Having returned with so many powerhouses after all this time, Xie Guannan's father was understandably nervous.
Yet it appeared that everything was going smoothly for their son.
"Father, this is Elder Ci, the head of the Ci Clan's Myriad Treasures Pavilion. I've brought him here today so he can take charge of the spirit stone mine."
"Please, come in and take a seat." Xie Wantian had already sensed them the moment they arrived at the Xie estate. Their cultivation was formidable.
He had no idea how this rascal of a son managed to make such connections.
If even he was only at the Void Transformation Realm, just how strong must these people be?
"Elder Ci, I forgot to mention—there is a source of the Spirit Vein inside this mine!"
"What?" Ci Guannan asked, his face a mask of astonishment.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? You're leaving a massive surprise for me!"
Ci Sheng stroked his beard, his eyes flickering before lighting up.
"Young Friend Xie, how about this: my Ci clan will build a Daoist practice ground right here."
*Is he really asking for my opinion? It seems I hold quite a bit of weight in his eyes!* Xie Guannan thought to himself.
Well, considering everything, he was practically the man's prospective grandson-in-law.
"Oh? Very well, I have no objections. Elder Ci, you should name the practice ground!" Xie Guannan deferred the naming rights to Ci Sheng, showing him the utmost respect.
Ci Sheng shook his head and said calmly, "How about we call it the Guannan Practice Ground? To gaze upon the southern skies, witnessing the rise and fall of fortunes."
"No, no, it should be called the Xici Practice Ground!" Ci Qianluo chimed in from the side, shaking her head and speaking in a calm voice.
The gazes of the Xie family members shifted to rest on Ci Qianluo.
She felt a flutter of nervousness, but years of living as a pampered young lady forbade her from showing timidity.
Stepping directly up to Xie Guannan, she clutched his arm, her face flushing crimson as she declared, "This place will definitely belong to Xie Guannan and me in the future, so calling it the Xici Practice Ground is the most fitting choice!"
Xie Guannan smiled faintly while observing his father's expression.
Xie Wantian said nothing, merely wearing an expression that seemed to say, *You really pull it off, kid.* Ci Qianluo was a top-tier beauty—truly a woman one could only hope to meet, never to demand!
Seeing his father frown and unwilling to wait for Xie Guannan's reply, Ci Qianluo spoke up, "Uncle, I am Xie Guannan's fiancée!"
Hearing this, Xie Wantian was visibly stunned. The declaration hit his mind like a heavy bombshell.
It took him a moment to recover. He cast a complex look at Xie Guannan and smiled, "Very well, good child. We'll call it the Xici Practice Ground."
Xie Wantian and Ci Sheng stood to the side without making any further comment.
His son could do as he pleased; besides, with his granddaughter-in-law having her heart set on Xie Guannan, there was simply no talking her out of it.
Ultimately, the final decision still rested with Xie Guannan.
Xie Guannan gave Ci Qianluo's delicate brow a playful poke.
"Fine!"
"As you wish—the Xici Practice Ground it is!"
If he didn't agree with her now, there was no telling what other trouble she might conjure up.
"The Xici Practice Ground?"
Unnoticed by anyone, Xie Guannan clenched his fists, his gaze sweeping over the assembled group.
With this arrangement, the safety of the Xie family would be guaranteed, the clan could prosper, and the security of the spirit vein would be secured. At that moment, Xie Guannan's mind was completely at ease regarding matters concerning the Xie family.
He turned to Ci Sheng and suggested, "Let's go take a look at the mine."
Ci Sheng chuckled and said, "Lead the way."
The rest nodded in agreement.
"Who are these people? How come we've never heard of them?" a servant muttered from behind a corner.
"People you shouldn't mess with! Just mind your own business—the family head's affairs are not for you to discuss," another servant retorted coldly before turning and walking away.
"Understood, my lord!" the servant replied respectfully.
...
Led by Xie Guannan, Ci Sheng and the others headed toward the mine shaft.
The entrance was narrow to say the least, yet sufficiently concealed.
Ci Qianluo hid behind Xie Guannan, one hand clutching his sleeve, while Ci Sheng walked behind them with a hand pressed against his forehead.
