifference, often marrying late or not at all.
Many Golden Core Ancestors and Nascent Soul True Monarchs are often obsessed with the Great Dao, obsessively pursuing immortality, becoming extremely distant from romantic love, even treating it as a flood or beast, viewing it as a hindrance and karmic obstacle on the path to enlightenment, and keeping away from it.
They often have no wives or concubines, no Dao companions, no offspring, leaving their treasures in deserted mountains after passing away, which may be discovered by someone destined to find them one day.
Even the father only chose to marry at the age of one hundred and twenty, marrying the twenty-year-old mother, and later having three children with her.
Among the five hundred and thirty-two cultivators of the Lu Family, those over the age of thirty account for four hundred and seventy people.
Among these four hundred and seventy people, two-thirds are unmarried, with less than a hundred married cultivators.
Among the hundred, those with children account for less than half.
Many Qi Refining Cultivators only choose a Dao companion after the age of sixty; many Foundation Establishment Cultivators only choose a Dao companion after the age of one hundred and twenty.
If they don’t find a suitable one, they simply remain single.
"Family cultivators marrying late, or not marrying, has brought the family’s fertility rate dangerously low. Grand Elder, what do you suggest we do?" Lu Xuanji asked, frowning slightly as he looked at the booklet.
"No solution!"
The Grand Elder said, "Unless we lock a man and woman in a room together and give them aphrodisiacs. More efficient!"
Lu Xuanji was speechless.
A ridiculous idea, completely unreliable.
Lu Xuanji said, "How about this, we encourage childbirth. For those willing to become Dao companions and have children, provide them with annual spirit stone and elixir supplements."
"That sounds like a good idea!"
The Grand Elder nodded, "But how much supplement should we give? Giving too much money depletes the family treasury; giving too little doesn’t incentivize anyone. No one’s foolish."
"Or, we could learn from the Ye Family and enforce marriage, requiring marriage by a certain age!" Lu Xuanji frowned, "Forcing the unwilling."
"Forced marriages might work, but when they don’t want to marry, force is often futile!" the Grand Elder said, "Many Ye Family Dao companions still live separately after marriage. Should we also eavesdrop on houses or administer aphrodisiacs?"
"Forced marriage is unreliable, administering aphrodisiacs seems even more plausible!"
Lu Xuanji came up with several more ideas, but they all turned out to be stopping issues temporarily without solving the root cause.
Even failing to address the temporary problems.
The Grand Elder said, "The low fertility rate of human cultivators is a big problem plaguing the Human Race. Human cultivators exhibit an innate Dao Body, naturally aligning with and close to the Great Dao, possessing extraordinary comprehension. Many demon cultivators wish to buy Transformation Pills to take human form.
Because in a human form, they align with the Great Dao, are closer to it, and gain enlightenment quickly.
With quick enlightenment and closeness to the Great Dao, human cultivators, without special bloodlines, powerful talents, or extraordinary physiques, produce top practitioners every generation, matching the Demon Race in strength. Some say there inherently was no Demon Race concept.
But the Human Race was so overwhelming that myriad races had to unite against them, forming the Demon Race. If the human fertility problem were resolved, they would have long swept across the Demon Race."
Lu Xuanji said, "Clan Leader, how do you suggest we increase the clan’s birth rate? I have no solution!"
"Xuanji, let’s not talk about others first, let’s talk about you!" The Grand Elder suddenly thought of something, "As the Clan Leader, shouldn’t you lead by example?"
"Cough, cough!"
Lu Xuanji nodded, "Grand Elder, please speak!"
The Grand Elder said, "Ye Linglong, I understand; she’s the pride of the Ye Family, choosing you as a Dao companion because you aid her on the path to immortality. As for how deep your feelings are, how inseparable, how affectionate and loving—well, that’s wishful thinking!"
"Am I right?"
"The Grand Elder is correct!"
Lu Xuanji said.
"Ye Linglong said she would become your Dao companion when you become a Purple Mansion Cultivator. You’re currently at the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment, needing at least thirty years to reach the Ninth Layer; it will take another twenty years to become a Purple Mansion Cultivator. Am I right?" The Grand Elder calculated.
"Approximately!" Lu Xuanji calculated the time, nodding, "It will take about fifty more years to become Purple Mansion."
On the path of cultivation, time is needed to assimilate these resources and convert them into strength.
Even with abundant resources, it will take at least fifty years to become Purple Mansion.
This is a very conservative timeline.
If unexpected events occur, sixty or seventy years wouldn’t be unusual either.
"Ye Linglong can hardly be relied on. Why not take a few concubines now!" the Grand Elder said, "I don’t ask for much, just that you take ten concubines, with each bearing a child. It won’t take much of your time, at most three years. We already have candidates."
"I even have a list here!"
"Cough, cough!"
Lu Xuanji said speechlessly, "Grand Elder, please stop making trouble!"
"Xuanji, as Clan Leader, it’s crucial to avoid double standards, both asserting and establishing," the Grand Elder said with a grin, "You even suggested forced marriage earlier; shall I administer aphrodisiacs tonight? Bringing those who fancy you into your room."
"In three months, they’re bound to have big bellies and certainly give birth to sons for you."
"As Clan Leader, you should volunteer first, and set an example!"
Lu Xuanji was left speechless.
In all the discussion, he inadvertently got himself tangled up.