Mortal Saint

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: More Than 1 Person Strives to Cross; 1 Lavish Feast of Mountain Delicacies, the Myriad States of Life

Ji Xiu’s visit to the Medicine House, for alchemy and his medicinal bath, was over.

He didn’t stay and was preparing to head back.

From far behind, a panting Zheng Jun came running from the Medicine House.

"Ji Xiu, Master Ji, Master Ji...!"

"You..."

He dashed over, his Medicine Boy uniform still stained with sweat. Bending over, he gasped for breath.

"Was it you... who got Pharmacist Huang to grant me permission to use the Pill Furnace and practice alchemy!?"

Zheng Jun’s face was filled with disbelief.

Just a moment ago, right after Ji Xiu had left, Huang Xuan had summoned him. He had given Zheng Jun permission to try his hand at refining some introductory Pills. If he showed any talent, Huang Xuan might even take him on as a disciple.

This felt like a pie falling from the sky; he was completely stunned. If it weren’t well past morning, he would have thought he was still dreaming.

After asking around, he learned that it was Ji Xiu who had put in a good word, causing Old Huang to change his mind. After all these years, this was the first time someone was planning to train him.

Deeply moved, he had chased after him all this way. When he finally caught up, he saw that Ji Xiu had already boarded the carriage. Hearing the commotion, Ji Xiu pushed open the window and looked at him with a smile.

"Eight years of service, half a month of diligence. It’s clear you truly want to learn alchemy."

"I went from being a mere Groom to where I am today. I know exactly what’s on your mind."

"That being the case... as the Medicine Hall Master, what’s wrong with me giving you this opportunity?"

With that, the sound of hooves arose.

The carriage wheels rumbled over the bluestone, clattering into the distance.

A lump formed in Zheng Jun’s throat. He looked down at his dirty Medicine Boy uniform, his eyes stinging as he choked up.

When they first met, he had tried to put on a brave face in front of Ji Xiu, calling himself a "Pill Master." It was partly boasting and exaggeration, an attempt to save face.

But wasn’t it also his heart’s truest desire?

This time, however, his wish was finally granted.

...

He had just arrived back at his residence in the Fire Kiln.

Stepping into the bluestone courtyard,

Ji Xiu immediately spotted Ji Wei, dressed fashionably in a willow-green blouse and skirt. She was smiling, talking to a skinny, monkey-like boy in plain, short clothes who looked shy and awkward.

Seeing Ji Xiu, she waved her small hand.

"Brother Ji, look who’s here!"

Seeing the Ji family’s little sister—now as lovely as carved jade, her eyes sparkling like stars, a stark contrast to the sallow, timid girl she once was—

Zhang the Sixth sat ramrod straight at the stone table, too shy and constrained to look up.

Hearing the commotion, he followed her gaze.

He saw a young man walking along the bluestone path, wearing a black cloak over a straight-lapel Xuanyi robe, with a saber at his waist and boots on his feet.

The sight stunned him even more. He shot up to his feet with a WHOOSH, standing perfectly straight.

"Bro... Brother Ji, no, Master Ji..."

He wasn’t sure what to call him.

At that moment, Ji Xiu strode in, a smile in his eyes. He clapped him on the shoulder, completely unconcerned by his shabby clothes.

"We both crawled out of the mud. Who’s to say who’s nobler?"

"What is it? Did someone bully you? Or did they bully your old man? Tell me."

"I told you back when we moved out of the old alleyways."

"We’ve been friends since we were kids. If you ever need anything, just come to me, and I’ll help."

He lifted his chin, his expression serious.

Zhang the Sixth looked touched.

"Brother Ji, I..."

"I..."

He bit his lip, but still couldn’t help but lower his head, his voice dropping.

"I wanted to ask you for a job."

"Actually, ever since you beat up that Steward Qiao Jin, I’ve been practicing martial arts. As I started eating more and more, my family couldn’t afford to feed me anymore, and I couldn’t..." free𝑤ebnovel.com

Hm?

