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Yu Qin was rely an ordinary Foundation Establishnt female cultivator. Lan Chang'an didn't pay much attention to her and planned to subtly remind Young Master Xia about her at a later ti. For now, he prepared to leave Autumnwind Isle alone, while leaving the Earth Burrowing Rat behind to keep watch.
A few days later...
In the bustling Cloudsmoke Immortal City, a young man with yellow whiskers stepped out of the large pavilion of Wanshu Pavilion, holding a jade slip in his hand. His figure quickly rged into the crowd.
Wanshu Pavilion was the largest chain of book repositories under the Jing Kingdom's rchant Alliance. Besides offering a variety of common cultivation techniques, secret arts, and the knowledge of many immortal arts, it also contained rare ancient texts and fragnts of incomplete books.
"The Record of Innate Dao Physiques, priced at 1,800 spirit stones, records most of the known innate Dao physiques that have appeared in the Great Qing cultivation region over the past tens of thousands of years..."
Shortly after, Lan Chang'an, disguised as the yellow-bearded young man, entered a modest inn in the city. In the privacy of the room, he used his spiritual sense to delve into the contents of the jade slip.
The cultivation world was vast, with countless branches of knowledge. Even if a Core Formation cultivator tried to morize everything, their sea of consciousness would explode. The limit of knowledge that their mory could carry would only be a drop in the ocean compared to the boundless knowledge of the cultivation world accumulated over endless eons.
Thus, even as soone who had once reached the pinnacle of Core Formation in his past life, Lan Chang'an was not all-knowing. There were always gaps in his knowledge—whether it was about the Five Elents Earth, mystical treasures like the Xuanu Vine, or even rare Innate Dao Physiques.
"Found it—'Cold Soul Jade Marrow' Dao Physique!"
Before long, Lan Chang'an located information about Xia Wenyue's unique physique in the jade slip.
According to the Record of Innate Dao Physiques, the Cold Soul Jade Marrow Dao Physique had appeared before in the Great Qing cultivation world. However, compared to more mainstream Dao physiques, it was rather obscure and uncommon.
The details in the jade slip were far more comprehensive than the scattered ntions Lan Chang'an had co across in ancient texts during his past life.
"As I thought, Xia Wenyue's innate Dao physique indeed possesses a 'beneficial effect' for others."
Lan Chang'an’s expression flickered with astonishnt, followed by a sense of excitent.
"But..."
His joy quickly gave way to hesitation.
The Cold Soul Jade Marrow’s benefits exceeded Lan Chang'an's expectations, and it had multiple uses.
The first use was in line with his earlier suspicions: If the owner of the physique cultivated to Foundation Establishnt or above, the bone marrow of a cultivator possessing the Cold Soul Jade Marrow physique would nurture a type of "Cold Jade Marrow" over many years, which could help others break through bottlenecks and advance in cultivation.
The higher the cultivation of the Dao physique owner, the greater the impact.
Once the owner reached the early Foundation Establishnt stage, the Cold Jade Marrow could effectively eliminate small bottlenecks within the Foundation Establishnt realm, offering results superior to standard breakthrough pills, all without impacting the cultivator’s future potential.
At the late Foundation Establishnt stage, the Cold Jade Marrow could marginally increase the chances of forming a Core and even improve the quality of the resulting Core.
"It's essentially a powerful version of a Crystal Condensation Pill—almost as good as a superior-grade one."
To say Lan Chang'an wasn’t tempted would be a lie.
However, this benefit would only manifest after Xia Wenyue reached the late Foundation Establishnt stage. Moreover, extracting the Cold Jade Marrow would cause permanent damage to her potential as a Dao physique owner—essentially a "killing the goose that lays the golden eggs" scenario, harming her for selfish gains. Ɽ𝒶ɴ𝘰ᛒĘṧ
"The benefits of the Cold Soul Jade Marrow during the Foundation Establishnt stage are far from reaching their full potential..."
Lan Chang'an's eyes flickered as he murmured to himself.
This brought him to the Dao physique’s second use.
If Xia Wenyue managed to cultivate to the mid-to-late Core Formation stage while maintaining her virginity, her Cold Soul and Jade Marrow would align, and she could potentially nurture a single drop of Taiyin Jade Essence within her body.
