Chapter 38: Temptations Abound
Lan Chang'an nodded at the shopkeeper Xu and followed the errand boy out.
Although the Bamboo Leaf Market Town was established by the Huang Family, various forces were intertwined, including cultivators from prominent families and even sects.
Even the Young Master Huang dared not act recklessly on the surface.
Moreover, Lan Chang'an had a favor from Zhou Qingxuan, someone even Young Master Huang wanted to court.
...
"Talisman Master Lan, what a pleasure to meet you."
In the private room of the tavern, Young Master Huang, in a purple jade robe with an extraordinary bearing, looked at Lan Chang'an with a smiling phoenix-like gaze.
A year ago, Huang Yu had seen Lan Chang'an once but regarded him as an ordinary talisman master and paid no attention.
It was only after Lan Chang'an refined the Frost Descent Talisman and received a favor from Zhou Qingxuan that he truly entered Young Master Huang's radar.
"Young Master Huang invited me here, I wonder..."
"There's no rush! First, taste this hundred-year-old Green Bamboo Spirit Wine."
Young Master Huang carried himself with poise, taking out an obsidian wine jar and personally pouring wine for Lan Chang'an.
Young Master Huang raised his cup first to toast.
Lan Chang'an drank it without hesitation.
He felt the crisp taste, with a trace of pure wood spirit qi fermenting in his stomach, nourishing his internal organs.
"Good wine," Lan Chang'an praised.
"Brother Lan is quite straightforward."
A hint of surprise flashed in Young Master Huang's eyes as Lan Chang'an spoke fluently:
"This hundred-year-old Green Bamboo Spirit Wine is a specialty of Bamboo Leaf Mountain. It needs to be brewed with the bamboo shoots of a first-rank superior-grade bamboo that ordinary people cannot obtain."
Young Master Huang secretly admired Lan Chang'an's frank and casual manner.
In the ensuing conversation, Young Master Huang inquired about Lan Chang'an's situation in the Mu Family and the market, mostly praising him.
If not for the situation a year ago, Lan Chang'an would have thought this was a courteous and amiable young master.
After three rounds of wine.
Young Master Huang's fair complexion was slightly flushed as he pushed a jade box in front of Lan Chang'an.
"A small token of appreciation, please accept it, Brother Lan."
"Young Master Huang, this is..." Lan Chang'an opened the jade box and was moved by what he saw.
Inside were four translucent spirit stones, like rare and precious gems. These were mid-grade spirit stones. Each was worth at least a hundred low-grade spirit stones, often with more than ten percent fluctuation.
Equal to over four hundred spirit stones. A considerable sum for those at the late Qi-Refining stage.
Besides the mid-grade spirit stones, there was also a small porcelain vial in the box, with three words on the label: Bottleneck-Breaking Pill.
"A bottleneck-breaking pill at the late Qi-Refining stage!"
Lan Chang'an was secretly astonished. Young Master Huang's offer was so generous!
The other party's intentions were clear at a glance. Such a price would be more than enough to poach a superior-grade talisman master.
"I believe Brother Lan understands the principle of 'the noble bird chooses the right tree to perch on.' Even for a talented person like you, would the Mu Family ever grant you a pill to break through the late Qi-Refining stage?" Young Master Huang spoke calmly with a faint smile.
If Lan Chang'an were an ordinary cultivator, he would definitely not be able to resist such temptation.
Young Master Huang was right.
As an outsider in the Mu Family, it would be almost impossible for Lan Chang'an to obtain a pill to break through the late Qi-Refining stage.
There were countless cultivators in line within the family.
A few years ago, the Mu Family's young lady was only able to get the pill after making contributions to the herb garden and advancing to the late Qi-Refining stage.
Lan Chang'an was currently at the fifth layer of Qi-Refining and would face a bottleneck after the sixth layer.
However, what Young Master Huang could never have imagined was that...
In this third life of recultivation, taking one step at a time with the Evergreen Technique Lan Chang'an's foundation was incomparably solid, and advancing to the late Qi-Refining stage didn't require a bottleneck-breaking pill.
The only limitation on his cultivation speed was time itself.
"I'm afraid I've disappointed Young Master Huang. After cultivating in the Mu Family for over a decade, I cannot betray them."
Lan Chang'an took a deep breath and tore his gaze away from the jade box with difficulty.
The smile on Young Master Huang's face froze.
He never expected that even such an offer could not sway Lan Chang'an.
He wanted to poach Lan Chang'an mainly for two reasons:
First, Lan Chang'an had decent talent in the talisman path, and specialized in some relatively obscure but difficult talismans, enhancing the Mu Family Talisman Shop's competitiveness.
If Lan Chang'an's talisman arts improved further and worked together with Mu Xiuyun, it would clearly benefit the Mu Family in terms of financial strength and stockpiling superior-quality talismans.
Losing Lan Chang'an would deal a blow to the Mu Family.
Second, Lan Chang'an had a favor from the talented granddaughter of the Zhou Family. If utilized properly, it could help the Huang Family's strategy.
"Hahaha! I understand now!" Young Master Huang's thoughts raced as he seemed to realize something.
"You're just infatuated with Mu Xiuyun, so you're content to follow her, aren't you?"
"Rest assured! Once I have her in my grasp, I'll reward you with her as a concubine in the future. Then your path of cultivation will be smooth, and you'll have a beauty to cherish. How wonderful would that be?" By the end, Young Master Huang laughed while caressing his palm.
