BXBX NOVEL Chapter 233: Identity Exposed
The Earth Burrowing Rat’s new realm had stabilized.
Not wanting to tempt fate, Lan Chang\'an decided to take his leave from the two immortals of the Snow Fox Merchant Association.
Guangjun Immortal and Hanyu Immortal didn’t press him to stay and personally escorted Lan Chang\'an out of the steel fortress.
“Xiang Immortal, don’t forget the promise you made to me.”
The silver-haired, snow-robed Hanyu Immortal spoke in her cool, magnetic voice as she bid him farewell.
“I’m a man of my word,” Lan Chang\'an replied before boarding his flying vessel and soaring off into the sky.
Before borrowing the cultivation site, Lan Chang\'an had already promised the Snow Fox Merchant Association a favor.
Throughout the Earth Burrowing Rat’s core formation process, Lan Chang\'an had relied on Hanyu Immortal’s cooperation, especially in killing Huxiao Immortal and ensuring that the Snow Fox Merchant Association would share in the consequences.At that moment, to keep Hanyu Immortal on his side, Lan Chang\'an had even given her a personal promise.
Now, whether or not those two debts would be paid depended on the difficulty of what the Snow Fox Merchant Association requested.
If the task was easy and didn’t pose much risk, Lan Chang\'an wouldn’t mind repaying the favors.
But if they asked for something dangerous or tried to manipulate him into a troublesome situation, then sorry, those were debts owed by Xiang Immortal, and had nothing to do with the low-key and diligent Old Lan.
“What kind of demon beast is that Xiang Immortal’s spiritual pet? Even after its successful core formation, it’s remained hidden from sight,”
Guangjun Immortal, leaning on his cane, frowned with a trace of doubt on his deeply wrinkled face.
From beginning to end, they hadn’t seen Lan Chang\'an’s spiritual pet.
When Lan Chang\'an left, he had stored the Earth Burrowing Rat inside its spirit pet pouch.
“Could it be an exceptionally rare earth-grade or even heaven-grade demon beast? Perhaps Xiang Immortal is preparing to keep it as a secret weapon to serve his backing faction,” Hanyu Immortal speculated.
“That makes sense,” Guangjun Immortal nodded. “You should maintain proper contact with Xiang Immortal. If I’m no longer around, he might be a fallback option for the future.”
...
Lan Chang\'an flew about fifty or sixty li out from the Black Fog Mountain Range before stopping in front of a dense forest.
Roar!
From within the forest came the deep roar of a demon beast. The massive figure of the third-rank bear demon loomed faintly in the shadows.
Squeak!
The Earth Burrowing Rat emerged from the pet pouch, its small form a blur as it dashed into the forest to communicate with the bear demon.
Although the Earth Burrowing Rat was quite large after its third-rank breakthrough, it looked tiny and insignificant next to the hulking bear demon, which was the size of a small hill.
After about a quarter of an hour, the Earth Burrowing Rat bid the bear demon farewell and returned to Lan Chang\'an’s pet pouch.
The bear demon’s face was filled with disappointment.
Even though Lan Chang\'an didn’t understand the demon beasts’ language, he could easily see that the bear demon had been trying to recruit the Earth Burrowing Rat.
Fortunately, the Earth Burrowing Rat had remained resolute and hadn’t been swayed.
In the demon world, just like in the human cultivation world, various factions and powers existed.
A demon that had reached the third rank could already claim territory and rule as a king in the depths of the Black Fog Mountain Range.
At least the bear demon, despite failing to make a deal, had left on good terms. The Earth Burrowing Rat had managed to befriend a powerful third-rank Great Demon, which was an unexpected bonus.
On the journey back, Lan Chang\'an began to plan for the future.
The Earth Burrowing Rat’s successful core formation brought him enormous benefits.
When Lan Chang\'an eventually attempted to break through to the Core Formation stage, having a True Dan-level Great Demon as a guardian would greatly enhance his chances of success.
As a fugitive cultivator from the Liang Kingdom, Lan Chang\'an no longer had to worry about his identity being exposed.
“However, the Earth Burrowing Rat’s core quality, especially the Golden Dan Dao charm on its True Dan, must remain a secret,” Lan Chang\'an thought.
At least until he formed his own core, this must be kept strictly confidential; otherwise, he would become a target due to possessing such a treasure.
While the core formation phenomenon was difficult to hide, there were ways to conceal the quality of the core itself.
In his past life, Lan Chang\'an had learned techniques to mask core quality, and these could also be applied to demon beasts.
As long as the Earth Burrowing Rat didn’t fight with its full power, its true cultivation level would be hard to discern.
...
On his way back, Lan Chang\'an stopped at a nearby immortal city to buy provisions for the Earth Burrowing Rat.
However, beast pills used for third-rank demon beasts were hard to come by.
The Earth Burrowing Rat had only just advanced and didn’t have an immediate need for them, but Lan Chang\'an planned to purchase what it needed later through the Snow Fox Merchant Association’s channels.
