Chapter 13: Fan Jingwen

Jiang Yan found a towering ancient tree, thick and sturdy, and with all his strength, he managed to climb up onto the broadest branch. Sitting cross-legged on the branch, he gazed up at the night sky, where stars multiplied in number. He thought to himself, how breathtaking the ancient night sky was! If only his father, mother, and little sister could see this. He wondered how they were doing now. As for his body in the modern world... could it already be rotting away?

A wave of nostalgia washed over Jiang Yan. He missed his modern-day cell phone, snacks, and his beloved soda more than anything.

At present, he was well and truly trapped in this world of cultivation. He sighed.

Slapping his cheeks, he muttered, “Why think so much? Just focus on cultivation…”

With that, he began converting the spiritual energy within his body according to the method the ancestor had taught him.

The next month passed in a flurry of activity for Jiang Yan.

How could it not be? If he wasn't being chased by wild boars, it was tigers hot on his heels…

His escape skills had been honed to perfection.

Every day was a repeat of the same chase.

And if he did get caught? Then all that was left was to fight!

He had to admit, his combat skills had grown immensely through these daily life-or-death struggles.

And through diligent cultivation in this period, all the spiritual energy stored in his dantian had been transformed into true spiritual power, and his cultivation had shot straight to the middle stage of Qi Refinement!

Jiang Yan launched a stream of spiritual power at the ground, leaving a small pit behind.

“Heh heh, I’m not the same Jiang Yan as before. From now on, call me Dragon-Ao-Tian Jiang Yan!” He looked at his hands, grinning with utter satisfaction.

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Another morning dawned, the sky turning pale.

Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, dappling Jiang Yan’s handsome face.

Cheep… cheep… cheep… cheep cheep cheep…

The chorus of birds roused Jiang Yan from sleep. Annoyed, he rolled over.

Unexpectedly, with a loud thud, he tumbled off the tree and landed heavily on the ground.

A flurry of leaves was sent flying; Jiang Yan ended up headfirst, his backside in the air, buried awkwardly in a pile of leaves.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch, that hurts!” he grumbled, rubbing the bump rising on his forehead, whimpering all the while.

“Ha ha ha… He’s really not very bright, is he?” A child’s voice, young and mocking, drifted into Jiang Yan’s ears.

Then another, melodious and clear, spoke, “Xiao Bao, mind your manners.”

Jiang Yan struggled to his feet and looked up, only to see a boy about his own age standing not far away.

The boy looked travel-worn, as if he’d been on the road for a long time.

Wait, why was he alone? Where was that cheeky child? Jiang Yan wondered.

He looked left and right, even craning his neck to peer behind the boy.

“Are you alright, brother?” The boy’s pleasant voice sounded again.

“Thanks for asking, I’m fine. But, wait, why are you alone? Wasn’t there a child’s voice just now?” Jiang Yan asked, puzzled.

Before the boy could answer, that bratty, childish voice came again, “Are you blind? I’m right in front of you!”

The voice came from the boy himself. Jiang Yan looked closer and saw a snail perched on the boy’s shoulder.

Well, now, so that was the source of the voice?

Even tiny insects could gain sentience in this world? Amazing—no wonder this was a realm of cultivation!

“Ha ha, don’t mind him, brother. He’s my spirit pet. His name is Xiao Bao,” the boy said with a sunny smile.

“Heh heh, it’s alright, so it’s a spirit pet! By the way, who are you? What brings you here?”

“My name is Fan Jingwen. I’m here for training. And you, brother, what should I call you?”

“I’m Jiang Yan. Just call me Jiang Yan,” he replied, then asked in confusion, “Training? You’re a cultivator? But… isn’t this the mortal world? What’s there to train here?”

“You don’t know?” Now it was Fan Jingwen’s turn to be puzzled. It certainly seemed Jiang Yan didn’t know where he was.

“Jiang Yan, to be honest, this isn’t the mortal world. This is the world of cultivation. It’s just that the mortal world isn’t far from here.” He explained patiently.

“Then tell me, is this Yuhua Peak?” Jiang Yan hoped the boy was mistaken.

But Fan Jingwen nodded. “That’s right, this is Yuhua Peak.”

Jiang Yan’s jaw dropped, and he stood there, stunned.

Well, that two-faced old man! Who was it who said Jiang Yan was trying to run before he could walk?

That old man had sent him, a complete novice, straight to the world of cultivation—and hadn’t even told him! So many days had passed, and he hadn’t come looking for him. Had he forgotten him entirely?

“Jiang Yan, Jiang Yan, snap out of it! Quick, we have to hide!” Fan Jingwen suddenly sounded urgent, as if he sensed danger.

Before Jiang Yan could respond, Fan Jingwen grabbed his sleeve and pulled him behind a large, concealed tree.

“Have you seen any trace of that brat?”

“No… no, it’s like he vanished into thin air!”

Two voices spoke.

Jiang Yan peered through the branches and saw two men in black robes.

They looked fierce and menacing. One held a pair of massive, spiked iron hammers, while the other wielded a broadsword nearly a meter long.

Jiang Yan swallowed nervously, his palms sweating. He could even hear his own heart pounding.

Surely… surely they wouldn’t be discovered, right?

Suddenly, a third black-robed man appeared. He said to the other two, “Big brother, third brother, a passerby said he saw a youth heading west. You think it could be the brat?”

“Let’s chase after him and see!” the leader declared.

With that, the three of them sprinted off to the west.

Once they were gone, Fan Jingwen turned to Jiang Yan, apologetic. “I’m really sorry, Jiang Yan. Did I scare you?”

Jiang Yan cleared his throat and, refusing to admit fear, replied, “Nonsense! I am Dragon-Ao-Tian Jiang Yan. You think I’d be scared of them? By the way, who were they? Did you offend them?”

“Hmph! It’s them who are unreasonable! They’re nothing but a bunch of bandits!” the little snail piped up, indignant.

Fan Jingwen explained, a little embarrassed, “Well, they’re from the Demon Clan. Actually… they want to drag me back to marry their Demon Princess…”

Jiang Yan grinned mischievously. “Brother, is this Demon Princess pretty?”

“Uh… I suppose you could say she’s pretty…” Fan Jingwen hesitated, sounding unsure.

“Then why not just marry her?” Jiang Yan thought his friend was in luck!

“Hmph, she’s hideous! What’s so good-looking about her? She paints herself like a ghost, with flour-white face and purple lips…” the little snail grumbled.

Jiang Yan had to admit, the snail had a sharp tongue—but the mental image was vivid! If it were him, he’d run too!

“Ahem, brother, then why do they want to force you to marry the Demon Princess?” Jiang Yan pressed on.