https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-174-You-Have-a-Story-Hey-I-Have-Wine-Part-1-/12920482/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-175-Nan-Wa-s-Absence-Old-Acquaintances-in-the-Snow-Part-1-/12920496/
Chapter 174: You Have a Story, Hey, I Have Wine! (Part 2)
Chapter 174: You Have a Story, Hey, I Have Wine! (Part 2)
"
"Yes, but later, that branch produced a genius."
"A genius?"
"Mhm, my cousin, Duan Rui."
As he mentioned this name, a clear look of resentment appeared on Duan Feng's face.
Ah, this one!
Luo Chen realized he had heard of this person before.
Duan Rui was a Qi Condensation Ninth Level cultivator! However, because he came from a cultivator clan, he was rarely mentioned alongside the likes of Han Dang and Fu Xiuxiu.
After all, he wasn't from the same background as the wandering cultivators.
"After my father's death, our family's connection with the Luo Tianhui sect was severed."
"As for me, I was particularly passionate about magical tool forging at the time." Duan Feng let out a bitter laugh, "After all, this is our family's inherited craft."
"Moreover, one of the conditions to inherit the position of clan leader is to possess exceptional magical tool forging skills."
"At the time, my choice seemed like the right one. Given enough time, I could have restored my father's reputation and even inherited the position of clan leader."
"However, at some point, the clan stopped valuing magical tool forging as much and began to place more emphasis on cultivation realm."
Through Duan Feng's narration, Luo Chen finally understood why their branch of the family had gradually neglected him.
Instead, they had directed all their cultivation resources towards his cousin, Duan Rui.
Duan Rui, a dual-attribute cultivator with both water and fire spiritual roots!
Originally, he should have followed in his father's footsteps and joined a major sect.
But precisely because he possessed dual attributes and the clan had the ice and fire spirit spring, it was very suitable for his cultivation.
The clan's patriarch had even found a set of dual-attribute cultivation techniques specifically for him.
For the sake of the family and himself, Duan Rui stayed within the clan.
He diligently cultivated, eventually surpassing Duan Feng and reaching the Qi Condensation Ninth Level stage ahead of him.
"Perhaps it's also related to the limited lifespan of your clan's patriarch," Luo Chen clicked his tongue.
Duan Feng drained the cup of Huangli wine.
Thud! He slammed the cup on the table and took a deep breath, "Indeed!"
"But I didn't know that at the time!"
"That old man was always tight-lipped about his lifespan. My mother and I, being distant from the clan's upper echelon, were unaware of the secret."
"It was later that I learned the reason the clan valued Duan Rui so much was to help him break through to the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible, thereby extending the Duan family's glory."
Luo Chen twitched the corner of his mouth.
A mere Foundation Establishment clan talking about glory?
Well, being alone, he didn't quite understand the mindset of clan cultivators.
"But what does this have to do with your mother's grudge?"
It was simply a matter of unfair resource allocation.
Oh, considering that Duan Feng's father had died for the clan, leaving behind a widow and orphan, and they were treated differently.
Indeed, it was quite disappointing.
But Duan Feng wasn’t just disappointed; he was furious.
“Failed!”
“Duan Rui, in his attempt to reach Foundation Establishment, failed!”
“The old dog spent a huge amount of resources for him, even using the Foundation Establishment Pill that my father had exchanged for with his lifetime achievements from the Cloudfall Sect.”
“Despite all the preparations, he still failed in his Foundation Establishment attempt.”
Luo Chen was surprised. “The Foundation Establishment Pill that your father exchanged for with his achievements?”
“Yes, it was supposed to be for me, always kept in the old dog’s custody.”
Luo Chen shook his head. This was truly destroying someone’s path!
Duan Feng’s cultivation talent wasn’t weak; it was just overshadowed by his talent in forging magical tools in the early days.
But as long as he was given more time, reaching the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation would not be a problem.
In other words, that Foundation Establishment Pill was definitely something he would need.
However, if he were in the same situation, with his lifespan running out and the clan in a state of transition,
Luo Chen would most likely give the Foundation Establishment Pill to the most promising Duan Rui as well! For the sake of the clan, it couldn’t be considered wrong or right.
It was, in fact, the absolutely correct choice.
Only if Duan Rui successfully reached Foundation Establishment could the Duan Family continue to stand in the Dahexian Market.
Otherwise, they would end up struggling like the Chen Family or be easily wiped out like the Fu Family by Luo Chen and the Luo Tianhui.
A Foundation Establishment family without high-level combat power would be a sweet morsel that everyone wanted to bite into.
Their situation wouldn’t be much better than Luo Chen, who was skilled in alchemy.
But if such a thing happened to the orphan Duan Feng,
It would truly be too cruel.
Especially since Duan Rui failed! That was too ironic.
...
As Luo Chen found it ironic, the malevolent aura around Duan Feng grew more apparent.
He gripped his wine cup, the veins on his hands standing out prominently.
The cup in his hand silently turned to powder.
