Xue San wanted to quickly finish this stupid mission and focus on his cultivation and Alchemy. He finally had the time and resources to focus on what truly mattered to him.
He was still deep in thought when the carriage driver informed him that they had arrived.
The establishment that sold Dragon Breath Wine was none other than the renowned Drunken Immortal House, a famous wine house in the city.
Xue San had barely stepped out of the carriage when—
"Eh? Aren't you the junior brother who came with the Long clan? Xue San?"
His eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected recognition.
Turning Xue San recognized the figure before him—it was none other than the first member he had met from the Soaring Sword Sect: Senior Brother Yan Yi.
Quickly clasping his hands in greeting, Xue San bowed and said, "Senior Brother Yan Yi."
"It's really you, haha. What brings you here?" Yan Yi asked.
"I'm here to complete a sect mission," Xue San replied.
"And what sort of mission, if you don't mind my asking?" Yan Yi inquired with genuine interest. After all, what kind of mission could Xue San, a mortal talent with mediocre could be undertaking?
"It's to deliver five jugs of Dragon Breath Wine to an elder," Xue San explained.
"What!?" Yan Yi was genuinely stunned. What manner of mission was this for a sect disciple?
"Hahaha! Brother Yan Yi, didn't you know that the outer sect disciples of your sect are known in some circles more as a mercenary force than sect disciples?" At that moment, Ling Shaoqing interjected. He was about to add something more but paused upon noticing Xue San.
"They are?" Yan Yi asked.
"Uh… yes, they are," Ling Shaoqing replied, his gaze fixed on Xue San.
Growing uneasy under Ling Shaoqing's silent scrutiny, Xue San hesitated to continue. "I'm—"
"You won't be able to complete the mission as easily as you think," Ling Shaoqing suddenly said.
"What do you mean, Brother Shaoqing?" Yan Yi asked.
"Well, the Dragon Breath Wine is a rare specialty of the Drunken Immortal House; it's exceedingly difficult to procure a single bottle," Ling Shaoqing explained. He had already managed to secure a few jugs for himself after sampling the wine, his status affording him such luxuries.
Xue San didn't mind paying any price, but with Yan Yi present he wished to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
"How about this," Ling Shaoqing suggested, "come with us. I'm sure they'll be willing to sell you a few bottles if you're with us."
Xue San was about to decline, but Yan Yi joined in. "Yes, that's right—just come along."
"Then thank you in advance, Senior Brother Yan Yi," Xue San said.
"No problem, no problem," Yan Yi replied.
Inside the Drunken Immortal House, the trio was escorted to a private room on the third floor, where they were served assorted snacks to accompany the wine.
"Senior Brother Yan Yi, are you sure it's acceptable for me to be here with you?" Xue San asked. In truth, he felt somewhat uneasy sharing the space with Yan Yi—and with the other man, who exuded a high status that commanded respect.
"Of course. After all, it was his Highness who suggested it," Yan Yi replied dismissively.
Xue San was taken aback at the mention of His Highness. "His Highness?" he echoed, glancing at Ling Shaoqing.
"Oh, you were unaware?" Yan Yi inquired.
"Yes, I wasn't." Turning to Ling Shaoqing, Xue San clasped his hands and said, "I apologize if I have offended you in any way, your Highness."
"Do not worry about it," Ling Shaoqing said. "So, you're a new disciple of the Soaring Sword Sect?"
"Yes, I joined not long ago," Xue San replied simply.
"Then tell me, why did you choose the Soaring Sword Sect instead of one of the other great sects?" Ling Shaoqing asked.
Xue San was reluctant to continue the conversation but did not wish to offend a prince of the kingdom.
"I actually secured my spot through the Long Clan," he offered briefly.
"Oh, the Long Clan! Were you perhaps adopted by them?" Ling Shaoqing queried.
"No," Xue San replied.
Yan Yi, meanwhile, was surprised by Ling Shaoqing's keen interest in Xue San. Perhaps the prince was in a good mood after relaxing for a few days.
Noticing that Xue San's answers were rather terse, Yan Yi decided to lend him a hand. After all, for an outer sect disciple, having the prince's favor could be invaluable.
"Actually, I was the one who brought Junior Brother Xue San to the sect," Yan Yi explained.
"Oh? You did?" Ling Shaoqing turned to him.
"Yes. Do you recall when my master was searching for the Phoenix Fern some time back?"
"Yes, I remember he was offering generous rewards for it," Ling Shaoqing recalled.
"Well, one of the sect's disciples embarked on the search, enlisting the help of townsfolk and villagers—and it was Junior Brother Xue San who eventually found it," Yan Yi recounted proudly.
"Remarkable! And with the great rewards you received from—" Ling Shaoqing began, but he paused when he noticed a peculiar look exchanged between Xue San and Yan Yi.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Well, you see, Junior Brother Xue San received his rewards from the Long Clan, not from my master," Yan Yi clarified.
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable as Yan Yi recounted his achievements, Xue San decided to speak up. "Your Highness, Senior Brother Yan Yi, I mean no disrespect, but it took me a long time to reach here. I wish to complete this mission as swiftly as possible and leave the city. With the recent rumors about the True Flame, countless cultivators have flocked here, making it unsafe for someone like me."
"Ah, of course. Waiter, bring us five jugs of Dragon Breath Wine," Ling Shaoqing ordered.
As they waited, Xue San ventured, "Senior Brother Yan Yi, if I may ask without impertinence, are you here also in pursuit of the True Flame?"
"Hahaha, no—not me—but my master is," Yan Yi replied with a chuckle.
"Grandmaster Chu Feng is also interested in the True Flame," Xue San asked in surprise.
