NOVEL NEXT First chapter of volume 3. Enjoy!
In the secret room.
Before the white-robed man meditating, a basket-sized spirit turtle, dark green in color was eagerly absorbing the lingering energy with its mouth wide open.
The surface of the Profound Water Turtle's shell glimmered with a bluish-green light resembling the veins of leaves.
The magical power it emitted had surprisingly broken through its bottleneck, stepping into the late first rank. Simultaneously, the Evergreen mana within Lan Chang'an's body grew by a slight amount.
At the early stage of Foundation Establishment, taking even a small step forward would bring one's cultivation to the second level of Foundation Establishment.
"Advanced to Foundation Establishment at seventy years old, progressed cultivation by one level at eighty."
Lan Chang'an looked pleased, feeling the depth of the mana lake in his dantian increase.
To be honest, the cultivation progress of the Evergreen Technique during the Foundation Establishment stage wasn't as slow as he had imagined. Back then, it took him nine years to advance from the eighth to the ninth layer of Qi-Refining.
Lan Chang'an speculated: that consuming longevity-extending items had enhanced the power of the Evergreen Technique, thereby slightly accelerating his progress.
Referring to Zhao Siyao's progress after Foundation Establishment, as a disciple of the sect with near-high grade spiritual roots, Zhao Siyao took twenty-seven to twenty-eight years at the early stage of Foundation Establishment before she advanced to the middle stage.
The main reason was that she was stuck at the bottleneck of the third level of Foundation Establishment for many years. Her spiritual root qualifications didn't hold much advantage after the Foundation Establishment Realm.
After three days of consolidation, Lan Chang'an prepared to exit seclusion.
"Stop dawdling, and suppress your aura fluctuations."
He lightly tapped the Profound Water Turtle's shell, producing a "bang" sound. It was quite hard.
Lan Chang'an smiled, and the Profound Water Turtle's head shrank in pain.
The Profound Water Turtle had the innate ability to conceal its aura, it quickly retracted its aura to a normal level.
In truth, if Lan Chang'an had increased the daily supply of Evergreen mana, the turtle's growth could be further accelerated, but he didn't do that.
The current cultivation speed of the Profound Water Turtle was already twice that of its peers; any more would be excessive.
He had a long life ahead, with no partner or offspring. Raising this long-lived spirit turtle was a form of companionship. This turtle could pass the time, help with chores, and once grown, protect the mountain and guard the home. As for fighting enemies, he didn't expect much. At present, the Earth Burrowing Rat was sufficient for fighting, along with puppets as cannon fodder.
Lan Chang'an rose and carefully placed three treasure talismans into a spiritual wood box.
He had nurtured these three talismans for seven to eight years. Originally, they were ordinary superior second-rank talismans. Now, the spiritual energy contained in the three treasure talismans had reached the peak of the second rank.
Ordinary second-rank superior-grade talismans were equivalent to a single strike from a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
These three treasure talismans had transformed into premium-quality ones, comparable to a full-force strike at the peak of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.
Second-rank superior-grade talismans were difficult to come by due to the scarcity of their raw materials. Lan Chang'an's success rate wasn't too high in drawing them due to the limitations of his cultivation.
"In a few decades, achieving the attack power of an ordinary talismanic treasure shouldn't be difficult." Lan Chang'an evaluated based on the current trend, looking forward with anticipation.
Unfortunately, he hadn't acquired any second-rank superior-grade spirit wood in the large auction he attended over a few years ago.
After this seclusion, he was determined to get some more treasure talismans. Ideally, it would be best to get some third-rank spirit wood.
The better the material, the higher the power ceiling of the nurtured treasure talismans; given enough time, they might even rival the power of a Core Formation cultivator's magic treasures.
...
A few days later, Guan Qiaozhi, sat on the back of the Profound Water Turtle, her laughter crisp and clear.
Although the Profound Water Turtle wasn't large, it had the cultivation of the late first rank, making it no problem to carry a delicate female cultivator. However, due to its size and height limitations, Qiaozhi had to lift her legs higher and tuck them beneath herself.
