Chapter 28: The One Favored by the Gods

Today, the conflict has ceased, and the patriarchs of the Wei and Yan families have finally met.

Zhang Tiezhu could at last breathe a sigh of relief and was permitted to return to his clan.

Previously, he had exhausted all his message talismans and, over the past three years, had often felt the urge to inquire about matters, yet found no opportunity. Fortunately, by repeatedly questioning some clansmen who transported supplies, he eventually learned the reason Li Ji’an had entered the Yan family.

He was serving as a menial in the alchemy division.

For reasons unknown, upon learning this, the suffocating weight in his chest vanished in an instant, and he even felt a faint sense of... justified relief.

In the cultivation world, with poor spiritual roots and advanced age, what else could one expect? This was only natural.

But upon calming himself, he realized his thoughts were misguided; he ought to feel sorrow for Li Ji’an.

Once, Li Ji’an had been the foremost prodigy of the Celestial Dynasty, a figure whose godlike might on the path of ascension had been awe-inspiring. He was the elder brother who had led the four of them alive into the cultivation realm—such a person should never be reduced to this humble station!

He resolved that, no matter what, he would persuade Li Ji’an to follow him to the front lines and earn merit. He believed that, with Li Ji’an’s physical strength, he would be more than adequate for the task. And if things became dire, he could protect him himself. This would also repay the life-saving debt he owed from the path of ascension.

Upon returning to the clan today, he immediately sought Li Ji’an at his small courtyard, having rehearsed his words numerous times in his mind, even planning to prod him sharply if he refused, using a bit of reverse psychology.

However… as soon as he found the courtyard, half his prepared speech was swallowed back.

A courtyard nestled against the core spiritual vein of the clan grounds? He cultivated here every day? Was this the treatment given to menials?

On the front lines, Zhang Tiezhu risked his life and had only been assigned a small courtyard far from the core spiritual veins, and that too he could return to only once every few years.

He knocked at the door for a long time, but before Li Ji’an answered, the eldest young lady happened to pass by and inquired why he was seeking Li Ji’an.

Upon learning of his relationship with Li Ji’an, the very same young lady whom he hardly dared to dream of actually accompanied him in person to the courtyard of the infamous, stern-faced Seventh Elder!

Everything he witnessed thereafter seemed to him like a dream.

The Seventh Elder had been struck by Li Ji’an?

Addressed him as a peer and exchanged banter?

Taught him spells with such ease?

Even the eldest young lady was so friendly and familiar with Li Ji’an?

One thing after another—Zhang Tiezhu’s mind went utterly blank.

“Fellow Daoist Zhang, you’ve returned,” Li Ji’an said, taking his leave of the Seventh Elder and Yan Qingwan before stepping out to meet Zhang Tiezhu.

“Ah! Daoist Li—no, no, Brother Li, you… you truly surprise me!” Zhang Tiezhu was startled into clarity by Li Ji’an’s words.

It had to be eldest brother, after all!

He went back to Li Ji’an’s own courtyard with him, and apart from the secret involving Yan Qingwan, nothing was concealed from him.

But at this point, Zhang Tiezhu had lost interest in all of it.

Three years ago, his curiosity stemmed from a hope that, by following Li Ji’an’s path, he too might succeed.

Now, however, regardless of what methods Li Ji’an had used, the current outcome was beyond anything he dared to hope for. The method no longer mattered.

“Indeed, a genius in the Celestial Dynasty would never be ordinary, even here!” This time, he was truly convinced.

He even felt once again that same sense of reassurance he’d had while fleeing along the path of ascension—someone to rely on.

As they conversed, his attitude grew ever more cordial.

“Brother Li, since you’re close to Alchemist Mo, could you help me purchase some cheaper Qi-restoring pills?” he asked before leaving.

Li Ji’an refused without hesitation.

Alchemist Mo refined pills for the clan and had an agreement with the clan head: after fulfilling the quota for quantity and quality, any surplus was his as personal gain.

Thus, while Alchemist Mo did sell pills within the clan, obtaining them at a lower price was another matter. If Li Ji’an spoke up, his years of working alongside Alchemist Mo might earn him a minor favor, but that was not a debt Li Ji’an wished to owe—there was nothing to gain from it.

Of course, that wasn’t the main point.

The main point was that, until recently, Zhang Tiezhu hadn’t even been willing to address him as “Brother Li.”

