Could Jiang Chi have given me that advice to prepare for both possibilities?
If I hadn't come to see Jiang Yunyao right away, he could have intercepted me when I went exploring outside town.
Given the current circumstances, Jiang Yan was more inclined to trust Jiang Yunyao's words.
After all, she had directly explained the reasons behind the Prefecture Academy's actions to him.
Yesterday, Jiang Chi had mostly introduced the situation in the East River Realm.
As for why the Prefecture Academy treated disciples like them this way, he had said little.
Comparing the two, Jiang Yan naturally leaned toward one of them. He gathered his thoughts.
He then asked about the other things Jiang Chi had mentioned yesterday, such as the town's rules, the curfew, the market, and supplementary studies in pills, formations, talismans, and artifacts.
This time, Jiang Yunyao found nothing wrong.
It seemed Jiang Chi had not tampered with this information, perhaps for fear that the more he said, the more mistakes he would make.
Jiang Yan entrusted all the remaining clansmen's letters to Jiang Yunyao for delivery.
Ever since Jiang Chi had entered High Person Yushi's service, Jiang Yunyao had taken charge of the Jiang Household's clansmen in the Prefecture Academy.
Setting down the bundle of letters, Jiang Yan rose to take his leave.
"If you run into difficulties, you can come here to find me."
Jiang Yunyao saw him to the door. The Jiang Household servant from earlier was gone as well.
Jiang Yan walked out of Spring Breeze Tower alone and raised his head to meet the sunlight.
Things had changed too quickly. Since that was the case, it seemed his plans would need a slight adjustment too.
But it was still early, so Jiang Yan decided to visit the market first.
No matter what, cultivation ought to come first. He should choose a supplementary Dao-supporting method before anything else.
Jiang Yan climbed onto Jinbao again and headed toward the market in a series of hops.
Some more time passed. After asking for directions several times along the way, Jiang Yan finally reached the market.
The area where the market stood was not bustling; old courtyards and tall houses dotted its surroundings.
Jinbao leaped over a house at the street corner, and an abrupt expanse of open space appeared before them.
Grayish-white mist shrouded the open space, making its extent impossible to tell.
No figures could be seen within, nor could any sounds be heard.
Jiang Yan had Jinbao shrink, tucked the toad into his robes, and walked straight toward it.
Whoosh-
He plunged headfirst into the grayish-white mist.
The instant he passed through the mist, the noise in his ears swelled, with vendors' cries rising one after another.
It was as though he had gone from deep in the mountains to a bustling market in an instant.
Who knew what formation had created this mist? It had color but no scent, and he felt nothing when he touched it.
It could even block the sounds and sights of this entire area.
Presumably, whoever stood behind this market was no ordinary person.
Jiang Yan walked along the road. This was the market's outer edge, with stalls of every kind lining both sides and no shops.
The more particular stallholders spread out a piece of cloth to keep off the dust.
Those less particular simply tossed their wares on the ground.
Jiang Yan looked at the flesh and blood on the stall before him, covered in mud and black soil.
He studied it for quite some time but could not tell what creature it had been cut from.
Seeing the stallholder look his way, he shook his head and turned away.
He did not dare eat something of unknown origin that he could not identify. Once he mastered the Ingestion Method, however, he could take a gamble.
He looked no further. Clearly, these outer stalls would not have the methods he wanted.
Nor did Jiang Yan think he could rummage through a heap of junk and turn up something good.
He continued deeper into the market.
After he passed the long stretch of stalls, more shops appeared on either side.
The quality of the goods rose immediately. After all, renting a shop in the market was not cheap.
Anyone willing to rent one for business certainly needed confidence in their own merchandise.
Following Jiang Yunyao's directions, Jiang Yan walked all the way to the innermost part of the market, searching all around.
Only when he spotted a shop several zhang tall, with a grand and imposing exterior, did he breathe a sigh of relief and hurry toward it.
Cousin Yunyao had indeed been right. The Many Treasures Tower run by the Prefecture Academy was certainly conspicuous.