"Senior Brother Lan, do you want to try?"
Her bright eyes sparkled, and a blush appeared on her delicate face as she leaned back, lifting her skirt and revealing a pair of fair, tender legs.
This alluring sight was enough to make any normal man dry-mouthed.
"This turtle isn't mature yet, don't overwork it." Lan Chang'an criticized, thinking that this young girl had impure thoughts, always hinting at temptation.
Over the years, Guan Qiaozhi had diligently served Lan Chang'an, managing the Little Turtle Peak meticulously.
She wanted a child to solidify her position. But each time her hopes were raised by anticipation, they were dashed by disappointment.
Squeak! Squeak!
The Earth Burrowing Rat came over, carrying a few letters in its mouth, moving swiftly as if in the wind.
Lan Chang'an took the letters. One was from Li Erqing, and another from Zhang Tieshan.
From Huanglong Immortal City to Wuqi Mountain, Li Erqing wrote to Lan Chang'an the most over the decades. Even if there was nothing significant, he would talk about cultivation and family matters.
After entering the Foundation Establishment stage, Li Erqing's progress was difficult.
He had reached Foundation Establishment five or six years before Lan Chang'an and was two years younger. When writing this letter, his cultivation was still at the first level of Foundation Establishment.
Lan Chang'an knew well Li Erqing's aptitude and temperament; his advancement to Foundation Establishment had already broken his upper limit, leaving his potential exhausted, and making any progress would be difficult.
He realized that his old friend, whom he had known since the awakening in this life, was likely to fall behind.
...
Previously, Li Erqing relied on having children to gain some small opportunities.
Lan Chang'an wasn't envious, or jealous in the slightest. Compared to true children of destiny, Li Erqing's little fortune was insignificant.
In Great Qing, there had been a miracle of a cultivator with inferior spiritual roots reaching the Nascent Soul Realm within the last ten thousand years. This wasn't something achievable through effort and combat alone. With great fortune, even a pig would soar above its era.
Similar miracles occurred in almost every era.
"Mu Jiunan recently returned to Liang Kingdom? To visit his biological parents at Feiyue Lake."
Lan Chang'an saw this piece of good news in the letter from Li Erqing.
Mu Jiunan was the most talented among Li Erqing's descendants. He had good fortune. Years ago, he triggered a rare treasure and was taken as a disciple by a mysterious cultivator from another kingdom.
In return for raising him, Mu Jiunan sought a Foundation Establishment Pill for his father, along with some resources gifted by that Immortal, before leaving.
Li Erqing mentioned in his letter that Mu Jiunan had become a disciple of a Core Formation elder in a Nascent Soul sect of Feng Kingdom.
Feng Kingdom was a powerful cultivation kingdom in Great Qing, with three Nascent Soul-level forces.
Now in his forties, Mu Jiunan had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator and had married the young granddaughter of that elder in the sect.
"This kid has some skills."
"I've heard that Mu Jiunan looked like me in his youth. I must see for myself this time." Lan Chang'an was somewhat interested.
Mu Jiunan had been taken away at a young age; Lan Chang'an hadn't seen him as he was in Huanglong Immortal City at that time.
Li Erqing mentioned that he would have Mu Jiunan visit and pay respects to Lan Chang'an as his uncle.
...
Lan Chang'an then opened Zhang Tieshan's letter. The content was also related to younger generations.
Lin Yi's son, Lin Lu, had been stuck at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining for nearly ten years and was now fifty-eight or fifty-nine years old.
He had been preparing for Foundation Establishment for years. As a member of a sect, Lin Lu had better access to Foundation Establishment Pills than loose cultivators.
Zhang Tieshan suggested that Lin Yi's four Foundation Establishment friends each contribute five hundred spirit stones or equivalent resources to assist with his Foundation Establishment.
Obviously, these four Foundation Establishment friends were:
Zhang Tieshan, Zhao Siyao, Lan Chang'an, and Li Erqing.
Lan Chang'an recalled Lin Lu's ups and downs, from an arrogant youth from the sect to falling from grace, then finding his stability in Huanglong Immortal City, where his mind was tempered.