"Taiyin Jade Essence... capable of slightly increasing the success rate of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm!"
Lan Chang'an couldn’t help but breathe heavily.
While Cold Jade Marrow could be forcibly taken, Taiyin Jade Essence could only be willingly given by the Dao physique owner. It had to be transmitted through dual cultivation, requiring the full cooperation of the female cultivator.
It could not be taken by force.
Moreover, offering the Taiyin Jade Essence didn’t harm the Dao physique owner’s potential.
Thus, a Dao physique owner like Xia Wenyue would be highly sought after during the Foundation Establishnt stage, but would beco a much more valuable and protected treasure once she reached the Core Formation stage.
As for the Dao physique’s third use, it was a trait shared by most Yin-aligned Dao physiques—serving as an ideal partner for dual cultivation or even as a powerful "furnace" to increase cultivation efficiency.
However, compared to the first two uses, the third was hardly impressive. In fact, to Lan Chang'an, it was rather trivial.
His cultivation technique, the Evergreen Technique, was constrained by ti. External forces like dual cultivation could only enhance the daily efficiency of his training, not reduce the total amount of ti required to advance.
If he broke through that boundary in their relationship before Xia Wenyue reached the necessary stage, it would result in the loss of the great oppurtunity of "Taiyin Jade Essence".
...
"Although it only slightly improves the chances of advancing to Nascent Soul, it's akin to a weaker version of the Infant Transformation Pill. Even the smallest boost would cause any True Dan Formation cultivator to flock toward it..."
Lan Chang'an took a deep breath, calming his surging emotions.
"However, obtaining the Taiyin Jade Essence won’t be as easy as it seems."
He was well aware of the difficulties involved.
Even for soone with earth spiritual roots, reaching the mid-to-late Core Formation stage could take well over a hundred years.
Moreover, Xia Wenyue had already lost several years due to her initial setbacks in cultivation.
"In one hundred-plus years, there are too many variables in the vicissitudes of ti!"
"Not only would she have to reach the mid-to-late Core Formation stage, but she would also need to remain pure and guard her chastity."
This was precisely what troubled Lan Chang'an.
Out of all the conditions that needed to be fulfilled, reaching Core Formation wasn’t even the most difficult.
For most cultivators with innate Dao physiques, once they found the right cultivation technique, their progress was typically faster than soone with an earth spiritual root.
The real challenge lay in the hundred years of uncertainty that followed, and in suppressing desires and maintaining purity.
Take Lan Chang'an, for instance. Among cultivators, he could be considered relatively detached from worldly desires. At over one hundred fifty years old, he'd only experienced a few relationships, with decades between each one. These occasional dalliances had provided a release from the psychological and physical pressures that ca with the long years of cultivation.
No one wanted to beco an emotionless cultivation machine.
"In such a long stretch of ti, it’s not only external variables that beco a concern. Human nature itself is the biggest unknown factor."
Lan Chang'an knew that while Xia Wenyue now looked up to him with admiration and reverence, treating him with care, who could say how she would feel after a century had passed?
The potential and progression speed of an innate Dao physique was unpredictable.
Though his own cultivation was slow and steady, it was entirely possible that a century from now, Xia Wenyue might surpass him.
"Regarding this girl Xia Wenyue, I’ll need to take a longer view."
After much contemplation, Lan Chang'an ford a rough plan in his mind.
...
Three days later.
Under the guise of another identity, Lan Chang'an visited various large stores in Cloudsmoke Immortal City, eventually selling off two of his inferior-grade Foundation Establishnt Pills.
In recent years, Lan Chang'an had used two batches of Foundation Establishnt Pill materials, refining a total of one genuine pill and three inferior ones.
Originally, he had planned to sell all three inferior-grade pills and keep the single genuine product.
Now, he decided to hold on to one inferior-grade pill for Xia Wenyue.
"With her innate Dao physique, which is at least as good as an earth spiritual root, there's no need to provide her with higher quality breakthrough resources."
That was Lan Chang'an's reasoning.
Over the next few days, using yet another identity, Lan Chang'an purchased materials for crafting advanced puppets. These would help him improve his puppet-making techniques and increase his margin of error in direct combat.
After completing his purchases, Lan Chang'an resud his guise as the straw-hat elder, "Xiang Immortal," and visited the Snow Fox rchant Association to et with Hanyu Immortal.
