Three Years, Reunited

The Liang Kingdom was vast, with a total of thirty-two prefectures.

Each prefecture governed six to eight commanderies, and every commandery encompassed more than ten counties.

Naturally, this did not include Immortal Blessed Lands.

The Spirit Steed Horse was very fast.

In less than a month, the two arrived at Hengshui Prefecture.

Hengshui City was the political center of the prefecture, girded by three rivers and belted by five lakes, with abundant water resources.

Entering the city required travel documents, so Li Ergou took out the Young Marquis's token.

"Brother Lu, Brother Li!"

Before long, the Young Marquis, Lin Yi, came out to greet them personally.

The three rode in a luxurious carriage into the city of Hengshui Prefecture.

"For this gathering, I booked the Gathering Immortal Pavilion's Heaven-Character Private Room Number One for two months."

Clad in brocade robes, Lin Yi had sword-like brows and bright eyes. Compared to three years ago, he had lost some of his sharpness and gained a measure of boldness and warmth.

"Brother Lin, we aren't late, are we?" Lan Chang'an asked with a smile.

"Not at all! You arrived earlier than I expected. Zhao Siyao wrote in her letter that she would arrive in Hengshui Prefecture within the next couple of days."

Though it was called a three-year appointment, it had not been held exactly three years later. By now, some time had already passed beyond that date.

That night, Lin Yi lavishly entertained the two at the Royal Marquis Estate.

Two days later.

Lin Yi received word that Zhao Siyao had arrived in Hengshui Prefecture.

At last.

The few Immortal Seedlings who had once left Hengshui Prefecture reunited at their original starting point after three years.

Hengshui Prefecture, a Heaven-Character Private Room at the Gathering Immortal Pavilion.

Zhao Siyao, Lin Yi, Lan Chang'an, Li Ergou, and Xia Feilun gathered around the same table for the first time.

Xia Feilun was also an Immortal Seedling from Hengshui Prefecture. He had been introverted and dull by nature back then, never really integrating into their circle.

His aptitude was ordinary, and he had barely passed the assessment. Yet after entering Golden Cloud Valley, he had fortunately become the apprentice of an Alchemist.

Originally, Xia Feilun had not been included in the three-year appointment.

However, considering his status as an alchemy apprentice, Lin Yi had tentatively invited him. Unexpectedly, he had ultimately come as well.

"Miss Zhao, there is no need to decline! The Cultivation World reveres strength above all. You should take the seat of honor."

After some back-and-forth, Zhao Siyao ultimately sat in the seat of honor.

On this day, three years later.

Zhao Siyao was eighteen years old. Dressed in a pale yellow gown, her figure was graceful and slender, her features clear and beautiful, her brows and eyes picturesque.

Every smile and frown faintly carried the bearing of a peerless beauty.

Upon seeing her, Lin Yi and Li Ergou could not hide the amazement on their faces.

The last time they had met, Zhao Siyao had only been fifteen. She had stood tall and elegant, still merely a budding beauty.

Among the four, Zhao Siyao had changed the most, both in appearance and within.

Qi Refining Third Layer Peak.

Her cultivation at this moment even surpassed Lin Yi's by a slight margin.

Though she was only one layer above Li Ergou, the gap between them was far more than one or two years.

That was because Qi Refining Third Layer Peak faced a bottleneck. The next step was breaking through into the Qi Refining Mid-Stage.

This bottleneck period required time to temper and polish.

"Although Zhao Siyao also has a Mid-Grade Spiritual Root, her spiritual root affinity is as high as thirty-six, close to a High-Grade Spiritual Root."

Lan Chang'an recalled Zhao Siyao's aptitude from the first stage of the sect assessment.

Lan Chang'an's Fire Spiritual Root had an affinity that barely exceeded twenty, only just qualifying as a Mid-Grade Spiritual Root. The Wood Spiritual Root he used to cultivate his technique had an affinity of seventeen.

