An Family

An Xiaopang discreetly wiped away tears.

Mo Hua sighed and took An Xiaopang for a walk around the An family estate. An Xiaopang's mood improved somewhat, but suddenly he realized something wasn't right.

"This is my home, how come you're more familiar with it than I am?"

"The formation array in your family's estate is too simple; I could see through it at a glance," Mo Hua thought to himself. However, to save face for the An family, he didn't say it directly. Instead, he replied, "I'm a formation master. I can discern these things based on the array."

The formation array was arranged according to the pavilions and buildings of the An family's mansion. Mo Hua's understanding of the array allowed him to infer how the mansion was constructed.

With artificial mountains and waters, pavilions and towers, everything made of earth and wood, all fitting into the formation array, it was traceable.

An Xiaopang admired, "Mo Hua, you're really amazing. I wish I were as clever as you."

Mo Hua said, "Don't be disheartened. Everyone has their own talents. What do you enjoy doing?"

"Everyone has their own talents..."

An Xiaopang felt somewhat encouraged. He furrowed his brow in thought for a while, then his eyes lit up.

"I like to eat!"

Mo Hua's expression froze.

An Xiaopang scratched his head. "Is that... not good?"

"It's... alright," Mo Hua replied with a clear conscience.

An Xiaopang scratched his head again.

Mo Hua said, "Don't mind what others say. Think carefully about what you want to do the most in your life. It doesn't have to be something grand; as long as you pursue it without regrets."

"Okay." An Xiaopang nodded.

The two walked around the garden.

An Xiaopang suddenly remembered something and said, "Mo Hua, it seems like my grandfather wants you to marry into the family."

Mo Hua was surprised. "How do you know that?"

"My mother was chatting with a group of aunts, and I overheard them. They really like discussing this kind of thing and can chat about it all day..."

Seeing how gleefully An Xiaopang spoke, Mo Hua figured his mother and others must have talked all day, and An Xiaopang enjoyed listening along...

However, Mo Hua was still puzzled. "I'm just over ten years old. Isn't your grandfather considering this a bit early?"

"Not too early." An Xiaopang shook his head. "This kind of thing should be decided early. If it's late, someone else might snatch you away."

An Xiaopang lowered his voice. "I heard that some prestigious families start arranging marriages as soon as the child's spiritual roots are confirmed at birth."

"Childhood betrothals?"

"Yeah." An Xiaopang nodded. "Those families with deep roots and knowledge research the inheritance of spiritual roots. They match cultivators based on their spiritual roots to produce children with specific spiritual attributes. To cultivate rarer and more superior spiritual roots, prestigious families arrange marriages based on spiritual roots."

"Does marrying based on spiritual roots really work?"

"It does." An Xiaopang said, "Among the disciples of those prestigious families, there are countless superior spiritual roots. Even a high-grade spiritual root is considered average among them. As for us cultivators from smaller places, having a middle-grade spiritual root is already considered good. This is the result of prestigious families researching the inheritance of spiritual roots and arranging marriages based on them."

Mo Hua frowned. He knew about the inheritance of spiritual roots but hadn't realized there was such depth to it here.

"Arranging marriages like this, isn't it supposed to be consensual? Can those forcibly betrothed disciples agree to it?"

"They have no choice." An Xiaopang sighed, "They're compelled. They eat the clan's food, drink the clan's water, practice the clan's techniques, use the clan's spiritual stones and materials, and rely on the clan's influence when they go out. They can't avoid paying a price."

"Is this something you came up with yourself?"

"No, I heard it from my mother," An Xiaopang honestly replied.

"What if they don't agree? Can they resist?"

An Xiaopang shrugged. "When you can't even match your finger against a thigh, what use is resistance? Prestigious families are like towering trees, and the family disciples are just leaves on those trees. Whether there are more leaves or fewer leaves, what impact does it really have? Without resisting, they can peacefully cultivate and enjoy their blessings. If they resist, they lose everything."

Mo Hua felt complicated.