With a hint of male suggestiveness, he thought he had seen through Lan Chang'an's mind.
After all, when he first saw that graceful and jade-like beauty in the market, even he was stunned by her and slightly regretted not taking her as a wife back then.
"Young Master Huang, please do not make such jokes." Lan Chang'an's face was in disbelief as he got up to take his leave.
Even after two lifetimes of cultivation, Lan Chang'an's original intentions remained unchanged.
Although he dared not claim he had never killed innocents in his previous two lives, he had always adhered to the principle of not betraying those who did not betray him.
He had taken refuge in the Mu Family for over a decade. In times of danger, he might run away, but he could not betray them.
Of course, having principles did not mean he was merciful. Lan Chang'an held grudges and would always seek revenge. Once his strength was sufficient, he would strike decisively and mercilessly.
"This brat..."
Young Master Huang's expression turned gloomy, he never expected Lan Chang'an to be so unmoved.
Beforehand, he had investigated Lan Chang'an, who seemed like a loner who rarely ventured out of the market.
Such a person would not be so easy to manipulate.
...
After leaving the tavern.
Lan Chang'an returned to the Mu Family Talisman Shop.
The first thing he did was go to the third floor and inform Mu Xiuyun about this matter, without mentioning the specific details.
Lan Chang'an did this to prevent Young Master Huang from sowing discord between them later on.
Even if he did not say anything, Mu Xiuyun would eventually find out about today's events. Moreover, Young Master Huang might deliberately spread rumors to create suspicion between Lan Chang'an and the Mu Family.
"Chang'an, thank you!"
Mu Xiuyun smiled radiantly, her starry eyes flowing with an enchanting charm. Her gentle and melodious voice was soothing to the heart.
"To poach you, Young Master Huang must have offered a substantial price. The Mu Family is fortunate to have recruited you back then."
The fragrance of orchids wafted over, making one's heart feel refreshed.
Mu Xiuyun stepped closer, her eyes full of tenderness as she placed a slender hand on the back of his hand.
Lan Chang'an felt the touch of her jade-like skin, her fair hand as cool as jade.
In an azure gossamer dress, the graceful and elegant young lady lowered her starry eyes, her fair face flushed like dawn clouds, bewitchingly beautiful.
Even for him, with his cultivated mind and calmness, a slight ripple formed on the still lake of his heart.
"It is only right. Without the Mu Family's nurturing, I would not be who I am today."
Lan Chang'an remained unruffled and gently withdrew his hand.
He cupped his hands in salutation and left the room.
Mu Xiuyun was momentarily dazed, her fair face flushed red, as she bit her lip, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.
She gazed at Lan Chang'an's retreating back, her deep eyes filled with contemplation.
...
"Whew!"
"This place in the market is truly different from the family. In just half a day, I faced such great temptations." Back in his room on the second floor, Lan Chang'an could not help but feel pensive.
First was Young Master Huang's lucrative enticement.
Then the jade-like beauty Miss Mu just now, if Lan Chang'an had gone along with it, he could have fallen into a romantic entanglement with Mu Xiuyun. Of course, Mu Xiuyun's beauty was quite different from Young Master Huang's bribery.
Ever since the herb garden incident years ago, he had vaguely sensed the young lady's trust and fondness for him.
After coming to the market, Mu Xiuyun spared no expense, allowing Lan Chang'an to practice superior-grade talismans.
If Lan Chang'an married into the family, it would be a win-win situation for Mu Xiuyun.
Marrying into the Mu Family was certainly a potential path. But in this lifetime, Lan Chang'an did not want too many attachments.
With his long lifespan and steady cultivation, he had a decent chance of reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.
...
No desires, no demands, unfettered.
Lan Chang'an's days in the market were carefree and untroubled.
Half a month later.
Lan Chang'an and Shopkeeper Xu were chatting idly in a tea house.
"Brother Lan, at our age and level of talent, if we don't make a bold move in this life, we may never reach the Foundation Establishment Realm." Shopkeeper Xu, who had a head of graying hair, let out a sigh full of emotion.
"Oh? Does Shopkeeper Xu have any insight to share?" Lan Chang'an smiled slightly, adopting a listening posture.
As the head of the Rainbows and Silk Pavilion, Shopkeeper Xu was a core member of a Qi-Refining family.
A century ago, their family also had Foundation Establishment cultivators, but they later declined.
The family had remnant techniques from the Foundation Establishment Realm, and several late Qi-Refining experts with formidable strength.
"Brother Lan, let me tell you a secret." Shopkeeper Xu lowered his voice and spoke through a sound transmission technique.
"A hundred miles outside of Bamboo Leaf Mountain, beneath some ruins, I discovered what seems to be a hidden treasure vault left behind by the Zheng Family."
"A hidden treasure vault left by the Zheng Family?" Lan Chang'an was half skeptical.
However, this area used to be the Zheng Family's territory before they were devastated by an evil cultivator. It was not surprising that they had hidden treasure vaults, especially since they were later almost wiped out by the Mu Family.
Lan Chang'an's eyes flickered slightly: "Why is Shopkeeper Xu telling me this secret?"
"Truth be told, that hidden treasure vault has powerful restrictive spells, which will be difficult to break through in a short time and easy to leak news about. If I seek help from other powerful cultivators, I may not be able to secure my own interests."
"Meanwhile, Brother Lan has a low cultivation level but is trustworthy. With your talismans to aid in breaking the restrictive spells, you are the ideal partner for me."
(End of chapter)