Watching the Mountain

Chapter 349: Chapter 196: Mortal Medical Compendium

”The growth of a life in a plot of land is a two-way process. The life adapts to the land, while the land also attempts to accept the life...”

After speaking, Xu Ran glanced at Jiang Nian, who was staring at the ground lost in thought, and smiled faintly. He then paid him no more mind and quietly left.

’This feeling of giving guidance while hiding my identity... it’s actually quite nice.’

It was a long while before Jiang Nian came back to his senses, only to find that Xu Ran was gone.

After a moment of contemplation, he bowed deeply toward the spot where Xu Ran had just stood. ’That Hidden Mountain Elder is truly worthy of being in charge of the Scripture Pavilion,’ he thought with admiration. ’Even though he’s not a Spirit Plant Master, a single casual sentence from him contains the boundless principles of the Great Dao.’

His eyes filled with determination, and he silently returned to his work in the fields.

’Once I’ve successfully cultivated the Star Spirit Grass, I’ll give the Hidden Mountain Elder a pleasant surprise.’

*

*

*

「Three more months passed.」

The Creation Sect had been silent ever since their last announcement, leading many in the Cultivation Realm to wonder if the method they had proposed had failed. Otherwise, why would there be no news for so long?

Xu Ran was also quite surprised by this. During this time, he sent a message to Liu Yunge to ask if there was a problem with the method.

’I did, after all, accept the Infinite Creation Pill. Even though Cloud Sea Guest said I wouldn’t have to return the elixir regardless of whether the method worked, it would still be awkward for me if it really failed. After all, the Infinite Creation Pill is a Thirteenth Grade elixir, meant for those in the Daoist Venerable Realm, which is Above Divinity Transformation.’

In response, Liu Yunge replied that there was no problem. The powerful experts of the world had jointly deduced and verified its feasibility. The reason for the silence was that they were still perfecting the details and figuring out the best way to implement it. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Hearing this answer, Xu Ran felt a little more at ease.

’Since they’ve said as much, all I need to do is wait patiently for the results.’

Then, while he was waiting, an unexpected visitor arrived at his Cave Mansion.

This person was none other than Deceitful Blade Chen Chang’an, who had previously left the Sect to travel the world after being hounded by the Sect’s many Supreme Elders to take on a disciple.

Xu Ran was very happy to see Chen Chang’an return. Given the Sect’s current situation, having another powerful expert was a good thing.

After the initial pleasant surprise, he also grew curious. Where had Chen Chang’an been all these years? So much had happened to the Sect, yet he hadn’t returned. That didn’t seem like him at all.

However, before Xu Ran could ask, Chen Chang’an began to recount his experiences on his own.

It turned out that after leaving the Sect, he had traveled to the Western Domain. The reason he went there was because the other Supreme Elders of the Sect had been pestering him relentlessly to take a disciple.

He figured the farther away he went, the better. Since the Profound Pure Sect was in the Eastern Domain, going to the Western Domain seemed like a perfect fit.

As a pure Swordsman, he had spent many years traveling the Western Domain, frequently challenging others along the way.

”What are the people in the Western Domain like?” Xu Ran asked curiously upon hearing this.

He had mostly heard about the prodigies of the Eastern Domain; he knew little about those from the other domains.

Hearing the question, Chen Chang’an pondered for a moment before replying, ”Overall, it’s quite similar to our Eastern Domain. I met a few young prodigies there who could rival the Evergreen Sword Saint, and they weren’t from the top-tier sects of the Western Domain either.”

”Oh?” Xu Ran voiced his surprise. ”Don’t tell me the top prodigies of the Cultivation Realm don’t actually come from top-tier sects?”

Chen Chang’an shook his head at the question and replied, ”Junior Brother, don’t find it strange. This impression exists because the true prodigies from the top-tier sects in each domain aren’t very active within their own domain. Their rivals are from the top-tier sects of the other domains.”

”Take Daoist Friend Liu Yunge of the Creation Sect and Daoist Friend Zhao Wuyang of the Netherworld Sect, for example. They are merely the representatives who face our Eastern Domain. In truth, the more talented disciples from their sects, those stronger than them, aren’t active in our region.”

”The Evergreen Sword Saint is one of the most famous prodigies from our Eastern Domain in the last thousand years. But in the other Four Domains, the ones from our side who get discussed more are the prodigies of the Ten Major Sects. It’s just that the Cultivation Realm is vast, and this kind of information doesn’t spread much once it crosses domains. Furthermore, the Major Sects intentionally control its dissemination—unless you’re someone like Senior Brother Ye Shan.”

Xu Ran nodded slightly at his words. ’So that’s how it is.’ He’d rarely heard about such things, but on second thought, it made sense. People tend to care more about what’s happening around them. When it comes to other people’s affairs, they’re usually just spectators.

It was just like with Evergreen Sword Saint Zhang Zhentian and Wuchen True Monarch Shen Wuchen. They were discussed most frequently here in Changqing County. The farther one got from Changqing County and the Profound Pure Sect, the less they were talked about. After all, other counties had their own prodigies.

At this point, Chen Chang’an continued, ”The truly top-tier prodigies of the Ten Major Sects are difficult for us to even come into contact with. Their rivals are, after all, in the other Four Domains.”

”The reason Senior Brother Ye Shan drew so much attention back then was because the ones who appeared later in that Secret Realm were the true core prodigies of those four sects. And in the end, every single one of them was defeated by Senior Brother Ye Shan.”

As Chen Chang’an spoke, a nostalgic expression appeared on his face. Even after so much time, the memory of fighting alongside Ye Shan in that Secret Realm still made his blood boil with excitement.

After chatting for a while longer, he resumed the story of his own experiences. He had only heard about the Sect’s recent troubles later on, and as soon as he did, he had prepared to rush back immediately.