"To find a place like this is truly a rare sight!" Ci Sheng remarked calmly.
"Ah—!"
A sudden scream pierced the air.
Feeling a soft touch press against his back, Xie Guannan blinked in surprise. He hadn't seen a thing ahead of him!
Why would she be frightened?
By this time, Ci Qianluo was clinging to him for dear life.
Xie Guannan looked down sharply, only to find that Ci Qianluo had stepped on a pile of severed limbs and remains.
They were the leftover remnants of the ant demons Xie Guannan had slaughtered.
How was Xie Guannan to know that Ci Qianluo hadn't been watching where she stepped?
Her eyes had been fixed entirely on Xie Guannan the whole time, shining brightly and brimming with deep affection.
Buried in Xie Guannan's embrace, Ci Qianluo smiled to herself before blurting out, "This young lady doesn't want to walk anymore—carry me!"
She had no idea why those words had just slipped out.
With that, everyone's gazes turned toward her. Ci Qianluo's face flushed beet red, and she shyly pressed a little closer to Xie Guannan.
Xie Guannan was speechless. Anyone could see right through her—she just wanted him to hold her.
"Ah~!"
Ci Qianluo let out a sudden cry of surprise as she lost her footing.
It was Xie Guannan who had wrapped his arms around her waist. Her willow-like, boneless waist and long, slender, flawless legs were pressed right against his chest.
Realizing it was Xie Guannan holding her, Ci Qianluo wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself to be held in silence.
Time seemed to stand still.
An absolute stillness surrounded them.
Suddenly, Ci Qianluo's heart began to hammer against her ribs, drawing a chuckle from Xie Guannan.
"What are you laughing at?" Teased by his laughter, Ci Qianluo felt a trace of embarrassment. She lightly tapped Xie Guannan, her tone a mix of gentleness, mild indignation, and a touch of coolness.
Naturally, she wasn't truly angry.
"Nothing, let's go!"
Behind them, his father had been wearing an amused, matchmaking smile the entire way.
...
"It truly is a source of the Spirit Vein! A genuine creation of heaven and earth, existing like the mother of all things," Ci Sheng marveled. Although he had known a spirit vein source was here, seeing it with his own eyes was still beyond belief.
Xie Guannan's father, having already seen it once before, remained relatively calm and showed no great shock. After all, he knew he could never defend such a treasure by himself; what had truly shocked him back then was Xie Guannan's astonishing ability.
Opening up a Spirit Sea! The boy had actually dared to borrow the source of a Spirit Vein to open his Spirit Sea.
Wasn't he afraid it would turn chaotic and kill him?
"Is this the legendary source of the Spirit Vein?" Ci Qianluo pulled away from Xie Guannan's embrace—she couldn't keep holding him forever, after all. Besides, the cavern was quite bright; although the spirit vein source appeared liquid, it did not flow about at random.
The object was crystal-clear, radiating a deep blue radiance like a flawless azure moon.
"Indeed. It seems this spirit vein source is even capable of growing," Xie Guannan mused after a moment of thought.
"What? It can grow? Is that really true?" Ci Sheng asked, wearing a look of sheer disbelief.
Nearby, his father and Ci Qianluo, who had been chatting, were interrupted by the remark.
"It can grow?" Ci Qianluo tilted her head, her voice soft and her face full of question marks.
"Nan'er, where on earth did you hear such a thing?" Xie Wantian asked, completely baffled.
"Since this object could manifest on its own, naturally it is capable of growth, provided it isn't restricted by too many external factors."
"Splendid, splendid! My Ci family has truly struck gold this time," Ci Sheng laughed heartily, slapping Xie Guannan on the shoulder with such force that the young man staggered and almost fell over.
"Cough, cough... Elder Ci, go easy! I can't take much of that!" Xie Guannan muttered under his breath. He could hardly withstand a casual pat from someone with a Tier 5 physical constitution—it simply wasn't something his current body could shrug off.
After inspecting the spirit stone mine, Xie Guannan spoke up: "Elder Ci, my father and I have some personal matters to discuss." He cupped his fists.
