"Hearing that my Senior Brother has been in seclusion for six years and has finally emerged today, I have come specifically to pay you a visit."
Liu Ruyan stood quietly in place, her graceful figure possessing an otherworldly charm.
As she spoke, her gaze, carrying a trace of pride, swept over Jiang Yan.
This junior brother, who was two or three years younger than her, was actually her senior. This naturally felt somewhat unnatural to Liu Ruyan.
Yet the rules of the cultivation world had always been thus: whoever entered the sect earlier held the higher seniority.
However, although Liu Ruyan had never met Jiang Yan over the years, she had heard him discussed by quite a few people.
This so-called Senior Brother, despite entering the sect early, was actually of mediocre talent. After all, having been accepted into Ru Peak, there was virtually nothing to do aside from reading books.
In terms of talent, he was inferior to her.
In terms of cultivation, Jiang Yan was simply not worth mentioning in Liu Ruyan's eyes.
At a mere nineteen years of age, her own cultivation had already reached the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm. Across the entire Xuan Province, few among her peers could compare.
She was a true heaven-gifted daughter, combining beauty and strength, with countless pursuers and admirers among the disciples of the Dao Sect.
"You are very thoughtful, Junior Sister. Since you entered the sect late, and our master has been traveling abroad, he likely never instructed you. It is truly remarkable that you have achieved your current level of sword mastery and cultivation entirely through your own efforts," Jiang Yan said sincerely.
The very moment he saw Liu Ruyan, a heartfelt sense of joy had welled up within him.
For in Liu Ruyan, he saw hope.
His junior sister's talent was indeed extraordinary; to have attained such a cultivation level at this age meant that with proper training, she would undoubtedly be poised to break through to Dao Severing within a few years at most.
When that time came, he might be able to absorb her Heavenly Tribulation to strengthen himself!
At this thought, Jiang Yan suddenly felt full of hope for the future.
"Why is Senior Brother looking at me like that?"
Yet, faced with Jiang Yan's uninhibited gaze scanning her up and down, Liu Ruyan's expression turned slightly cold.
Had he not been her Senior Brother, any ordinary disciple staring like that would have already been severely punished by her.
"I notice that your aura seems somewhat unstable, Junior Sister. Could it be that during this period, you have focused entirely on advancing your power without taking the time to consolidate it?"
"If that is the case, it will likely affect you in the future. Cultivation relies on steady progress and a solid foundation. If you only know how to blindly rush ahead without spending time to stabilize yourself, how is that any different from pulling up sprouts to help them grow?"
Jiang Yan touched his chin and spoke with utmost seriousness.
Hearing this, Liu Ruyan could not help but chuckle. "I wouldn't have expected a bookish person like Senior Brother to understand such principles. It rather surprises me."
Between her words lay a tone that seemed to carry a hint of disdain.
"You are mistaken, Junior Sister. As the saying goes, 'Within books are jade-like beauties, within books are houses of gold.' All knowledge in this world originates from records in books. Read enough, and you will come to understand many things," Jiang Yan said with a faint smile, knowing that this junior sister, much like everyone else, viewed him as a mere bookworm who only knew how to read.
He couldn't be bothered to explain much. How others perceived him was their own affair.
"Since Senior Brother can tell that my aura is unstable, it seems reading is indeed of some use. I only wonder if the books you read contain any method to resolve this?" Liu Ruyan asked with curiosity.
This conversation had caused her impression of Jiang Yan to shift slightly.
"They do."
Jiang Yan nodded earnestly.
"I know of a medicinal pill called the Qi-Nourishing Pill, which can help someone quickly consolidate their cultivation. However, its grade is somewhat high, and the herbs required to refine it are relatively expensive. Still, if Junior Sister has spirit stones, this shouldn't be too difficult."
"Does Senior Brother know how to alchemy as well?" Liu Ruyan asked in surprise.
"I know a little. I simply read some books on alchemy and learned from them; I've never actually refined any myself. But if Junior Sister needs it, I wouldn't mind trying to refine it for you," Jiang Yan replied.