True to its name, the building had colored gemstones decorating every eave and parapet, while the Ten Auspicious Beasts Illustration was carved into the walls on either side of the entrance.
The illustration depicted ten kinds of High Antiquity Auspicious Beasts. One looked like a toad-didn't it bear some resemblance to Jinbao in Jiang Yan's robes?
Jiang Yan stepped inside. Counters divided into square compartments lined both sides of the building, displaying all kinds of resources.
"Is that a Bear-Tiger Pill?"
In a fairly prominent display compartment on a counter sat a dark red pill.
Judging by its position, it probably sold well.
Jiang Yan happened to recognize this pill. It was one of the indispensable resources for cultivation in the Ninth Grade Realm, and he had once seen his second uncle take one.
Turning his head, Jiang Yan looked at the attendant before him.
The attendant had approached as soon as he entered, but seeing him looking at the counters, had refrained from interrupting.
"What might you be looking for, honored customer? Just let me know."
"Do you have any pill-making methods?"
Jiang Yan had long since decided what sort of Dao-supporting method he would practice.
Things like spiritual farming and insect rearing naturally needed no consideration.
With the Stone Book in hand, learning would not be too difficult anyway.
He should prioritize pills, formations, talismans, and artifacts.
Of these four methods, the Dao of formations was the hardest and consumed the most resources and time, so he had no wish to choose it.
The remaining three methods differed little.
After turning it over in his mind, he had decided on pill-making.
If he achieved some success, he could earn profits by refining pills for others and take them for his own cultivation as well.
"Of course. Please wait a moment."
The attendant first invited Jiang Yan to sit, served him clear tea, and brought over fruit and pastries before leaving.
Quick and deft, he returned with a booklet in no time.
Jiang Yan took the booklet, opened it, and began reading.
"Gu-Feeding Pill-Forming Method (Witchcraft and Gu Ritual Path): to obtain pills, first obtain Gu-Eating. Direct the gu to consume medicinal ingredients, and pills can be formed..."
"Beast-Rearing Yellow Treasure Method (Netherworld-Penetrating and Beast-Commanding Dao): mundane beasts often contain unusual materials, such as those known as ox bezoars and dog treasures. This method is easy to obtain. Within a beast's body, guide blood through..."
"Charm-Devil Sentiment-Evoking Method (Netherworld-Penetrating and Beast-Commanding Dao): beneath the nether soil dwell beings called chi, mei, wang, and liang. Unlike humans, their tears are extraordinary. Move them with sentiment to obtain these..."
The several methods he read were all unorthodox pill-forming methods. Never mind that Jiang Yan did not want to practice them-even if he did, he could not.
Where would he find Gu-Eating or charm-devils?
He did have a Golden Toad as a spirit beast, but using Jinbao to refine pills would undoubtedly mean losing the greater for the lesser. The gains would not make up for the losses.
Holding the booklet, Jiang Yan turned a few more pages and finally found the pill-making method he wanted.
"Five Phases Pill-Forming Method (Qi-Feeding and Method-Practicing Dao): an orthodox method of obtaining pills. Beginners should start with the Fire Element, either preparing a fire seed or selecting a fire vein..."
Jiang Yan closed the booklet. There was no need to read further. This was the one.
"How much does this Five Phases Pill-Forming Method cost?"
"Honored customer, if your strength is below Seventh Grade, you can only practice the water and fire branches of this pill-making method. Each branch costs three hundred Spirit Stones."
The Five Phases Pill-Forming Method certainly lived up to its orthodox status. Just the fire method recommended for beginners cost three hundred Spirit Stones.
Jiang Yan gritted his teeth and bought the fire branch anyway, then spent another ten Spirit Stones on ten Bear-Tiger Pills before leaving the Many Treasures Tower.
He headed out of the market, passing the outer stalls along the way.
He also bought a secondhand Pill Furnace, together with ten complimentary Flame-Tending Talismans, for a total of twenty Spirit Stones.
"Ah, I only had five hundred-odd Spirit Stones altogether, and one trip out cost me three hundred and thirty. I'd better find some work as soon as possible."
Climbing onto Jinbao, Jiang Yan returned fully laden.
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