“Duan Rui failed in his Foundation Establishment attempt, was severely injured, and coincidentally, the Dao Discussion Platform in the Dahexian Market was opened, attracting three major cultivation families.”
“The status of the Duan Family became precarious.”
“In such a situation, the old dog tried to form an alliance with the Po Shan Gang’s Mi Shuhua but was politely refused.”
As he listened, Luo Chen sensed something was off.
Why did it involve the Po Shan Gang?
Moreover, with Mi Shuhua’s character, why would he refuse an alliance with the Duan Family?
Reviewing the timeline, Luo Chen suddenly felt uneasy.
Around that time, it was when he started to shine in the Po Shan Gang, diligently refining the Jade Marrow Pill.
At that time, Mi Shuhua should have already hooked up with Miao Wen.
Since he had to hand over a portion of the pill profits to Miao Wen, he naturally wouldn’t want to form an alliance with the Duan Family.
That way, the share of benefits he could get would be even less.
“After being rejected by Mi Shuhua, out of desperation, the old dog considered a matrimonial alliance.”
Duan Feng gave a bitter laugh. “You probably wouldn’t have guessed that the matrimonial alliance was with the Nan Gong Family’s Nan Gong Qin, and the person chosen from our Duan Family was my mother.”
At this, Luo Chen couldn’t hold back anymore.
He blurted out, “That old man, Duan Qiankun, must be crazy!”
It wasn’t surprising that he thought so.
In the Duan family, the father died for the clan, Duan Feng had notable talent in forging magical tools, and there was a Foundation Establishment Pill left as a contribution.
No matter how cold-hearted a person was, they wouldn’t do something as extreme as this!
The father worked tirelessly, the most important inheritance was misappropriated, and now they were even marrying off the widow, all for the clan’s alliance and to secure their position in the Dahexian Market.
Moreover, Nan Gong Qin from the Nan Gong Family was a vigorous Foundation Establishment cultivator with a long lifespan left.
Wasn’t this inviting a wolf into the fold?
Duan Feng gave a cold laugh and was about to drink a cup of wine.
But when he brought his hand to his mouth, he found only a handful of porcelain powder.
Luo Chen immediately pushed his own cup over.
After drinking it in one go, Duan Feng panted and said, “Of course, he wasn’t crazy.”
“The Nan Gong Family was new and eager to establish themselves. If our Duan Family formed a marital alliance with them, they could firmly establish their footing.”
“Moreover, our Duan Family has some connections with the Cloudfall Sect.”
“At least for a hundred years, it wouldn’t be considered inviting a wolf into the fold.”
Luo Chen couldn’t help but ask, “Did they agree?”
“Yes, the Nan Gong Family agreed.”
Luo Chen hesitated, speechless.
This meant that Nan Gong Qin almost became Duan Feng’s stepfather.
What an unexpected turn of events!
“At the time, both the Duan Family and the Nan Gong Family had agreed.”
“Only my mother firmly opposed it. Later, under the old dog’s coercion, my mother even used her death to prove her stance, completely cutting off his hopes.”
“It was then that I left the Duan Family and entered the inner city to fight on my own.”
Luo Chen took out a new cup and poured himself a drink.
After taking a deep drink, he sighed, “No wonder you call him an old dog; Duan Qiankun really did something inhuman!”
He truly drained the Duan Feng family dry.
“At that time, I knew that forging magical tools and refining pills were just means.”
“Only cultivation, only strength, are absolute!”
As Duan Feng said this, he glanced at Luo Chen.
There was a hidden meaning in his words!
Luo Chen shook his head; he wasn’t obsessed with alchemy.
He had long recognized that alchemy was merely a means to accumulate cultivation resources.
If not for this, he wouldn’t have recently put aside the Jade Marrow Pill and focused on refining the Path to the Netherworld Pill.
Because the Path to the Netherworld Pill would genuinely increase his strength.
However, enjoying the process always reduced some of the fatigue.
Duan Feng nodded, knowing that Luo Chen was smarter and had a clearer vision than him.
He sneered, “My mother died, and on the Dao Discussion Platform, in my fury, I fought the newly arrived Nan Gong Qin.”
“I won that battle.”
“Afterward, I met him, and we had a chat.”
“He told me that the matrimonial alliance was just a means; if not him, it would have been any other member of the Nan Gong Family.
"The only one in the Duan family who can threaten me is my mother."
Luo Chen was taken aback, "What do you mean?"
Before Duan Feng could explain, Luo Chen instantly understood his reasoning.
"Duan Rui?"
"Yes!"
Duan Feng took a deep breath, "Duan Rui merely failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. After recovering from his injuries, he can certainly try again."
"So, he remains the old dog's most cherished possession."
"Under those circumstances, the only one who could pose a threat to him was me, who had vaguely awakened and was cultivating faster and faster."
"He couldn't move against me, so he exerted pressure on my mother. As long as my mother marries someone else, I'll truly be left without any support within the clan."
Luo Chen looked at him with a complex expression.
The hidden truth was so despicable.
It seemed that even within cultivation families, not everyone was on good terms, and it wasn't all harmonious!
