NOVEL WEB Chapter 100: Roots
Chapter 100: Roots
[Name: Xu Lian]
[Cultivation Stage: Bright Strength Sixth Stage]
[Skills: Breaking Wind Sword Technique (Volumes 1-3), Seven Styles of Primal Gang (Complete)]
[Equipment: Long Sword (Rusty 1-Star Long Sword, relatively sturdy, relatively sharp, can increase Qi by 10%)]
[Notes: You currently have no usable progression points. Please obtain progression points.]
Xu Lian stared at the data on the attribute panel, lost in thought.
His Bright Strength Sixth Stage cultivation level, coupled with the first three volumes of the Breaking Wind Sword Technique and the complete Seven Styles of the Primal Gang, should be enough to hold his own against the younger generation in Pingyang County.
However, compared to the entire younger generation of Taizhou Prefecture, it was far from enough. Let alone compared to the top geniuses of the entire Yin Dynasty, it was like the difference between a firefly and the moon.
“If the Yin Dynasty royal family were to choose a son-in-law for Sister Xiyue, they would definitely choose from among the top geniuses of the younger generation of the Yin Dynasty. How could I compete with them?”
Xu Lian thought about how to get a large number of Progress Points quickly.
For the time being, he wouldn’t worry about the materials needed for advancement. If he really had to, he could borrow from the Quarry Patrol Inspector directly. Quarry Patrol Inspector’s true identity was not simple, so borrowing some cultivation materials wouldn’t be a problem.
What he most lacked was Progression Points!
As long as he had enough Progression Points, he could theoretically advance to a very high level in a short period of time and crush the top geniuses of the Yin Dynasty.
“Where can I get Progression Points?”
This was a question worth thinking about.
Sister Xiyue and Chan’er had gone to the imperial capital of the Yin Dynasty. Now, only hot pepper Pei Zhaoxi, and Chuntao, who was dreaming of becoming a courtesan, remained in Green Bamboo Town.
Pei Zhaoxi’s favorability towards him was 60/100, a significant improvement from the original 50/100, but there was still a gap to reach 90/100.
Chuntao’s favorability was 65/100, and it would be difficult to reach 90/100 in a short time.
As for Stone Town, Xiaomei’s favorability was 91/100. With a little effort, it should be possible to increase it by another one or two points.
In Pingyang County, there was only Lin Wan, whose favorability was 92/100, which was already very high. It would be difficult to increase it further, and another point would probably be close to the limit.
“This means that in the short term, I can only gain a maximum of 3 progress points. Reaching the Ninth Stage of Bright Strength is definitely not enough compared to the top geniuses of the Yin Dynasty.”
The main reason was that Sister Xiyue’s matter came too suddenly, disrupting his original plan of steadily improving his strength.
If he had a few more years and his strength had accumulated enough, even the top geniuses of the Yin Dynasty would be brought down.
“Relying solely on increasing favorability to obtain progression points is too slow. If only I could have children, that would be great, but unfortunately…”
It was a pity that Xu Lian didn’t have the conditions for that right now. Having children was out of the question, so he had to focus on increasing his favorability.
“A favorability of over 90/100 is required to gain progression points. The starting threshold is too high. Unless I can meet more people like Xiaomei and Lin Wan…”
At this thought, Xu Lian’s eyes lit up.
The net was too small, so the fish caught were naturally few.
If he expanded the net, wouldn’t he be able to catch more fish like Xiaomei and Lin Wan?
“So expanding the net is the ultimate secret?”
Xu Lian vaguely understood. He had a lot to do in the coming time… he had to manage his time to the extreme.
He came out of the stone house, rode his horse away from the mine, and headed straight for Pei’s Manor.
He had to make the original net more solid before expanding it.
When he arrived at Pei’s Manor, Xu Lian asked, “Is your young lady here?”
The gatekeeper replied, “Yes, she is.”
Without even needing to announce his arrival, Xu Lian rode straight in on his horse. The smiling gatekeeper didn’t dare to stop him. Xu Lian was now Pei family’s son-in-law.
Xu Lian didn’t need to think to know that with Pei Zhaoxi’s fiery personality, she wouldn’t be embroidering flowers in her boudoir. She would definitely be at the training grounds of Pei Manor.
As expected, when he arrived at the training ground, it was bustling with activity. Many young men and women were riding horses and playing games. Pei Zhaoxi was among them, as playful as ever.
Xu Lian galloped his horse over and leapt directly from his horse onto Pei Zhaoxi’s back.
Feeling someone suddenly sit behind her, a man at that, Pei Zhaoxi was startled, then immediately flared up, striking out with her elbow, “Looking for death!”
Xu Lian easily blocked her elbow, wrapped his arms around her and chuckled, “Zhaoxi, missed me? Your big young master is back from his trip.”
The young men and women giggled, called him brother-in-law, and then politely moved away.
Upon hearing Xu Lian’s voice and sensing his familiar aura, Pei Zhaoxi’s anger instantly dissipated. She coldly snorted, “Where have you been fooling around? You finally know to come back.”
Xu Lian knew that with her personality, playful banter was her true love. Being polite and shy wouldn’t work on her. “I was just thinking about fooling around with you?”
Pei Zhaoxi blushed with shame and anger and immediately retaliated with a punch.