The batch of third-rank beast pills he had acquired from the Snow Fox rchant Association in previous years had already been consud by the Earth Burrowing Rat.
As a third-rank Great Demon, the Earth Burrowing Rat was, frankly, suffering in the cultivation environnt of Autumnwind Isle.
Thus, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality beast pills was essential for its continued growth.
In fact, the Earth Burrowing Rat’s cultivation had exceeded Lan Chang'an's expectations in recent years.
Perhaps due to having ford a 'Half-Step Golden Dan,' the Earth Burrowing Rat's cultivation speed, even in a less-than-ideal spiritual energy environnt, has surpassed that of most superior-grade bloodline demon beasts, nearly reaching the level of earth-grade bloodlines.
Lan Chang'an had considered moving the Earth Burrowing Rat to a more suitable cultivation ground but ultimately dismissed the idea.
"A suitably harsh environnt can temper its mind, bones, and body."
"Even if I relocated it to a third-rank spiritual vein, the improvent would only be minor. It’s better to let the Earth Burrowing Rat stay at the early third rank and refine its foundation for now. It’s for its own good."
Admittedly, Lan Chang'an also had a slight ulterior motive.
If he had yet to reach the Core Formation stage while the Earth Burrowing Rat sohow managed to advance to mid-third rank, creating a huge power gap, it would make him, as its master, look quite incompetent.
Of course, this was unlikely. Under normal circumstances, the Earth Burrowing Rat wouldn’t break through in the next fifty years.
...
Within the Snow Fox rchant Association’s estate.
"Xiang Immortal, what a coincidence. Lady Hanyu is currently out on business and not in Cloudsmoke Immortal City. Rest assured, I will do my best to gather the necessary beast pills within half a month."
The person receiving Lan Chang'an was Elder Gao Songcheng.
"There’s no need to trouble Lady Hanyu. Just focus on acquiring the beast pills," Lan Chang'an waved off the offer.
"Please be patient, Xiang Immortal. We’ll have everything ready within fifteen days."
Gao Songcheng spoke with great respect.
Lan Chang'an declined the elder’s invitation to stay and left the Snow Fox rchant Association, making his way back to the Xunxian Residence.
Only a few days later...
Hanyu Immortal returned to Cloudsmoke Immortal City in secret. Disguising her identity, she made her way to the Xunxian Residence to et Lan Chang'an privately.
The guest suite at the inn was a standalone courtyard.
Inside the parlor, Lan Chang'an watched as a graceful woman dressed in a form-fitting black dress removed her veil, revealing Hanyu Immortal’s snow-like, delicate beauty.
Though not quite as striking as Xia Wenyue, Hanyu Immortal's icy and noble aura had earned her fa throughout the Jing Kingdom’s rchant Alliance as one of its great beauties.
"Lady Hanyu, you’ve hidden your identity and co to see privately. What’s the occasion?"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lan Chang'an smiled and cut to the chase.
"Big Brother Xiang, can’t Hanyu visit you without an agenda?"
Hanyu Immortal’s lips curled into a faint smile, her cold eyes carrying a hint of playfulness. Her fragrant scent filled the air as she gently leaned against Lan Chang'an’s shoulder.
As the night deepened, the cold moon hung high in the sky.
Before the bed, a black dress, embroidered shoes, and a set of white robes lay scattered on the floor.
Lan Chang'an’s hand rested on Hanyu Immortal’s smooth, jade-like back as he reclined lazily.
"Xiang Immortal, there is sothing I’d like to discuss with you."
Hanyu Immortal, her pale cheeks still flushed with lingering warmth, nestled against Lan Chang'an’s chest and whispered softly.
"What matter could be so urgent that it requires discussing at night?"
Lan Chang'an chuckled, already sensing that either Hanyu Immortal or the Snow Fox rchant Association had a request.
The guild had helped him on nurous occasions, and after the intimate ti they had spent together, Lan Chang'an was willing to repay the favor if it was within his ans.
Hanyu Immortal’s crystal-clear eyes glimred as she rolled them at him.
Then she began to explain the situation:
"In two months, our Snow Fox rchant Association will be sending a critical shipnt of goods to 'Taifeng City' in southern Jing Kingdom. We’ve already hired a Foundation Establishnt guard and arranged for a Fake Dan expert from our guild to accompany them. It’s a strong escort."