"Learned from books?"
Liu Ruyan looked at Jiang Yan with suspicion, utter disbelief written across her face. Yet, considering her own condition, she still couldn't help asking, "How many spirit stones will the herbs for the Qi-Nourishing Pill you mentioned cost?"
"It's a bit pricey. The pill requires a total of twelve herbs, averaging about one hundred spirit stones per herb. The cost of the herbs alone comes to one thousand two hundred spirit stones. Add in other expenses, such as borrowing a alchemy furnace from Dan Peak, we have to give them some courtesy, don't we?"
"Let's put the furnace rental at one hundred spirit stones, plus a labor fee... I'll charge you five spirit stones, bringing the total to one thousand three hundred and five spirit stones. What does Junior Sister think?" Jiang Yan calculated carefully before naming the final figure.
"So cheap?"
To his astonishment, upon learning the total cost, Liu Ruyan actually paused in surprise.
*Cheap?*
Jiang Yan clicked his tongue inwardly.
One had to know that even as an inner sect disciple like him, his monthly allowance from the sect was merely one hundred spirit stones.
One thousand three hundred and five—that was more than a year's worth. An ordinary disciple could never hope to produce such a sum.
Yet in Liu Ruyan's mouth, it seemed completely insignificant?
Thinking thus, he could not help but look at Liu Ruyan anew before asking, "May I ask of what background Junior Sister is?"
"I am a daughter of the Liu Family of the Holy City," Liu Ruyan answered with a hint of pride.
"The Liu Family of the Holy City..."
Hearing this, Jiang Yan was immediately startled. "That explains it."
The so-called Holy City was located at the hub of Xuan Province and was extremely prosperous.
As for the Liu Family, it was rumored to be a millennia-old merchant clan. Though their overall combat strength was not exceptionally formidable, they possessed vast fortunes that many powers could never hope to match, earning them the title of the wealthiest family in Xuan Province.
"I never expected Junior Sister to come from such a background. Please forgive my lack of respect," Jiang Yan said, though his heart was already ecstatic.
He had been worrying about lacking spirit stones to advance himself, only to unexpectedly discover that his junior sister was the daughter of the wealthiest man in Xuan Province!
Weren't the spirit stones delivering themselves right to his door?
"Since we are fellow disciples, we can waive that five-spirit-stone labor fee. Your Senior Brother won't take your spirit stones; I'll refine the Qi-Nourishing Pill for you for free."
Jiang Yan struck an emotional chord, but then added, "However, Junior Sister should also know that I have never refined this Qi-Nourishing Pill before, so I cannot guarantee success on the first try..."
"Senior Brother means you wish to prepare a few more portions of herbs to ensure the Qi-Nourishing Pill is successfully refined?" Liu Ruyan was not foolish; she understood the implication in Jiang Yan's words.
With that, she nodded. Without a second thought, she flipped her palm, retrieved three thousand seven hundred spirit stones from her storage bag, and handed them to Jiang Yan.
Three thousand six hundred of them were to purchase three portions of herbs, while the remaining one hundred, as Jiang Yan had mentioned, were the fee for borrowing the alchemy furnace.
"When will Senior Brother be able to refine the pills?" she inquired.
Jiang Yan smiled with confidence. "Come find me here this time tomorrow to collect the pills, Junior Sister."
"So fast?" Liu Ruyan was slightly surprised.
Though she knew nothing of alchemy, the idea that pills could be refined in a single day still made her somewhat skeptical.
"In that case, I shall not disturb Senior Brother any further. I will come again tomorrow."
However, Liu Ruyan did not press the matter further. Over three thousand spirit stones were a mere drop in the bucket to her; even if the pill refinement ultimately failed, it wouldn't pain her in the least.
Soon, after Liu Ruyan departed, Jiang Yan did not hesitate. Taking the spirit stones she had provided, he hurried toward Dan Peak right away.