Qin Faha raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What do you know?"
"Grandpa has an old grudge with the Third Elder of the Liu Family."
Lin Mushuang looked straight ahead, "Recently, it's become increasingly restless.
Your arrival, Senior, has given Grandpa an excuse to send me away."
Qin Faha's heart stirred.
This girl is quite insightful; she doesn't seem as bad as the old ghost said.
He suddenly felt a little anticipation for his nephew's expression when he met this new Dao Companion.
The flying boat sliced through the sea of clouds, speeding towards Peach Forest Island...
Qin Guiya opened his eyes; Lin Mushuang beside him had already gotten up, leaving only a faint orchid fragrance on the pillow.
He reached out and caressed the empty spot, his heart a mix of emotions.
Taking a concubine went much more smoothly than he had expected.
When his Second Uncle suddenly brought Lin Mushuang yesterday, Qin Guiya had already prepared himself for various awkward situations.
Who knew that Liu Qingchan, upon seeing this "Sister," would be as cordial as an old friend reunited after a long separation, quickly becoming familiar with her after a few words.
And Lin Mushuang, without the shyness of a newcomer, was quietly gentle yet perceptive, getting along exceptionally well with Liu Qingchan.
"Husband is awake?"
Liu Qingchan's voice came from outside the door, accompanied by soft footsteps, "Sister Mu Shuang made Spirit Porridge; drink it while it's hot."
Qin Guiya took the porridge bowl.
The porridge was made with Second-Order Supreme Clear Rice, with a few calming Spirit Medicines added, and it smelled fragrant.
He was a little dazed—he had thought that taking a concubine would disrupt the existing family harmony, but he didn't expect it to add someone to care for everyone instead.
"Where is Yue Xian?"
"Sister Mu Shuang is holding her."
Liu Qingchan's eyes held a gentle smile, "It's strange to say, Yue Xian is usually shy around strangers, but she immediately snuggled into Mu Shuang's arms upon seeing her."
Qin Guiya's heart stirred slightly.
Putting down the porridge bowl, his Divine Sense sank into his Sea of Consciousness, eagerly checking the changes in the ancient tree.
He saw that beside the thick main trunk, there was indeed a slender side branch.
Its length was less than a quarter of the first, but at its tip, a pearl-sized flower bud was forming.
"The second side branch... flower bud..."
Qin Guiya speculated that this new branch might represent Lin Mushuang, and the flower bud might signify different abilities she brought.
His Divine Sense touched the second side branch, and a stream of information surged into his mind:
【Lin Mushuang】
Spiritual Root: Metal, Water, Earth (Three Spiritual Roots)
Realm: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage
Talent: Formation (Average)
The information was the same as Liu Qingchan's, but the talent changed from "Spirit Plant" to "Formation."
Qin Guiya thoughtfully withdrew from his Sea of Consciousness, his gaze falling on the Formation disk in the corner of the room.
That was a Spirit Gathering Array Lin Mushuang had casually placed yesterday; its intricate structure far surpassed the common styles of the Qin Family.
"Qingchan,"
Qin Guiya suddenly asked, "When did you first discover your Spirit Plant talent?"
Liu Qingchan tilted her head and thought for a moment: "It seems... not long after marrying husband?
Before, in the Liu Family's Spirit Medicine garden, I was only more sensitive to Spirit Medicine, but truly being able to 'hear' them speak has only been in the past year."
Qin Guiya's eyes narrowed slightly.
This aligned with his guess.
Perhaps the ancient tree could not only display the talents of Dao Companions but also, to some extent, stimulate or enhance these talents?
If that were true, then Lin Mushuang's Formation ability would likely improve significantly in a short period.
"What is husband thinking about?" Liu Qingchan asked curiously.
Qin Guiya shook his head:
"Nothing. Oh, by the way, Second Uncle said that Nascent Soul Pill is worth three hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"
At the mention of this, Liu Qingchan's expression dimmed:
"Yes, and it has to be paid back within ten years... with interest, a total of three hundred twenty thousand."
This was an astronomical figure for the previous Qin Guiya; an ordinary Golden Core cultivator's entire fortune was only a few hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
Qin Guiya, however, smiled: "No matter, I have a way."
