Chapter 204: Seven Days and Seven Nights

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Five or six months later.

Lan Changan's first year of late stage Foundation Establishment passed, reaching the age of one hundred and forty-one.

Certain rising Foundation Establishment geniuses of the sect might have been born a hundred years later than him.

At the same time, the Profound Water Turtle was nearing its 100th birthday.

With its slow-growth nature, it would typically take one to two hundred years for the Profound Water Turtle to advance to the second rank. Of course, there were exceptions, such as encountering legendary treasures of the heavens and earth, which could significantly accelerate its cultivation.

Some speculators, such as the Beast Taming Zhou Family, wondered if Lan Chang'an possessed a special method or secret.

However, with Lan Chang'an’s current strength and connections, protecting a few secrets was no longer a challenge.

The advancement speed of a Profound Water Turtle such as this one was still relatively slow, far from the majority of spirit pets or demonic beasts of the same bloodline rank.

The Profound Water Turtle’s greatest strength was its defense, though its offensive capabilities were lacking. For larger powers and elite cultivators, its appeal wasn’t very high—raising it didn’t yield much benefit. Its biggest advantage was its longevity, far exceeding that of most living creatures.

Shortly after the Profound Water Turtle turned a hundred years old, Jiang Yechen finally arrived at Wuqi Mountain.

He didn’t come alone. Accompanying him were a few young Qi-Refining cultivators from the Jiang Family.

...

"I apologize for making Fairy Shi wait so long. I spent several months recovering from my injuries, and after settling the affairs of my family, I was delayed further."

At Xiao Pan Peak, Jiang Yechen cupped his hands apologetically.

Clad in a luxurious purple robe, his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes retained their handsomeness, though he now appeared more fatigued, as if he had aged five or six years since they last met.

While his features weren’t as youthful as before, the once delicateness had also significantly diminished.

"It’s understandable. I’ve heard of the misfortunes that have befallen the Jiang Family."

With an elegant smile, Fairy Shi gracefully led Jiang Yechen into the cave dwelling.

Lan Chang'an, watching from Little Turtle Peak, observed the scene but did not immediately join them.

The matter of Fairy Shi recovering her memories was a personal affair, the true nature of which was unknown to outsiders.

Inside the cave-dwelling on Xiao Pan Peak, after a secret discussion lasting nearly an hour, Shi Manrong escorted Jiang Yechen out.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, please wait here at Wuqi Mountain for two more days while I consider everything."

That night, Jiang Yechen and his entourage were settled into guest quarters at Wuqi Mountain.

Later in the evening, Fairy Shi came to Little Turtle Peak for a private discussion with Lan Chang'an.

"This time, Jiang Yechen didn’t make any outrageous demands, such as asking for core formation materials. However, his requests are still far from modest," Shi Manrong reported.

Jiang Yechen had two conditions.

The first was to purchase a batch of war supplies at a discounted price. These included formations, talismans, and pills, with a total value exceeding 20,000 spirit stones.

However, Jiang Yechen offered to pay only 60% of the market price.

The second request was to have a few of the younger, more promising Qi-Refining descendants of the Jiang Family relocated to Wuqi Mountain.

During the war, Fairy Shi would need to ensure their safety and provide them with access to the spiritual vein for cultivation, for a period not exceeding twenty years.

The conditions Jiang Yechen proposed aligned with the current situation of the Jiang Family.

"Jiang Yechen has a keen eye. Wuqi Mountain’s location makes it an ideal place for the younger clansmen to seek refuge," Lan Chang'an remarked after a brief moment of thought.

Wuqi Mountain was located in the central region of the Liang Kingdom, to the northwest. Just north of it was the Black Fog Mountain Range.

Currently, the war in the cultivation world was concentrated along the southern border of the Liang Kingdom, so it wouldn’t reach the core areas controlled by the Flame Departing Palace anytime soon.

Wuqi Mountain was also not far from the center of the Liang Kingdom, with easy routes for retreat to the north and west, and it was well-connected in terms of information.

Additionally, as a stronghold for loose cultivators, even if Liang Kingdom suffered a major defeat, Wuqi Mountain was unlikely to become a primary target of Feng Kingdom’s cultivators.

After discussing the matter, Lan Chang'an and Fairy Shi agreed to Jiang Yechen’s conditions in principle, though they planned to negotiate for a better price.

"By the way, on his way to Wuqi Mountain, Jiang Yechen was intercepted by spies from Feng Kingdom’s cultivation world. He was temporarily conscripted by Flame Departing Palace cultivators, which delayed him," Fairy Shi added.

"Spies from an enemy country?"

Lan Chang'an realized that the Liang Kingdom was now more chaotic than in past years, with hidden dangers lurking everywhere.

Even in the rear, safety was not guaranteed.

As the war dragged on, more spies and scouts from Feng Kingdom’s cultivation forces would infiltrate deep into Liang Kingdom’s territory, stirring up trouble and creating chaos.

This suggested that there was room for formation tools and talismans to appreciate in value.

...

Two days later.

After further negotiations between Fairy Shi and Jiang Yechen, they reached an agreement.

Both parties were sincere in their dealings, and neither were the type to haggle endlessly over every little detail, so the negotiations didn’t take long.

Fairy Shi agreed to protect the Jiang Family’s younger members for fifteen years, to the best of her abilities.

The war supplies, primarily consisting of formations and talismans, were sold at a 30% discount from market prices.

This time, Lan Chang'an was present and also committed to providing some talismans at relatively low prices.

As for the memory restoration process, Fairy Shi asked Lan Chang'an to act as her protector, to guard against any potential accidents.

