Chapter 39: The Apothecary Opens for Business

United Market, South Street.

Today, colorful banners fluttered in the wind and the sound of drums and gongs echoed through the air.

The Yan Family’s Pill Shop was reopening its doors, hosting a grand spiritual banquet and widely inviting heroes from all walks of life. The patriarch, Yan Zongsheng, led several of the family’s elders to make a public appearance at the shop.

Of the eight great clans of the Wildlands, the other seven all came to give their support. With the exception of the Zheng family, head of the eight, the remaining six clan leaders each presented their congratulatory gifts in person.

Seventeen local Qi Refining families and several well-known rogue cultivators also came to offer their blessings.

Yan Qingwan was pushed to the forefront by her clan, showered with praise from all sides. She accepted every compliment with grace, thanked each guest personally, and even bestowed pills she had refined with her own hands. For a time, she was the center of attention, basking in unparalleled splendor.

The first lady alchemist of the Wildlands, the most beautiful pill master, a talent both in art and cultivation… Such accolades surrounded her.

At the edge of the crowd, Li Ji’an watched from afar as Yan Qingwan stood in the limelight, silently offering his blessings.

It had been just over five hundred years since Lost Dragon Ridge’s Wildlands received imperial permission for settlement and development. Back then, countless families, lone cultivators, and sects arrived, each seeking fortune. After many rounds of turmoil, those with true foundations took their profits and withdrew. In the end, only the present eight great families remained, each holding a second-grade spiritual vein, while seventeen Qi Refining families claimed first-grade veins, gradually stabilizing the region.

Previously, chaos reigned here, with no order to speak of. Isolated from the northern cities, there wasn’t a single proper market within ten thousand miles. Many supplies had to be procured from afar, causing great inconvenience.

No family was willing to offer up their own lands to establish a market.

It wasn’t until just over ninety years ago, when two Qi Refining families fought bitterly over this territory, that an opportunity arose. The eight Foundation Establishment families took advantage, founding a market for trade and residence—a modest yet meaningful contribution to the many rogue cultivators of the region.

Li Ji’an suspected that three years ago, when the Yan and Wei families finally reconciled and chose to cooperate, it was not only due to the incident with Wei Huairen, but above all because they had learned their lesson from the struggle over the United Market’s spiritual vein. They realized that if the conflict continued, both sides would lose and only an outsider would profit.

“Zheng Tianxiang, representing the Zheng family, offers a centennial ganoderma to congratulate the Yan Pill Shop and Master Yan, the great alchemist!”

With the doorkeeper’s clear announcement, the opening banquet reached its climax.

The Zheng family, head of the eight great families, boasted three Foundation Establishments within its ranks. Secure atop the Wildlands’ hierarchy, they held the region’s largest middle-grade second-class spiritual vein. Their territory spanned a hundred miles, monopolizing nearly eighty percent of the Wildlands’ pill and artifact business.

They possessed unrivaled power and wealth.

Should a descendant with an extraordinary spiritual root be born within their ranks, it would not be impossible to produce a Nascent Soul master one day.

At that time, the entire southern Wildlands would fall under Zheng family’s rule.

If not for the other seven families’ wisdom, aware of the dangers of letting one clan rule supreme, they would have been powerless. The seven had long formed an alliance, which compelled Zheng family to honor the pact made by all eight.

Still, the Zheng’s strength was plain to see. Even open competition with the other seven left their market share unshaken.

“Qingwan, it’s been years since we last met. I never expected you’d achieve such success. Truly worth celebrating!” After greeting the seven clan leaders, Zheng Tianxiang approached Yan Qingwan, his smile warm, his bearing extraordinary.

“You flatter me, Young Master Zheng, but please, mind your form of address,” Yan Qingwan replied calmly, her tone steady, though a hint of displeasure was discernible.

“Ah, Master Yan still blames me, but I truly had no choice.” Zheng Tianxiang shook his head helplessly.

“But never mind. Now that the clan has assigned me to manage market affairs, there will be plenty of opportunities to interact. I believe that, in time, one’s true character will be revealed.” With those words, and before Yan Qingwan could respond, Zheng Tianxiang was swept away by the other clan leaders to take his seat in the courtyard, surrounded like a star among stars.

