Ji An originally planned to practice the Silk Thread Spell for a while. He could now divide his Divine Thought into six strands, theoretically allowing him to manipulate six puppets or magical artifacts simultaneously.

However, at this moment, he had no desire at all to practice magic techniques and could not calm his mind.

He walked out of the grotto mansion, strolled down the mountain, and began to wander in the Spirit Plant Garden to distract himself.

When the moon rose above the treetops, his excited heart finally started to calm down.

He rode a cloud back to the edge of the Cold Pool, sat by the stone table beside the water, and instructed,

"Xue Ning, brew a kettle of Yun Ding Silver Needle Tea."

A cup of tea might better settle one’s emotions.

"Please wait a moment, ancestor, I’ll go fetch the Wind Furnace."

Zhang Xueling spoke softly as she turned to leave but quickly returned.

She hung a Luminous Bead on a nearby Spirit Wood branch, placed the Wind Furnace, and tea set on the table, filled the furnace with Clearing Spirit Bamboo Charcoal, and lit it, igniting a flame glowing with a jade light.

Ji An laughed, "When Songtao returns, I’ll instruct him to buy another Wind Furnace and a set of tea utensils for you to carry around with you in the future."

That way, whenever he sees her, he can drink the Spirit Tea.

"Alright," Zhang Xueling replied with a smile.

"Have you adapted well on Red Flame Peak these years?"

"Very well. In my spare time, I keep in touch with friends who entered the sect together with me. The conditions here are several times, even dozens of times better than theirs."

Zhang Xueling sighed inwardly. If only her aptitude were better, reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage in such an environment wouldn’t be difficult.

’Alas, after successfully opening my meridians and testing my aptitude, the weakness of my Immortal Vein left me disheartened.’

Even in a place rich in Spiritual Qi, the rate at which she refines the Spiritual Qi is extremely slow.

When she takes Spirit Medicine, most of the Spiritual Qi disperses from her body before she can refine it.

She pressed her lips together and said softly,

"Ancestor, my Immortal Vein is exceptionally thin, and my aptitude is rated as inferior. Is it truly hopeless for me to step into the Foundation Establishment Realm?"

Ji An’s gaze fell on the disciple, recognizing her unwillingness and stubbornness.

In some ways, her situation would have been better if she hadn’t succeeded in opening her meridians, sparing herself such agony.

"A cultivator’s aptitude is not fixed. As long as you persist in cultivating, your Immortal Vein will be nurtured, and your aptitude will slowly improve.

The improvement of the Great Realm can greatly enhance your aptitude.

You might attempt to cultivate your technique while your magical power is abundant, but this path is not easy.

With low aptitude, immense effort is required to reach others’ starting points.

Bewilderment, helplessness, and dejection—these negative emotions will frequently engulf you."

Cultivators are not afraid of hardship; they fear the long absence of hope, which leads to abandoning the improvement of their cultivation.

These situations are all too common not only for cultivators but also in the world from his past life.

Zhang Xueling nodded lightly, hope rekindled in her eyes.

Ji An averted his gaze, uncertain of how long she could persist.

The spring water in the kettle quickly came to a boil, and Zhang Xueling brewed the Spirit Tea, its aroma spreading far and wide.

About half an hour later, Wei Songtao returned to Red Flame Peak, riding a Flying Shuttle.

Seeing the figure by the pool, he stepped forward with cupped hands:

"Ancestor, I escorted Junior Sister Zhang to Luoxia Mountain and saw her and her family leave with my own eyes."

Ji An acknowledged with a simple "Mm," finishing his cup of tea:

"Send a message to your brother; I want to see him. Ask when he can visit Red Flame Peak as a guest."

He thought that the greatest favor he owed Wei Songnian was the Soul Nourishing Wood, but it turns out it was the Heaven and Earth Spirit Root.

Acquiring the Gathering Essence Tree was half due to the Wei Clan—this favor was a great one.

Back then, a vendor jacked up the price after the Stone Turtle absorbed spiritual energy. He almost tried to buy it again, but Wei Songnian took it upon himself to buy it and give it to him.

Recalling this, Ji An felt a sense of ridicule; he almost turned away a great treasure.

The fortune of people is indeed mysterious.

Wei Songnian was a bit startled, quickly agreeing:

"Alright, I’ll find someone to relay the message tomorrow.

If my elder brother finds out about the ancestor’s invitation, he will undoubtedly make the journey overnight."

Ji An put down his tea cup and added,

"When your brother arrives, ask if Fellow Daoists Huang Feihu and Liang Hill are available and invite them here as well."

These years, he had rarely kept in touch with old friends. The four of them used to gather at Jade Water Lake for a drink every few months.

As they gradually broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, the chances of meeting became less frequent.

Who knows how many more times they will be able to meet in the future? Life is short, indeed.

"At your command!"

Wei Songtao said solemnly, thinking to himself:

’So the ancestor remembered old friends due to today’s events and decided to see my brother.’

...

Half a month later.

A half-disc of the crimson sun sank into the distant mountains, its setting rays blood-red while the forest birds called their companions home to roost.

Arriving in Luoxia Mountain, Wei Songnian, weary and travelworn, was no longer a disciple of the Golden Spirit Sect. To visit friends within the sect’s interior, he had to report first.

Seeing him, the steward asked in surprise, "So it’s Fellow Daoist Wei! What brings you here today?"

Wei Songnian, due to frequently going out for trading, used to have a wide circle within the sect and knew many cultivators.

He laughed heartily, cupping his hands:

"Fellow Daoist Geng, your presence seems even more outstanding than before; you must have made progress in your cultivation. Congratulations are in order!