Ji Xiu’s gaze sharpened.

"You’ve been practicing martial arts?"

"Who are you training with? How much silver did your father spend?"

Since becoming the Medicine Hall Master, Ji Xiu’s horizons had broadened. He was now well aware that some so-called Martial Artists with no real skill, who hadn’t even succeeded in Bone Marrow strengthening, were complete frauds.

But relying on their official Military Registry status with the Government Office, they would put on an air of profound mystery, set up a ’school’ in their own courtyards, and swindle poor kids who dreamed of a better life out of a dozen or so silver.

In the end, all they would give out was some shoddy manual for an unorthodox martial art—one that couldn’t even cultivate Force and that the Government Office wouldn’t bother with—bleeding their students dry.

If he hadn’t been lucky enough to become Duan Chenzhou’s disciple, Ji Xiu would have, in all likelihood, been tempted by a cheaper option and tried his luck with one of them.

And if he had fallen under the tutelage of one of these worthless Martial Artists...

’Even with my Primordial Daoist Talisman, I probably would have never been able to cultivate Sword Force.’

"No, no!"

"I didn’t use family money. For the past month, a visiting Martial Artist has been teaching martial arts in our old alleyway for free."

"At first, I just went with my coworkers to see what the fuss was about."

"But after a month of practice, he said I had good Innate Talent and bone structure, and that my age was still suitable. If I kept at it, he said I could achieve Entering the Realm in two or three months. He asked if I wanted him to recommend me to one of the ’Three Great Gangs’ to pursue the Martial Dao..."

"I was tempted, but I’ve never been in a gang like that, and my father was worried. He said if all else failed, I should come find you..."

As he spoke, Zhang the Sixth grew a bit embarrassed. He performed a round of Fist and Foot techniques in front of Ji Xiu, whose eyes narrowed. Indeed, he could see a hint of Minor Success in the boy’s form.

’Free martial arts lessons...’

’The Three Great Gangs?’

Ji Xiu frowned. ’Are there really people in this world who, once on the Military Registry, would teach for free with no expectation of reward?’

’Wouldn’t that destroy the business of all those small Boxing Halls and older Martial Artists?’

After a moment’s thought, seeing that Hong Jiang hadn’t left yet, Ji Xiu stopped Zhang the Sixth and gave an order.

"Hong Jiang, this is a brother of mine from my early days. We grew up in the same place."

"Take him to Pharmacist Huang and Zheng Jun, and arrange a job for him. Tell them I sent you."

With a single sentence,

while Zhang the Sixth was still dazed,

Ji Xiu had decided his status as a member of the Medicine Hall, a member of the Wind and Cloud Association.

This was something countless Fire Kiln Guests fought tooth and nail for, but could never achieve.

This was power.

"From now on, your monthly salary will be ten silver. You’ll also get one Pill a month. Use it sparingly, show some filial piety to your old man and your older sister. And of course, don’t neglect your Fist and Foot training."

Ten silver!

A Pill!?

Zhang the Sixth’s breath caught in his throat. He was completely dumbfounded, his face flushing red as he frantically waved his hands.

"No, no, Brother Ji... I didn’t want this much! Just give me enough to eat, one or two silver, and I’ll work hard for you. You don’t need to..."

However, Ji Xiu cut him off with a short, indisputable sentence.

"I’m giving it to you, so take it."

"Go."

"Also... if you get the chance, take me to meet that ’Master’ of yours."

With Hong Jiang giving him a ’you lucky bastard’ look, he led the skinny, monkey-like boy—who kept looking back, his face anxious, as if wanting to say something more—out of the brick courtyard.

After a long moment,

Ji Xiu finally turned to Ji Wei, his expression gentle.

"Little sister, you’ll have to eat lunch by yourself today."

