Chapter 210 - 119: Ascending the High Platform, Marquis Beicang, Becoming a ’Qi Cultivator’, Receiving the ’Feathered Immortal Robe’ in Advance

Chapter 210: Chapter 119: Ascending the High Platform, Marquis Beicang, Becoming a ’Qi Cultivator’, Receiving the ’Feathered Immortal Robe’ in Advance

Di Yuan spoke with a smile as servants on either side drove his carriage. When he stepped out, he was holding two small, transparent glass tanks. Inside, one long and one flat shadow—one gold, one cyan—swirled about.

He raised his hands slightly:

"I’ve traveled a long way and was in a bit of a rush, so I haven’t brought anything too extravagant. The New Year is the day after tomorrow, and my family has many traditions. I expect I’ll have to set off for Jiangyin Prefecture by merchant ship very soon."

"I felt an instant connection with Brother Ji, so I made a point to bring two Centennial Spirit Fish. They’re a specialty of the East Canghai and are almost never seen here in Anning County."

"One Red Gold Scale and one Cyan Wood Ray. Both are greatly beneficial for the Skin Refining stage. Brother Ji is a youthful genius, having broken the Great Limit of Mercury Blood Silver Marrow, and is now just a step away from Skin Refining."

"Demon Blood is a powerful supplement, to be sure, but it pales in comparison to these aquatic Spirit Fish."

"In my Jiangyin Prefecture, even the direct descendants of the great Schools and Grand Lineages greatly prefer these Spiritual Products from the East Canghai when they undergo Skin Refining."

"If you would be so kind, Sir, please present my business card."

After his explanation, Di Yuan took out a business card. It was embossed with gilt patterns, bearing the large character for ’Di’ and the insignia of the Post House.

The Post House!

Old Yao had worked for the Lin Family for the better part of his life and had often heard the dockhands and porters at the pier talk about them.

Of all those who traveled the length and breadth of that vast river, the most influential faction was the Post House from Jiangyin Prefecture. From Water Bandits of all sizes to the prefecture’s naval guards, and even the wild demons of the deep...

...they had connections with all of them. The network was vast and complex!

’To think that a figure of this caliber would be scrambling to present a gift to our Boss for the New Year!’

At this thought, Old Yao’s eyes gleamed with fervor:

"Ah, it’s Young Master Di! Please wait a moment, Young Master. I will go and inform him at once!"

The young masters and ladies of the Three Major Professions—Lu Yu, Wei Zhi, and the others—were also there.

When they saw the Post House carriage parked in front of the Ji Residence, they exchanged glances. Looking down at the New Year’s gifts they had brought, they suddenly flushed with embarrassment, feeling their offerings were too shabby to present.

The County had suffered a great disaster, and since their family businesses were so large, the impact on the Three Major Professions was significant. By year’s end, everyone was tightening their belts. It had been difficult enough just to scrape together a decent gift.

But compared to this young master from the prefecture, who could casually offer up Spirit Fish from the sea, there was simply no comparison!

The eight-thousand-li expanse of the East Canghai was vast, a place where nature itself nurtured its creations. Spiritual Objects from its waters, whether living or preserved, were exceptionally pure. For a Martial Artist, consuming them was a gentle yet effective way to temper their Flesh, Bone, and Skin, with no harmful side effects.

Their value was significantly higher than that of equivalent Demon Pills, Demon Blood, or Mountain Ginseng.

Anning Pier was situated in shallow water that lacked any spiritual essence, so it couldn’t produce Spiritual Objects. Ordinarily, such things were an extremely rare sight in Anning County.

Even for Wei Zhi and the others, it was the first time they had ever seen such specialty products from Jiangyin Prefecture and the East Canghai.

They couldn’t help but click their tongues in amazement; this young master from a prefectural Grand Lineage was just so extravagant. Thinking of their own situation, they felt inadequate in comparison and instinctively shrank back a little.

’Are the gifts we brought... a bit too meager...?’

Before they could dwell on it, a hearty laugh rang out:

"It’s the New Year! Your good wishes are more than enough. Why bother with gifts?"

Striding through the snow with a powerful, confident gait was Ji Xiu. He was clad in snug training attire, and steam billowed from his body, rising into the frigid winter air and lingering for over ten feet before dissipating.

He strode forward, followed by Ye Ningzhi. Her eyes were shining with excitement as she muttered under her breath:

"Crane Hand, Ape Finger, Falcon Claw, Tiger Fist, Flood Dragon Palm, Elephant Leg... The Six Martial Stances, Ye Longxiang’s Head..."

Just moments before, Ji Xiu had kept his promise. He had demonstrated the Secret Martial art, ’Ye Longxiang’s Head,’ in the courtyard and had given her special permission to observe its profound mysteries.

The young girl had watched to her heart’s content. Now her eyes shone brightly; she had faintly grasped a few essentials of the Cloud Crane Hand and glimpsed the threshold of true understanding.

But the more she understood, the more Ye Ningzhi realized just how profound this Secret Martial art was. At the same time, she was utterly awestruck by the level of mastery Ji Xiu had already achieved in one of its Martial Stances.

’This is far beyond simple memorization.’

’He’s obviously achieved a degree of mastery!’

’Sure enough, you can’t believe a single word Cai Ling’er says. If I had, I would have missed my chance to inherit a Secret Martial art!’

She thought gleefully, ’If I can just watch it another eight or ten times and get some pointers from Ji Xiu, I might just be able to grasp the basics.’

She had completely forgotten that the New Year was fast approaching and that her Master and grandmother had repeatedly told her to come home to celebrate.

"Brother Ji! As your sworn brother, I still haven’t properly thanked you for what happened a while back. I finally have a moment to breathe today, so I’ve come to bring you some New Year’s wine!"

Zhao Jiu, dressed in the bright red County Magistrate’s Robe, had also arrived in his carriage to join the festivities.

An attendant by his side carried two jugs of ’Jinling Drunk,’ a specialty from the Wine Shop, hailed in Jiangyin Prefecture as one of the Jianghuai Eight Wonders.

Rumor had it that a one-year vintage of this wine cost one gold, a ten-year vintage required ten taels of Red Gold, and a hundred-year vintage demanded a hundred taels of Red Gold just to place a reservation. Even then, it was often unavailable at any price, its fame having spread throughout the prefectures!

Just by smelling the rich, mellow aroma, laced with hints of Spirit Medicine Qi, one could tell it was a vintage of at least several decades and had cost a fortune.

Behind his carriage were representatives from the three great Martial Arts Halls of the Inner Street. Whether it was the Profound Bird Sword Hall, with whom he’d had no prior contact; the Overlord Spear King Instructor, whom he had met once in the Medicine Hall; or the very familiar Whale-Slaying Saber Hall...

...all had dispatched their chosen disciples—the very ones he had defeated while tempering his own Sword Mountain and Fire Sea Stance—to present gifts and express their gratitude!

Looking at the influential powers of the county and the eminent figures from beyond the prefecture who had come to pay their respects...

...a ripple went through Ji Xiu’s heart.

Visiting relatives and building connections before the New Year.

In his memories, both from this life and his past one, the New Year’s experience for someone from a poor background was always more or less the same.

Even when he visited other people’s homes, he was little more than a sidekick, forced to listen to them boast about their family’s immense power and wealth. Who would ever rack their brains, go to such lengths, and scramble to give *him* gifts?