In families maintained by blood ties, familial affection can be the most superficial...

"But, there's still a way," An Xiaopang added.

"What way?" Mo Hua asked.

An Xiaopang whispered, "Each to their own!"

"What do you mean..." Mo Hua didn't quite understand.

"It means..." An Xiaopang recalled what his mother had said during conversations, "It means you can fulfill the family's requirements, match based on spiritual roots, marry, and have offspring. But secretly, you can love whoever you want, do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't look too bad on the surface..."

Mo Hua listened in astonishment, "That's quite chaotic..."

"Very chaotic!" An Xiaopang nodded.

After saying that, he added, "The larger the family, the more chaotic it gets!"

Meanwhile, Elder An just exchanged a few casual greetings with Zhang Lan, chatting about inconsequential matters.

Zhang Lan and Elder An had nothing much to discuss.

It was rather dull.

It was more interesting talking to Mo Hua, despite him occasionally being infuriating.

Zhang Lan spoke a few indifferent words and then politely excused himself with Situ Fang.

Elder An sat silently for a moment. Then, An Yongluo, the head of the An family, entered and sat beside Elder An, pouring himself a cup of tea. He asked, "Father, have the guests left?"

Elder An nodded.

"What are you thinking about sitting here?" An Yongluo asked.

"I won't live much longer. I'm considering my affairs after I'm gone."

An Yongluo choked on the tea he had just sipped. "Father, you shouldn't speak of such things casually."

Elder An's gaze was sharp as he looked at An Yongluo and slowly said,

"Our An family has been in competition with the Qian family for hundreds of years, always at a disadvantage. In refining tools, refining elixirs, and other trades, we've almost conceded defeat. Only in spiritual cuisine do we still hold some advantage."

An Yongluo lowered his head. He was the family head, and even if it wasn't entirely his fault, this responsibility still fell on him.

Elder An sighed and asked, "Do you know where we fall short compared to the Qian family?"

"They're more ruthless..."

"Qian Hong is a wolf, and his son, along with the core disciples of the Qian family, are all wolf cubs. As for you and your son... I won't say more."

An Yongluo lowered his head even further.

Seeing his son's demeanor, Elder An stopped reprimanding him and simply asked, "Do you still want your son to succeed as the family head?"

An Yongluo lifted his head, his face filled with shame, but he persisted, "Father, although Xiao Fu isn't particularly talented, at least he has a good heart and understands the overall situation. While he may not achieve great deeds as the family head, he will not bring disgrace either."

"My son is naturally dull. If I don't plan for him, who else will?" Elder An closed his eyes and rested, not wanting to speak further.

An Yongluo felt uneasy, knowing it wasn't a good topic to dwell on. He changed the subject, saying,

"I heard you were considering bringing a young man into our family?"

Elder An opened his eyes. "I've decided against it."

"Why have you decided against it?" An Yongluo asked in a low voice.

"The An family isn't worthy," Elder An replied calmly.

An Yongluo was taken aback, feeling a bit indignant. He explained softly,

"Why isn't the An family worthy?"

Elder An raised an eyebrow. "Worthy of what?"

An Yongluo hesitated before continuing, "Our An family's industries, spiritual stones, and numerous disciples are among the best in Tongxian City. Even this mansion, there are countless cultivators in Tongxian City who wish to live here..."

"Oh, what's so good about this mansion?"

"The layout is exquisite, the materials are exquisite, and the formation array was drawn by a famous formation master in the city. It's almost airtight..."

Elder An sighed, "But this young man recognized every detail of the formation inside and out as he walked through."

An Yongluo was stunned, "What?!"

How could he recognize them all?

These aren't just any simple formations found in the streets. How could he recognize them so easily?

Elder An glanced at his son with indifference and said,

"Your 'almost airtight' formations are like sieves in his eyes..."

Like sieves...

That remark stabbed into An Yongluo's heart like a knife.

An Yongluo opened his mouth wide but couldn't say a word for a long time.

(End of the Chapter)