Joyful Union and a New Son

One year later.

Baishan Sect, Dan Peak.

Yan Feihong placed four round pills in his palm. He examined them carefully before speaking with evident joy.

"Chengyuan, the quality of the Qi-Enhancing Pills you refined this time is truly excellent. Even if I were to refine them myself, the result would not be much better."

"Master praises me too highly. This is entirely due to your painstaking guidance," Zhou Chengyuan replied with a modest smile.

Two full years of alchemy had worn away the last traces of youth from Zhou Chengyuan, replacing them with composure and steadiness.

Yan Feihong looked at Zhou Chengyuan and sighed inwardly. Although Zhou Chengyuan's comprehension in alchemy was not exceptionally high, he was incredibly diligent and hardworking. Over these two years, he had refined pills thousands of times. The books he used merely to record his alchemy experiences filled several volumes. He had truly made up for his lack of innate talent through sheer, grinding effort.

It was precisely this diligence that allowed Zhou Chengyuan to master four common pill formulas within just two years-the Blood Replenishing Pill, Qi Recovering Pill, Detoxification Pill, and Qi-Enhancing Pill. Furthermore, his attainment in each was quite profound.

Of course, even with Yan Feihong's careful guidance, there had been countless failures along the way. Zhou Chengyuan had incurred a debt of over sixteen thousand Sect contribution points. Without Yan Feihong, that number would easily have doubled.

"Nonsense, why are you still so modest?" Yan Feihong laughed. "Come, follow this old man to share a pot of wine and celebrate."

"That Baixi Tide wine from your family truly has a wonderful taste."

"Your disciple will go fetch a jar right now," Zhou Chengyuan said with a smile, following Yan Feihong toward the side pavilion.

Not long after Zhou Chengyuan joined the Baishan Sect, Zhou Ping had sent people to check on him and deliver regards. Over time, Yan Feihong naturally came to learn a bit about the Zhou family, and he could not help but feel a twinge of envy.

After all, this was a minor cultivation clan established merely decades ago, with a populace of only a few hundred. Yet, they had already produced two Qi Condensation cultivators. Their fortune was truly too good.

If even one of his own descendants could become a Qi Condensation cultivator, as an alchemy Elder, he would certainly fight to carve out a place for his family within the Sect!

Naturally, it was only envy. After all, the families of some Elders in the Baishan Sect were in similar situations. It was even rumored that Elder Jiang had only secured his high position because two of his juniors had reached Qi Condensation, which bolstered his already formidable personal strength.

Furthermore, the Baixi Tide wine had deeply won Yan Feihong's favor. The Zhou family made sure to send a few jars every six months to help Zhou Chengyuan deepen his relationship with his master.

Zhou Chengyuan also took the opportunity to refine many low-grade Pills for his family, though the Zhou family naturally provided all the raw materials.

This arrangement was only possible because Yan Feihong continued to shoulder the vast majority of the Sect's alchemy duties.

Otherwise, it wasn't that Zhou Chengyuan lacked the ability to refine Pills for his family, but rather that he simply wouldn't have the time. If he were the only alchemist on Dan Peak, the Sect's massive annual demand for Pills would exhaust him day and night, leaving no chance to spare any effort for his clan.

Inside the side pavilion, Zhou Chengyuan and his two companions sat cross-legged around a small table. Spread before them were several plates of delicious dishes, their aromas especially tempting.

Zhou Chengyuan and Yan Feihong drank merrily together. Yan Zhilan poured wine for them before sitting quietly to the side, her eyes filled with deep affection and admiration as she gazed at Zhou Chengyuan.

As for the other disciples of the Dan Pavilion, they lacked the qualifications to even step foot inside this room, much less sit beside the Elder.

Yan Feihong drank until he was heavily intoxicated. His face flushed with wine, he smiled at Zhou Chengyuan. "Chengyuan, to have taught such an outstanding disciple as you... this old man can die without regrets."

"Master's words are too heavy. You will surely attain the Dao and enjoy a long life, successfully reaching Foundation Establishment."

Yan Feihong laughed self-deprecatingly. "This old man only has a few good years left to live. Even now, I am only at the fifth level of Qi Condensation. What Dao is there left for me to attain?"

"I no longer harbor extravagant hopes of attaining the Dao. I am only worried about my useless children and grandchildren," Yan Feihong said sorrowfully. "Especially Zhilan. I am truly afraid that after I pass on, she will be bullied."

"Grandfather," Yan Zhilan called out with a worried tone.

