Chapter 64: His Path

Wang Yan wanted nothing more than to drop to his knees and kowtow to Si Chen right then and there.

This was not merely a debt of gratitude for being recognized — it was nothing short of being given a second life.

But in the end, he held himself back.

The restaurant was full of people with prying eyes. Though the young master had used some remarkable method to seal off their voices, their movements were still visible to all.

If he actually knelt down, by tomorrow the entire Danding City would be buzzing with rumors about a waiter who had struck it rich — and that could bring unnecessary trouble to the young master.

Wang Yan had spent years navigating the streets and alleys of the city. He still had that much shrewdness about him.

This pill, and the bond between him and the young master — these were now his greatest secrets, and he could not afford to invite any unnecessary suspicion.

Chifeng watched Wang Yan's inner struggle play out and a flicker of approval crossed his eyes.

This kid had a silver tongue, a sharp mind, and knew when to hold back. Setting aside his cultivation for now, his character was quite admirable.

Heishan hadn't thought that deeply about it. Seeing Wang Yan still standing there in a daze, he couldn't help but use his booming voice to snap him out of it:

"Hey, kid! What are you grinning about? Don't forget you're only at the fifth-layer Qi Refining Stage! This thing isn't for you to take right now!"

Wang Yan jolted back to his senses and nodded hastily. "Yes, yes, of course! Senior's reminder is well taken! This junior understands the stakes. I will cultivate diligently, and only take it once I've reached Qi Refinement Peak Perfection and am fully prepared!"

Si Chen heard this and gave a nod of approval. He thought for a moment, then casually reached into his Storage Ring and pulled out a small pouch, sliding it across to Wang Yan.

"Take these Spirit Stones for your cultivation. We'll be staying in Danding City for a while longer — there's no rush."

Wang Yan looked at the pouch — unassuming in appearance, yet heavy with weight. A quick sweep told him there were enough Spirit Stones to carry him all the way to Qi Refinement Peak Perfection without needing to work another day.

This young master… was far too considerate!

Not only had he given him a chance at the Grand Dao, he had even covered his living expenses! What had he, Wang Yan, done to deserve this?

This wasn't just a kindred spirit — this was practically a father figure…

In his excitement, his mind went blank, and the words tumbled out before he could stop them: "Young Master… y-you can rest assured! Your child will give everything he has and will never betray your expectations!"

Pfft—!

Heishan, sitting nearby, was so startled by the word "your child" that he spat out a mouthful of soup.

Wang Yan caught himself too, and his entire face flushed crimson. He wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

He waved his hands frantically. "Ah — no, that's not what I meant! I meant… this subordinate! This subordinate!"

His blunder and flustered state were enough to draw a faint smile even from Chifeng, who stood to the side.

Si Chen was momentarily taken aback, then shook his head with an amused smile. "Just call me Si Chen. Go do what you need to do."

"Yes! Young Master!"

Without drawing any attention, Wang Yan swiftly tucked away the jade vial and the pouch of Spirit Stones, hiding them close to his body, as if nothing had happened at all.

He took a deep breath, gave Si Chen a slight bow, then let his professional, warm smile return to his face. He flicked the towel back over his shoulder and darted off to attend to the other guests with practiced ease.

Heishan watched Wang Yan weave through the crowd, scratching his head with a baffled expression.

"I don't get it. This kid just got the chance of a lifetime — why isn't he rushing off to find a place for Closed-Door Cultivation? He's still here waiting tables? Is something wrong with his head?"

Si Chen lifted his teacup and took a sip, watching Wang Yan's nimble figure move through the crowd. "Perhaps," he said, "it's so as not to draw attention."

Chifeng nodded beside him and picked up the thought. "When a windfall arrives, the worst thing one can do is act out of character. This kid has a steady head — he hasn't let the Fortuitous Encounter go to his brain. He knows how to stay hidden and keep his cards close. But…"

His tone shifted. "Whether it's Cultivation or Alchemy, character alone won't cut it. Whether he succeeds or not will still depend on his own fortune."

* * *

Over the next two days, Wang Yan's performance was flawless.

He still arrived at the restaurant before dawn — wiping tables, sweeping floors, greeting guests and seeing them off. The smile on his face and the towel on his shoulder never disappeared.

He bantered with the regulars, carried out the proprietor's instructions, and went about everything exactly as before — if anything, with even more energy — as if the First-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill and the pouch of Spirit Stones that could change his destiny had never existed.

He didn't even rush to quit his job.

It wasn't until the morning of the third day that he found the right moment, wearing the expression of a young man with his head in the clouds, to hand in his resignation to the proprietor.

His reason was perfectly chosen: "Boss, I… want to try the Alchemist apprentice trials one more time. I've saved up a bit of money and want to take one last shot…"

This was all too common in Danding City. Nearly every day, some young person chasing the dream of becoming an Alchemist would go and try their luck.

