Chapter 137: The Celestial Epiphyllum Blooms

Lu Yanchang always felt that being able to travel thousands of miles alone with Miss Fang, just the two of them, was a fate cultivated over several lifetimes. If only they could journey by day and rest by night, traveling slowly by carriage like ordinary people, that would be even better.

However, Miss Fang was eager to reach Xianyun Sect to meet her younger brother. It was obvious that they would have to rely on flying magical devices; the idea of a leisurely ten or fifteen days was nothing but wishful thinking.

Though slightly regrettable, it was still a rare and pleasant task.

Yet, the good mood brought by this fortunate assignment was quickly shattered by that damn He Feng’s few words.

Along the way, Lu Yanchang couldn’t help but recall what He Feng had said: “This journey is your last chance.” Although he didn’t want to take those words seriously, an inexplicable sense of urgency gnawed at him, compelling him to rack his brain for ways to coax a smile from Miss Fang.

But when it came to directly asking Hong Jian about that night, he found himself lacking confidence. After what had happened with Wen Xuejing, Lu Yanchang had developed a kind of reverence toward Hong Jian, a feeling akin to awe.

There was little to say while traveling, so Lu Yanchang devoted himself to attentive service. Hong Jian would occasionally exchange a few words, but mostly she immersed herself in cultivation.

As they drew nearer to Xianyun Sect, Lu Yanchang felt the opportunity slipping away. He half-wished for some disturbance on the road—thieves or troublemakers—to break the monotony. Unfortunately, even if there were bandits these days, they were no fools. A Golden Core cultivator like him, especially with his tendency to seek trouble, wasn’t exactly an inviting target.

Thus, the two arrived near Xianyun Sect without incident. Lu Yanchang sighed deeply, reflecting on how his relationship with Miss Fang had made no progress throughout the journey.

Hong Jian glanced at him curiously. “Brother Lu, are you feeling unwell?”

Lu Yanchang replied with a frustrated tone, “Yes, I must have eaten something bad this morning. Let’s find a nearby town to stay for a while.”

Hong Jian fell silent for a moment before saying, “Alright, staying put will give us a chance to gather some information.” Inwardly, she wondered why he seemed so listless. Was he just tired from all the fuss on the road? For a Golden Core cultivator to suffer stomach trouble, he must have ingested quite a bit of poison.

Xianyun Sect was nestled deep in the mountains, and with only a few outer disciples, the nearby towns were modest in size.

Lu Yanchang picked a small town to rest in — barely a dozen shops and about a hundred households.

Cultivators no longer needed to eavesdrop in corners to gather news. Lu Yanchang, confident as a Golden Core cultivator and likely the strongest in town, immediately unleashed his divine sense to carefully survey the surrounding area for miles.

Only three cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage were present in the town; two manned shops, and one was in a meditation chamber.

The two shops sold magical devices and pills, obviously linked to Xianyun Sect.

Lu Yanchang shared the findings with Hong Jian and said, “Let’s visit the pill shop. Xianyun Sect’s pills are quite renowned. You might find something you like.”

Hong Jian nodded. As they walked side by side toward the shop, she whispered through divine sound, “Why bother? Once you suppress him, I’ll see what he knows.”

Lu Yanchang recalled Hong Jian’s mysterious cultivation technique. When Wen Xuejing had been bested by her, he hadn’t fully understood it. But over time, he’d often heard of Ji Youyun’s infamous “Great Calamity Classic.” Although much of the story Hong Jian told the Cheng family was fabricated, it was likely true that she practiced the “Great Calamity Classic.”

They entered the pill shop. A shop assistant, only at the Qi Refining third layer, approached to inquire. Lu Yanchang, unwilling to waste time, said directly, “Where is your manager? We have urgent business.”

Revealing his Golden Core aura, the assistant was visibly terrified and nervously led them inside to meet the manager.

The manager, already aware of the commotion, immediately thought: “Trouble at the door? Some rogue cultivators trying to rob the pill shop? How bold—they don’t even know this is Elder Zhu’s shop from Xianyun Sect!”

The thought was so strong he nearly voiced it aloud, so clear that Hong Jian sensed it from a distance.

With the “Celestial Rainbow Glow” surrounding her, Hong Jian wasn’t worried about the manager remembering her face. Since there were no other customers, she signaled Lu Yanchang with a glance.

Lu Yanchang stepped forward without ceremony, directly restraining the Foundation Establishment cultivator before him, unleashing pressure so intense that the other Qi Refining assistants didn’t dare move.

The manager turned pale and said urgently, “This is Elder Zhu Xian’s shop from Xianyun Sect. Elder Zhu is a Nascent Soul cultivator. Please don’t cause trouble. I’ve already sent word—he’ll be here shortly.”

Lu Yanchang was unimpressed. Such a shabby pill shop was unlikely to summon a Nascent Soul elder himself; at most, Zhu’s disciples might arrive.

