Chapter 171: Chapter 171: The Last Time Was Still the Last Time, Cultivation Is Life

Before Yang Chan could go find Gu An, Gu An found him first.

Yang Chan had planned to tell Gu An that he wanted to stay in the Cyan Yuan Sect and spend more time to get promoted to Intermediate Pharmacist. He had scheduled this conversation for two months before the Pharmacist Exchange Conference, which seemed like the perfect time. However, Gu An sought him out first, a full two months earlier than he’d intended.

Although this deviated a bit from Yang Chan’s plan, he decided to take the opportunity to bring it up now that Gu An had come to him. It would save him a lot of trouble in the long run.

He had been to Gu An’s residence before, so the path was familiar.

"Disciple Yang Chan requests to see Hall Master Gu."

He’d seen so many luxurious courtyards that he was used to them. ’Though I do plan on building one for myself eventually. There’s no rush; I’ll have plenty of opportunities.’

He didn’t see Gu An in the courtyard this time. However, he could sense two experts in one of the rooms. They weren’t concealing their breathing, and the respiratory rhythm of an Inner Refining Grandmaster was different from an ordinary person’s, making it very clear to his senses.

In this courtyard, the only one with such an aura would be Hall Master Gu An. The other presence must be an expert at the Inner Refining Grandmaster Level, but he couldn’t identify who it was.

After Yang Chan spoke, he watched the disciple guarding the door enter the house to announce his arrival.

He could have arranged for such Gatekeepers in his own courtyard. These people were mostly ordinary folk, perhaps with some connection to the master of the residence, which was how they got the job. They served little practical purpose, mostly just for show.

After all, the disciples who guarded the Sect’s main gate and those who patrolled in the shadows were all far more capable than these Gatekeepers.

Of course, they did have one use: announcing visitors.

Yang Chan had naturally refused the offer. He didn’t want strangers in his house.

He had already prepared his own defensive measures, and with the Cyan Yuan Sect’s defenses on top of that, problems were unlikely. If something did happen, these people would be completely useless anyway.

Not many people in the Cyan Yuan Sect came to visit him. If he didn’t want to see someone, he could have Han Bingyu—that convenient tool—turn them away. She was much more effective than one of Gu An’s Gatekeepers who had no Cultivation.

As for appearances, a low-key Basic Level Pharmacist like him didn’t have much need for them.

"Come in!"

A moment later, Gu An’s voice came from inside the room.

It seemed like he was only being allowed in after the announcement, but Yang Chan knew better. Gu An had surely heard him the moment he spoke. This was an ability of an Inner Refining Grandmaster, something he was now very familiar with.

As an Inner Refining Grandmaster himself, his hearing was also very sharp. Someone like Gu An, who had been an Inner Refining Grandmaster for many years, would naturally be even more skilled in this regard. There was no way he hadn’t heard.

’In this world, keeping up appearances is simply unavoidable.’

Upon hearing the invitation, Yang Chan walked directly into the courtyard. Not much had changed.

It hadn’t been long since his last visit—only about two months. For someone like him, who was constantly focused on his Cultivation, improving his Pharmacist Ability, and so on, time flew. It felt like his last visit was just yesterday. In fact, his last visit felt as recent as... well, the last time he visited. ’Yeah, very recent.’

Walking past a long corridor and several rooms, he could sense the powerful breathing even more clearly. The rhythm seemed ordinary at first glance, but it was completely different from that of a normal person. It was long and drawn out, like a Spirit Turtle breathing in the water, able to exchange air over a long period. By using this breathing rhythm, one could perform the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens.

This form of Cultivation could be integrated into daily life.

It had become a daily rhythm, just as Instructor Hall Master Han Zhengcheng had said: Cultivation is life.

Inner Refining didn’t require special postures. As long as one mastered this rhythm, they could cultivate while walking, sitting, or even lying down in their daily life.

Yang Chan was well aware of this. Therefore, before leaving his residence, he had secretly activated the Meditation and Breath Holding Technique to make his breathing as chaotic and disorderly as an ordinary person’s.

This practice of integrating Martial Arts Cultivation into daily life was excellent, but it wasn’t suitable for him. Or more accurately, it wasn’t suitable for him right now.

Yang Chan didn’t want to expose his Martial Arts Cultivation. He didn’t want to become the Cyan Yuan Sect’s youngest Inner Refining Grandmaster, and he certainly didn’t want to get involved in the struggles for the positions of Sect Leader or Hall Master.

These positions weren’t obtained out of thin air; they were won by "competing" with others.

The Hall Masters of the various halls were bound to be among the strongest of the Inner Refining Grandmasters; otherwise, they couldn’t have become Hall Masters.

The emergence of a new Inner Refining Grandmaster was, in their eyes, a threat.

Take Gu An, for example. His attitude toward him was excellent right now. This was only because Yang Chan didn’t threaten his interests and even brought him considerable benefits, which was why he was so amicable. If there were a conflict of interest between them, or if Gu An even felt threatened, his attitude wouldn’t be so good. He might even specifically target him.

Human nature was the one thing that couldn’t stand up to testing. Yang Chan didn’t want to test anyone’s character, nor did he want to experience its fickle changes. There was no benefit in it for him, so there was no need.

Yang Chan entered and finally saw Medicine Hall Master Gu An. Beside him was another, unfamiliar Inner Refining Grandmaster expert, who was likely an Elder.

This was because the man’s aura was much weaker than Gu An’s.

This was the conclusion he drew from the man’s breathing. Assuming the other party wasn’t concealing his Cultivation, that was the case.

Judging by Gu An’s demeanor, this person probably posed no threat to him, so Yang Chan guessed he wouldn’t be a problem.

"Disciple Yang Chan greets the Hall Master and the Elder."

Yang Chan said, bowing with his fists clasped.

Since he didn’t know the man, he simply addressed him as "Elder."

"This is Elder Ji Feng of the Medicine Hall."

Seeing this, Gu An knew Yang Chan didn’t recognize the man and made the introduction. The reason was that this person would be dealing with Yang Chan and the others in the future, so they needed to be acquainted.

This man was also one of his own, so he was naturally on the same side as Yang Chan and the others.

"Disciple Yang Chan, I greet you, Elder Ji."

Hearing this, Yang Chan understood the meaning behind Gu An’s words and immediately clasped his fists again as he spoke.

Although he disliked dealing with strangers, finding it troublesome, his emotional intelligence was quite high. He could quickly figure out the hidden meaning in others’ words.

"You must be the Genius Pharmacist that Hall Master Gu mentioned. Truly young and promising!"

Ji Feng was quite impressed upon seeing Yang Chan. Before coming here to see Gu An, he had heard Yang Chan’s name mentioned by him several times. Although he had heard of him before, this time it felt different.

Clearly, this was also part of Gu An’s intention.

Gu An had asked him to come over to discuss the trip to White Jade City.

When the Cyan Yuan Sect arranged for people to go to White Jade City, they would naturally also arrange for experts to guard them. After all, the ones going to White Jade City were the Cyan Yuan Sect’s Advanced Pharmacists and others—all extremely important figures whose safety had to be protected.