"Brother Zhou, congratulations on joining Danbao Pavilion and becoming a Pill Refinement Apprentice!"
The visitor was none other than Dan Xiong Hai. The moment the door opened, he could not wait to offer his congratulations.
"It is too early to say that. Whether I succeed or not will depend on the assessment six months from now!" Zhou Xun waved a hand, though his words carried a trace of confidence.
Not to mention that his cultivation had already passed the halfway mark of the third level of Qi Condensation.
His spiritual root aptitude had also reached the ranks of mid-grade.
Among the thirty selected candidates, he was already near the forefront.
What was more, despite only being at the third level of Qi Condensation, he already possessed the divine sense of a Late-Stage Qi Condensation cultivator.
Whether refining medicinal herbs or controlling the heat, it would be immensely helpful.
Zhou Xun warmly ushered Dan Xiong Hai inside.
As soon as they sat down, Zhou Xun took out a pot of spirit wine and two wine cups, placing them on the table.
Without the slightest politeness, Dan Xiong Hai picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, tipped his head back, and drained it in one gulp before saying dissatisfiedly:
"Brother, you hid this from me far too well!"
"Today at West Square, when I suddenly heard your name, Brother, I was truly startled!"
Hearing this, Zhou Xun laughed heartily.
"My fault, then. How about I punish myself with three cups?"
As he spoke, he lifted the wine pot and knocked back three cups of spirit wine in succession.
Dan Xiong Hai was naturally not truly blaming Zhou Xun. He was merely letting out a few grievances.
"Brother, how do you plan to celebrate such joyous news?"
Zhou Xun was taken aback.
He truly had not considered that.
But since Dan Xiong Hai had brought it up, it was indeed time for a proper celebration.
"I'll invite two or three close friends and hold a small celebration among ourselves!" Zhou Xun answered after pondering for a moment.
The original owner's parents had died early, and the friendships of the older generation had long since faded.
After crossing over, Zhou Xun had feared that people familiar with him might notice something amiss, so he had deliberately reduced his social interactions.
Other than reporting for duty at Mystic Talisman Pavilion, he generally shut himself inside to cultivate.
After several years, there were only a few people with whom he still kept in touch.
Even Dan Xiong Hai only remained in contact because he often took the initiative to visit.
"Very well. What day do you plan to set it for, Brother?" Dan Xiong Hai naturally had no objection.
"I have to report to Danbao Pavilion in three days. Let's do it tomorrow!" Zhou Xun said after giving it some thought.
He then began calculating the supplies needed for the small celebration.
"There is plenty of spirit rice and spirit tea at home, so there is no need to buy more!"
"Only two pots of spirit wine remain, and we still need to purchase spirit fruits, Demon Beast Meat, and the like!"
"Leave that to me. I know Shopkeeper Hu at East Market Spirit Sundries Shop quite well, so I can get a discount!" Dan Xiong Hai said carelessly.
Both he and Second Uncle Dan were demon-hunting cultivators and had many dealings with the shopkeepers of spirit sundries shops.
Zhou Xun nodded.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Dahai!"
After buying spirit wine, spirit fruits, Demon Beast Meat, and other goods, Dan Xiong Hai carried several large bags as he headed home.
The familiar neighbors along the street all curiously asked about it.
"Dahai, did you strike it rich? You bought so many spirit goods!"
"Haha, you don't know? Brother Zhou was successfully selected as a Pill Refinement Apprentice at Danbao Pavilion. These are for celebrating with him tomorrow!"
Such happy news was naturally not something Dan Xiong Hai intended to keep secret. He blurted it out without reserve.
"Brother Zhou? Zhou Xun?"
"That's right!"
Very quickly, news of Zhou Xun's selection as a Pill Refinement Apprentice at Danbao Pavilion spread.
The next day, at Zhou Xun's home.
Zhou Xun rose early and tidied up the house.
Dan Xiong Hai also came over to help prepare the Demon Beast Meat.
Soon, it was a quarter past ten in the morning.
A hearty voice rang out from beyond the door.
"Hahaha, boy Xun, I heard you were selected by Danbao Pavilion!"
The visitor was a middle-aged man around forty, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, dressed like a martial artist. His features bore a four- or five-tenths resemblance to Dan Xiong Hai.
"Second Uncle Dan, when did you return? It has been a year since we last met!"
Zhou Xun greeted him in delighted surprise.
After the original owner's parents had passed away, he had relied greatly on this Second Uncle Dan's care to remain safely in Red Leaf Square.
Otherwise, how could a teenage boy carrying a substantial inheritance have survived in the Cultivation World, where wolves and tigers lurked everywhere?
The man laughed heartily and heavily slapped Zhou Xun's shoulder with a hand as large as a cattail fan.
The blow nearly sent Zhou Xun stumbling.
"Not bad, you've grown up. Though this frame of yours is still a little weak. When you have time, buy a body-tempering technique and practice it!"
Zhou Xun smiled and nodded, then pointed inside.
"Second Uncle, please come in and sit!"
Inside the house stood a table about five feet long, covered with spirit fruits, spirit wine, and delicacies made from Demon Beast Meat and spirit fish.
After entering, the middle-aged man did not take a seat. Instead, he slapped his waist.
A flash of white light passed, and an ancient wooden box appeared in his hand.
"Your second uncle has nothing good to offer. I had good luck in the mountains before and obtained a spirit medicine. I'm giving it to you to celebrate your joining Danbao Pavilion!"
"Second Uncle, this... is far too precious!"
After all, not every spirit plant could be called spirit medicine.
Every stalk of spirit medicine was worth more than a hundred Spirit Essence on the market.
Take the previous hunt for the Goldspirit Rat, for instance. Zhou Xun had only received seventy Spirit Essence, not even enough to buy the lowest-grade first-tier lower-grade spirit medicine.
"Things your second uncle gives away are never taken back!" The man's face darkened as he feigned anger.
"A gift from an elder must not be declined. This nephew will accept it!"
Seeing this, the man nodded in satisfaction and sat down.
As they chatted idly, the room suddenly darkened.
Everyone hurriedly looked over, only to find that a figure had filled the entire doorway.
"Warden Lin, you've come!" Zhou Xun greeted him warmly.
He had Warden Lin to thank for being able to live here.
Otherwise, after being driven out of Red Leaf Square, Zhou Xun could roughly guess what fate would have awaited him.
Thus, Zhou Xun felt considerable gratitude toward this plump warden. He had invited him to this small celebration as well.
"Not bad. Work hard." The plump warden gave a faint word of praise and handed Zhou Xun a cloth pouch.
With the plump warden's arrival, everyone Zhou Xun had invited was present.
Just as they were about to begin the feast, another burst of commotion came from outside.
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou!"
When Zhou Xun went out to look, a young man dressed as an attendant stood respectfully outside with several companions.
"So it's you lot. I've already been dismissed from Mystic Talisman Pavilion. What are you doing here?"
Zhou Xun said coldly.
When he had fallen on hard times that day, these people had mocked him right in the street.
"Brother Zhou, we heard that you were accepted by Danbao Pavilion, so we specially came to congratulate you. I was in the wrong last time—I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive us!" The young attendant said with a fawning smile.
"That's right, Brother Zhou. Please be magnanimous and do not remember the faults of petty men. Forgive us!" the others echoed in unison.
After speaking, the attendant even pulled a bulging pouch from his robes and offered it to Zhou Xun.
At this sight, Zhou Xun sneered inwardly.
As the ancients said: If one repays resentment with virtue, then with what does one repay virtue?
Before you continue