Three months later.
Heavy snow sealed the mountains of the Northern Frontier.
Snow lay three feet deep in the rear courtyard of the Marquis of Martial Might's Estate. Xu Xuan wore a black fox-fur cloak, holding a secret letter between his fingertips.
The letter was written on snowflake stationery specially made by the Cloud Arrival Trading House. Its mottled ink read-
"This winter, spirit rice prices have already tripled. As instructed by the young proprietor, we have sold all our stock."
"Profits total thirty thousand taels of gold and five hundred Spirit Stones."
"The head manager has determined that the young proprietor has passed the assessment."
Setting down the letter, Xu Xuan grinned.
He had passed the third trial the Cloud Arrival Trading House had set for him.
Three months earlier, he had approached the trading house under the alias "Chen Yuan."
He had passed the account verification and trading strategy trials in succession.
The final trial had been to predict the trend of grain prices in the Northern Frontier.
With his memories of his previous life and the aid of Luminous Insight, he had long since discerned that a snow disaster would strike this winter.
After he had made his forecasts and preparations in advance, everything had indeed come to pass.
"Young proprietor."
A hidden guard appeared soundlessly, snowflakes covering his shoulders.
"The head manager sent someone to deliver these."
The red sandalwood brocade box opened, and spiritual energy washed over him.
Three Essence Condensation Pills the size of longans were neatly arranged inside, patterns flowing across their surfaces.
Five mid-grade Spirit Stones glowed lustrously.
There were also several hundred-year-old roots of crimson blood ginseng, their rootlets intact.
These supplies would last an ordinary cultivator three years.
Xu Xuan's gaze shifted slightly.
It seemed the Cloud Arrival Trading House's reserves had grown even deeper over the years.
Before his death in his previous life, he had established three trials for the Cloud Arrival Trading House.
Anyone who passed the trials in succession could become its young proprietor.
If their identity was verified and they possessed the Xu Lineage's blood, they could take over the Cloud Arrival Trading House.
Over all these years, quite a few people had indeed passed trials.
But someone like Xu Xuan, who passed all three in succession, was absolutely unprecedented.
For now, however, Xu Xuan was only the young proprietor.
Only by going to Spiritual Expanse Mountain to verify his true identity could he inherit the estate.
"The trading house's head manager sent word asking the young proprietor to specify our next business strategy."
The words "young proprietor" made the corners of Xu Xuan's lips lift slightly.
Having lived through three lifetimes, he understood all too well how important resources were to cultivation.
With the trading house as a covert connection, many things would become much easier.
"Keep everything as it is."
"Just make certain my monthly cultivation supplies never fall short."
"In addition, I need a magical-artifact spear and three volumes of spear technique manuals."
Night lay deep.
Candlelight filled the room.
Xu Xuan swallowed an Essence Condensation Pill, and its medicinal power dissolved into a warm current.
The circulation of the Evergreen Technique abruptly accelerated, and metal and earth spiritual energy surged toward him.
The phantom of a Soaring Serpent flickered behind him, devouring every impurity.
His branch of the bloodline did indeed originate from the Lingyan Xu Lineage.
Traced further back, it reached Xu Xingzong's grandson, "Xu Zhiyi."
Back then, Xu Zhiyi had traveled to the Northern Frontier just as the barbarians invaded.
With exceptional courage and insight, he had led local militia to repeated extraordinary victories and been granted the title of Mobile Warfare General.
He later married a woman from a collateral branch of the Chen Yue Imperial Family and settled on the frontier.
His descendants had inherited the benefits of his legacy, eventually being granted the title of Marquis of Martial Might.
This history received only a brief mention in the estate's genealogy.
Had Xu Xuan not awakened the memories of his previous life, he would probably have struggled to learn of these origins.
Presumably, when Xu Zhiyi married that imperial woman, he might not have foreseen that a descendant would one day possess the Soaring Serpent bloodline and become an object of wariness to the Chen Yue Imperial Family.
Boom.
The barrier within his body shattered at the sound.
Early Spirit Treasury Stage.
Xu Xuan opened his eyes, a keen light flowing through them.
With the trading house's resources, his cultivation had indeed accelerated considerably.
But truly escaping his predicament would require more planning.
He spread out a sheet of rice paper and flourished his brush, writing several lines:
"After spring begins, purchase all available ironwood and saltpeter."
"Send people south to investigate the current situation at Spiritual Expanse Mountain."
"Uncover the details of the second prince's dealings with the imperial preceptor."
Before the ink had dried, a sudden whistle of something cutting through the air came from outside the window.
A streak of cold light pierced the window paper, shooting straight toward his face.
Xu Xuan did not move, but the Soaring Serpent phantom behind him abruptly solidified.
