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In the bleak, wind-swept outskirts of Autumnwind Isle, the petrified statue of the round-faced young man covered in sandy earth seemed to silently lament its fate.

"Yuanjing\'s vital signs are intact," reported Xia Shenglan, standing beside the stone-like Xia Yuanjing, accompanied by a portly middle-aged man in the Foundation Establishment stage. "His blood and spiritual power have been sealed by an Earth-type technique, making him unable to move."

The portly Foundation Establishment cultivator was Xia Guang, Xia Yuanjing’s father. His expression was dark, and his anger simmered beneath the surface.

Lan Chang\'an, a late Foundation Establishment cultivator and a quasi-third-rank talisman master, held a high status within the Xia Family, so Xia Guang restrained himself from an outburst.

He had already visited Autumnwind Isle yesterday but had been turned away, as Lan Chang\'an was supposedly in seclusion.

The petrification spell that bound Xia Yuanjing was incredibly sophisticated, and Xia Guang didn’t dare tamper with it for fear of harming his son.

“This stone spell seems to be the work of Fellow Daoist Lan’s spiritual pet. That Earth Burrowing Rat is responsible for the island’s security. Given that it\'s a demonic beast, it likely doesn’t know how to moderate its strength,” Xia Shenglan said with a faint smile.

She and Xia Wenyue were close friends, so she felt no sympathy for Xia Yuanjing.

In fact, Xia Shenglan understood Lan Chang\'an’s intentions quite well.

This petrified "sculpture" was a warning to others, a deterrent to keep Autumnwind Isle free from harassment, so that Xia Wenyue could cultivate in peace.

"Shenglan, you have a good relationship with Talisman Master Lan. Could you please speak on Yuanjing’s behalf?" Xia Guang asked, forcing a smile.

“Alright.” Xia Shenglan agreed, as Xia Guang was a respected elder in the clan, senior to her in both age and rank.

Just as she spoke, there was a sudden cracking sound.

A network of cracks spread across the stone surface covering Xia Yuanjing, resembling a spider’s web.

Within a few breaths, large chunks of sand and soil fell away.

Thud!

Xia Yuanjing collapsed to the ground, utterly drained, covered in dirt, and looking quite pitiful.

“Father…”

"You\'re an embarrassment!" Xia Guang spat, his face dark as he scooped up his son and flew off without a backward glance.

Xia Shenglan watched them leave, chuckling and shaking her head.

Lan Chang\'an had only removed the petrification because of her intervention.

Yet, Xia Guang hadn’t even bothered with a polite word of thanks. Perhaps he saw her as an ally of Lan Chang\'an, someone who sided with "outsiders."

That very day, Xia Guang took his son to the Water Curtain Cave to meet the clan leader, intending to lodge a complaint against Lan Chang\'an.

...

The next day, Clan Leader Xia Hongyu personally visited Autumnwind Isle.

Some members of the Xia Family assumed that he had come to mediate on behalf of Xia Guang and his son, to perhaps issue a warning to Lan Chang\'an.

In the main hall of the residence on Autumnwind Isle, Lan Chang\'an and Xia Hongyu engaged in relaxed conversation.

The matter of Xia Guang and his son was barely mentioned, a minor point, not the focus of the visit at all.

“These young ones can be thoughtless at times. If they’ve offended Talisman Master Lan in any way, please forgive them,” said Xia Hongyu, whose near two-hundred-and-fifty-year-old figure still stood tall, his appearance handsome and scholarly, looking not a day over forty.

A few days earlier, Xia Hongyu had triumphed over a Fake Dan cultivator from the Xinyue Merchant Association, elevating his prestige within the clan to new heights.

“It was nothing! It was my spirit pet’s lack of restraint that caused this overreaction,” Lan Chang\'an replied modestly, feigning a tone of apology.

To be fair, Xia Yuanjing hadn’t committed any major offense; he had only pursued a "maid" on the island, never daring to cross the line.