After getting dressed, Qin Guiya came to the Immortal Cave's main hall.
Lin Mushuang was holding Qin Yuexian and playing with her; the infant giggled in her arms, her small hand grasping a strand of Lin Mushuang's fallen hair.
Seeing Qin Guiya, she nodded slightly: "Husband."
This "Husband" was called so naturally, as if she had said it thousands of times.
Qin Guiya couldn't help but look at her twice more.
Although Lin Mushuang's appearance was not as gentle and moving as Liu Qingchan's, her eyes, like dark jade, were exceptionally deep.
"What kind of Formation is Mu Shuang skilled in?"
Qin Guiya took his son and asked casually.
"I can set up all basic Formations; my best are defensive and Spirit Gathering types."
Lin Mushuang's voice was cool, "Grandpa said I lack innovation and can only follow established methods."
Qin Guiya's heart stirred: "From now on, the Formation arrangements in the Immortal Cave will all rely on Mu Shuang."
Lin Qingchan smiled with her beautiful eyes: "I guarantee to follow husband's instructions."
After breakfast, Qin Guiya went alone to his Second Uncle's Immortal Cave.
Qin Faha's Clone was sipping tea in the courtyard; seeing him arrive, he smiled and pushed over a cup: "How is the new concubine?"
"Thank you for your trouble, Second Uncle."
Qin Guiya respectfully said, "It's just that three hundred thousand Spirit Stones..."
Qin Faha waved his hand: "I know you can't get it out right away. But since you've married her, you have to give an explanation, don't you?"
Qin Guiya took out dozens of jade bottles from his Storage Ring and arranged them neatly on the stone table:
"These are the Second-Order Pills your nephew refined in the past six months; please take a look, Second Uncle."
Qin Faha raised an eyebrow and casually opened a bottle.
When he saw the perfect quality Spirit Gathering Pills inside, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes:
"You refined these?"
"Yes."
Qin Guiya said frankly, "Your nephew discovered... that after Dual Cultivation with a Dao Companion, my Comprehension Ability temporarily increases, and my understanding of Alchemy deepens."
This half-truth, half-false statement perfectly explained why his Alchemy had suddenly advanced.
Qin Faha indeed believed him, marveling:
"No wonder you were so eager to take a concubine! With such a talent, you really should leave more Bloodline."
He stroked his beard and calculated, "If these Medicinal Pills are sold through my channels, they can fetch about one hundred fifty thousand Spirit Stones."
"Your nephew would like to ask Second Uncle to handle the sales."
Qin Guiya said, seizing the opportunity, "For the next few years, I will focus on Alchemy and should be able to gather the outstanding amount."
Qin Faha laughed heartily:
"Good! With this skill, what's three hundred thousand?"
He lowered his voice, "But remember, don't sell too many perfect quality Medicinal Pills; it's easy to attract attention.
Focus on high-quality ones, occasionally mixing in a few perfect ones is enough."
Leaving his Second Uncle's Immortal Cave, a heavy weight lifted from Qin Guiya's heart.
With his Second Uncle's safe channel, earning Spirit Stones would no longer be a problem.
Although he had to conceal the existence of the Flawless Pill, just the high-quality and perfect quality Second-Order Pills alone could easily earn a million Spirit Stones a year.
Returning to his Immortal Cave, Qin Guiya's family lived quite harmoniously.
Liu Qingchan cared for the Spirit Plants and Qin Yuexian, Lin Mushuang studied Formations, and Qin Guiya focused on Alchemy.
At night, Qin Guiya took turns accompanying his two Dao Companions.
Unlike Liu Qingchan's gentle and flowing nature, beneath Lin Mushuang's cool exterior was a fiery passion; after each intimate moment, the flower bud on that side branch would bloom a little more.
A month passed, and the flower bud was already half-open, revealing golden stamens inside.
He estimated the number of times he had favored Lin Mushuang to be five, meaning that for the flower to fully mature, it should take about ten times.
And Lin Mushuang's Formation attainments had advanced by leaps and bounds; she could now independently design Second-Order top-grade Formations, far exceeding her self-proclaimed "average talent."
