Chapter 250: Chapter 249 Two Choices (First Update, Request for Subscription)
In the cave mansion, father and son were having a conversation.
Lu Xuanji was talking about a cold reality, discussing the cruelty of the world.
Ye Immortal retorted, "Father, was it because of backing that you got this far?"
"Yes!"
Lu Xuanji said, "In the early stages of cultivation, the Grand Elder was my backing; later, when I became Dao companions with your mother, the Ye Family was my backing; subsequently, when Ancestor Jin valued me, he too was a strong backing. These backings shielded me from countless storms, allowing me to grow."
"Otherwise, I would have long succumbed to overwhelming adversity!"
"A backing cannot ensure a cultivator becomes powerful, but it can ward off some significant harms. At least with Ancestor Jin’s protection, in deference to him, those Golden Core cultivators would not bully the weak. Those Purple Mansion cultivators, if they wanted to kill me, would have to find excuses and reasons, and try their best to avoid suspicion!"
"That’s sufficient. Do you understand?"
Ye Immortal nodded and said, "I understand, father!"
"You may go now, call your brother over!" Lu Xuanji said.
"I understand, father!"
Ye Immortal nodded, bowed, and withdrew.
Lu Xuanji nodded.
The lecture to his son ended.
This son is very clever, not only is he smart, but he also has great talent, excellent aptitude, and a special physique, which gives him a sense of pride, making him seem arrogant towards others.
The humble appearance just now was all a disguise.
He has pride in his bones, looking down on others.
This is also a flaw of geniuses.
If heaven is the eldest, I am the second, as for his father, he is just a mere Three Spirit Roots cultivator... some disdain for his father.
Therefore, Lu Xuanji began to knock sense into this son, first using Ye Feixue to reprimand the son; then using the example of the Celestial Prince to knock sense into the son;
Finally, he emphasized the importance of having a backing to knock sense into the son.
No matter how remarkable a Celestial Spirit Root is, or how impressive a Pure Yang Dao Body, a genius who hasn’t matured is less useful than a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The purpose of the lecture is to make the son understand that talent is both valuable and not valuable.
Whether he truly understands or not will depend on his own fortune!
...
In a moment, Lu Fan walked in.
"Greetings, father!"
Lu Fan approached and said.
Lu Xuanji remained silent, looking at this son.
The eldest son, Lu Immortal, is akin to Long Aotian, proud by nature, reckless in actions, eyes only for himself; whereas Lu Fan is filled with deep inferiority, speaking with his head down, lacking courage in his words.
In this respect, he is not even as good as Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan was once a genius, talented in his youth, progressing quickly. Even though he later fell, becoming a fallen genius, he had once basked in glory, he fantasized about regaining his talent, and carried a steadfast determination, constantly thinking about ’thirty years of the east river, thirty years of the west river, never look down on a poor youth.’
But Lu Fan has Five Spirit Roots, regarded as Wasted Spirit Roots... although clan cultivators don’t label him as a waste.
But without comparison, there is no harm.
Both parents are Purple Mansion Great Cultivators, with Golden Cores on the horizon; the elder brother has Celestial Spirit Roots, with a bright future. As for him, merely having Five Spirit Roots, even with a lifetime of hard cultivation, he’d be stuck at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, with no prospects.
"Fan’Er, what is your ideal?"
Lu Xuanji asked.
"Father, I, with merely Five Spirit Roots, have no grand ideals, just want to marry more wives and concubines, and bear more descendants for the clan!" Lu Fan smiled and said.
He is only twenty-seven years old and already has three wives and five sons.
Obviously, mother has no hope for him now, since he cannot become a strong cultivator, he might as well marry more wives and concubines, bear more descendants, and contribute more to the clan!
Mother has already agreed to cultivate him to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, which surpasses many.
Yet, to cultivate a Five Spirit Root cultivator to Foundation Establishment requires resources that could train ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, often a costly venture. Only because he is her son, the mother is willing to spend lavishly,
"Fan’Er..."
Lu Xuanji pondered, crafting certain phrases, and some storylines.
Should he recount Ye Hei’s story, detailing a youth overcoming ancient flawed physique, defying fate to attest Dao, pioneering a legendary era.
Unfit.
The rise of Ye Celestial Emperor was a game-like life, with backing in cultivating immortality.
How about narrating a tale about an elder demon Ning, telling a story starting in the Rain Immortal Realm, about a story ’My life, like a butterfly, slicing reincarnation,’ recounting if I wield magic, heaven and earth will have no immortals, and if I wield heaven, heaven and earth will have no magic.
Unfit! Unfit!
Ning old demon had greater backing, starting with Han Yuanji as backing, by the fourth day, there was a Quasi-Saint, a chaotic Great Emperor as backing, later having Yin Yang Saints, Zi Dou Immortal Emperor as backings.
Even, in the future reaching the True Realm, possibly seven or eight Immortal Emperors as backing.
"Mortal... come over here, let me inspect your body!"
Lu Xuanji said.
"Yes!"
Lu Fan went forward, approaching his father.
Divine thought probed, a trace of True Essence entered the body, continuously analyzing.
Attempting to detect any peculiarities in this son’s body.
No special physique, did not inherit his Pure Yang Dao Body;
Examining the spirit root again, it’s a mixed Five Spirit Roots.
Activating a secret technique, beginning to inspect the son’s destiny, son’s destiny is red, only slightly stronger than an average cultivator, not a grand destiny.
Up and down, inspecting for a long time, Five Spirit Root talent, no special physique, ordinary destiny.
"Here is a cultivation technique, take a look!"
Lu Xuanji took out a scroll with a cultivation technique, starting to assess the son’s comprehension ability.
After a while, became disappointed.
Lu Fan’s comprehension ability is average, just an ordinary level.
Checking again, trying to find any shining points, any outstanding qualities, but found none.
The ’Wasted Talent’ trope appears to suggest wasted potential, but essentially there’s a possibility of transforming waste into treasure, just removing rust to reveal the treasure underneath.
However, Lu Fan is indeed a waste.
The path of a cultivator primarily involves spirit root, physique, destiny, comprehension, and other factors stacked together.
But Lu Fan, with Five Spirit Root talent, no special physique, ordinary luck, ordinary comprehension, this is not a ’Wasted Talent’ trope beginning, but actually a waste.
"Fan’Er, now you have two choices!"
Lu Xuanji said, "First, you continue as you are, marrying wives and concubines, having many children, contributing to the clan; such a life is easy and carefree; second, I can improve your spirit roots, enhancing your talent and comprehension, changing your fate. But for a Five Spirit Root to defy heaven’s will, it requires immense cost and sacrifice, your life will be very hard."
"Two choices, two paths of life, different destinies, you can choose now?"
...
PS: Suffering a writer’s block, only one update in the morning. Will see about catching up later!