The path of immortal cultivation is fraught with hardship.  

The very first test—measuring spiritual roots—eliminates ninety-nine percent of aspirants.  

From the information Li Pingcan had gathered over the years, not a single person in Peach Blossom Village had manifested spiritual roots in the past century. Even across the entire Peach Blossom Mountain and Flat Peach Town region, those blessed with spiritual roots could be counted on two hands.  

This rarity made immortal cultivation an arduous journey!  

Compounded by the upper echelons' tight control over cultivation knowledge, common folk knew nothing about spiritual roots—how they manifested or what they truly were—beyond revering cultivators as beings beyond mortal reach.  

Without entering cultivation circles, even snippets of reliable information were a luxury. Rumors circulating among the masses were a tangled mix of truth and falsehood, impossible to fully trust.  

To this day, Li Pingcan remained only vaguely aware that spiritual roots seemed tied to bloodlines—descendants of cultivators, even those without spiritual roots themselves, stood a far greater chance of bearing children with spiritual roots than ordinary folk!  

Testing for spiritual roots was like winning the lottery—a game of chance that was, in truth, predestined.  

Yet this remained the greatest hope for millions striving to leap from commoner to exalted status.  

A confirmed spiritual root meant instant elevation—not only would sects eagerly recruit such individuals, but the imperial court would also bestow spirit stones and grant entry to the Celestial Palace Academy. Their futures would become limitless, placing them on the path to becoming celestial officials.  

"If I possess spiritual roots, I'll cultivate discreetly and let nature take its course."  

"If not, I'll need to uncover the principles behind spiritual roots."  

Give up? Never.  

He had come to this world seeking eternal life!  

Hailing from an era of information explosion, Li Pingcan's thinking was unconstrained. In his previous life, there were artificial hearts, steel bones, cochlear implants... With his Druid abilities, why couldn't he create artificial spiritual roots?  

To achieve this, he might even need to dissect an immortal cultivator for study.  

Admittedly a dark notion—and extremely difficult—it remained just a preliminary idea.  

As a last resort, if creating "pseudo-spiritual roots" proved impossible, he could elevate his family's status, marry a descendant of immortals, and use Nature's Gift to bless their offspring, increasing the chances of spiritual roots manifesting.  

With each generation refined by Nature's Gift, the family's spiritual root potential would only grow more exceptional!  

"Therefore, spiritual roots or not, I must remain patient."  

Li Pingcan's plans for his family spanned generations. Achieving immortality wasn't a single-generation endeavor. As the linchpin of this grand family strategy, he needed to stand firm as Mount Tai.  

With such long-term vision, his mindset grew tranquil—free from restless anxiety over immediate gains and losses.  

Spiritual roots? Their presence would be fortune; their absence, fate.  

…………  

The Li Family Courtyard.  

The expanded residence followed a quadrangle layout. To accommodate martial training, the courtyard had been built exceptionally spacious, its bluestone-paved ground resembling a compact training field.  

Li Pingcan sparred with his elder brother while Xie Yuan watched, her small face upturned.  

Their "sparring" followed the same format Li Pingfu had used with Li Rongzhou three years prior—Li Pingfu remained stationary, permitted only one arm.  

"Elder Brother, here I come!"  

Li Pingcan shouted—not to employ any "three... two... zero" trickery (such cheap tactics paled before Li Pingfu's experience).  

His movements flowed like a crane's, Dance of the Wind lending buoyancy to unusually crisp strikes aimed at Li Pingfu's chest. When blocked, his arm hooked backward—the crane's wing became a monkey stealing peaches!  

The initial straight punch had merely masked his true intent.  

"Little Brother, you've learned treachery too!"  

Li Pingfu instantly crouched, transforming the peach steal into a chest brush.  

Li Pingcan deliberately lingered—tsk, Elder Brother's pectorals were rock-hard! Enviable!  

"Heh, learned from the best." He kicked off, retreating before lunging forward again.  

Their exchange continued until the session ended, whereupon Li Pingfu meticulously corrected flawed stances and exposed vulnerabilities.  

Li Pingcan absorbed every word.  

Martially, his advantages came solely from Moonlight Microbeams and Purple Centipede Paste's cumulative enhancements—while his physique and bone structure were excellent, his innate talent and comprehension lagged behind his elder brother's.  

Now, like a sponge, he soaked up these precious insights to avoid future pitfalls.  

After technique discussions, Li Pingcan inquired about throwing methods. Under Li Pingfu's patient guidance, enlightenment dawned—new ideas for his Enchanted Stone technique taking shape, awaiting experimentation.  

"Elder Brother, you're nearing your breakthrough, right?"  

"Close. The bottleneck's loosening recently." Li Pingfu regarded his younger brother with emotion—without Purple Centipede Paste, this breakthrough would have taken two or three more years.  

Martial progress demanded not just talent but abundant medicinal resources.  

His current advancement owed much to his younger brother.  

Li Pingcan nodded. Once Li Pingfu broke through to the Tendon Realm, the family's strength would ascend further.  

How long until his own realm breakthrough?  

Several days later...  

Li Pingfu successfully advanced to the Tendon Realm, completing three of martial arts' four foundational stages.  

Li Rongzhou swelled with pride—at fifteen, he'd still been struggling in the Skin Realm. Now his son surpassed the master.  

A feast became their celebration.  

Upon the Eight Immortals table rested braised pork knuckle, red-cooked pork, mushroom omelet, crucian carp tofu soup...  

"Drink less," Lady Qin chided her husband's wine-laden breath, wiping his face with a warm cloth.  

"Today's... a happy occasion!"  

Normally averse to alcohol (believing it weakened spear grip), Li Rongzhou had indulged exceptionally, his flushed face radiating satisfaction.  

"Pingfu, Ping'an, Pingcan." Joy and expectation filled his voice: "You three must uphold brotherly harmony, support one another, and elevate our Li family."  

The brothers exchanged smiling glances before chorusing: "Yes, Father."  

"And me!" Xie Yuan piped up unwillingly: "Yuan can help too!"  

"Good, good!" Li Rongzhou scooped her up, laughing heartily: "Yuan is family too—of course!"  

…………  

Three days thereafter...  

Upon hearing of Li Pingfu's breakthrough, Zhou Enxian paid a visit.  

"A fifteen-year-old Tendon Realm martial artist—worthy successor indeed." Zhou Enxian offered sincere congratulations.  

A decade prior, at his physical peak, he'd attempted advancing further in martial arts but failed, subsequently settling in scenic Peach Blossom Mountain with a wife.  

Yet inexplicably childless in middle age, this had become a festering concern.  

Logically, martial artists shouldn't share cultivators' fertility challenges.  

"Among unfilial acts, leaving no descendants is worst."  

Recently considering concubines had sparked marital strife—even involving his uncle Li Dahu.  

Witnessing the Lis' familial harmony and rising fortunes stirred both envy and gloom.  

'Blood Qi Realm martial artists remain third-rate in the martial world. For true authority, one needs the Divine Execution Realm.'  

Had he reached that realm, his wife wouldn't oppose concubines, nor would he fear that immortal official in the Li family.  

"All thanks to Elder Brother Zhou's guidance." Li Rongzhou personally poured tea: "What brings you today?"  

Due to Li Dahu's presence, their families maintained surface-level distance.  

Yet with Li Pingfu as their bridge—both being outsider households—they cooperated tacitly on major matters while feigning ignorance on minor ones.  

"I'll be direct."  

Zhou Enxian sipped tea: "I wish to have Pingfu participate in Flat Peach Town's 'Martial Arts Tournament.' Your thoughts?"