The Azure Mystery Gang's influence had now expanded into the three prefectures surrounding Heyang Prefecture.
Its members numbered in the thousands, its businesses were everywhere, and its information network was extensive.
The Xu Trading Firm had also become a renowned grain and medicinal herb merchant in the Southern Region.
His son Xu Yuming was now twenty-three, accomplished in both scholarly and martial pursuits, and gradually becoming capable of handling matters on his own.
Xu Huai'en remained his right-hand man, overseeing the gang's martial affairs, his reputation resounding far and wide.
But worldly power was ultimately an illusion before the Great Dao.
Over the next three years, Xu Xuan used that secret map to enter and leave River Sun Market several times.
He took the spiritual herbs and ores secretly gathered for him to sell at the street stalls.
They lost quite a few men in the process, only then learning how difficult cultivation resources were to obtain.
With the spirit sand he received in exchange, Xu Xuan purchased production supplies such as materials for making talisman paper and spiritual rice seeds.
He quietly experimented with cultivation at Xu Household Market and built talisman-paper workshops.
At the same time, through lavish bribes in the market, he drew in several rogue cultivators with low cultivation levels who had fallen on hard times.
From them, he heard further scraps about the cultivation world and obtained fragments of cultivation methods and mnemonic formulas, along with common spells and basic pill recipes.
These things lacked any coherent system, and many were even incomplete.
But they at least gave the Xu Household a little more of a cultivation lineage's foundation.
Meanwhile, after making inquiries throughout the market, he finally learned an important piece of news.
At the edge of the Cloud Dream Great Marsh, ten thousand li from Heyang Prefecture.
There was an immortal sect called the Azure Wood Sect.
This sect excelled in wood-element cultivation methods and specialized in growing spiritual herbs.
It ranked as a second-tier sect in the Southern Region's cultivation world and opened its gates to recruit disciples once every ten years.
A Xingzong!
Xu Xuan's heart surged.
This was the orthodox path of cultivation.
There would surely be opportunities to break through to Qi Refining, and even higher cultivation realms.
Soon, however, Xu Xuan's heart sank to the bottom of the valley again.
"The Azure Wood Sect prioritizes root bone and age when recruiting disciples."
"Only those with a bone age below thirty and a mid- or high-grade spiritual root are eligible to take the assessment."
Xu Xuan was now over forty, already well beyond the age limit.
Moreover, he only possessed a low-grade wood spiritual root himself, with mediocre aptitude.
Even in his youth, he might not have caught their eye.
Still, Xu Xuan was not disappointed.
Nourished over two lifetimes, with the Grain Garment Art improving their constitutions, the Xu Household's bloodline had already produced quite a few spiritual root holders.
He swiftly issued orders to secretly screen all age-eligible juniors throughout the lineage.
Among dozens of boys and girls, more than ten were found to possess the aura of spiritual roots, but their quality was ordinary.
They were inferior even to Xu Huai'en's back then-all false spiritual roots, mottled with impurities, with almost no value for nurturing.
Xu Xuan did not give up.
Bearing lavish gifts, he visited an outer-sect steward of the Azure Wood Sect stationed in Heyang Prefecture.
This man was a Qi Refining cultivator approaching seventy, living in a valley in Heyang Prefecture, and had a lineage of his own.
Only after calling on many connections did Xu Xuan establish this link, hoping to ask the man to make an exception and take the lineage's younger generation to cultivate in the Azure Wood Sect.
However, after examining the aptitude of several Xu Household juniors, the outer-sect steward could not help shaking his head repeatedly.
"Patriarch Xu, it is not that I am unwilling to help."
"With aptitude like this, never mind the inner sect-even the outer sect would not accept them as menial servants."
"The sect has its rules. Resources are limited, and we do not support idle mouths."
His words were somewhat cold, but also utterly realistic.
Xu Xuan stood there for a long time, unwilling to accept it.
With an immortal opportunity before him, how could he stop because of aptitude?
His gaze swept over the stretches of herb fields outside the valley, suffused with spiritual energy, where cultivating juniors bent over in diligent labor.
Suddenly, an idea came to him.
The next day, he visited the steward again, no longer mentioning disciple recruitment, but instead saying respectfully.
"Honored steward, I see that the spiritual fields in this valley are extensive and require people to tend them."
"My Xu Household has farmed for generations and has considerable knowledge of cultivation. All our juniors are hardworking and able to endure hardship."
"Might your valley need vassal tenant farmers to cultivate and tend some of the outlying spiritual fields?"
"My Xu Household is willing to serve you like hounds and horses. We ask only to place ourselves under your protection and obtain a place to settle."
"If it pleases you, you could grant us some rudimentary cultivation methods, allowing our juniors a small share of immortal blessings, strengthening their bodies so they can serve you better."
