Meeting Muling Again

Taking his new Pill Furnace and materials home, Jiang Yan continued refining pills and cultivating every day.

After turning Daoist Muling's suggestion over in his mind, he decided to seek him out when the time came and ask about it. They would be in town, after all, and his face would be covered.

Three days passed in a flash, and soon the time Daoist Muling had mentioned arrived.

Dressed in a black robe as before, Jiang Yan rode an Earth-Crawling Worm to the Market.

He headed toward the stall he had rented. From far away, he could already see Daoist Muling sitting there.

Every so often, he looked up and scanned his surroundings. Unless something unexpected had happened, he was probably waiting for Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan kept his expression unchanged and walked slowly over.

"Fellow Daoist Shoulu, you're here."

Seeing Jiang Yan, Muling Daoist Boy immediately came forward to greet him.

"Fellow Daoist, have you considered the matter I mentioned the other day?"

Although Jiang Yan's presence already showed that he was interested in joining the Fire Head's ranks,

Muling Daoist Boy still felt uneasy enough to ask.

"To be honest, fellow Daoist, I am indeed interested. I just don't know how this would work."

Muling Daoist Boy gestured for Jiang Yan to sit and said:

"Rest assured, fellow Daoist. I will explain everything in detail. Before that, though, there are a few things I would like you to clarify."

Jiang Yan had no objection and raised a hand for Muling Daoist Boy to proceed.

"May I ask whether you are one of the new disciples who most recently entered the Prefecture Academy?"

How did Muling Daoist Boy know that? Jiang Yan nodded with a frown and asked:

"You're right, fellow Daoist, but where did I give myself away?"

"Hahaha, it wasn't that I saw through you. It's just that I, Muling, know of every somewhat outstanding disciple in this Prefecture Academy.

"With someone like you suddenly appearing, I could only assume you were a new disciple."

Having received Jiang Yan's answer, Daoist Muling laughed, seemingly very pleased.

He continued asking:

"The Bear-Tiger Pills you sold a few days ago weren't old stock, were they? You made them from the Pill Formula you bought after selling your Grain-Avoidance Pills that day?"

Things had come this far. Since he had already spoken, saying a little more would make no difference.

Jiang Yan even suspected that Muling Daoist Boy most likely already knew his identity.

He simply nodded again, confirming his words.

"That's right. That's exactly what happened."

Seeing Jiang Yan confirm it so casually, Muling Daoist Boy still felt deeply crushed, even though he had already known in his heart.

His cultivation talent was merely ordinary. He had once tried his hand at pill refining too, but had achieved little.

Now, seeing how strong Jiang Yan's talent for pill refining was, then thinking of his own circumstances, he could not help falling into a daze.

Still, he quickly recovered and nodded to Jiang Yan.

"If what you say is true, Fellow Daoist Jiang, then I have a seventy to eighty percent chance of helping you become the Prefecture Academy's Fire Head's disciple."

Not joining the Fire Head's ranks, but becoming his disciple?

Jiang Yan was stunned. Muling Daoist Boy was only a mere Ninth Grade cultivator, yet he had connections like that?

But why would he help me? What was he after?

When Jiang Yan did not answer, Daoist Muling naturally understood his concerns.

Pies falling from the sky were not something Daoists believed in.

If one really did fall, the first thing to consider would instead be whether it was poisoned.

"You must have doubts, fellow Daoist. Please speak freely."

With those words from Muling Daoist Boy, Jiang Yan no longer needed to hesitate and immediately asked his question.

"Since you have such connections, fellow Daoist, why use them on me?"

Muling Daoist Boy patted his belly, wearing a smile that might have been bitter or happy.

"To tell you the truth, I do have some ties to the Fire Head. Even my entry into the Prefecture Academy owed much to his help with various resources..."

Only after Daoist Muling's explanation did Jiang Yan understand the causes behind it all.

As it turned out, Daoist Muling's lineage had once done the Prefecture Academy's Fire Head a kindness.

Later, when his lineage declined, the Fire Head provided resources to help Daoist Muling enter the Prefecture Academy, and had even wanted to take him as a disciple.

Daoist Muling had refused, however, on the grounds that his talent was poor.

"Why refuse something so good? And since you already refused, why do you say you can recommend me to him?"

"My aptitude is poor. What would becoming his disciple accomplish?

"At most, I would break through to Eighth Grade and drag out my life for another three hundred-odd years. What use would that be?"

Looking at the somewhat agitated Muling Daoist Boy before him, Jiang Yan shook his head.

"Then what use would recommending me to him be?"

"It would naturally be useful. I have spent several years in this Prefecture Academy. In terms of talent, you certainly rank among its finest."

Muling Daoist Boy calmed down and continued, stating his purpose.

"To comprehend the Bear-Tiger Pill Formula in just a few short days-with such comprehension, reaching the Sixth-Rank Realm someday would surely be no idle fantasy for you."

As he spoke, Muling Daoist Boy seemed to make some decision and gritted his teeth.

"If you are willing, fellow Daoist, I, Muling, will recommend you to the Fire Head, and I can even acknowledge you as my master!"

Seeing Muling Daoist Boy go so far as to say this, Jiang Yan instead grew even calmer.

"For you to offer so much, there must be a condition. What is it you want?"

"How would someone like me dare ask for too much? I only ask that, if you reach Sixth Grade someday, you use every means available to raise me to the Seventh-Rank Realm."

"If you break through to Fourth Grade someday, you must raise me to Sixth Grade. We must establish an Immortal Dynasty Contract as proof."

After hearing Daoist Muling's words, Jiang Yan could not help weighing them up.

He could set aside the latter condition of raising Muling to Sixth Grade after he reached Fourth Grade. Even if Jiang Yan was confident he could reach that realm, there was no telling when it would happen.

The first demand, however, was no small one. Even the Prefecture Academy's Eighteen Heads were merely outstanding cultivators within the Seventh Grade Upper Stage; only a very few had Sixth-Rank Realm cultivation.

Comparing the two, the price of becoming the Fire Head's disciple was definitely not worth the resources needed to raise a Seventh-Rank Realm cultivator.

But he could not look at it that way. Jiang Yan was currently utterly penniless, with a powerful enemy before him. This was precisely when he needed a backer.

Besides, once he reached Sixth Grade, the resources needed to raise a Seventh-Rank Realm cultivator probably would not strain his foundations.

After turning it over in his mind, he felt this bargain was reasonably worthwhile, but he still needed to clarify every aspect first.

"If that is the case, I can accept. But are you confident you can make it happen?"

"Rest assured, fellow Daoist. I would naturally not loose an arrow without a target."

"If you agree, why don't we establish the contract right away?"

Muling Daoist Boy turned his hand over and produced a golden board. Its surface was completely blank, without the slightest marking.

Seeing that he had prepared it in advance, Jiang Yan did not nod his agreement.

"Let's buy a new one at the Many Treasures Tower instead."

Although Muling Daoist Boy did not seem to be lying, Jiang Yan would not lower his guard.

If he had tampered with it, wouldn't a moment's greed end up costing Jiang Yan his life?

Muling Daoist Boy, however, truly seemed to have no ulterior intentions. Instead, he simply packed up his stall and walked farther inside with him.

Upon reaching the Many Treasures Tower, Jiang Yan had him wait outside and went in alone to buy a blank Contract Gold Board.

Muling Daoist Boy still had no objection. Only after Jiang Yan came out did the two begin discussing the contract's various restrictions.

This was the most crucial part. Not a single word could be written incorrectly. Jiang Yan concentrated fully, striving to avoid even one mistake.