His attitude toward the four old friends had always been clear. As long as it didn’t interfere with his own pursuit of longevity, if they were willing to call him “Brother Li,” he would do his best to offer some assistance.

But now, they were simply fellow Daoists.

After seeing Zhang Tiezhu off, Li Ji’an went early to Alchemist Mo’s pill chamber to begin preparations.

Over the past six years of working together, aside from the secret with Yan Qingwan, Li Ji’an had always been diligent, quick-witted, and had never shown ambition or overstepped his bounds. Despite his age, he learned well enough; whatever Alchemist Mo taught him temporarily, he executed precisely to expectations—no more, no less.

Thus, he and Alchemist Mo maintained a harmonious relationship.

“Chang’an, today I promised the Yan family head that I would refine a Nourishing Essence Pill. Prepare the herbs. Prepare several sets—I’m attempting this for the first time, and the success rate may not be high,” Alchemist Mo said, handing Li Ji’an an ingredient list.

“Congratulations, Alchemist Mo, on your further advance in the way of alchemy—able to refine such a divine pill now,” Li Ji’an replied, ever providing emotional support.

Alchemist Mo’s face darkened as usual, and he reproached sternly, “Enough with the flattery and exaggeration! How many times have I told you? Do you think I care for such things? You must change this habit!”

A hint of bitterness touched Li Ji’an’s face. “Alchemist Mo, I speak sincerely. Is the Nourishing Essence Pill not truly a divine pill?”

Alchemist Mo’s sternness faded into a smile. “Well… ha, to you, it certainly is a divine pill. I misunderstood you.”

The Nourishing Essence Pill was a medicine that nourished one’s innate foundation, mainly given to children when their spiritual roots were forming and starting to develop, to help their spiritual veins grow stronger.

Though intended for uninitiated mortals, because it affected the very foundation, it was difficult to refine, requiring at least a first-rank senior alchemist to have any hope of success.

Li Ji’an had long looked forward to this pill.

From what he had learned over these years, if he could, in his next life, begin at the age of eight with the nourishment of a second-rank spiritual vein, the supplementation of the Nourishing Essence Pill, and the guidance of a Qi-sensing technique attuned to spiritual power… he ought to be able to restore sixty percent of his innate spiritual root aptitude.

As for the other forty percent, that was lost in the wasteland of his early years before age eight.

However, besides the need for a first-rank senior alchemist, the ingredients for this pill were also quite rare, making the finished product expensive.

For now, he saw little hope.

Before long, Li Ji’an had prepared the herbs.

Once everything was ready, Yan Qingwan arrived as well.

The three of them gathered in the same room and began the pill refinement.

As expected, Alchemist Mo’s first attempt at the Nourishing Essence Pill ended in failure.

While he reviewed, reflected, and summarized his experience, Li Ji’an followed Yan Qingwan to her private quarters.

“Brother Li, here is this month’s Report Jade Talisman. Take your time reading it; if you don’t understand anything, you can ask me.” Since Yan Hongsheng had become close with Li Ji’an, Yan Qingwan had preemptively changed her form of address; otherwise, she risked being forced by her seventh uncle to call him “uncle.” Li Ji’an was ten years her senior, so “brother” was appropriate—especially as he was her savior.

Li Ji’an accepted the Report Jade Talisman with great anticipation.

Half a year ago, by chance, he had discovered this talisman and felt as though a new world had opened before him. Many of his perceptions of the cultivation world had broadened.

In his previous life in the Celestial Dynasty, the greatest fear in such a feudal society had been a lack of information, which led to an incomplete and distorted understanding of the world.

Here in the cultivation world, it was the same. Information barriers could be even more terrifying than monopolized resources.

The Report Jade Talisman Yan Qingwan handed him was one specially commissioned by the Yan family elders from an intelligence agency to keep abreast of current trends.

Every month, the Heaven’s Secret Tower would transmit news from the cultivation world within the scope of their subscription to the talisman, neatly categorized and incredibly diverse.

A quick scan revealed that most of it concerned power shifts within Cangyun Prefecture and the breakthroughs or failures of notable figures.

This was what family powers like the Yans focused on, but Li Ji’an found it uninteresting.

What he cared for most were the strange anecdotes, as well as the sections on bounties, requests, and sales.

“Hm? This is… a Divine Favored One?” Suddenly, one piece of information captured Li Ji’an’s great interest.