Chapter 2: The Ancestor’s Spirit Manifests!
“Game, incense burner... game, incense burner...”
Li Xiang stared dumbfounded at the computer screen, his mind racing at lightning speed!
This world was originally one of cultivation; anything was possible. Besides, he was a transmigrant and had witnessed countless strange phenomena.
He immediately realized that this was no ordinary game anymore.
This computer had been unearthed from an ancient tomb.
In other words, it was very likely that the game within this computer was actually a divine aid—a kind of golden finger—that had inadvertently come under his control.
The two options, [Sacrifice] and [Blessing], were channels through which this divine aid could bring him benefits.
Through [Blessing], the descendants in the game would grow stronger, obtaining precious items within the game world, which could then be used to support him.
He himself could receive [Sacrifice] through the incense burner.
“So now, I must do everything possible to help Li Dalong grow!”
In the quiet room, accompanied only by soothing music, Li Xiang could even hear his own heartbeat.
Yet, despite this, he remained calm. It was his nature to be frighteningly composed. Even the uncles and aunts at Jixian Manor suspected that if the entire planet exploded, Li Xiang wouldn’t panic at all.
He glanced at the game screen’s time display.
[Please offer your blessing into the incense burner.]
[3:45]
Time was slipping away. If it reached zero and he hadn’t granted a reward to Li Dalong, the next ancestral sacrifice would be in ten years. Yet Li Dalong was already twenty, and without any skills, he would likely starve to death!
Li Xiang abruptly stood up, pondering useful information as he scanned the entire room.
“So what should I give him now? Food? No, he was born a slave. Since he managed to escape, finding a way to fill his stomach quickly shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Spiritual stones? No, Li Dalong is just a commoner. Innocent men don't deserve punishment, but those with treasure invite trouble.”
“Cultivation techniques! Yes, strengthening himself is the key. Only by becoming powerful can he survive and expand the family over the next decade!”
Li Xiang hurriedly searched the room.
Finally, he found a pitch-black stone. With trembling hands, and with only one minute left on the blessing timer, he carefully placed the stone into the incense burner!
At that moment, the game system text reappeared.
[Detecting your offered blessing—]
[“Qi Refining Cultivation Manual”]
[Do you wish to send this blessing?]
Without hesitation, Li Xiang clicked “Yes.”
This “Qi Refining Cultivation Manual” was a modern technological imprint embedded on an abandoned spirit stone.
It condensed the essence of Qi Refining cultivation accumulated over a millennium by countless Chinese cultivators and served as a prenatal-level training manual used in all Chinese cultivation academies!
Undoubtedly, this was the perfect learning material for Li Dalong. Only by mastering power could Li Dalong increase his survival chances in the game world and lay a solid foundation for the family’s future!
“This is...”
On the screen, Li Dalong held the [Blessing] in his hands and seemed to suddenly understand something. Before the altar, he kowtowed in gratitude.
“Unfilial descendant thanks the ancestors for this blessing and will strive to live up to your expectations!”
“Glug, glug...”
Li Xiang kicked back in his gaming chair and took a hearty gulp of his drink.
“I definitely can’t let down my expectations. Survive quickly, breed fiercely, and strengthen the clan!”
He immediately sped up the game’s time flow to the fastest setting.
Soon, the altar in the game disappeared, leaving only a small, shabby hut.
Yet, under Li Xiang’s focused gaze, the living environment of Li Dalong gradually changed.
A patch of farmland formed next to the house.
The original wooden hut slowly began to be rebuilt with stone.
Outside the house, poles for drying meat appeared.
The surrounding trees grew denser.
An entire hour passed.
It felt as if Li Xiang was peering into someone’s life, and the experience was strangely fascinating.
[Your descendant Li Dalong has grown accustomed to solitary mountain living, diligently studying the “Qi Refining Cultivation Manual,” and has finally become a Qi Refining stage cultivator!]
“Bless the ancestors!”
Li Xiang once more saw Li Dalong bowing deeply before the altar.
[Incense Offering +2]
“Finally broke through!”
Li Xiang was equally delighted. He checked Li Dalong’s status.
Among a lengthy list of data, he found the key trait.
[Trait: Diligent and Ambitious]
[Though of poor talent, he works harder than anyone else.]
“No wonder he’s my descendant—just like me, facing life with positivity!”
He praised quietly.
Then he returned the game’s time flow to normal speed, realizing it was time to eat.
He walked to the dining room, where two dishes and a soup were already laid out on the table.
He poured himself a bowl of soup and took a sip, then transferred the food into a bowl, glancing sideways at Yuexian, who was watching him curiously.
“Have you contacted Old Ghost? What did he say?”
Yuexian replied, “Have contacted everyone. Old Ghost hasn’t responded, neither have the other Li family members.”
“Hm?”
Li Xiang paused, frowning.