Knowing that Xie Guannan needed privacy, Ci Sheng smiled good-naturedly. "This is your home, and I am an outsider. Do as you please."
Xie Guannan offered a polite smile and cupped his fists again.
"Nan'er, what is this about? Why do you need to speak with me alone?" Xie Wantian asked, puzzled.
"Father, once this is settled, our Xie family will no longer face any safety threats. However, there is still one important matter," Xie Guannan said, his voice turning somber.
"Are you planning to go out into the world to temper yourself? Ah, never mind. It's useless to tell you to be careful—just make sure you don't end up like your old man!"
Lowering his voice, he added, "The last time I stirred up trouble outside, your grandfather had to bail me out. As a father, I won't be able to protect you!"
While he started with a laugh, the mere mention of Xie Yuan—Xie Guannan's grandfather—caused his expression to grow noticeably dim.
"You can rest easy there. Any trouble that crosses paths with Xie Guannan will have to walk around me!" Xie Guannan's eyes flashed with a razor-sharp, unyielding determination.
"I don't know when I'll return from this journey. You must take care of yourself—you are the one I worry about the most, old man!"
Xie Wantian offered a teasing remark in return: "Son, if you can't beat them, don't come back! Hahaha... though if you can't beat them, I probably couldn't either."
Xie Guannan couldn't help laughing at his father's words.
Though trouble shouldn't involve one's family, if he were ever truly hunted down, he certainly wouldn't return home and bring disaster to his doorstep.
After briefly discussing arrangements for the Xici Practice Ground, he considered his farewells to his family officially complete.
Was he worried that experts from the four realms might come to seize the mine?
He laughed at the thought. Elder Ci was bringing quite a few Fourth-Rank experts along with him—what was there to fear?
"Elder Ci, I've finished discussing everything with my father. Let's go."
Xie Guannan waved to Xie Wantian.
Turning away, Xie Guannan's expression returned to a calm composure. Even in another lifetime, parting was difficult, but bonds of family could not be carried along the path ahead.
Once a traveler set foot on the road, there could be no turning back!
Before long, Xie Guannan, Ci Qianluo, and Elder Ci mounted the Fourth-Rank demonic beast and flew back toward the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in the Liuyun Dynasty.
During the journey, Xie Guannan had already changed into a black robe to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
Once the three of them returned to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, the Fourth-Rank demonic beast soared back toward Jianghai City to rejoin its master.
After all, it was not a mere mount, but a bonded beast; it belonged by its master's side.
"The auction will take place in two days. Young Friend Xie, feel free to do as you please—you are welcome to wander the Myriad Treasures Pavilion at your leisure."
Since he had nothing better to do, Xie Guannan decided to browse the pavilion's pill-refining hall to see what was available.
Their primary stock consisted of pills and treasures, though talismans, arrays, and weapons were also included.
Those items simply occupied a smaller proportion of their inventory.
In a short while, he planned to head toward the border to find Lin Mo, a close friend from his previous life.
Recalling the past, it was during a period of relentless pursuit that Lin Mo had saved his life. The two had shared a kindred spirit; although Lin Mo was a man of few words, their bond was one where each could entrust his back to the other without a second thought.
Lin Mo was a sword cultivator, and this time, he was determined to prepare some fine swords for him.
It was a real pity that throughout his entire past life, Lin Mo had only ever used ordinary spiritual tools.
This time, he had to bring him a sword of profound grade or higher.
Xie Guannan turned to Ci Sheng and asked, "Does the pill hall have any high-quality Profound-grade swords or better?"
"You should go straight to Ci Qianluo for that. Have her fetch them for you!" Ci Sheng directed him directly to his granddaughter.
"Ci Qianluo, does your Myriad Treasures Pavilion have any Profound swords?"
Ci Qianluo was momentarily stunned.
"What did you just say?"
"Were you daydreaming just now?"
...
"Ah, well... sorry, I got lost looking at you. Ah, no, no, no, I didn't!" Realizing how blunt her admission sounded, she hurriedly waved her hands and shook her head.
With very few outsiders present, Ci Qianluo naturally dropped any pretense of airs, especially since the person before her was the one to whom she intended to entrust her entire life. A glance wouldn't bring down the wrath of the heavens, anyway.