That was the root of Xia Guang’s grievance, his belief that his son had been punished unfairly.

"Talisman Master Lan, your skills in medicine and nurturing are extraordinary! Thanks to your treatments, Wenyue’s condition has stabilized, and her cultivation is progressing smoothly. I am deeply grateful,” Xia Hongyu said, gradually shifting the topic to Xia Wenyue.

Right then, Xia Wenyue herself entered, carrying a freshly brewed pot of spirit tea to serve the two men.

Xia Hongyu’s gaze softened as he looked at her, a hint of warmth in his eyes.

Xia Wenyue was his grandniece, and compared to the many descendants in the clan, she received a measure of preferential treatment. Otherwise, before Lan Chang\'an’s arrival, she wouldn’t have remained on Autumnwind Isle, which housed a precious second-rank spiritual vein.

As the patriarch and oldest member of the clan, many of the Xia family’s cultivators were Xia Hongyu’s descendants.

However, with so many children and grandchildren, his affection couldn’t be evenly distributed.

Only the most exceptional among them could capture his attention.

“Wenyue is gentle and diligent. Treating her has been a matter of fate,” Lan Chang\'an said with a faint smile, fully aware of Xia Hongyu’s real purpose for this visit.

“Fate indeed works in mysterious ways,” Xia Hongyu mused, recalling Lan Chang\'an’s journey of sneaking into Jing Kingdom.

Had it not been for the ongoing war and a series of fortuitous coincidences, such an extraordinary talent would never have joined the Wufu Merchant Association.

Once Xia Wenyue had left the hall, Xia Hongyu’s expression became serious. His aged eyes looked intently at Lan Chang\'an. “Fellow Daoist Lan, may I inquire about Wenyue’s condition? Will she be able to reach the Foundation Establishment stage?”

“Her condition has stabilized, and she could attempt Foundation Establishment within a few years,” Lan Chang\'an replied thoughtfully. “However, completely curing her will require several more years of nurturing and treatment.”

“Does Wenyue possess a unique constitution?” Xia Hongyu asked, his eyes gleaming with a hint of anticipation.

“That’s correct. She has a type of innate Yin-cold physique that enables her to cultivate at a speed comparable to that of an earth-grade spiritual root,” Lan Chang\'an confirmed, realizing he couldn’t hide it from the clan leader.

Besides Xia Wenyue’s late mother, Xia Hongyu was the only other person who knew the specifics of her condition.

With her swift cultivation progress following her recovery, Xia Hongyu had naturally begun to suspect she might possess a unique physique.

“Marvelous! Fellow Daoist Lan, you are indeed a blessing to the Wufu Merchant Association!” Xia Hongyu, a high-ranking Fake Dan cultivator, couldn’t hide his excitement.

While innate physiques varied in strength, they generally surpassed earth-grade spiritual roots.

A physique that matched the cultivation speed of an earth-grade root often came with additional bonuses to spells, divine abilities, or even unique innate powers.

Back in the day, Tuoba Jin’s ability to challenge Fake Dan cultivators was partly due to such advantages.

The cultivation world was vast and ancient, with countless types of innate Dao Physiques. Lan Chang\'an chose not to specify which Xia Wenyue possessed.

“Let’s keep Wenyue’s innate Dao Physique under wraps for now,” Xia Hongyu suggested, and Lan Chang\'an readily agreed.

...

Following this, they discussed Xia Wenyue’s future path.

In this regard, Lan Chang\'an and Xia Hongyu had a difference of opinion.

Xia Hongyu wanted to raise Xia Wenyue within Qingsha Bay, keeping her close.

As a family with access to the resources of a merchant guild, the Xia Family could nurture Xia Wenyue to become a True Dan cultivator if they pooled their resources.

Once she reached the True Dan stage, her physique’s secret would no longer be a significant risk.

Xia Wenyue would then lead the Wufu Merchant Association to new heights.

However, Lan Chang\'an believed that staying with the Xia Family would limit Xia Wenyue’s potential.

