Upon hearing this news, the two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
With good news pouring in, first Old Beggar's cultivation was fully restored, and now the Fang family had suffered a crushing defeat. It was truly a great relief.
"Master, since the Fang family has been severely defeated, we don't need to hurry back. The Extreme Realm is about to open. How about we seize the Fang family's quota and strengthen our sect's power?" Lu An suggested.
Old Beggar pondered for a moment and then nodded.
"Indeed. The light spheres in that secret realm contain many insights from cultivators. Even if one fails to enter the Extreme Realm, they can still gain substantial benefits."
"As far as I know, the Fang family has two quotas each for Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Core Formation. If we obtain all of them, our strength will surely increase greatly."
Unexpectedly, Lu An shook his head and made an unexpected proposal.
"Master, we only need to secure the Core Formation quota. The remaining four quotas can be exchanged for other conditions, such as establishing a branch of the Three Talismans Sect in Yongning County."
Old Beggar raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Why? The quotas for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment are not insignificant. Why not take them and let my disciples gain some experience?"
He didn't know that Lu An had already absorbed all the light spheres from the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment realms. If they entered now, it would be an empty space with no insights left.
However, Lu An didn't explain and simply said, "Master, just do as I suggest. I now have a deep understanding of the Extreme True Intent and can personally teach Bai Sheng and the others when the time comes."
Old Beggar's heart was stirred. Since Lu An had mastered the Extreme True Intent and could even heal his imbalances, teaching his disciples was certainly within his capabilities.
"Very well. Although my cultivation has been restored to early-stage Nascent Soul, the county governor has been entrenched in this realm for many years. Setting up a branch might lead to disputes."
"Exchanging the quotas will provide him with a graceful exit. He probably won't go to great lengths to fight over such a trivial matter."
The two then discussed some details and left the mountains together.
Outside the mountain, more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators had gathered, discussing something.
"Brother Ji, most people have arrived. Why don't we start searching right away?"
"Yes, if we delay, he might escape, which would be troublesome."
Ji Xidong knew he couldn't delay any longer and immediately said, "Alright, let's start. He is hiding in that mountain. Whoever finds him first will get the reward. Don't forget to treat everyone."
The crowd laughed and eagerly flew toward the mountain.
However, just halfway there, they all came to a halt.
Two streaks of light quickly approached from the distance and soon landed in front of them.
One of the figures was unfamiliar to them, while the other was the old beggar they had been searching for.
At this moment, Old Beggar was still in tattered clothes, with bloodstains on his mouth, looking as though he had no cultivation at all.
"It's him, it's the old beggar."
"Quickly capture him! He's severely injured and no longer has the strength to fight!"
Several cultivators shouted loudly, urging others to test the waters.
But with a loud clamor and little action, the crowd wasn't foolish. Since Old Beggar dared to come before them, he must have some backup.
"Could it be that the young man gave him confidence?"
But this person looked to have only early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. How could he possibly be a match for the cultivators present?
They would never have guessed that Old Beggar's cultivation was already fully restored and he was confident.
Ji Xidong was also puzzled but was shocked to see Lu An's figure.
What is Lu An doing here?
This messes up all the plans that my master and I had made!
Seeing the two men's calm demeanor and their lack of fear despite the large number of cultivators, Ji Xidong suddenly had a thought.
"Could it be that my master and the others are pretending to have recovered, trying to deceive these Foundation Establishment cultivators?"
He smiled wryly and shook his head. It couldn't be that simple...
But at this point, he could only play along with their act.
He stepped forward and said loudly, "Everyone, don't be rash. Since the old beggar dares to act this way, he must have taken some kind of elixir. His injuries might have healed!"
Upon hearing this, the others were even more suspicious.
A few cautious ones quietly took a few steps back, already feeling a sense of retreat.
Seeing the effect, Ji Xidong was pleased but maintained his composure and continued, "In my opinion, it's better to retreat first and report this to the county governor. This person is not something we can handle."
As soon as he finished speaking, two people fled without regard for the rest of the group.
If they were going to escape, they needed to do it early. If Old Beggar had truly recovered, those who lagged behind would surely face a bad end.
However, most people did not move. There was something suspicious about this. Severely injured a few days ago, and now fully recovered?