Xu Lian, with his Bright Strength Sixth Stage physique, found her punches ticklish. Ignoring them, he pulled on the reins, turned his horse around and galloped away aimlessly, enjoying the wind.
Pei Zhaoxi leaned against him, knowing what would happen next. “Our own mansion has been built. Let’s go to our own mansion.”
“Okay.” Xu Lian followed her direction and soon arrived at a newly built manor, not far from Pei’s manor.
“Master,”
“Miss.”
The guards at the mansion bowed respectfully.
Xu Lian rode his horse into the manor, dismounted first, and reached out to take Pei Zhaoxi down.
He held her hand and walked inside.
“This looks just like the Pei Family Mansion.”
Xu Lian walked hand in hand with Pei Zhaoxi and took a tour.
Pei Zhaoxi said, “I grew up in Pei Family Manor, so of course I built a mansion that’s a replica of it.”
Xu Lian got right to the point, “Where is our house?”
Pei Zhaoxi didn’t answer, but instead pulled his hand and led him, clearly wanting to spend time with him.
That’s how the little chili pepper was, once she got excited, she was like a wild horse running free.
It took until the evening to finally tame this wild horse.
After dinner.
They looked at the stars on the roof of the mansion.
Then they continued…
The next day.
[Name: Xu Lian]
[Rank: Bright Strength Stage 6th Heaven]
[Skills: Breaking Wind Sword Technique (Volume 123), Seven Styles of Primal Gang (Complete)]
[Items: None (1-star long sword not equipped)]
[Remarks: Pei Zhaoxi’s favorability towards you has reached 70/100]
This made Xu Lian both pleased and surprised. It seemed that Pei Zhaoxi really liked him, and her favorability had finally reached a breakthrough point.
Pei Zhaoxi felt a little strange, “Why aren’t you leaving?”
Xu Lian said, “We have only been together for a short time, we can count the days on one hand. Let’s spend more time together in these few days.”
This made Pei Zhaoxi cry with joy, “You still have a conscience.”
So,
Xu Lian spent the next few days accompanying her, going sightseeing, hunting, and doing various activities.
Pei Zhaoxi’s favorability towards him rose from 70 to 80, and he could think of ways to push it to 90/100.
The ultimate goal of the three major families in Green Bamboo Town was to join the Yi Sect and become its disciples. If he could help the head of the Pei family join the Yi Sect, Pei Zhaoxi’s favoritism towards him would definitely explode.
So, Xu Lian used the Purple Jade Token to ask the White Fox Quarry Patrol Inspector if there were any conditions for bringing others into the Yi Sect. The White Fox Quarry Patrol Inspector told him that you needed a Black Jade Token or a White Jade Token or a higher rank to bring new people into the Yi Sect.
Xu Lian understood. Black Jade Token and White Jade Token referred to cultivators who had reached a certain level. At present, he was only a Blue Jade Token, a new disciple. There was still a Red Jade Token that required three years of discipleship before reaching the Black and White Jade Tokens.
He knew that he couldn’t bring the head of the Pei family into the Yi Sect himself, and it wouldn’t be good to trouble the White Fox Quarry Patrol Inspector, so he had to put this method of increasing favorability on hold for now and find another way to boost Pei Zhaoxi’s feelings.
“Zhaoxi, I remember you told me before that your father wants to become a disciple of the Yi Sect. But I’m not at the level to bring new people into the sect yet, and it wouldn’t be good to bother the quarry patrol inspector too much. Just give me some time, and I’ll definitely help you bring your father into the sect.”
Xu Lian drew a picture and made this promise first.
Pei Zhaoxi hummed, “I believe you. Although you weren’t kind to me before, now that I’m married to you, I believe you’ll be good to me.”
Xu Lian asked, “Besides this family goal, are there any other goals your Pei family wants to achieve? Maybe I can help you.”
Pei Zhaoxi thought for a moment, “If my brother and I could go to the County Town Martial Arts Hall to train, that would be great. But only our father has a boat pass, and he can only use it himself. My brother and I can’t go to the county town.”
Xu Lian said, “This is easy to handle. I can take you both on the boat and you’ll be able to go directly to the county town.”
Pei Zhaoxi was delighted and immediately went back to the Pei Family Mansion with him.
She told the head of the Pei Family and Pei Heng the news.
As expected, both the Pei Family Head and Pei Heng were very happy. The Pei Family’s martial arts were definitely inferior to the martial arts hall in the county town. This was a way to improve their strength.
After the maids packed their belongings, Xu Lian took Pei Heng and Pei Zhaoxi to the dock, showed his Purple Jade Token, and successfully sent the siblings onto the double-masted ship heading to the county town’s martial arts hall to learn martial arts.
“The next time I see Zhaoxi, I’ll tame that wild horse again. I should be able to reach 90/100 favorability.”
Xu Lian thought. When it came to relationships, adding a touch of self-interest often helped increase favorability faster. After all, people in this world were too realistic. They didn’t believe in love, they believed in tangible things.
Just like Yang Chan’er, the reason she reached 90/100 so quickly was because he had a good appearance, making a good first impression. Then, he gave Yang Chan’er a better life and took care of Yang Ye’s family. This was the root of her favorability.