"Why wouldn't he be?" replied Ling Shaoqing from the side. "Especially as an alchemist."
"Why is that?" inquired Xue San.
"Well, you see, for an alchemist, possessing a True Flame makes the process of concocting pills much easier—particularly when it comes to refining materials. Not only does it reduce the time needed for the concoction, but it also makes the entire process less exhausting," explained Yan Yi.
"That's amazing," Xue San remarked.
Just then, the waiter arrived with bottles of wine, handing them to Xue San.
"Thank you very much for your help, Your Highness, Senior Brother Yan Yi," Xue San said, bowing to Ling Shaoqing. "I will take my leave now."
At his words, Yan Yi merely nodded. However, Ling Shaoqing extended his spiritual sense and probed Xue San. In the cultivation world, such an act is extremely disrespectful, yet Xue San did not even flinch; he had the Shadow Veil Art activated almost the entire time so he pretended not to notice this.
Unlike Xue San, Yan Yi frowned slightly. He was about to remark on the intrusion, but seeing that Ling Shaoqing had already retracted his probe, he said nothing. He decided he would address it later, once Xue San had departed.
After Xue San left, Yan Yi turned to Ling Shaoqing and asked, "Brother Shaoqing, why did you probe him at the end?"
"Brother Yan Yi, do you remember the disciple I mentioned to you before?" Ling Shaoqing asked.
"The one with that unique spiritual sense at the Qi Condensation stage?" Yan Yi queried.
"Yes," Ling Shaoqing confirmed. "That was him."
"What? Impossible," Yan Yi said, his usually relaxed expression giving way to disbelief. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. He is exactly the same—same eyes, same height, same hair color. But unlike the other time, I was only able to sense his cultivation but not his spiritual sense."
"Brother Shaoqing, you must be mistaken. That boy has low talent and never had any contact with cultivation before coming to the sect. He cannot possibly be the person you mentioned. Even if we assume he had extraordinary talent, how could he have advanced without a teacher or proper techniques?" Yan Yi pressed.
"I don't know," Ling Shaoqing admitted, "but I am 100% sure that he harbors a huge secret. If you want my advice, keep a close eye on him when you're in the sect, Brother Yan Yi."
Yan Yi nodded, still baffled by the revelation. But moments later, he glanced at the ring on his hand before looking at Ling Shaoqing. "Good news—my master is back," he announced.
Ling Shaoqing's eyes lit up. "Excellent! Let's get going then."
The ride back to the Long Clan was quiet—until suddenly, Ling Shaoqing gasped.
"Brother Shaoqing, are you alright?" Yan Yi asked, startled by the sudden reaction.
"Haha, yes, I'm fine. Sorry for startling you, Brother Yan Yi. It's just that I recalled something of a personal nature," Ling Shaoqing quickly explained.
"Okay then," replied Yan Yi.
In Ling Shaoqing's mind, a silent question lingered: "Old man, are you sure?"
"Yes, although you weren't able to sense it, I did. He has definitely reached the fifth stage, and his spiritual sense is monstrous—far surpassing even yours," the voice said.
"No wonder I couldn't perceive anything," Ling Shaoqing thought. "But how can he progress so rapidly? Even if he is a possessor of an ancient bloodline, it shouldn't be this outrageous, should it?" he asked.
A long silence followed until an aged voice echoed in Ling Shaoqing's mind:
"If he is a descendant of one of the ten great families..."
"But you said they were all extinct," Ling Shaoqing exclaimed.
"Outside yes, but here—in the Cemetery of the Gods," the old voice replied.
At that, Ling Shaoqing fell silent.
This strange inner voice had first emerged years ago, triggered by a necklace his mother had left him. His mother—a cultivator who had joined the royal family's banner and captured his father's affections—died shortly after his birth, leaving him with this necklace.
For years, Ling Shaoqing regarded the necklace as a simple keepsake until one day during training a minor accident caused his blood to spill onto it. Immediately afterward, he fell into a coma, his Qi depleting at an alarming rate. Despite every pill and elixir the royal alchemist administered, his spiritual energy vanished as if it had never existed. This dire state persisted for a week, until, when all hope seemed lost, Ling Shaoqing awoke as if nothing had happened.
The incident was hushed up by the royal family, and few knew of its occurrence. Those who did know suspected that it might have been an assassination attempt on the royal prince.
Only Ling Shaoqing knew the truth: all his spiritual energy had been consumed by the soul within the necklace to awaken from its hibernation. At least, that is what the soul had told him. It also claimed to be his ancestor—one betrayed during an expedition in the Graveyard of the Gods
Ling Shaoqing was completely baffled by this revelation at the time.
Suddenly, he addressed the old voice, "Hey, old man, do you still remember our first conversation?"
"Yes," it replied simply.
"Do you think I should join forces with him or eliminate him?" Ling Shaoqing asked, his tone heavy with conflict.
"It is up to you, kid," was the measured reply.
There was a long pause before the old man's voice spoke again. "Do you still remember our first conversation?"
"How could I forget? The world as I knew it shattered that day," Ling Shaoqing replied, his tone heavy with reminiscence. He recalled every detail as if it had all happened yesterday—a day that had changed him irrevocably. Since then, all he had ever longed for was to break free from this confinement and explore the vast world beyond.
"Then I suggest you use that boy. And once he has served his purpose, you can refine him into a pill," the old man intoned, his voice carrying a cold, calculated edge.
Ling Shaoqing fell silent, lost in memories of that first fateful conversation. The recollections flooded back. In that moment, faced with the old man's sinister proposal, he didn't know if he should do it.