Still, as an outsider to the clan, it wasn’t his place to openly oppose Xia Hongyu’s plan.

Undoubtedly, Xia Hongyu understood this reasoning.

At only thirty-something years old, Xia Wenyue had her entire life ahead of her compared to the long journey toward Core Formation or Nascent Soul.

If she moved onto a bigger stage, as a woman, her connection to the Xia Family would gradually weaken, and in time, she would no longer belong to the family.

“Fellow Daoist Lan, you’ve done so much for Wenyue. I’d be honored to make her your wife once she achieves Foundation Establishment!” Xia Hongyu said, his eyes shining with resolve.

Lan Chang\'an was momentarily stunned but quickly recognized the old man’s scheming.

“Thank you for your generosity, Clan Leader, but I am unworthy of such a priceless gem as Wenyue. Besides, I have my own plans for the future and won’t remain in Jing Kingdom forever.”

It would be a lie to say Lan Chang\'an wasn’t at all tempted.

Marrying a woman with an innate Dao Physique and building a prominent family with her could indeed benefit his journey to Nascent Soul.

However, Lan Chang\'an had no desire to play the role of nurse or guardian for the Xia Family’s prized jewel.

Keeping her in the Xia Family would expose her to many risks.

The secret of her innate Dao Physique would be hard to keep forever.

In time, powerful factions would apply pressure, likely seeking to marry her into their own ranks.

Clan Leader Xia’s offer of marriage was clearly a ploy to prevent any arranged unions and to secure Lan Chang\'an’s loyalty.

Xia Hongyu was shrewd; from Lan Chang\'an’s past experiences and certain clues, he had sensed that Lan Chang\'an was no ordinary cultivator.

Having Lan Chang\'an bound to the clan was akin to having an additional Fake Dan cultivator.

Binding Lan Chang\'an to the Xia Family meant sharing their risks, which improved their odds of survival.

“Since Fellow Daoist Lan is unwilling to take Wenyue as a wife, would you consider accepting her as a disciple?” Xia Hongyu asked, taking a step back.

A disciple?

Lan Chang\'an hesitated.

Now that Xia Wenyue’s talents were becoming evident, keeping her on Autumnwind Isle as a mere servant seemed inappropriate.

“Taking on a disciple with an innate Dao Physique could tie one’s fate to hers, for better or worse. Often, such a bond yields more benefit than harm,” Lan Chang\'an thought. “However, Wenyue’s physique might hold the potential for advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm, so this situation is special…”

After a brief pause, he made his decision.

“I am not qualified to be her full teacher, but I can take her on as a ‘nominal disciple,’ in name only,” Lan Chang\'an replied.

“A nominal disciple?” Xia Hongyu was somewhat disappointed but accepted the arrangement.

With Lan Chang\'an’s unique methods for treating Xia Wenyue’s condition, the clan leader was keen to establish a formal relationship between the two.

This way, even if Xia Wenyue hadn’t fully matured, Lan Chang\'an might be inclined to look out for her.

...

Over the next month, word spread within Qingsha Bay that Xia Wenyue possessed top-tier earth-grade spiritual roots.

Due to her need for continuous treatment and out of gratitude, she remained on Autumnwind Isle as Lan Chang\'an’s nominal disciple.

Given Xia Wenyue’s beauty and talent, Lan Chang\'an taking her as a nominal disciple was seen as a lofty gesture.

Such a promising talent would usually be accepted as a true disciple by a True Dan cultivator.

Publicly, Lan Chang\'an explained that Xia Wenyue was mainly learning medicine and alchemy from him, rather than formal cultivation techniques.

Since Xia Wenyue had a background in herbal medicine and her condition had been stabilized under Lan Chang\'an’s care, this reason was plausible.

In the world of cultivation, it wasn’t uncommon for elite disciples to learn auxiliary skills from masters of various fields as nominal disciples.

Such a nominal arrangement allowed them to still seek out a more formal cultivation mentor elsewhere.

