Chapter 38: Returning Home in Glory

Before Lingzhu Mountain, a graceful figure soared into the sky, guiding a swift light, cautiously watching a flying vessel approaching the family’s territory.

Dressed in a moonlit gown, her three thousand strands of ebony hair loosely bound with a purple ribbon, she held a superior purple-clear magic sword. Her originally gentle and beautiful face was now contrasted by a sharp glint in her eyes, revealing an unexpected allure born of contrast.

Ever since the Zheng family ignited the wilderness conflict eleven years ago, she, as the Yan family’s foundational elder, had not known a moment of peace.

After decades of painstaking study with no progress in the second-tier alchemy inheritance, she had finally glimpsed some clues from Li Ji’an’s detailed notes and hoped that with a few more years of dedication, she could ascend to a senior second-tier alchemist.

Yet, in these eleven years, she never had the chance to focus quietly on refining her skills.

She had fought multiple times with the Zheng family’s foundational elder and various foundational loose cultivators among the bandits, engaging in several life-or-death battles, witnessing too many clan members perish, which gradually froze her heart.

The more she endured, the more involuntarily certain memories surfaced.

Throughout these years, every time she communicated with Li Ji’an, she couldn’t help but recall the joyful times before establishing her foundation, studying alchemy with her elder brother at the alchemy shop.

Back then, she had nothing to worry about, only the single-minded pursuit of alchemy.

At that time, pressure never weighed on her; even if she didn’t understand something, it didn’t matter—her elder brother would teach her.

When she was unsettled or unhappy, he would say strange things to make her smile.

But she knew those days were gone forever.

She also understood that this was the fate of a family cultivator.

Therefore, to avoid recalling those irretrievable times, she restrained herself and rarely contacted Li Ji’an unless necessary.

The purple-clear magic sword in her hand hummed with power; her cold gaze fixed on the flying vessel. If it failed to respond again, she would show no mercy under her sword!

“Auntie, I’m back!”

The tense nerves instantly relaxed.

Her beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she watched the middle-aged man in a white robe leap from the flying vessel.

“Li…” If Li Ji’an hadn’t called her “Auntie” first, Yan Qingwan would have almost involuntarily called out “Brother Li.”

He looked exactly the same.

He resembled the Li brother from forty or fifty years ago!

Though upon closer inspection, subtle differences appeared.

“Fan’er? You…” Yan Qingwan snapped back to reality, staring at Li Ji’an in stunned disbelief.

That foundational aura just now was actually Fan’er’s!

Thirteen years apart, and he had returned as a foundational cultivator!

Suddenly, the voice of an elder foundational ancestor echoed like thunder through the void: “Qingwan, be wary of deceit!”

The cultivation world held countless strange things. Though from his mid-foundational level divine sense, he could not detect any disguise, he dared not be careless.

At least, the artifact that once robbed cultivators could easily disguise a person’s appearance, even their magical and spiritual aura.

It was said even the Supreme Elder of the Myriad Laws Palace could be deceived by it; it was no wonder he could not see through it.

“Young man, greetings to the elder!” Li Ji’an retracted the flying vessel and dispersed his magical power, cupping his hands respectfully toward the Yan family elder.

In a previous life, he met the elder once at the medicinal garden; although this was the first time in this life, he had often heard descriptions within the clan hall during his youth.

“Li Dao you must forgive me. The situation is chaotic, and I must be cautious. May I ask how you prove your identity?” The elder was not at all relaxed by Li Ji’an’s dispersing of power.

Yan Qingwan hesitated but ultimately said nothing.

Li Ji’an paused slightly. “Elder, with your cultivation, you should be able to tell I am not using disguise magic, correct?”

“There are artifacts in this world; I must remain cautious. Please prove yourself,” the elder insisted without yielding an inch.

Li Ji’an knew that artifacts, like divine blessings, could not be judged by normal standards. Divine blessings were thought to be fragments of the Heavenly Dao inhabiting a person, while artifacts were suspected to be vessels of such fragments.

Their powers were mysterious and unfathomable.

Li Ji’an smiled faintly in understanding, then looked at Yan Qingwan. “Auntie, no one believes in me…”

Hearing this, Yan Qingwan’s face lit up with joy, tears of happiness in her voice. “Yet you’re still the most unmotivated!”

That was a story she had told him in the early years after he joined the Yan family, about his father’s past.

“Fan’er!” With that, Yan Qingwan leapt forward.