"The sons and daughters of the three top figures in the Wind and Cloud Association are holding a ’Mountain Delicacies Banquet’ at Feiyan Tower today. They specifically invited me. I’ve turned them down a few times, but I really can’t refuse this time."

"Okay!"

...

「Feiyan Tower.」

As soon as he entered, a sharp-eyed waiter immediately escorted Ji Xiu to the third floor.

He had never been up here before, not even for Lin Du’s banquet. He’d heard he wasn’t qualified.

The moment he stepped in, he saw a rockery with flowing water at the center of painted screens and railings, gurgling softly. Even though it was late autumn, fresh flowers were blooming in vibrant competition.

To one side, the curtain of a private room was partially drawn.

As he arrived, a familiar laugh rang out.

"Junior Brother?"

"Come in, come in!"

Lu Yu pulled back the curtain, his eyes lighting up. He took Ji Xiu by the arm and ushered him inside.

Once seated, he saw a young man in a purple robe with a familiar face, and a slender-waisted woman in a purple dress who covered her mouth with her sleeve as she smiled and greeted him.

With Lu Yu’s introductions, combined with having met them briefly when the Wind and Cloud Association was formed,

Ji Xiu’s memory was jogged.

"This is Young Master Xuu of the Chai Market, our current Vice Hall Master of the Precepts Hall in the Wind and Cloud Association."

Lu Yu gestured to the purple-robed young man.

Xuu Heng raised his cup to Ji Xiu with a smile and drank.

"And this is Miss Wei from the Cattle and Sheep Market, also the Vice Hall Master of the Scripture Hall."

The woman smiled sweetly and waved her hand, the Jade Treasure Bracelet on her fair wrist gleaming.

"I wanted to organize a get-together for a while now, to introduce you to your senior brother’s connections within our Wind and Cloud Association, but you were always cooped up, training hard."

Lu Yu’s expression was a little helpless, but he quickly pointed to Wei Zhi and said:

"But this time, Eldest Miss Wei brought many mountain delicacies from her home to prepare this ’Mountain Delicacies Banquet’."

"Eating this meal is highly beneficial for Bone Marrow strengthening. How often do you get a chance to see food like this?"

"As your senior brother, I felt we had to take advantage of this opportunity, which is why I insisted you come."

"Hahaha, sit, sit!"

Ji Xiu looked down.

Sure enough, the table was laden with dishes like matsutake stewed with bear paw, roasted squab, phoenix-tail White Crane, and dry-braised yellow croaker fins...

Dish after dish, some he recognized, while others were things he had never even heard of or seen before, all arranged on plates. It was a real eye-opener.

For a moment, he looked at these prominent figures of the County.

Then he thought of Zheng Jun, who had struggled for eight years, begging for a Pill just to knock on the door of that Daoist Sect.

And Zhang the Sixth, who had to swallow his pride and come to his door, just to make a living and seek a future.

He couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

Some are born in the mud. Unwilling to be mediocre, they struggle desperately to climb, only to perhaps earn the chance to be treated like beasts of burden.

But others are born standing at the finish line.

The disparity in circumstances was truly lamentable.

But...

When Ji Xiu took his seat,

and the three of them subtly turned their gazes toward him, as if he were the main character of this ’Mountain Delicacies Banquet’...

Amidst the clinking of glasses and lively conversation, Ji Xiu had another realization.

’But even if you can’t choose your birth, even if you come from a poor family or a servant household, does that mean you can never turn your life around?’

’No.’

’A fish’s Dragon Gate Jump is not achieved in a single day.’

’A caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly also requires passing through winter and summer.’

’How much more so for a person?’

’After overcoming countless trials...’

’Even a beast of burden can rise up and become a dragon soaring through the clouds!’

’And as for me, today...’

’Am I not proof of that!’

(PS: New month, asking for monthly tickets! I’ll be doing a mass release once the novel goes premium. Love you all! QWQ!)