"Once the Qu Family's business is settled, I'll explain everything to you. There's quite a lot going on behind the scenes. You should consider it carefully, lest you end up dead with your entire clan exterminated and blame me."
Although Qi Shiyun wanted very much to haul Lianshan Xin aboard her pirate ship, she wanted an alliance, not a blood feud.
And cultivating in her lineage was decidedly unfriendly to one's Nine Clans.
In ancient times, when clan ties were extremely close, few people dared to hang their Nine Clans from their waistbands and pursue immortal cultivation, even knowing its boundless potential. Besides, even if they had the courage, they still needed the talent.
Lianshan Xin had thought of that last point too, and took the initiative to ask, "Third-Place Qi, does immortal cultivation demand a lot of aptitude from its practitioners?"
Through practicing the martial dao, Lianshan Xin had already fully realized that he was following the ordinary mortal route, not the genius route.
But Qi Shiyun told him that he knew nothing about true geniuses.
"Of course it does. Immortal cultivation demands a hundred times more aptitude than martial arts. But you needn't worry. You have the talent for immortal cultivation."
"Huh?"
Lianshan Xin was both astonished and delighted.
"I have the talent for immortal cultivation? Really?"
"Otherwise, did you think I appreciated you so much because you were handsome?"
For the first time in his life, Lianshan Xin felt that someone calling him plain-looking was a compliment.
"Third-Place Qi, is the talent needed for immortal cultivation different from the talent needed for martial arts?"
"Of course."
"Can you examine other people's talent?"
"I can't examine it, but I can vaguely sense it. My lineage is different from others. We can often discover dragons among men. Even when those hidden dragons are still deep in the abyss, they cannot escape our notice."
That was why her lineage had been called the "Dragon Aiders" in ancient times.
"In Lord Heavenly Sword's eyes, you're merely a precocious young man. In mine, you're a hidden dragon in the abyss, waiting for the right moment to move. Don't doubt yourself. You may not have much talent for the martial dao, but you definitely have great talent for immortal cultivation. In ancient times, we would have been the favored children of heaven with spiritual roots. The world's environment has changed now, as has the cultivation system, but the Nine Heavens still preserves an immortal cultivation legacy."
Lianshan Xin grew even more delighted.
He didn't think Qi Shiyun was deceiving him. He wasn't worth the effort.
Sure enough, he had been right to tell his mother that he wanted to change his dream: he ought to take his talents to the immortal cultivation world.
"Oh, right, you probably don't know what a spiritual root is yet. That's all right. I'll explain it to you in detail later."
The so-called "Chosen One Sons of Heaven" were all immortal cultivation seeds with spiritual roots, and such people were hard to find. Those who also had the courage to join her lineage were rarer still-less than one in ten thousand.
Thus, in Qi Shiyun's eyes, Lianshan Xin truly was an investment with tremendous potential.
Lianshan Xin also felt like a little heifer getting married-his cow-sized awesomeness had just gotten enormous.
Because in his previous life, as a distinguished premium VIP on Qidian, he knew what a spiritual root was.
Thinking of the talent he had been born with,
Lianshan Xin could only curse having been born in the wrong era.
Had he been born in the previous version, arriving in a golden age of immortal cultivation, this would have been "A Genius's Journey to Immortality."
Fortunately, judging by what Qi Shiyun had said, he still had a chance now.
"Third-Place Qi, compared to martial artists, don't we immortal cultivators just thrash them?"
Lianshan Xin had already slipped into his role as an immortal cultivator ahead of time.
Qi Shiyun's words scattered on the wind. "There are no invincible paths, only invincible people. Still, martial artists number in the tens of thousands, while immortal cultivators are one in ten thousand. Think about it yourself."
Lianshan Xin didn't think about it. He firmly believed that immortal cultivation had better prospects than martial cultivation.
It wasn't exactly blind optimism. Mainly, his aptitude for the martial dao was like having six of the seven apertures open-with the last one utterly blocked. He had to take his talents to the immortal cultivation world.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Things were looking miserable for the Qu Family.
"Elder, how are your injuries?"
President Qu looked nervously at Deputy Academy Head Fu Xinghuai.
Fu Xinghuai was a middle-aged man with an unnaturally flushed face and a bare upper body. A bloody wound stretched from his neck to his chest, still seeping blood without stopping.
