Chapter 13: The Temptation of the Nascent Soul True Lord—I'll Go Right Now!
In the room, the two men locked eyes, each trying to peer into the other's soul!
Qin Zhengyang nodded helplessly. "Indeed. After verification, women with inferior spiritual roots can bear children with extreme-grade spiritual roots, while those with medium spiritual roots produce earth spiritual roots. As Qin Changqing put it, the higher a woman's aptitude, the more spiritual energy she can endure—and the finer the immortal seedling she can nurture."
Lin Xiuwen's eyes erupted with brilliant light. He exclaimed in delight, "In that case, if Qin Changqing pairs with a woman of superior spiritual root, wouldn't they produce the once-in-a-millennium... heavenly spiritual root!"
A heavenly spiritual root! Rumor had it only the top ten sects possessed them, and even then, they were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Without exception, their bearers were heavenly prodigies of the sects.
Qin Zhengyang sighed. "It's a pity our Qin family has no women with superior spiritual roots... but I've heard the Lin family produced an exceptional female prodigy in the early years."
Lin Xiuwen's expression shifted. "You mean Yuxia?"
Lin Yuxia had entered the top ten sects' Taiqing Sect thanks to her outstanding aptitude. She'd even been taken as a personal disciple by an elder, her future bright as daybreak. She was the Lin family's great hope.
Qin Zhengyang nodded. "Brother Lin, I know Yuxia has a promising path ahead, but this is a heavenly spiritual root we're talking about. Don't you want to give it a try...?"
Yes—heavenly spiritual root... Lin Xiuwen's heart raced with temptation.
A heavenly spiritual root!
No elder's disciple, no sect master's heir could stand in its way.
He'd said it himself!
...
Back at the Lin family manor, Lin Xiuwen immediately dispatched a messenger to summon Lin Yuxia from Taiqing Sect, claiming urgent family matters required her swift return.
But a trip from the sect wasn't quick. For now, they could only wait after sending word.
"Patriarch, an earth spiritual root is still a once-in-a-century prodigy. Why not send over a woman with a medium spiritual root first?" an elder suggested.
"Sigh!" Lin Xiuwen sighed, looking troubled. "You think I haven't considered it? But our family has only one woman with a medium spiritual root—Xinyao. She's already married, so that's out of the question."
The elder pressed on. "Not necessarily, Patriarch. That couple has gone years without a child. If they could have an earth spiritual root heir, they'd hardly refuse. This is for the family's future. Besides, we're just borrowing her—not marrying her off."
The value of an earth spiritual root was enough to make them sacrifice a little.
Lin Xiuwen pondered long and hard before nodding. "Go discuss it with the couple, then."
"Yes!" The elder beamed, bowed, and withdrew.
...
A few days later, Lin Xinyao arrived at the Qin family estate. This immortal seedling was somewhat famous in the Lin family, and someone recognized her on the spot.
"Patriarch, this Lin Xinyao appears to be a married woman. Why would the Lin family send her?"
Qin Zhengyang eyed the plump, alluring figure of Lin Xinyao below. His expression twitched slightly as he grasped the Lin family's intent—they simply couldn't resist the lure of an earth spiritual root!
He instinctively wanted to refuse, but then he thought of his own family's Qin Rongrong in a similar bind. With a sigh and a wave, he said, "Fine, fine. Send her to Qin Changqing. That kid's getting all the luck."
Qin Changqing had seen his share of women. The Qin family hadn't named her, just told him to get to work, but the moment he laid eyes on Lin Xinyao, he spotted the familiar aura she shared with Qin Rongrong—that voluptuous figure, that seductive poise. She outdid Rongrong in every way.
Things were getting wilder by the day!
Qin Changqing's heart even raced a little. He couldn't help checking the mirror, suddenly worried he'd developed a case of Mengde syndrome.
Should be fine. I just like them pretty... Qin Changqing mulled it over. Aside from pretty ones, he didn't seem to have any other bad habits.
Yeah, that's it!
That night, Qin Changqing buckled down for another grind session on his "multiple-choice questions"!
...
