Chapter 13: Eastward All the Way

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Looking at Xiao Changfeng’s tall and slender figure, his appearance more masculine and resolute than eighteen years ago, with an added trace of the maturity time has bestowed, Li Ji’an felt somewhat unfamiliar. The deadly aura emanating from him made Xiao Qiao cling tightly behind Li Ji’an.

Xiao Changfeng stood at the courtyard gate, his gaze on Li Ji’an, showing a hint of formality. After all, it had been eighteen years since their last meeting, and back then, their interaction lasted only five days during the trial.

Time’s power was silent and imperceptible, smoothing all things.

Though they had exchanged messages frequently over the years and even confided in each other to some extent, they had never met in person, making their relationship more akin to virtual acquaintances.

Li Ji’an never took seriously the words spoken by Xiao Changfeng in his youth, when his mind was immature and unstable.

Except for those with miraculous abilities to reverse aging like himself, the mindset and thoughts of a youth and a middle-aged man were vastly different; immaturity was to be expected.

Li Ji’an understood this and treated him merely as an acquaintance—an inner sect disciple who might someday assist him in his quest for eternal cultivation. How things would develop required genuine offline interaction.

This was partly based on some recognition of Xiao Changfeng’s true nature from their initial meeting eighteen years ago.

However, human nature was a mixture of good and evil; in those brief days, Li Ji’an had only seen the benevolent side. Moreover, human nature changes with environment and experience, so it was only a reference.

In any case, he did not expect too much.

Just a normal relationship would suffice.

“Fellow Daoist Li,” Xiao Changfeng said, his face bearing a slightly stiff smile, clasping his fists. That was all; no further pleasantries followed.

Clearly, his temperament had steadied compared to eighteen years ago. He no longer spoke recklessly or excessively.

“Fellow Daoist Xiao, please,” Li Ji’an replied more casually, his smile sincere as he invited him into the courtyard.

Having been forewarned by a message, Li Ji’an had Xiao Qiao prepare a table of delicacies in advance.

It was roughly their first offline meeting, and without wine or spirits, the atmosphere might turn cold. So Li Ji’an specially prepared some late-stage first-tier spirit wine.

Being strangers for now was fine—drink!

The first-tier spirit wine infused with high-concentration spiritual energy and stimulating herbs for late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators gradually relaxed Xiao Changfeng after a few cups.

By the time their respective pots of spirit wine ran dry, their conversation had grown more intimate.

“Fellow Daoist Li’s impulsive act back then was said by many in the sect to be one he would surely regret, but now it seems not necessarily so,” Xiao Changfeng sighed, acknowledging Li Ji’an’s advancement to the ninth level of Qi Refinement.

In truth, over the years, his occasional messages venting dissatisfaction within the sect were more about comforting Li Ji’an over his abandonment of inner sect cultivation.

Li Ji’an smiled, raising his cup: “Fortunately, I inherited a bit of alchemy talent from my father, barely enough to manage cultivation. Nothing worth mentioning.”

Xiao Changfeng drained his cup, smiled, and dropped the topic.

Li Ji’an’s abandonment of inner sect cultivation had once been a topic of gossip among the inner disciples.

As the substitute who gained entry due to Li Ji’an’s withdrawal, Xiao Changfeng’s fate was naturally tied to Li Ji’an’s story, leading to frequent inquiries about him.

When it became known that Li Ji’an had arrived at the Immortal City, some inner disciples stationed there took notice.

When he was recognized as a top-tier first-tier alchemist, there was some small-scale discussion within the sect.

Some believed his abandonment was likely relying on his alchemical talent.

But most held the same view:

He was merely a first-tier alchemist among scattered cultivators in Immortal City, nowhere near the senior alchemists within the sect.

Moreover, as prodigies of the entire Azure Cloud State, they revered the maxims of the Transmission Hall elders—cultivation power was paramount, measured first by realm. In their prime years, striving to raise one’s realm was the foremost priority.

Unless one had reached an insurmountable bottleneck or exhausted potential, they disapproved of dabbling in a hundred arts of cultivation, which they regarded as mere side paths.

Xiao Changfeng agreed with this.

Even Li Ji’an himself agreed.

If he had sufficient resources, excellent talent, and potential to reach the peak, he would focus solely on realm cultivation and refining magic. As long as one’s realm was high and combat strength strong, distractions were unnecessary—after all, a person’s energy was limited.