At that moment, Fu Xinghuai sat cross-legged on the bed, with a clearly visible basin of bloody water beside it.
Although he knew Fu Xinghuai was highly skilled in martial arts, President Qu still worried that he would die from blood loss.
Qu Junjie had no such worries.
He praised him with heartfelt sincerity. "Elder, you've already bled ten whole basins of bloody water. You're incredible. Even women can't bleed as much as you."
Fu Xinghuai's clouded eyes suddenly cleared, and he shot Qu Junjie a piercing look.
President Qu's heart clenched, and he kicked his son. "If you don't know how to talk, keep your mouth shut."
Then President Qu hurriedly apologized to Fu Xinghuai. "Please be understanding, Elder. Don't stoop to the level of an ignorant boy. I had him late in life and spoiled him rotten."
Fu Xinghuai gave Qu Junjie a long look, then shook his head. "Forget it. Old Qu, you said earlier that the doctor at the clinic next door was quite skilled?"
"Yes. Doctor Lianshan is renowned in Jiangzhou City for his miraculous healing hands. I was afraid of exposing your whereabouts, so I didn't dare ask him to treat you," President Qu replied.
Fu Xinghuai pondered for a moment, then continued, "His son is close to Ningyuan?"
"Yes. Today, Kong Ningyuan even personally took his son, Lianshan Xin, to the White Deer Grotto Academy."
"Ningyuan is my disciple. I think this Doctor Lianshan also shares a destined affinity with me. He ought to be a member of our cult."
President Qu understood what Fu Xinghuai meant, but said worriedly, "Elder, more people means more loose tongues. What if your presence leaks out through him..."
"No matter. I've roamed unchallenged through Jiangzhou for years. I'm no pushover. Even if that Heavenly Sword's cultivation reaches through heaven and earth, he can forget about discovering my whereabouts."
Although he was still bleeding incessantly, Fu Xinghuai nevertheless displayed an imposing presence that made President Qu want to fall to his knees and bow.
"In that case, I shall obey your instructions, Elder. I'll go find Doctor Lianshan right away and bring him here to treat you."
President Qu withdrew with Qu Junjie.
They had barely stepped outside when they ran straight into Lianshan Xin, who was approaching side by side with Qi Shiyun.
President Qu didn't recognize Qi Shiyun. Although she was strikingly attractive, he had traveled far and wide, and had long since become impotent.
Thus, he felt nothing in particular.
He simply continued diligently playing the sycophant. "Young Master Xin, you've returned so quickly? Surely you must have good news."
Qu Junjie chuckled. "Father, you really are lying through your teeth with your eyes wide open. If he'd truly won the favor of an expert at the academy, he'd still be there. Why would he come back the way he went? Obviously, the academy sent him packing."
Lianshan Xin gave Qu Junjie a meaningful look.
Still young, aren't you? You don't realize that your father's barefaced lying is a survival skill.
The gulf between a self-made founder and a rich second-generation heir was on full display.
He had no interest in getting angry with a little demon cult brat, and instead looked at Qi Shiyun.
"My lady, is everything in place?"
Qi Shiyun nodded, her gaze fixed intently on the Qu residence.
Suddenly, a bell at Qi Shiyun's waist chimed softly. Her face blossomed into a smile. "Found him."
President Qu's expression changed dramatically.
Qu Junjie blurted out, "Impossible! The Elder said no one could possibly discover his whereabouts!"
At that, Lianshan Xin smiled too.
Patting Qu Junjie lightly on the cheek, Lianshan Xin remarked, "Young Master Qu, you understand the times better than your father. A true outstanding talent, just as your name says. You've earned merit with your report. For discovering a Demon Cult fiend's whereabouts today, you deserve the greatest credit."
"I... earned merit? I fucking..."
Qu Junjie wanted to say more.
But Lianshan Xin didn't give him the chance. He simply hooked an arm around his neck and headed into the Qu Family residence.
Although Lianshan Xin's martial dao talent was poor, he had at least studied diligently and trained hard since childhood.
Qu Junjie was good at nothing.
That was perfectly normal too.
If someone was good at everything, why would they go rebel?
Had Qu Junjie shown even a little promise, President Qu would probably have considered going legitimate, lest he jeopardize his son's chances of entering government service.
Unfortunately, his son was a disappointment, so he had to work a little harder himself. He had simply chosen the wrong direction for his efforts.
Before you continue