Xu Manor.
After Jiang Fan returned, he immediately shut the door and clenched his fists tightly.
Lu Zheng, I refuse to believe Im inferior to you!
He opened the True Scripture of Clear Wind and began reading it carefully.
He did whether it was because his body had been baptized by the ancient Taixu tree, but this rather abstruse high-grade Yellow-tier mental cultivation method came to him as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
An hour later, wisdom-light lingered in his eyes as he sat cross-legged and began cultivating.
Qi flows through the dantian, the mind gathers and forgets all things; there is no wind, nor is there self...
He silently recited the formula. The transparent spiritual root within his body was like a vast root system planted in the void, slowly drawing in the spiritual energy in the air.
The stronger the spiritual root, the faster the absorption speed.
The more profound the cultivation method, the faster the absorption speed as well.
When the two were combined, they complemented each other perfectly.
Soon, strands of spiritual energy invisible to the naked eye gathered from all directions, merging into his dantian and transforming into wisps of pure spiritual power.
Tireless, he cultivated in utter absorption.
So much so that when dawn came, a ray of glaring sunlight shone into his eyes and woke him.
He slowly opened his eyes.
With a trace of anticipation, he jumped off the bed, circulated his dantian, drew up his qi, and swung both fists.
Puff
The faint popping sound of compressed air reached his ears.
Second level of Qi Refining! Second level of Qi Refining overnight! Jiang Fan was overjoyed.
It took Xu Yining a full three days to break through to the first level of Qi Refining, didnt it?
After rejoicing for a long while, he did not become arrogant or complacent.
Just the second level of Qi Refining still isnt enough. To protect myself and protect Xu Youran, I have to become even stronger.
Jiang Fan muttered to himself. He tried to continue cultivating, only to discover that his speed of absorbing spiritual energy had slowed greatly.
In the Qi Refining realm, the further you go, the slower cultivation becomes. Ill need Qi Refining Liquid to assist me.
But Qi Refining Liquid is very expensive, and Qin Changsheng wont sell it to me!
He frowned slightly.
Suddenly, a spark flashed through his mind, and he murmured, Before Father died, he told me to bury the box he had carried with him for ten years in front of his grave.
He warned me not to dig it up before the seed sprouted.
Could there be cultivation resources he left for me inside?
Since his father had been able to leave him such a miraculous seed, the mysterious box surely contained something extraordinary as well.
He got up and opened the door.
But then he heard Xu Yourans pleading voice from the neighboring courtyard.
Aunt Wang, these are the resources the clan issued to me this month. Please dont take them away.
Wang Yingfeng had brought two personal maidservants and forced Xu Youran into a corner.
The maidservants held her hands down, while Wang Yingfeng took a bottle of Qi Refining Liquid from Xu Yourans robe and said with a slightly cold expression, Dont think I dont know.
You want to give it to that useless Jiang Fan!
You want him to win? Heh, keep dreaming!
Smack
Wang Yingfeng smashed the Qi Refining Liquid hard onto the ground. The precious liquid spilled all over the floor and mixed with the soil.
Xu Youran was so anxious that she broke free from the two maidservants, threw herself onto the ground, and scooped up the soil soaked with spiritual liquid, still trying to salvage some of it.
But the spiritual liquid and soil could no longer be separated. It was already useless.
Aunt Wang! Even someone as calm by nature as Xu Youran was so angry that tears filled her eyes. Xiaofan is already so pitiful. Why do you all bully him like this?
You even have to make things difficult for him over a single bottle of Qi Refining Liquid!
Wang Yingfeng clapped her hands dismissively and said, Whos bullying him?
The Qi Refining Liquid belongs to our Xu family. If he has any backbone, he can go get it himself.
Relying on a woman to sneak it to himnever mind the people of our Xu Manor looking down on him, even beggars by the roadside would spit on him.
Lets go!
She twisted her waist and left in complete satisfaction.
Jiang Fan did not even have a single bottle of Qi Refining Liquid. If he wanted to defeat her nephew, he could dream on.
Xu Youran crouched helplessly on the ground, hugging her knees and sobbing in self-reproach.
Just then, a hand rested on her back and patted her gently.
Startled, she turned her head and saw that it was Jiang Fan. She blamed herself even more, falling into his arms and sobbing so hard she could barely speak. Im sorry, Xiaofan. Im so useless!
I should have been more careful. Then Aunt Wang wouldnt have discovered it.
Jiang Fan gently patted her slender back, his heart filled with tenderness. Silly girl, I cant even thank you enough. How could I blame you?
Xu Yourans eyes were red, and she still blamed herself deeply. But that was the only Qi Refining Liquid I could give you.
What virtue or ability do I have, to deserve such a fiancée?
Jiang Fan became even gentler. There is one thing Wang Yingfeng said that I agree with.
If a man can only win by relying on a womans help, not only will outsiders look down on him, even I would look down on myself!
Dont worry. Ill find a way to deal with the Qi Refining Liquid myself.
Go back and rest. Just wait for my news.
Xu Youran was silent for a long time, then suddenly nodded. Mm. Just do your best. No matter the result, I wont blame you.
With that, she left the back courtyard, and also left Xu Manor.
She headed toward Cloudmist Mountain in the outskirts, where spiritual herbs grew in abundance.
She could not bear to see Jiang Fan isolated and helpless, and still wanted to do everything she could to help him.
Although the effects of those spiritual herbs were far inferior to Qi Refining Liquid, they were still better than nothing.
At the same time, Jiang Fan also left Xu Manor and arrived at the graveyard hill in the outskirts.
Father, your unfilial child has come to see you.
He knelt before the grave and burned a great deal of paper money and candles, his mind recalling the years he had spent with his father.
His father had been a man of few words and liked to drink.
When drunk, he would point at the sky and curse angrily, as if venting against injustice.
When sober, he would gaze at the moon, tears streaming down his face.
Yet whether drunk or not, when he looked at Jiang Fan, he was always gentle.
Father, Im going to get married. But its not to Xu Yining. Its to Xu Youran, whom you liked more. You once said she was actually more suited to be my wifegentle, quiet, and courteous.
As Jiang Fan smiled, tears began flowing down his face. If you were still alive, youd surely be grinning from ear to ear, wouldnt you?
Once were married, Ill definitely bring her to meet you.
Wiping away his tears, Jiang Fan said with a trace of apology, But Ive run into a little trouble and need to open the box you left behind, Father.
Please forgive me for disturbing your peace.
After kowtowing several times, Jiang Fan raised his hoe and dug into the grave soil before the tombstone.
He dug a full three feet deep before finally uncovering a black wooden box.
Huh, it actually hasnt rotted. Jiang Fan picked it up, surprise showing in his eyes.