In the quiet room, Ji Yuan sat cross-legged, gazing at the small pagoda floating before him, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
A trace of spiritual energy remained within the pagoda's body, and at his mental command, it manifested.
Mo Zigui had deliberately left a strand of pure spiritual energy in the pagoda, not a great amount, but precisely enough to sustain its protective capabilities for a period.
Whether he had foreseen something or acted on a whim, either way, it had provided significant help at a crucial moment.
Without this trace of spiritual energy, Ji Yuan, though capable of blocking those attacks, would have found it extremely difficult and certainly not so composed.
“It seems I owe a favor, no matter how small.”
He sighed, but without much distress.
This kind of favor was the most comforting to owe; he could repay it at a later opportunity, without worrying about being entangled by karma.
He calmed his mind, returning to a state of tranquility, then quickly formed hand seals, channeling streams of pure vital energy into the seven-story pagoda floating in the air before him.
In moments, the pagoda’s body shimmered with a soft glow, gathering the prepared materials and drawing out their pure essence.
According to the Daoist scripture, the full name of this treasure was the 'Shangqing Lingbao Xuanmiao Tianbao Pagoda'. The prefix 'Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun' and the name 'Xuanmiao Tian' already indicated its power.
The Xuan Tian Pagoda had three stages of development: three-story, seven-story, and nine-story. When nurtured to its complete form, it could wield all its powers, capable of capturing opponents and treasures, protecting oneself, and suppressing enemies.
Beyond these, it possessed various profound mysteries that could not be fully described in a few words. According to the Xuan Tian Dao Scripture, the original ancestor had refined this treasure, and its myriad lights could protect him from any harm, even when subjected to the combined might of several powerful beings.
However, the Xuan Tian Pagoda in Ji Yuan's hand, though seven stories high, was reforged from other magical artifacts. It still required a great deal of spiritual materials to nurture and refine before it could truly transform into the 'Shangqing Lingbao Xuanmiao Tianbao Pagoda'.
A night passed swiftly.
He early retrieved the Xuan Tian Pagoda and the spiritual materials that had not yet been fully refined. After a night of refining and nurturing, the pagoda's power had advanced further. He estimated that it would take another month or two to complete its transformation.
Today, he did not, as usual, immerse himself in diligent cultivation. Instead, he uncharacteristically opened the door of his quiet room, intending to sit in the courtyard for a while.
From this day forward, many matters would require his constant attention to prevent unexpected developments.
As Ji Yuan pushed open the door of his quiet room, he saw Xia Dong holding a basin of water, a strip of white cloth draped over her arm, quietly looking down and waiting.
“Young Master, please wash your face.”
Xia Dong softly called out when she saw him emerge.
Ji Yuan's mouth twitched. He didn’t know if she was naturally like this or if it was a cultivated habit, but she always spoke so softly, her crisp voice giving an impression of meekness and cuteness.
He shook his head, dismissing these thoughts, wet the white cloth, wrung it out, and absently wiped his face before walking to the courtyard in silence.
As soon as he sat down in the pavilion, he casually glanced at the pond water nearby and felt someone approach. Without turning around, he knew it was Xia Dong.
Soon, a soft sound reached his ears. He glanced sideways and saw a pile of fruits, preserved snacks, and exquisite pastries laid out on the table.
As for the girl, she was arranging the tea set, charcoal stove, and boiling water for tea.
Suddenly, Ji Yuan was startled and instinctively turned around. He then saw Xia Dong tap the mountain river pouch at her waist, take out a box of tea, select a few leaves, and place them in the teapot before putting the box away again.
He looked at the pile of items on the table and then at Xia Dong’s mountain river pouch, and for a moment, it seemed he understood something.
“Lingyu, it’s rare to see you in such a pleasant mood.”
Zhao Yuansong walked over slowly and sat opposite him. Hot tea was immediately served.
He thanked her but showed no surprise, clearly already aware of the situation. In fact, everyone had known since yesterday when Xia Dong had arrived in the courtyard.
Ji Yuan, Xia Dong’s master, was arguably the last to know about this matter.
“If it were possible, I wish I could undergo a long and peaceful seclusion.”
He sighed, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Alas, in this mortal world, there were always things to be done. The desire to cultivate without regard for anything was itself a luxury.
“Ji Yuan!”
As they both took a sip of the spirit tea, a surprised exclamation sounded from not far away.
Turning to look, they saw Jiang He holding Zhao Yuebai by the hand, running towards the pavilion with a look of joy.
“Master!”
Little Yuebai bowed respectfully. Then, with her small face beaming, she and Jiang He held the fruits, preserved snacks, and exquisite pastries from the table.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan couldn't help but shake his head slightly. In less than half an hour, he had heard three different forms of address, which was somewhat exasperating.
However, given his acquaintance with Zhao Yuansong, directly addressing him by name would seem distant. Using his Daoist title felt more intimate. And as Jiang He was of the same generation, there were fewer reservations.
“Is there something to do?”
After a long pause, Zhao Yuansong suddenly asked.
Ji Yuan nodded. So many days had passed; it was time for a result.
However, this result still required waiting for others to complete their tasks before it could be fully revealed.
Before that, however, they could witness a spectacle, not overly grand but significant, as a diversion during their wait.
Approximately the time it took for an incense stick to burn, an old woman entered the courtyard. She was a trusted confidante of Qian Nishang, having served her family for three generations.
If Ji Yuan remembered correctly, her surname was Yuan, and she was respectfully addressed as ‘Granny Yuan’ by the Qian family.
Seeing her enter the courtyard, the four people in the pavilion immediately stood up. As she approached, they greeted her with smiles, showing all due respect.