“Even if they wanted to delay my allowance, they wouldn’t dare ignore me. Alright, you go personally to the No. 8 Cave residence and leave a message. Uncle Qin goes out every day—ask him when he’s out.”
“Yes, Master.”
After giving the instructions, Li Xiang hurried back to his room to continue the game.
Allowance was allowance, but Li Xiang clearly understood that a huge opportunity lay before him. Taking the “Cultivation Family Simulator” seriously was paramount; everything else had to wait!
At the door, Li Xiang stopped and looked at Yuexian, who was tidying the table.
“By the way, pack up this food.”
Yuexian had already prepared a container.
“Understood, Master. As before, I’ll deliver it to the gatekeeper, Old Chen.”
“Good.”
...
Back in his room, Li Xiang set the time flow to normal speed again and clicked on Li Dalong’s name in the family tree list.
The game interface shifted to an environment outside the clan’s location.
In the upper right corner, a label appeared: [Map—Wild Boar Forest].
The screen showed a forest scene. Li Dalong’s animated figure appeared, along with several wild boars.
A large annotation in the lower right corner recorded the members’ actions, including Li Dalong’s.
[Several wild boars have repeatedly destroyed the vegetable patch. Li Dalong, having learned well, vows revenge.]
Li Xiang immediately sped up the time a bit but soon slowed it again.
[Special Event: Descendant Li Dalong engaged in a fight with wild boars, encountered the Wild Boar King, and suffered minor injuries. Would you like to use ‘Ancestor’s Blessing’?]
[Ancestor’s Blessing]
[1. Love from the Forefather]
[2. Charge, my children!]
[3...]
[15. Resurrection for my descendants]
“What is all this nonsense?”
Li Xiang scratched his head and quickly clicked to check. It seemed this was an ability available to ancestors when descendants encountered enemies, consuming incense offering points to activate.
Currently, he could only use [Love from the Forefather], which cost 2 incense points and could slightly heal his descendant.
The [Resurrection for my Descendants] option required an astronomical amount of incense points.
Without hesitation, Li Xiang used some incense points to heal his sole descendant.
“The ancestor has manifested again!”
Li Dalong’s game character looked deeply grateful.
Not long after, with Li Xiang accelerating time, Li Dalong was once again seen bowing at the altar.
[Li Dalong is deeply grateful for the ancestor’s protection.]
[Incense Offering +2]
Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief. This was his only descendant; if Li Dalong died, it would be a direct Game Over.
“So this is what it feels like to be an ancestor? Afraid the bloodline won’t continue... My grandfather was just like this. When I was in high school, he made me a school assistant and told me to find a wife quickly...”
Thinking of this, Li Xiang couldn’t help but laugh, then felt a pang of melancholy.
“I wonder how my family in another world is doing?”
He quickly shook his head to stop himself from dwelling on it.
Then, he pulled over a flat stool, took a high-grade spirit stone, and began meditating while watching the game screen.
Time in the game slowly passed.
Li Dalong’s shabby hut became a stone house. The vegetable garden outside sprouted shoots. Perhaps because he could now hunt in the mountains, the amount of dried meat hanging outside increased. Li Dalong even raised a dozen pigs.
In the third year, Li Dalong successfully broke through to the second layer of Qi Refining.
During this period, Li Xiang gained 4 more incense offerings.
The pace was not slow at all. Li Xiang had studied Li Dalong’s data. Starting as a mortal with poor talent and no resources, this was the best result diligence could achieve.
Just then, Li Xiang suddenly opened his eyes while meditating, his gaze shining brightly.
[Li Dalong entered the city to sell beast pelts, intending to exchange for money to buy pills that aid cultivation. On the road, he met a farmer’s daughter, and the two developed feelings.]
“You’re finally awakening, huh? Stop with the feelings and just get married already!”
Li Xiang no longer cared whether she was a farmer’s daughter or a wealthy heiress. As long as Li Dalong had a happy marriage—and preferably became a baby-making expert right away to continue the Li family line!
The screen quickly shifted.
Li Dalong was holding a young woman’s hand, returning to the altar in the courtyard.
The man and woman wore red wedding attire.
“Unfilial descendant Li Dalong, today weds Xu Cuihua from Xu’s Village. Humbly request the ancestors’ blessing!”
Blessing, a grand blessing!
Li Xiang’s heart swelled with joy. He immediately found [Ancestor’s Blessing] in the interface, spent 2 incense offerings, and activated [Love from the Forefather]!
“The ancestor has manifested again!”
“Thank you, ancestor, for your blessing!”
As Li Dalong kowtowed in gratitude, the scene quickly turned to night. Li Dalong, the sole descendant of the Li family, brought his bride into the bridal chamber.
[Today is Li Dalong’s wedding day.]
[Incense Offering +4]
The house was adorned with the character for joy, clearly marking a sleepless night.
Watching the scene, Li Xiang was more excited than if it were his own wedding night.
“Make babies, my children—make lots of babies! Let the world see the mighty rise of the Li family!”