Lan Chang\'an was content with this minimal involvement.

First, it prevented him from becoming too entangled with Xia Wenyue, thus reducing potential risks in the future.

Second, if Xia Wenyue ever betrayed him, it wouldn’t be seen as a direct transgression against a full teacher, lessening the potential scandal.

Moreover, Lan Chang\'an had made Xia Wenyue swear a heart demon oath, ensuring that the “Taiyin Jade Essence” could only be given to him, and that she would never disclose this arrangement to anyone else.

This non-disclosure clause was crucial.

Lan Chang\'an genuinely appreciated Xia Wenyue’s character, and he trusted that she wouldn’t turn against him.

But the allure of the future benefits was immense, and the time required to achieve them was lengthy.

He believed in being cautious, hence the proactive precautions.

...

Nearly a year flew by.

The news of an exceptionally beautiful and talented female cultivator emerging in Qingsha Bay was no longer a surprise.

Xia Wenyue, now at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, continued to progress rapidly.

At her current rate, she would likely reach the peak of Qi-Refining within two more years.

In fact, after a year of consolidation, she was ready to attempt Foundation Establishment.

To avoid drawing too much attention, Lan Chang\'an and Clan Leader Xia agreed to have her wait another year or two to ensure the timing was perfect.

At her young age, reaching Foundation Establishment before forty was a certainty.

The illness in her youth had delayed her progress.

In a major cultivation sect, an earth-grade genius might achieve Foundation Establishment by thirty.

...

One day, Lan Chang\'an completed his routine cultivation and began nurturing his treasure talismans.

In his cultivation chamber, over sixty treasure talismans floated before him, their spiritual light shimmering and releasing powerful waves of energy.

Sixty talismans were nearing Lan Chang\'an’s limit for simultaneous nurturing.

Any more, and he would need to split them into sessions, wasting time and energy.

These talismans generally held the power of low-grade third-rank, with some reaching the level of mid-grade third-rank.

The stronger his Evergreen mana, the faster his nurturing speed.

When the material reached its maximum potential, the process would slow down considerably.

"These treasure talismans started as quasi-third-rank templates. If I began with genuine third-rank talisman templates, the quality could be even higher," he mused.

Taking out two pieces of spiritual wood, he inspected them.

One was a mid-grade third-rank spiritual wood from Liang Kingdom’s treasures.

The other half was the superior-grade "Tong Ghost Bamboo" he had received from Wang Feng.

Theoretically, superior-grade third-rank spiritual wood could be crafted into superior-grade third-rank talismans.

These would be powerful enough for a late-stage True Dan cultivator. However, Lan Chang\'an’s spiritual sense and mana were still far from sufficient.

In particular, his mana quality wasn’t high enough to craft third-rank talismans.

Moreover, crafting the talisman blanks for treasure talismans required an even higher standard.

A talisman master is not like a formation master.

A formation master can harness the power of heaven and earth. With high comprehension, they can become third-rank formation masters even at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

However, a talisman master requires both a strong spiritual sense and mana.

"If I take a secret pill to boost my mana, I can reach the peak of Foundation Establishment, perhaps even touch the threshold of False Dan."

"Even so, using mid-grade third-rank spiritual wood would lead to severe downgrades in the talisman quality."

"A mid-grade third-rank talisman would degrade to low third-rank; a superior-grade third-rank would degrade to below mid-third-rank."

After careful consideration, Lan Chang\'an felt the cost-effectiveness was too low.

He might have considered it before the Earth Burrowing Rat’s advancement.

But now, with his strong self-defense capabilities, backed by a powerful True Dan Great Demon as a protector and over sixty third-rank treasure talismans, he felt well-equipped.

"There’s another method—summoning the shadow of my second life’s soul. When that happens, my spiritual sense would be on par with the peak of Core Formation, reaching my second life’s pinnacle state."

Lan Chang\'an’s consciousness entered the Nine Seal Stele.

