"But I'm not the eldest son, nor did they have high hopes for me, nor did they give me strong support..."
"I've always been like this since I was young, why are they suddenly asking so much of me now!"
...
Zhang Heng's words carried an extremely strong sense of unwillingness and dissatisfaction!
"Young master, you shouldn't give up on yourself, nor should you be resentful. Some things, the master and madam, cannot entirely decide..."
The old servant shook his head, "Your cultivation of the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment realm in your thirties is also thanks to the many elixirs provided by the family!"
"If the young master could put in a little more effort, perhaps you would have already reached the late stage of the Foundation Establishment realm."
"..."
"As the second son, if I were to constantly strive and be diligent, my elder brother would not be able to sleep or eat peacefully..."
"Moreover, my companions are also the same, spending their days drinking and consorting with wives and concubines..."
"That's why the madam sent the young master to serve as an official in this Tianshui County."
"This place is remote, without those disreputable friends!"
"The madam said that your friends are all incompetent prodigal sons of declining noble families!"
"Truly capable second sons or illegitimate sons either join major sects overseas early on, like Xuan Qing Sect, or Shang Qing Palace, or major sects like Luofu Mountain that have cultivators at the Purple Mansion stage..."
"And then, they join crucial departments of the imperial family, such as the Imperial Investigation Department, the Immortal Army Camp, the Law Enforcement Department, and so on..."
After speaking, the old steward, Uncle Huang, couldn't help but sigh, "In any case, the madam has already given the order. You will never be able to act recklessly again, young master."
"Originally, all the attendants and maids around the young master have been transferred to other posts by the madam."
"Now, no one dares to listen to you, young master! I am in charge here!"
...
Hearing Uncle Huang's words, the servants busy around, who were at the Qi Refining stage, trembled slightly all over.
The rules of noble families were strict, and the hierarchy was firmly established from top to bottom.
With the madam's orders in hand, Uncle Huang held sway not only over the young master but also over them, the servants, compelling them to be obedient!
Seeing this, Zhang Heng lowered his head dejectedly and entered his mansion obediently!
...
This Tianshui County was small and remote, and lacked many resources needed for cultivation.
Having seen much and possessing a noble status, he had no desire to be a county magistrate here!
Even if he could extort wealth from the four hundred thousand li of land and millions of mortals in Tianshui County, how much profit could he truly gain?
...
Suddenly, Zhang Heng seemed to have thought of something and casually asked the county assistant who had come to meet him.
"Are there any strange tales or reclusive experts in this area? As the head of the county, I wish to understand the situation of my county better."
...
The county assistant, a late Foundation Establishment cultivator over a hundred years old, replied with a formal and smiling demeanor.
"Tianshui County is barren and small. For many years, I have not heard of any strange tales..."
Hearing this, Zhang Heng curled his lips. As a scion of a noble family, he understood these veiled meanings.
He wasted no more words and directly took out a mid-grade spirit stone from his storage bag, tossing it to the county assistant!
The county assistant accepted the mid-grade spirit stone, and his smile immediately deepened.
For the sake of the spirit stone, he thought carefully before recalling a rumor from a few days ago.
"A few days ago, a daoist friend seemed to have arrived in the county. Some woodcutters claimed to have seen purple qi rising from Dabie Mountain every morning, suggesting some expert was cultivating an extremely powerful secret art."
"This expert, merely by cultivating a secret art, could draw purple qi from the east, indicating a high-level cultivator with some background. If the young master has time, it might be worth befriending them."
...
Hearing this, Zhang Heng's face, which had been like a frost-bitten eggplant, finally lit up!
He said excitedly, "There are so many reclusive experts in the world, how could Tianshui County be without one? Haha..."
"Since there is such a rumor, let us prepare adequate courtesies and visit them. Even if we disturb them, an expert would not blame me."
"Guards..."
With this thought, Zhang Heng summoned two maids and said, "Go and open the county's treasury, prepare some rare gifts, and tomorrow we will pay them a visit."
"If it is truly a reclusive expert, it will be a good opportunity to forge a connection. If it is an ordinary rogue cultivator, they can be recruited to help me manage Tianshui County."
...
The next morning.
The county assistant summoned the woodcutter and asked him to lead Zhang Heng and his party to the cave dwelling in Dabie Mountain where Wu Tao was temporarily residing.
Dabie Mountain was not far away. After flying for just over an hour, they could vaguely see Dabie Mountain.
...
As soon as Uncle Huang saw Dabie Mountain, he couldn't help but frown and said with some disappointment, "Young master, if you are holding the intention of befriending a reclusive expert, you can stop here and return home!"
"This mountain is small, its spiritual energy is weak, and it lacks spiritual veins. A shallow pond cannot raise a true dragon..."