The saying goes, 'Fortune comes from danger,' and they weren't easily scared.
Ji Xidong, feeling anxious, was about to continue persuading when Old Beggar suddenly raised an arm, reaching forward, and coldly said:
"Did I let you leave?"
The few who had attempted to flee suddenly felt a terrifying force pulling them back, their bodies stumbling backward.
In moments, they were back where they started.
Seeing this, everyone was terrified.
"He, he has recovered! Nascent Soul, it's Nascent Soul!"
Just as they were about to try escaping again, it was too late.
Old Beggar glanced at the crowd and said slowly, "Whoever moves, dies."
The cultivators looked at each other in horror, none daring to think of escape.
Ji Xidong's face showed joy. No longer concerned with hiding his identity, he flew to Old Beggar's side.
"Master, you've recovered your cultivation?"
Old Beggar nodded, patted Ji Xidong's head, and said, "I'm fine now. You've worked hard this time."
Ji Xidong's eyes reddened as he thought about how energetic and proud his master had once been and the hardships he had endured since then. His emotions became difficult to control.
In front of others, he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a disciple of the National Teacher, known and respected by all. Yet, in front of his master, he was still like a child who used to ride on his master's neck and eat candied fruit.
Lu An was also moved. His senior brother had helped him greatly this time, even risking his life. Lu An felt even more respect for him.
Seeing that the others did not dare to act rashly, Old Beggar stepped forward and spoke slowly:
"You are all prominent figures from various major families in Yongning County. Cultivation is not easy, so I won't make things difficult for you."
"Upon returning, inform your family's ancestors that the Three Talismans Sect plans to establish a branch in Yongning County and welcomes everyone to join."
The crowd stirred at this news.
Old Beggar continued without paying them any more attention:
"I know that among you are those related to the county governor. Please also relay this message to him: Three days from now, I, Old Beggar, will visit him!"
Everyone present was relieved to be spared. They all agreed readily to Old Beggar's request, though what would happen afterward was unknown.
After Old Beggar had finished speaking, the crowd dispersed, with only Ji Xidong remaining.
The others left without blaming him for previous events and even exchanged pleasantries with him before leaving.
It was obvious to everyone that having a Nascent Soul elder like Old Beggar in Yongning County was incredibly fortunate. Although Ji Xidong had the background of the National Teacher before, the situation was different now. His status would be elevated even further.
"Master, tell me what happened. How did your cultivation suddenly recover?" Ji Xidong asked.
Old Beggar smiled slightly and only mentioned that it was related to Lu An, but did not go into specifics.
Ji Xidong looked at Lu An in surprise, not expecting his younger martial brother to have such great abilities.
Previously, Ji Xidong felt it was unfair that Old Beggar went to such lengths for Lu An. Even Old Beggar himself had only done so to fulfill a long-held obsession, not for Lu An himself.
Now, with both of them having the answers, Lu An was worth such effort.
Thinking of this, Ji Xidong also smiled, his opinion of Lu An rising sharply.
"Master, now that your cultivation is fully restored, Father would surely be very happy. Why don't you return to the capital with me?"
Old Beggar raised an eyebrow and asked, "Has your term ended?"
"Yes, there is only a little over a month left. Leaving a few days early won't make much difference. Afterward, Father should send a Core Formation cultivator to oversee Yongning County. My own cultivation is still too low," Ji Xidong explained.
There are thirteen provinces in Qi Country, each with nine counties. In most of the other counties, the overseers are usually Core Formation cultivators. Although their cultivation may not be as high as that of the county governor, they represent the imperial family, so the governor generally wouldn't make things difficult. The two sides usually coexist peacefully.
As for why there weren't Nascent Soul overseers, it was because Nascent Soul cultivators were too few and couldn't be dispatched in large numbers. They were only sent to a few provincial capitals, while remote areas like Yongning County often had just Foundation Establishment cultivators or even no oversight.
Old Beggar pondered for a moment and shook his head.
"I have promised your junior brother to join the Three Talismans Sect, so I won't be returning with you."
"Moreover, I don't know how to face them. It's better to leave it as it is."
He felt guilty towards those closest to him and was somewhat avoiding them. Perhaps only when he fully opened his heart could he face them openly.
