Temptations Abound

Lan Chang'an nodded to Shopkeeper Xu and followed the attendant out.

Although Bamboo Leaf Mountain Market had been established by the Huang Family, the various powers within were intertwined like tangled roots, with no shortage of cultivation clans and even cultivators backed by sects.

Even Young Master Huang did not dare act recklessly in public.

Besides, Lan Chang'an had Zhou Qingxuan's favor—a figure even Young Master Huang wished to curry favor with.

"Talismans Master Lu, a pleasure, a pleasure."

Inside a private room of the Wine Tavern, Young Master Huang, dressed in a violet-jade robe and bearing an extraordinary presence, examined Lan Chang'an with smiling phoenix eyes.

A year ago, Huang Yu had met Lan Chang'an once. At the time, he had taken him for an ordinary Talisman Master and paid him no heed.

It was not until Lan Chang'an refined the "Frostfall" Talisman and gained Zhou Qingxuan's favor that he officially entered Young Master Huang's sight.

"Young Master Huang invited me here. I wonder..."

"No rush, no rush! First, taste this century-aged Azure Bamboo Spirit Wine."

Young Master Huang's manners were refined. He took out a black-jade wine jar and personally poured Lan Chang'an a cup.

Young Master Huang raised his cup and drank first as a gesture of respect.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lan Chang'an drained his cup.

The wine was crisp and cool on his tongue. A thread of pure Wood Spiritual Qi fermented within his belly, nourishing his organs.

"Fine wine," Lan Chang'an praised.

"Brother Lu is forthright."

A trace of surprise flashed through Young Master Huang's eyes as he spoke with easy eloquence.

"This century-aged Azure Bamboo Spirit Wine is a specialty of Bamboo Leaf Mountain. It must be brewed with the bamboo shoots of First-Order High-Grade Spirit Bamboo; ordinary people cannot buy it."

Lan Chang'an's straightforward, unrestrained manner won Young Master Huang's secret admiration.

In the conversation that followed, Young Master Huang asked about Lan Chang'an's circumstances in the Mu Family and the Marketplace, his words mostly full of praise.

Had it not been for what happened a year ago, Lan Chang'an might have believed this was a young master who valued worthy men and treated others with humility.

After three rounds of wine.

A faint flush rose over Young Master Huang's fair face as he pushed a Jade Box before Lan Chang'an.

"A small token of my regard. I hope Brother Lu will accept it."

"Young Master Huang, this is..."

Lan Chang'an opened the Jade Box and could not help but be moved.

Inside lay four crystalline Spirit Stones, like rare peerless jades.

They were Middle-Grade Spirit Stones.

One could be exchanged for at least a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, often with a fluctuation of more than ten percent.

They were worth more than four hundred Spirit Stones.

Even for a Qi Refining Late-Stage cultivator, that was a considerable sum.

Besides the Middle-Grade Spirit Stones, there was also a small porcelain bottle in the Jade Box. Three words were written on its label: Jade Azure Pill.

"A breakthrough pill for Qi Refining Late Stage!"

Lan Chang'an was secretly shocked. Young Master Huang was being exceedingly generous!

The other's intentions were plain as day.

Such a price was more than enough to poach a High-Grade Talisman Master.

"I trust Brother Lu understands the principle that a fine bird chooses the tree on which to roost. Even a talent as outstanding as yours—would the Mu Family grant you a breakthrough pill in the future?"

Young Master Huang smiled leisurely, utterly composed.

If Lan Chang'an had been an ordinary cultivator, he would never have withstood such temptation.

Young Master Huang was right.

As an outsider bearing a different surname, it was nearly impossible for Lan Chang'an to obtain a breakthrough pill for Qi Refining Late Stage from the Mu Family.

Within the Mu Family alone, who knew how many cultivators stood in line waiting for one?

A few years ago, the Mu Family's Eldest Miss had only received a breakthrough pill and advanced to Qi Refining Late Stage because of her merits in the Medicine Garden.