The term "protector" was more of a euphemism for "watcher."

Jiang Yechen reluctantly agreed, saying, "In ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t display this treasure to outsiders, let alone risk depleting its spiritual energy."

"I hope the two of you will keep this to yourselves and swear a heart demon oath."

Lan Chang'an and Fairy Shi agreed and, in return, asked Jiang Yechen to make a corresponding oath to keep the details of their transaction confidential.

"I’d like to confirm something, though."

Shi Manrong’s voice was soft and gentle, carrying a certain warmth and allure despite her typically dignified demeanor.

"How do you plan to confirm it?" Lan Chang'an asked, maintaining his composure.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, do you think I’m beautiful?"

Shi Manrong gently leaned closer, her silver-plated face flushed with a hint of pink.

Dressed in a moon-white gown, her graceful and refined figure exuded an air of high-class elegance. She lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and, with a delicate sway of her hips, sat on Lan Chang'an’s lap.

Lan Chang'an felt a wave of familiarity wash over him.

He quickly recalled that this was exactly how she had behaved years ago, during their first intimate encounter.

Back then, Shi Manrong, in order to break the restriction in the sea of consciousness, had tried to seduce Lan Chang'an.

"Are you sure about this, Fairy Shi?" Lan Chang'an asked with a wry smile, wrapping his arm around her waist.

The scene mirrored that of the past.

But this time, there was no pretense of playing hard to get.

Shi Manrong’s cheeks glowed with the brightness of morning dew as she leaned her head against Lan Chang'an’s chest, her scent like the fragrant night-blooming jasmine filling the room.

Outside the cave, the moonlight was especially enchanting.

As time passed, Shi Manrong’s hairpins fell askew, her delicate breath carrying a soft fragrance as her face grew more radiant with flushed intensity.

At the end, she lay limp in Lan Chang'an’s arms. One of her slender, graceful legs raised in a beautiful arc, her embroidered shoe slipping off, revealing her pale jade foot wrapped in silken white stockings.

The next morning.

Lan Chang'an watched as Shi Manrong straightened her gown, looking completely pristine and dignified.

Ever since he had pretended to be in a relationship with Zhou Qingxuan, this was the first time he had been intimate with Fairy Shi again.

Perhaps it was the restoration of her memories, with feelings from both their shared past and present merging, that had broken the barrier between them.

"Last night was the final time."

Shi Manrong’s clear gaze was unusually serene, and in that moment, she resembled the same calm and composed formatoin master he had met seventy years ago at Wuqi Mountain, when she was as tranquil as a chrysanthemum in bloom.

"I understand. From now on, we’ll be nothing more than fellow Daoists."

Lan Chang'an had already sensed that last night’s indulgence was a final farewell to their fleeting romance.

With the immense allure of the ancient ruin, even cultivators who had been true companions for a hundred years could turn on each other in pursuit of greater power.

To be honest, Lan Chang'an was already relieved that Fairy Shi hadn’t tried to stab him in the back during their intimate moments.

Having lived through multiple lifetimes and witnessed countless betrayals, Lan Chang'an had remained wary the entire time.

His body, refined to the level of a Fake Dan cultivator, and his Evergreen Technique’s resistance to poison ensured that, even with precautions in place, he would not fall victim to any foul play.

"Private matters and business are two separate things—that’s what Fellow Daoist Lan once said."

Fairy Shi smiled charmingly.

"The ancient ruin was something I discovered. Without profound knowledge of formations, it would be impossible to break through its defenses. As for the gains inside, we’ll split them sixty-forty. Do you have any objections, Fellow Daoist Lan?"

"As someone who joined midway as an assistant, I’m more than satisfied with forty percent," Lan Chang'an replied without issue.

In truth, verbal agreements like these held little weight. Unless the entire expedition went smoothly without any contention, there was no guarantee.

Within the ancient ruin, unexpected situations could arise at any time. In the end, strength was what truly mattered.

"Very well. Let’s spend the next two months preparing. After that, we’ll head for the Black Fog Mountain Range together."

With that, Fairy Shi gracefully left.

Lan Chang'an pondered for a moment. With her memories restored, Fairy Shi now had a better understanding of the ancient ruin and would likely make certain preparations in advance.

From this perspective, she now held more control over the situation.

"Years ago, that Fake Dan cultivator known as ‘Qi Immortal’ had planted a restriction on Fairy Shi, attempting to control her. In the end, he met his demise in the ancient ruin."

Lan Chang'an’s eyes flickered as he contemplated the past.

At that time, Fairy Shi had denied any involvement in the cultivator’s death, claiming it wasn’t her doing.

But considering that her life had been threatened, even if it had been her scheme, no one could blame her.

...

In the two months that followed, Lan Chang'an began making preparations.

He took inventory of his magical weapons, treasures, talismans, puppets, and pills.

At present, he had about twenty regular quasi-third-rank talismans.

He also had more than forty treasure talismans, all of which exceeded the power of quasi-third-rank talismans. Among them were ten or so treasure talismans created using third-rank spirit wood as the medium, all with power at least equivalent to low third-rank.

He also had several top-grade second-rank puppets.

While Lan Chang'an lacked the expertise and materials to craft true third-rank puppets, he had managed to create one puppet with defensive capabilities equivalent to a quasi-third-rank treasure.

In addition, he had several precious pills that could temporarily boost his magical power.

A month later, his preparations were complete.

It was at this time that an urgent letter arrived from the Apricot Villa, delivered to Little Turtle Peak.

"Zheng Centipede died on the frontlines."

Lan Chang'an read the letter aloud, his voice soft as he murmured the words.

(End of chapter)