Upon hearing Zhang Yan’s words, Liu Yanyi immediately kowtowed to acknowledge him as her master.
Zhang Yan sat upright atop the cloud and accepted her ceremonial three bows. Afterward, he helped her up, offered a few comforting words, then swept his robe and ascended with Xuan Guang, heading straight to the Elixir Cauldron Institute.
Zhou Chongju, who had not seen Zhang Yan for two months, had previously heard that he was trapped in the Demon Cave and unable to escape. Although deeply concerned, he had recently received news that Zhang Yan had returned safely, which had finally eased his worries. Upon seeing him now, and noticing he had become a Xuan Guang Practitioner, Zhou Chongju’s expression revealed a trace of delight.
Just as he was about to speak, his gaze shifted and landed on a young girl with delicate features following closely beside Zhang Yan, holding onto his sleeve with her small hand. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he pointed and asked, "Who is this girl?"
On Zhou Chongju’s fishing vessel, he seldom allowed anyone other than close associates and accompanying Daoist boys aboard. Now that Zhang Yan had brought this girl, Zhou Chongju assumed there must be good reason for it.
Zhang Yan gently patted Liu Yanyi on the head and said, "Go ahead, kneel before your Uncle-Master and offer your respects."
Liu Yanyi, well-mannered and obedient, knelt as told, bowed deeply, and spoke crisply, "Disciple Liu Yanyi greets Uncle-Master."
Zhou Chongju’s face first showed an expression of surprise. Then, stroking his beard with a smile, he nodded and extended an empty hand in a gesture of support, saying, "So, this is Junior Brother Zhang’s newly accepted disciple. There’s no need for formalities; rise."
Noticing that Zhang Yan referred to him as ’Senior Brother’ before the young girl without any reservation, Zhou Chongju realized this girl held great importance to Zhang Yan, bound to be cultivated as a Direct Disciple.
"In a few days, I must head to the Three Pools for battle, and likely won’t have the time to guide her personally. I plan to leave Yanyi here under your care, Senior Brother, so she can benefit from your guidance."
After speaking, Zhang Yan proceeded to explain Liu Yanyi’s background, which caused Zhou Chongju to sigh several times in reflection before agreeing on the spot.
Zhou Chongju, born to the Dingyang Zhou Family, had been cultivating for nearly four hundred years. Though his foundation had been damaged, leaving him with no hope of further advancement despite his Nascent Soul cultivation, his deep knowledge and reputation as a renowned Great Alchemist in the East Splendor Continent made the task of caring for Zhang Yan’s disciple effortless. He immediately summoned a Daoist boy to take Liu Yanyi away for settling.
After Liu Yanyi departed, Zhou Chongju sighed and commented, "Junior Brother Zhang, you’ve found an excellent disciple. This girl’s talent is exceptional. In my centuries of cultivation, I’ve rarely seen anyone comparable to her. Though she seems entangled by karmic threads, it should pose no problem for you. In the days to come, should we move to attack the Zhou Clan, she would undoubtedly be a great asset."
Zhang Yan remained silent for a moment before sighing, "It is only in recent days that I’ve come to realize that one tree cannot make a forest. Senior Brother, you must already be aware that Brother Qi from Qi Yuntian personally ventured into the Demon Cave to rescue me. The deeper meaning behind this act, you can surely deduce."
Zhou Chongju nodded and said, "I am well aware. Perhaps you should go along with the tide." After pausing briefly, he added in a low tone, "The Sect Leader paid me a visit personally not long ago."
Zhang Yan’s expression shifted slightly.
With a chuckle, Zhou Chongju stroked his beard and said, "After we attack the Lower Three Pools, the sect will likely expand the recruitment of disciples significantly. Following this, the Grand Competition within the sect will be held, in preparation for the thousand-year-old demon calamity. The demand for elixirs will be substantial. As things stand, over seventy percent of the sect’s elixirs come from my Elixir Cauldron Institute. In the next hundred years, the Sect Leader will surely rely heavily upon me. I will ensure that everything is managed properly, so you can focus solely on cultivation."
Only now did Zhang Yan grasp the situation. No wonder Brother Qi personally ventured to the Demon Cave. It seemed that aside from valuing his potential, Zhou Chongju’s influence had also played a pivotal role. Zhang Yan promptly raised his hands in salute and said, "I must express my gratitude to Senior Brother for your care!"
Waving his hand dismissively, Zhou Chongju laughed and said, "What’s there to thank? In truth, if not for your status as a True Disciple and the regard you’ve received from Nephew Sun, even if I were to throw away my old face, Qi Yuntian—who stands as the foremost among the Third Generation Disciples—might not have given you so much as a glance."
Zhang Yan nodded in agreement, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and seeing that there was no further business, bid farewell to Zhou Chongju. He then activated his tunneling light and left the Elixir Cauldron Pavilion. Within moments, he returned to his own Cave Mansion.
Upon returning home, the first thing Zhang Yan did was summon Shang Shang to prepare ink and paper. He swiftly drafted a letter, dried the ink, and summoned a Powerful Warrior, instructing him to deliver the letter to Yingxian Island.
In the letter, Zhang Yan mentioned that he had accepted Liu Tao’s niece as a Registered Disciple, and requested that the cultivators on the island return Liu Tao’s belongings. The letter subtly revealed his connections with Qi Yuntian, Fan Changqing, and others.
The Island Master of Yingxian Island was merely a disciple’s grandchild of True Master Meng. If they were wise enough to understand the implications, they would naturally resolve this matter properly.
Should they choose to disregard it, they would be courting disaster and have no one else to blame.
After the Powerful Warrior departed, Zhang Yan sat quietly for a while, dismissed everyone present, sealed the door to his Cave Mansion, and retrieved the "Talisman Bag Book" he had acquired from Shen Yuefeng from his sleeve bag, beginning to peruse it.