A Child Calls Me Uncle

After a round of flattery and compliments, Li Ji'an understood why the five of them had come.

All five were outstanding students from Shangyi County Martial Arts Academy who had entered Immortal Seeking Academy.

The other four, aside from Xiao Wu, had come hoping to befriend a promising immortal seedling.

Xiao Wu, meanwhile, had asked about Li Jichang's circumstances.

After sending off the other four and their attendants, Li Ji'an led Xiao Wu into his private courtyard.

"Strictly speaking, you ought to call me Uncle!"

Li Ji'an recounted to Xiao Wu the most logical version of the rumors circulating in Shangyi County. Xiao Wu listened with a series of long sighs.

After a moment of remembrance, the twenty-two-year-old Xiao Wu grew solemn and said something astonishing.

"I promised your father I'd look after you. If you run into any trouble from now on, come to me anytime." Before Li Ji'an could process those words, Xiao Wu added, perfectly serious.

Li Ji'an struggled to hold back a laugh. Xiao Wu had just told him about his current circumstances, too. After taking the entrance examination twice, he'd essentially given up on becoming an immortal seedling. All he wanted now was to advance further in martial arts and obtain one of Immortal Seeking Academy's true External Cultivation Methods.

At twenty-two, he'd reached minor mastery in Bone Forging and learned the academy's intermediate Wave Chasing Saber Technique. He could certainly be called a promising young man. He'd joined the patrol office in the prefectural city and had already risen to Deputy Captain.

He'd also brought his parents from Shangyi County to settle down in the prefectural city, and last year he'd gotten married.

Except during leave or when he could squeeze in some practice after work, he wore his uniform and led five subordinates on patrol.

After only a moment's hesitation, Li Ji'an let the image of Xiao Wu as a boy fade from his memory. He rose at once and gave Xiao Wu a solemn bow. "Thank you, Uncle Xiao."

With "returning to youth" in his future, scenes like this and changes in his relationships were bound to become commonplace.

He didn't mind whether he came out ahead or behind in terms of titles or relationships.

On the contrary, these connections could become assets and support for his next life. Each one he made could reduce the risks he faced while growing up.

"Mm! Remember to work hard. Don't let your talent or your father's hopes go to waste.

"I spent five years at Immortal Seeking Academy and saw plenty of people with extraordinary talent enter on outstanding marks, only to fail to withstand the many temptations of the prefectural city and eventually fade into the crowd.

"Some of them even had extraordinary Root Bones...

"Also, martial arts realm and actual strength aren't the same thing. Without external techniques, it's like guarding a mountain of treasure but being unable to enter. You must seize every chance to practice external techniques.

"The path to immortality is too elusive. You don't need to chase after becoming an immortal seedling. If you can master a martial art, you'll be able to make a living in this world." Xiao Wu earnestly counseled him.

"Your nephew will remember Uncle Xiao's advice!" Li Ji'an bowed again.

Xiao Wu contentedly ruffled Li Ji'an's hair. "You're much better than your father! Good, good. And if you don't like staying in the academy dormitory, you can move in with me."

Li Ji'an politely declined Xiao Wu's offer. He listened as Xiao Wu reminisced about their old days together for a while, then finally saw him off.

Before leaving, Xiao Wu repeatedly invited Li Ji'an to come over and meet his auntie.

"That guy..." Watching Xiao Wu walk away, Li Ji'an smiled knowingly.

During their trip down memory lane, most of Xiao Wu's stories had painted Li Ji'an as a towering figure, and quite a few were made up.

Like how he'd stood up to an instructor for Xiao Wu's sake.

How he'd teamed up with Xiao Wu to beat more than ten other apprentices.

He'd even invented a heroic tale about how Li Ji'an had taken him to a brothel for the first time...

"Hey! Are you Li Ji'an, the second-ranked student in the whole prefecture?" A playful, lilting voice suddenly snapped Li Ji'an out of his memories.

He turned to see three young women standing at the entrance to the private courtyard next door on the left. The one in front looked mischievous, her wide almond eyes fixed on Li Ji'an with curiosity.