Though surprised by Li Ji’an’s ninth-level Qi Refinement, Xiao Changfeng understood the hardships of scattered cultivators, given his own parents’ background.

His occasional complaints about the numerous contributions required for foundation establishment pills were true, but at least there was hope, and he had nearly accumulated enough.

Li Ji’an’s rapid progress as a first-tier alchemist to ninth-level Qi Refinement was unsurprising—alchemy could supplement cultivation.

However, such advancement relying solely on pills lacked combat capability and consumed potential, as pill toxins and resistance were considerable. He doubted any scattered first-tier alchemist would willingly consume high-grade pills regularly.

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Moreover, as a first-tier alchemist scattered cultivator living and cultivating in Immortal City, survival was already difficult. Even with some fame, gathering enough foundation establishment pill resources quickly was unlikely—ten years? Twenty years?

Furthermore, even if he scrimped and saved countless precious years, amassing enough resources, success in foundation establishment was not guaranteed due to weak spiritual power.

“Fellow Daoist Li, allow me another toast,” Xiao Changfeng raised his cup.

Though his reasoning based on cultivation logic was pessimistic about Li Ji’an’s future, it did not prevent his gratitude.

Despite many within the sect, even Transmission Hall elders, saying his entry to the inner sect owed little to Li Ji’an but rather to his extraordinary fate, Xiao Changfeng still remembered the kindness Li Ji’an showed when awakening him.

He had always pondered how to repay that favor.

But these years he remained humble, at a crucial stage striving for foundation establishment, with intentions but little ability.

He also hoped that after foundation establishment, if stationed in Immortal City, he might provide some convenience for Li Ji’an.

This visit was not to return home as initially messaged, but because Li Ji’an had a need, he took leave from the sect, willing to waste time accompanying Li Ji’an on a journey.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes, they grew more acquainted, especially reminiscing about hardships and sweetness during the sect trial eighteen years ago, their relationship deepened.

They then discussed traveling east.

The Fiery Mountain Desolation was farther than the southern wasteland, a barren stretch with no high-level spiritual veins or perilous mountains—just time-consuming.

They settled on departing three days later.

“Fellow Daoist Li, I shall take my leave now, and return in three days,” Xiao Changfeng said, full and satisfied.

“If you don’t mind, I have a guest room here. You could stay a couple of days,” Li Ji’an offered politely.

“No need. I have senior brothers stationed here on duty. I must visit them, so I won’t trouble you,” Xiao Changfeng replied honestly.

“Very well, then see you in three days.”

—

After Xiao Changfeng left, Xiao Qiao peeked out from inside, her eyes flickering as she watched his retreating figure.

“Xiao Qiao, don’t be afraid. Uncle Xiao is not a bad person. He still remembers the past, which shows he is grateful,” Li Ji’an closed the gate, patted her head, and reassured her.

In the next three days, Li Ji’an adjusted his mindset and finally took out a late-stage superior talisman paper.

The next day, a flash of flowing light flickered across the talisman.

“Success!”

In this world, talismans did not store magical power but drew upon the soul as a guide and magical power as a medium, harnessing the natural spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth. Their effect was thus based not on magical power but on this cosmic mechanism.

The cosmic mechanism was a reflection of laws; the teleportation talisman was a spatial law reflection, far from true spatial laws but harder to invoke than ordinary elemental talismans like wood, fire, thunder, or wind.

Successfully crafting a late-stage superior teleportation talisman marked Li Ji’an’s entry into the ranks of seasoned first-tier talisman masters.

“Instantly spanning five hundred miles, enough to escape death for a foundation establishment beginner!”

On the third day, riding the wave of improved talisman skills, Li Ji’an purchased materials for late-stage spirit confinement talismans and successfully crafted three, ready for emergencies.

Since they were finally heading to the Fiery Mountain Desolation, if they encountered trouble, they couldn’t afford to be unprepared.

With all preparations complete, Li Ji’an awaited Xiao Changfeng.

Yet, just as the time approached, Xiao Changfeng suddenly messaged that the Immortal City’s defense temporarily assigned him to track a nearby bandit cultivator group, possibly delaying a few days.

Li Ji’an smiled calmly, understanding. As a sect disciple, Xiao Changfeng’s freedom was unlike a scattered cultivator’s; being conscripted temporarily was normal.

He had also heard of the bandit cultivators recently.