Li Ji’an stood to the side, watching as Zheng Tianxiang was welcomed past him, a peculiar smile playing on his lips.

The reason for that smile was simple—having spent seven years in the Yan family, he had heard many rumors.

Recalling the night before he entered the Yan family’s territory, when Yan Qingwan had wept quietly into her pillow, he could almost be certain the rumors were true.

It was said that the founding patriarchs of the Zheng and Yan families had once been sworn brothers, coming to the Wildlands together some five centuries ago—indeed, it was the Yan patriarch who persuaded the Zheng patriarch to join him.

The two helped each other achieve greatness.

But, as in so many tales, disputes over interests arose and the two fell out, never to speak again.

In this generation, though the Zheng family was the strongest by far, the other seven each had a Foundation Establishment ancestor—seasoned, cunning old foxes who had weathered storms of intrigue and bloodshed. Not so easily fooled.

For the Zheng family to advance further would be no easy feat.

Thus, they reestablished ties with the Yan family, recalling the bonds of brotherhood.

When Yan Qingwan was born, a childhood betrothal was arranged.

Yet—

What amused Li Ji’an most was that, when Yan Qingwan turned seventeen, Zheng Tianxiang came and publicly broke off the engagement.

Compared to the novels he had read in his previous life, this turn of events was almost a reversal of fate.

The reason for the annulment was straightforward: the Zheng family had established ties with one of the five leading northern clans, the Formation Liu family, and sought an alliance through marriage.

Moreover, when Zheng Tianxiang was fifteen, his spiritual roots were fully formed—nineteen strands of metal affinity, just shy of top-grade talent, with excellent prospects for reaching Nascent Soul.

That year, Yan Qingwan became the laughingstock of the Wildlands.

Those who didn’t know the truth thought the Yan family had tried to curry favor with the Zhengs, only to be rejected.

After several rounds of toasts, when host and guests alike were well pleased, the Yan Pill Shop finally returned to its usual tranquility.

The next day, the patriarch and elders returned to the clan, leaving just eight people behind, including Yan Qingwan and Li Ji’an, along with a shopkeeper and five menial workers.

Previously, due to Master Mo’s presence, the shopkeeper had not come from the Yan clan. Now, as the pill shop was a key business venture, the position had to go to a clan member.

Among the five menials, three had been there seven years prior and were well acquainted with Li Ji’an.

The difference was, seven years ago, Li Ji’an had been a menial like them—a servant to the alchemist, an outsider, a contract worker.

Now, while they remained menials, Li Ji’an had become an honored guest.

Yan Qingwan had fought for this special status within the clan so that Li Ji’an could accompany her to the market’s pill shop.

Aside from the private share of profits Yan Qingwan intended to give him, as a guest he also received a monthly salary of eight spirit stones.

“Uncle Zhong, the affairs of the shop’s front hall will depend on you. Treat others kindly, don’t abuse authority, and under no circumstances tarnish the Yan family’s reputation,” Yan Qingwan instructed carefully.

“Don’t worry, young miss, I’ll take good care of everything,” Uncle Zhong replied, his honest face radiating warmth.

“If I’m ever unavailable, Elder Brother Li speaks for me. Do not neglect his words—if anything happens, I will take responsibility.” Yan Qingwan turned to Li Ji’an.

After seven years together—especially after he had saved her life on the way back to the clan four years ago, and later patiently guided her through her studies after Master Mo’s defection—her respect for Li Ji’an had only grown. Not only had he improved her skills in alchemy, but he had also comforted and encouraged her through immense pressures, helping her persevere to this day.

She no longer looked down on him for his weak spiritual roots or lack of potential. Now, her respect and gratitude came from the heart.

She was certain Li Ji’an’s talent in the path of alchemy far surpassed her own. It was a pity that his spiritual roots were poor, his cultivation low, and his pill fire weak—otherwise, she was sure he could become a master alchemist.

In recognition of this, over the past two years, her address for him had unconsciously changed to "Elder Brother Li," setting aside all the airs of a young lady.

She had already made up her mind: this year, no matter what, she would acquire a Cloudrider Pill to help Elder Brother Li break through to the middle stage of Qi Refining.