The hidden weapon suddenly changed direction three feet from him, embedding itself in a beam with a clang.
It was a poisoned dart, its body gleaming blue.
Hearing the disturbance, the hidden guard outside hurriedly burst in.
"I have failed in my duty!"
Xu Xuan raised a hand to stop him and slowly walked over to the beam.
A strip of red silk was tied to the dart's tail, embroidered with the distinctive runic patterns of the Demon Suppression Bureau.
"They couldn't hold back after all."
He spoke softly, brushing his fingertips over the dart's cold blade.
The Soaring Serpent phantom slowly swam behind him, its eyes suddenly becoming dark-gold vertical pupils.
Early the next morning, Xu Xuan went to the main hall to pay his respects.
Xu Yue was reviewing military reports. Seeing him enter, he frowned slightly.
"I heard your cultivation room was attacked last night?"
"Nothing but a few petty villains."
Xu Xuan bowed respectfully. "There is no need to worry, Father."
Xu Yue set down the military report, his gaze blazing like a torch.
"The Demon Suppression Bureau would not act without cause."
"Have you left the estate recently?"
"I haven't gone out except to inspect the accounts at the Cloud Arrival Trading House."
"The trading house?"
Xu Yue lightly tapped his fingertips against the desk.
"Have you been dealing with the trading house for cultivation resources?"
Xu Xuan lowered his head. "That was indeed my intention."
"The situation in the Northern Frontier is delicate now. I wish to improve my strength as soon as possible and share your burdens, Father."
Xu Yue fell silent for a moment, then suddenly took out a token.
"This is an old token of mine from the Purple Sun Gate."
"With this token, you may visit the mystic sect's Scripture Pavilion and read there for three years."
"Remember, act within your abilities in all things."
Xu Xuan accepted the token, something stirring within him.
His father's concern was written all over this gesture.
As he left the main hall, Xu Xuan brushed past the second prince, Chen Jing, who was hurrying over.
Chen Jing glanced at him.
His gaze lingered briefly on the token at Xu Xuan's waist, and a meaningful smile curled his lips.
Xu Xuan's expression remained unchanged as he sneered inwardly.
Should I deliberately leave an opening, bait this brat into a trap, and kill him...?
The Purple Sun Gate.
It stood in the Heavenly Pillar Mountain Range in the Northern Frontier.
It was one of the northern region's three great immortal cultivation sects.
A supreme elder at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage presided over the sect.
It had two great Foundation Establishment cultivators, as well as more than ten elders at the late Qi Refining Stage.
Its disciples numbered over a thousand.
Although inferior to the Azure Wood Sect, it was already a regional overlord in the Northern Frontier.
With the token his father had given him, Xu Xuan entered the Purple Sun Gate without difficulty and became a nominal disciple.
"Junior Brother Xu, this way, please."
The disciple guiding him spoke in an even tone.
"Nominal disciples live in Green Bamboo Court at the foot of the mountain. They must complete Stone Gate tasks each month before they can collect cultivation resources."
Xu Xuan nodded.
His gaze swept over the mountain peaks wreathed in clouds and mist.
The spiritual energy at the Purple Sun Gate was several times denser than at the estate. It was indeed a good place to cultivate.
His father had given him three years.
It was both a chance to lie low for a while and an opportunity to build his strength.
Green Bamboo Court covered a considerable area and housed several hundred nominal disciples.
Xu Xuan had just settled his luggage when he heard a commotion outside the door.
"New here? Don't you know the rules?"
A burly man with a brutish face blocked the doorway.
"I've claimed this room. Get out if you know what's good for you!"
Several disciples nearby whispered among themselves.
"It's Dove Tiger. He's at the late Essence Fusion Realm and loves bullying newcomers."
Xu Chen raised his eyes. "When did accommodation assigned by the sect become yours?"
Dove Tiger grinned viciously. "The bigger fist makes the rules!"
With that, he hurled a punch. The wind from his fist was fierce, and its force was considerable.
A mocking look appeared on Xu Xuan's face, and he met it with a punch of his own.
Bam!
Their fists collided, and Dove Tiger's expression abruptly changed.
He felt a tremendous force surge into him, and unbearable pain shot through his entire arm.
With a crack, the bone actually broke!
Xu Xuan did not budge, his expression unchanged.
He had tempered his body since childhood. How could Dove Tiger's physique compare to his?
"Who exactly are you?!"
Cold sweat streamed down Dove Tiger.
"Meridian Opening Pinnacle? You've actually been hiding your cultivation?"
Xu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back.
"Now, whose room is this?"
Dove Tiger gritted his teeth. "Yours! Let's go!"
The onlookers gaped, dumbfounded.
None of them had expected this seemingly frail new disciple to possess such a formidable physique.