Ji Yuan grumbled about his own excessive good fortune, sighing for a long while before sitting up straight and picking up the iron token from the table.
The token, etched with ‘Xuan Tian · Ten’, appeared to be forged from raw iron, yet it felt warm and smooth as jade in his hand, its rusty surface lending a texture like withered wood.
Merely holding the token, he seemed to sense an invisible karma, and a decision already began to form in his mind.
After a long pause, he tucked the token into his robe, glanced at the sky, and then swayed his way into the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Since his senior brothers had left early that morning to perform rites in the villages near the county town, this midday meal was a simple affair.
The rice used for cooking was spiritual rice cultivated by cultivators. Though it was of the lowest grade, it still contained a trace of spiritual energy, free from any impurities or turbid qi. Consuming it over time not only nourished the body but also helped to improve one’s cultivation.
After washing the spiritual rice, Ji Yuan also sliced some cured meat and steamed it together with the rice.
This cured meat was also sourced from a caged spiritual beast, containing not only spiritual energy but also residual qi and blood.
He pondered for a moment, then washed a handful of wild vegetables, all herbs gathered from the mountains. While they did not contain spiritual energy themselves, their properties were mild and nourishing, capable of strengthening the foundation and replenishing vital essence.
The ingredients used for this midday meal were all extraordinary. Forget ordinary households, even those of considerable means would find it difficult to enjoy such fare consistently.
Converted to silver, this single meal would cost at least thirty taels of silver, and that was just for himself and his master. If his senior brothers were present, the cost would at least double or triple.
It was fortunate that the founder of the Xuan Tian Abbey had left behind a tome, the *Grand Dao Compendium*, and that he had found a bronze alchemy furnace in the kitchen, allowing him to practice the art of alchemy and become a genuine alchemist.
Otherwise, Ji Yuan truly couldn't afford such daily expenses.
An incense stick later, the old man, who had been engrossed in a Daoist scripture, followed the aroma to the kitchen and sat at the dining table, watching his young disciple busily at work.
When two large bowls of spiritual rice topped with cured meat, and a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables were served, the old man, who had forgotten to eat breakfast, eagerly picked up his chopsticks and quickly devoured half a bowl of rice and a piece of cured meat.
“I plan to teach your senior brothers the awakening incantation later, to see if they can successfully awaken and embark on the path of cultivation,” the old Daoist mumbled as he shoveled spiritual rice into his mouth.
In the past, he had thought that the Xuan Tian Abbey should end with this generation. To continue in such a precarious state, constantly being watched by others, was not ideal.
Despite the Xuan Tian Abbey's decline, to the point where no cultivators had appeared for several generations, some old enemies and other factions still cast their eyes upon this small Daoist temple from time to time.
Historically, the Xuan Tian Abbey had produced individuals with astonishing talent in cultivation, but they either met with accidents while traveling or were eventually lured away by certain factions and cultivated by them.
It was precisely for this reason that the old Daoist only taught the skills of ghost-catching and demon-exorcism, never imparting the awakening incantation passed down through generations of the Xuan Tian Abbey, nor the basic, tattered Daoist scriptures to his other disciples.
However, the old man himself had never imagined that his youngest disciple, without the awakening incantation, and merely by reading two Daoist scriptures, would spontaneously awaken and embark on the path of cultivation.
Such innate talent, even after decades of study, he himself had not achieved to become a cultivator, clearly indicated its astonishing nature.
Even in a true great sect, he would be groomed as a direct disciple, with the potential to ascend to the ranks of Land Immortals in the future.
“After hiding for so many years, why do you suddenly wish to reveal it?” Ji Yuan glanced up at the old man, asking casually.
Most of his attention was still immersed in figuring out how to perfectly complete this transaction with the Nine Xuan Sect.
Ideally, he wanted to gain substantial benefits without inviting disaster, and also to resolve the karmic ties.
“Since you are unwilling to go to the Nine Xuan Sect, I presume you have no desire to join other sects either.” The old man put down his empty bowls and chopsticks, unable to refrain from a sigh. “In that case, you will need someone by your side who can offer some assistance and whom you can fully trust.”
Even itinerant cultivators would gather friends outside, and certainly take on disciples and servants within. It was rare for cultivators to truly be alone.
As long as one resided within heaven and earth, there would always be matters to consider. Having trusted individuals by one's side could alleviate some of the burden, allowing one to avoid being overly hands-on with everything and thus wasting precious cultivation years.
“This is somewhat unfair to my senior brothers,” Ji Yuan stated sullenly after a moment of stunned silence.
Hearing this, the old Daoist smiled knowingly. He had been hesitant before, but seeing his young disciple’s expression now solidified his resolve.
He pondered for a moment before slowly saying, “This cannot be called unfair. This matter benefits you, and it is an even greater fortune for them. If they can embark on the path of cultivation, the myriad benefits are self-evident.”
Even an initial stage of enlightenment could extend one's lifespan by ten to twenty years. If one could cultivate magical power, all sorts of divine abilities could be employed, and one would already be considered beyond the realm of mortals.
For ordinary secular people, this was indeed a tremendous stroke of good fortune.
“Your Master is incompetent and cannot leave much of an inheritance. If any of your senior brothers can awaken, then in the future, as brothers on the path of cultivation, you can at least support each other.” The old man shook his head, his expression tinged with emotion. After saying these words, he silently rose and returned to his room.
In truth, he held back a thought: the truly unfair party was the youngest disciple.
If a couple of those disciples were to awaken, they would in fact be recipients of Ji Yuan's blessings on their cultivation journey. At best, they could only serve as a watchman, or perhaps not even a gatekeeper.
Given Ji Yuan’s innate talent, he was destined to go far, becoming a great cultivator of his generation, capable of holding a position as an inner elder in any sect.
Conversely, the other disciples of the old Daoist, even if they were fortunate enough to awaken, would have extremely limited future achievements. After all, their Xuan Tian Abbey was not a great sect blessed with abundant fortune. Having one Ji Yuan had already exhausted the accumulated luck of one to two hundred years.
Under such circumstances, how could there be more disciples with extraordinary talent?
After clearing the dishes on the table, Ji Yuan scratched his head. He understood his master’s intentions and held no resentment in his heart.
If it were possible, he wished that his master and senior brothers could all awaken overnight and embark on the path of cultivation. With his current alchemical skills and his own abundant fortune, he could support the entire Daoist temple, allowing them all to study the Great Dao together.
Alas, this was merely his own wishful thinking!
“Young Daoist! Young Daoist!”
Just as Ji Yuan stood up, intending to clear the dishes, a voice filled with anxiety called out from afar.
He quickly exited the kitchen, and before he could reach the main hall, he saw a young man dressed in servant attire running towards him.
Such commotion naturally alerted the old man, who stood at the doorway, silently observing the scene in the courtyard.
His young disciple’s identity as an alchemist was not a secret in Qian Yu City. Some martial sects and wealthy families were generally aware of it. People often came seeking help, so the old man was not surprised.
“Are you from the Zhao family?” Ji Yuan recognized the man’s identity at a glance upon seeing his attire.
The man nodded, wiping sweat from his face with his sleeve. He had likely been running too fast, and was now so out of breath that he couldn’t utter a coherent sentence.
After a long while, the servant managed to speak intermittently, “This humble one is called Zhao Shencai, a servant of the Zhao family!”
“The family head… has sent me to request the young Daoist… to come and save a life!”