Chapter Thirty-Five: Rewards for Merit and Deeds

Yes, Jiang An's mindset had changed.

After his descent, Jiang An had never truly integrated himself into Earth. After all, life here was utterly different from the sixteen hundred years he had spent in the Celestial Realm. He drifted above the world like a god, quietly observing the joys and sorrows, the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Even when he occasionally intervened, he withdrew swiftly, unwilling to become entangled in the affairs and disputes of the mortal world. Though he carried questions and a mission, he never sought to change anything actively. He preferred to let things unfold naturally, believing that after a few years or decades, he would gradually blend in, so there was no need to rush.

But the arrival of Song Wanshuang and Xixi shattered the transparent barrier between him and Earth.

The beautiful, devoted Wanshuang and the innocent, lively Xixi pressed upon his heart with an incomparable weight, reminding him that he had roots. The once detached and indifferent man accepted their love and affection, began to experience the roles of an ordinary husband and father, and earnestly sought to make up for what he owed them.

He felt deeply fulfilled with them. He realized that this, too, was part of his cultivation, an indispensable facet of being human... Jiang An quietly savored it, and the final layer of the Divine Repository Diagram, which had long stagnated, seemed to loosen at last.

The way of humanity, the way of heaven—perhaps I have found the right direction...

The next morning.

After breakfast with them, Jiang An departed first. Originally, Xixi had refused to let him go, but Jiang An coaxed her for quite a while, promising to return in the evening, and only then did Xixi grudgingly let him leave.

At the gate, Song Wanshuang watched Jiang An drive off, secretly wondering how a doctor could be so wealthy—after all these years, he could afford to drive a luxury car worth millions.

She sensed that Jiang An still had much he hadn't told her, but she was willing to wait. Her An-ge would not disappoint her.

Jiang An was willing to leave his beloved daughter behind because he had important matters to attend to.

He now possessed a fatal weakness!

Previously, he was alone. Even if his cultivation was insufficient and he faced powerful enemies, he could always escape and return to defeat them a thousand times once his strength recovered. But the arrival of Wanshuang and her daughter filled his heart and, simultaneously, became a tether—a vulnerability. Jiang An never underestimated the brutality of mortal combat. If, because of him, an enemy targeted the mother and daughter—even a single strand of hair lost would pain him deeply. Extracting the enemy's soul afterward would be futile consolation.

Thus, he had to be prepared.

He acted with foresight. Now was not his prime, and the safety of Wanshuang and Xixi could not be absolutely guaranteed. But he had a plan, consisting of two steps.

First, to craft protective magical artifacts for the mother and daughter, strong enough to resist most attacks and delay until his arrival. Fortunately, Jiang An had already found the main material for such artifacts: the jade stone he had purchased from Treasure Pavilion, which held hidden mysteries.

Second, Jiang An would unite Lin City! He would turn Lin City into his fortress, and he already had a detailed plan in mind.

Jiang An traveled swiftly and soon arrived at a secret underground training chamber in Green Sea Grand Hotel, where he met Dao Mo and the others.

It was time to bring them fully under his command.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Dao Mo and the other four bowed deeply to Jiang An, who calmly accepted their homage.

"Though you have followed me for less than a month, your loyalty and diligence are unquestionable. I had intended to test you further, but now I see there is no need. I always reward merit and punish faults. Now is the time to recognize your contributions! Dao Mo, tell me, what is the most important resource for cultivation?"

"The saying goes: wealth, companions, method, and land! For me, the most vital resource is the cultivation method. Without a good method, no amount of resources can be preserved. Without a good method, I have wasted half my life, though talent plays a part. This shows the importance of the method!" Dao Mo replied in a deep voice, and his eyes betrayed eager anticipation.

He recalled Jiang An's majestic display of controlling the flying sword from afar.

"Good. Though your answer isn't entirely correct, it certainly fits your situation—indeed, all of yours. I shall impart suitable cultivation methods to you. But not martial arts methods; these are immortal cultivation techniques!"

As he spoke, Jiang An raised his hands. In his left palm, a fireball the size of a basketball erupted with a roar. In his right, a vivid blue ice flower slowly blossomed. Both radiated heat and cold so intense that Dao Mo and the others involuntarily stepped back, stunned.

"An immortal can shift stars and moons, wield vast powers, and attain undying longevity! Though your talents may not reach such heights, as long as you step onto the path of immortality, every advance grants immense longevity. Summoning wind and rain, burning mountains and boiling seas—all are within reach! Great liberation and boundless freedom—who wouldn't desire it?!"

Dao Mo and the others' eyes had grown feverishly intense. They knelt abruptly, bowing their heads heavily, and cried out in unison, "We beseech Your Highness for the cultivation methods! We swear unwavering loyalty, unto death!"

"Dao Mo, I have already evaluated you. Your aptitude for immortal cultivation is moderate. Considering your circumstances, I especially bestow upon you the 'Origin Blade Formula'!"