Lan Chang'an was currently at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Once he reached the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, he too would face the bottleneck before the late stage.

Yet Young Master Huang could never have imagined it.

Lan Chang'an was rebuilding his cultivation in his Third Life. The Evergreen Art advanced step by step, and his foundation was incomparably solid. He needed no breakthrough pill to enter Qi Refining Late Stage.

What limited his cultivation speed was time.

"I fear I must disappoint Young Master Huang. I have cultivated in the Mu Family for over a decade; I cannot bring myself to betray the family."

Lan Chang'an drew a deep breath and with difficulty tore his gaze away from the Jade Box.

The smile on Young Master Huang's face stiffened.

He had never expected that even such a price could not move Lan Chang'an.

He had sought to poach Lan Chang'an for two main reasons.

First, Lan Chang'an possessed decent talent in talisman arts and was a useful man. He excelled at certain relatively obscure and difficult Talismans, increasing Mu's Spirit Talisman Shop's competitiveness.

If Lan Chang'an's talisman arts advanced another step and he joined forces with Mu Xiuyun, the Mu Family would see a clear improvement.

It would show in increased financial strength and reserves of high-quality Talismans.

If Lan Chang'an were poached away, it would deal the Mu Family a blow.

Second, Lan Chang'an had the favor of the Zhou Family's genius granddaughter. If used well, that could aid the Huang Family's strategy.

"Haha! I understand now!"

Young Master Huang's thoughts whirled, and he suddenly came to a realization.

"You like Mu Xiuyun, don't you? That's why you're willing to follow at her side?"

"Rest assured! Once this young master gets her, I will reward her to you as a concubine someday. Then your immortal path will be smooth and broad, and you will embrace the beauty in your arms. What bliss could compare?"

At the end, Young Master Huang clapped his hands and laughed.

His words carried a man's suggestive ambiguity, as though he had seen through Lan Chang'an's thoughts.

After all, that breathtaking Eldest Miss, gentle as jade, had dazzled him when he first saw her in the Marketplace. He had even slightly regretted not marrying her into his household back then.

"Young Master Huang, do not casually make such jokes."

Lan Chang'an's expression darkened. He rose and took his leave.

After two lifetimes of reincarnation on the path of cultivation, Lan Chang'an's original heart remained unchanged.

He would not claim that he had never killed innocents in his first two lives, but he had always lived by one rule: if others did not wrong him, he would not wrong them.

He had sheltered within the Mu Family for over a decade. In a crisis, he might flee, but he could not commit betrayal.

Of course, having principles did not mean he was merciful.

Lan Chang'an held grudges deeply and would basically repay every grievance.

Once his strength was sufficient, he acted cleanly and decisively, without the slightest mercy.

"This brat..."

Young Master Huang's expression turned sinister. He had not expected Lan Chang'an to be impervious to both soft and hard tactics.

He had investigated Lan Chang'an beforehand. The man was utterly alone and rarely left the Marketplace.

Such a person was not easily controlled.

After leaving the Wine Tavern.

Lan Chang'an returned to Mu's Spirit Talisman Shop.

He immediately went to the third floor and told Mu Xiuyun about the matter, though he did not mention the specific details.

Lan Chang'an did so to prevent Young Master Huang from driving a wedge between them afterward.

Even if he did not speak of today's events, Mu Xiuyun would learn of them sooner or later.

Young Master Huang might even deliberately spread word of it, creating a rift between Lan Chang'an and the Mu Family.

"Chang'an, thank you!"

Mu Xiuyun smiled radiantly, her beauty dazzling as starlight shimmered in her eyes.

Her voice was soft and graceful, melting the heart.

"To poach you, Young Master Huang must have offered an enormous price. The Mu Family was truly fortunate to recruit you into the family back then."

A delicate fragrance, like osmanthus and orchids, drifted toward him and refreshed his spirit.