Upon returning to Autumnwind Isle, the first thing Lan Chang\'an did was place the large porcelain vat containing the Xuanmu Vine back into the stone chamber at the bottom of the deep pond.
From now on, with a third-rank Great Demon guarding the vine, its safety was no longer a concern.
To ensure that the supply of heaven and earth spiritual energy didn’t diminish, Lan Chang\'an placed additional spirit stones into the spirit gathering array on Autumnwind Isle, so no anomalies would be noticed.
Fortunately, the Earth Burrowing Rat had only just entered the third rank and didn’t require a third-rank spiritual vein like a human True Dan cultivator would.
Half a month later.
The Earth Burrowing Rat’s realm had completely stabilized, and Lan Chang\'an had gained a basic understanding of its new abilities.
Unlike the bloodline mutation it underwent when advancing to the second rank, there had been no significant changes to its bloodline or innate abilities upon reaching the third rank.
The most notable improvements were its overall strength and the advancement of its innate spells.
For instance, its earth burrowing spell had been somewhat rudimentary before, but now, it had mastered the technique, able to move through the earth with ease.
In fact, it could even carry Lan Chang\'an underground while escaping.
After forming its True Dan, the Earth Burrowing Rat’s bloodline had awakened further, bringing forth new memories of its heritage, including knowledge of spells and innate abilities.
“Enhanced senses, powerful tracking, and exceptional close-range assassination skills…”
Lan Chang\'an noted that the Earth Burrowing Rat’s mutated bloodline had carried over into its new stage and had become even stronger.
These abilities were beyond what a typical Earth Burrowing Rat could achieve.
...
Time passed quickly, and nearly a year went by.
The members of the Xia Family remained completely unaware that a terrifying third-rank Great Demon was hiding within their territory.
Autumnwind Isle, located on the outskirts of the Xia Family’s lands, was a quiet and secluded place protected by a quasi-third-rank formation. The Earth Burrowing Rat, deliberately concealing its presence, spent most of its time cultivating underground or in the cold pond.
Unless Xia Hongyu, the family patriarch, personally investigated, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to detect its presence.
“Miss Xia, take care.”
Lan Chang\'an saw off Xia Shenglan, who was dressed in an elegant ice-blue gown, her appearance dignified and beautiful, as she left his residence on Autumnwind Isle.
As he watched her figure recede into the distance, his expression remained calm and indifferent.
Over the past year, Xia Shenglan had become a frequent visitor to Autumnwind Isle, often stopping by to visit him.
Sometimes it was for alchemical needs, other times simply to chat over tea.
When Lan Chang\'an was in seclusion, Xia Shenglan didn’t mind and would chat with his maid, Xia Wenyue, about family matters.
“She certainly knows how to curry favor,” Lan Chang\'an muttered to himself as he pulled out the jade slip that Xia Shenglan had brought him on this visit.
The slip contained recent intelligence on the ongoing war in the Liang Kingdom cultivation world.
“The \'Xuan Yin Pavilion,\' a sect devoted to music arts, was breached a year ago, with only a few high-ranking members managing to flee with some female disciples…”
“The Green Underworld Mysterious Realm has opened as scheduled, though the ongoing war has caused certain unexpected developments. Rumor has it that a significant Core Formation opportunity has appeared this time…”
“The Tianfeng Immortal of Jin Yun Valley was hunted down by True Dan cultivators of the Feng Kingdom and is currently missing.”
The jade slip detailed important figures in the Liang Kingdom\'s war.
Among the cultivators mentioned, only Zhang Tieshan and Fairy Shi were familiar with Lan Chang\'an.
...
Two days later, Lan Chang\'an prepared to refine pills.
“Alchemist Wu, the president has sent you an invitation.”
Dressed in a plain gown, Xia Wenyue, pale and slender with delicate eyebrows, handed him a letter.
Lan Chang\'an took the invitation and glanced at Xia Wenyue.
Although he had been on Autumnwind Isle for several years, Xia Wenyue’s appearance hadn’t changed much. Her face remained pale and her expression frail, like a delicate flower in water.
However, given her expertise in medicinal herbs and the common anti-aging techniques used by female cultivators, this didn’t surprise Lan Chang\'an.
After reading the invitation, Lan Chang\'an gave Xia Wenyue a few instructions before leaving Autumnwind Isle.
Within the Xia Family’s domain of Qingsha Bay, there were two particularly important figures.
One was the patriarch, Xia Hongyu, the highest-ranking cultivator in the family and the only Fake Dan cultivator.
The other was Xia Yongzhong, president of the Wufu Merchant Association, who handled the guild’s external affairs and business operations.
Xia Yongzhong was Xia Mingqu’s father and wielded significant authority within the guild.
“Alchemist Wu, please come in,”
Xia Yongzhong, a tall, lean middle-aged man with fair skin and wearing a scholarly cap, personally came out of his residence to greet Lan Chang\'an.
As the nominal head of the Wufu Merchant Association, he was considered to have given Lan Chang\'an enough face.
“President Xia is too kind,”
Lan Chang\'an knew that Xia Yongzhong had invited him here today for a serious discussion.
