Xu Xuan quietly left the Mission Hall, his heart heavy.
He had not expected the demonic path to make another move so soon.
That Blood Baleful Intent Pill truly had not been easy to earn.
Upon returning to the herb garden, he immediately stepped up inspections of the storeroom and spirit fields, secretly laying warning talisman arrays at several key locations.
Then, under the pretext of improving security, he applied to Manager Zhao for a batch of low-grade defensive formation flags.
Their power was limited, but they were better than nothing.
Naturally, this batch of formation flags also ended up in Xu Xuan's own pocket.
As the night deepened, Xu Xuan turned his hand over and took out the jade slip containing the Treatise on the Fundamentals of the Five Elements.
He immersed his spiritual sense in it.
The five elements cycle, drawing in qi to bring about change. Perhaps I could try drawing on the impure qi of the earth veins and using the methods of the five elements to perform an initial refinement.
Though the result would not be true qi of heaven and earth, it should still help me break through faster...
A bold thought arose in his mind.
Since proper qi of heaven and earth was so difficult to find, why not blaze another trail?
There were earth veins beneath the herb garden.
Perhaps it was worth taking the risk.
Xu Xuan immediately began working out a feasible method.
Drawing on the qi of the earth veins to fuse and refine the five elements might well offer a way forward.
Before long, another three months had passed.
Xu Xuan quietly remained in the outer sect's herb garden, occasionally hearing all sorts of news about the demonic path, the Profound Sword Gate, and the Southern Wilds.
That day, he was tending plants in his courtyard.
Li Jiangping came to visit once again.
Upon hearing the news he brought this time, even Xu Xuan could not help narrowing his eyes.
"The Steward Hall just received word that evil cultivators from the Blood Refining Hall have been running rampant within the Kingdom of Wu. They've already raided several villages and towns, and Hundred Fragrance Valley is under threat as well."
Li Jiangping's tone was grave.
"What's even more troublesome is that Senior Brother Yuan Qiu, who was stationed at Hundred Fragrance Valley... passed away half a month ago."
Xu Xuan's hand paused slightly around the teapot.
Yuan Qiu had passed away?
In this life, he had not had much contact with the Yuan Household's old patriarch.
But in his previous life, as Xu Daocheng, he had always paid visits on important occasions to win the man's favor.
As for Yuan Qiu, Xu Xuan could not say that he liked or disliked him.
It had all been driven by interests, with each taking what he needed.
Still, they had been acquainted for a long time, and hearing of his passing now inevitably left him somewhat saddened.
Few of the people from those days remained now.
Yuan Qiu had already been a Qi Refining Realm cultivator many years ago.
Unfortunately, his limited aptitude had made it difficult for him to break through to Foundation Establishment, so he had stayed in Hundred Fragrance Valley to live out his remaining years and establish a lineage.
Now that he had passed away, there was one fewer bastion of sect power within the Kingdom of Wu, and the evil cultivators grew even more brazen.
Hundred Fragrance Valley had immediately become a coveted prize.
"Senior Brother Li."
"What does the sect intend?"
Xu Xuan slowly poured the tea and asked softly.
Since Li Jiangping had brought this news to him, he naturally had something to convey.
"These are troubled times."
"The Steward Hall intends to send a capable steward to Hundred Fragrance Valley to take temporary charge, stabilize the situation, fend off the evil cultivators, and ensure the supply of spirit herbs."
Hundred Fragrance Valley was an important site of spirit fields and herb gardens belonging to the Azure Wood Sect.
Naturally, nothing could be allowed to happen to it.
Li Jiangping looked at Xu Xuan. "Several elders in the hall think highly of you, Brother Wang. Your cultivation is at Yellow Court, you're familiar with managing herb gardens, and you're originally from Hundred Fragrance Valley. You're the ideal candidate."
"What do you think?"
Hearing this, Xu Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he sneered.
Had this been earlier, he would naturally have had no objection to taking up a post in Hundred Fragrance Valley.
But now Hundred Fragrance Valley had become a hot potato, with evil cultivators prowling around it and everyone on edge.
Going there rashly might cost him his life.
In this life, he had gone to great lengths to slip into the Azure Wood Sect's outer sect and had only just sown new seeds. This was precisely the time to stabilize his foundations and pursue growth.
How could he put himself in danger?
Setting down the teapot, Xu Xuan shook his head.
"Senior Brother Li, I'm not deliberately trying to shirk this."
"I ought not refuse the sect's generous regard, but my cultivation and spells are meager, and my abilities and learning are limited. If I were suddenly given such a heavy responsibility, I fear I would hinder the sect's important affairs."
"Besides, there's so much to handle in the herb garden right now, and no suitable replacement can be found on short notice. The special spirit plants I've been cultivating have only just sprouted..."
Li Jiangping looked thoughtful at his words.
Xu Xuan had a point. The herb garden did indeed need someone to oversee it.