Mu Xiuyun stepped close, her gaze gentle as she extended a slender hand and laid it over the back of his.

Lan Chang'an felt the beauty's skin, smooth as congealed cream. That slender hand was cool as jade.

Dressed in a long green gauze skirt, the graceful and elegant Eldest Miss lowered her starry eyes. Her fair face glowed like sunset clouds, beautiful beyond compare.

Even though he cultivated his character and nurtured his nature, a faint ripple still stirred upon the tranquil lake of his heart.

"It is only right. Without the Mu Family's nurturing, I would not be where I am today."

Lan Chang'an showed no change in expression and withdrew his hand.

He cupped his hands in salute and left the room.

Mu Xiuyun froze for a moment. A fiery flush bloomed across her fair face as she lightly bit her thin lip, words rising to her lips yet left unspoken.

Watching Lan Chang'an's retreating back, her gaze grew distant before she sank into thought once more.

"Phew!"

"This Marketplace truly differs from within the family. In less than half a day, I have faced such immense temptations."

After returning to his room on the second floor, Lan Chang'an could not help but sigh.

First came Young Master Huang's attempt to buy him over with heavy profit.

Then came the Eldest Miss, lovely as jade.

Had Lan Chang'an gone along with the moment just now, he could have fallen into love with Mu Xiuyun.

Naturally, Mu Xiuyun's beauty was vastly different from Young Master Huang's attempted bribery.

Ever since the Medicine Garden incident, he had vaguely sensed the Eldest Miss's trust and affection toward him.

After arriving at the Marketplace, Mu Xiuyun had not hesitated to suffer losses so Lan Chang'an could practice drawing high-grade Talismans.

If Lan Chang'an could marry into the Mu Family, it would be the best of both worlds for Mu Xiuyun.

Marrying into the Mu Family was indeed one possible path for advancement.

But in this life, Lan Chang'an did not wish to have so many attachments.

With a long lifespan, steady management, and careful progress, his chances of advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm were not small.

Free of desire and want, one traveled light.

Lan Chang'an's days in the Marketplace were leisurely and carefree.

Half a month later.

Lan Chang'an sat in a Tea House chatting with Shopkeeper Xu.

"Brother Lu, with your and my age and aptitude, if we do not make a desperate gamble in this life, I fear Foundation Establishment will remain forever beyond our reach."

Shopkeeper Xu, whose hair had begun to turn white, sighed emotionally.

"Oh? What insight does Shopkeeper Xu have?"

Lan Chang'an smiled faintly and adopted the posture of a listener.

As the manager of Rainbow Dress Pavilion, Shopkeeper Xu was a core figure of a Qi Refining family.

A hundred years ago, his clan had also possessed a Foundation Establishment cultivator, only to decline afterward.

That clan retained the legacy of Foundation Establishment and had several Qi Refining Late-Stage cultivators. Its strength could not be underestimated.

"Brother Lu, let me tell you a secret."

Shopkeeper Xu lowered his voice and communicated through sound transmission.

"In the ruins a hundred miles from Bamboo Leaf Mountain, I discovered what seems to be a hidden treasure vault left behind by the Zheng Family."

"A hidden treasure vault of the Zheng Family?"

Lan Chang'an was half-convinced, half-doubtful.

Still, this region had once been Zheng Family territory. That clan had been plundered by Evil Cultivators, then was nearly exterminated by the Mu Family. A hidden treasure vault was nothing strange.

Lan Chang'an's eyes flickered. "Why does Shopkeeper Xu tell me such a secret?"

"To be frank, that hidden treasure vault has powerful Restrictions. They will be difficult to break in a short time, and word could easily leak. If I sought help from other powerful cultivators, I might not be able to secure my own interests."

"And Brother Lu's cultivation is not high, your character is trustworthy, and you have Talismans to assist in breaking Restrictions. You are Xu's ideal partner."