Inside the residence, spirit fruits, fine wine, rare delicacies, and charming female cultivators providing entertainment created a festive atmosphere.
During the banquet, Xia Yongzhong first exchanged pleasantries, inquiring about Lan Chang\'an’s well-being on Autumnwind Isle.
Only after the dancers had left and the wine was flowing did Xia Yongzhong finally get to the point:
“Over the past few years, Alchemist Wu has been spending a lot of time with Shenglan. Are you aware that she has dissolved her marriage contract with the Xin family?”
“Dissolved the marriage contract? I was not aware until just now.”
Lan Chang\'an was momentarily surprised but quickly responded.
He had kept his distance from Xia Shenglan precisely because of concerns related to her prior engagement.
“Alchemist Wu must know that Shenglan has feelings for you. If the two of you are truly fond of each other, I would be happy to facilitate your union as Daoist partners.”
“I have no desire to marry, and I’m not worthy of Miss Shenglan,” Lan Chang\'an declined with a shake of his head.
Although Xia Shenglan had a slight fondness for him due to their past encounters, there was no genuine affection.
This situation was very different from what had happened with the eldest Miss of the Mu Family.
Lan Chang\'an had picked up on this during their conversations.
Moreover, Xia Shenglan didn’t possess the qualities that would interest Lan Chang\'an.
For him to be truly moved by a female cultivator, she would need to have either extraordinary beauty or a rare, unique charm—someone who resonated deeply with him.
Xia Shenglan, however, didn’t meet any of those criteria.
Most importantly, Lan Chang\'an had a strict rule: he never involved himself romantically with women who carried too much baggage.
“Alchemist Wu, there’s no need to rush to a decision,”
Xia Yongzhong smiled, his tone brimming with confidence.
“The patriarch is quite fond of Shenglan and feels indebted to her for the sacrifices she’s made in the past. As such, Shenglan’s dowry will include a late Foundation Establishment breakthrough pill.”
Lan Chang\'an had previously shown interest in breakthrough pills when he was traveling outside.
President Xia hoped to use marriage and wealth to bind Lan Chang\'an firmly to the Xia Family’s cause.
Lan Chang\'an’s reliability, his status as a second-rank alchemist, and his impressive combat abilities made him an ideal match in the eyes of the Xia Family’s elders.
“President Xia, the truth is… I no longer lack a late Foundation Establishment breakthrough pill.”
Lan Chang\'an hesitated for a moment before revealing this fact.
“When did you acquire such a pill?”
Xia Yongzhong’s eyes narrowed, surprised.
After all, Alchemist Wu was only a low-grade second-rank alchemist and couldn’t possibly refine a late Foundation Establishment breakthrough pill himself.
“During my last trip outside, I was fortunate enough to trade with a wandering merchant and obtain it.”
To confirm, Lan Chang\'an took out a porcelain bottle.
Xia Yongzhong’s spiritual sense swept over it, recognizing the pill inside as the “Xuanwu Pill,” a late Foundation Establishment breakthrough pill.
“Alchemist Wu is quite lucky. I wish you success in advancing your cultivation.”
Xia Yongzhong forced a smile, concealing his disappointment.
In the past, when Alchemist Wu needed a breakthrough pill, the Xia Family hadn’t provided one. And now that they were prepared to lure him with heavy benefits, the other party was no longer lacking.
...
After this conversation, Xia Shenglan no longer visited Lan Chang\'an.
Six months later, Lan Chang\'an openly revealed that he had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage.
Foundation Establishment cultivators at this level were rare within the Wufu Merchant Association and held esteemed positions.
Lan Chang\'an’s status within the Xia Family soared, nearly on par with their honored guests.
One day, Lan Chang\'an boarded a flying vessel and left Qingsha Bay to purchase third-rank beast pills for the Earth Burrowing Rat to aid in its cultivation.
In addition, he planned to buy materials for second-rank Life Extension Pills and Foundation Establishment Pills.
Lan Chang\'an already had some of the main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pills, including two special second-rank monster cores he had acquired as spoils of war during his time in the ancient ruins.
Once he successfully refined the Foundation Establishment Pills, he would be considered a skilled second-rank alchemist.
As his flying boat soared over a mountain range, Lan Chang\'an suddenly felt a faint sense of foreboding.
“Fellow Daoist Lan, you’ve hidden your true identity well.”
A voice rang out from the mountains below, and a late Foundation Establishment cultivator in purple armor flew towards him, a wry smile on his face.
“What nonsense are you spouting, Fellow Daoist Fang? After your humiliating defeat, you’ve clearly lost your mind.”
Lan Chang\'an’s brows furrowed, and his words were filled with mockery.
“Fellow Daoist Lan, or should I say, Turtle Talisman Master. There’s no need to keep pretending. The Xinyue Merchant Association has already uncovered your true identity.”
Fang Zhong’s expression was smug, as if he was in complete control.
“Tsk tsk, I heard the stories of your late-blooming rise to fame back in the Liang Kingdom, Fellow Daoist Lan. In fact, I admired you from afar. By age alone, I should be calling you ‘Big Brother Lan.’”