Manager Zhao supervised everything, but when it came to managing spirit plants, he could not catch up to Xu Xuan even on horseback.
Moreover, observing Xu Xuan's expression, he knew his mind was made up. He did not press him further and sighed.
"In that case, I'll report back to the elders."
"But we still need to settle on someone for Hundred Fragrance Valley as soon as possible."
"That won't be difficult," Xu Xuan said.
"If all we need is someone familiar with the valley's affairs."
"There's a service disciple under me named Xu An. Xu An is dependable, loyal, and trustworthy, with some insights into cultivating spirit plants as well."
"Xu An can go in my stead to Hundred Fragrance Valley, temporarily manage its affairs, and fend off outside evils."
"The Xu Lineage also has its own channels and support in Hundred Fragrance Valley and the Kingdom of Wu. Perhaps it can quell the trouble caused by the evil cultivators."
Li Jiangping knew Xu An was Xu Xuan's trusted subordinate and indeed quite capable, so he nodded in agreement.
"That works too."
"I'll report to the Steward Hall immediately."
After seeing Li Jiangping off, Xu Xuan's expression turned cold.
He had never forgotten his grudge over that palm strike in his previous life.
Through the Azure Wood Sect's information channels, Xu Xuan had uncovered some of the Blood Refining Hall's background.
It was indeed connected to the demonic path.
It had countless tangled ties to the Blood Refining Demonic Sect.
If Xu An really were to take over Hundred Fragrance Valley, the Blood Refining Hall would have to be rooted out.
After a moment's deliberation, he took out an exceedingly expensive thousand-mile communication jade talisman, immersed his spiritual sense in it, and used a secret method to contact Xu Ziyu in Xu Household Market.
"Yuan Qiu has passed away, and the Blood Refining Hall is causing trouble."
"I have already dispatched Xu An back to stabilize the situation for now."
"You must swiftly send capable people south with funds into the Yue Kingdom."
"Though the Southern Wilds are remote, their lands are vast, and opportunities for cultivation may lie hidden there."
"You may first purchase land along the border to establish a foothold, secretly survey for spirit veins, and proceed gradually."
"Remember, keep a low profile and draw no attention."
"Leave the affairs of Hundred Fragrance Valley to Xu An. Your focus must be on the Southern Wilds."
It was signed, Lord Greenwood.
With the message sent, Xu Xuan gazed into the distance, as though his eyes had already crossed towering mountains and great rivers to glimpse that untamed land.
The struggle between the Azure Wood Sect, the Profound Sword Gate, and the demonic path was like a whirlpool. For now, he had no wish to sink deep into it.
Hundred Fragrance Valley in the Kingdom of Wu was merely the Xu Household's foundation in the open.
Despite scheming across two lifetimes, Xu Xuan had found it truly difficult to discover an opportunity to rise in this land.
The Southern Wilds, on the other hand, which were constantly mentioned within the sect, seemed to hold limitless possibilities.
And the Yue Kingdom in the Southern Wilds.
That was the fallback he had planned for the Xu Household after considering all the information available.
He rose and walked to the herb plot in the courtyard.
The spirit herbs in the plot brimmed with vitality, all carefully nourished with his five-element spiritual power.
Having reached the middle Yellow Court stage, his perception of plants had grown keener, and he could already guide their growth to a limited extent.
Given time, such methods might undergo further changes.
"I must also begin planning for my chance to reach Qi Refining soon," he murmured to himself.
The turmoil in the Steward Hall and the threat of the Blood Refining Hall were all no more than passing clouds.
His gaze remained fixed on greater, more distant heights.
Soon afterward, Xu An accepted the orders and left the Azure Wood Sect with Xu Xuan's handwritten letter and several capable assistants, heading for storm-tossed Hundred Fragrance Valley.
Upon receiving the secret message, Xu Ziyu also took action immediately.
He selected several shrewd and capable confidants from the lineage whose cultivation had reached the Essence Fusion Realm, and they quietly left the Kingdom of Wu carrying substantial funds.
They headed toward that unknown wilderness to the south.
Xu Xuan, meanwhile, remained in the Azure Wood Sect's outer sect, like an ordinary old steward.
Every day, he handled the herb garden's sundry affairs, drew talismans, and cultivated without pause.
Occasionally, the Steward Hall summoned him to discuss suppressing demonic cultivators or allocating resources.
He responded cautiously each time, neither advancing rashly nor grasping for power.
Yet, seemingly in passing, he also revealed a little of his ability, consolidating his position.
Within and beyond the sect, the currents of turmoil shifted unpredictably.
But in Xu Xuan's courtyard, there was only the fragrance of herbs and the circulation of spiritual power.
All the turmoil seemed to have nothing to do with him.
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P.S. Updates resume tomorrow, with catch-up chapters as circumstances allow. Sorry, everyone~