Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 79: Chapter 45: A Man at Sixty-One Is Like a Blooming Flower

Facts prove that there is no need to rush many things, time will solve all problems.

Of course, ten years is still too short, not many issues can be resolved.

However, the previous concern about Zheng Tianxiang’s matter was put to rest eight years ago with no further news.

It is said that he is in seclusion planning his Foundation Establishment to prevent any risk of jeopardizing the Zheng family’s one-clan four Foundation Establishment reputation.

Meanwhile, the entire Zheng family has changed their previously arrogant stance, whether towards the other seven families or regarding business competition within the Market, they have clearly shown signs of retreat and goodwill.

This has significantly increased the market share for Yan Family’s Pill Shop over the years.

Of course, this is also related to Yan Qingwan’s improvement in Alchemy Skill.

Li Ji’an’s dividends over the years have steadily increased from the initial one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones to three hundred and eighty per year.

Fully meeting the Thunder Flame Crystal needs for Body Refining, while his investment in Gugu has also greatly increased, and there’s even savings.

Moreover, the Medicinal Field developed in cooperation between Yan Family and Wei Family has stabilized in outputting medicinal materials, leading the Yan Family to gradually regain their footing these years, and according to Yan Qingwan, they are planning to prepare Foundation Establishment Pills within the clan.

Once Yan Qingwan successfully achieves Foundation Establishment, the Yan Family will not just have two Foundation Establishments, but will gain an additional Second Tier Pill Master!

The value of a Second Tier Pill Master is unparalleled in the Wilderness, even surpassing the worth of a one-clan three Foundation Establishments.

All this gives people a sense of a glorious era akin to oil on a raging flame, with flowers in full bloom.

Nonetheless, Li Ji’an remains wary of this.

The more Zheng Family adopts such a stance, the more it proves their high regard for Zheng Tianxiang, not to mention his potential to break through to Core Formation in the future. If the Zheng Family truly achieves one-clan four Foundation Establishments in the future.

He is uncertain if the current stable situation among the Eight Great Families in the Desert can be maintained.

Although it seems that the change from three Foundation Establishments to four within Zheng Family may not be significant, it’s still insufficient to contend against the alliance of the other seven families.

Yet, once four Foundation Establishments emerge, it’s difficult to guarantee that someone among the other seven families won’t feel powerless.

At that time, believing that the rise of Zheng Family is unstoppable, they might, for the sake of clan inheritance, betray and engage in dragon-servant deeds.

Thus, he is also actively preparing a backup plan, should the situation here break into chaos after ”Rejuvenation”, he must alter the plan, being prepared with spare plans, as eggs should not be placed in one basket.

”Brother Li, today you must return once, if you delay again, I will send someone to fetch you.” Yan Qingwan deliberately waited for him upon his arrival at the Pill Shop today.

Li Ji’an’s eyelid twitched.

He recalls being forced into marriage in his previous life before crossing over, unexpectedly encountering the same in the Cultivation Realm.

”Brother Li, you are already approaching sixty, and you’ll soon be an ancient person of seventy, if you delay marriage, it might be difficult to even consider offspring!”

”...” Li Ji’an’s mouth twitched further at these words, this exaggeration surpasses even what his mother said in the first life, indeed it’s the Cultivation Realm, a blink of an eye can traverse from sixty to seventy.

Since seven years ago when he was fifty, Yan Family began arranging marriage matters for him.

Initially, it wasn’t that urgent, considered a clan benefit, merely suggesting he could first choose among the clan’s women.

Now, it’s rather forcing him into marriage.

This is naturally due to Yan Qingwan’s efforts.

Half a year ago, they stayed in the Alchemy Room for two months consecutively, after nearly a hundred failures, they finally succeeded in refining a Middle Stage Top-Grade Qi Replenishing Pill, causing Yan Qingwan to jump excitedly at the time.

She virtually unreservedly shared Li Ji’an’s contributions over the years, especially his Talent in Alchemy Dao and extraordinary Comprehension, at the Elder Council within the clan.

Nowadays, Yan Qingwan’s status as a Tier One Pill Master has expanded her voice within the clan, and she no longer minds the clan’s suspicions towards her.

”Brother Li, this time it’s the Grand Elder’s granddaughter, eighteen years old, with a beautiful face, full figure, at the Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer, with the highest Seven Threads of Spirit Charm, you should meet her, there might be a mutual interest, I’m begging you!”

