Chapter 809: Big Brother Loves You

"Look at the things you brought back—nothing but Ji'an specialties; it's hard not to hear about them. I heard a shocking case happened in Ji'an—what case was it?"

Pan Yun poured three jars of wine in one go, then sealed the jars, stood up, clapped her hands, and extended one finger: "First, we didn't rush back because I can fly, and now the government office is on winter break—nothing can proceed."

"Second," Pan Yun popped up a second finger: "Don't change the subject. Tell me—are Third Senior Brother and the others searching for healing herbs for Zhang Liuzhen? In Waiguo, wherever there was treasure, they ran; wherever there was a seriously ill patient, they dove in."

"Near treasures and sick patients, there are often skilled Physicians—and skilled Physicians usually hold firsthand information on medicinal ingredients." Pan Yun stared intently at Wang Feiyin.

Wang Feiyin's gaze drifted toward Xue Shao.

Xue Shao, sensing the mood, picked up two jugs of wine and headed to the kitchen: "I'll warm the wine."

Only the two senior siblings remained in the courtyard—oh, and a ginseng doll and a black cat.

Wang Feiyin sighed, stroked Bangchui's head, then looked up in confusion—suddenly, he heard nothing at all.

Wang Feiyin said: "Last June—not this June, last June—the celestial signs changed. I cast a divination: True Person Zhang may not live long. If Zhang Liuzhen's wound doesn't heal, the succession of the Tian Shi Mansion will surely face turmoil. Though his status is legitimate, his frail body cannot protect the nation—the imperial court may not support him. His chances are slim."

"Huh?" Pan Yun looked bewildered: "A celestial anomaly doesn't signify the emergence of a great cultivator to aid the nation?"

Wang Feiyin glanced at her: "A celestial sign can foretell many things. Did Seeing Miao Zhen tell you that?"

Pan Yun nodded proudly.

Wang Feiyin said: "To jump to such a conclusion without distinguishing loyalty from treachery—she must copy the 'Dao Yuan Fa Ze' ten times."

Pan Yun shrank her neck and instantly fell silent.

Wang Feiyin studied her and asked: "Do you agree with her too?"

Pan Yun immediately shook her head: "I'm not good with celestial patterns. If I don't understand, I listen humbly—I have no opinion of my own."

She hesitated, then whispered: "Actually, Seeing Miao Zhen didn't firmly believe it either—she presented several possibilities. I was just stunned by True Person Zhang's condition, so I picked the one I believed most to justify my shock."

Pan Yun asked cautiously: "Senior Brother, about Seeing Miao Zhen's punishment…"

Wang Feiyin gave her a meaningful look.

Pan Yun drew a finger across her lips: "I won't ask anymore. Do whatever you want."

Wang Feiyin then rubbed Bangchui's ears, smiling gently: "What punishment? It's the New Year—just enjoy the food, enjoy the fun. This rare moment of peace comes only once a year."

Pan Yun silently returned the wine jars to the pit, slowly piling the dirt back and packing it down firmly.

She thought bitterly: No one will easily dig up this wine again.

When Pan Yun finished filling the pit, cooked the meal, and warmed the wine, everyone sat at the table and raised their bowls to drink. Wang Feiyin first expressed joy at Xue Shao and Xi Jin's visit, then warmly welcomed Little Bangchui into the Mount Sanqing family, and finally sighed that at least the children still remembered to return and see this lonely old man.

Wang Cong stared at his father's increasingly black hair and frowned: "Dad, have you gotten younger again? Your hair's all black now, your wrinkles are gone, and without your beard, your skin looks better than mine…"

Wang Cong grew sadder as he spoke: "Dad, won't I end up looking older than you soon?"

Wang Feiyin shot him a glare: "I told you to cultivate, but you obsessed over making money. Now the mountain's silver is enough. With your Younger Uncle here, I'm not so unlucky anymore—I can even go down the mountain to perform rituals or give diagnoses, support myself easily. Your junior brothers and sisters are mostly self-sufficient now. Stop dawdling and cultivate."

Seeing Miao Zhen all nodded.

Wang Cong shook his head without hesitation: "They're low-level now—only need food, drink, and body-strengthening herbs, so it's fine. But when they reach the Fifth Stage's peak, they'll need Spirit Pills to breakthrough. That alone costs at least a thousand taels, no upper limit. Plus, to break through to First Hou Hou, they'll need to forge their own Core Artifacts and Flight Artifacts, right? Your Younger Uncle's materials and labor cost about a hundred thousand taels. We can't favor one over the others…"

Pan Yun coughed: "I spent that much? Labor wasn't just a hundred taels of gold, was it?"

Wang Cong: "Younger Uncle, do you know how much the materials cost on the black market?"

Pan Yun thought for a moment and sighed: "Cultivation really costs money."

Wang Cong smiled: "There are ways to cultivate without spending—but they're slow. Since Mount Sanqing has the resources, we can't let our junior brothers and sisters suffer."

"These are just normal expenses. What about abnormal cases—like Zhang Liuzhen's severe, hard-to-treat injuries? How much would you spend on medicine in a year?" Wang Cong counted on his fingers: "When Fourth Uncle joined, the monastery's best herbs were half gone overnight, and we piled up massive debts. Dad sold many valuable items and took on three years of alchemy orders just to gather herbs for him. And that was with you and Third Uncle here. For disciples outside, besides buying herbs, they'd have to pay for Physicians—double the cost at least."

"As for whether our current funds are enough—I'm the first to oppose that," Wang Cong said. "We still have plenty to earn."

Seeing Miao Zhen hurriedly said: "But we can't burden Senior Brother alone. I think training with Younger Uncle lets us support ourselves—we can find our own pills and artifacts. If we can't, we'll just do without."

"No," Wang Cong said firmly: "Whatever others have, my junior brothers and sisters must have too."

Seeing Miao Zhen opened her mouth again, but Wang Cong raised his hand to stop her: "No more talk. I'm doing this not just for you—I can't bear the hardship of cultivation."

He instantly switched expressions, grinning: "You know I hate cultivating—I love the thrill of making money. Don't force me. Let me go earn."

Pan Yun looked at Wang Feiyin.

Wang Feiyin sighed, picked up a chicken leg, and said gravely: "Eat."

Pan Yun placed a chicken leg on Wang Cong's bowl and said sympathetically: "No rush—we'll be together for a long time. I'll help you earn money and make sure you cultivate. Good cultivation habits start tomorrow—I'll wake you at Mao Hour."

Wang Cong's smile froze; his hand holding the chicken leg trembled slightly. He smiled bitterly: "Younger Uncle, is Mao Hour really that early?"

Pan Yun: "Not early. I'm still growing—I get up. You're already this big—what's there to complain about?"

Wang Cong muttered: "Precisely because I'm this big do I complain. Didn't I work so hard to grow up just so I could sleep as late as I want?"