"You're looking for a Profound sword, right? Follow me. Didn't you already have a Profound sword? Why do you need another one?" she asked, a hint of grievance in her voice.
Xie Guannan produced the rather slender Profound sword he had been carrying and shook his head with a helpless smile. "I can't keep using your Profound sword forever."
Ci Qianluo quickly closed the distance between them, their breaths mingling. Pressing a slender, boneless finger against Xie Guannan's lips, she said calmly, "Why must you draw such clear lines between us? Isn't what's mine yours as well?"
Xie Guannan was left speechless—the main issue was that her sword simply didn't suit his style!
With that, Ci Qianluo spun around and stepped back a pace. "Never mind, just pick whichever one you like."
Looking at the collection of Profound swords before him, Xie Guannan's expression remained indifferent.
In his previous life, his storage rings had been filled with countless divine swords and immortal artifacts.
He had more than he could ever possibly use.
Yet his good brother had never even tasted such fine provisions.
Weapons of the Profound grade typically cost nearly a million silver coins; in a way, he was currently being kept by a wealthy benefactor.
Relying on his memories, he selected two Profound swords whose length and dimensions closely matched the sidearm his friend Lin Mo had used in his past life, setting them aside for him.
"Oh, right, do you have any storage rings here? I'd like to buy one with a larger internal space."
Ah, they certainly had plenty of those.
Without missing a beat, Ci Qianluo reached into her own storage pouch, pulled out a storage ring, and tossed it to Xie Guannan.
Xie Guannan caught it and probed its interior with his spiritual sense. The internal space was astonishingly vast—a full ten thousand cubic meters.
A storage space of this caliber was comparable in value to half a spiritual artifact.
"Isn't this a bit too much?"
Ci Qianluo turned around, letting out a soft hrumph. "How could my man go around without something decent on him?"
She added, "Just take it."
Her eyes then took on a faint, greyish hue, shimmering with a glistening moisture as she muttered inwardly to herself, *When you grow stronger in the future, you must treat me well.*
How could Xie Guannan possibly know what Ci Qianluo was thinking? With a master-servant bond in place, a single thought from Xie Guannan would mean her death. When the day came that Xie Guannan stood far above her, would he even spare her a second glance?
In Ci Qianluo's eyes, that outcome was far from certain; the future remained terribly unpredictable.
"It's getting late, I should be going. I'll come back when the auction starts the day after tomorrow." Realizing the atmosphere was turning somewhat delicate, he quickly seized upon an excuse to take his leave.
The sun dipped below the western mountains.
He had no need for an inn to rest.
Jianghai City itself lay well within the borders of the Liuyun Dynasty.
Xie Guannan did not travel far, heading instead to a mountain range roughly a hundred kilometers away.
He would enter the mountains to hunt demonic beasts and cultivate.
Night was falling.
Xie Guannan found a suitable spot.
He sat cross-legged upon the ground.
He dared not venture too deep into the mountain range right away.
Places like this were bound to harbor even more terrifying demonic beasts.
Though he had never visited this specific region before, his previous life had taught him plenty of bloody lessons.
For now, focusing on his cultivation and raising his realm remained his highest priority.
Amidst the darkness, his state of absorbing spiritual energy felt markedly different, carrying a sensation of merging seamlessly with heaven and earth.
Deep into the night, a burst of cultivation aura broke forth from Xie Guannan—he had reached Level 12 Qi Condensation.
Advancing his realm? To him, it was no different from eating or drinking water.
It was simply too easy.
After cultivating until late into the night, a sense of boredom crept over him.
The mountain range consisted of low ridges and dense forests.
At the foot of the hills ran clear streamlets, their waters babbling along.
The terrain and topography here were rather complex.
Xie Guannan wove through the dense forest. Twigs and branches filled the woods, yet they did nothing to impede his movement.
Before long, he reached the edge of a lake.
The lake water was calm and a deep shade of blue, reflecting the moonlight.
Such a serene surface gave off an uneasy vibe, and Xie Guannan was certain that a powerful beast lurked beneath.
"Best not to go looking for trouble."
Just as he was about to turn back, he caught sight of the opposite shore.
