Ji Yuan observed the young man before him with curiosity. This was the first time he had encountered someone who, far from feeling ashamed of his identity as a lone cultivator, seemed to take pride in it.
Seeing that Ji Yuan had stopped and showed no immediate signs of leaving, the young man launched into an enthusiastic speech. However, the content of his words struck Ji Yuan as peculiar, filled with platitudes like "All people under heaven are brothers and sisters" and "All cultivators in the world are one family." It sounded eerily similar to the government slogans plastered on street corners in Qianyu City.
Yet, despite the strange pronouncements, the six individuals behind him appeared to agree wholeheartedly. Even two female cultivators nodded earnestly as they listened. This sight prompted Ji Yuan to interject, "Fellow Daoist, where is this cave dwelling you speak of, and what clues do you have?"
Upon hearing this, Huang Tianci's eyes lit up. He immediately recounted everything they knew about the cave dwelling they intended to explore. Seeing this, the others behind him hesitated, as if wanting to speak, but then, recalling their own experiences, they cast their reservations aside.
Frankly, Ji Yuan had never encountered such a peculiar situation. The young man, as he had claimed, showed no wariness or suspicion towards a stranger whose background he didn't know. He had readily divulged detailed information about a cave dwelling he had painstakingly obtained. Was it truly that all cultivators were one family?
Ji Yuan shook his head inwardly, dismissing the thought. How could someone who had managed to cultivate to the middle stage of the Dian Ling realm hold such naive and impractical beliefs? And what's more, he was a lone cultivator! It wasn't that such people didn't exist, but they typically didn't survive for long. In well-established orthodox sects, as long as they didn't venture into remote areas alone and had the sect's protection, they could live relatively peacefully. However, for lone cultivators, in an environment where the strong preyed on the weak, such impractical beliefs would have long since led to them being devoured and their bodies left scattered in the wilderness.
When things are out of the ordinary, there is bound to be a reason. Ji Yuan, being cautious and prudent, would never forget this age-old principle.
"If Young Daoist is willing to accompany us, any gains from the cave dwelling will be distributed equally among us all," Huang Tianci said with a smile. "If there are any spiritual items particularly suited to someone, they may take them directly, but they will have to give up a portion of their subsequent share."
Hearing this, Ji Yuan pretended to ponder and nodded, but he paid no heed to the words. He had no intention of truly cooperating with this group. His decision not to turn away immediately stemmed from a slight curiosity about the young man before him. Of course, it also had to do with his estimation that the demonic cultivator pursuing him wouldn't arrive too quickly. If it were a matter of life and death, curiosity would certainly be secondary.
However, upon hearing the details about the cave dwelling, he quietly changed his mind. He decided to cooperate with the young man, whether it was a pretense or genuine, he would make the journey. According to the clues gathered by Huang Tianci and his companions after exploring several cave dwellings, a cultivator of the Three Realms had once lived and cultivated here in the depths of the marsh. This elder, who lived thousands of years ago, was not renowned for his powerful cultivation, nor were his techniques particularly extraordinary. However, he possessed profound attainments in alchemy. His art of "water refinement of pills" was famous for tens of thousands of miles, and he had been a respected guest of more than one Golden Core cultivator. This marsh was specifically designated by the master of the dojo for this grandmaster of alchemy. Countless powerful cultivators, hearing of his fame, had established their own cave dwellings nearby, residing there year-round, all in hopes of obtaining a single pill.
Ji Yuan himself had heard of the "water refinement of pills." It was rumored that in the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty, there was an alchemical master skilled in this art who was honored by the court as a guest minister of the Hundred Herbs Academy, granted the rank of a fifth-grade official. Though he held no real power, his status was noble. The pills he produced through water refinement were rare and potent tonics for cultivators of any technique, and they were exceptionally effective in healing and nourishment.
Ji Yuan was himself an alchemist and had a natural affinity for water-based techniques. Ever since he heard of the "water refinement of pills," he had longed to find a method to study it thoroughly. Now that the opportunity had arisen, he felt he couldn't miss it.
