Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 58: Chapter 24: Pola Daoist

”Set off!”

With a command from the Seventh Elder, the group grandly left the market, heading towards the Yan Clan Territory in the southeast.

”Old Li, how do you feel? We’re about to go to the Yan Clan Territory, are you excited?”

”I must say, Old Li can be considered one of the top servants in the market, managing to blend into the Yan Clan even as a servant is truly lucky.”

.....

At the forefront of the group was the Seventh Elder, Yan Hongsheng, mounted on a unicorn spirit beast the size of a water buffalo, which Li Ji’an didn’t recognize but could sense its magical power aura.

It certainly wasn’t an ordinary spiritual steed focused solely on traveling.

Behind him were three brocade carriages drawn by spiritual steeds, with Yan Qingwan in the first carriage, Alchemist Mo in the second, and the third was entirely filled with pill shop materials and pill medicines, barely fitting into fifteen basic storage pouches.

Around the brocade carriages, clan members who came to escort Yan Hongsheng.

As for the original staff of the pill shop, including Yan Tong the steward, they were assigned to the rear of the team, spread across two large carts.

Li Ji’an paid no heed to the few jealous staff members, instead discreetly using spiritual sense to sense around.

Aside from Yan Hongsheng, a publicly known peak Qi Cultivation 9th Layer cultivator, the remaining ten people were all mid-stage Qi Cultivation, and all were above Qi Cultivation 5th Layer within the clan’s core combat force.

With Li Ji’an’s understanding over four years in the market, this force was considered second-tier high-end combat power in this region.

It clearly showed the Yan Family’s emphasis on Alchemist Mo.

”Old Li, you can close your eyes and rest for a bit; we’ll be at the clan territory in at most two hours,” Yan Tong took the initiative to converse, his attitude very friendly.

He was quite frightened today upon learning that Chen Qingling’s brother was a half-step late-period body cultivator.

Nominally a Yan Family member, the opponent dared not blatantly dishonor the Yan Family, but if they resorted to underhanded tactics, even if the Yan Family eventually found some clues, they might not necessarily fall out with them over him.

Therefore, at this moment, he genuinely appreciated Li Ji’an.

”Thank you, Steward, but I don’t feel sleepy,” Li Ji’an nodded with a smile.

”Since you’re not sleepy, why don’t I tell you some clan rules? Otherwise, if you inadvertently violate them, you might regret it forever.” This was Yan Tong’s true intention.

Consider it mutual benefit.

”Then I’ll trouble you!” Li Ji’an accepted his offer.

In fact, during his three-year private interactions with Yan Qingwan, he had a general understanding of the Yan Family’s internal structure.

The clan was established less than five hundred years ago by ancestors who were resourceful loose cultivators, capturing the trend of pioneering and, with their sons, using their lives to carve out a Dao Field for future generations.

Following this, the clan underwent the arduous struggle of three generations, eventually nurturing a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, finally elevating the Yan Family to one of the Eight Great Clans!

Moreover, the current Yan Family maintained strong family cohesion, not lacking in pioneering spirit, and rare were incidents of internal family strife.

However, as Yan Tong explained in detail, Li Ji’an realized there were discrepancies between the information Yan Qingwan shared and Yan Tong’s narrative.

The reason was simple; different identities, different perspectives, different visions.

What Yan Qingwan understood involved mostly higher-level information and dynamics, whereas Yan Tong shared more about the state of cultivation among the clan’s lower levels.

”Old Li, there’s something I’m not sure if I should say?” After detailing the lower-level situation, Yan Tong suddenly lowered his voice.

Observing Yan Tong’s action, Li Ji’an was slightly startled, instinctively glancing at the people ahead.

He looked back at Yan Tong with a hint of helplessness.

All those ahead were mid to late-stage Qi Cultivation powerhouses with strong spiritual sense; what’s the point of lowering your voice?

Nonetheless, he couldn’t blame him, as Yan Tong was just at the early stage of Qi Cultivation, with weak spiritual sense, unable to achieve spiritual sense transmission.

”Please enlighten me, Steward.”

”Alright, today as you enter the clan, your life path will be completely altered; past events can be forgotten. However, your spirit root is too weak and your age too advanced, whether from the perspective of clan recognition or future potential, you will not be nurtured, and I also don’t advise you to even consider pursuing it.

People must sometimes accept their fate, cannot fail to see themselves clearly, and cannot aim too high.