Like a monarch, Jiang An spoke with celestial authority; his words became law. He touched his brow, then pointed at Dao Mo, and a faint green dot flew from his fingertip into Dao Mo's brow.

With a hum, Dao Mo suddenly found a cultivation method appearing in his mind—barely a thousand words, yet each was a gem, containing the profound Dao. It felt as though another door had opened for him, revealing a bright and boundless future!

He wept tears of joy, unable to control himself, bowing three more times. This rugged man, voice trembling with emotion, said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for bestowing the method! I can never repay your kindness, not even with my life!"

Dao Mo was not being overly sentimental. Even as a grandmaster, revered among ordinary people, he now realized that he had wasted decades, viewing the world from a well. Jiang An, who had led him onto the path of immortal cultivation, was naturally someone he would be eternally grateful to. To hear the Dao in the morning and die in the evening—what more could he ask for?

"Gao Chao, Cheng Yang!"

"At your service!" The two straightened, their eyes burning with anticipation.

"Gao Chao, you have served faithfully at my side, diligent and loyal, with a lively disposition. I now grant you the 'Raging Wave True Fiend Formula'!"

A green dot flew into Gao Chao's brow and vanished. He closed his eyes and sensed it, nearly jumping for joy, but Jiang An continued,

"Cheng Yang, you are earnest, content in solitude, steady and reliable. I grant you the 'Primordial Diamond Art'!"

"We thank Your Highness for bestowing the methods! We will serve without hesitation, even unto death!" Gao Chao and Cheng Yang bowed deeply, moved to the core.

Jiang An then reminded them, "Immortal cultivation depends on spiritual roots. Without spiritual roots, one cannot cultivate. Of you four, only Dao Mo possesses spiritual roots. The others will need a great master to empower them, or the methods are useless. But I have verified that Earth’s martial cultivation is unique—when reaching the grandmaster realm, a pseudo-spiritual root forms within. Though progress is slow, it is enough to begin immortal cultivation. So, you two must listen: until you reach grandmaster level, you cannot practice the methods I have granted! Especially you, Gao Chao—your method is now automatically sealed. Only when you become a grandmaster can you access it!"

Gao Chao felt bitter—at least several more years would be required!

"Cheng Yang, I see your internal energy is overflowing; with the help of Qingyuan Ye, you will soon open thirty-six major acupoints. Retreat and focus on cultivation, break through the grandmaster bottleneck! Especially learn from Dao Mo’s experiences, since you share the same martial arts method."

"At your command!"

"Next, Fan Jun!"

"Ah? Yes, sir!" Fan Jun had thought his poor talent would leave him excluded, but clung to a sliver of hope. When Jiang An called his name, Fan Jun was overjoyed, bowing deeply as he awaited judgment.

"Fan Jun, your strategic contributions are considerable, but your talent is truly lacking. Your meridians are naturally narrower than most, and most are blocked—a fatal flaw for immortal cultivation..."

Fan Jun grew colder with each word. Was he truly destined to have no part in the Dao? No! Surely the unfathomable Highness would have a solution. Indeed, he soon heard the word "but."

"...But for me, this is not insurmountable. I will refine a Meridian-Purifying Pill for you, to restore you to normal, after which you will proceed as Gao Chao does. Now, I grant you the 'Still Water Formula'!"

"Thank you for your effort, Your Highness! I will serve unto death!"

"However, the pill ingredients are rare. You may have to wait several years."

"I've waited decades already; a few more years are nothing. Your Highness may proceed as you see fit!" Fan Jun was clever. He knew Jiang An was a man of his word, so he had no fear of broken promises. As long as there was hope, that was enough. Though he was older and starting late, his Highness could resolve even the fundamental barriers to immortal cultivation. If he contributed more in the future, he would surely earn greater rewards and accelerate his progress. Fan Jun was confident in that.

"Lastly, I must emphasize: the methods I have granted are imprinted directly into your minds by secret arts. No one else can see them, and you must never reveal a single word of them to anyone. Violation will be punished by death!"

In the Celestial Realm, Jiang An would have used divine restriction techniques, particularly the Orange Thorn technique from the Rainbow Divine Arts, which was especially effective. But the Rainbow Divine Arts were beyond his current level, and these men were mere mortals. Ordinary restriction techniques would require severing a tenth of their spirits, greatly hindering their cultivation. Moreover, the methods he had granted were commonplace in the immortal realm, so he let it go.

With the rewards bestowed, Jiang An bade them rise and began to discuss business.

"How much of the materials I asked you to collect yesterday have you gathered?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, upon receiving your command yesterday, we exerted ourselves fully. Now we have one hundred and seven pounds of century-old ironwood, three and a half pounds of purple crystal, over a thousand pounds of refined steel..." Dao Mo reported confidently.

Jiang An was quite satisfied and asked, "Have you prepared the related secret chamber?"

"It is ready, and all materials have been moved in."

"Good, let’s have a look!"

...

That evening, Jiang An returned as promised to Xixi’s side, father and daughter enjoying the happiness of family.

The next day, Jiang An entered the secret chamber and began his secluded artifact refinement!