Chapter 7: Entering Old Age

[You pause for a moment, then immediately bow in greeting.]

[“Greetings, Senior Ye.”]

[Although Ye Feng is younger than you, and decades ago he was your follower, running errands and attending to your every need…]

[…the cultivation world respects strength above all else. Now you’re only at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement, while Ye Feng has already reached the late stage of Qi Refinement, at least the seventh layer or higher.]

[And Ye Feng has shown no sign that he cares about old ties.]

[So you know exactly how to handle the situation and quickly make your place clear.]

[You’re nearly sixty years old now. Long past the age of acting on impulse. Even if you feel resentful, you would never let it show on your face.]

[“Mm…”]

[A satisfied look appears on Ye Feng’s face.]

[He then continues chatting with you for a while.]

[“Back then, in that secret realm, I barely made it out alive…”]

[Ye Feng’s tone is tinged with pride.]

[Though he went through countless life-and-death dangers, he ultimately survived. Not only that, he obtained a tremendous opportunity within the secret realm, which is what allowed him to reach his current late-stage Qi Refinement cultivation.]

[You listen attentively. However, after talking for quite some time, Ye Feng never once brings up the fifty spirit stones.]

[You realize that Ye Feng has no intention of paying back those fifty spirit stones.]

[You can’t help but feel somewhat helpless. Back then, you lent him those fifty spirit stones entirely because of your relationship with him.]

[Because of that, you never established a spirit contract or any other binding agreement.]

[In truth, even if you had, it wouldn’t have made much difference.]

[Ordinary spirit contracts can only restrain cultivators in the early and middle stages of Qi Refinement.]

[If you want to bind a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, you’d need at least a high-grade spirit contract.]

[And a high-grade spirit contract is worth several hundred spirit stones at minimum.]

[Who would spend several hundred spirit stones on a contract just to lend out fifty spirit stones?]

[No one would do that.]

[Even an ordinary spirit contract costs anywhere from dozens to over a hundred spirit stones.]

[Back then, when Alchemist Yun demanded that Ye Feng pay one hundred spirit stones to be released from the spirit contract, it was simply to recover the cost of the contract itself.]

[Looking at it from that perspective, Alchemist Yun was actually a pretty decent person.]

[“If I’d known that secret realm held such a huge opportunity, I should’ve gone in and explored it with Senior Ye back then…”]

[You probe cautiously, testing the waters.]

[“You?”]

[Ye Feng shoots you a sideways glance, his eyes filled with clear contempt.]

[“Even I barely made it out alive, and that was after suffering serious injuries. If you’d gone in too? A second-layer Qi Refinement cultivator? You wouldn’t even know how you died.”]

[Ye Feng says it casually.]

[You catch a subtle piece of information.]

[When Ye Feng left that secret realm all those years ago, he was badly injured.]

[“That’s enough. You may leave now.”]

[Ye Feng waves a hand dismissively. Having come to Wushan Market in person to meet Alchemist Yun, he clearly had important business to attend to.]

[You immediately excuse yourself and leave the hall.]

[That very night, Ye Feng departs from Wushan Market.]

[Not long afterward, Alchemist Yun comes to see you.]

[“Did Ye Feng pay back the spirit stones he owed you?”]

[Alchemist Yun asks.]

[Back when Ye Feng was trying to free himself from the restrictions of the spirit contract, he had borrowed spirit stones from all over the place. Alchemist Yun was well aware of it.]

[“Well…”]

[You don’t answer right away. And you carefully watch Alchemist Yun’s reaction.]

[If he showed even the slightest sign of siding with Ye Feng, you would immediately say, “He paid me back.”]

[After all, you have no idea what kind of relationship Alchemist Yun and Ye Feng have now. Ye Feng is a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator. By any measure, he’s far more important than you are.]

[“He didn’t pay you back, did he?”]

[Alchemist Yun lets out a cold laugh. “That Ye Feng. Just because he’s reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, he doesn’t even bother showing this old man any respect anymore.”]

[It’s obvious that Alchemist Yun isn’t fond of Ye Feng either.]

[You suddenly understand.]

[Based on the attitude Ye Feng showed toward you, he’s probably an extremely arrogant person.]

[The kind who thinks he’s the center of the universe, and that everything and everyone should revolve around him.]

[Originally, you thought Ye Feng’s arrogance was selective.]

[You assumed he would look down on weaker cultivators like you, who were only in the middle stages of Qi Refinement, but would be much more restrained around someone like Alchemist Yun, a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator and a highly skilled alchemist.]

[Now, it seems that wasn’t the case at all.]

[Watching the cold smile at the corner of Alchemist Yun’s mouth, you find yourself feeling strangely satisfied.]

[At the very least, Ye Feng is “fair.” His arrogance is directed at everyone equally.]

[Of course, feeling a little better doesn’t mean you’re willing to let him off the hook.]

[You’ve already committed Ye Feng to memory. Even if you can’t get revenge in this simulation, you’ll settle the score in the next one, or the one after that.]