We’re past our prime; we have to accept it.

Instead of struggling in vain, why not acknowledge reality early to create conditions for the next generation?

I suggest, upon entering the clan, you start picking out wives and concubines to prepare for passing on the family lineage.

Once united with a clan woman, only then can you truly remain in the Yan Family.”

Li Ji’an slowly nodded, offering a salute: ”Thank you for your guidance, Steward.”

Li Ji’an understood Yan Tong’s advice was sincerely for his benefit, given what he knew of Yan Tong’s situation, he had done just that himself.

Be it Zhang Tiezhu persuading him to fight and adventure, or Yan Tong advising him to recognize reality, seek stability, plan for the long term, neither could be called wrong, but neither suited him.

Simultaneously, Yan Hongsheng at the very front displayed a slight smile, pleased with the counsel Yan Tong provided to Li Ji’an.

Three years of alchemy efforts, Yan Qingwan had naturally mentioned Li Ji’an to the Yan Family’s high level and had long since secured promises to Yan Qingwan that, regardless, they would allow Li Ji’an to retire in the Yan Family.

Yan Qingwan also listened clearly to Yan Tong’s advice, nodding in satisfaction.

Having spent three years with him, she had a favorable impression of Li Ji’an, even having some affection for him.

Setting aside cultivation potential and strength, his demeanor was as tranquil as water, his conduct mature and steady, his conversation honest yet occasionally humorous and witty; most crucially, his eyes were very clear.

Of course, he was very earnest and attentive when assisting her in alchemy.

She sometimes even felt that Alchemist Mo’s guidance wasn’t as good as Li Ji’an’s.

The only pity was his somewhat advanced age and the near absence of potential and capability; otherwise, she would have considered introducing her cousin to him.

Now, Yan Tong’s suggestion gave her new plans; if Li Ji’an’s children could, she would even be willing to offer extra support, fulfilling her promise to Li Ji’an.

”Hmm?”

Just after expressing thanks for Yan Tong’s teachings, Li Ji’an suddenly sensed a faint aura.

Three years ago, after Yan Qingwan transmitted the technique for spiritual sense refinement to him, he noticed his Qi Cultivation 1st Layer spiritual sense surpassed Yan Qingwan’s Qi Cultivation 6th Layer spiritual sense by a few degrees.

Having undergone Qi Cultivation training for three more years, his understanding of spiritual sense became clearer, distinctly aware that his spiritual sense nearly reached the pinnacle of the Qi Refining Stage.

He estimated that perhaps after the next ”Rejuvenation,” he might achieve divine sense with a single solidification of his divine soul, thereby greatly increasing the safety during childhood!

”Old Li, what’s wrong?” Yan Tong asked promptly upon noticing a moment of seriousness on Li Ji’an’s face.

Li Ji’an appeared slightly worried: ”Could the Wei Family ambush Alchemist Mo en route?”

”Hahaha, oh Old Li, you don’t understand our Seventh Elder; he’d be happy for them to come courting death,” Yan Tong laughed heartily.

”Oh?”

”The Seventh Elder is the foremost warrior below our ancestor within the clan, even the most troublesome figure for the other seven great families around us; since childhood, he’s excelled in bravery and fighting, supporting the strong against the weak, long ago earning the nickname ’Pola Daoist’ from the outside world.”

”Do you know why he’s called Pola Daoist? Because he can stir waves three feet high even when there’s no wind!” Yan Tong explained with a laugh.

Yet,

”Buzz~” Just as Yan Tong’s words faded, a buzzing sound arose from high above.

”Enemy attack!” someone in the front immediately warned.

”Hmph! They’ve come well.” Yan Hongsheng smiled instead of frowning, patting his storage pouch, and a Purple Gold Profound Celestial Hammer shot into the sky.

In the next instant, a flash of golden light appeared, instantly transforming into a hundred-foot-wide net, enveloping downwards.

”Trivial tricks, show yourself!” Yan Hongsheng shouted, executing Fire Dragon Escape and transforming into a fire light, effortlessly evading the descending Golden Radiance Shield, hollering towards the distance.

At the same time, the unicorn spirit beast under him abruptly emitted a halo, enveloping the three carriages,

Other cultivators also immediately surrounded the carriages of Alchemist Mo and Yan Qingwan, providing focal protection.

”Yan Hongsheng, you’ve fallen into a trap!”