Hong Jian, initially silent, couldn’t help but ask, “Elder Zhu? Do you sell ‘Weak Rain Pills’ here?”

Years ago, she had won a bet with Cheng Qingxiang and obtained a “Weak Rain Pill” from her—a pill that had set her on a path intertwined with Ji Youfeng and the “Great Calamity Classic.”

Back then, she was just a young girl barely taller than a broomstick, and she vaguely remembered someone saying the pill came from Elder Zhu Xian himself. Though she had only seen Elder Zhu once from afar at the Dan Cliff Sect’s Huanhua Hall, she had a good impression of him.

The manager was dumbfounded. Now he understood the strangeness of the situation. His shop only sold basic pills that restored vitality, aimed at Qi Refining apprentices. Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely came by, and pills like the “Weak Rain Pill,” used to heal the divine sense, were tightly controlled by the sect and never distributed outside. Yet these two, obviously much stronger, were asking about the “Weak Rain Pill”?

Hastily, he tried to explain, “We don’t have ‘Weak Rain Pills.’ Only dozens of pills for replenishing vitality, restoring breath, and healing injuries, all for Qi Refining apprentices.”

Hong Jian nodded, already aware of all this. The manager couldn’t understand her nostalgic feelings, so she stopped wasting words, stepped forward, and pressed her hand on the manager’s head.

Caught off guard by a sudden touch from a high-level cultivator, the manager’s face turned ashen. His eyes darted anxiously as he stammered, “W-What are you doing?”

Hong Jian didn’t answer. Though he was Foundation Establishment early stage, her divine sense was already superior to his when she completed Qi Refinement, and now even more so. Although this still consumed a fair bit of her true essence, it was far easier than dealing with Wen Xuejing.

Lu Yanchang chuckled casually, “What are we doing? Your hairstyle’s a mess. We’re just fixing it for you.”

If only it were that simple. Poor manager dared not breathe, fearing a sudden outburst might cost him his head along with his hair.

After a while, Hong Jian withdrew her hand and smiled kindly at the manager. “Sorry for the trouble.”

Seeing the manager’s terrified expression, she stepped back and gestured for Lu Yanchang, “Let’s go.”

Lu Yanchang nodded, letting Hong Jian lead. He lingered behind briefly, scanning the others inside with a wicked smile before waving his hand to lift the restriction spells placed on them.

The pair left the shop without taking anything, as if two high-level cultivators merely couldn’t tolerate the manager’s unruly hair, and the plain-looking woman had come to smooth it down.

The assistants exchanged glances, while the manager’s face flushed red and blue, teeth clenched, and all kept their heads down in silence.

Once outside, Lu Yanchang asked with concern, “Any news?”

Hong Jian sighed, disappointed. “No sign of my brother. This man knows Jiang Yan but has never seen Fang Zheng. Looks like we’ll have to find Jiang Yan to get answers.”

Lu Yanchang tried to comfort her, “Don’t worry. If Jiang Yan has a heart, knowing you caused such a stir at Dan Cliff Sect and were later imprisoned in the Demon Refinement Prison, he’ll be careful protecting your brother. Not just anyone can see him.”

Hong Jian still hesitated. “I hope so.”

Seeing a chance to impress, Lu Yanchang quickly said, “Shall we head to Xianyun Sect now?”

But Hong Jian said, “Wait a moment. The manager just sent a message. Jiang Yan’s two junior disciples will arrive soon. I’ll meet them and try to trick them into summoning Jiang Yan here. Xianyun Sect is bustling right now. The manager said a centuries-old Immortal Tán flower in the sect’s back mountain Immortal Garden has suddenly budded a few blossoms. They’re expected to bloom in three to five days. Many sects have been invited to admire the flowers—Fu Tu Sect, Xianxia Cave, and others. With so many people around, it’s best if we don’t enter the mountain and risk exposure.”

Lu Yanchang was surprised. “What’s so special about a few flowers? Does the Immortal Tán flower have some rare property?”

“You’re right,” Hong Jian replied. “The flower blooms briefly, but its blossoms are the main ingredient for making the Rejuvenation Pill.”

“The Rejuvenation Pill, huh? What’s so—” Lu Yanchang’s words trailed off as realization dawned. Eagerly, he said, “Then we should sneak into Xianyun Sect and gather some blossoms to make pills for you. In a few hundred years, they might come in handy.”

Hong Jian gave him a half-smile. Lu Yanchang realized once again that his sweet words had no effect on her, which only strengthened his resolve to obtain the Immortal Tán flower.

She said, “No need to stir up trouble. Look at me, I barely dare show my face. What good would that thing do? If we can finish our business here, it’s best not to go into Xianyun Sect at all.”

Lu Yanchang laughed, coaxing her, “True enough. You’re a water cultivator; even if you age, you’ll still be beautiful.”

Hong Jian smiled. “Here they come!”

Indeed, two streaks of azure light descended from the sky, heading straight for the pill shop.