The difference between the two was as vast as clouds and mud.

Not to mention that Zhao Siyao had become an Inner Sect Disciple of Golden Cloud Valley. The gap between them would only grow wider in the future.

If Lan Chang'an were merely an ordinary cultivator, he likely would never be able to look up to her heels in this lifetime.

Li Ergou's changes were second only to Zhao Siyao's.

When Zhao Siyao, Lin Yi, and Xia Feilun learned of Ergou's treatment in the Mu Family, they clicked their tongues in wonder.

Who could have imagined that a peasant boy with neither knowledge nor talent nor looks would, in just three short years, thrive so spectacularly in a cultivation lineage?

Even Lin Yi, a concubine-born son of the Royal Marquis Estate, felt somewhat envious and sour.

Three years ago, he had been seventeen and had just entered the Qi Refining Third Layer, consuming vast amounts of the Royal Marquis Estate's wealth and connections.

Later, he had "failed" the sect assessment, leaving the Guang'an Marquis deeply disappointed in him.

From then on, he lost that strong support.

In the mortal world, a land poor in spiritual energy, Lin Yi's aptitude was ordinary, and his cultivation progressed as slowly as a snail.

After three years, he had yet to reach the Qi Refining Third Layer Peak, while Li Ergou was nearly catching up to him.

"Still, Lan Chang'an, who has a Mid-Grade Spiritual Root, isn't doing much better."

As his gaze swept over Lan Chang'an, Lin Yi felt a little better.

"Brother Lu, your aptitude far surpasses Li Ergou's. Since you are in the same lineage, how did you end up in such circumstances?"

With a smile on his face, Xia Feilun feigned surprise.

At those words, Zhao Siyao and Lin Yi both frowned slightly.

Xia Feilun's tone sounded like teasing between friends. In truth, he was not familiar with Lan Chang'an at all and had barely exchanged two words with him in the past.

Li Ergou said unhappily, "Xia! What do you mean by that? Brother Lu simply doesn't want to join..."

"Brother Lu has his own unspeakable reasons. There is no need to say more."

Zhao Siyao's lovely, spirited eyes fell upon Lan Chang'an's face, a trace of concern flashing through them.

In truth, Zhao Siyao and the others could roughly guess Lan Chang'an's present situation.

"I misspoke. I will use tea in place of wine and drink first as an apology."

Xia Feilun laughed it off. Afraid of making Zhao Siyao unhappy, he said no more.

At this gathering, Xia Feilun did not care much about Lan Chang'an and the other two. He was only polite toward Zhao Siyao, occasionally trying to curry favor with her.

"It was only a 'Brother Lu.'"

Lan Chang'an was particularly speechless.

His senses were sharp. When Xia Feilun had first arrived, he had paid little attention to him.

Only after hearing Zhao Siyao call him "Brother Lu" had his expression changed for an instant.

That was only human nature.

Zhao Siyao had already been able to attract the Young Marquis Lin Yi three years ago. Much less now, when she was a heaven-blessed daughter of such transcendent beauty.

Lin Yi felt bitter, and now he no longer dared harbor any hopes toward Zhao Siyao.

But Xia Feilun, as an alchemy apprentice with the potential to become an Alchemist, had a chance to pursue her since they were both in Golden Cloud Valley.

Among the hundred arts of cultivation, Alchemists could be called second to none.

After that, Xia Feilun spoke little, and the atmosphere of this three-year gathering gradually became harmonious.

They exchanged cultivation insights, discussed sects, and spoke of strange tales and curious events from the Cultivation World...

By evening, the banquet was entering its final movement.

"Miss Zhao, now that you and I are both cultivators, there is no need to retain mortal forms of address. How about we call each other Daoist from now on?"

Lan Chang'an took the initiative to suggest it.

This suggestion conformed to the customs of the Cultivation World.

Whether in cultivation or status, Zhao Siyao far surpassed him.