In Huanglong Immortal City, Lin Lu visited Lan Chang'an every year to pay his respects.
"Brother Lin, though you died early, four Foundation Establishment cultivators are willing to step up for your son. Your spirit in heaven can rest easy."
The matter of helping out in passing, Lan Chang'an didn't mind lifting a hand out of old friendship.
In truth, Zhang Tieshan was the one who did most of the work here. Achieving Foundation Establishment required more than just spirit stones; one needed connections within the sect as well.
Lan Chang'an wrote a reply, asking Guan Qiaozhi to pass it to Lan Lin to send it to Jin Yun Valley.
He believed Li Erqing would agree to help as well.
Years ago, when Li Erqing prospered, he sent his son, Mu Ershun, to Huanglong Immortal City with some Foundation Establishment Pill materials, providing Lan Chang'an with a crucial auxiliary herb that he lacked.
...
Half a month later.
A cloud-white flying boat carrying a couple entered the misty Wuqi Mountain.
The man, wearing a feather robe, was handsome and upright, looking to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
The woman, in a feather dress, was petite with delicate features and short hair, looking youthful and vibrant, around eighteen or nineteen.
"Brother Jiuan, I heard your Uncle Lan has a way of maintaining his youth. Although he reached Foundation Establishment in seventy, his ancient age, he still looks like a young man," the woman in feathers said curiously, her laughter light and eyes bright.
"Later on, I'll have to see which one of you is younger and more handsome."
"This still needs to be compared?" Mu Jiuan replied confidently as he arranged his white-feathered robes. He was only forty-two years old, after all, and had achieved Foundation Establishment early on, so he possessed an outward freshness that stemmed from within.
"No matter how skilled Uncle Lan might be at maintaining his youth, signs of aging cannot be entirely avoided."
"I suppose not." Yu Yufu tilted her head, gently taking her husband's arm. As she gazed upon Mu Jiuan's fair and elegant countenance, tranquil as jade, she felt inwardly satisfied.
Seeing two Foundation Establishment cultivators approaching, steward Lan Lin bowed respectfully and asked, "Seniors, which main peak are you visiting?"
Mu Jiuan explained their purpose, and they were escorted to Little Turtle Peak.
...
"My master invites you two into the cave mansion."
Guan Qiaozhi led the way for Mu Jiuan and his wife.
Eyes surveying her surroundings, Yu Yufu took it all in: the spirit flowers and herbs planted on the mountain, the beautiful view of the pond, she found nothing surprising.
"Earth-grade spiritual beast Profound Water Turtle? It's a little different from the ones I saw before, the shell texture is a bit different." She saw the spirit turtle by the pond, lazily basking in the sun.
Individuals raising Profound Water Turtles were rare in the cultivation world.
"A second-rank demonic rat?" She spotted a robust rat flashing past a nearby cave entrance.
Based on these two spirit pets alone, Yu Yufu had already formed an intuition that this Uncle Lan was no ordinary cultivator.
The interior of the cave mansion was elegant and refined. In the main hall where sandalwood fragrance drifted gently, a man dressed in white stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
Yu Yufu's almond eyes widened involuntarily, their depths glimmering brightly at the sight. The man in white possessed a handsome, spirited countenance as gentle as jade, radiating a tranquil serenity that seemed to have been baptized by the passage of time.
At first glance, the back of the man gave her the illusion of facing a large tree in the sky.
"There is some resemblance."
Yu Yufu's surprise wasn't at this Uncle Lan's youthful appearance but rather how it was her husband, Mu Jiu'an, whose appearance and temperament somewhat resembled the other. However compared to him, the husband she had always admired seemed almost like a counterfeit.
Though there wasn't much difference between the two physically, that indescribable difference in their temperament was especially pronounced when compared side-by-side.
"Little Nephew Mu Jiuan brings his Daoist partner to greet Uncle Lan." Mu Jiuan bowed slightly.
"Junior Yu Yufu greets Uncle Lan." Yu Yufu hastily withdrew her gaze and bowed, saying softly.
(End of chapter)