Chapter 69: The Pill Sect’s Criteria for Choosing a Son-in-law
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Crossing over the ridge’s far side, an ancient battlefield stretched before them at the edge of the ruins. Countless giant flying swords lay broken here, with weathered bones pinned against shattered cliffs, dried and eroded by the winds. This was a place they had never seen before.
In truth, the disciples of the Immortal Sect had barely traversed a fraction of the Ruins of Qiling since their entry, moving directly through the central path. As Ban Yang Shu had once remarked, the ruins were vast and boundless, a claim now proven true.
Yet Ji You did not linger. Suppressing the urge to “dig up antiques for wealth,” he pressed forward, muttering under his breath, “It’s a clean trade, money for goods.”
“Brother-in-law, I think someone is following us,” said Yuan Chen cautiously.
“I felt it too. Don’t look back. Keep moving. When we reach the mine entrance, we’ll deal with it,” Ji You replied.
The allure of immortal fortune within the mountains had drawn countless seekers, but fierce rivalries had dissuaded weaker cultivators from venturing too deeply. These cautious ones lingered near the entry, waiting for opportunities.
Trailing the trio were three middle-aged cultivators: two men at the Profound Comprehension Stage and a woman with a striking figure and a cultivation level at the peak of the Lower Three Stages. Their ordinary talents suggested they were not from major sects but likely from smaller families.
By logical deduction, these three were likely failed cultivators, drawn here by the celestial glow. Their stained and bloodied garments hinted at their methods—targeting isolated cultivators to kill and loot.
“Brother-in-law, they’re closing in,” Yuan Chen whispered.
“You two go ahead and wait by the mine entrance. I’ll have a word with them,” Ji You ordered calmly.
Yuan Chen exchanged a glance with his sister, Yuan Cai Wei, but obeyed, while Ji You turned to face their pursuers.
He preferred to avoid conflicts if possible, but this time was different. The mine’s workers—if any remained alive—could not afford loose ends. A single oversight could bring catastrophe.
The three cultivators halted as Ji You stopped. One sneered and drew his sword, but before they could act, an overwhelming surge of spiritual qi erupted from Ji You. Seven spirit swords shot forth from the forest with a resonant hum.
Buzz—
The crisp sword chant resonated, and waves of sword qi roared like a coiling dragon. The three widened their eyes in disbelief and braced themselves with their weapons, only to be sent flying by the devastating force. Ji You, bow drawn and arrows gleaming like frost, aimed with unerring precision.
Meanwhile, Yuan Cai Wei and Yuan Chen reached the mine entrance. Using the reprieve, Yuan Cai Wei refined another Qi-Replenishing Pill, recovering some energy. Yet, fragments of her memory remained hazy. As she inspected her slender hands, she noticed faint jade-like patterns.
Jade Pill Hands…
The patterns indicated residual effects of this rare alchemical technique, evidence of her recent pill refinement. Lost in thought, she barely registered her brother’s muttering nearby about Ji You.
“Yuan Chen,” she snapped, “you shouldn’t call him brother-in-law so casually.”
Yuan Chen, standing at the mine’s mouth, pouted. “The clan has already issued an ultimatum for you to find a husband. Brother-in-law is perfect—a wandering rogue cultivator with no family ties but remarkable strength. He’s the ideal candidate for our Pill Sect son-in-law.”
“Since when did you decide these matters for me?” Yuan Cai Wei retorted.
“I know you have high standards, but brother-in-law is exceptional. I can’t explain it, but I sense he will one day reign supreme over the Nine Provinces,” Yuan Chen said earnestly.
“Reign supreme? Even the Chu family wouldn’t dare make such a claim. You’ve been reading too many serialized tales,” Yuan Cai Wei replied, unimpressed.
The Pill Sect, one of the Seven Great Immortal Sects, lacked martial prowess but monopolized Pill Dao. To ensure its lineage, the Azure Clouds Immortal Edicts forbade harming Pill Sect disciples. Yet, such decrees did little to deter ambitious scoundrels.
Thus, for over a century, women inheriting the Pill Sect’s legacy selected talented individuals from small clans as live-in sons-in-law. These men, drawn from families too minor to pose a threat, were easier to control. Such unions ensured the sect’s survival without strengthening rival factions.
Yuan Cai Wei, however, had no intention of considering Ji You.
“Even the minor clans we approach usually boast at least ten cultivators in the Upper Five Stages. A wandering rogue cultivator is worlds apart,” she stated firmly. “And peak Lower Three Stages doesn’t meet my criteria.”
“Whatever he’s promised you, or however he’s influenced you, forget it.”
Pill Sect’s methods—alms, aid, and alliances—forged ties with small clans across Liang and You Prefectures. Yet, when Yuan Cai Wei disappeared, none dared venture into the ruins to find her. It was only after the celestial radiance burst forth that these opportunists entered, abandoning Yuan Chen in Beisha Town.
But Ji You was different. Though he constantly muttered about fair trades and money, Yuan Chen trusted him—from their time in the Red Mountain Mine, his rescue efforts, and even his stories of Immortal Sect’s disciples. Ji You, despite his humble cultivation, embodied reliability.
As Yuan Chen wrestled with how to convey this to his sister, she interrupted. “What reward did you promise him for entering the mountains with you?”
“A thousand gold taels,” Yuan Chen admitted.
“Silver and gold? So cheap?” Yuan Cai Wei sneered. “Does he know you’re a direct disciple of the Pill Sect?”
“His senior brother suspected, but I doubt he knows,” Yuan Chen said after a moment’s thought.
“Double it to two thousand taels. If he took such a risk, he shouldn’t be underpaid,” Yuan Cai Wei instructed, clearly signaling the end of any deeper ties. Yet, unspoken, she doubted his return. Facing two Profound Comprehension Stage cultivators and one at her own level, she thought his claim of “settling things” naive.
As her thoughts spiraled, footsteps echoed from the forest. Ji You emerged, unscathed, dressed in white robes and carrying three money pouches.