"However, this shipnt is of strategic importance to our guild. To ensure nothing goes wrong, Grandfather Guangjun hopes you can take your third-rank Great Demon and secretly guard the convoy for half a month."
The "Grandfather Guangjun" she referred to was Guangjun Immortal, the True Dan ancestor of the Snow Fox rchant Association.
Lan Chang'an had t him once after the Earth Burrowing Rat ford its Half-Step Golden Dan.
"Are you expecting True Dan cultivators to ambush the shipnt?"
Lan Chang'an frowned slightly.
"Our guild and the opposing forces are mutually restrained, and we currently have no extra True Dan cultivators to spare."
"Grandfather Guangjun estimates that there’s about a thirty percent chance the enemy may hire an external True Dan cultivator to intercept the shipnt. But don’t worry, Xiang Immortal. If the enemies detect True Dan-level protection on our side, their hired True Dan expert won’t risk their life. They’ll either pull back or retreat without a fight."
Hanyu Immortal calmly elaborated.
She hoped to use one of the favors Lan Chang'an owed her to enlist his help.
Seeing the expectation in her eyes, Lan Chang'an patted his chest and boldly declared, "You have my word, I’ll assist!"
In his mind, Lan Chang'an had already formulated a plan.
For this "escort" mission, he would send the Earth Burrowing Rat to shadow the convoy. If no True Dan cultivator showed up, that would be ideal.
If one did, the Earth Burrowing Rat could release its own True Dan-level aura to scare them off, hopefully dissuading them from engaging in a direct confrontation.
In the worst-case scenario, if things escalated into a life-and-death battle, he would have to withdraw.
But that outco was unlikely.
True Dan-level confrontations were rarely seen within the rchant Alliance’s internal conflicts.
"If the mission succeeds, the Snow Fox rchant Association will offer three years’ worth of third-rank beast pills as a reward."
Hanyu Immortal smiled, offering generous compensation.
Lan Chang'an nodded in satisfaction. Although it was a promise, the Snow Fox rchant Association knew how to sweeten the deal, ensuring he wouldn’t be acting without any tangible rewards.
...
After spending two more days together, Hanyu Immortal discreetly departed.
"Taifeng City in southern Jing Kingdom, huh?"
Lan Chang'an thought back to the details of their agreent.
Taifeng City was a crucial city located on Jing Kingdom’s southern border, near the Chen Kingdom.
More than half of the trade between Jing Kingdom and Chen Kingdom’s cultivation worlds passed through Taifeng City.
The city itself was controlled by the "Taifeng rchant Association," the largest guild in the alliance, nearly comparable to a sect, with a True Dan late-stage cultivator overseeing its operations.
Two months from now, the Snow Fox rchant Association’s convoy would likely involve significant trade with the cultivation world of Chen Kingdom.
Seven days later...
Lan Chang'an returned to the Snow Fox rchant Association’s estate to collect enough third-rank beast pills for four or five years.
"I’ve finished my business in Cloudsmoke Immortal City, and I’ve also figured out the mystery behind Xia Wenyue’s innate Dao physique."
After a final review to ensure nothing was left undone, Lan Chang'an set off for ho.
...
Back at his estate on Autumnwind Isle in Qingsha Bay...
Upon his return, Lan Chang'an didn’t et Xia Wenyue imdiately. Instead, he summoned the Earth Burrowing Rat.
"Thank you for the reward, Master." The Earth Burrowing Rat’s youthful voice chirped as its bright eyes glead, accepting several bottles of third-rank beast pills from Lan Chang'an.
Normally, the Earth Burrowing Rat maintained a size comparable to that of a large dog, keeping its cultivation suppressed to the peak of the second rank.
As Lan Chang'an reclined in his chair, he casually asked, "During the half-month I was away, did that woman show any unusual behavior?"
Before leaving, Lan Chang'an had instructed the Earth Burrowing Rat to keep an eye on Yu Qin.
Now that he had confird the significance of Xia Wenyue’s Dao physique—which contained a precious opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul stage—he had beco more vigilant.
Especially toward outsiders like Yu Qin, who had previously tried to seduce him. As Xia Mingqu’s old fla, she naturally raised Lan Chang'an's suspicions.
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