"Today I come to Red Flame Peak to visit Junior Martial Uncle Ji, please inform the senior brother."

Many cultivators who love wine know about his connection with Red Flame Peak, and the Geng-named cultivator in front of him loves to drink a few cups.

"I can only communicate to the Agricultural Hall, and if you want to see Junior Martial Uncle Ji, the earliest would be tomorrow, and tonight you will have to camp outside the sect."

Wei Songnian said with a smile:

"I understand the rules, so please help inform the brother, and when I leave, we can have a drink together."

After saying that, he clasped his hands in salute, turned, and left.

Geng Ke watched his back with a scrutinizing look in his eyes. The other now had gray hair, showing signs of aging.

Geng Ke knew the other’s approximate age, which by reason should not have become old at this age, thinking perhaps leaving the sect led to an unsmooth development and excessive worry.

He sighed lightly, lamenting how the choices of a cultivator affect their own destiny.

After lamenting, he took out a Communication Talisman Sword and sent out the message.

...

The next day, at 1:00 PM.

Wei Songnian maneuvered the Flying Shuttle to land at the Agricultural Hall, feeling a myriad of emotions; he and the other person once had similar statuses, but now the gap is like clouds and mud.

He had been pondering for days why Ji An summoned him but could not figure out a clue.

After arriving at the rear hall, he hesitated whether to shout because by his understanding, the other person was likely cultivating a Cultivation Method.

At this moment, the hall door opened, and Ji An walked out, noticing footsteps wandering outside the hall.

Seeing the visitor, he was slightly puzzled:

"Fellow Daoist, you seem weathered, could it be that you encountered some trouble?"

He could sense the other’s blood and Qi beginning to decline, with a hint of decay in his life force. Normally, at the other’s age, this should not happen.

Wei Songnian’s face was somewhat bitter as he explained:

"It’s still due to an old wound, rebound from the injured Dantian."

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his blood Qi should decline twenty years later to be normal.

Ji An remained silent for a moment and said:

"I’ll ask the senior sister from the Dan Ding Institute and the senior brother from the Treasure Pavilion to see if any Dantian repair pills are available."

Saying so, he took out two Communication Golden Swords to enter the information.

Wei Songnian was shocked and quickly waved his hands:

"No need to trouble you, Fellow Daoist, I have already inquired, such pills are too expensive.

Even if it can repair the Dantian, I would only live another ten or twenty years; it’s not necessary."

He thought the bond between them was no longer worth spending on.

What he found was that the value of Dantian repair pills was equivalent to a quarter of a Nourishing Yuan Pill; he didn’t think he was worth that much.

Ji An could sense the other’s thoughts and gently shook his head:

"I’ll inquire, help however I can.

Fellow Daoist, are you worried about my promises? Don’t worry, all past promises still hold."

Wei Songnian embarrassedly chuckled and said softly:

"Let Fellow Daoist laugh at me."

He indeed had this thought, wishing the Wei Clan to send another excellent disciple across.

Just the title of a Chao Origin Stage cultivator’s personal disciple could invisibly help the Wei Clan greatly.

He felt fortunate about his fate, wondering how he was so deserving to have such friends!

Ji An recorded the information into the Communication Golden Sword, activated it, then relaxed his arms:

"Please come in, Fellow Daoist, we shall wait for the message."

Ningcui Cliff’s distance to the Dan Ding Institute and Treasure Pavilion was closer than Red Flame Peak, making it quicker to get a response here.

The two walked into the great hall, sipping tea, drinking wine, and chatting about what happened after they last parted.

After an hour, Ji An put down the Communication Golden Sword in his hand, gently shook his head.

Neither the Dan Ding Institute nor the Treasure Pavilion had such pills.

Seeing his expression, Wei Songnian breathed a sigh of relief, glad not to have that grace consumed.

Three days later.

Ji An held a banquet at Red Flame Peak, attended by Huang Feihu, Liang Hill, and others.

The round table in the living room was filled with gourmet delicacies, the aroma of wine wafted everywhere, and between the toasts, the rest were all drunk and tipsy.

The fragrance of Tier Two Middle-Grade Spirit Wine was irresistible to Foundation Establishment cultivators.

...

Two years later.

After Ji An cast spells for the Spirit Field, he returned to his Grotto Mansion and then cast spells for the Spirit Medicine in the Medicinal Garden before going to the Quiet Chamber.

He summoned the Wuji Xinghuang Banner, and the Spiritual Artifact shrank to hand-size, circling around his body.

The apricot yellow Banner already had quite enough spirit, knowing it could have a feast at this time.

Ji An took out a Yellow Jade Bottle and opened its seal, then moved his fingers to cast a spell, releasing strands of Earth Element Essence like smoke and clouds.

The Spiritual Artifact grew again, unfurled and hovered in the air, roaring as if a gale was blowing.

The golden Qilin pattern on the banner shone like a treasure, devouring the essence long before it descended to the ground.

Ji An activated the Earth Element Essence at a steady pace as usual, when suddenly a majestic beast roar echoed in his Sea of Consciousness.

Sounding like a great bell, the voice was solemn, deep, sublime, and harmonious.

Ji An was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, it was the Qilin’s roar!

The Wuji Xinghuang Banner’s spirituality had now reached a certain standard, and tomorrow when meeting the ancestor, he could use the Netherworld Soul-Suppressing Fiend to nurture its spirituality.

"Finally, there’s hope for these days!"

He exhaled a long breath, continuing to release Earth Element Essence until the Spiritual Artifact ceased to devour it, and then he stopped.