2: Second Life: First Steps on the Immortal Path (Part 1)

Thousand Cloud City, Xu Family.

A handsome youth looked at himself in the bronze mirror, his eyes flashing with a hint of trance.

"Have I really reincarnated?"

After a long time, Xu Yuan finally digested the memories in his mind and understood his identity in this life.

In this life, Xu Yuan was reincarnated into the Xu Family of Thousand Cloud City. His name happened to be the same as in his previous life, also Xu Yuan.

And this Xu Family, just as Xu Yuan had guessed before his Reincarnation, was indeed a cultivation Noble Family!

It wasn't even an ordinary cultivation Noble Family; the Xu Family Ancestor was one of the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators in Thousand Cloud City!

The Xu Family stood alongside the Wu Family and the Sun Family as the three great Foundation Establishment Noble Families of Thousand Cloud City!

However, the Xu Family Ancestor had suffered internal injuries in his early years. In the past, when he was in his prime, he could suppress them with his cultivation. But now that he was old and his Qi was declining, it was difficult to suppress the internal injuries any longer. He was forced to enter secluded cultivation in a secret chamber, showing signs of nearing the end of his life.

Aside from the Xu Family Ancestor, the strongest person in the Xu Family was only the Clan Chief Xu Longpeng, who was at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation. While such strength was not considered weak, it was not enough to protect the Xu Family's foundation after the Xu Family Ancestor passed away.

"The current Xu Family may still appear to be one of the three great Noble Families of Thousand Cloud City on the surface, but in reality, there's no telling how many wolves, tigers, and leopards are lurking in the shadows, waiting for the Xu Family Ancestor to pass."

Xu Yuan sighed softly in his heart. The situation of the Xu Family in this life could hardly be called safe.

"But then again, my Family Background score was only 10 points. If the Xu Family Ancestor wasn't nearing his end, I might not have had the chance to be reincarnated into the Xu Family."

"And this is also my Opportunity!"

"Although the Xu Family Ancestor is nearing death, he is still a genuine Foundation Establishment Cultivator! Within the Xu Family, there is also a true Foundation Establishment Legacy! This is far better than what countless Loose Cultivators have!"

But soon, Xu Yuan perked up again and began to think about his situation.

"I didn't expect to wait until I was sixteen to awaken my innate wisdom in this Reincarnation. Otherwise, if I had awakened it earlier, there might have been more I could have done."

Xu Yuan thought to himself with regret. At the same time, with a thought, a faint flame floated out of thin air between his fingers.

"I didn't expect that the method of cultivation, which I sought so desperately but couldn't obtain in my previous life, would already be mastered by the time I awakened my innate wisdom in this life."

Looking at the flame floating between his fingers, a hint of trance flashed through Xu Yuan's eyes.

That's right, Xu Yuan was a Cultivator!

To be precise, the current Xu Yuan was a 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation Cultivator!

As the legitimate son of the Clan Chief, Xu Yuan had been the focus of the Family's nurturing since his cultivation Aptitude was tested at the age of six. In just ten years, he had broken through to the 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation, becoming a leading figure among the younger generation of the Xu Family.

"The 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation is roughly equivalent to my Peak Innate strength in my previous life. The youth in Taoist robes who killed me back then should have been a Mid-Stage of Qi Refining Cultivator, which is why I could only break through his protection spell and cut off one of his arms by catching him off guard after I broke through to the Transcendent."

Xu Yuan rubbed his chin, calculating his current strength. He was probably several levels weaker than his Peak combat power before his Breakthrough in his previous life. After all, he had been cultivating within the Family in this life, and his experience in battlefield slaughter was far inferior to his previous life.

"Young Lord, the Clan Chief has something to discuss with you and asked me to tell you to head to the Council Hall immediately."

Just as Xu Yuan was planning his future direction, a young girl wearing a plain dress ran over, panting slightly as she reminded him.

Xu Yuan glanced at the girl and recognized her as the maid who had followed him since childhood. He nodded and then hurried toward the Council Hall.

The hall was very spacious, and there were quite a few people inside.

In addition to his father sitting in the main seat, the six Elders of the Xu Family were also present.

The only seven Late Qi Condensation Stage Cultivators in the Xu Family were all gathered in this small Council Hall at this moment!

Besides the seven Late Qi Condensation Stage Cultivators of the Xu Family, there was also a group of strangers in the Council Hall whom Xu Yuan did not recognize. The leader had white hair and a white beard; though he was an old man, he was full of energy, and a sharp light occasionally flashed in his eyes.

"Greetings, Father. Greetings, six Elders!"

Stepping forward quickly, Xu Yuan respectfully performed a formal bow to Xu Longpeng and the others seated above.

"Yuan'er."

Xu Longpeng gave a hearty laugh and beckoned to Xu Yuan, signaling him to come to his side.

"Presumably, this is the Young Lord of the Xu Family. He is indeed handsome. I see that the Spiritual Qi in his body is thick and his spiritual power is abundant. He should already be at the 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation, and I'm afraid he is not far from breaking through to the Mid-Stage of Qi Refining. To have this Realm at this age, he is truly the Qilin son of the Xu Family, a rare young Prodigy."

A faint laugh suddenly echoed in the hall. The speaker was the strange old man standing in the center of the hall.

"Senior overpraises me."

Xu Yuan cupped his hands, somewhat unsure of the current situation.

"Calling me 'Senior' is a bit distant. The Wu Family and the Xu Family have been friends for generations. I am the Sixth Elder of the Wu Family, Wu Xiong. You can just call me Uncle Wu."

Wu Xiong stroked his beard and smiled, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

Wu?

The Wu Family, one of the three great Noble Families of Thousand Cloud City?!

Xu Yuan was slightly startled. He first glanced at his father, only to see his father speak up to interrupt:

"Elder Wu, my son has arrived. Let's get straight to business. It won't be too late to exchange pleasantries afterward."

"Very well."

Wu Xiong chuckled, seemingly unbothered. He then stepped back half a pace, letting the young girl behind him stand at the front.

The girl was about fourteen years old. Although she wasn't an absolute beauty, her youthful face held a hint of charm. Purity and charm, two qualities that should have been contradictory, were perfectly combined on the girl's face, making her appearance enough to attract the attention of others.

"This is the Second Young Miss of my Wu Family, Wu Mei. She is fourteen years old, close in age to the Young Lord of the Xu Family. I have brought the Second Young Miss here today in the hope of representing our Family to arrange a marriage!"

"I hope Clan Chief Xu will agree to this. From now on, the Wu Family and the Xu Family will be joined in marriage, becoming relatives who watch over and help each other!"

As soon as Wu Xiong said this, everyone present was slightly stunned.

Before Xu Longpeng could speak, Wu Xiong tapped the Storage Pouch hanging at his waist, and a pure white jade box appeared in his hand out of thin air.

Carefully opening the box, a faint, exotic fragrance wafted through the Council Hall. Just by smelling it, Xu Yuan felt his spirit refreshed, and the Spiritual Qi in his body seemed to become a bit more active.

"This is a Spirit Gathering Pill, which can assist a Cultivator in breaking through from the Early Stage to the Middle Stage of Qi Condensation. This is the sincerity of my Wu Family. If Clan Chief Xu can agree to this marriage, my Wu Family is willing to gift this Spirit Gathering Pill to Young Lord Xu Yuan."

Inside the white jade medicine box, a green Medicinal Pill was carefully placed on silk. The exotic fragrance that made Xu Yuan feel refreshed and his Spiritual Qi more active was emanating from this pill, which was no larger than a dragon's eye.