Chapter 42: Protecting Him for a Lifetime

The opening of the Yan family’s pill shop, especially the rise of the new medicinal fields jointly developed by the Yan and Wei families, caused the greatest discomfort for the Zheng family.

Thanks to their early annexations, the Zhengs not only possessed the largest spiritual veins and sacred grounds but also occupied a considerable number of medicinal fields. They nearly monopolized the pill business within the market, as well as the trade of raw medicinal materials from the wilderness, supplying other pill shops. Therefore, even if other families had opened pill shops in the marketplace before, it hardly affected their profits.

But now, with the Yan family owning their own medicinal fields, they became true competitors.

A year ago, when the Yan family patriarch left, he specifically warned Yan Qingwan to be wary of their opponents’ schemes, to keep a low profile in the early stages, and to quietly amass wealth.

Over the past year, Zheng Tianxiang frequently visited the pill shop under the pretense of rekindling old friendships, mostly to probe Yan Qingwan’s pill-making skills.

Previously, seeing Yan Qingwan’s mediocre pills, the Zhengs took no action. But a month ago, when Yan Qingwan produced a superior Qi-boosting pill, the Zheng family made their move.

Li Ji’an had never expected they would find him, as only he and Yan Qingwan, along with a handful of high-level clan members, knew about her pill-making talents. Outwardly, he was merely a guest cultivator assisting her, akin to a pill apprentice.

Today, when they managed to find him, Li Ji’an’s first thought was that there must be an informant in the pill shop.

“You honor me, Young Master Zheng. I am truly humbled. May I ask…” Li Ji’an presented himself as a humble cultivator of the lower ranks.

Zheng Tianxiang was unimpressed by this act. He walked over and patted Li Ji’an’s shoulder, laughing, “Ahahaha, Guest Li, no need to be so formal. Come, come, pick a fairy that pleases you first.”

“I have done nothing to deserve such reward, and I know my own worth. Such generosity leaves me uneasy, Young Master Zheng. Please, speak your mind.” Recognizing Zheng Tianxiang was no fool, Li Ji’an had no intention to play along.

“Hm?” Zheng Tianxiang’s face darkened at once, his eighth-tier Qi-cultivating power surging.

“Whoosh!” He suddenly extended his hand, his formidable energy forming an invisible palm that swept past Li Ji’an’s ear.

“Ah!” The young man who had brought Li Ji’an here let out a muffled cry, his feet lifted off the ground as he was dragged beside Li Ji’an.

“Kneel!” Zheng Tianxiang unleashed a burst of pressure, forcing the young man to his knees, blood streaming from his nose and mouth.

“I asked you to invite my esteemed guest politely, and yet you acted like a bully, tarnishing my reputation?”

The young man knelt in misery, wanting to explain, but under Zheng Tianxiang’s pressure, he couldn’t utter a single word.

“Humph, it must be your arrogance that made my guest think poorly of me. What use are you? Get out!” With a wave, Zheng Tianxiang flung him out the third-story window.

Li Ji’an sighed quietly. Not only was Zheng Tianxiang no fool, he was resourceful, a true heir groomed by the family.

“Guest Li, forgive me for the spectacle. I blame myself for spoiling my subordinates.” Zheng Tianxiang apologized, then waved to the madam, signaling her to leave.

“Please sit. Since you still have doubts about me, let’s not beat around the bush. I’ll be frank.” He paused, then drew a jade bottle from his storage pouch.

“Friend Li, a wise bird chooses a good tree to nest in. You know how the Yan family treats outsiders. As far as I know, you’ve served them for eight years, yet you haven’t even qualified for the queue to obtain breakthrough pills. And you’ve contributed so much to Yan Qingwan’s pill-making—I feel it’s unfair to you. This is a Feiyun Pill, and as long as you…”

“Hmm?” Before he could finish, he suddenly sensed the aura of mid-stage Qi cultivation from Li Ji’an.

Li Ji’an cupped his hands. “Forgive me, Young Master Zheng. I just stabilized my realm today, still unfamiliar with controlling it. I didn’t mean to conceal it.”

“…” Zheng Tianxiang’s carefully prepared words were instantly cut off. Even with his experience, he could not help but be caught off guard.

A surge of anger rose in his heart.

He had confirmed many times that Li Ji’an was stuck at the third tier for years, so he brought the Feiyun Pill as incentive. Driven by this belief, he hadn’t examined Li Ji’an’s cultivation closely.

He never expected to embarrass himself so thoroughly.

Still, after a brief moment, he quickly regained composure. “Haha, excellent! Congratulations! Now it seems I was behind the curve. Tell me, what do you need? If you’re willing to join our Zheng family, not only will you have access to basic breakthrough pills, but even… higher-grade pills, once you reach that stage, I can authorize it for you.”

“Foundation-building pills too?” Li Ji’an joked silently, but didn’t voice it aloud to avoid making Zheng Tianxiang repeat himself.

The Zhengs simply saw his poor spiritual roots and advanced age, believing he would never need later-stage breakthrough pills, hence their generosity.

More importantly, Zheng Tianxiang just wanted to remove Li Ji’an from Yan Qingwan’s side, likely planning to act as soon as Li Ji’an left the market.

“Forgive me, Young Master Zheng, I am but a lone cultivator. My host granted me a place, bestowed breakthrough pills—such kindness I cannot forget. Besides, I’ve only assisted Miss Yan with her pill-making for a few years, mainly preparing the furnace and cleaning up afterward, yet she entrusted me with important tasks. I already feel indebted…

Today’s events, I will keep secret. Please, Young Master Zheng, act as if nothing happened.” Li Ji’an bowed deeply. Facing someone with both intelligence and power far above his own, all schemes were useless—it was better to play the sincerity card.

He didn’t expect to move Zheng Tianxiang, only to prevent him from having a legitimate reason in the marketplace.

After all, the market wardens were rotated among the eight clans’ patriarchs, and here, he was not so powerful as to ignore all rules.

If this didn’t work, he could always leave for a time, waiting for another chance in the next life.

Zheng Tianxiang hadn’t anticipated such a response from Li Ji’an and fell silent, staring at him for a long moment.

“Haha~ Such loyalty to your master, and such virtue as a servant—makes me look like a petty man.”

Li Ji’an rose. “Young Master Zheng, you flatter me. Nothing happened here today, and I never met you. Farewell.”

Fortunately, Zheng Tianxiang did nothing irrational. Otherwise, with his late-stage physical cultivation, he would have killed Li Ji’an, forcing him to flee.

As soon as Li Ji’an returned from the Celestial Tower to the pill shop, he went straight to the pill room and reported everything.

“Big Brother Li, on behalf of the Yan family, thank you!” After hearing the story, Yan Qingwan’s expression turned grim. She understood how difficult Li Ji’an’s decision had been—under such threats and temptations, how many could resist?

Li Ji’an laughed lightly. “After all, you promised to support me in retirement—don’t forget your word.”

“Pfft~ Even now you joke, Big Brother Li. Rest assured, as long as I am here, you can stay within the clan.”

“And my descendants,” Li Ji’an reminded her again.

Having arrived in the cultivation world thirteen years ago, and after years with the Yan family, he had come to recognize their worth.

Especially Yan Qingwan—kind-hearted, gentle, and full of potential, with influence in the clan.

Barring any accidents, he had already decided she would be the guardian in his next life.

“Big Brother Li, rest assured. I’ve already said it—in my heart, you are family. Your children are my nephews and nieces. As long as they call me ‘Aunt,’ I will protect them for a lifetime.”