The sudden exclamations and astonishment that filled the air quickly caught the attention of every cultivator within the "Green Grove Pavilion."
"One hundred spirit stones? Did I hear that correctly…?" Elder Cheng's body stiffened, his face a mixture of delight and disbelief as he fixed his gaze on Yang Fan.
"You… Are you serious?" Master Xu, the talisman expert, asked in utter disbelief. After all, who among the cultivators of the world would ever claim to have too many spirit stones?
It wasn't just the two of them who harbored doubts. The other cultivators present, who had been watching the scene unfold, shared the same incredulous sentiments.
A tense silence fell over the room as all eyes turned toward Yang Fan, waiting for confirmation.
"Did I not make myself clear?" Yang Fan's voice took on a weightier tone, calm yet resolute. "As per the agreement, one hundred spirit stones. The 'Purple-Blue Brush' now belongs to me, and it's up to me who I sell it to."
There was a cold, unyielding edge to his words that left no room for misinterpretation. It was abundantly clear that this was no slip of the tongue—it was the absolute truth.
"Master Yang truly keeps his word. I knew I wasn't mistaken about you!" Elder Cheng's face lit up with joy. He was deeply impressed by Yang Fan's integrity.
At the same time, a faint sense of gratitude began to stir within him. If Yang Fan had chosen to prioritize personal gain over his promise, Elder Cheng would have lost all face today.
Without further delay, the deal was sealed. Yang Fan handed over the Purple-Blue Brush to Elder Cheng, who in turn transferred one hundred spirit stones to Yang Fan.
As this transaction played out before his eyes, Master Xu's face grew darker with each passing moment. His gaze lingered on Yang Fan, filled with cold malice, before he finally turned and left in frustration.
Although Yang Fan had his back to Master Xu, he could still feel the veiled threat in the man's departing glance.
"A mere Qi Condensation stage cultivator…" Yang Fan chuckled inwardly, dismissing the matter without a second thought.
As the crowd gradually dispersed after the commotion, Yang Fan and Elder Cheng continued to converse, growing closer with every word exchanged. At one point, Elder Cheng even offered to give Yang Fan an additional fifty spirit stones, but Yang Fan politely declined.
"Have you forgotten our agreement, Elder Cheng?" Yang Fan said softly.
"Ha! Of course not!" Elder Cheng chuckled and nodded. "With my connections in the capital, securing a position as a guest official or honored guest for you would be a breeze. The question is, what kind of arrangement would you prefer?"
After a moment of contemplation, Yang Fan spoke frankly, "I did not come to the capital to serve any particular faction for personal comfort or gain. My ultimate goal is to establish an immortal medical clinic, and for that, I will need a strong backing. Hence, it would be best if this faction is particularly powerful."
There was no need for Yang Fan to conceal his intentions or use any soundproofing techniques as he spoke. Everything he was doing was honorable and in the open. Opening a medical clinic would only benefit the cultivation world; it wouldn't infringe on anyone's interests.
However, no one could have guessed the true reason behind Yang Fan's desire to open such a clinic.
"Ambitious, indeed," Elder Cheng said, his admiration clear. "In this capital, the most powerful factions are undoubtedly the four great cultivation families—Yu Wen, Chu, Yang, and Lin. However, gaining favor from one of these families will not be easy. Still, come with me, and we'll discuss this further."
"Thank you for your trouble, Elder Cheng. There is no rush since I have only just arrived in the capital."
Yang Fan nodded his thanks.
"Give me some time, and I will do everything within my power to make this happen," Elder Cheng said with confidence. His status as a Qi Condensation stage cultivator living in the capital for so many years meant his connections ran deep. This task, to him, was not insurmountable.
After chatting for a bit longer, Elder Cheng extended an invitation to Yang Fan to visit his humble residence.
Upon hearing the phrase "humble residence," Yang Fan assumed they were headed to Elder Cheng's private home. But once they arrived, he was in for a surprise.
"The Yanzhou King's Mansion?!"
Yang Fan stood before the opulent estate, momentarily stunned.
Then, realization dawned on him.
"Heh, half a year ago, I became a guest official of the Yanzhou King's Mansion," Elder Cheng said with a hint of pride.
"I see."
Yang Fan nodded, taking in the grand and imposing architecture of the mansion. There was an unmistakable aura of power in the air, though its source remained elusive.
