Chapter 31
Eight Days later, the refinement of the Reconstruction Pills was ready to distributed.
Inside the main hall of the Zan Clan, Zan Yunxiao sat calmly while several jade bottles rested on the table before him.
Zan Tianming and Zan Wei stood quietly nearby.
Both looked unusually serious.
Zan Yunxiao picked up one bottle and handed it toward Zan Tianming.
“This will reconstruct your foundation and spiritual roots.”
Then another toward Zan Wei.
“Same for you.”
Zan Wei stared at the pill for a long moment before laughing helplessly.
“…I really thought I’d grow old managing the clan forever.”
Zan Yunxiao calmly replied,
“You still will.”
“But now you’ll live longer while doing it.”
Zan Wei’s mouth twitched.
Meanwhile, Zan Tianming carefully held the pill with slightly trembling hands.
For decades, he had already accepted his mortality.
Yet now.
His father had forcibly pulled him back onto the immortal path.
Even Jin Zhou was summoned afterward.
The old general looked deeply emotional when receiving the Reconstruction Pill.
“Immortal Master…”
Before he could kneel, Zan Yunxiao stopped him immediately.
“You’re family.”
“No need for that.”
Eventually, all three consumed the pills and entered closed cultivation.
The effects were immediate.
The Reconstruction Pill forcefully repaired damaged meridians while rebuilding spiritual roots from scratch. The process was extremely painful, but with Zan Yunxiao protecting them personally, everything proceeded smoothly.
Several days later.
The three successfully stepped onto the cultivation path.
1st Qi Refinement Realm.
Although weak by immortal standards.
For them, it was life-changing.
However, cultivation could only slow aging from that point onward.
It could not completely restore youth immediately.
So Zan Tianming and Zan Wei still retained their elderly appearances.
White hair.
Wrinkles.
Aged features.
Though their vitality had clearly improved.
As for Jin Zhou.
The effects were surprisingly better.
Perhaps because of his martial background and stronger body, the old general regained much of his former vigor. Even though he was already over eighty years old, he now looked closer to a man in his prime years.
The moment he saw his reflection afterward, he laughed loudly for almost an entire afternoon.
. . .
Time quietly passed once more.
Ten years went by in the blink of an eye.
The Zan Clan continued growing steadily.
More disciples were recruited..
The Zan Family Grounds expanded further around the mountain region, with training courtyards, disciple residences, cultivation halls, and spirit farms gradually appearing.
Although the clan was still far from a true immortal sect.
Its foundation had already become impossible for ordinary forces to challenge.
And above it all.
Zan Yunxiao silently watched the clan continue growing beneath his protection.
Inside the main hall of the Zan Clan, Zan Yunxiao sat quietly on the patriarch seat while Zan Wei stood below him giving the recent reports of the clan.
However.
Zan Yunxiao’s attention was only half there.
Most of his focus was currently looking at the transparent system panel floating before his eyes.
[Zan Yunxiao
Cultivation Level: 5th Golden Core Realm
Cultivation Technique: Zan Heaven Veiling Scripture
Age: 106 / 1,500
Body Constitution: Clear Spirit Body
Item: Heaven Moonveil Sword
Offensive Technique: Moonveil Severing Sword Art
Defensive Technique: Star Thread Reflection]
Looking at his current status, Zan Yunxiao felt fairly satisfied.
Within only a century, he had already reached the 5th Golden Core Realm.
That speed was absurd even among cultivators.
Most of it was thanks to the Zan Heaven Veiling Scripture and the dense spiritual vein beneath the clan mountain.
Without those two advantages, his cultivation speed would never have been this terrifying.
Still.
As his cultivation rose, another thought quietly resurfaced in his mind.
The other world.
More specifically.
That white dragon.
Zan Yunxiao unconsciously narrowed his eyes slightly.
Even now, remembering that overwhelming pressure still made him cautious.
A being comparable to Nascent Soul Realm.
At his current strength, he was still not confident enough to face it directly.
Eventually, he dismissed the thought for now.
Meanwhile, Zan Wei finally finished the report and bowed respectfully.
“That concludes everything, Father.”
Zan Yunxiao slowly returned his attention to reality.
Although he had not fully listened.
He still heard the important parts.
Especially one matter.
“The Crown Prince died?”
Zan Wei nodded.
“Yes.”
“He passed away from illness before ascending the throne.”
Zan Yunxiao fell silent briefly.
He still remembered the Crown Prince from many years ago.
Back then, he thought the man might eventually be assassinated because of the protective talisman hidden in his robes.
Zan Yunxiao had even silently decided to help him if such danger came.
But in the end.
The Crown Prince simply died from cancer.
A mortal illness.
Zan Yunxiao quietly sighed inwardly.
“At least I didn’t fail that promise.”
There were some things even cultivators could not interfere with casually.
Especially fate and lifespan.
Zan Wei continued explaining.
“After the Crown Prince’s death, the next successor became the descendant of Emperor Hong Se.”
“The imperial court has mostly stabilized now.”
Zan Yunxiao nodded calmly.
The imperial family had already become deeply connected to the Zan Clan anyway.
Especially after Emperor Hong Se became a disciple of Zan Clan.
Even now, Hong Se was still cultivating in secluded retirement somewhere within the imperial palace grounds.
Though his talent remained mediocre.
His lifespan had at least been extended significantly.
After the reports ended, Zan Yunxiao dismissed Zan Wei and quietly returned to his chamber.
The night gradually deepened.
Moonlight entered faintly through the windows while the entire Zan Clan Grounds became silent.
Inside the room, Zan Yunxiao sat beside the window with one hand supporting his chin.
His thoughts, however, were far from peaceful.
The other world.
Ever since returning from that place, the image of the white dragon continuously lingered in his mind.
That terrifying aura.
That overwhelming pressure.
And more importantly.
That world itself.
A world without humans.
A world filled with ancient forests and mana.
The more Zan Yunxiao thought about it, the more curious he became.
Normally, cultivators feared unknown places.
But curiosity was also part of the immortal path.
At midnight, Zan Yunxiao suddenly spoke softly.
“System.”
“What is the name of that world?”
The system responded immediately.
[The world currently has no official name.]
[Host may assign one if desired.]
Zan Yunxiao blinked slightly.
“No name…”
For a moment, he quietly looked outside toward the moonlit mountains.
Then a random thought surfaced in his mind.
“…Zinnia.”
He slowly repeated it.
“Zinnia Planet.”
The system immediately responded.
World designation updated.
[Current World Name: Zinnia Planet]
Zan Yunxiao lightly smiled.
The more he thought about Zinnia Planet.
The harder it became to ignore his curiosity.
He suddenly spoke.
“…I decided.”
“I’ll just take a look and investigate.”
His eyes narrowed slightly afterward.
“And avoid that dragon.”
After all, the white dragon was clearly not something he could fight directly right now.
At least not with his current 5th Golden Core Realm cultivation.
But simply exploring carefully?
That was still possible.
Zan Yunxiao calmly stood up from his seat.
This time, however, he was far more cautious than before.
If he encountered that dragon again.
He would immediately flee.
After all, immortal cultivators who lived long lives understood one important principle.
Survival came first.
Then Zan Yunxiao quietly called the system again.
“Activate Dimensional Travel.”
The space around him immediately distorted.
The familiar pressure descended once more.
Moments later.
His figure vanished from the chamber.