Li Ji’an sighed inwardly, this was a pit he dug for himself, he must avoid it in the next life.

Initially, because he knew about the internal imbalance in Yan Family with its excess yang to yin ratio, female cultivators couldn’t be absorbed within the clan unless they made significant contributions, hence he often whispered in Yan Qingwan’s ear to prepare for the next life in advance.

As a result... unexpected to him, Yan Qingwan brought him to the fore, turning him into a desirable figure within the clan.

According to Zhang Tiezhu’s letter, many female cultivators within the clan are now interested in him, believing that offspring born with him might inherit his extraordinary talent in Alchemy Dao and high Comprehension, enabling them to leverage their children to rise in status.

”Where’s Xiaoli? The old man himself has come to invite you, surely you can’t refuse now?” Just as Li Ji’an was contemplating how to refuse once and for all, a hearty old laugh echoed into the Pill Shop.

The next moment, the Grand Elder Yan Kongyi from the Yan Family Medicinal Field twenty-one years ago entered the Pill Shop.

”Xiaoli, I heard you haven’t dared to leave the Market for seventeen years, today the old man comes to escort you personally, rest assured, unless those Foundation Establishment old guys shamelessly come, you’ll be protected without worry.”

”Greetings, Grand Elder!” Li Ji’an and others inside the shop paid their respects.

”Uncle, why have you come?”

Yan Kongyi waved his hand casually: ”It’s none of your business, go about your work, Xiaoli, let’s talk inside, just the two of us.”

Li Ji’an followed him into the inner room.

As soon as they entered, a baffling scene unfolded to Li Ji’an.

The always esteemed Yan Kongyi within the clan entered the inner room, and smiled respectfully while clasping his hands towards Li Ji’an: ”Xiaoli, earlier outside there were many people... that time it wasn’t the old man’s choice not to save you, it truly was... alas, all wrongs are my fault, to compensate, once you marry my granddaughter, will you accept my lifetime research and tradition in Talisman?”

Four months ago, Yan Qingwan spoke about Li Ji’an’s Comprehension and Talent in Alchemy Dao during a clan meeting, everyone except those already aware like Yan Zongsheng were shocked, yet more were skeptical.

Then several elders personally came to observe Li Ji’an’s Alchemy.

Witnessing his sixty percent Pill Formation Success Rate for Upper Grade Pills during the introductory pills, they finally believed Yan Qingwan’s account.

The Grand Elder was in seclusion and had no chance to come, but upon hearing afterward, he was intrigued.

He excelled in the Talisman arts.

However, one must note that in the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, despite Talisman arts ranking high, its lower limit is extremely low, anyone with Magical Power can attempt Talisman Painting, and those with slightly longer-lasting Magical Power can almost always create low-level talismans. Things like Cleaning Talisman, Dust-removal Talisman, Purifying Heart Talisman... these low-level talismans have long been oversupplied, their prices very low, selling materials to Talisman Masters yields greater profit.

Conversely, its upper limit is very high, yet achieving success in the Talisman arts is extraordinarily difficult.

Even Middle Level Tier One talismans have extremely high requirements in terms of prolonged Magical Power and a strong Divine Soul, the most important factor is, the demand for Comprehension in Talisman arts is even higher than that of the Alchemy Dao.

The main difference between Talisman Painting and Alchemy is, with Alchemy there is at least a system to follow, which medicinal materials to use, sequence, Pill Fire intensity, Pill Furnace choice...

But with Talisman Painting, each stroke can never be entirely identical, and while Alchemy at least has medicinal materials as the core efficacy, Talisman Painting relies solely on the Divine Soul to interact with the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism, storing it in Talisman Materials.

With lesser Comprehension in Alchemy, one might still refine successfully, even if the success rate and quality were a bit lower.

However, Talisman Painting lacking Comprehension is absolutely impossible to succeed.

He dedicated a lifetime to Talisman Painting, initially to lead the clan into the Talisman market, yet until now he couldn’t ensure profitable results from Middle-Level Tier One Talismans.

When in good condition, five batches of Talisman Materials yield one completed talisman, in bad states, ten batches might produce none.

He feels discontent, however over these years, he has acknowledged his lack of sufficient Comprehension, with no hopes but still desires a future clan talent in Talisman arts to inherit his legacy.

This time his granddaughter is expected to pair with Li Ji’an.