"The experts I have seen, who cultivate their form and nurture their bodies, their residences are always like heavenly caves and immortal abodes."
"Those who can reside here are likely just unorthodox practitioners, rogue cultivators of no repute, of no use at all!"
Uncle Huang advised earnestly, "If the young master truly wishes for a few trusted subordinates to help you manage the local powers in Tianshui County..."
"I still suggest you send word to the madam, asking her to find some reliable servants. That would be better than finding such rogue cultivators!"
...
"Uncle Huang, why are you so annoying? When you are out, you should make friends widely and visit experts, that's how your path will become longer and longer..."
"Besides, you know the servants in our mansion. They have no real skills, yet they all boast loudly."
"If I bring them here, I would still have to support them. Why bother?"
Zhang Heng retorted defiantly.
...
By this time, they had arrived at Dabie Mountain. The grass and trees were dense, and the spiritual energy was extremely thin, appearing uninhabited.
However, Uncle Huang's demeanor changed, and he fell silent, clearly having discovered something amiss.
Within Zhang Heng's eyes, a yellow light flickered as he surveyed Dabie Mountain. He nodded slowly and said, "The surface of this mountain seems rather strange..."
"Haha, so it's protected by a formation array! Watch this!"
The next moment, having discovered something, Zhang Heng replied with full confidence.
Then, he formed hand seals and raised one hand, sending a formation-disc soaring into the sky.
"Shi..."
Zhang Heng uttered a low cry, and the formation-disc transformed into a streak of rainbow light, shooting towards the surface of Dabie Mountain.
With a rumbling sound, Dabie Mountain, which had been still, seemed to have a boulder thrown into a calm lake!
The scene, which had been static, immediately rippled with five-colored light, and the scenery changed, revealing a mountain peak filled with formation arrays.
Zhang Heng, Uncle Huang, and the others, smelling the dispersing medicinal fragrance, their expressions changed.
"Uncle Huang, it seems there is truly an expert refining pills within this mountain. We have come to the right place this time!"
"If we can truly establish a connection with this alchemist, then in the future, elixirs and marvelous medicines will be readily available!"
Zhang Heng slapped his thigh and said.
Uncle Huang was even more astonished, exclaiming, "How can there be an alchemist refining pills in such a remote and impoverished place as Tianshui County?"
"Moreover, judging by the rich medicinal fragrance that fills the entire mountain, it is clear that the alchemist's level is not low, perhaps even a master alchemist."
"Alchemists of this level are usually honored guests of noble families or disciples of major sects overseas."
"This is a rare occurrence that has not been seen for many years."
Uncle Huang thought to himself.
...
Subsequently, Zhang Heng and Uncle Huang exchanged glances...
Uncle Huang bowed to Zhang Heng and said, "It was my ignorance and lack of foresight earlier that delayed the young master's chance to meet an expert. I beg the young master's forgiveness..."
Hearing this, Zhang Heng's face showed a proud smile, truly feeling uplifted and vindicated.
Ever since he arrived in Tianshui County, this old steward had been either reprimanding him or confronting him, never doing anything that made him comfortable.
Now, this stubborn old man had finally shown some deference to him on this matter.
But before Zhang Heng could be happy for long, he began to feel a headache.
Because he had not truly expected to encounter a genuine reclusive expert in Tianshui County...
Therefore, the few treasures he had brought were actually not presentable.
The current Zhang Heng was troubled, thinking about what precious and presentable treasures he still had in his storage bag.
As he was thinking, Zhang Heng suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up!
On the other side!
In the temporary alchemy chamber.
Wu Tao, whose divine sense was extended, also discovered the commotion outside at this moment!
He moved his mind, but because this batch of pills was about to be completed, he could not act rashly yet.
Originally, he had chosen this place because the mountain had a weak fire vein beneath it, and it was remote, ensuring that no one would disturb his alchemy. Hence, he had chosen to build an alchemy chamber here!
However, he had not expected to be discovered so quickly! Da Feng Novel Network
Of course, if Wu Tao were not injured, he would not have needed to pay them any mind. In this godforsaken place like Tianshui County, the strongest cultivators would not exceed the Foundation Establishment realm.
With Wu Tao's late Core Formation cultivation, if anyone dared to defy him, he could simply crush them.
However, Wu Tao was indeed injured, and not lightly.
The Tianyuan Pills in the Fengshuang丹炉 gradually reached perfection, and even the impurities in the spiritual herbs and medicinal ingredients were gradually stripped away!
The dozen or so Tianyuan Pills were round as pearls, each one full and plump. Wu Tao counted on his fingers, estimating that this batch would yield about fifteen pills!
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