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Within Qingsha Bay, inside the Xia Family's young master's abode.
"Alchemist Wu, may I ask the reason for your trip this time?"
Xia Mingqu, dressed in a dark brocade robe, his face as flawless as jade and posture elegant, showed a hint of surprise upon hearing Lan Chang'an's request. Still, it wasn't completely unexpected.
After all, Lan Chang'an had stayed at Autumnwind Isle for nearly three years, rarely leaving, and had never gone on a long trip.
The spirit contract Lan Chang'an signed with the Wufu Merchant Association mainly required him to perform alchemical duties for a period of twenty years. Beyond that, there were no restrictions on his personal freedom.
Of course, the second-rank spirit contract had strong binding effects on Foundation Establishment cultivators. Breaking it would incur severe backlash, and the contract, protected by the Merchant Alliance, carried a mark of his spiritual power, enabling tracking within a certain range.
"Wu has already lived for over a century and has been stuck in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage for many years. I can't afford to delay any longer. This trip is to seek out either the Xuanwu Pill to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage or the key ingredients for refining it."
Lan Chang'an spoke solemnly, clearly explaining his purpose.
Xia Mingqu was silent for a moment, contemplating Lan Chang'an's request. He didn’t have a valid reason to refuse. If it had been a more common resource, Xia Mingqu could have arranged it using the guild's vast channels. However, a breakthrough pill for the late Foundation Establishment stage was a strategic resource.
Even if the Wufu Merchant Association had some, it would first prioritize its own family members or use it to secure favors and benefits. It would not be made available to an outsider like Lan Chang'an.
"Half a month from now, there will be an auction at Cloudsmoke Immortal City. Rarely seen superior second-rank Life Extension Pills will be for sale, and the Xuanwu Pill should also be available," Xia Mingqu suggested after some thought. "If you're not in a rush, why not join my father and me for the trip? That way, it’ll be safer."
"I already have other plans, but I appreciate the offer," Lan Chang'an politely declined.
"Then be careful on the road, Fellow Daoist Wu," Xia Mingqu said, handing over a jade slip. "This contains a complete map of the Jing Kingdom cultivation world."
"Many thanks, young master," Lan Chang'an replied, recognizing the subtle meaning in Xia Mingqu’s tone.
Although Jing Kingdom was at peace and Foundation Establishment cultivators traveling alone wouldn’t typically encounter danger, there were always exceptions. Lan Chang'an recalled the current state of the Wufu Merchant Association, which was rumored to be suppressed by the Xinyue Merchant Association.
Just months ago, a Wufu elder had been ambushed and gravely injured while traveling alone. The merchant guild suspected the Xinyue Merchant Association was behind this but lacked solid evidence.
Xia Mingqu's offer wasn't solely out of concern for Lan Chang'an fleeing; there was also genuine goodwill behind it. The young master personally escorted Lan Chang'an out of the estate, watching him leave.
“Wu Fan is still relatively unknown within the Wufu Merchant Association and isn’t a key figure, so he shouldn’t be targeted by enemy forces,” Xia Mingqu thought.
...
"Superior Life Extension Pills?"
After leaving the Xia Family’s Qingsha Bay, Lan Chang'an's eyes lit up.
In all the years he had spent in Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world, he had never encountered superior Life Extension Pills. Yet, after only three years in Jing Kingdom, he had already come across an opportunity to obtain one.
This wasn’t to say that such pills didn’t exist in Liang Kingdom; they did. However, the sects monopolized most rare resources, keeping them for internal use or as offerings to upper-level figures. As a result, they rarely appeared in the open market, and opportunities to obtain them were fleeting.
Jing Kingdom, however, was different.
Here, the merchant guilds held considerable power, and the trade networks were well-developed. Resources flowed more freely, and skilled artisans were abundant. While certain resources were still controlled, it wasn't as restrictive as in the Liang Kingdom.
"Aside from the lack of Nascent Soul-level powers, the mid-tier cultivators and factions in Jing Kingdom are not weaker than those in Liang Kingdom," Lan Chang'an mused.
Even though he hadn’t traveled much, he had learned plenty about the state of affairs in Jing Kingdom from conversations with the Xia Family’s cultivators.
Without the absolute rule of a Nascent Soul-level power, there was a more balanced distribution of power, and resources weren’t overly concentrated in the hands of a few.