As for the demonic cultivator pursuing him, this might be an opportunity to not only evade him but possibly even trap him. After all, a cave dwelling belonging to a grandmaster of alchemy would undoubtedly be filled with various formations. Alchemists were known to be the wealthiest among cultivators. Even after thousands of years, it was likely that some formations would still remain functional. Even if only retaining twenty to thirty percent of their power, combined with other measures, it should be sufficient to hold a Three Realms cultivator for some time.
"Since Fellow Daoist is so confident, why don't we depart immediately?" Ji Yuan said with a serious expression, feigning eagerness. He estimated that with the arrangements he had made, it would take some time for the demonic cultivator to catch up, likely enough for them to reach the cave dwelling in the depths of the marsh.
"Since Young Daoist is willing to travel with us, there's no time to delay. Let us depart at once!" Huang Tianci said with excitement, leading the group towards the depths of the marsh. The other six also wore smiles, looking at the newly joined youth with warmth, as if they weren't strangers who had just met, but long-time friends.
Ji Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at this situation, finding the atmosphere rather peculiar and his own demeanor becoming somewhat unnatural. However, the others seemed accustomed to this odd atmosphere and showed no discomfort, acting quite naturally. Two of the women, noticing Ji Yuan's fluctuating aura, clearly indicating that he had sustained some injuries, each offered him a bottle of pills. Although each bottle contained only one or two pills, their value was considerable. For lone cultivators, these would not be easily obtained, requiring significant effort to earn.
Ji Yuan could clearly sense that their gesture was not mere pretense; they genuinely wished to offer what little help they could. Following the lead of the two women, the other four also produced pills or talismans. While none were particularly expensive, they were sufficient to convey their good intentions. What surprised Ji Yuan the most was that Huang Tianci produced a spiritual pill of a certain grade. Even as an alchemist himself, Ji Yuan didn't possess many such items. Yet, Huang Tianci showed no reluctance, his smile unwavering, as if such actions brought him joy, making his steps lighter.
Finally, unable to refuse, Ji Yuan accepted the items. It was only when he instinctively placed them into his jade ring that he suddenly realized what he had done. His gaze immediately sharpened, and he casually glanced at the people beside him. Seeing that their expressions remained normal, and that they were engrossed in their lively conversation without paying him any overt or covert attention, he managed to calm himself slightly. At the same time, he heightened his vigilance, discreetly scrutinizing them, hoping that their actions were not intentional. Otherwise, their cunning and depth of character would be too profound, having exposed the existence of his jade ring with such an inadvertent gesture.
What puzzled him, however, was that regardless of their intentions, they seemed to have completely ignored the jade ring, showing no surprise. Normally, even a spatial bag would be enough to draw attention. Its price, tens of thousands of taels of silver, was beyond the reach of not only lone cultivators but also disciples from prominent sects. Among cultivators of the Two Realms, only a few could possess a spatial bag, let alone more valuable items with even larger internal spaces.
"Does Young Daoist have something on his mind?" a woman approached, her face etched with concern. Ji Yuan looked at her. From their earlier conversation, he learned that her name was Xu Luoxuan, the daughter of a merchant from a second or third-tier county in Feiyun Prefecture. Among the seven, she was the only lone cultivator with a proper background and complete inheritance, without any serious flaws.
After a moment's thought, he slowly shook his head, indicating that he was fine. Regardless of his inner thoughts, he maintained a faint smile on his face. Whether these people were merely acting to deceive outsiders or were truly as they appeared, it was difficult for him to openly confront them. After all, even if they harbored ill intentions, they hadn't revealed them, nor had they acted upon them. Thus, he couldn't make any drastic moves. As the saying goes, one doesn't strike a smiling face. Moreover, regardless of whether their intentions were genuine or feigned, the group beside him had indeed given him many pills and other items.
"If you feel anything is amiss, remember to tell me!" Xu Luoxuan said with a soft smile. However, whether it was his imagination or not, Ji Yuan felt her words held some deeper meaning, especially a certain phrase where she seemed to subtly emphasize her tone. He feigned shyness, lowering his head slightly, but his eyes darted with sharp glints. A feeling inexplicably arose within him that she was hinting at something, as if trying to convey a message to him in secret.
(PS: I've been feeling quite unwell these past two days, with my heart rate consistently hovering between 130 and 150. Today, I will only manage two chapters. I need to rest more. My apologies, esteemed readers!)