Chapter 60

Zhang Jian had his personal attendant Zhang Lu ask a young, sturdy servant nearby.

Just turning lead into silver, not into gold?

Did you ask clearly?

Zhang Lu hurriedly nodded and said, "Master, I asked clearly; it's just turning lead into silver, but it's truly genuine—everyone says they saw it with their own eyes!"

Now the Qi Family Fourth Master is over there moving the mother silver; it's said to be used as seed, and the more mother silver used, the more the refined silver will multiply!

……

Zhang Jian felt somewhat speechless; some things may be clear to outsiders but confusing to those involved.

He roughly knew the situation in his heart.

Such liveliness—let's go take a look! Let's see what abilities the Jade True Daoist from Dragon Gate Mountain has!

He had heard the attendants mention it before; rumor had it that this Daoist came from Dragon Gate Mountain in Shanyang Commandery, that Dragon Gate Mountain is a famous scenic spot in Shanyang Commandery, where many virtuous high Daoists have taken refuge to cultivate, and it is said that immortals often appear there.

When Zhang Jian entered the Four Rooms Grand Courtyard, he happened to hear a figure shouting loudly.

Hurry up, hurry up—the True Person said, you lot are mundane folk burdened with the five turbidities, most prone to spoil the true elixir; if you ruin this furnace of true elixir and lose the mother silver, be careful—I'll flay your skins!

Hearing that, the many attendants scattered in all directions.

Zhang Jian had long seen the figure of his Fourth Paternal Uncle Qi Yuanjia; beside him was his elder cousin Qi Tonglie, who looked listless and was still yawning.

A look of excessive indulgence.

Zhang Jian's gaze swept over that elder cousin, his eyes flickering slightly.

Qi Yuanjia had also seen Zhang Jian approaching; his eyes lit up, he stepped forward a few paces and laughed.

A Yu has come—what a rare guest! Quickly, come inside……

He was unusually warm-hearted; although Qi Yuanjia was a dissolute young master who loved food and drink and frequented pleasure quarters, he was also very perceptive, but seeing his elder cousin Qi Tonglie looking so exhausted, he instantly felt frustrated.

A Lie, what sort of state are you in, listless all day—are you still the eldest grandson of the Qi family? You don't even know how to greet a visiting cousin; you're worse than mud that won't stick to a wall!

Qi Yuanjia grew angrier the more he spoke.

Qi Tonglie was like a slippery lump of meat, completely unbothered by Qi Yuanjia's scolding; he merely glanced at Zhang Jian, nodded, and said, "Jian Younger Cousin, do as you please—don't listen to my father's nonsense, just treat it as your own home."

He yawned, said that, and went straight back to catch up on sleep.

Seeing this, Qi Yuanjia grew even angrier, about to shout, but Zhang Jian stopped this Fourth Paternal Uncle; he didn't blame him much, for this uncle and his son are cut from the same cloth—both are such carefree loafers.

Zhang Jian merely smiled: "Fourth Uncle, no need to trouble yourself—I'm just casually looking around; I heard you invited a high Daoist from Dragon Gate Mountain, skilled in the gold‑refining art, and I've come specially to exchange a few words."

Qi Yuanjia hearing this, immediately smiled: "That's rather a pity—the Jade True Dharma Master left this morning on business; this alchemy furnace is now left in my care, and he needs to re‑prepare several medicinal ingredients; he'll return only after gathering enough of them."

Not fated to meet—what a pity!

Zhang Jian's eyes flickered.

Qi Yuanjia laughed: "When the Jade True Dharma Master returns, I, as Fourth Uncle, will surely introduce you; you and he both know the transcendental arts—after exchanging ideas, you might gain something."

When Qi Yuanjia mentioned the Jade True Dharma Master, he also showed a hint of pride, clearly having been won over by him.

Zhang Jian smiled and agreed; his humility, however, seemed to Qi Yuanjia as respect—or acknowledgment—toward this Fourth Uncle, and his expression brightened, becoming even more enthusiastic.

Zhang Jian didn't linger long; he merely walked around the alchemy room, inspected the silver embryos produced in the furnace, and then prepared to leave.

But he merely ran into Old Daoist Tianxu, who had also just walked out of another alchemy room.

Old Daoist Tianxu wore a deep blue cloth robe, though it had been washed extremely clean; his gray-white hair was simply bound with a black jade hairpin, making him look extremely neat and tidy.

At this moment, his expression was contemplative.

The two also saw each other at this time and nodded slightly.

The Tianxu Daoist then gave Zhang Jian a serious glance, somewhat surprised.

"Brother Zhang, your complexion seems a bit different today?"

In his gaze, Zhang Jian's whole body emitted threads of an ethereal aura, as if wrapped in an ineffable charm.

His cultivation was limited, and he had not trained the spiritual eye, so he couldn't see clearly, but based on experience he could still determine that Zhang Jian's cultivation before him must have made a great leap forward.

There was a hint of envy in his eyes.

Such a noticeable cultivation increase, he had experienced it before, but after entering the spirit-nourishing stage, the forging of that spiritual power became especially difficult.

Zhang Jian merely smiled faintly.

"Just happened to gain some insight!"

After the Yaochi Golden Lotus entered his body, his ultimate yang spiritual power increased considerably; plus, having mastered the Sun-Moon Sword Technique, the two breakthroughs in succession left a residual fluctuation of spiritual aura on him.

It's a pity he currently doesn't know any technique to restrain his own spiritual aura; otherwise it wouldn't be so conspicuous.

Old Daoist Tianxu clicked his tongue in amazement; Zhang Jian glanced toward the direction of the alchemy room and spoke first.

"Senior Tianxu, you must have personally witnessed yesterday the gold-refining technique of that Jade True Master; did you notice anything?"

Old Daoist Tianxu shook his head and said:

"That Jade True Master is indeed a cultivator; his cultivation is not weak, possibly even above mine, but this gold-refining technique is rather strange!"

Upon hearing that, Zhang Jian's eyes twitched: "Strange?"

Old Daoist Tianxu shook his head and said: "I can't even say where it's strange!"

"Moreover, there's a strange smell on him!"

"Huh?"

Zhang Jian directed his gaze over.

Old Daoist Tianxu whispered: "Fishy smell!"

"Spirit monster?"

Zhang Jian furrowed his brows tightly; upon mention of the fishy smell, he first thought of demonic beasts, most of which eat flesh and drink blood, thus often carrying a peculiar fishy odor.

Or perhaps due to their habits, their bodies naturally differ.

But the problem is how a demonic beast could get into Fengyang County city, especially the Qi family residence, which is protected by dragon and tiger aura.

You've got the guts of a bear and a leopard?

Tianxu Lao Dao shook their head and said: "I can't be certain about this either; maybe it's just that Master Yu Zhen himself has different habits, practicing a special technique, which gives it this strange flavor!"

After thinking, Tianxu Daoist immediately took something out of their sleeve and handed it to Zhang Jian.

Right, Brother Zhang, I returned to the Iron Immortal Temple yesterday and happened to find a few seniors' travelogues there; they might be useful to you, so why not take a look first?

Upon hearing that, Zhang Jian's eyes flickered; he glanced at the several small booklets wrapped in red silk, which were in perfect condition, and felt a hint of surprise.

Who would write such travelogues, a decent person?

I'm afraid only those cultivators who are devoted to passing on their sect's techniques would do such a thing.

Zhang Jian casually took it and thanked them.

He could see that Tianxu Lao Dao was doing this to return the favor, repaying his life-saving kindness.

Of course, Tianxu Lao Dao also genuinely wanted to make friends.