Zhou Chengyuan listened in silence. From the very first day Yan Feihong began teaching him so diligently, he knew there would eventually be a price to pay. Today, that moment had finally arrived.

Yan Feihong's aged eyes stared piercingly at Zhou Chengyuan. He spoke slowly. "Chengyuan, what do you think of Zhilan?"

Yan Zhilan's face instantly flushed crimson. She glanced shyly at Zhou Chengyuan, her eyes brimming with love.

Two years of close companionship, combined with the subtle matchmaking of her elder, had long since caused the innocent Yan Zhilan to lose her heart to him.

Zhou Chengyuan met Yan Feihong's gaze. He knew perfectly well that Baixi Tide wine could not truly intoxicate a Qi Condensation cultivator.

Although he had now mastered the refining methods for several types of Pills, he still had not been taught how to refine the most precious first-grade Pills-the Green Jade Pill and the Spirit Ascension Pill-let alone a variety of others.

If his relationship with Yan Feihong soured now and the elder ceased his teachings, then after Yan Feihong's death, the entire burden of refining Pills for the Baishan Sect would crash down upon Zhou Chengyuan's shoulders. The constant, blind experimentation required to figure out those two specific Pills alone would be enough to bind him to the Sect for the rest of his life.

He then turned his head to look at Yan Zhilan, his eyes instantly turning as tender as water.

Although Yan Feihong's hidden matchmaking carried ulterior motives, Yan Zhilan herself was exceptionally pure. How could Zhou Chengyuan not understand her feelings? And how could his own heart remain unmoved?

"Sister Zhilan is sensible, gentle, and considerate. She is naturally excellent. Whoever manages to marry Sister Zhilan will have accumulated good fortune over several lifetimes," Zhou Chengyuan said with an open, honest smile.

Yan Feihong's aged eyes flashed with lightning-like clarity as he spoke boldly, "Then I shall betroth Zhilan to you. What do you think, Chengyuan?"

The room suddenly fell silent. Yan Feihong quietly watched Zhou Chengyuan, while Yan Zhilan's eyes overflowed with adoration.

Zhou Chengyuan took a deep breath. Agreeing to marry Yan Zhilan might seem like a simple joy, but in truth, it was a silent vow to become the future pillar and backer of the Yan clan.

He picked up his wine cup from the table and drained it in a single gulp. "Thank you for your profound grace, Master. From now on, I will certainly treat Sister Zhilan well."

As he spoke, he reached to pour another drink, but Yan Zhilan stopped him with evident heartache. "Brother Chengyuan, drinking too much harms the body. You should drink a little less."

"Good, good, good. You little girl haven't even married yet, but you're already starting to dote on your little sweetheart," Yan Feihong teased.

Yan Zhilan's face flushed bright red from the teasing, yet she still carefully guarded Zhou Chengyuan's wine cup, preventing him from pouring more. This caused Yan Feihong to burst into a fit of endless laughter.

Thanks to Yan Feihong's utmost efforts in arranging the affair, the two were married three months later.

As this was a great and joyous event for the Elder of Dan Peak, the Baishan Sect naturally placed extraordinary importance upon it. The entire Sect celebrated and offered congratulations. Over ten Elders attended the banquet in person, and three of the Sect's five Grand Elders arrived to pay their respects. Even the Qing family from the back mountain of the Baishan Sect dispatched a clan Elder to observe the ceremony, demonstrating just how highly it was regarded.

Originally, Zhou Chengyuan had hoped to host the wedding banquet at Baixi Mountain to serve as a deterrent against the Huang family. However, he was strictly informed that he could not leave the Sect. It was precisely because of this restriction that the Baishan Sect placed such heavy emphasis on the wedding-it was merely their way of offering compensation.

After all, Zhou Chengyuan was different from an ordinary Elder like Zhao Zhongquan. He still owed the Sect tens of thousands of contribution points. The Baishan Sect could not possibly allow him to wander outside. If some accident were to befall him, the Sect's losses would be far too great.

Zhou Ping was naturally aware of his grandson's grand wedding. However, since the Zhou family openly possessed only a single Qi Condensation cultivator at the moment, it was impossible for him to leave the mountain and attend in person.

Nevertheless, he still dispatched Zhou Minghu and Zhou Changhe to attend, absolutely determined not to let his good grandson feel slighted.

After the wedding, Yan Feihong began personally teaching Zhou Chengyuan the methods to refine the Green Jade Pill. His instruction grew even more earnest and painstaking than before.

One day, several months later, Zhou Ping gazed quietly at his System Panel.

"I have finally waited until this moment."

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