24: connections

The next morning.

The bedroom was in disarray; white silk undergarments, a bright red palace-style dress, and rolled-up stockings were scattered across the floor.

"Mm~"

Lin Anqi slowly woke up. Just as she tried to get up, she felt a wave of pain in her lower body.

Recalling the madness of last night, her face flushed slightly. Liu Xuan was simply not human; he was like an ox!

"Young Miss, you're awake!"

Hearing the movement inside, Lin Anqi's personal maid, Xiaoyue, entered to help her dress and get up.

"Where is Talisman Master Liu? Where is he now?"

Lin Anqi spread her arms, cooperating with the dressing, and asked.

"He left early this morning, saying he had to return to the Sect. He also asked me to tell you, Young Miss, that in the future, he will return to the Sect in the morning and only come over in the afternoon."

"Liar!"

Lin Anqi cursed silently in her heart. He had promised to tell her the reason!

She had countless questions she wanted to ask Liu Xuan, but who knew that when she woke up, he would be gone.

...

Small courtyard at the foot of the mountain.

Liu Xuan was holding his son, Xiao Yuan, playing with him. The baby was chubby and cute; when he wasn't crying, he was quite well-behaved and fun to play with.

"Husband, how did it go with Big Sister Anqi?"

Lin Xue'er had learned quite a bit about Lin Anqi over these past few days. This clan sister had a proud personality, and since Liu Xuan had returned so early, she was worried that Liu Xuan hadn't managed to win her over.

"How did what go?" Liu Xuan asked.

"The matter of the Dao Companion!" Lin Xue'er said anxiously.

"Oh!" Liu Xuan realized, smiling, "It's done!"

"That's good then!"

Lin Xue'er seemed to heave a sigh of relief. Seeing her like this, she seemed even more invested than Liu Xuan himself.

"Husband, you shouldn't have been in such a rush to come back. Since it's done, you should have accompanied her to meet her parents and friends to solidify the relationship."

This world did not have the custom of celebrating weddings lavishly; people didn't seem to place much importance on this aspect. Generally, one only needed to pay respects to elders and meet with friends.

There was only one thing that required grand celebration: an increase in cultivation level, especially a Breakthrough in a major Realm. If anyone in the Sect achieved a Foundation Establishment Breakthrough, the Foundation Establishment ceremony would be held for at least three days.

"Don't worry!" Liu Xuan handed Xiao Yuan back to Lin Xue'er and comforted her, "Your husband knows what he's doing. I can't just stay in the city all the time and ignore you all, right?"

"Husband~"

A wave of emotion welled up in Lin Xue'er's heart. Liu Xuan cared more about her!

Liu Xuan spent about an hour in the courtyard with Lin Xue'er and Da Shuang Xiao Shuang, then went to Talisman Master Li's place.

He still had to continue attending Talisman Drawing classes so he could explain his constantly improving level of Talisman Drawing.

Lin Tianyue had previously suggested that Liu Xuan change his mentor and study under one of the First-Order High-Grade Talisman Cultivators in the Talisman Hall, but Liu Xuan had refused.

The status of a First-Order High-Grade Talisman Cultivator was extremely high, and Lin Tianyue's words might not necessarily carry enough weight. Since Liu Xuan didn't want to, he didn't force it.

The Talisman Drawing talent Liu Xuan had displayed was already exaggerated enough! There was no need to study under a First-Order High-Grade Talisman Cultivator.

It was fine to slowly build up his credentials under Talisman Master Li. Liu Xuan was quite satisfied with that old man Li Changsheng; at least he didn't have any malicious intentions.

Continuing to stay under Talisman Master Li for a few more years, promoting to a First-Rank Mid-Grade Talisman Master would be a matter of course.

Talisman Master Li's Small Building.

When Liu Xuan walked in, he immediately attracted everyone's attention. The news that he had become an Inner Sect Disciple had already spread.

"Congratulations! We should call you Senior Brother Liu now."

Qin Yun teased.

In the Sect, age didn't matter; Outer Sect Disciples addressed all Inner Sect Disciples as Senior Brother or Senior Sister.