The proprietor knew Wang Yan had failed a few times before, and simply assumed he couldn't let it go. He didn't make things difficult — just patted him on the shoulder with a touch of regret, settled his wages, and let him go.

Wang Yan gave his thanks profusely, said his farewells to the coworkers he was close with, and left cleanly, without raising a single eyebrow.

That composure was less like a young waiter and more like a seasoned veteran who had weathered many storms.

Yet after leaving the restaurant, Wang Yan did not go straight home, nor did he seek out a place for Closed-Door Cultivation.

He turned down a few alleys, navigating with practiced familiarity, and slipped into a pharmacy that looked like it had been around for many years.

A short while later, he walked out clutching several paper-wrapped medicine packets — but the wages he had just collected, still warm from being tucked against his body, were gone down to the last coin.

* * *

Outside Danding City, near the foot of the mountains, a scattering of low, humble dwellings stood. Most of the people who lived here were low-ranking Cultivators or Mortals, much like Wang Yan himself.

Wang Yan's home was tucked into the most unremarkable corner among them — low earthen walls, a thatched roof, barely enough to keep out the wind and rain.

The interior was bare to the point of desolation.

A woman with a sallow complexion, coughing softly and without pause, was propped up against the headboard, mending clothes by the faint light filtering through the window. That was Wang Yan's mother.

Wang Yan strode quickly into the room, and the weariness on his face was instantly replaced by a bright, easy smile.

"Mother, I'm back! The boss paid out wages today — even threw in a little extra!"

His tone was light and breezy, betraying nothing of the life-altering turn his fortunes had just taken.

"Look — I picked up your medicine. Same old prescription, but the herbs are much better quality this time!"

He shook the medicine packets in his hand, then set about lighting the small clay stove with practiced hands and began decocting the medicine.

"Yanzi… cough, cough… you're wasting money again…" The woman watched her son's busy figure with eyes full of heartache and guilt.

She had raised the child alone through hardship when she was young, enduring every suffering the world had to offer, and it had left her body riddled with ailments.

Now her son had grown up, but her own body was giving out — and sometimes she felt that being alive was only a burden to him.

"Mother, what are you saying! Money is meant to be spent, and your health is what matters most."

Wang Yan fanned the stove fire as he spoke in a cheerful tone. "Once your son becomes an Alchemist, I'll personally refine the finest spirit elixirs just for you — guaranteed to cure whatever ails you and grant you the lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator!"

The woman looked at her son putting on a brave face, and her heart ached all the more — yet she couldn't bring herself to say anything more, and simply let out a quiet sigh.

The reason Wang Yan had driven himself so desperately to become an Alchemist — his original motivation, and his deepest obsession — was, in truth, to cure his mother's illness.

His natural aptitude was actually not poor. In a place as rich in Spiritual Energy as Danding City, had he not spent eight or nine parts of every Spirit Stone he earned on medicine, how could he still be stuck spinning his wheels at the fifth-layer Qi Refining Stage?

And all of this was witnessed by three figures hovering in the sky above, their presences carefully concealed.

With their level of cultivation, the conversation and scene inside the humble dwelling were as clear to them as if it were unfolding right before their eyes.

Heishan set aside his usual carefree bluster. His bear-like face wore a complicated expression, and he clicked his tongue softly. "…So that's how it is. This kid… he's a filial son."

He had thought Wang Yan was all talk and not entirely reliable before, but seeing this, the faint contempt he'd harbored quietly dissolved.

Chifeng nodded. "Steadfast in character, and devoted to his family. Si Chen, this investment of yours may truly be worth it."

Si Chen said nothing. He simply watched in silence.

He watched Wang Yan carefully blow on the medicine broth to cool it, then feed it to his mother spoonful by spoonful.

He watched the sallow color of the woman's face seem to gain just a touch of warmth after she drank it down.

Perhaps it was the medicine working. Perhaps it was only in the mind.

"Let's go." Si Chen withdrew his gaze and said quietly.

"Shouldn't we help his mother?" Heishan couldn't help but ask. With Si Chen's abilities, curing a Mortal's ailments should be no great difficulty.

But Si Chen shook his head. "That is his path."

He had given Wang Yan a starting point — a road that might lead somewhere.

But the scenery along the way was Wang Yan's to discover, and the burdens on the road were Wang Yan's to carry.

Just as when he had been a star, he had never interfered with the rise and fall of civilizations on the planets around him.

Now, as Si Chen, he could offer opportunity — but every step of the journey had to be completed by Wang Yan himself.

He turned and walked away, no longer looking back at that small dwelling — yet at the corners of his mouth, a faint smile quietly appeared.

"Besides…"

"He will become an Alchemy Grandmaster."