Elder Yan’s cave mansion was named "Left River House." After Zhang Yan stepped inside, he immediately sensed the spiritual energy within: so abundant it could nearly be called a "Small Cave Heaven." With a faint smile, he resolved to prolong his stay before venturing out.
While Elder Yan would gladly share the location of the "Sixty-Year Four-Season Water" with just a nod of Zhang Yan’s head, Xiao Han had already learned of the same place. Undoubtedly, there would be a conflict between the two once they arrived, and the outcome was uncertain. Thus, if Elder Yan wanted Zhang Yan to owe him a favor, simply offering that information wouldn’t suffice; something weightier would have to be presented.
However, such matters couldn’t be addressed openly, lest they fall to the inferior route. Instead, Zhang Yan thought it prudent to feign seclusion, ignoring everything for the time being.
He was certain that someone as shrewd and deeply calculating as Elder Yan would see through his intentions.
In two months, he would head to the Wutong Chenxiang Sect to fulfill an agreement—to seek the Demon Storage in the Nether River. This moment presented a prime opportunity to sharpen his strength further.
Firm in his decision, Zhang Yan activated the Locking Stone, sealed the cave mansion, unfurled the Mountain and River Map, and entered meditation.
In his seclusion, he dedicated his days alternately to refining the Golden Fire Mysterious Light and spending an hour nurturing the jade token obtained from the Demon Carp, Qu Chang.
Zhang Yan could feel that, within two months, he would completely succeed in the sacrificial refinement of this mystical artifact.
Only, there was one regret: he had intended to use this quiet window to delve into the Daoist Technique bestowed upon him by Sect Leader Qin. Yet the technique, floating restlessly within his sea of consciousness, always blurred whenever he tried to focus upon it.
He understood this phenomenon as the arrival of opportunity yet untimely, and felt no frustration from it. With a flick of thought, he discarded the matter from his mind.
After practicing calmly for a month, Zhang Yan sensed some improvement in his cultivation. He then unlocked the cave mansion door and, at a leisurely pace, stepped out of seclusion.
Just as he exited the cave mansion, he glanced upward and remarked in surprise, "What torrential rain!"
After days in seclusion, rainstorms had blanketed the skies. Sheets of rain poured ceaselessly, like torrents cascading from overturned seas, causing mountain streams to crash against rock faces with roaring intensity. From the dampness seeping into the bones, it was evident that this storm had persisted for over twenty days.
At that moment, two young Daoist boys approached. Zhang Yan recognized them as the attendants who had stood behind Elder Yan the other day.
One boy stepped forward, holding an uncovered jade box in his hands. Inside lay a meticulously arranged Daoist Book. Bowing respectfully with his childlike yet crisp voice, he said, "The Ancestor Master instructed us to deliver this book to the honored guest."
With a faint smile, Zhang Yan accepted the book without hesitation. Flipping through its pages, he quickly became absorbed.
The contents of the book were not about mysterious skills, but instead recorded the experiences of Beichen Sect’s Hua Dan cultivators in solidifying pills. Each entry detailed what external medicines were used, where these medicines were obtained, their quality, and the rank of the elixirs once formed.
Zhang Yan exhaled gently. This gift was significant, to say the least; Elder Yan had clearly read his intentions well.
Though such resources weren’t rare within the Mingcang Sect, they were never recorded in an organized and systematic manner .
Within his sect, masters would pass such knowledge to disciples orally. As for Xuanmen families, elixir-condensing medicines were provided by the family for all except the direct lineage disciples, whose cultivation paths differed little from their peers. The rank of the resultant elixirs typically depended on individual aptitude rather than external effort from the cultivators themselves.
In his heart, Zhang Yan speculated that Beichen Sect could have preserved such a book only because the founding ancestor had made it a sect rule. After all, the insights gained while breaking through boundaries were extraordinarily precious—without an undeniable reason, who would willingly share them?
This single precedence revealed the grand aspirations and ambitious schemes underlying the Beichen Sect’s foundations. Yet, understanding this, Zhang Yan saw through Elder Yan’s true intentions.
The elder was not solely betting on Zhang Yan, but rather aiming to court the entirety of the Mingcang Sect. More specifically, Elder Yan saw potential in the master-disciple lineage eventually rising to dominate the sect’s power, thus seizing the chance to build relations early.
After browsing through half the book, Zhang Yan closed it and addressed the two Daoist boys waiting by his side, "Return to Elder Yan and inform him that I accept his proposal. Within no more than two years, I’ll ensure the matter is resolved."
Inviting Yan Xiyue and Song Hong back was nothing more than a pretext, and the timing for this task was of no particular urgency. Zhang Yan was confident Elder Yan would find ways to satisfy Linqing Temple and Bi Yu Sect; as for the specifics, they were not his concern.