Regardless of Granny Yuan’s status within the Qian family, her being a late-stage second-realm cultivator was enough for them to show her due reverence.
Furthermore, she was a cultivator who excelled at stealth and assassination!
“Daoist Ji, the young lady sent this old servant to inform you that we made our move against the Cui family last night. Unfortunately, Cui Long was rescued by someone at the last moment.”
Granny Yuan said with a hint of apology, then clapped her hands. Behind her, more than ten servants placed a pile of boxes of various sizes outside the pavilion.
These were some of the confiscated assets from the Cui family, considered compensation for the danger Ji Yuan faced yesterday due to Cui Long’s betrayal, and possibly even compensation for forcibly sending Xia Dong to him.
“According to Granny Yuan, a third-realm cultivator intervened last night?”
Ji Yuan merely glanced at the boxes before turning his attention to the old woman before him.
Upon hearing this, she nodded without hesitation and said softly, “This morning, Cui Long appeared in an enterprise belonging to the Li family.”
This made it clear who had rescued him last night, no guesswork needed; the answer was delivered directly to them.
Upon hearing this, his brow furrowed. If Cui Long was an informant for the Li family, then many things had likely been leaked.
Any further attempts to target the Li family would naturally become more difficult, and many of Li Wenqing's plans might be thwarted.
However, these were not his concerns. The situation was not complicated from the beginning. The only noteworthy aspect was that even knowing there was danger ahead, one had to step into it.
Now that they were in the game, escaping unharmed was undoubtedly impossible.
After a brief conversation, Granny Yuan took her leave with her retinue. Judging by her hurried demeanor, she had many errands to attend to personally.
If he was not mistaken, Qian Nishang and the Qian family were also prepared and about to enter the fray.
And their involvement meant that the matter was nearing its conclusion, and a result would soon be revealed.
“Master, what are these filled with?”
Zhao Yuebai asked.
He and Jiang He were guarding the pile of boxes, curiously examining them. The boxes were made of a special material and had talismans pasted on them to conceal their contents, making it impossible to discern what was inside from the outside.
“Open them and you'll know!”
Ji Yuan's eyes lit up.
At this moment, he was more like a child than Zhao Yuebai. He dashed to the pile of boxes, examining them for a long time, seemingly contemplating which one to open first.
Seeing this, Zhao Yuansong covered his forehead and shook his head, while Xia Dong covered her mouth and chuckled.
Finally, one wooden box after another was opened. Besides two boxes of gold and three boxes of snowflake-patterned silver, the rest were rare treasures, including three or four well-made magical artifacts, and a small palm-sized alchemical furnace.
Ji Yuan picked out a round shield, about a foot in size, and handed it to Zhao Yuebai, telling him to use it for protection. Then, after a moment's thought, he took out a wooden ruler from his mountain river pouch and tossed it into Jiang He’s embrace.
The two who received magical artifacts immediately huddled together, examining their new possessions, appearing quite happy.
“Although these were confiscated from the Cui family, Qian Nishang truly spared no expense.”
He withdrew his gaze and looked at the pile of rare treasures, sighing with emotion.
Most of these items were antiques, calligraphy, paintings, precious jewelry, and ornaments. Some were large blood-red corals, fist-sized luminous pearls, and flawless jade discs.
If all of them were sold, it would likely fetch at least a hundred thousand taels of silver, not to mention the five boxes of gold and snowflake-patterned silver.
Even for a family of Qian's standing, three to four hundred thousand taels of silver was not a small sum, especially since Qian Nishang had already spent half of her fortune to raise funds and earn merit.
“Generosity at others' expense, earning your gratitude, is a profitable transaction.”
Zhao Yuansong also exclaimed.
Although he had climbed to the position of senior disciple in the outer sect of the Nine Xuan Sect through his own efforts and had experienced many opportunities, he had never seen such a large amount of wealth.
It was likely that the cost of his cultivation over a decade was less than a quarter of what was before him!
However, since meeting Ji Yuan, he seemed to have encountered such sums of money more than once or twice.
“Aren't you going to put in a good word for your benefactor while you're here?”
Ji Yuan smiled slightly and then, as if remembering something, teased the girl beside him.
Hearing this, Xia Dong bowed slightly and chuckled, “This servant has been given to Young Master, so naturally, I will not speak for outsiders.”
He didn’t care how much truth or falsehood was in her words. After echoing her laughter a couple of times, he tapped the mountain river pouch at his waist.
A stream of light swept through, collecting most of the boxes, leaving only the two containing jewels and antiques.
“Everyone gets a share. This one is yours.”
Ji Yuan patted the arm of the person beside him and, without waiting for a reply, turned back to the pavilion and slowly sipped his tea.
Zhao Yuansong on the side let out a wry smile. After a moment of contemplation, he collected the two boxes on the ground into his mountain river pouch.
“Despite your young age, your mind is so meticulous. You think of everything.”
He sat back down opposite Ji Yuan, saying with a hint of helplessness.
Accepting this gift, their already excellent relationship became even closer.
It wasn't that Zhao Yuansong was mercenary; it was just that Ji Yuan's gesture was subtle. The two boxes of jewels and antiques were worth at least several thousand to tens of thousands of taels of silver. While valuable, they weren't excessively so.
Given their camaraderie, it would only deepen their affection rather than burden anyone.
Most importantly, when Ji Yuan had given magical artifacts to his disciples earlier, he had naturally gifted one to Jiang He. Now, giving him two boxes of jewelry and antiques would not seem out of place.
Everything was perfectly timed.