Hearing this, the steward surnamed Yuan looked surprised and pondered for a moment.
He had also looked into the Xu Household. They were indeed a farming lineage, with a decent reputation outside and some power in the mortal world.
Now Xu Xuan was voluntarily offering his allegiance, asking only for a few minor benefits.
This was quite a worthwhile bargain.
"This could be workable, but I must make something clear beforehand: immortal sect cultivation methods cannot be privately imparted, so I cannot teach them to you."
"Furthermore, as my vassal lineage, you must deliver a fixed quota of spiritual grain and spiritual herbs every year."
"Any shortfall will be severely punished."
Hearing that he had not refused, Xu Xuan's heart steadied, and he bowed respectfully.
"The Xu Household understands. We will certainly not fail the task you entrust to us, honored steward."
Several months later, after the Azure Wood Sect steward Yuan Qiu sent people to assess the Xu Household's capabilities, a written contract was finalized.
The Xu Household officially became his vassal lineage, receiving permission to send a hundred clansmen to reclaim spiritual fields in Hundred Fragrance Valley, which he had established.
They were responsible for cultivating and tending five hundred mu of low-grade spiritual fields.
Each year, they had to deliver a fixed quota of spiritual grain and low-tier spiritual herbs.
In his own name, Yuan Qiu granted them a scroll containing a rudimentary Qi Refining method called the Green Grain Art.
This method was not profound and only allowed cultivation up to the third level of Qi Refining.
Moreover, anyone cultivating this method had to swear an oath not to teach it to others.
The conditions were harsh, but Xu Xuan was nonetheless very satisfied.
Through Yuan Qiu, the Xu Household had finally established a connection with an immortal sect.
The Xu Household's juniors could also enter an environment with spiritual energy, finally gaining a chance to break through Essence Condensation and reach a more profound level.
They would also have opportunities to interact with sect disciples and gather information.
He carefully selected a hundred clansmen, mostly young, strong, and quick-witted, and sent them to Hundred Fragrance Valley under the leadership of a trusted son or nephew of Xu Mingyuan.
Meanwhile, Xu Xuan did not place all his hopes on Yuan Qiu.
He ordered the Azure Mystery Gang and the North-South Trading Company to intensify their search for other opportunities.
After making inquiries through various channels, he finally discovered a piece of information.
Cultivation lineages did indeed live in seclusion in the Venerable Great Mountains.
Xu Xuan once again prepared lavish gifts and, taking Xu Huai'en and several capable men with him, traveled for several months to the Ancient Azure Mountain Range.
After enduring hardships and dangers, they finally followed vague clues to a valley wreathed in clouds and mist.
A simple bewildering formation stood at the valley entrance, making entry difficult for mortals.
Xu Xuan projected his voice with spiritual power, stating his identity and purpose and requesting an audience with the master of this place.
After a long time, a narrow opening appeared in the formation, and a young man in brocade robes emerged.
His expression was arrogant, and he looked Xu Xuan and the others over as though they were ants.
"Why have you mortals disturbed the Lin Household's secluded cultivation?"
"I am Xu Daocheng, patriarch of the Xu Household of River Sun. Hearing that an immortal lineage lived in seclusion here, I have come expressly to pay my respects, bringing a few humble gifts in hopes of an immortal opportunity."
Xu Xuan adopted an extremely humble posture.
The Lin Household youth sneered. "A mere mortal patriarch thinks himself worthy of speaking of immortal opportunities?"
"My Lin Household has cultivated here for hundreds of years. Do you think you can see us simply because you ask?"
"Leave at once, or do not blame the formation for showing no mercy!"
With that, he ignored Xu Xuan's words and waved his hand to activate the formation. Clouds and mist churned, shutting everyone outside.
Faint mocking laughter drifted out.
"Every stray cat and dog wants to come here and claim connections..."
Xu Huai'en's eyes widened in fury, and he wanted to argue.
Xu Xuan stopped him, his expression calm, and took a long, deep look at the mist-shrouded valley.
"What a blessed land of spiritual beauty."
After returning to Heyang Prefecture, Xu Xuan devoted all his energy to managing his enterprises.
The Azure Mystery Gang's influence penetrated more distant provinces and prefectures, while the trading firm's business spread across nearly half the Southern Region.
Most of the enormous wealth they earned went toward purchasing cultivation supplies, which were sent through various channels to Hundred Fragrance Valley to help those hundred clansmen cultivate the Green Grain Art, while more cultivation resources were secretly gathered.
He himself relied on limited resources, struggling to open the fourth meridian wheel.
At forty-four, Xu Xuan stood atop a tall building in the prefectural city, gazing west toward the Ancient Azure Mountain Range, his eyes cold.
"The road to immortality is long. Lying low for a time amounts to nothing."
He turned toward the map on his desk, his gaze settling on the wider Southern Region.