"I'm Li Ji'an." He smiled and nodded.

At the same time, he matched her to the information he'd gathered beforehand.

As expected, this girl was Ning Yutan, this year's top martial arts exam candidate in Chong'an Prefecture.

In addition to her widely known status as the exam's top candidate, Li Ji'an had also learned a secret from the head of Shangyi County Martial Arts Academy—she was the talented legitimate daughter of Marquis Dingyuan, the most powerful person in all of Chong'an Prefecture.

She wouldn't turn fifteen for another three months, yet she'd already just entered Bone Forging. Her talent was truly exceptional.

According to the head of the academy, the Marrow Cleansing Pill the Dingyuan Marquis Household had received from the Founding Emperor years ago had probably been given to her.

Of course, the fact that she'd been deemed worthy of taking that Marrow Cleansing Pill also proved that her Root Bone and natural talent were already outstanding. The pill had merely added flowers to brocade.

"Not bad, not bad! You helped me vent my anger, so I ought to reward you. Chunfeng, Qiuyue, bring me the pastries Mother gave me." Ning Yutan blurted out, then sent her two maids off to fetch them.

She skipped over to Li Ji'an, circling him as she looked him over. "My name's Ning Yutan, and I'm this year's top martial arts exam candidate. On the path of martial arts, the accomplished come first. From now on, call me Senior Sister. We're on the same team now."

Innocent, carefree, and unrestrained.

In this age, only a wealthy and powerful family could raise a child like her.

And a girl, no less.

It was clear how dearly her family cherished her.

"So you're the top candidate. I'm impressed, I'm impressed!" Li Ji'an complimented her, but didn't take up her offer.

"Hehe—cough, cough. It's a small achievement, hardly worth mentioning, hardly worth mentioning. Hey, you haven't taken a Marrow Cleansing Pill, have you?" Ning Yutan smiled smugly, then pretended to be modest before asking with obvious anticipation.

Li Ji'an gave a wry smile and shook his head. A Marrow Cleansing Pill was a divine elixir, an Immortal Treasure that could cleanse the marrow and wash the meridians, improving one's innate Root Bone. It was said that even the lowest-grade Root Bone could be raised to a high-grade one with a single pill. Such a rare treasure was hardly something an ordinary person could get their hands on.

"Excellent!" Ning Yutan smacked her fist into her palm, thrilled.

"I knew it! How much good could one Marrow Cleansing Pill really do? What matters most is your own talent and hard work. You took no Marrow Cleansing Pill and still came in second..."

Growing more and more excited, Ning Yutan immediately shouted toward the private courtyard to Li Ji'an's right. "Ning Sujin, did you hear that? Li Ji'an didn't take a Marrow Cleansing Pill either, and yet he still crushed you! You dare say I'm only better than you because I took a pill? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Ning Sujin?" Li Ji'an murmured, slightly startled.

The information he'd gathered said that this year's third-place candidate was a woman named Su Sujin.

She was supposedly from a family of Qi and Blood Grandmasters.

Like him, she'd reached perfect mastery in Muscle Compaction. But because her Bone Age was nine months greater than his, she'd placed behind him.

"Is your skin itching again?"

Before Li Ji'an could react, a cool, aloof woman appeared at the entrance to the neighboring courtyard.

She wore a pale blue-green martial outfit, her hair tied high. Tall and slender, she looked at first glance like a dashing young gentleman, except for her bright, crisp voice, which had a feminine lilt.

On closer inspection, she bore a strong resemblance to Ning Yutan, sharing about six features with her.

"What are you going to do? I'm warning you, this is Immortal Seeking Academy, not the Marquis's estate!" Ning Yutan was clearly afraid of Ning Sujin. Almost as soon as she heard the voice, she darted behind Li Ji'an.

"Hmph! Have you forgotten what Father told you? When you're away from home, your eldest sister is like a mother. If I discipline you, who can say a word against it?"

Before she'd even finished speaking, Li Ji'an's vision blurred. Ning Sujin's figure turned hazy and indistinct. The next instant, a blur flashed into view, and she had appeared beside Ning Yutan...