Qin Yun, although also a First-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Master, was already twenty-nine years old and had not become an Inner Sect Disciple.

She was the only First-Rank Talisman Master among the earliest batch of Disciples to be promoted, which worked out to be exactly ten years earlier than Liu Xuan.

"Senior Sister, you're joking. You will always be my Senior Sister!" Liu Xuan said with a smile.

"That won't do!"

Qin Yun hurriedly waved her hand, "The Sect's rules are there. If the people from the Law Enforcement Hall find out, there will surely be trouble!"

"How about this!" Liu Xuan leaned closer to Qin Yun and lowered his voice, "In public, you call me Senior Brother, and in private, I'll call you Senior Sister..."

"Go away!"

Qin Yun gave Liu Xuan a shove, making him return to his seat, her ears tinged with a hint of pink.

Liu Xuan returned to his seat, and before he could even start drawing Talismans, people came over one after another to offer congratulations.

"Congratulations to Senior Brother Liu on your promotion to Inner Sect Disciple. I hope Senior Brother will look after us in the future!"

"Senior Brother Liu, this is a hundred-year-old ginseng, a specialty from my hometown. Please, have a taste!"

"Senior Brother Liu, I am from the Chen Family. My father is a First-Rank Alchemist in the Pill Refining Hall. In the future, you can come to me for Medicinal Pills!"

"Good, good, good!"

Liu Xuan accepted everyone, whether they came to make friends or give gifts, he accepted them all. Especially that fellow named Chen Ming; Liu Xuan booked twenty bottles of qi and blood pill on the spot.

Once a person becomes powerful, things like connections don't need to be actively cultivated; people will naturally come to you.

There were thirty Disciples in this batch under Talisman Master Li. Those who could stay either had talent in Talisman Drawing or had a background. Making friends with them had no downsides, and perhaps there would be a day when they would be useful.

"Liu Xuan, congratulations!"

A voice Liu Xuan didn't expect appeared, and Liu Xuan paused for two seconds.

Yan Qingyao!

She actually came over to congratulate him.

According to the memories of his predecessor, Yan Qingyao appeared easygoing but was actually distant. Plus, because of the incident on the Illusion Heart Platform during the Outer Sect assessment a year ago, even if she wanted to congratulate Liu Xuan, she wouldn't have come over at this time.

"Many thanks!" Liu Xuan smiled and nodded, "We are fellow townsmen; we should help each other in the future!"

Liu Xuan had a very special feeling towards Yan Qingyao. He didn't know if it was influenced by his predecessor or the Illusion Heart Platform, but every time he saw her, he couldn't help but feel a strong sentiment welling up.

However, this sentiment was forcibly suppressed by Liu Xuan. He was here to cultivate immortality, not to fall in love!

At this stage, his strength was insufficient. Instead of wasting time on her, it was better to focus on improving himself.

Therefore, Liu Xuan had deliberately avoided Yan Qingyao during this period and had basically not spoken to her proactively.

Yan Qingyao nodded in agreement, "You're right. Among the six of us from the Yongning Dao Academy, except for Wang Xiaokang who returned to Yongning, the other five have all remained in the Sect.

I plan to find a place in a few days for us to gather. Just as you said, we should help each other!"

Because of her high talent, Yan Qingyao had directly become an Inner Sect Disciple and was also a Named Disciple of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Spell Hall.

However, her background was ordinary; she came from a commoner Family in Yongning. Without Family support, she could never compare to those Disciples from Cultivator Families.

The Sect provided preferential treatment to Disciples with high talent, but it was not unconditional training. While she was called a Named Disciple of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it was really just in name. Yan Qingyao had only paid respects once when she first joined, and hadn't seen them again for the entire year since!

Before a Genius grows up, they are just a Genius. Once they show signs of slowing down in their progress, the previous preferential treatment will gradually decrease.

Liu Xuan's rise reminded Yan Qingyao that without Family support, one must build up their own connections bit by bit to obtain more resources, and only then could they achieve greater progress!