A large herd of Great-Horned Rams was gathered there.
"Sheep! That should make for a decent meal."
At the head of the herd stood a massive Great-Horned Ram, easily over five meters in length and possessing Tier 3 cultivation.
Xie Guannan moved through the forest shadows.
Skirting the edge of the lake, he quietly made his way to the opposite bank.
At that moment, the herd of rams remained completely oblivious to the fact that they had become Xie Guannan's prey.
Xie Guannan concealed his figure behind a tree trunk as the Black Abyss Divine Scripture circulated automatically within his body.
Suddenly, a crossbow materialized in his hands—it was the Heaven-Mechanism Crossbow.
Operating under the cover of night, it granted him multiplied damage. Since he possessed a Spirit Sea, he had no need to worry about the consumption of spiritual power.
Naturally, his output was no longer restricted and could easily reach the level of early-stage Foundation Establishment.
Xie Guannan had considered channeling his power directly into the weapon.
A single bolt from the Heaven-Mechanism Crossbow could instantly slaughter a Tier 2 ram.
However, he soon realized he had overestimated things.
There was a limit to how much energy this weapon could absorb.
Only power ranging from the mid-stage to the perfection of Foundation Establishment could trigger an upgrade to its core.
For the current Xie Guannan, the maximum output of this crossbow bolt was equivalent to the peak strike of a Perfection Foundation Establishment expert.
Even so, he could only loose a dozen or so bolts.
That was his absolute limit, and even under the nocturnal state bonus, recovering such expended energy would prove quite difficult.
The core of this Heaven-Mechanism Crossbow was still at Tier 2, capable only of unleashing Foundation Establishment-level damage.
If it were at Tier 3, even with his current Foundation Establishment cultivation and sufficient spiritual power, he could theoretically unleash a strike of the Void Transformation Realm—though Xie Guannan would likely be drained dry after a single shot.
His spiritual sea simply wasn't large enough.
*Whoosh!*
The bolt flew forth. Xie Guannan hadn't expected the Tier 2 Great-Horned Ram to lower its head for a drink at that exact second.
Despite his battle-hardened experience, he had actually grown careless!
The bolt missed the creature's neck; rather than delivering a fatal strike, it merely sheared off one of the ram's massive horns.
Xie Guannan was rendered utterly speechless.
To think that he, the dignified Southern Emperor, would actually miss his mark.
Fortunately, no one was around to witness it, or he would have died of embarrassment.
Following the shot, the entire herd of Great-Horned Rams panicked and stampeded.
They charged straight into the forest.
Fortunately, it wasn't in Xie Guannan's direction.
When the leading ram bolted, the panic spread instantly from one to ten, and ten to a hundred.
In the end, nearly a thousand rams plunged into absolute chaos.
Deciding to cast aside all hesitation, Xie Guannan began frantically channeling energy into the Heaven-Mechanism Crossbow.
At this point, he stopped caring which ram he hit.
Whether Tier 1 or Tier 2, he fired upon them all.
Before long, the surviving rams had fled deep into the forest.
Looking at the dozens of fallen Great-Horned Rams scattered across the ground, Xie Guannan let out a helpless sigh. "Ah, my spiritual power is running low—time to stop!"
Though he still had enough energy left for a few more shots from the crossbow, what would happen if he suddenly ran into an enemy? If he exhausted all his spiritual power in combat, he would be completely finished, as he possessed no secret arts to burn his life force for battle.
Amidst the stampeding herd, several rams had collided with one another, knocking themselves unconscious on the spot.
Merely knocked out!
Xie Guannan hurried over to finish them off with his blade.
To let them go now would be a crime!
...
A few hours later, rich aromas drifted through the air around him.
"A wild barbecue—smells wonderful! Hahaha!" Xie Guannan laughed aloud.
The scent enveloped the clearing.
"So plump." Ignoring all pretensions, Xie Guannan ate with his mouth covered in grease!
Suddenly remembering something, he patted his belly and stood up.
By now, over forty Great-Horned Rams had fallen into his possession: three at Tier 2, and the rest at Tier 1. That meant three Tier 2 demonic cores, along with several Tier 1 cores.