"If the marriage alliance fails, and I leave the Duan family, the old dog will have no choice but to pin all his hopes on Duan Rui."
"He's even willing to buy another Foundation Establishment Pill at the auction for him."
Auction?
Foundation Establishment Pill!
Luo Chen instantly realized.
At the Jade Cauldron auction, Mi Shuhua didn't bid, allowing the four forces to divide the Foundation Establishment Pills.
Excluding the Wang Hai Chao, Li Family, and the Kang Family from Tai Mountain Market, the remaining family was most likely Duan Qiankun.
With this second Foundation Establishment Pill, Duan Rui wouldn't...
"He failed again, didn't he?" Luo Chen asked.
This wasn't baseless speculation, as the Duan family hadn't produced a second Foundation Establishment cultivator until now.
"Hahaha..."
Duan Feng laughed heartily, "Yes, my foolish brother failed again, haha!"
"Water and fire are incompatible, and cultivating both simultaneously may result in formidable combat power, but breaking through the cultivation realm is extremely challenging."
"It's good that he failed!"
"If he had succeeded, how could I ever avenge my great grudge!"
Dual Spirit Roots, undoubtedly, were considered a heaven-blessed talent.
Second only to Heaven Spirit Roots or those with special body constitutions.
But it also depended on which two spirit roots were involved.
For incompatible spirit roots like water and fire, not only would it not accelerate cultivation speed, but it would also hinder one's progress.
The Duan family only had the Ice and Fire Spirit Spring, and Duan Qiankun had gone to great lengths to find a matching dual-attribute cultivation technique.
Otherwise, Duan Rui might never be able to cultivate to the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation.
Even if he reached the Great Perfection, the difficulties in breaking through the cultivation realm would be far greater than those faced by other Great Perfection cultivators who cultivated a single attribute.
After consuming two Foundation Establishment Pills, he still failed.
Based on the time calculation, he was probably still recovering from the backlash of the failed breakthrough.
The backlash from failing to break through the Foundation Establishment stage was not as easy as it seemed on the surface.
Luo Chen knew of a case, that of their former neighbor, Fu Xiuxiu.
She managed to recover gradually with the help of her cultivation partner and her unique body constitution.
Even with Duan Qiankun's assistance, Duan Rui's path was far from smooth.
And if Duan Rui's path was difficult, Duan Qiankun himself was in a precarious situation.
This meant that the Duan family was also in a difficult position!
"No wonder they've been sending people to find you frequently lately!"
Luo Chen sighed.
Even within the family, one had to endure so much intrigue, no less challenging than his life as a wandering cultivator.
Duan Feng nodded, "They will naturally come to me. After all, I've accomplished something in the past year."
He had debated with Nan Gong Qin, winning once and losing once, and had been consistently ranked among the top three.
Holding an important position in the Luo Tianhui, he had gained Luo Chen's trust.
During the Fu Family battle, he had single-handedly fought against the Fu Family Patriarch, Fu Zhang.
The strength Duan Feng displayed was far beyond that of the helpless orphan he once was.
"They frequently contacted me, not only making numerous promises but also giving me some benefits in advance."
"Hmph, I'll be honest with you, I accepted all those benefits!"
"Cultivation pills, the Duan family's secret method for tempering spirit energy, and so on."
"I'm not being ungrateful, but these are what I rightfully deserve!"
Luo Chen raised his eyebrows, "You mean you don't plan to return to the Duan family?"
Duan Feng looked at Luo Chen speechlessly, "I knew that you were looking for me today because of this matter."
"Hehe..."
Luo Chen smiled calmly, not hiding his intentions.
A gentleman can be persuaded with reason.
Discussing this matter openly wouldn't affect anything.
Duan Feng shook his head, "I can't go back."
"Even if I were to return, it would be to take his life!"
Inside the room, the stove fire blazed, creating a cozy warmth.
Luo Chen tugged at his collar and advised, "Duan Qiankun doesn't have much longer to live, just a few years. Why bother holding a grudge over a short period?"
Wouldn't it be better to wait for him to die of old age? Then, they could dance on his grave, maintaining their dignity.
"No, you don't understand. I can't forget the sight of my mother severing her own heart pulse and dying miserably at home."
At this point, Duan Feng's teeth clenched in anger.
His body trembled uncontrollably, "I must see him dead, not just let him die of old age."
"My father's life, my mother's life, and the unfair treatment my family has endured for years."
"He must pay for all of this with his life!"
"I'll crush his bones to dust, no matter the cost!"
Each word was spoken with tears in his eyes.
Luo Chen sighed, knowing that he couldn't persuade him.
But how could Duan Feng, merely at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, compete with a Foundation Establishment cultivator? He still had a way to go before reaching Great Perfection.
Suddenly, a scene flashed into Luo Chen's mind.
He was about to speak instinctively, but upon seeing Duan Feng's eyes, which seemed capable of devouring people, he forced himself to hold back.
He couldn't say it!
Saying it would only harm Duan Feng!
(End of Chapter)
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