Chapter 17: New contract terms!

“Lu Changsheng, you said you can draw First-Order Talismans!?”

In the living room, Butler Fu’s face was filled with pleasant surprise when he heard Lu Changsheng’s words.

“Yes, Butler Fu, it’s just that I’m not proficient enough yet.”

Lu Changsheng nodded, then took out a Talisman and said, “This is the Low-Grade First-Order Talisman I drew—a Fireball Talisman!”

This Talisman was naturally different from the Talismans Lu Changsheng usually drew.

The Talisman lines on it looked a bit bumpy and not smooth enough, but it was still considered a success.

“It really is a First-Order Talisman, a Fireball Talisman!”

“Good, good, good, you go back and rest first. I will report this to the Head of the Lu Family!”

“Rest assured, now that you have become a First-Order Talisman Master, our Lu Family will definitely not treat you unfairly!”

Butler Fu took the Talisman, examined it a few times, and after confirming it was correct, his face was filled with pleasant surprise as he spoke.

“Yes, thank you, Butler Fu.”

Lu Changsheng bowed slightly, bid farewell, and went back to await the result.

Lu Changsheng was playing with his children in the courtyard.

Now, the older children could already walk and would run around the courtyard when they had nothing to do, full of energy.

At this moment, the bell in the courtyard rang.

Someone had arrived.

Opening the courtyard gate, three figures stood at the entrance.

They were Butler Fu, as well as the Head of the Lu Family, Lu Yuanding, and the Lu Family’s Young Miss, Lu Miaoge.

Seeing the three of them, Lu Changsheng immediately knew their intention.

It was about him becoming a First-Order Talisman Master.

He hadn’t expected the Head of the Lu Family to arrive after only one day.

And he had even come in person.

“Greetings, Head of the Family, greetings, Young Miss, Butler Fu.”

Lu Changsheng hurriedly clasped his hands and bowed, inviting the three of them in and leading them to the main hall.

At the same time, he motioned for his wife to take the children to the backyard.

“These are your children, right? They can all walk now.”

Lu Yuanding’s face was refined and handsome, and he spoke in a gentle tone when he saw the children in the courtyard.

“Yes, Head of the Family.”

Lu Changsheng nodded.

“No need to be constrained, Changsheng, you’ve been in the Family for over two years now, haven’t you?”

Lu Yuanding at this moment was like an elder of the Family, and his address for Lu Changsheng also changed to Changsheng.

“Reporting to the Head of the Family, I have been in the Lu Family for almost two and a half years.”

Lu Changsheng said.

“Time flies so fast, more than two years have passed without realizing it.”

“Have you adapted well during these past two years?”

Lu Yuanding continued to speak.

Except for the very beginning, when he briefly paid attention to the Immortal Seed situation and visited Qingzhu Mountain Village twice, he basically hadn’t come since.

“Thank you, Head of the Family, I have lived very well these past two years, and Butler Fu has also taken good care of me.”

Lu Changsheng said, his mouth speaking these words.

In his heart, he couldn’t help but think to himself, he was already twenty years old, did he think he was a three-year-old child, playing this game with him.

Something practical was the real Dao.

At this moment, one of Lu Changsheng’s wives brought Spirit Tea to the main hall, placed it down, and then left.

“Changsheng, I heard from Butler Fu that you are already able to draw Low-Grade First-Order Talismans.”

And at this moment, Lu Yuanding took the tea, took a light sip, and got straight to the point.

“Yes, Head of the Family, after continuously practicing during this period, I am now able to draw Fireball Talismans.”

“It’s just that the success rate is not high yet, only about ten to twenty percent.”

Lu Changsheng spoke, saying this.

“Everything is difficult at the beginning. In just over a year, you have practiced your Talisman Making Skill to this level and become a Ranked Talisman Master, which is already very good. Show me, let me see.”

“It just so happens that Miaoge is also here, she can also take a look and give you some pointers.”

Lu Yuanding said in a gentle tone.

From the Fireball Talisman Lu Changsheng gave to Butler Fu, he naturally knew that Lu Changsheng could draw First-Order Talismans.

But for such matters, it was naturally still necessary to see it in person and confirm it.

“Yes, Head of the Family.”

“I’ll go get the Talisman making tools.”

Lu Changsheng stood up and said.

“No need, I have them here.”

Lu Miaoge, who was standing by, stood up and said, taking out a set of Talisman making tools.

Her voice was still as soft and gentle as water, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

“Thank you, Young Miss.”

Lu Changsheng took the tools from Lu Miaoge’s hand.

The Talisman brush was still the same ‘Golden Bamboo’ Talisman brush from last time.

Coming to the table, he spread the Talisman paper flat on the table, Lu Changsheng seemed a bit nervous as he took a deep breath, dipped the ink, and began to draw the Fireball Talisman.

The first Talisman, when it was about halfway completed, an error occurred, causing the Talisman paper to emit green smoke and fail.

However, Lu Yuanding and the others didn’t say anything, signaling Lu Changsheng to continue.

During the drawing of the second Talisman, although Lu Changsheng appeared somewhat clumsy, he still succeeded.

“You’re still a bit nervous, but you’ve made great progress compared to last time. It’s just that your application of spiritual power is not precise and natural enough.”

Lu Miaoge, seeing this, lightly pursed her moist lips and commented.