“Without a Nascent Soul power it’s surprising that Jing Kingdom has maintained its prosperity and neutrality for so many years without being dragged into any major wars,” Lan Chang'an had initially been puzzled by this before arriving.
However, it came down to three main factors.
First, Jing Kingdom lacked fourth-rank spiritual veins, making it less attractive to Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
Second, the country's geography played a role. Jing Kingdom was nestled between Chen Kingdom and Liang Kingdom, two countries with roughly equal cultivation strength. The balance between these neighboring nations ensured that neither would easily risk a conflict, allowing the Jing Kingdom to maintain neutrality.
Third, there was a rumor.
It was said that the Jing Kingdom had once given birth to a "child of fortune" who traveled to the very center of the Great Qing cultivation world and ascended to Nascent Soul True Monarch. This individual was so powerful that he was able to join an ancient Nascent Soul sect, and the neighboring countries, wary of this powerful figure, were reluctant to touch Jing Kingdom.
Lan Chang'an remained skeptical of the rumor.
It might have been true, or it could simply be a fabrication spread by the Jing Kingdom Merchant Alliance to bolster its reputation.
...
Half a day later, Lan Chang'an had already left the Xia Family’s territory.
However, the services provided by Xunxian Residence didn't stop there.
Guests staying in the upper-class rooms also enjoyed a few perks, including a complimentary local guide.
Later that evening, Lan Chang'an contacted the inn’s attendant and scheduled a guide for the following day.
The Cloudsmoke Immortal City Guide provided only a basic overview of the city. To understand the finer details, one needed to interact with the local cultivators.
Lan Chang'an wasn't in a rush to acquire resources for the Earth Burrowing Rat's Core Formation and was willing to take his time.
"Over the last three years, my puppet-crafting skills have reached quasi-third-rank level in theory. However, I’ve nearly exhausted my stock of materials."
Lan Chang'an was confident that with another round of material purchases, he would soon become a true quasi-third-rank puppet master.
A quasi-third-rank puppet would be comparable to a Fake Dan cultivator.
Once he successfully crafted two or more of them, Lan Chang'an would even have a chance of contending with a True Dan cultivator.
Compared to gathering resources for Core Formation, acquiring quasi-third-rank puppet materials was a less daunting task.
...
The next morning.
Outside Lan Chang'an’s courtyard suite, a pair of young cultivators, one male and one female, waited patiently.
"Ah Feng, remember not to pry into our guests’ personal affairs. If the innkeeper finds out, the consequences won’t be pretty..." the woman in a white dress, her makeup carefully applied, whispered in warning.
"Sister Ting, I know. Last time, I was just curious. I’d never met a guest from a Liang Kingdom merchant guild before, so I asked a few too many questions," the young man replied with a wry smile, subconsciously touching his cheek, which still ached faintly.
He had been fortunate that the last guest had only slapped him and didn’t lodge a formal complaint with the inn.
"The elder is ready to see you," a maid from the inn said, leading the pair into the courtyard.
"Greetings, senior," the two of them said in unison.
Sitting at a stone table in the courtyard was an elderly man with a frail figure and cloudy eyes.
The old man glanced over the young man and woman who had been assigned as his guides.
The inn provided one complimentary guide per upper-class suite.
If they performed well, they might be rewarded with a tip, which could easily amount to half a year’s earnings for them.
The woman in white was poised and elegant, her demeanor mature and refined.
The young man, on the other hand, seemed a bit more inexperienced and kept his head lowered.
Lan Chang'an’s gaze lingered on the woman for a moment before shifting to the young man.
"Hmm?"
A strange sense of familiarity struck Lan Chang'an.
He was sure he hadn’t seen this young man before—not his appearance, at least.
The familiarity seemed to stem from the young man’s aura.
"What are your names?" Lan Chang'an asked casually, while secretly probing the young man's condition with his spiritual sense.
To his surprise, he discovered that the young man had suffered severe internal injuries, leaving lasting damage to his dantian and meridians. These injuries had caused his cultivation to regress to the Qi-Refining stage.
Not only that, but the young man had an earth spiritual root!
Lan Chang'an’s mind lit up, suddenly recalling the young man’s identity.
"My name is Lu Shuting," the woman introduced herself.
"Junior Wang Feng," the young man said.
The two of them glanced nervously at Lan Chang'an, hope glimmering in their eyes.
After a brief pause, Lan Chang'an nodded and said, "Little Wang, you will accompany me around the city."