Silently, he mused to himself, "It seems the Yanzhou King's Mansion is no ordinary place."
Driven by curiosity, Yang Fan followed Elder Cheng and his grandson into the mansion.
The guards at the entrance greeted Elder Cheng with deep bows and asked about Yang Fan's identity.
"Master Yang is my friend. In time, he may become a guest official here," Elder Cheng said nonchalantly as he led Yang Fan inside. Clearly, his status within the mansion was not a low one.
"What do you think of the mansion, Master Yang?" Elder Cheng asked with a smile, seemingly eager for Yang Fan's opinion.
"The scenery is pleasant," Yang Fan replied, his simple answer leaving Elder Cheng at a loss for words.
"The master of the Yanzhou King's Mansion is none other than the current emperor's younger brother, Yu Wenlie," Elder Cheng said with a grin.
Yang Fan raised an eyebrow, surprised. "So, this is part of the Yu Wen family's domain?"
"Not exactly," Elder Cheng explained. "The rulers of the mortal world cannot be cultivators; they must be ordinary humans. This is an ancient law of the cultivation world. The true Yu Wen family only supports them from the shadows. Of course, both the emperor and Prince Yu Wenlie are direct descendants of the Yu Wen family's ancestor."
Suddenly, it all made sense. There was a delicate balance maintained between the mortal and cultivation worlds. Cultivators could not directly govern the mundane world but could influence it quietly. Without this rule, the natural order would collapse.
Yang Fan now understood that the Yanzhou King's Mansion was merely the outer layer of the Yu Wen family's influence in the mortal realm. This insight deepened his understanding of the capital's power dynamics.
"But do not underestimate Yu Wenlie," Elder Cheng said, his expression turning serious.
"Oh?" Yang Fan's interest was piqued. "Is he a cultivator as well?"
"No, Yu Wenlie is not a cultivator, but he has mastered the pinnacle of mortal martial arts. There are rumors that he once killed a demon cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage with nothing but his martial prowess."
Elder Cheng's voice dropped to a near whisper.
"Is that true?" Yang Fan's heart skipped a beat. "How strong could mortal martial arts truly be?"
From what he knew, martial artists who reached the Xiantian stage had physiques comparable to those in the Nascent Soul stage, circulating true qi within their bodies, though they lacked the ability to harness magic power.
As such, a Xiantian martial artist would be stronger than most Qi Condensation stage cultivators but no match for a Nascent Soul expert. For Yu Wenlie to have slain a Nascent Soul demon cultivator with martial arts alone was nothing short of astounding.
"Prince Yu Wenlie wields immense influence in the mortal world. His prestige even surpasses that of the emperor himself. Yet, his one regret is that, despite his forty-some years, he has no son to continue his legacy—only three daughters…"
Elder Cheng trailed off, sharing stories from within the Yanzhou King's Mansion, subtly hinting at his desire for Yang Fan to consider joining their ranks.
"The Yanzhou King's Mansion, huh? It seems like a promising option," Yang Fan thought to himself.
After gaining a clearer understanding of the capital's power structure, Yang Fan realized that the rules governing cultivators in this city were somewhat restrictive. Cultivators couldn't act with complete freedom, unlike the mortal factions, which governed vast numbers of ordinary humans and truly held sway here. With the common folk making up the majority of the human population, it became clear that any plans he had for the city would require the backing of the mortal powers.
The Yanzhou King's Mansion, with its far-reaching influence in the mortal world and its backing by the powerful Yu Wen family, was a very tempting choice.
After passing through several corridors, they arrived at a picturesque scene with an artificial river, pavilions, bridges, rockeries, and bamboo groves.
"Beyond that bridge is the area where the guest officials reside. Each one has their own private courtyard," Elder Cheng explained, like a tour guide. His grandson, Cheng Yunfei, remained silent and appeared to be under strict supervision.
As they approached the bridge, several elderly men rushed toward them, their ages well over sixty.
Yang Fan's nose twitched, picking up the faint scent of medicinal herbs. His gaze landed on a pouch carried by one of the elderly men.
"They're all apothecaries," Yang Fan deduced.
"Master He! You seem to be in a great hurry. Is someone in the mansion unwell?" Elder Cheng asked the eldest of the group.
Master He let out a sigh, "The Second Miss's illness has flared up again…"
With just those few words, the group hastily moved on.