[“He actually thought he could use me to get an audience with Master Zhao and have a Foundation Establishment Pill refined for him…”]

[Alchemist Yun lets out a cold chuckle.]

[The “Master Zhao” he refers to is his own mentor in the path of alchemy, a second-rank mid-grade alchemist.]

[Master Zhao doesn’t reside in Wushan Market. He lives in a far more prosperous immortal city.]

[You listen quietly and offer no opinion.]

[Even so, Alchemist Yun’s tone makes one thing clear.]

[Ye Feng won’t be meeting Master Zhao.]

[“Zhou Qing…”]

[Alchemist Yun looks at you. “I’m getting old. The future of the Yun Family Alchemy Shop will have to depend on you. If Shu’er ever does anything wrong, make sure you tell her.”]

[Alchemist Yun is already over a hundred years old, exceptionally long-lived by the standards of Qi Refinement cultivators.]

[He’s nearing the end of his lifespan.]

[Several decades ago, he attempted to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, but failed.]

[The “Shu’er” he mentioned is Yun Shu, the successor he personally chose. She’s now forty years old and a mid-grade alchemist.]

[Although you’re only a low-grade alchemist, you’ve served Alchemist Yun faithfully for decades and have never shown the slightest disloyalty. He trusts you completely.]

[There are several mid-grade alchemists working at the alchemy shop, but Alchemist Yun still keeps them at arm’s length.]

[You can tell as much from the fact that he openly expressed his opinion of Ye Feng in front of you.]

[Before leaving, Alchemist Yun solemnly places a jade slip in your hands.]

[“These are my alchemy notes from the past several years. Take them and study them carefully.”]

[You rise and thank him.]

[Alchemist Yun simply waves it off. After spending decades together, your relationship is no less close than that of a father and son.]

[Year 44. You are 59 years old. You notice that Wushan Market has become increasingly unstable in recent months.]

[You know exactly why.]

[The lord of Wushan Market is a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Ouyang Shen.]

[It is precisely because a Foundation Establishment cultivator oversees the market that Wushan has become a gathering place for so many cultivators in the surrounding region.]

[However, over the past few decades, several of Ouyang Shen’s children and descendants have failed in their attempts to reach the Foundation Establishment stage.]

[Now, with Ouyang Shen nearing the end of his lifespan and still lacking a single Foundation Establishment successor, rumors have begun spreading throughout the market.]

[You quietly observe the shifting situation, gathering information for your next simulation.]

[Year 45. You are 60 years old. Alchemist Yun passes away.]

[His chosen successor, Yun Shu, clasps your hand and says, “Uncle Zhou, the future of the shop will still depend on you.”]

[Because of Alchemist Yun’s final instructions, Yun Shu places great trust in you as well.]

[Year 46. You are 61  years old. Once you’re certain Yun Shu can handle matters on her own, you begin gradually handing over authority.]

[Year 47. You are 62 years old. Ouyang Shen still has not produced a Foundation Establishment successor, and traces of rogue cultivators begin appearing around Wushan Market.]

[Year 48. You are 63 years old. Yun Shu gathers you and several other senior members of the alchemy shop to discuss its future.]

[You understand exactly what she’s thinking.]

[With Wushan Market facing an uncertain future due to its lack of a successor, all sorts of unforeseen problems could arise down the road. Preparations need to be made in advance.]

[You offer no opinions of your own. Whenever Yun Shu explains her plans, you simply voice your support.]

[Yun Shu begins transferring the alchemy shop’s assets to another market town known as Tingyu Market.]

[Year 49. You are 64 years old. Ouyang Shen still has not found a Foundation Establishment heir.]

[Year 50. You are 65 years old. The number of rogue cultivators appearing around Wushan Market continues to grow.]

[Year 51. You are 66 years old. Most members of the Yun Family Alchemy Shop relocate to Tingyu Market, but you choose to stay behind.]

[Year 52. You are 67 years old. After years of studying the alchemy notes left behind by Alchemist Yun, you finally succeed in refining your first batch of mid-grade pills and officially become a mid-grade alchemist.]

[Yun Shu makes a special trip back from Tingyu Market to congratulate you.]

[Year 53. You are 68 years old. Not long after becoming a mid-grade alchemist, your cultivation reaches the peak of the fourth layer of Qi Refinement.]

[Using the spirit stones you’ve saved over many years, you purchase a variety of breakthrough resources and begin your attempt to advance.]

[The breakthrough is successful.]

[You step into the fifth level of Qi Refinement.]

[Year 54. You are 69 years old. You watch the increasingly chaotic state of Wushan Market with cold detachment.]

[Year 55. You are 70 years old.]

[In a moment of hazy realization, you sense your vitality beginning to fade.]

[You understand that you have entered the twilight years of your life.]

In a hazy daze, you notice that your vital qi and blood have begun to decline. You realize that you have officially entered the twilight years of your life.