Furthermore, with Lu An around, he had found a new focus. He was eager to impart all his skills to Lu An and would not leave until Lu An was fully capable on his own.
Ji Xidong felt a bit dejected. He knew that resolving his master's issues wasn't something that could be accomplished quickly. The remaining grudges could only be gradually worked through with time.
"Since that's the case, I'll leave first. Master, Junior Brother, I'll take my leave."
He cupped his hands and turned to leave.
At this moment, Lu An spoke up:
"Senior Brother, perhaps we'll meet again in the near future."
Ji Xidong stopped and turned around.
"Hmm?"
"Senior Brother, are you aware of the Shui Tian Law Conference? I have been invited to attend and should stand out, representing the Yongning County Talisman Hall."
"This conference will be held in the capital of Qi Country. When the time comes, I will definitely visit you."
Lu An spoke with absolute confidence, as if he had already secured a place at the conference.
Ji Xidong's face showed great joy.
"The Shui Tian Law Conference? How did I forget about this? Good, I'll show you around the capital when you come."
"Master and the others probably want to see you too. They might even prepare a generous gift for you!"
Unexpectedly, Old Beggar spoke up loudly, interrupting him.
"No, Lu An's visit needs to be kept confidential. It's not the right time to reveal his identity."
"If his senior brothers and sisters find out, there might be significant trouble."
Ji Xidong scratched his head, looking hesitant.
"Master, is it really that serious?"
"If I say no, then it's no. Remember, it's best not to even tell your father."
Ji Xidong's face showed a bitter expression but seeing Old Beggar's firm attitude, he could only agree.
"Alright, I won't say anything."
"But if Junior Brother comes, you must send me a message, and I will host you personally."
With that, he took out a communication jade slip and handed it to Lu An.
Lu An received it with a smile and cupped his hands.
"Senior Brother, have a safe journey."
Ji Xidong hesitated no more and flew away as a streak of light.
After he left, Old Beggar turned to Lu An and asked:
"Why didn't you mention the Shui Tian Law Conference?"
"Master, you had already gone to Yongning County by then, and I hadn't found the opportunity to bring it up."
Old Beggar nodded and continued:
"The Shui Tian Law Conference is not simple. Have you heard about the Dao Stele reward?"
"Disciple has heard a little, but doesn't know much about it."
Old Beggar clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
"The Dao Stele has a significant origin. I won't elaborate further as it might be too complicated."
"You just need to know that you must seize this opportunity. It might help you reach the third level of Talisman Dao!"
Lu An was slightly surprised and asked, "The three realms of Talisman Dao—Talisman Methods of Heaven and Earth?"
"That's right. Didn't you always want to draw talismans in the void? Achieving this realm will allow you to master that," Old Beggar confirmed.
"Do you remember the five-colored disk I gave you before?"
Lu An's mind stirred, and he took out the disk from his storage ring. This disk was left by Old Beggar before he went to Yongning County and was intended to help Lu An comprehend the essence of the world's energy. It allowed him to observe the forms and characteristics of various energies from an objective standpoint.
Since Old Beggar's departure, Lu An had been studying it daily, greatly improving his control and understanding of the world's energies. It was indeed a rare and valuable item. He wondered why Old Beggar mentioned this disk now.
Old Beggar picked up the disk, touched it, and his eyes showed a hint of nostalgia. After a while, he returned the disk to Lu An with a slight sigh.
"This disk's five beads were obtained by me and my senior brother when we were young and playful. We even got scolded by our master for it."
"Given the magnitude of the trouble we caused, we should have been executed or at least had our entire family exterminated. Fortunately, our master is the foremost cultivator in Qi Country, so we narrowly escaped."
He sighed deeply again, his expression filled with sorrow.
Seeing this, Lu An asked, "Master…?"
"Yes, my master passed away many years ago. The elder brother is like a father to me, so my feelings for him are deep," Old Beggar replied.
Lu An was also moved by this revelation. However, he was puzzled by Old Beggar's earlier mention of the beads. What could be so significant about a few beads that would cause such a great calamity?
Old Beggar seemed to understand his confusion and asked, "Do you know where these beads came from?"
Seeing Lu An shake his head, Old Beggar continued slowly, "They were excavated by me and my senior brother from the Dao Stele."