In the first frame was the image of a youthful man from his first life, still shining brightly.

In the second frame was his past self—a white-bearded elder exuding a powerful Core Formation aura, emanating an intense pressure.

The third frame represented his current life, showing a man in white robes, whose light flickered uncertainly, not yet fully stabilized.

In the corner of the fourth empty frame, a small crystal-white area was illuminated, conspicuously standing out.

This was the fragment that had been lit up years ago when he absorbed a "Hundred Abodes Soul Gu" sub-gu.

Lan Chang\'an once speculated that fully illuminating the fourth frame might unlock a new ability of the Nine Seal Stele.

Perhaps, it would even allow him to initiate a new reincarnation?

Unfortunately, he had yet to encounter another high-quality nourishment like the Hundred Abodes Soul Gu sub-gu, nor had he found a suitable substitute.

"Summoning the soul shadow of my second life can only be done once every ten years. Wouldn’t it be wasteful to use it just for crafting talismans?"

Lan Chang\'an pondered, weighing his options.

Due to his careful management over the past century and a bit of luck, he had never needed to use the ultimate trump card of summoning his second life\'s soul shadow.

Now, with the Earth Burrowing Rat’s advancement to a powerful demon, and his large stock of treasure talismans, the soul shadow of his second life had become just one of his strongest backup options, not the only lifeline.

The main benefit of summoning his second life’s soul shadow was the leap in soul power, but it would not make him truly equal to a late Core Formation master.

Its best use would be to defend against soul-based attacks.

It would still be effective against the early to mid stage of True Dan, but further up it was more of a chicken rib.

...

One year later, Lan Chang\'an was now 158 years old.

Xia Wenyue’s cultivation had reached the peak of the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, though this was not publicly disclosed.

The clan leader had quietly begun preparing resources for her Foundation Establishment.

The inferior Foundation Establishment pill Lan Chang\'an had kept in reserve would likely go unused.

"158 years old… it’s been three years since Wang Feng predicted the end of the war in the Liang Kingdom," Lan Chang\'an thought, standing atop a pavilion, looking eastward toward the Liang Kingdom.

Using a rudimentary “qi observation” technique from his past life, he tried to glean some insight.

Perhaps the distance was too great, as he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

“Master Lan, the guild has delivered the latest war report from the Liang Kingdom,” Xia Wenyue said as she gracefully landed beside him, presenting a jade slip.

Although nominally Lan Chang\'an’s disciple, Xia Wenyue still called him "Master Lan," preserving the dynamic of a healer and patient.

This was by Lan Chang\'an’s request.

He feared that treating her too formally as a disciple might one day make it difficult for him to ask for the Taiyin Jade Essence.

“Hopefully, the war has ended and the cultivation world is stabilizing…” Lan Chang\'an murmured as he took the jade slip and scanned its contents.

Since it was cross-border intelligence, the report was a few months delayed.

“What! Flame Departing Palace has been breached?” Lan Chang\'an’s face shook as his hand trembled slightly.

“The Supreme Elder of Flame Departing Palace, ‘Master Lihuo,’ confronted Golden Sun Sect’s ‘Six Suns True Monarch’ in a life-or-death battle. In the end, Master Lihuo suffered a crushing defeat, his fate unknown!”

“Flame Departing Palace’s mountain stronghold has been breached by the Golden Sun Sect of Feng Kingdom. The mighty Nascent Soul-level sect that ruled the Liang Kingdom for millennia has… fallen.”

Lan Chang\'an found it hard to believe, almost suspecting the report to be a fabrication.

There were too many perplexing details about this news.

Wang Feng had once said, "The war in Liang Kingdom will end within three years."

The information was true—the war had indeed ended.

The Golden Sun Sect of Feng Kingdom had successively conquered Xuan Yin Pavilion, coerced Jin Yun Valley into submission, and now overthrown the supreme Flame Departing Palace.

This meant that the entire cultivation world of the Liang Kingdom had effectively been subjugated by a foreign sect.