The elder was puzzled but guessed this was some kind of code between Li Ji’an and Yan Qingwan.

He secretly nodded. Two years ago, Yan Kongyi had reported on Li Ji’an’s situation in Immortal City; not only was he qualified to introduce them to the owner of the Jiuding Trade Association, but he was also at the peak of Qi Refinement and had connections among the sect’s inner disciples. So his foundational status was not entirely unexpected.

His gaze toward Li Ji’an grew more appreciative. Not only was he talented and experienced, but he also cultivated broad friendships. Most importantly, despite his status in Immortal City, he had managed to return at such a time, demonstrating noble character and gratitude.

Yan Qingwan approached Li Ji’an, examining him carefully and nodding repeatedly. “Heh~ already a middle-aged man. From now on, I can no longer call you as I did when you were a child.”

Li Ji’an had not taken any youth-preserving elixirs, so his appearance was that of a normal thirty-eight-year-old man. Of course, nourished by spiritual energy, he looked younger than ordinary men—no wrinkles, good skin—but the marks of time showed maturity and steadiness.

“Auntie, you can call me whatever you like,” Li Ji’an said, indifferent to titles.

“I’m the one who’s vulgar now. Fine, Fan’er, quickly come meet the Grand Elder,” Yan Qingwan chuckled, suddenly remembering Li Ji’an’s purpose for returning, and hurriedly led him back to the clan.

“Li Dao you, this way please!” the elder invited graciously.

No matter what the relationship between Yan Qingwan and Li Ji’an was, or how they addressed each other, as an elder of the Yan family, he had to observe proper etiquette.

Li Ji’an had no blood relation to the Yan family, but as a foundational cultivator, he must be called Dao you (fellow cultivator).

“Yan Dao you, please!” Li Ji’an understood the courtesy and returned the salute solemnly.

As the events in the sky concluded, a crowd beneath the clan’s domain brimmed with excitement.

They had witnessed everything.

Previously, only the elder and the clan head knew what Yan Kongyi saw in Immortal City; ordinary clan members naturally remained unaware.

To them, Li Fan had been brought into the Yan family at eight, enjoying the best nurturing resources courtesy of his father’s legacy.

At fifteen, his extraordinary spiritual root was discovered.

Yet he showed no gratitude to the clan, refused to stay, and dreamt of joining a higher sect.

In the end, he returned in shame.

Later, he looked down on the Yan family, refusing to take their surname or be considered one of them, choosing to live on the outermost training grounds, wasting ten years.

Finally, before the great chaos in the wilderness, he left without a word and vanished.

Many clan members considered Li Fan a wasted genius. Despite his outstanding spiritual root, his refusal to adopt the Yan surname and join the family had delayed his path to immortality.

They also believed that as a lone cultivator, his path would be even harder.

Many guessed he would regret it someday and return begging to rejoin the clan.

But none had imagined that one day Li Fan would return as a lofty foundational loose cultivator!

Of course, Li Ji’an’s return as such was a tremendous blessing to them.

With another foundational elder in the Yan family, their advantage in the wilderness conflict grew greater.

Yan Zongsheng looked up at Li Ji’an, who was flying down with Yan Qingwan. The old man’s face, weathered with age, shone with relief and joy. He had always supported Li Ji’an’s journey.

As the clan head, he understood the situation within the family and had thought much about the entire Cangyun Province. Given Li Ji’an’s circumstances then, only by venturing out could he find a path.

Yan Hongsheng’s bull-like eyes widened. Initially, upon hearing Li Ji’an had returned, he had prepared to confront him for leaving without notice. But now, seeing Li Ji’an’s foundational loose cultivator status, he was left only speechless!

At the edge of the crowd, Zhang Tiezhu wept openly, gazing up at the revered figure in the sky, as if seeing the Li brother who once led them out of the Storm Desert.

“Brother Li, you should be content! Among the five of us, you’re the first to become a foundational cultivator!” he murmured, smiling with satisfaction.

Beside him, his youngest son Yan Qing was more composed; he had seen Li Ji’an two years ago and witnessed his identity, status, and connections.

For two years, Yan Qing had dreamed of cultivating in such a place—every day refining pills, practicing cultivation, listening to boasts from visitors far and wide, watching the red sleeves beckon at Chunfeng Pavilion—with no worries about the clan being attacked by enemies, no need to fight desperately for a few pills, no one’s orders to follow, freedom…

How wonderful that would be!