They were said to have come from the northern Tianyuan State across the Great Marsh Mountains, originally a powerful scattered cultivator group opposing the sect Wanfa Palace’s control, demanding a third-tier spiritual vein for all scattered cultivators, leading to a vast manhunt.

After fleeing here and running out of means, they attacked cultivators traveling to and from Immortal City.

This caused a stir within Immortal City, the foremost sect in Azure Cloud State, which had not witnessed such trouble in nearly a century. No local cultivator dared act near the city.

However, the Green Cloud Sect had insufficient manpower, only enhancing city defenses but failing to capture them.

Perhaps this time, they found the bandits’ trail.

Fortunately, Xiao Changfeng returned after only half a month.

That day, he came to meet Li Ji’an with a trace of apology.

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“Fellow Daoist Li, there is no time to lose. To prevent any new sect orders, let’s depart immediately.”

Li Ji’an packed up, secretly stowed Guagua into the spiritual pet bag, and took Xiao Qiao’s hand as they headed to the courtyard gate.

Xiao Changfeng was slightly surprised that Li Ji’an insisted on bringing the little girl who had not yet started cultivation, but he said nothing in the end. Protecting one more person was manageable—he was confident.

At the east gate of Immortal City.

Li Ji’an intended to summon a mid-stage first-tier magic device he bought two years prior, but Xiao Changfeng had already deployed a flying boat.

“Fellow Daoist Li, this journey covers over a hundred thousand miles. I specially borrowed a flying boat from the sect elders. It should save time.”

Li Ji’an was somewhat surprised.

Flying boats, as flying magic devices, were expensive. The Yan family’s flying boat, a mid-stage first-tier, was something their generation barely afforded, while the one Xiao Changfeng borrowed was a superior-grade flying boat.

With his heightened perception from years in Immortal City, Li Ji’an judged this flying boat on par with the one that had brought them into the cultivation world long ago.

Sitting inside with Xiao Qiao, it was indeed comfortable.

Looking southward at the direction of the sandstorm wasteland, he recalled that was where he first arrived in this world fifty-seven years ago.

There lay a superior-grade flying boat similar to Xiao Changfeng’s.

That single flying boat alone was worth over a thousand spirit stones.

They had never investigated it all these years.

At the time, he feared that such items might bear marks of high-level cultivators or tracking signs, threatening pursuit.

Now, with his broadened vision and judgment of the other family’s deeds and risks, he reasoned: the distance was sufficient for no detection, and the other side would not dare leave traceable marks.

“Well, maybe next time, or in another life,” Li Ji’an suppressed his desire.

Heading eastward.

One month later, the flying boat finally left the Green Cloud Sect’s territory.

Spiritual energy, which had already grown sparse after leaving Immortal City, was now completely undetectable.

That day, seeing Xiao Changfeng take a spirit replenishing pill, Li Ji’an took a bottle of pills from his storage bag and offered it.

The other’s companionship and loan of the flying boat were already generous.

Moreover, in human relations, mutual benefit and timely demonstration of one’s value were key to maintaining relationships.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist Li,” Xiao Changfeng hesitated briefly before gratefully accepting.

His hesitation stemmed from his usual requirement for at least superior-grade pills for refining his spiritual power.

His perception of Li Ji’an carried some worldly bias: scattered alchemists usually sold their best pills for resources and consumed mostly mid- to low-grade ones.

This was not his fault—it was the cultivation world’s reality.

The saying went: those adorned in silk are not the ones who raise silkworms.

He accepted the pills to preserve Li Ji’an’s dignity.

However—

“Hmm?” The moment he took the jade bottle, he sensed the pill’s aura.

No longer hesitant, he opened it.

“This…” He looked at Li Ji’an in surprise.

Inside were twenty superior-grade spirit replenishing pills.

Li Ji’an smiled faintly: “Fellow Daoist Xiao, no need to be polite. These are my daily concoctions. Besides, without your protection on this trip, I couldn’t guarantee my safety.”

“You usually keep pills of this quality?” Xiao Changfeng could hardly believe it.

Li Ji’an shook his head: “Normally, I don’t keep such high-grade ones. This time, anticipating the barren spiritual environment along the way, I specially reserved some.”

“Oh, that makes sense…” Xiao Changfeng exhaled.

Before he finished, Li Ji’an produced another bottle of premium spirit-restoring pills.

“These are the quality I usually consume.”