The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]
Chapter 290: Guests from Afar

Li Lang nibbled on some biscuits as he listened to the young lady of the Yan family regale tales of recent events within the province of Vermillion Dragon. His attention was divided between the new information and the fine assortment of snacks that were made from Earth-grade ingredients. It was an extravagant meal for him the last time he visited, but now with the Crucible, it was something he could afford to eat every day if he so wished.

Still, Li Lang was curious if a storied cultivator clan had developed more efficient techniques to process these fine ingredients. He had been planning to have his next batch of students test the effects of long-term consumption of high-quality foodstuff, so he had a keen interest in its preparation method.

“—That’s why the tension between the scions of the Dou Clan and Jin Clan is quite high at the moment,” Yan Ruolan stated, her voice tinged with revulsion. “If you ask me, allowing members of both clans into the newly discovered crypt is only asking for trouble.”

“Newly discovered crypt?” Li Lang asked as he grabbed some egg rolls.

“The entire province has been abuzz since the decision at Sword Saint Isle. Various sects have proactively searched out clues for the Abductress, and the crypt is one of the many byproducts of this search. Just a remnant from the past, where young cultivators fight over the inheritance left behind by some old expert.”

“Considering elders of those sects aren’t moving in to claim the spoils for themselves, I assume it isn’t that valuable, though.”

“That—is dependent on perspective. For juniors like us in the Foundation Establishment Realm, inheritances left behind by Violet Core Realm elders are invaluable. Not everyone has treasures such as your Crucible. Just the Saint-grade heavenly materials are already a product of envy for many.”

“That’s a given,” Jun Ziyan chimed in. “There are several pill recipes for the Core Formation Pill, but all of them require Saint-grade materials. It isn’t something we can hope to chance upon that often here on Violet Isle.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” Li Lang noted. “There’s some time until I’m ready to consider matters of breaking into the next major realm, but early preparation never hurts. I was just about to ask about any clues about the Abductress’ whereabouts, but I see that the sects of Vermillion Dragon are way ahead of me.”

“Of course. Our forces hadn’t emerged unscathed in the encounter against that heinous lunatic. And also—” Li Lang waited for the young lady to continue, only for her to sigh.

“Also?” Li Lang urged the young to continue, only to catch his faux pas a moment later. “Never mind.”

Yan Ruolan nodded at him, as if to tell him she didn’t mind, but a moment of silence ensued as they each sipped on their teas while they regathered their thoughts.

Having gotten more involved in the political machinations of Violet Isle, Li Lang realized there were a lot of old grudges and infighting that he only knew the surface-level information about. He quickly realized the young lady of the Yan Clan was likely alluding to these ancient rivalries. All these forces would inevitably use whatever they could to besmirch their rivals if they could get away with it, so it was understandable that they were all so proactive in the search for the Abductress. They had to at least put on a show lest their rivals accuse them, undermining their position.

It was one of the things Li Lang identified to be a recurring issue whenever he ventured to new places. Numerous factions would try to use him in their politicking now that he had influence to affect their games.

Just as they were about to start their conversation anew, they heard a commotion nearby from the other servants of the Yan household. They didn’t have to wonder why for long, as a set of heavy footsteps rapidly grew louder. It was obvious that whoever it was, they were heading their way.

“Father!” the young lady of the house cheerfully cried out at the newcomer.

A stern man entered the guest room, gazing at each of its occupants in turn as if assessing their threat level. He appeared to be in his forties, with dark hair that was cut short in comparison to the norm. A fierce scar that ran down from the corner of his forehead to his neck and beyond enhanced his intimidating aura.

At first, Li Lang thought the scar was just a cosmetic choice, something the cultivator had purposefully chosen to bear, as a Recovery Pill could easily eliminate wounds without any scarring. However, he soon noticed some telltale signs that he recognized. Signs that were startlingly similar to what he had seen—no, to be precise, caused in the past.

It was eerily similar to his latest poison that targeted the deoxyribonucleic acid of his foes. While it did not mean Li Lang had caused the man’s wounds, it did convey that those scars weren’t a fashion statement and that someone in the world could cause a similar type of damage!

The stoic man nodded at his daughter’s greeting before clasping his fist toward Li Lang.

“I am Yan Gao. I welcome you, leader of Star Gem Academy, to our province. I am here to escort you back to the sect. When would you like to leave?” the man spoke as if reciting from a script.

Li Lang quickly shelved any thoughts about the man’s scars lest he continue gawking crudely. From what he knew, it wouldn’t be difficult to remove those scars if he wanted, even without knowing ways to fix or replace the damaged DNA. The body constantly repaired itself, and with the help of Recovery Pills, he could easily cut off the afflicted areas. The fact that the scars remained meant it was personal, and he wouldn’t intrude on his privacy lightly, especially on the first meeting.

“I will have to trouble you then, Senior Yan. If you don’t mind, I am ready to depart right away.”

The man nodded, turned around, and began walking away. Right on cue, his daughter quickly followed up.

“Father means for you to follow him. Please have a pleasant journey.”

Sharing a glance with Jun Ziyan, the two nodded and got on their way.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Young Lady Ruolan and Caretaker Cang.”

They swiftly raced to catch up to the stoic man, catching him as he summoned an elegant green Skyrunner, which was masterfully adorned with gold paint around the edges. He opened the door to the carriage and gestured for the two to board.

“Thank you, Senior Yan,” Li Lang politely said as he got on.

“You’re welcome, friends from Star Gem Academy.”

The mechanical way he spoke was somewhat off-putting, but it was preferable to the man not speaking at all. With no more conversation to be had, their vehicle soon took off and picked up speed rapidly.

“Seems like the name of your great academy has already spread far and wide!” Jun Ziyan teased after a short moment of uncomfortable silence.

“That’s a good thing. I’m sure my students have been conveying our new name during the regular contact we have with various forces over the transmission jade your master graciously gave us. It will legitimize our forces when we start mobilizing more people to search for the Abductress.”

“Oh, just make up a name, and you think you’ll be legitimized already? With no accomplishments under your banner?”

“That will have to come with time. In this case, first impressions matter a whole lot more. Hmm, speaking of, I think we’ll have to come up with a uniform or color scheme as well.”

“Now that’s something to look forward to!” Jun Ziyan gushed. “Make sure you design something nicer than what we use. My master is great and all, but our clothes are all so monotone. It gets boring real quickly.”

“I doubt there would be a point for uniforms if you get to change the style and color every so often.”

“Yeah, yeah. You don’t need to lecture me. My seniors do it all the time already. Our uniforms are to present ourselves to the world with harmony and allow others to easily recognize us, or so they say. I’m tired of hearing the same spiel.”

“Well, they’re not wrong.”

Jun Ziyan scoffed, ending the conversation immediately. It brought their attention to the scenery out of the window instead.

The journey from Changjiao City to the Radiant Wing Sect didn’t take long. Yan Gao was a mighty expert in the Violet Core Realm. His Saint-grade Skyrunner ensured the trip was a short one.

“We’re here. Welcome, friends, to our Radiant Wing Sect’s home,” the flat voice called out as they neared a rugged canyon.

The two guests poke their heads out the front to get a better view. They watched with wide eyes as they slowly descended toward the city built that was hanging above the canyon. Thick metal chains deeply entrenched in the cliff walls could be seen hoisting an entire island up. The scene boggled Li Lang’s mind, as he tried to calculate the strength of those supports in order to be able to suspend such a massive chunk of the land in the air.