After leaving the Council Pavilion, Yang Chan went straight back to Yuanqing Courtyard.
When he had no other tasks, he almost always remained in Yuanqing Courtyard, reading, cultivating, and taking his medicinal elixirs. His routine was exceptionally stable.
Watching his cultivation improve bit by bit gave him great motivation, inspiring him to work even harder.
This was the benefit of seeing results.
In contrast, those who couldn’t see the path ahead of them would likely give up on themselves.
Yang Chan, naturally, belonged to the former group.
He could always see his path forward clearly, and he had planned it out well.
’Barring any major upheaval, my plans basically won’t change!’
’In a few days, I can go to Sect Leader Gu and get the complete Peng Demon Bone Marrow Cleansing Scripture!’
When Yang Chan returned from the Council Pavilion, aside from the information about the Merak Sacred Land, what excited him most was the complete Peng Demon Bone Marrow Cleansing Scripture. He was certain that having this complete Bone Marrow Cleansing Technique would help him break through to the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster Realm.
He had been thinking about this ever since his cultivation broke through to the Peak of Internal Refining of the Five Viscera. The fact that he would soon obtain the Peng Demon Bone Marrow Cleansing Scripture was perfect timing.
When Yang Chan returned, Han Bingyu had not left. She was waiting for any new arrangements he might have.
A trip to the Council Pavilion always meant something had happened, and upon his return, Yang Chan would likely have new arrangements. Han Bingyu was long accustomed to this, so she waited.
Yang Chan briefly explained the situation to Han Bingyu before sending her off to her duties.
However, Han Bingyu had only been gone a moment before she returned.
"Pharmacist Yang, Hall Master Lü Zhenghai is here. He’s in the living room right now!"
Seeing the confused look in Yang Chan’s eyes, Han Bingyu quickly added.
Yang Chan had just told her what happened in the Council Pavilion—all of which was related to Lü Zhenghai—and now the man himself had arrived.
"I see," Yang Chan said, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. The two of them hadn’t had any dealings with each other for a long time, let alone any sort of friendship.
However, when he recalled Lü Zhenghai’s warmth as he was leaving and considered the talent he had now displayed, he had a few suspicions.
’I’ll know the specifics once I see him,’ he thought.
"Let’s go to the living room."
Yang Chan strode out of his study.
The Yuanqing Courtyard where Yang Chan now lived was massive, containing numerous smaller yards. As a result, the functions of the various buildings were finely delineated, with each yard serving a different purpose and located a fair distance from the others.
The current living room in Yuanqing Courtyard was enormous—practically a full courtyard complex in itself—and exuded an air of sheer extravagance.
Of course, Yang Chan hadn’t arranged for its construction. It was an arrangement made by Elder Hua before him. Yang Chan naturally just used it as it was, with no intention of rebuilding; he simply couldn’t be bothered.
After all, he felt he wouldn’t be staying in the Cyan Yuan Sect for more than a few years. By the time any construction was finished, he might not even be around to live in it.
As for renovating it for the next occupant, Yang Chan had no such thought, much less such a hobby.
Besides, renovating the house would bring him no benefit and would only be a waste of energy, so there was naturally no need.
He had asked Han Bingyu to help rearrange the items within, replacing the old furnishings with new ones, which had taken her some time.
As for those objects, the Sect had provided them, so he hadn’t paid a thing.
As the Chief Pharmacist of the Cyan Yuan Sect, he was naturally entitled to the corresponding benefits. These items to decorate his home were practically nothing.
After all, the amount of Spirit Medicine Yang Chan could redeem each year was substantial; these common, worldly goods were nothing in comparison.
Yang Chan led the way and soon arrived in the living room. Inside, he saw Lü Zhenghai observing a hanging scroll of a Guest-Greeting Pine on the wall.
"Hall Master Lü, it’s been a long time!"
Yang Chan walked over enthusiastically.
He was matching the other man’s energy; at the very least, the man was a guest. He stuck to addressing him by his title within the Sect.
This was the title Gu An had used, so for Yang Chan to use it as well carried its own meaning.
"It has been a long time, Pharmacist Yang!"
"We haven’t seen each other for quite some time since we last parted ways, especially after I joined the Merak Sacred Land!"
Lü Zhenghai said with extreme enthusiasm.
Yang Chan had never felt such warmth from him before.
After all, back then, Lü Zhenghai had been probing to see if he was a spy from an enemy Sect and had even arranged to have him secretly monitored.
Yang Chan was aware of all this, but he hadn’t paid it any mind.
After all, his record was clean; he wasn’t afraid of being investigated.
"Hall Master Lü is always busy working for the Sect, so you must have many responsibilities. I admire that greatly."
"Unlike me, who only knows alchemy and preparing medicines. I can only remain within the Sect to serve it!"
Yang Chan offered a smiling compliment, pointedly mentioning that he could only remain within the Sect. Sometimes, a person just had to feign civility.
He guessed Lü Zhenghai had come seeking him out, most likely to bring him to the Merak Sacred Land. But now that Yang Chan was aware of certain things about the Holy Land, he was in no hurry to go.
How could joining the Merak Sacred Land now be better than staying in the Cyan Yuan Sect?
As long as no war between Imperial Dynasties broke out or a sect-destroying disaster occurred, this place was relatively safe.
It was far better, at least, than dealing with Earth Demons and being backstabbed by fellow disciples in the Merak Sacred Land.
In the Cyan Yuan Sect, no one was bold enough to scheme against him.
After all, most of the Cultivation Resources they needed were refined by his own hands. This was especially true for those at the Inner Refining Grandmaster Level, who had to rely on the elixirs he created.
Therefore, everyone in the Sect was exceptionally friendly toward him. No one targeted him.
"Pharmacist Yang, that’s not quite right," Lü Zhenghai countered. "Remaining in the Sect to perform alchemy is also serving the Sect, and it’s something many people are incapable of. Your contribution is even greater!"
"All the Elders and Hall Masters in the Sect—the Cultivation Resources they need can only be provided by people like you, Pharmacist Yang. That requires an even greater ability!"
"So, Pharmacist Yang, you mustn’t sell yourself short. You are very important to the Sect!"
Lü Zhenghai immediately refuted his words, but everything he said, both on and beneath the surface, emphasized Yang Chan’s importance.
This was his way of fostering goodwill between them.
In this regard, Lü Zhenghai was a true master.
He was using conversation to close the distance between them, to subtly erase the insignificant little conflicts of their past, all while preparing for what he intended to do next.
This was the kind of skill one naturally developed after interacting with and observing all sorts of people.
Words could sweep away unimportant conflicts, but advanced rhetoric could even make enemies resolve their grudges and unite against a common foe.
Of course, the latter required incredible rhetorical skill, and it worked best if the person being persuaded was a naive youngster, as such people were easy to fool.
By simply twisting concepts mid-conversation, it was possible to make such a young man fall into a trap and then work for you.
Lü Zhenghai hadn’t reached that level, but he still intended to use the power of his words to achieve his goal.