With no blood relation between them, it was no longer quite appropriate for her to call him Brother Lu.

As Zhao Siyao became more and more outstanding.

Those repeated cries of "Brother Lu" might draw who knew how much hatred toward him.

One careless misstep could bring a lethal disaster.

"My lifespan in this life is plentiful. It is right to steadily build connections, but I must not bring fire upon myself because of this little girl's form of address."

It was not that Lan Chang'an feared Xia Feilun. Rather, the matter had put him on guard.

"All right, Daoist Lu."

After a brief silence, Zhao Siyao understood Lan Chang'an's thoughts and gave him a deep look.

That "Daoist Lu."

Sounded a few degrees less intimate to Lan Chang'an's ears than before.

Seeing this, Xia Feilun revealed a reserved smile, satisfied with Lan Chang'an's tactfulness.

"Brother Lu, if you need cheap medicinal pills in the future, you can buy them from me. I'll give you a ten percent discount!"

Xia Feilun took the initiative to show goodwill.

Zhao Siyao looked as though she wanted to speak but held herself back. After thinking it over, she did not stop him.

Cheap medicinal pills?

Lan Chang'an sneered inwardly, guessing the other man's intentions.

As an alchemy apprentice, Xia Feilun would often acquire substandard, inferior medicinal pills, even failed pills.

They might be unwanted rewards from an Alchemist, or failed products from his own practice.

Besides their poor efficacy, such pills contained heavy pill toxins, and sect cultivators generally disdained them.

But such pills were cheap.

They still had a certain market among Rogue Cultivators outside the sect or lineages with limited means.

"Thank you for your kind intentions, Brother Xia, but my pockets are empty. I cannot afford spirit pills."

Lan Chang'an said with a bitter smile.

He was telling the truth. He did not have a single Spirit Stone on hand.

"If you have no Spirit Stones, borrow some from Ergou! Aren't you two as close as iron..." Xia Feilun chuckled, unconcerned.

He had a batch of inferior medicinal pills in hand and happened to lack someone to take them off his hands.

If he sold them in bulk to Immortal Market shops that knew the trade, his profits would be rather low.

Selling directly to cultivators would earn him a little more.

If he managed to swindle a wealthy fool, that would be a windfall profit.

"I wonder what quality the pills Brother Xia is selling are, and whether mortal goods can be used in trade."

Upon learning that there were cheap medicinal pills, Lin Yi was greatly tempted.

"No mortal gold or silver! Only Spirit Stones or cultivation resources can be used for exchange."

Xia Feilun glanced at Lin Yi, his tone carrying a faint hint of disdain.

Fortune's wheel turned.

Back on the road to the assessment, Lin Yi had relied on his background and cultivation to look down on him.

Three years later, Lin Yi was no longer within his sight.

Lin Yi smiled awkwardly. Facing Xia Feilun, a sect alchemy apprentice, he did not dare offend him in the slightest.

If Xia Feilun became an Alchemist in the future, he would be a great figure they would need to look up to.

Fortunately, Lan Chang'an spoke at the right moment and eased Lin Yi out of the awkwardness.

"By the way, Brother Lin, you count as the local snake around Hengshui Prefecture. Do you know of any places where cultivators trade?"

Lan Chang'an had some Talismans to sell and was preparing to earn a small sum of Spirit Stones.

He could trade within the Mu Family as well, but he could not reveal his identity as a Talisman Master too quickly.

A year ago, he had purchased talisman-drawing materials from Mu Xiuyun. Going from a newcomer to the Talisman Dao to an official Talisman Master required a gradual process.

"There is a trading gathering organized by Rogue Cultivators in this area of Hengshui Prefecture, and there happens to be one this month. If Brother Lu needs it, I can help introduce you."

Lin Yi answered warmly, casting him a grateful look.

Lan Chang'an nodded. "Then I will trouble you, Brother Lin."