"Elder, the women keep coming, one after another. It's wearing me out. Without a massive influx of spiritual energy, I won't last like this."
"Whatever you need, Changqing—just say it!"
"More spirit stones!"
"Plus two days off. I need to spend time with my wife and kids at home."
Qin Xiahe felt a twinge of guilt hearing this. The two families had indeed gone overboard, prioritizing clan interests without a thought for Qin Changqing's health or family.
As a fellow man, he understood completely. Nodding, he asked, "How many spirit stones do you want?"
Qin Changqing thought it over. "For nurturing an extreme-grade spiritual root child, five hundred spirit stones. For an earth spiritual root, at least two thousand!"
Qin Xiahe's eyes widened. The kid's got some nerve, asking for the moon. But he didn't refuse. "I'll discuss it with the patriarch."
Hearing Qin Changqing's terms, Qin Zhengyang pondered. "Even the cleverest housewife can't cook without rice. He's not wrong—this does drain spiritual power and stamina. We can't be shortsighted fools killing the golden goose. Tell him I agree!"
Qin Xiahe nodded.
Qin Zhengyang added, "We agree, but the Qin family won't eat the loss. Tell the Lin family their share goes up too. He wants two thousand from us? They pay four thousand!"
The two men exchanged a glance, both breaking into knowing smiles.
...
A month later, a streak of rainbow light descended into the Lin family manor. The glow faded, revealing Lin Yuxia, who'd rushed back in haste.
"Patriarch, what happened at home to summon me so urgently?" Lin Yuxia eyed Lin Xiuwen, seated calmly above. It didn't seem like an emergency. Perplexed, she asked.
Lin Xiuwen gestured. "Yuxia, no rush. Sit down, and I'll explain slowly..."
Lin Yuxia sat dubiously and listened as Lin Xiuwen spun the tale. Her beautiful eyes widened more and more until she blurted, "Control over a child's aptitude? Nurturing spiritual root immortal seedlings? How could such a freak exist? Impossible—absolutely impossible!"
Lin Xiuwen chuckled and waved. An elder promptly brought over a newborn babe. "This is Qin Changqing and one of our Lin women—just born. Test it yourself."
Lin Yuxia whipped out a spirit-testing stone and pressed it to the child's brow. Blinding spiritual light erupted, leaving her dazed. She murmured, "Extreme-grade spiritual root... for real?!"
Lin Xiuwen struck while the iron was hot, coaxing patiently. "Yuxia, you're superior-grade aptitude. Pair with that Qin Changqing, and you could bear a heavenly spiritual root child. A heavenly spiritual root! The kind that might become a Soul Transformation Heavenly Lord one day! How many Soul Transformation Heavenly Lords does your Taiqing Sect even have?"
Lin Yuxia's breathing quickened, her eyes gleaming. But she reined in the impulse and said gravely, "Patriarch, this concerns the entire family's interests. You say Sister Xinyao's already at the Qin family—why not wait for her child to be born? Then we'll know for sure."
Lin Xiuwen figured that made sense—better to play it safe. Lin Yuxia was an elder's disciple in Taiqing Sect, after all; she had her pride and wouldn't just marry on a whim.
"Very well, we'll wait for Xinyao's child!" Lin Xiuwen nodded in agreement.
One year later.
Lin Xinyao, brought back early, finally went into labor and birthed a plump baby boy.
The Lin family's core members gathered, holding their breath as Lin Yuxia placed the spirit-testing stone on the infant's brow.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the hall blazed with radiant spiritual light.
"Earth spiritual root! A true earth spiritual root!"
"The Lin family will rise! Hahaha!"
"With a Nascent Soul True Lord in our future, who'll dare provoke us?"
The elders laughed wildly in excitement.
"Not just a Nascent Soul True Lord—perhaps even a Soul Transformation Heavenly Lord..." Lin Xiuwen glanced meaningfully at Lin Yuxia, who stood frozen in shock.
Snapping out of it, Lin Yuxia gazed at the child in the cradle. She nodded slowly, then firmly. "I agree. I'll go right now!"