With Lu Changsheng’s Second-Order Max-Level Talisman Making Skill, it was naturally simple for him to deceive her.

“Thank you, Young Miss, for your guidance. My progress is all thanks to the ‘Essentials of Talismans’ that Young Miss bestowed upon me.”

Lu Changsheng clasped his hands and said, speaking with some excitement.

“Very good, I didn’t expect Changsheng to successfully draw the Fireball Talisman on your second try.”

“It seems you were being too modest just now when you said you only had ten to twenty percent confidence.”

Lu Yuanding, who was beside him, also spoke with a smile.

In his heart, he couldn’t help but sigh, he hadn’t expected that Lu Changsheng, whom he almost didn’t take in due to his Nine-Rank Spiritual Root, would actually possess such astonishing talent in Talisman making.

In a year and a half, he had gone from a novice to a Ranked Talisman Master.

This talent was not only not inferior to his daughter Lu Miaoge, but even surpassed her by several folds.

At this age, with this talent, it was enough for the Lu Family to extend an olive branch.

“This time was just a fluke, good luck.”

Lu Changsheng, like an honest young man, said somewhat embarrassedly.

“Young man, no need to be too modest.”

Lu Yuanding waved his hand and continued, “I have been watching your performance in the Lu Family for the past two years, and I have long regarded you as one of our own Lu Family members.”

“Now, you have even become a Ranked Talisman Master, and our Lu Family cannot possibly treat our own people unfairly.”

“These are the new terms and conditions I have for you, take a look.”

As he spoke, Lu Yuanding took out a brownish-yellow parchment from his sleeve and handed it to Lu Changsheng.

This was a Spirit Contract, somewhat similar to contracts in his previous life.

Previously, when Lu Changsheng and the other Immortal Seeds came to the Lu Family, they had signed such a contract.

“Thank you, Head of the Family.”

Lu Changsheng, looking flattered, took the Spirit Contract and examined its contents.

The contents were very simple and direct.

Unlike the dense, multi-page contracts of his previous life, where one could easily fall into a trap if not careful.

First, the previously signed contract was voided.

Lu Changsheng was no longer a live-in son-in-law, a matrilocal son-in-law, of the Lu Family.

Instead, he was considered to have properly married into the Family, a son-in-law of the Lu Family.

Therefore, he no longer needed to bear fifty children with Spiritual Roots for the Lu Family within twenty years, or however many children he produced.

The children he bore would also belong to him.

Second, he would enjoy the same treatment as direct descendants of the Lu Family.

He could move to Qingzhu Valley, the core area of Qingzhu Mountain, to live and enjoy the Second-Order Spiritual Vein.

Furthermore, his monthly resources would increase from five Spirit Stones to ten Spirit Stones, and he would also receive a bottle of Yellow Dragon Pill.

His obligation, however, was to help the Lu Family refine a certain quantity of Talismans each month.

And also, to practice corresponding Talismans based on the Lu Family’s needs, and so on.

Of course, these Talisman Making Materials would naturally be provided by the Lu Family, which was also the Lu Family’s investment in his Talisman making cultivation.

With Lu Changsheng’s Second-Order Talisman Making Skill, this obligation was naturally a pure profit.

However, the last clause made Lu Changsheng frown slightly.

If he were to leave the Lu Family, he would need to give twenty years’ notice in advance.

Otherwise, he would have to return three times the resources the Lu Family had spent on him.

The preceding conditions were indeed good, nothing to complain about.

But the last clause made him hesitate slightly.

The last clause, to put it plainly, meant that staying in the Lu Family was naturally the best option, a win-win situation.

If he wanted to leave the Lu Family, there were two choices.

Either return three times the resources the Lu Family had spent over the years, which was equivalent to buying his freedom.

Or inform the Lu Family in advance and then work for the Lu Family for twenty years.

Deep down, Lu Changsheng had always wanted to leave.

As soon as he passed the Early Stage and gained some strength, he would choose to leave the Lu Family and establish his own immortal cultivation Family.

While in the Lu Family, he had safety and protection, but he was ultimately dependent on others.

Many things and matters were done cautiously.

For example, in Talisman making, he delayed a full year and a half to reveal his First-Order Talisman Making Skill.

The First-Order Talismans hidden in his room already numbered over four hundred, nearly five hundred.

If converted into Spirit Stones, it would be a huge sum!

Moreover, Lu Changsheng knew his talent was not good.

To continue and go far on the path of immortal cultivation, he could only rely on the System, and he must have many children, many children with Spiritual Roots.

It was difficult and troublesome to have descendants with Spiritual Roots through ordinary wives and concubines.

He had to marry many ‘Fairies’ with Spiritual Roots.

Even if the Lu Family was willing to marry women with Spiritual Roots to him, it would be at most one or two.

It would be impossible to marry nine, like he did with secular women now.

Furthermore, he even had some misgivings about marrying a large number of secular women to have children while in the Lu Family.

“Changsheng, if you feel anything is inappropriate, or have any doubts or questions, you can directly raise them.”

“This contract was just something I thought of temporarily today, so there will naturally be some oversights.”

Lu Yuanding saw Lu Changsheng’s hesitant and conflicted expression, picked up the Spirit Tea, took a sip, and continued to speak in a gentle tone.